"Makoto-kun has already kissed Mutsumi?"
Tomori looked up, her small face tilted, and asked softly.
Facing Tomori's pure, clear eyes, Kitahara Makoto felt a little guilty. He coughed twice and said:
"This is a long story. Yesterday morning, Sakiko, Mutsumi, and I went to Kyoto..."
After explaining the whole situation, Kitahara Makoto said softly:
"I didn't intentionally hide it from Tomori, it's just that there were too many things, and I hadn't had time to tell Tomori yet."
"I trust Makoto-kun."
Tomori responded softly, her eyes bright, without a hint of doubt.
"..."
Facing Tomori's gaze of complete trust, Kitahara Makoto felt a little guilty:
"Mutsumi has an emotional deficiency, and I don't know if she can meet the requirements for sharing abilities. I feel it's very likely we won't be able to share."
Ability: Night Song
Passive: Child of the Night. You are favored by the night, and your overall attributes are greatly increased in the darkness.
Active: Night's Kin. You can form a contract with others, transforming them into your kin. When your kin silently prays your name in their heart, you can choose whether to respond. Once you respond, you will instantly teleport to their side. At the same time, you can choose whether to share your abilities with your kin.
Note: To contract kin, the other party must feel love for you. The kin relationship can be dissolved at any time.
The prerequisite for sharing abilities was to feel love. Mutsumi had a severe emotional deficiency, and Kitahara Makoto highly doubted that she possessed such an emotion as love.
"I… don't know."
Mutsumi placed her right hand over her chest, a rare trace of confusion flashing across her expressionless face.
The reason she wanted to 'rent' Kitahara Makoto in the first place was because she saw how happy Tomori and Soyo were.
To this day, Mutsumi had experienced the taste of happiness.
But what kind of emotion 'love' was, Mutsumi still knew nothing about.
"Trust Mutsumi."
Tomori spoke softly:
"Mutsumi might not be able to clearly recognize her own feelings, but she's definitely not a casual girl. For example, would Mutsumi drink a beverage someone else has already drunk?"
Mutsumi shook her head: "I wouldn't drink it."
Tomori then asked:
"What about a beverage Makoto-kun has drunk?"
Mutsumi pursed her lips, without hesitation:
"I would drink it."
"So, Mutsumi, just believe in yourself." Tomori's expression was calm. "Even though Mutsumi herself doesn't understand her own feelings, your body has already made a choice."
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
To be able to determine like or dislike so easily, it sounds a bit too childish!
However, what kind of emotions Mutsumi held, they would know simply by verifying it.
"Taki-san hasn't been found yet, and Takagi's daughter is also missing, we can't delay too much time…" Kitahara Makoto said, looking at Tomori, "Tomori, should I try to share my ability with Mutsumi?"
"Okay."
Tomori nodded gently, agreeing.
Kitahara Makoto let out a soft breath, turned his head, looked at Mutsumi, and said softly:
"Mutsumi, let's begin."
"Mm."
Mutsumi had an emotional deficiency, and almost no maidenly modesty or shyness, so even with Tomori watching nearby, she still stepped forward proactively, stood on her tiptoes, and offered her lips.
Kitahara Makoto had originally intended for it to be a light touch and then end, but Mutsumi was not satisfied. She directly wrapped her arms around Kitahara Makoto's neck and then actively invaded.
Hey, hey, are you really not shy at all!
Tomori is right there watching!
While being 'Taken advantage of,' Kitahara Makoto glanced at Tomori out of the corner of his eye.
Tomori's expression seemed calm, but her cheeks clearly showed slight puffiness.
As expected, even Tomori, whose heart was as vast as the universe, would still get jealous!
A minute passed in the blink of an eye.
Seeing Tomori's cheeks puffing up more and more, Kitahara Makoto knew he couldn't continue. He quickly grabbed Mutsumi's soft, slender waist and forcibly separated them.
Pop~
With a soft sound, Mutsumi finally opened her eyes, a faint blush appearing on her pristine, snow-white face. She opened her eyes and said expectantly:
"It feels more comfortable than yesterday."
