Shuya couldn't hold it in.
"Shinobu, you weren't… getting yourself off in my room last night, were you?"
He regretted the words the second they left his mouth. He still hadn't told her what actually happened between him and Kanae. If this wasn't about that, then the only other reason she'd be this pissed was if she'd spent the night alone in his bed, touching herself, and he'd just called her out on it.
That would explain the rage.
Embarrassment turning into fury. Classic.
Shinobu stared at him, purple eyes narrowing. "Self-generating electricity?"
She knew what electricity was. The Taisho era was already seeing it spread. But the way he said it made it obvious this wasn't some innocent question.
Shuya clamped his mouth shut. No way in hell was he explaining that one.
Which only made Shinobu more certain it was something filthy.
She stepped closer, voice low and dangerous. "Tell me. What does that mean?"
Shuya hesitated. "You sure you want to know?"
"Say it."
He leaned in, lips brushing her ear, and whispered the explanation so only she could hear.
Shinobu's face went scarlet. Not from embarrassment—from pure, incandescent rage. Her breathing turned sharp. Every muscle in her body went rigid.
This bastard.
Not only had he spent the entire night with her sister—making Shinobu feel every single second of it through their link—but now he had the nerve to accuse her of masturbating in his bed?
She saw red.
"Filthy piece of shit!"
Her fist snapped forward and cracked against his chest. It didn't hurt. Not even close. But she kept swinging, small punches landing again and again while she cursed him under her breath.
Shuya just stood there and took it. He figured letting her vent was the safest move. After a minute he caught her wrist gently.
"Alright, enough. You're gonna hurt your hand."
He lifted it and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. "Take care of yourself, Shinobu. I don't like seeing you hurt."
The gentle touch made her pause. The fire in her chest flickered. For half a second she almost calmed down.
Then he opened his mouth again.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone what you were doing in here last night. Our little secret, yeah?"
Shinobu's eye twitched so hard it looked painful. The rage came roaring back twice as strong.
Before she could explode, Shuya's hand covered her mouth. His expression sharpened.
"Shh. Footsteps."
A knock sounded at the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Aoi?" Shuya called out, still keeping his hand over Shinobu's mouth.
"Yes, it's me," came the polite reply from outside. "I brought breakfast for both of you. I, uh… left the first tray earlier, but it didn't look like anyone touched it, so I brought another. I'll just… put this one here too."
Aoi's voice sounded oddly strained. She clearly heard movement inside. And she knew exactly what two people making noise in a locked room usually meant—especially when one of them was Shuya.
She set the second tray down beside the first, cheeks warm, and walked away without another word.
Inside, Shuya finally let go of Shinobu's mouth.
She immediately tried to bite him again.
He kissed her instead.
Hard.
Shinobu's eyes went wide. She shoved at his chest, legs kicking, but the kiss didn't stop. Slowly her struggles weakened. Her hands stopped pushing and instead curled into his shirt. A soft, reluctant sound escaped her throat.
When he finally pulled back, she was breathing hard, lips slightly parted, eyes hazy.
She blinked, came back to herself, and immediately shoved him away again—this time with both hands.
"No. We're not doing that right now."
Her voice came out softer than she wanted. Almost shy.
Shuya smiled, but didn't push. "You cooled off yet? Want to eat something?"
"Cool off?" Shinobu's glare returned full force. "After what you and my sister did last night? You think one kiss fixes that?"
Shuya froze. "You… felt it?"
"Of course I felt it!" she snapped. "Thanks to whatever insane link your contract created between me and her, I got the full experience. Every. Single. Second."
She explained it quickly—the way the contract had linked the sisters far more deeply than normal. How she'd woken up alone, run to his room looking for Kanae, and instead been hit with wave after wave of sensation that left her wrecked on his bed.
Shuya listened. Then a slow, deeply satisfied grin spread across his face.
Twin sisters.
Stronger-than-telepathy link.
Shared sensations.
Four times the fun.
"Nice."
Shinobu's fist connected with the top of his head before he could enjoy the thought any longer.
"Ow—okay, okay, I'm sorry."
He rubbed the spot, then looked at her more seriously. "I really am sorry, Shinobu. I didn't know the link was that strong. If I had—"
He stopped. Words weren't enough. So he offered the only thing that felt honest.
"…You can pee on me if it'll make you feel better."
Shinobu stared at him like he'd grown a second head.
Then her face twisted with renewed fury.
"Pervert. Scumbag. Absolute degenerate."
She grabbed his collar and yanked him down until their faces were inches apart. Her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"Last night you and my sister played some very interesting games, didn't you?"
Shuya's smile froze.
He was pretty sure he'd just made everything worse.
Outside in the kitchen, Kanae sneezed.
She rubbed her nose and muttered, "Is Shinobu badmouthing me behind my back again?"
She glanced toward the hallway where Shuya's room was, sighed, and went back to inspecting the breakfast Aoi had prepared.
At least someone was getting fed this morning.
Aoi walked back into the kitchen, saw Kanae standing there perfectly fine, and stopped dead.
Her brain short-circuited.
Kanae was supposed to be in Shuya's room.
She'd heard the noises.
She'd left breakfast for two people who were clearly busy.
So who the hell was in that room with Shuya right now?
Kanae looked up and smiled brightly. "Good morning, Aoi."
Aoi's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
Nothing came out.
Because if Kanae was standing here… then who had been making all that noise with Shuya?
And why did she suddenly feel like she'd walked into something she really, really wasn't supposed to know about?