Little Shiho seems to understand what Akashi is pointing at.
Her face turned red with anger, and before she could stop herself, she smashed her small fist against his mouth.
Akashi stumbled back from the unexpected hit as Shiho quickly scrambled to her feet.
He rubbed his mouth, a bit dazed.
"What the hell was that for? We need to go!" he complained.
Shiho huffed, turning away.
"I'm washing my face again!" she muttered.
But in reality, it had nothing to do with washing her face—she needed to change her pants.
That critical hit from earlier had left a rather embarrassing consequence.
As she disappeared into the bathroom, Akashi let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the sofa.
Finally.
Akemi was safe.
Shiho was safe.
The world, at last, felt like a better place.
The tension that had been coiling inside him for so long finally began to unravel.
And for the first time in a while, he felt at peace.
Later that evening, around nine o'clock, a little boy arrived at Eri's apartment, holding the hand of a timid-looking little girl.
On the way there, Akashi had drilled Shiho with countless instructions.
The moment the door opened, little Shiho seamlessly shifted into character—turning into a timid, fragile little girl.
At the sound of the door, Eri quickly rushed out to greet them.
"Akashi, you're back!" she called out, then paused as her gaze fell on the small, cautious girl standing beside him.
Her warm expression flickered with curiosity.
"And this is…?"
Shiho looked up at Eri, taking in her beauty, her confident demeanor, and her stunning, hourglass figure.
The way she carried herself—elegant, alluring, effortlessly charming…
And yet, this woman was supposedly just a 'host'?
Yeah, right.
Shiho wasn't buying it.
Before she could dwell on it further, a familiar, teasing voice drifted from inside the apartment.
"Eri, I told you that little brat was too slippery to get caught!"
Yukiko appeared in the doorway, her tone laced with playful sarcasm.
"And look at that—he even brought home a little girl this time!" she added with a smirk.
The moment she stepped into view, Shiho's expression darkened.
Her appearance and aura were on par with Eri's, exuding that same irresistible charm.
But her words…
They made Shiho's blood boil.
Before she could stop herself, she tightened her grip around the small hand she was holding, as if trying to strangle the source of her irritation.
But for Akashi, who had superior physical endurance, it was nothing more than a mild tickle.
Ignoring Yukiko's teasing, he smoothly launched into their prepared story.
"Auntie Eri," he said, his voice carrying just the right mix of desperation and sincerity.
"This is Ai Haibara, my best friend."
He took a deep breath, then delivered the final blow.
"The orphanage was planning to sell her—harvest her organs and sell them on the black market."
"I barely managed to escape with her."
His golden eyes shone with innocence and urgency as he gazed up at Eri.
"Can she stay here with us?"
Silence.
The Queen of Law—the strong, composed woman who rarely let her emotions show—was completely disarmed.
Eri's heart clenched.
She knelt down to his level, her soft, bare hands resting on his small shoulders.
Her dark stockings stretched over long, shapely legs, making her already striking presence even more overwhelming.
"Of course she can stay," she said gently.
"But, Akashi… this is too dangerous."
She sighed, concern evident in her voice.
"Didn't I tell you before? When you go to the orphanage, you should let me go with you."
Her grip on his shoulders tightened slightly.
"You're still too young. If something happened to you, what would I do?"
Then, unable to contain herself any longer, she pulled Akashi into a hug.
Without hesitation.
Shiho and Yukiko stared speechless.
Is this for real?! x2
Neither could hide their reactions fast enough.
But the moment their eyes met, they immediately snapped out of it.
Shiho quickly returned to her timid act, lowering her gaze.
Meanwhile, Yukiko's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she watched the little Loli's performance with great amusement.
Could it be that this little girl also knows that Akashi is a succubus?
Interesting. Very interesting.
Yukiko's lips curled into a knowing smile as she turned her gaze toward Eri, shaking her head in amusement.
Poor Eri.
She was being completely played by a little boy.
However, Eri, realizing she had let her emotions slip, quickly regained her composure.
She turned to Haibara, her expression softening as she looked at the timid little girl.
"Ai, right? I know you're Akashi's best friend."
She knelt slightly, offering a warm smile.
"The last time Akashi came home late, he was looking for you, wasn't he?"
"Don't worry, you're safe here."
"The orphanage has no power over you anymore."
"If they dare to come after you, I'll make sure they regret it—and if necessary, I'll even have them thrown in jail!"
To emphasize her words, Eri playfully clenched her delicate fist, as if ready to take on an army.
She really thinks Haibara is just a helpless child.
Shiho stole a glance at Akashi beside her, her blue eyes suddenly glinting with mischief.
Then, without warning, she took a deep breath and declared:
"Auntie, no—I'm not Akashi's best friend!"
She flashed an innocent, childlike smile and, in one swift motion, wrapped her small arms around Akashi.
"I'm Akashi's girlfriend!"
For a moment, it felt like the entire room had frozen.
Damn it. Sneak attack!
Akashi's instincts screamed danger. His hair stood on end, and every fiber of his being told him to run.
Meanwhile, the two mature women standing before them were—
Absolutely. Stunned.
A child this young… already has a girlfriend?!
Isn't this way too premature?!
As the tension hung in the air, Shiho continued sweetly:
"Akashi is really kind to me."
"In the orphanage, I didn't even have a real name—just a code."
"But Akashi… he gave me the name Ai Haibara."
She spoke with sincerity, her tone laced with deep emotion.
Each word landed like a perfectly calculated strike.
Each sentence pierced straight through the heart.
Eri and Yukiko instinctively flinched at her words, the corners of their mouths twitching.
And yet, Shiho keenly noted their reactions.
A flicker of amusement danced in her blue eyes.
Eri, however, couldn't shake the strange feeling building inside her.
Something about this didn't sit right.
She found herself blurting out:
"But Ai, Akashi—you two are way too young!"
"Children your age shouldn't be in relationships!"
There was an almost desperate edge to her voice.
She didn't like this at all.
And Yukiko, who had been quietly observing, caught on instantly.
With a playful smile, she stepped forward and draped an arm over her best friend's shoulders.
She had seen through everything.
She had also noticed Shiho's deliberate teasing.
This little girl… she's dangerous.
"Wow, so they're already a young couple, huh?" Yukiko teased.
"Akashi, you're impressive—even rescuing your girlfriend from danger."
She clapped her hands together as if thoroughly entertained.
"Alright, enough standing around at the door. Go inside already! You two haven't even had dinner yet!"
Without waiting for a response, she gently nudged the two children toward the back room.
As the door shut behind them, Eri hesitated.
She lowered her voice and muttered, "Why didn't you let me say anything to them?"
Yukiko rolled her eyes playfully.
"Oh, come on. It's just kids playing house. What's the big deal?"
Then, she leaned in slightly, a smirk tugging at her lips.
"Or… maybe you're upset about something else?"
"Maybe you're feeling a little jealous?"
"I—what?!"
Eri's eyes widened, and before Yukiko could push further, she rushed to deny it.
"I didn't—I'm not—you're overthinking it!"
She denied it three times in a row.
A little too quickly.
Yukiko simply watched her with a knowing, half-smiling expression.
And Eri—unable to take the scrutiny—turned on her heel and quickly busied herself by helping little Shiho settle into the room.
Yukiko watched her go, sighing softly.
Eri, you're already caught in the trap.
Then, as the thought crossed her mind, she glanced at herself in the mirror.
A wry smile formed on her lips.
And honestly… I'm probably no different.
For all her usual playful confidence, even Yukiko had certain troubles she couldn't easily explain to others.