It's even more comfortable with Tomori present. You definitely have some kind of special, bad habit!
"I want to continue."
Continue what!
You're a girl, after all, be a little more modest!
Kitahara Makoto extended his right hand and vigorously ruffled Mutsumi's hair:
"That's enough. The ability has been shared. Sense it carefully."
"Hmm…"
Mutsumi raised her hand to wipe away the silver thread from the corner of her lips and said softly:
"I feel it. There seems to be a strange power inside my body."
After a pause, Mutsumi looked up:
"Does the successful ability sharing mean I like Makoto-kun?"
"That's right, only if you like Makoto-kun can you share the ability." Tomori said from the side, "Mutsumi, you don't need to be confused anymore."
Mutsumi nodded gently, her expression composed, and said:
"Since I can confirm that I like Makoto-kun, I can tell Sakiko when we go back that I want to join the harem too."
Kitahara Makoto's mouth twitched slightly, and he quickly said:
"Let's stop this topic for now and complete the request first."
"Okay."
Mutsumi pressed her right hand to her chest, activating the ability Sage Time. Her already calm eyes instantly became detached and unperturbed.
As the source of fear disappeared, the empty, solitary space quickly became transparent and illusory.
"Makoto-kun, there's someone there."
Tomori pointed.
"I see her." Kitahara Makoto squinted his eyes and looked over. "…If I'm not mistaken, it should be Taki-san."
Tomori quickly said:
"Taki must be very scared alone, should we go over immediately?"
Kitahara Makoto nodded: "Let's go."
The three walked to the edge of the now transparent space, their bodies passing directly through it and disappearing.
The next second.
A blast of hot air rushed towards them.
"What's going on?"
Kitahara Makoto opened his eyes and found himself in a dim, enclosed space. Under his feet was a large area of pebbles, and along the walls were wide bamboo benches, giving him a strangely familiar feeling.
In the dim corner, illuminated by faint light, a small figure was curled up. Her snow-white skin was faintly visible. It was Shiina Taki.
"Hmm?" Kitahara Makoto's eyes could also see in the dark. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Taki… isn't wearing clothes?"
"It's hot." Mutsumi looked around, expressionless. "It's a sauna."
Kitahara Makoto suddenly understood.
No wonder it felt familiar; it was the sauna room of a bathhouse.
But what about the promised horror space?
Why was it just an ordinary sauna room?
"Taki?"
Tomori called out.
"It's Tomori!" Shiina Taki's excited voice immediately rang out. "I'm here!"
Tomori relaxed:
"Taki, don't be scared. Makoto-kun, Mutsumi, and I are here to find you."
As she spoke, Tomori stepped forward, intending to walk towards the corner.
Shiina Taki's nervous voice quickly rang out:
"Wait, don't come over yet."
"Eh?" Tomori paused, her tone puzzled. "Why?"
The light in the sauna was dim, and Tomori did not have night vision, so she couldn't clearly see that Shiina Taki was currently naked, without a single piece of clothing on her entire body.
"Th-that…" Shiina Taki stammered, covering her chest with one hand, quickly squatting down, and beginning to grope for scattered clothes on the ground. "Anyway, wait for me a moment, I'll be ready soon."
"Understood."
Tomori stopped her steps and waited quietly.
Rustling sounds echoed in the sauna.
Time passed minute by minute.
For some reason, Shiina Taki couldn't get ready, constantly looking left and right, as if searching for something.
"Taki, are you not ready yet?"
Tomori couldn't help but ask.
"A-alright…"
Shiina Taki took a deep breath. No matter what, she couldn't find her panties, so she could only reluctantly give up.
"Tomori, it's really you guys!"
Shiina Taki's face was flushed as she covered her skirt and excitedly walked over.
"Where did you go?"
"After entering the mirror just now, everyone disappeared, and I was all alone. I, I thought…"
As she spoke, Shiina Taki's eyes were clearly welling up with tears.
