Ryuki didn't want to leave Ruby in the abandoned house, but he had no choice. If his mother and sister woke up before he got home, explaining things would be a mess. He hoped Rena would come for Ruby soon. That was all he could do.
The abandoned house wasn't far from his own—just a five-minute walk. Ryuki slipped back home, opened the door quietly, and stepped inside. He peeled off his clothes, since he'd snuck out in just pajamas, and slid into bed. Sleep hit him fast.
"Hey, wake up!" Saki's voice broke through. She shook Ryuki's body.
He groaned, eyes barely open. "Five more minutes," he mumbled, pulling the blanket over his head. Saki yanked it off and kept shaking him. Now he understood how she felt when he'd done the same to her.
Sleep was gone. Ryuki had to bathe with Saki and their mother, then get ready for school.
"You said you jog in the morning, right?" Saki asked. "How about I come with you today?"
Ryuki nodded. He'd said that, and they'd believed him. They always did—neither understood lying yet. But he had to be careful. They'd catch on eventually.
"Let's go to Asuka and Yuta's house instead," Ryuki suggested. "We'll hang out until school, then go together."
"Really? No jogging?" Saki asked.
"Nope. Let's go," he said. They headed out and reached Yuta and Asuka's house.
Ryuki rang the bell. After a moment, a breathtaking woman opened the door.
Takeru Michiko stood there, her presence striking in the morning light. Her black eyes shimmered behind slim, black-framed glasses, sharp yet inviting, framed by softly curved brows that tapered into delicate points. A few stray wisps of her black hair escaped the loose bun at the nape of her neck, brushing against her skin with a casual grace. The rest was pinned up, exposing the smooth column of her neck, where faint shadows played under her jawline. Small silver hoop earrings hung from her earlobes, swaying gently with each tilt of her head, grazing the tender curve where her ears met her flesh.
She wore a pair of tight denim shorts, the fabric clinging to her hips and wrapping around her backside like a second skin. The shorts hugged the full, rounded shape of her ass, accentuating every dip and swell, leaving her thighs bare—firm and smooth, with a faint sheen of morning light dancing across them. Her legs stretched long and lean beneath, the muscles subtly flexing as she shifted her weight, toes painted a soft pink peeking out from the edges of her bare feet.
A thin-strapped tank top draped over her torso, the straps delicate and narrow, slipping over her shoulders to reveal their gentle slope and the smooth, bare expanse of her collarbone. The fabric, a pale cream color, stretched taut across her chest, molding to the generous curve of her breasts. The neckline dipped low, exposing the upper swell of her cleavage—a soft, inviting valley of skin that rose and fell with each breath. The top ended short, barely brushing the tops of her hips, leaving her stomach uncovered. Her midriff was flat yet soft, with a faint line down the center hinting at toned muscle beneath, and a tiny navel that sat like a perfect dimple in the middle.
Her lips, unpainted but naturally rosy, parted slightly as she smiled, showing a glimpse of white teeth. The smile deepened the faint lines at the corners of her mouth, adding a warmth to her fair complexion. A single freckle dotted her left cheek, barely noticeable unless you looked close. Her arms, bare from shoulder to wrist, were slender but strong, with a graceful curve where her biceps met her elbows. As she leaned against the doorframe, the movement pulled the tank top tighter, outlining the her breast.
Michiko was Yuta and Asuka's mother, a minor character in the game—not a heroine, but an extra with a dark role. In Asuka's bad ending route, Asuka drugged her, and Ryuki filmed an adult video with Michiko, using it to blackmail her for money. If the player chose that path fully, Asuka killed herself, Michiko murdered Ryuki in revenge, and then took her own life. Otherwise, Michiko never appeared.
"Saki, Ryuki, come in," Michiko said, her voice smooth and inviting.
Ryuki glanced at her again, recalling her game portrait. She was just as beautiful in person.
"Welcome to my room!" Yuta announced with a dramatic bow as they entered his space.
"Move it," Ryuki said, ignoring him. "I was up all night. Let me sleep before school." He flopped onto Yuta's bed.
It'd been three years since he last slept on a real bed. He'd forgotten how soft and cozy it felt. He started drifting off.
However... Saki and Asuka arrived to disturb his sleep.
"Hey, little brother, why are you sleeping?" Saki shouted, yanking him from the bed.
Ryuki groaned. "Saki, stop. Bed's my love—don't pull me from it, you villain."
"What are you two doing here?" Asuka asked, rubbing her eyes. "This is Yuta's room, right?"
"Of course it's mine," Yuta said, nodding.
"We came to play, little brother!" Saki said, buzzing with excitement.
"Then you three play," Ryuki muttered. "I didn't sleep last night. Let me rest."
"No way!" Saki protested. "Play with us!"
"Yeah, it's no fun without you," Yuta added.
Asuka stepped in. "Saki, Yuta, let him sleep. He's tired."
"Thanks, Asuka," Ryuki said, collapsing back onto the bed.
"But I wanted to play with him!" Saki whined loudly.
"Me too," Yuta chimed in.
"Geez," Asuka snapped. "Yuta, he's your best friend—can't you see he's beat? And Saki, you're his big sister. Act like it!"
"He slept fine last night," Saki argued.
"Us guys can skip sleep for a day or two," Yuta said.
"You're blind—he's exhausted," Asuka shot back.
Ryuki just wanted quiet. Their arguing was too loud. He couldn't sleep through this.
"Yuta, Asuka," Michiko called from downstairs, her voice loud but charming. "I'm leaving for work. Breakfast is ready for all four of you. Eat and head to school."
Ryuki sighed. Forget sleep. He wasn't getting it now.