『You notice the atmosphere has reached critical mass. Failing to act now would be an insult to your masculinity. You decide to turn off the lights and carry her to the bedroom, where you will proceed to—』
The Narrator's voice didn't even get to finish.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Someone was at the door.
Riku's eyes shot to the wall clock. 11:00 PM exactly.
Who the hell—
"Riku-kun~! Riku-kun~! It's me and my sister!"
Tachibana Emi's sing-song voice pierced through the door.
Ice flooded Riku's veins.
Nahiro was still crouched on the floor. Her right hand still glistening. His pants were still undone, belt hanging loose.
Shit.
He'd completely forgotten.
This morning—had it only been this morning?—he'd casually mentioned to Emi that his apartment was big enough if she and her sister needed somewhere to crash temporarily.
And they'd actually shown up? Tonight?
Riku's apartment had one bedroom.
One bed.
Sleeping four people?
Well...
Technically possible.
He yanked his zipper up, buckled his belt, smoothed down his shirt. Behind him, Nahiro scrambled to her feet, snatching tissues from the coffee table to wipe her hand clean. She scrubbed furiously at an invisible spot on the floor.
Her face had gone from flushed-with-arousal to flushed-with-mortification. The crimson spread from her cheeks down to her neck, disappearing beneath her collar.
That was my first time, she thought, still not quite believing what she'd just done. I did that. On purpose. I initiated it.
Her forehead felt like it was on fire.
---
Riku opened the door.
The Tachibana sisters stood in the hallway. Each clutched the handle of a matching pink rolling suitcase. The fluorescent hallway light cast harsh shadows across their faces.
Emi moved first.
"Riku~kun~!"
She bent forward at the waist in an exaggerated bow—except the bow put her chest directly at eye level. The scooped neckline of her crop top offered an unobstructed view of soft curves pressing together, threatening to spill out with each breath. She smelled like strawberry body spray, cheap and sweet.
She knows exactly what she's doing, Riku thought.
Before he could react, Emi's arms looped around his neck. She pulled herself against him, her body warm and soft through the thin fabric. Her lips hovered inches from his.
"Emi!"
Haru's sharp voice cut through the moment. The older sister stood rigid, brow furrowed, arms crossed beneath her more modest chest. A fitted turtleneck and cardigan gave her a mature, restrained appearance compared to her sister's provocative outfit. Her dark hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail, and wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.
Please behave, her expression screamed. We're asking for a favor.
Haru stepped forward, positioning herself slightly between her sister and Riku.
"Riku-kun. We've come to impose on you." Her voice was formal, apologetic. "Emi and I are temporarily without lodging. She mentioned you had space available. So... would it be too much trouble if we stayed here? Just for a little while?"
『Two! Three! With three girls, you can unlock SPECIAL MODE! You decide to invite the sisters inside without hesitation. Later tonight, you'll sneak into their room while they're sleeping and—』
The Narrator's suggestions grew increasingly unhinged.
Riku cleared his throat.
"Come in."
He stepped aside, gesturing them through the doorway.
The Tachibana sisters wheeled their suitcases over the threshold. The apartment wasn't large—living room connected to a small kitchen, single bedroom through a door on the right, bathroom adjacent. Minimal furniture. Clean lines. The lingering scent of air freshener couldn't quite mask the musk still hanging in the air.
Three pairs of eyes found Nahiro.
She stood frozen by the coffee table, a crumpled tissue clutched in her hand. Her white hair was mussed. Her face was red. Her posture radiated guilt.
Emi's brow arched.
Haru's lips pressed thin.
Oh, Emi thought, recognition flickering. That's the girl from the hospital. The one who said she WASN'T Riku's girlfriend. And now she's in his apartment. At night. Looking like THAT.
Who is this girl? Haru's thoughts ran parallel. She's beautiful. Too beautiful. And she looks like she just—no. Don't assume. Don't—
The silence stretched.
Nahiro's mouth opened before anyone else could speak.
"I'm just Riku-kun's classmate! I'm staying here temporarily! That's all!"