Trapped alone in a hot and humid sauna, unable to call for help, this Taki was clearly nearing her limit.
"Don't be nervous, we're here."
Kitahara Makoto comforted her gently, then explained:
"The space behind the mirror isn't a replica of the villa; instead, it generates a fear space based on each person's inner self… Speaking of which, Taki's greatest fear is actually a sauna?"
Shiina Taki bit her lower lip tightly, her voice full of shame:
"That's because of an accident in elementary school… In the winter of fifth grade, our water heater broke, so Mom took my sister and me to the public bathhouse. After bathing, we went to the sauna…"
There was no need to say more about what happened next.
Shiina Taki was young at the time and couldn't sit still alone. After a while in the sauna, she ran out.
After playing alone for a bit, she started to miss her mother and sister, so she came back to look for them. Coincidentally, everyone else had already left, and she was accidentally locked in the sauna.
The hot and humid environment, which felt like it would steam a person, coupled with being all alone, clearly left a deep psychological shadow on Shiina Taki, becoming an inescapable nightmare in her deepest heart.
After explaining, Shiina Taki looked up, covering her skirt, and looked over expectantly:
"Kitahara-kun, since you have a way to bring Tomori and Mutsumi here, you must also have a way to get out, right?"
Shiina Taki didn't want to stay in the childhood nightmare sauna for even a second, and now just wants to leave as soon as possible.
Kitahara Makoto nodded
and said:
"I naturally have a way to leave, but…"
"But what?"
Shiina Taki asked.
Kitahara Makoto turned to look at Tomori beside him and said softly:
"Tomori, why don't you explain it."
"Okay."
Tomori nodded gently and explained the method of skipping class to Shiina Taki:
"First, you have to kiss Makoto-kun, let Makoto-kun share his ability, eliminate the fear, and then you can leave."
"Wait… ha?! "
Shiina Taki widened her eyes and looked at Kitahara Makoto with a flushed face:
"Tomori said she wants to kiss this guy?!"
Tomori nodded: "That's right."
Shiina Taki looked at Kitahara Makoto shyly: "It can't be that you deliberately wanted to take advantage of me, so you used kissing as a condition, right?"
"Here, the book is for you." Kitahara Makoto simply took off the backpack on his back and handed it over, looking calm and composed, "If I am lying, I will immediately commit seppuku."
Shiina Taki: "…"
Seeing Kitahara Makoto so confident, Shiina Taki naturally chose to believe him.
It seems that the scumbag Kitahara didn't lie. If you want to leave, you really have to fulfill the kissing ritual.
Tomori said softly:
"Taki, kiss him quickly."
Shiina Taki bit her teeth and turned her head away decisively:
"No! I refuse!"
This guy is a super scumbag who openly runs a harem, so she doesn't want to give her first kiss to this kind of guy!
Besides, she doesn't like this guy at all, so kissing won't work, right?
Shiina Taki raised her eyes and looked over:
"There should be other ways to leave, right?"
"There is indeed." Kitahara Makoto nodded and said, "Hana said that as long as you face your fears and overcome the fear in your heart, the space in front of you will naturally dissipate."
Shiina Taki: "…"
Saying this is the same as saying nothing.
How is it possible to overcome the fear of so many years of nightmares since childhood so easily!
"Are there any other ways?" Shiina Taki continued to ask unwillingly.
"Of course there are." Kitahara Makoto continued, "Hana is slowly learning outside. When she masters the mirror ability, she can let us out."
Shiina Taki hurriedly said:
"I choose Hana to let us out!"
"Don't worry." Kitahara Makoto stretched out his right hand and pressed down, "The time behind the mirror is quite chaotic. Perhaps ten minutes in reality is equivalent to a whole day here. Is Taki sure she wants to keep waiting?"
"…Let's wait and see."
Shiina Taki hesitated for a few seconds and quickly made a choice.
One option is to kiss, and the second option is to face your fears, both of which are impossible.
In comparison, only waiting in place is acceptable.
