Shizuru, feeling remorseful for her previous actions, comes back to Hino's room with a cup of coffee and a fresh piece of bread. She gently places the items on Hino's desk as a sign of reconciliation. It seems like she's trying to make up for her mistake and hoping to patch things up with Hino. Hino, who is still upset about the situation, doesn't know how to respond to Shizuru's gesture and remains silent for a moment.
As Hino reads the articles, he leans back in his chair as he tries to relax. He notices that Shizuru is nearby, and he tells her that he feels exhausted but not tired of the investigation. Shizuru approaches Hino from behind and begins to massage his earlobe seductively. Hino turns to look at her, and Shizuru asks, "Is this fine?"
Hino replies, "Yeah, like that! It's better..." Their proximity to each other causes tension as they are both clearly close to one another.
As the massaging continues, Shizuru's smile grows wider because of how Hino is feeling relaxed and satisfied by it. She is happy to see him feeling better, and this makes her laugh with joy. Their proximity to each other is causing a sense of tension between them as they grow closer and closer. The situation is starting to seem intimate and their tension is increasing with each passing moment.
Hino, with his worries relieved a bit by the massage, resumes his research and talks to the hacker regarding the documents he has obtained. The act of being close to Shizuru and the touching of her hands gives him a sense of calmness that allows him to focus on work. He asks the hacker to help him sift through the documents in order to find something that might reveal the truth about the situation they're in. As they work together, the tension between Hino and Shizuru continues to grow, and both are becoming increasingly aware of the other's presence and feelings.
After Hino has finished the research with the help of the hacker, he seems relieved to find that there are no strings attached to the documents he obtained. It's a good sign that they are on the right track and the information they have acquired so far will help solve the mysteries they are facing. What will Hino do next with the information he has discovered?
Shizuru wrapped her arms around Hino as he was sitting on a swiveling chair, smiling at him as they finished their research. Hino explained how he got the documents from a hacker again without any strings attached, saying, "You see? I'm always lucky!" He was so focused on Shizuru's gaze that he didn't realize her hand had moved to his nape and was pulling out a single strand of his white hair.
When Hino realized, he yelled in pain and Shizuru laughed as she held up the strand, saying, "Then you're not lucky anymore!" Shizuru teased Hino, who lightly kicked her foot, making her startled and laugh harder.
Shizuru teased Hino by putting the mini hair strand he pulled out into a mini resealable plastic. as she does this, her actions are both playful and amusing, leaving a sense of sweetness between the two characters. Hino's light-hearted action of kicking Shizuru's foot caused her to get startled by it but also caused her to laugh even harder, showing that the two characters are very close to one another. This small interaction between the two further strengthens the sense of intimacy and their growing closeness to one another.
After the interaction, Hino and Shizuru seem to have gotten closer to one another. They decide to take a short break from their research and take a nice dinner together. The atmosphere is relaxed and playful, and the interaction between Hino and Shizuru gives a sense of intimacy and warmth. During the dinner, they discuss the mysteries they're facing, and they seem to be in a better mood than before.
As Hino and Shizuru enjoy the dinner they made together, there seems to be a newfound sense of peace and comfort between them. They appear to be in a much better mood since they were able to take a break from the stressful research they were performing. The atmosphere of the scene is relaxed, and there is a sense of affection and warmth between the two. They are taking a short break from the problems they're facing to enjoy a nice dinner together, and their interactions during the meal give a glimpse into their growing closeness and intimacy.
Hino asks Shizuru, "Six days are left before your birthday, and we need to gather everything."
Shizuru responds to Hino, "Yes, that's correct. We need to get everything collected, even Marie." Hino follows up with the question, "Why Marie?"
To which Shizuru replies, "She's doing it for money, and I'm sure she's the one who's responsible for hiding the evidence we could use. She's the social media manager, and she filters out comments from Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites."
Hino lets out a deep sigh, "Money... money can't buy us happiness but it lets us live, but that doesn't mean she has to sacrifice her dignity and principles for something so wrong..." This shows Hino's concern for Marie and the way that she is willing to compromise her integrity for money. He is against her actions and feels like she is being unethical and immoral. He doesn't agree with her actions, but he is also aware that they still need her help in finding out the truth about their situation.
Shizuru holds Hino's hand to calm him down and she tells him, "Take it easy, Hino, it will not be good for us to be like that, we still need to move forward..." Hino lets out another sigh, his frustration visible. "How can we move forward," he asks, "if she's a wolf in sheep's clothing?" This shows that Hino doesn't trust Marie and he fears that she may not be completely honest with them. He is suspicious of her intentions and her trustworthiness.
Hino remembers the good times that he and Shizuru had with their kid Shiori and how Marie liked to bring sweets. These memories remind him of the bond that they once shared and how Marie was a kind and loving person. But now, the bond has changed, and he can't help but feel like Marie is no longer the person he once knew. He is conflicted about Marie's role in the investigation and the part she has been playing in hiding essential evidence. He fears that Marie may not be someone he can trust anymore.
Hino adds, "Isn't there any conscience she had while she's removing those pieces of evidence?"
Shizuru responds to Hino, "Only we are the ones who could answer that, not someone else." This shows that Hino is questioning Marie's motives and actions, not trusting her in terms of her integrity.
But Shizuru seems to take a more neutral stance, not assuming anything, and instead, leaving it to Marie herself to explain her actions and motives.