Akiyama Mio's hand hovered in mid‑air, trembling slightly.
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind: Is it still possible to back out? Will Rei Ao force me?
Am I really about to give my first time to a man I've only met once?
While she was struggling with herself, Rei Ao's voice came from inside the room.
"Come in."
Mio's body shuddered; she almost cried out.
How did he know I was outside?
Has he been watching me the whole time?
The idea made her feel both ashamed and—strangely—made her heart race.
She moistened her dry lips and gently pushed the door open.
…
The bedroom was even more spacious than she had imagined.
A large bed stood in the center, dressed with dark‑blue silk sheets.
Beyond the floor‑to‑ceiling windows lay a rain‑fresh mountain forest.
Rei Ao sat in a single armchair by the bed, holding a glass of red wine.
He had changed into casual clothes.
The collar of his black shirt was slightly open, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone.
Seeing Mio enter, his iridescent eyes narrowed a little, and a faint, elusive smile touched his lips.
"Close the door."
His voice was low and magnetic.
Mio obeyed, closing the door while her fingers clutched the edge of her bath towel in nervousness.
She stood by the doorway, not daring to meet Rei Ao's eyes.
Her damp black hair hung over her shoulders, still dripping.
Since she wouldn't move, Rei Ao had to take the initiative.
He set down his wineglass and walked toward her.
He was a good head taller than Mio.
As he approached, a faint cologne mingled with an indescribable hint of danger.
"Raise your head."
He spoke softly.
Mio hesitated, then slowly lifted her face.
Rei Ao's gaze roamed over it—from her wet lashes to her slightly trembling lips, down to her slender neck and the faintly visible collarbone at the towel's edge.
His stare was so direct it felt as if it could pierce the cloth and see what lay beneath.
Mio's toes curled with embarrassment.
"You're beautiful," Rei Ao said suddenly, admiration in his voice.
"Even more beautiful than I imagined."
Mio's cheeks flushed even deeper; she hadn't expected such praise.
Rei Ao reached out and lightly stroked her cheek; the warmth of his fingertips made her shiver.
"Are you ready?" he asked,
his tone as gentle as if inquiring about the weather.
"…"
Mio didn't know how to answer.
Ready?
Of course not!
But a deal was a deal; she couldn't back out.
So she gave the faintest nod—almost imperceptible.
Rei Ao seemed to see right through her and chuckled low.
"I knew you wouldn't be, so just leave the rest to me."
He leaned close to her ear, warm breath brushing its sensitive rim.
"I promise I'll ease your fear."
Those words flushed Mio from her ears down to her neck.
Instinctively she tried to step back, but Rei Ao wrapped an arm around her waist.
Their bodies pressed tightly together.
She could clearly feel the warmth of his chest and the strong beat of his heart.
"Relax."
Rei Ao's voice carried a soothing magic, and Mio's tense muscles loosened a little.
He lowered his head and kissed her—an impossibly gentle touch.
Mio's eyes flew open.
This is my first kiss!
Far gentler than she had imagined.
Gradually Mio relaxed her rigid frame.
That was exactly the signal Rei Ao had been waiting for.
As a consummate flirt, he naturally pressed his advantage.
…
Meanwhile the atmosphere in the bathroom was tense.
"Don't you think Mio is acting weird? What's going on with her?" Tainaka Ritsu frowned, idly stirring the bathwater.
"She really has been strange lately," Kotobuki Tsumugi mused.
"Ever since she said she saw a ghost last month, she sometimes zones out…"
She looked toward Hirasawa Yui.
"Yui, have you noticed anything?"
Yui tilted her head; the little yellow duck on her head slid off.
"Uh… Mio‑chan sometimes stares into empty space, like she's looking at something…"
Suddenly she remembered.
"Right!"
"I once saw her nodding toward a corner where no one was, like she was talking to someone!"
Ritsu and Tsumugi exchanged a glance.
"And then there's that Rei Ao who suddenly showed up…"
Ritsu lowered her voice. "Do you think… Mio really might be haunted by something?"
Tsumugi shook her head.
"I don't think so."
"Rei Ao saved Yui, gave us a place to stay, even provided hot water."
"If he were a malicious spirit, why bother with all that?"
"Then what is he?" Ritsu scratched her head. "He can't be some celestial being come to earth, right?"
So far, Rei Ao didn't seem human—perhaps he was the "ghost" Mio met.
Yet he hadn't harmed them.
Splash!
Yui suddenly stood up in the tub, sending water everywhere.
"Why don't we just ask him?"
She said it innocently, unaware she was stark naked.
"Yui! Sit down!" Ritsu yanked her back under the water.
"Huh? Don't we have questions?"
Yui blinked at them.
"…"
The other two were speechless.
Is that something you can just ask like that?
"At least wait until we're dressed!"
…
The three girls finished bathing in a hurry and put on the yukata prepared in the upstairs wardrobe.
To their surprise, the garments fit perfectly, as if tailored for them—another sign that Rei Ao was no ordinary person.
"What now?" Ritsu asked while tying her sash.
"Do we go straight to Mio?"
Tsumugi nodded.
"Find Mio first; then we'll face Rei Ao together."
Though her voice was calm, a flicker of worry shone in her eyes.
"No matter who he is, we have to be sure Mio is safe."
The three girls stepped out of the bathroom, determined to unmask Rei Ao's mystery.
What they didn't know was that— at that very moment, Akiyama Mio was experiencing something entirely unprecedented.
~~~
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