She couldn't stand the sauna before because she was the only one there. Now that Tomori and Mutsumi are by her side, Shiina Taki feels that she can stay for a whole day… right?
"Then wait a while." Kitahara Makoto walked to the bench and sat down, "I'm a little tired from running around for so long. Tomori, Mutsumi, you guys rest for a while."
As for Takagi's daughter, Kitahara Makoto is not worried about missing the rescue time.
The sauna in front of him is Taki's nightmare. If Kitahara Makoto wants to leave, he can skip class and leave at any time, and although Hana-chan cannot temporarily affect the space behind the mirror, there is no problem in providing information.
"Hoo…"
Shiina Taki breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to Tomori. Just as she was about to say something and chat, she suddenly saw Wakaba Mutou taking off her shirt next to her.
The girl's skin was as white as snow, as if it were condensed fat. Even in the dim sauna, it was still clearly visible.
"Mutsumi, what are you doing?!"
Shiina Taki hurriedly asked.
"Taking off my clothes." Wakaba Mutou looked calm, "It's so hot, the clothes on my body are soaked."
Shiina Taki couldn't help but remind her:
"There are boys next to you!"
Wakaba Mutou tilted her head and looked over, asking in a puzzled tone:
"Makoto-kun is next to me, what does that have to do with taking off my clothes?"
"That's not it." Shiina Taki was quite speechless, "You'll be exposed, right?"
Wakaba Mutou said expressionlessly:
"But we have already been seen naked by Makoto-kun, right?"
Shiina Taki: "…"
There is no way to refute this sentence.
Back then, in Otherworld, in order to pick the Eden Fruit, everyone had to go to the game space to take risks. If they were not careful, they would be sprayed by the slime's acid missile, and then 'clothes would explode'. Shiina Taki was naturally no exception.
"It's really super hot, it's more comfortable to take off your clothes."
Tomori said as she took off her clothes.
"Tomori, you…"
Shiina Taki bit her lower lip, wanting to stop her, but when the words came to her lips, she couldn't say them no matter what.
When she was alone in the sauna just now, she also took off all her clothes, so of course she is not qualified to stop others.
"Taki, why don't you take off your clothes too?"
Tomori said softly.
"I don't want to."
Shiina Taki turned her head and refused.
"Makoto-kun, why don't you sit on the opposite side." Tomori raised her eyes and looked over, "If you are next to us, Taki will be too embarrassed to take off her clothes."
Shiina Taki: "…"
"Okay." Kitahara Makoto nodded, got up and walked to the opposite side, "I'll sit over there."
The area of the sauna is not large. The two rows of benches on the left and right are only three or four meters apart. The light in the space is dim. The three girls cannot see Kitahara Makoto clearly. However, Kitahara Makoto's night vision ability is quite good, and he can completely see the three girls sitting opposite him.
Of course, this secret can never be revealed, otherwise he will definitely be beaten.
Sitting on the bamboo chair for resting, Kitahara Makoto took off his already soaked shirt, and then looked at the opposite side leisurely.
Tomori and Mutsumi have already taken off their clothes. There are no bathrobes in the sauna, so naturally they can only be honest with each other.
Among them, Mutsumi is the most unrestrained, like the Venus goddess in Western sculptures, sitting calmly.
Tomori is obviously not so open. Although she took off her soaked clothes, she raised her hand to cover her chest. Unfortunately, her arms are too small to cover everything, and it is even more alluring between the looming.
"…What to do?"
Looking at the two girls who had already taken off their clothes, a hint of hesitation appeared on Shiina Taki's face.
(Should I take off my clothes too?)
(But there's still the scumbag Kitahara Makoto here, what if I get seen naked?)
Shiina Taki raised her eyes and looked in the direction of Kitahara Makoto.
The light is dim.
She can only see someone sitting on the bench opposite, with a blurry face that she can't see clearly.
(I can't see the scumbag Kitahara Makoto clearly, he definitely can't see us clearly either, right?)
In the hot sauna, Shiina Taki's clothes were already soaked, and it was very uncomfortable to wear them on her body.