The words tumbled out too fast. Too defensive.
She couldn't bear to hear Riku define their relationship out loud. What would he even say? Friend? Classmate? Something more?
Better to preempt it. Safer.
Haru visibly relaxed. The tension in her shoulders eased a fraction.
Emi did not look convinced. Her amber eyes narrowed, darting between Nahiro's disheveled appearance and Riku's carefully neutral expression.
"Really just classmates, Riku-kun~?"
He reached over and took Nahiro's hand. Her fingers were still slightly damp.
"Let me introduce everyone." His voice was steady, casual. "This is Yukigami Nahiro. Nahiro, this is Tachibana Haru—the older sister—and Tachibana Emi—the younger."
The three girls exchanged stiff nods.
And then the awkwardness descended like a physical weight.
Emi stared at Nahiro. Nahiro's gaze kept flickering to Riku. Haru was also stealing glances at Riku, though she tried to pretend she wasn't.
Three women. One man. One small apartment.
The air turned thick enough to choke on.
『You notice the atmosphere has transformed this room into an active SHURA FIELD! You must do something to defuse the tension. Otherwise, how will you possibly achieve your three-person—』
『You decide to prepare the bedroom for the girls and generously offer to sleep on the couch yourself. Later, under cover of darkness, you'll sneak into the bedroom and NETORI all three—』
Shut UP.
Riku coughed loudly.
"I'll tidy up the bedroom. The three of you can share—there's plenty of space. I'll take the couch out here."
He busied himself with preparing the room. Fresh sheets. Extra pillows. Adjusting the blackout curtains.
The awkward silence followed him everywhere. When he emerged from the bedroom, the three girls still hadn't exchanged a single word. They stood like statues in the living room, suitcases untouched, eyes avoiding each other.
Riku could feel the tension crawling up his spine.
This was going to be a long night.
---
Shhhhhhhh...
The sound of running water filtered through the bathroom door. The sisters had gone in together to wash up. Steam crept from beneath the door, carrying the scent of soap and shampoo.
The sound was maddening. Every splash. Every murmur of conversation too quiet to make out.
『You notice Yukigami Nahiro seems uncomfortable. The current environment has clearly unsettled her. With the sisters occupied in the bath, you decide to do something SPECIAL with Nahiro right now—』
Riku turned toward her instead.
Nahiro sat on a kitchen stool, fingers twisting together in her lap. She'd been staring at a spot on the floor for several minutes now.
"Nahiro. You okay?"
"Ah—!"
She startled at his voice, nearly falling off the stool.
"R-Riku-kun..." She leaned toward him, her voice dropping to a whisper. A blush crept across her cheeks again. "Could I maybe... borrow some clothes?"
She'd arrived with nothing. No change of clothes. No toiletries. Just herself.
"I can run out and buy you some things."
She grabbed his sleeve before he could move.
"It's too late." Her voice grew quieter. "Tomorrow's a day off anyway. I can just... wear yours for now. But..." She hesitated, the words shrinking to nearly nothing. "...can I try them on first? To see if they fit?"
『Try them on? You sense something is OFF about this request. While the Tachibana sisters splash around in the bath, you decide to bring Nahiro into the bedroom to "check" the clothes. If nothing unexpected happens, something WILL happen—』
Riku led her into the bedroom.
The built-in closet dominated one wall, sliding doors revealing his modest wardrobe. Button-downs. T-shirts. A few sweaters.
"Pick whatever works."
He turned to leave, give her privacy.
A hand caught his wrist.
"Riku-kun."
Nahiro's face was scarlet. Her voice trembled.
"Can you... not leave? I'm a little scared."
A small heart icon materialized above her head, then floated upward and vanished.
Riku checked her status.
Yukigami Nahiro
Affection Level: 98
(You can do ANYTHING to her. She will absolutely not resist.)
The bathroom water continued running.
Nahiro's ruby eyes looked up at him through silver-white lashes.
And Riku let the bedroom door click shut behind him.