Later.
The warm evening breeze moved along the street, the flickering neon lights and the crisscrossing traffic passing through one by one.
Finally, it blew through the gaps in the window onto the beautiful woman, making her shiver.
"Jun-kun, it's time for us to go home."
Takayanagi Yuki, like a true wife, slowly helped Hoshino Jun put on his clothes, then checked if she herself was dressed neatly.
After confirming everything, she turned to look at Hoshino Jun with a hint of shyness.
For Takayanagi Yuki, tonight had been incredibly dreamlike. She had never imagined that after her husband's death, she would spend a wonderful night with a man again.
Moreover, this man was the young boy from her superior Asu Mei's family, and a classmate of her son, Jo.
"Mm, let's go."
Hearing her voice, Hoshino Jun stepped forward, took her hand, and intertwined their fingers.
Feeling Takayanagi Yuki's attempt to pull away, Hoshino Jun held her hand even tighter.
"Don't panic, we haven't even gotten home yet, have we?"
At his words, the anxiety Takayanagi Yuki had just felt eased slightly.
She had already given herself to Jun twice.
She couldn't make another mistake.
Hoshino Jun stared at Takayanagi Yuki with a half-smile, as if he had already seen through her thoughts.
'Aunt Yuki truly is the epitome of pulling up her pants and disavowing all knowledge.'
Under the boy's intense gaze,
A different blush bloomed unnaturally on the neighborhood aunt's face.
Her shy and timid look was cute, but Hoshino Jun didn't want that.
Hoshino Jun had no intention of letting anything inappropriate happen with this neighborhood aunt today.
It was already ten o'clock, and his aunt had called him more than ten times.
Opening LINE, he saw that he had indeed been bombarded with messages.
Asu Mei: "Are you dead outside?"
It's over, she's already swearing. This is the prelude to a tantrum.
He had to go home quickly.
The evening breeze was gentle.
On the streets of Tokyo at night, if one happened to be in front of a hotel,
One might just see a panicked eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy pulling a voluptuous woman who appeared to be around thirty, walking out of the hotel together, and then getting into a taxi.
Taxi fares at night in Tokyo were relatively expensive, but for Hoshino Jun, who could earn millions a day now, it was no big deal.
However, Takayanagi Yuki, who was beside him, was constantly nervous during the ride, opening her wallet and counting her money several times, afraid she wouldn't be able to pay.
It wasn't until the car stopped, Hoshino Jun paid the fare first, and then pulled Takayanagi Yuki out of the car.
This somewhat dazed beautiful woman was still counting her money, belatedly.
"Jun, how can I let you pay? I'll give you the money."
Takayanagi Yuki's address for Hoshino Jun had reverted to Jun.
It seemed that in her subconscious, Hoshino Jun was still the junior who needed care, and she hadn't fully replaced that perception.
Change has not yet succeeded, more effort is still needed.
Hoshino Jun pressed down on Takayanagi Yuki's hand, pushing the money she had taken from her wallet back inside.
To truly win Aunt Yuki's heart, he had to make her completely recognize that Hoshino Jun was a man who could be her safe harbor.
Not a little boy who needed to hide behind her.
"I'm a man, listen to me."
The boy's words were few, but they weren't a polite refusal.
Instead, it was a decisive statement.
After his words fell, his hand naturally wrapped around Takayanagi Yuki's soft waist, pulling her step by step up the apartment stairs.
Takayanagi Yuki was momentarily lost in thought, her heart suddenly quickening.
Even though they had already reached the apartment, she still didn't stop Hoshino Jun's act of wrapping his arm around her waist.
Her red lips slightly bitten, she leaned against the boy's side, walking up step by step.
'Anyway, we're not home yet, so I'll just let Jun hold me for a little longer.'
'Besides, it's just holding my waist, it's not a big deal.'
'As long as Jo and Mei don't see it, it's fine.'
Click.
Click.
Click.
The sound of high heels on the ground was exceptionally crisp and loud in the stairwell at night.
Every step was a quickening of Takayanagi Yuki's heartbeat.
Hoshino Jun's eyes showed a slight delight. His hand had already moved from Takayanagi Yuki's waist to her navel, and this classmate's mother still hadn't stopped his further progress.
It's just that time passed so quickly.
In a blink of an eye, they reached the fourth floor.
"Aunt Yuki, we're home."
"Mm!"
The moment the boy's large hand let go, a clear look of disappointment appeared on Takayanagi Yuki's face.
'Jun called me Aunt Yuki again.'
'That's how he should be calling me.'
She didn't know why she suddenly felt a little sour. Takayanagi Yuki pursed her red lips, walking one after the other with Hoshino Jun into the fourth-floor corridor.
There was no one in the corridor.
But the lights in rooms 403 and 404 were both on.
As they reached their respective doorsteps, Hoshino Jun turned back. He seemed a little reluctant, opened his mouth, waved his hand, and very softly said:
"Yuki, bye-bye!"
His words were like a sharp sword, piercing her chest.
Takayanagi Yuki's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
'What does "Yuki, bye-bye" mean?'
'Is Jun simply saying goodbye to me?'
'Or is he saying goodbye to his feelings for me?'
Thinking of the latter, Takayanagi Yuki's nose twitched, and an involuntary sourness welled up.
By the time she came to her senses, the boy was nowhere to be seen.
'Jun has gone home, I should go home too.'
She didn't know if it was because it was cold late at night, or something else, but Takayanagi Yuki felt a little chilly at this moment, just like the feeling of being hurt by her son several times before.
"Click—!"
The lock turned, and the door opened.
The first thing Takayanagi Yuki saw upon entering the house was Jo sprawled on the sofa, watching an inappropriate movie.
He made a mistake, and he still had the mood to watch a movie.
Takayanagi Yuki sighed, suddenly feeling that this home seemed to have no meaning whether she returned or not.
It would be better to stay in the hotel with Jun-kun.
"Mom, you're finally home. I made you dinner, would you like to try it?"
Takayanagi Yuki frowned, recalling the unpalatable breakfast Jo had made yesterday morning.
If it were normal times, she might still have the mood to encourage her son.
But today...
Let's just forget it.
Takayanagi Yuki gave Jo a cold glance, changed into her slippers, and walked into the house.
"No, you eat it yourself."
She didn't even ask what Jo had made, and just opened the door and entered her bedroom.
"Bang—!"
Seeing the door to his mother's bedroom close, Jo gave an awkward laugh.
"What's wrong with Mom?"
"Is she still angry with me?"
"Did she eat out?"
As he thought, Jo suddenly remembered something. He recalled seeing his mother at school, and she was wearing stockings.
But just now...
It seemed she wasn't.
"Never mind, I don't care. Saionji Ryuichi said he'll take care of it tomorrow, so I don't have to keep following that bastard Hoshino Jun for now."