After hesitating for a while, Shiina Taki finally made up her mind with a red face.
(Take it off…)
(The clothes are already soaked. If I continue to wear them, I will definitely feel uncomfortable and die, right?)
After making up her mind, Shiina Taki quickly and carefully took off her shirt.
"Hoo…"
Shiina Taki secretly breathed a sigh of relief, quickly covered her chest with her arms, and then looked in the direction of Kitahara Makoto. Seeing Kitahara Makoto sitting still, she slowly felt relieved.
"It's really more comfortable to take it off…"
Unfortunately, before long, the comfort brought by taking off her clothes disappeared.
Shiina Taki had been in the sauna for a long time. She didn't know the exact time, but her mouth was already dry and her throat was parched as if flames were burning because she had lost too much sweat.
Click.
The sound of a drink can being opened suddenly sounded in the sauna.
Shiina Taki's ears twitched and she quickly turned her head to look in the direction of Kitahara Makoto.
"Was that sound just now… a hallucination?"
"No!"
In a daze, Shiina Taki widened her eyes and saw Kitahara Makoto making a swallowing motion with his head raised.
"It's not a hallucination, Kitahara-kun is really drinking a drink!"
At the thought of this, the thirst and pain in Shiina Taki's throat suddenly intensified, as if green smoke was about to come out, and she couldn't help but say:
"Kitahara-kun… are, are you drinking something?"
"That's right." Kitahara Makoto's voice rang out, "When I went out this morning, I conveniently put a can of drink in my bag… Taki-san, would you like to drink it?"
Shiina Taki: "…"
She really wanted to drink something, but when the words came to her lips, her self-esteem prevented her from speaking.
At this time, Tomori's voice rang out:
"Makoto-kun, I'm so thirsty, I want to drink something."
"Okay."
Kitahara Makoto stood up and walked towards the three girls opposite him.
As Kitahara Makoto walked closer, the three girls realized that Kitahara Makoto had also taken off his clothes. Now he was only wearing the last pair of boxer briefs, and the perfect muscle lines made it difficult for the three girls to look away for a while.
"I just took a sip of the drink. There's still a lot left. It's okay for the three of you to share it."
As Kitahara Makoto spoke, he handed the drink to Tomori.
"Thank you, Makoto-kun."
Tomori took the drink, turned to look at Shiina Taki, and said softly:
"Taki, you've been in the sauna for so long by yourself, you must be super thirsty. You drink first, then Mutsumi and I will drink after you."
(If Kitahara Makoto had already drunk from the bottle, wouldn't it be an indirect kiss if she drank from it too?)
Shiina Taki parted her lips, wanting to refuse, but the words of refusal caught in her throat and she couldn't utter them. Instead, her right hand involuntarily reached out and tightly gripped the drink can.
"...Then I'll take a sip first."
The burning pain in her throat grew more intense, desperately needing a downpour of relief.
In the contest between biological instinct and a maiden's sense of shame, biological instinct naturally gained the upper hand.
Gulp.
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
Shiina Taki couldn't help but drink three sips in a row, finally sighing in relief only when the burning sensation in her throat was completely extinguished.
However, the next second...
Mutsumi's voice suddenly echoed faintly:
"Does Taki count as indirectly kissing Makoto-kun?"
"Of-of course not!" Shiina Taki's face flushed red as she hurriedly wiped her lips, explaining with embarrassment, "It's just… it's just… it's just making an exception in an emergency!"
Shiina Taki held the drink can in one hand, and her other hand subconsciously wiped the corner of her lips, leaving her guard completely down.
Kitahara Makoto subconsciously looked down, silently sighing in his heart:
"Too much, her body is like an elementary school student's, but her development is really too much."
Whoosh—
Shiina Taki finally noticed her exposure and quickly raised her hand to cover her chest, glaring at him with embarrassment:
"You saw everything?!"
Kitahara Makoto said with an innocent expression:
"I'm sorry, I have face blindness…"
"You weren't looking at my face just now!"
"My mistake, I actually have night blindness."