The sky changed very quickly.
As if in a dream, Hoshino Jun and Takayanagi Yuki knelt on the blanket, embracing and comforting each other.
Listening to the evening wind outside the apartment blow down a cherry blossom petal, they whispered intimately, their hazy thoughts drifting far away, so quiet and passionate, as if the vast world held only the two of them.
Ten-odd minutes later.
Hoshino Jun held Takayanagi Yuki tightly, his forehead resting on the beautiful woman's smooth, tender shoulder.
"Thank you, Yuki."
"Mm~"
Takayanagi Yuki responded weakly, also lowering her head, her palms feeling a sour ache.
Perhaps the embrace was too warm; Takayanagi Yuki's palms were now covered in sweat, making them feel sticky.
Fortunately, there was a coffee table nearby with a pack of tissues on it. Enduring the numbing sensation in her body, she pulled out two sheets and wiped the sweat from her palms.
"Jun, you should let go of me now," Takayanagi Yuki's voice was soft, her tone not forceful.
"Mm, no rush."
Hoshino Jun tightened his embrace on Takayanagi Yuki, resting his head on the beautiful woman's neck, inhaling deeply the faint fragrance of the mature woman.
His right hand continued to press and knead the soft flesh of her plump, silky thigh.
This time, it was Takayanagi Yuki who closed her eyes, her rosy lips lightly bitten by her pearly teeth, her face flushed as if she were drunk.
"Mm-hmm—"
The widowed lady's muffled groan entered Hoshino Jun's ears like clear spring water. Hoshino Jun opened his eyes wide, gazing at her graceful figure.
Just by looking.
He seemed to be able to tell that Takayanagi Yuki's lips were soft, bouncy, fragrant, and tender.
He was mesmerized.
He unconsciously leaned closer.
In the end, he couldn't hold back and kissed her forcefully.
"Mmm~" Takayanagi Yuki opened her eyes, met Hoshino Jun's gaze for two seconds, then quickly averted her eyes and closed them tightly, showing no hint of resistance.
She thought to herself.
'Anyway, I've already agreed with Jun, just this once.'
'If he wants to kiss, let him kiss.'
'After this, we just need to maintain our distance.'
The red clouds in the sky gradually took on a deep blue hue, and the gentle breeze lightly tapped the pager, making a clicking sound.
The passionate kiss lasted for a long time, ending with a soft moan from Takayanagi Yuki.
After another two or three minutes, Hoshino Jun withdrew his hand from her ample, silky thigh. He and Takayanagi Yuki finally released each other from their embrace.
Perhaps because she had been kneeling for too long, her legs trembled as she struggled to stand up, her pretty face flushed like sunset, her eyes hazy, greedily breathing in the air, which now carried a peculiar scent.
"Jun, you should go home now."
Takayanagi Yuki dared not meet Hoshino Jun's gaze, turning around and walking quickly towards her bedroom.
Where her feet had stepped, she left behind damp footprints.
"No rush to go home."
Hoshino Jun quickly stood up, pulled two tissues from the coffee table, and wiped his sweaty hands dry.
Just as he was about to follow Takayanagi Yuki's footsteps, his backpack suddenly vibrated.
"Happy pond cultivated, dreams turn into an ocean."
"Big-eyed frog with a big mouth, also sings loudly."
This cheerful Chinese kindergarten song was Asu Mei's personal choice for Hoshino Jun's phone ringtone, only sounding when she called.
Hoshino Jun found it unpleasant, but Asu Mei liked it very much; she thought it was very cheerful.
"Annoying pest, always calling at the perfect time."
Muttering a complaint, Hoshino Jun still took out his phone from his bag without hesitation to answer the call.
"Why are you calling me?"
"Where are you?"
Asu Mei's voice in the receiver sounded a bit resentful.
Hoshino Jun felt bewildered, first checking the time displayed on his phone: 5:20 PM.
Is it already this late?
Usually, at this time, Hoshino Jun would be on his way home, probably almost at the bottom of the apartment building.
"I'm almost home."
"Oh~!"
After a single response, Asu Mei hung up the phone directly, without saying anything else to Hoshino Jun.
Hoshino Jun instantly knew that Asu Mei had something important to say. Normally, when Asu Mei called Hoshino Jun, she would always clearly state the reason for her call.
He immediately called back, but only heard a busy signal.
"Yuki, I'm going home now."
Hoshino Jun put on his bag, walked to the entrance, put on his shoes, and decisively opened the door, leaving Takayanagi Yuki's house.
"Click—"
The sound of the door closing echoed. Takayanagi Yuki, now in a black house dress, poked her head out of the bedroom, holding stockings and underwear. After confirming that Hoshino Jun had left, she came out and threw the clothes into the automatic washing machine.
Then she returned to the living room and pulled out the rug that had been underneath them.
The rug was damp and had a smell; it also needed to be washed.
'Jun really knows how to cause trouble.'
'I hope after this, he can truly forget about me.'
Outside the door.
As soon as Hoshino Jun stepped out of the Takayanagi Family's door, he was stunned.
He saw Asu Mei, dressed in a plain white dress, standing in the hallway by the door of apartment 404, looking at Hoshino Jun, who had just emerged from 403, with a look of surprise.
The evening breeze lifted her dark long hair, strands fluttering in front of Asu Mei.
At this moment, she was more terrifying than Sadako.
"Didn't you say..."
"...you were almost home?"
"Now, what are you doing at her house?!"
Her tone was light, but Hoshino Jun felt an icy chill as if it were December.
This was a premonition of a volcanic eruption.
Damn it, he had calculated everything but never expected she would come home early. Even if she wasn't working overtime today, she shouldn't be home this early!
What the hell is going on?!
The more tense the situation, the more important it was to maintain a calm and composed mindset.
Hoshino Jun raised his hand and brushed his hair from his forehead, taking the opportunity to sniff his palm.
Good, the smell wasn't strong.
She had rhinitis; she wouldn't smell such a subtle scent.
"I am indeed almost home."
Hoshino Jun calmly and composedly explained, "When I got home, I happened to run into Yuki. Her drain was clogged, so I helped unclog it."
"That's why I was delayed a bit in 403 and didn't get back to 404 in time. Is there a problem?"
Hearing this, Asu Mei narrowed her eyes, staring at him intently with the gaze of a cat catching a mouse. Finally, her brows relaxed, and a smile played on her lips.
"As expected of someone I taught. The quality is high; he even knows how to help the neighbor."
Asu Mei patted Hoshino Jun's shoulder with satisfaction.
"Get lost!" Hoshino Jun rolled his eyes speechlessly, "When did you ever teach me?"
"I did! I raised you, feeding you every spoonful and changing your diapers." Asu Mei proudly lifted her chin, "Hmph ╭(╯^╰)╮."
Seeing her return to her playful self, the heavy stone in Hoshino Jun's heart dropped.
It seemed he had bluffed his way through.
Later, he would need to synchronize their alibi with Yuki on LINE.
"Why are you home so early today?"
"It's all because of a certain pig."
Asu Mei glanced lightly at Hoshino Jun, grabbed his wrist, and entered apartment 404.
On the dining table was a spread of dishes.
Not finished meals.
But fresh ingredients waiting to be used.
"Yesterday, I didn't have a proper meal with a certain someone, and a certain someone threw a tantrum, right? So today, I came home early, hungry."