"When Ran called me, I was a little surprised," Eitan said with a smile, resting his elbow on the table and propping his cheek with one hand. "I thought maybe she had a boyfriend and was headed to a Valentine's Day party."
"Onisan…" Ran's cheeks turned visibly red.
"Well, it turned out she just had trouble saying no to someone, which was… honestly, a relief."
Ran blinked, then relaxed slightly.
So he'd said all that to take the pressure off her?
He wasn't wrong. She really wasn't good at refusing people. Especially someone like Wakamatsu Toshihide—he talked so much, so loudly, and so confidently that she never had the right moment to politely decline.
And now that Eitan had spoken up, she hoped the message would land clearly.
Glancing to her side, she saw Wakamatsu silently gripping his chopsticks, an unpleasant expression on his face, but at least he didn't blow up. That alone felt like a small miracle.
The other college students seemed to understand too. It was clear Wakamatsu had aggressively dragged two high school girls into this party, and everyone was trying to avoid a scene.
Luckily, Kaori Sekiya jumped in quickly to lighten the mood.
"But this sushi is really good! Did your mom make it, Kazuhiko?"
"Heh. Probably just bought and plated it," Minagawa muttered as he lit a cigarette.
"Then I'd love to know which restaurant, because it's excellent," Kaori said with a grin.
"You two high school girls should eat more, too," someone else chimed in.
"Speaking of which," Hiromi looked toward Eitan, "Is Mr. Eitan also single?"
Sonoko's eyes sparkled. She'd clearly wanted to ask that same question all night.
"Yes, I'm single."
"But you don't seem like someone who lacks admirers," Minagawa said, puffing smoke lazily.
"I suppose I just haven't met the right one yet."
"Then!" Sonoko leaned in eagerly. "Onisan, what kind of girl do you like?"
Ran also looked up with subtle curiosity.
Eitan chuckled.
"Someone with a mature mindset. Thoughtful, well-dressed... and of course, charm matters too."
"Mature, huh…" Sonoko immediately sank in her seat, suddenly self-conscious.
Kaori teased with a laugh, "Little sister, maybe focus on your grades first?"
"Hmph." Sonoko turned away, pouting.
The mood remained light and cheerful, though one person stayed noticeably quiet: Wakamatsu Toshihide. For someone usually so loud, he now mirrored the gloomy demeanor of Naomichi—the boy who hadn't said a word all night.
When the food was nearly gone, Minagawa suddenly slammed his beer glass on the table with a loud thud, drawing everyone's attention.
He turned sharply to Naomichi, who had been eating quietly.
"Alright, we've eaten enough. Hey, Naomichi—why don't you perform something for everyone?"
Naomichi froze mid-bite, looking up hesitantly.
"Sorry… I'm not good at performing. I wouldn't know what to do."
"Huh?" Minagawa's brows shot up, irritation flaring in his eyes. "You know what you just said?!"
"…Sorry." Naomichi lowered his gaze again.
Just then, a small boy—maybe five or six—came running into the room and climbed up on the couch behind everyone.
"Mommy, I want to play with everyone too!" he called cheerfully toward the kitchen.
The woman who emerged carrying a tray was the same elegant lady from before. But the boy's timing drew Minagawa's full ire.
"Akin, get back to your room! Don't bother us!"
The boy flinched and shrank back, startled.
His mother crouched beside the table, about to speak in defense of her son, but Minagawa stood up grumbling. He snatched his lighter and cigarette and stormed out.
"Hey, Kazuhiko!" Kaori called out and followed him.
"What was that about?"
"Why'd he suddenly snap?"
Ran and Sonoko exchanged hushed whispers.
Eitan, meanwhile, was unfazed. Alcohol always revealed people's real personalities.
He turned toward Naomichi. The guy clearly didn't fit in with this crowd and likely hadn't come by choice. Maybe it was social pressure, maybe obligation. After all, Minagawa was the president—and came from a wealthy family.
That kind of social hierarchy was still very much alive in places like this.
Disliking the cigarette smoke Minagawa had left behind, Eitan quietly stood up and walked to the glass door leading to the back garden, planning to let in some fresh air.
But just as he reached the door, he found himself face-to-face with a familiar presence:
Conan.
The boy was half-hidden in the bushes, his head poking out mid-peek.
"…"
"…"
They stared at each other for a beat.
