"Heh."
Shizuka Hiratsuka let out a scoff.
She was an adult, after all. Maybe she hadn't eaten the pork, but she'd at least seen the pig run. She'd watched her share of shoots. What could possibly scare her?
She opened the doujin with a whatever attitude and began flipping.
At the critical spread, she saw it—she saw that perfectly replicated weapon.
"W-wha—!!!"
Shizuka sucked in a sharp breath.
What is this? Are humans this over the top?You're sure this is a perfect, to-scale replica?
When she pictured Tatsuki's face and build paired with something that outrageous, Shizuka's mind had only one word: exaggerated.
How was that supposed to go in anywhere?
Thinking of Eriri's petite frame, Shizuka involuntarily shivered and spared the girl a moment of silence.
After the initial shock, she instinctively flipped onward.
"..."
Slowly, she got pulled into the panels.
The artist was just… too good. Even Shizuka had to admit the details were on point—especially the different reactions of each heroine after that ridiculous weapon struck; it was all rendered vividly.
"!!!"
Shizuka's cheeks gradually flushed.
After a brief twenty-eight seconds of soul-searching, she bit her lip and decided to relax for once—just to blow off the recent stress.
Door? Locked.
Curtains? Drawn.
Leaning back on the bed, she flipped the pages… and let her hands move.
Remembering that the reference was a perfect replica of Tatsuki, her mind couldn't help but conjure Tatsuki—and a weapon to match, spun from the doujin's imagery.
"Ugh—!!!"
Mortification crashed over her—because the fantasy made everything hit harder.
This isn't right!
That was her last scrap of rational thought before the tide of sensation flooded in.
…
"Right—Ms. Hiratsuka, this is for you. If you ever get attacked and seriously injured, you can use it as first aid—gives you time to contact me."
Tatsuki had remembered that Shizuka might have a body that attracts anomalies. If she ran into something like a ghoul, getting hurt would be easy. So he came back specifically to leave her two senzu beans.
"Mm~"
The breathy sound made Tatsuki freeze. He turned his head.
Shizuka, having just crested her peak, was sliding into post-peak clarity.
She also heard his voice and looked over.
"..."
A silent stare-down.
Tatsuki's gaze flicked to the doujin in Shizuka's left hand—still damp at the edges. His eyelid twitched. He set the two senzu beans on the table in a hurry.
Ahem.
"Anyway—these are for emergency care. I'm out!"
The atmosphere was getting more awkward by the second. He chose the only sane option: retreat.
"!!!"
It was a long, stunned beat before Shizuka's brain rebooted.
She tried to call out, but her voice snagged in her throat.
In the end, with a damp hand, she yanked the blanket up and covered herself.
"Waaaaaahhhh!!!"
Under the covers, a storm of emotions compressed into a muffled scream.
Today, the single, thirty-something Shizuka Hiratsuka suffered instant social death.
…
At the morning station, it looked as if the world had just woken from a dream.
Sunlight streamed through thin clouds, dappling the platform with shifting patches of light. The air smelled fresh, threaded with earth and green.
A commuter train eased in.
Through the windows, a few early riders could be seen—heads bowed over books, or eyes closed, savoring the rare quiet.
Wearing a deep-blue hoodie, Tatsuki stood under a nearby tree, quietly waiting.
Waiting for the sun's little sprite.
"Tatsuki!"
In a white dress and a brimmed white hat edged with lace, Haruno beamed as she skipped toward him.
Tatsuki lifted a hand and smiled back—deeply relieved. Her smile wasn't a mask; he could feel how genuine it was.
Haruno slid her arm through his and pressed close.
"Tatsuki, did you wait long?"
He shook his head lightly. "No, I just got here."
Haruno tiptoed and kissed him on the lips. Her small mouth flashed neat, pretty teeth as she teased, "That's my penalty for being late."
His lips quirked—good mood secured. He still asked, "Why didn't you let me pick you up? Spatial transfer is instant."
Haruno tapped her finger to her lips. "Because I want the full date experience with you."
"Come on, let's go!"
With that, she tugged him along.
…
Using Kaguya's address, they soon reached the building—a nine-story place with an elevator. It looked newly built. The neighborhood suited Tatsuki just fine. The location made errands and shopping easy.
Inside: two units per floor, eighteen in total.
According to Kaguya, there were currently four occupied units; she'd bought out the rest. Tatsuki could move in anytime. She'd even emphasized that all four current households had been vetted—no men.
Tatsuki hadn't expected Kaguya to be this fast—investigations done, the whole place bought.
"Let's go in and look."
As they stepped out of the elevator, someone happened to come out— a pink-haired girl. She glanced up at them, then quickly bowed her head and slipped past.
Inside the elevator, Tatsuki found himself replaying the girl's face.
"What is it?" Haruno asked, seeing him thoughtful.
"Nothing," Tatsuki shook his head. She did feel familiar, but he didn't dwell on it.
After touring the layout with Haruno, both were satisfied. Like his previous place, it had three rooms, but the overall space was bigger. The interior was nicely finished—solid work. He had to admit: Kaguya's maid, Hayasaka, had excellent taste.
Pleased with it, Tatsuki decided on the spot. He messaged Kaguya and prepared to transfer the money.
Kaguya didn't intend to accept, but Tatsuki insisted. In the end, the transfer went through.
"Who was that?" Haruno asked. It wasn't a small sum—just waving it off?
"Kaguya Shinomiya."
"Kaguya Shinomiya… the Shinomiya heiress?"
Of course Haruno knew the Shinomiya Conglomerate. She blinked in surprise. "You reeled in the Shinomiya daughter too?"
Then she corrected herself—Tatsuki could casually wipe out the planet. What was a conglomerate to him?
"Can't say reeled in. Let's call it… in progress."
He said it openly, and Haruno didn't mind at all. She just leaned even closer. "We've finished the house check. Time to start our date, right?"
"Name a place—anything."
When it came to his woman's wishes, Tatsuki would deliver. If time wasn't enough, he'd just… slow it down.
....
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