Conan slowly retreated like a turtle, trying to act like nothing had happened.
Eitan opened the door.
"…Why are you here?" he asked, then narrowed his eyes. "You're following us, aren't you?"
"I'm not following you!" Conan protested, stepping forward.
"…"
Eitan simply stared.
Gradually, Conan lowered his head, clearly flustered.
He had heard that Ran was going to a Valentine's Day party—and that she'd be going with Eitan. That alone was enough to make jealousy bubble up inside him.
While Conan remained silent, Eitan couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The God of Death had followed them here. If nothing unexpected happened, someone would probably die soon…
As always.
—-
"Miss Ran, have you prepared chocolates for Valentine's Day?"
"Yes, I… I brought some."
"Would any of them happen to be for me?"
"Ah, that's…"
Eitan had just led Conan into the living room when the scene that greeted him made his expression tighten.
Wakamatsu Toshihide had taken advantage of Eitan's brief absence to corner Ran again. With a smug, expectant look, he leaned in far too close.
You could call it persistence or just plain arrogance—but he clearly couldn't read the girl's discomfort, nor did he seem to care. His repeated advances made one thing clear: he had no shame.
Sonoko, standing nearby, had seen enough.
She quickly pulled Ran behind her, then turned to confront Wakamatsu, not backing down despite his size.
"Didn't Ran's cousin already make things clear?" she snapped. "Ran didn't want to come, she just couldn't turn you down. Why are you still bothering her?!"
Wakamatsu's face slowly reddened with anger.
Having been humiliated twice in one night, his temper finally boiled over.
"What's it got to do with you?! I wasn't even talking to you!"
"Oh? So you're planning to take it out on a girl now?"
Eitan stepped in, voice calm but sharp enough to slice tension. "Impressive. You seem to lack not only fashion sense but also basic manners. Is this how you usually try to get close to women? By harassing them until they give in?"
"You bastard… I've had it with you!"
Wakamatsu charged forward, fists clenched in rage.
Eitan remained still, almost amused.
For all his size, Wakamatsu didn't exactly scream "threat." And truthfully, Eitan found this kind of crude escalation rather tiresome.
"Onisan!?"
Ran and Sonoko's faces stiffened in panic.
"What are you doing?!"
"Hey, Toshihide! This is Kazuhiko's house!"
Hiromi and the ever-gloomy Naomichi rushed forward to stop him.
Naomichi grabbed Wakamatsu from behind, restraining him as tension crackled in the air.
Kazuhiko's mother, emerging from the kitchen with a tray, froze at the commotion—then hurried forward.
"Everyone, please, let's all calm down… I just brewed fresh coffee and there's cake in the kitchen. Why not sit down and enjoy it?"
Since the host had spoken, and with Naomichi holding him back, Wakamatsu grunted and stormed off to slump on the couch.
Ran and Sonoko, uncomfortable after the outburst, whispered about leaving—
But Kazuhiko's mother gently held them back.
"No need to rush. At least stay for dessert… If you leave now, Auntie would really feel terrible."
With her so earnest, they couldn't refuse.
Eitan, meanwhile, was already pulling out his phone.
"Wakamatsu Toshihide, Beika Medical University Tennis Club.
Please send me a full background report."
He sent the message to Gin and casually locked the screen.
"You don't need to deal with people like him, Eitan," Sonoko muttered.
"I'm not 'dealing' with him."
"Really? Well, Eitan, you were super cool back there!"
Sonoko's eyes gleamed.
Eitan smiled but said nothing.
Just then, Kaoru returned, looking downcast—and behind her was a familiar small figure: Kazuhiko's younger brother, Akin.
The boy held a neatly wrapped box of chocolates—not store-bought, but clearly handmade.
So… after being rejected, she gave her Valentine's chocolate to a child?
Eitan only glanced at it.
But Kazuhiko's mother frowned at the sight.
"Akin, how many times have I told you—you still have cavities. You're not allowed to eat sweets!"
"But One-chan gave it to me—"
"No. You can have sweets after your teeth are healed."
Without waiting, she took the chocolate and walked off to the kitchen.
Kazuhiko walked back in, cigarette still burning between his fingers.
Eitan lifted his coffee and took a small sip.
It had a bold nutty aroma, smooth bitterness—and… something else.
His brow twitched ever so slightly.
There was something strange in the flavor.
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