Upon hearing the looming sirens, Yuuto, Chiyoko, Sato, and the newly freed Hiyori all went down the building to meet the police officers.
With Shiyon offering to stay up and keep watch over the criminals, everything seemed to be going smoothly...
'...She's not letting go...' Yuuto thought, exasperated, as Chiyoko glued herself to his arm while they walked down the building. She pressed her entire body and the side of her face against his arm.
Sato and Hiyori occasionally glanced back at them, giggling between themselves.
'DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!! THIS IS A COMPLETE, UTTER, MUTTER, DUTTER DISASTER!! My image is being dismantled as if it were a 15-year-old rusted car at a dollar-store mechanic...!! NOOO!!! LET GO OF ME, YOU LITTLE RUNT!!' Yuuto's mind screamed as he glanced at Chiyoko, who had a blank expression on her face, still clinging to him.
'You see? This is what happens. This is what happens when I'm a little considerate. People want me all to themselves. It's just the way it is. I'm literally the best in existence, so I understand this. This is why I PURPOSELY drive them away. I CAN'T BE A HERO WITH ALL OF THESE FANGIRLS AROUND ME! WHAT IF MY SECRET IDENTITY GETS EXPOSED!!?' Yuuto despaired in his mind.
Meanwhile, Hiyori and Sato murmured amongst themselves.
"I had no idea Sakurai-senpai had that side to him..." Sato muttered, completely forgetting about his physical prowess.
"Yeah... He's awfully good at handling Chiyokocchi, isn't he? Just don't tell Takacchi, she might get jealous..." they muttered while giggling warmly.
'YOU PRICKS!! I CAN HEAR YOU!!! IF A WORD OF THIS GETS OUT, I'M GONNA BASEBALL BOTH YOUR ASSES!!!' Yuuto thought, glaring at Hiyori and Sato without their notice.
Yuuto then looked down at Chiyoko.
"Look... We took care of everyone, you can let go now—"
"No," Chiyoko swiftly interjected with a deadpan tone and expression.
'...What...?! I SAID LET GO, RUNT!!'
"I'm serious. I have social anxiety and I'm gonna throw up—" Yuuto murmured.
"Deal with it, then. Senpai," she interjected again in the same manner.
'...Time to bring out the big guns then, pipsqueak.'
"I'm actually a lolicon, and a sexual predator;" he muttered without any form of shame.
"'Kay," Chiyoko replied, equally shameless, not relenting her grip in the slightest.
Sato and Hiyori could only laugh at their exchange.
"Come on, Sakurai. She's obviously rattled, considering. Just let her do that," Hiyori called casually as she turned her head to them.
"Just one thing I don't understand," Yuuto replied as he looked at her.
"What's that?"
"When did I ask for your input, Sasquatch?" Yuuto sharply retorted.
"Ahh... Whatever, just forget about it..." Hiyori said with a sigh as she looked ahead again.
"Also, thanks," she murmured to herself swiftly.
"What's that?!" Yuuto called loudly.
"Nothing. I sneezed," she muttered.
Sato merely looked at Hiyori's embarrassed expression and smiled knowingly.
Sato then turned to Yuuto. "Sakurai-senpai... Seriously, thank you." He called warmly.
"... Don't mention it. Seriously. Don't talk about it again or I'll beat you up." Yuuto called, looking to the side, avoiding Sato's gaze.
"Sure, sure..." Sato replied with a relieved sigh.
They then left the building, with Yuuto still trying to convince Chiyoko to pull away from him.
"This is sexual harassment, you know. I could have you—"
"You said you were a sexual predator, Senpai. So, I guess we're even," Chiyoko replied flatly.
'GRRRRRRR...!!!!' Yuuto ground his teeth.
In his field of vision, Yuuto caught sight of Shun talking to the police officers.
'Oh, there's cuck...' Yuuto thought, noticing Shun speaking frantically to the police officers as they exited their cars.
"I'll go handle telling them the details. You three go to the paramedics to get checked," Sato said before leaving Hiyori's side and walking up to the police officers and Shun.
"You heard him. It's your boy crush. You gotta listen to your boy crush, runt."
"No. I'm staying. They'll just check us together, then," Chiyoko insisted.
'Ahh... He's gonna make a scene about it again...?' Hiyori sighed.
Yuuto placed his hand on Chiyoko's head, patting it.
"I'll be nearby. I have to tell those nice police officers some details about what happened. Just bear with it until I finish. Is that fair?" Yuuto said, unexpectedly softly.
Chiyoko blushed as she looked to the side, frustrated, while slowly releasing her grip.
"...Fair..." she let out, her voice barely above a whisper.
'Well, luckily I know how to handle runts, considering the runt of a little sister that I have,' Yuuto thought.
Hiyori widened her eyes in surprise at Yuuto's gesture as he walked away.
'What is he, an onion...? With all those layers...' Hiyori thought as she watched him leave, confused.
"Come on, Chiyokocchi. Let's go get checked," Hiyori warmly called, beckoning Chiyoko with her arm.
Reluctantly, Chiyoko walked with Hiyori, glancing back at Yuuto as he approached a police officer.
Meanwhile, Sato was wrapping up his conversation with another policeman.
"...And lastly... Look, just don't tell my parents," Sato insisted, standing tensely in front of the officer.
"...I have to, kid," the officer replied flatly, glancing down at his notebook and jotting notes. Other police officers hurried past them, heading up the building.
"Please...?" Sato begged softly, his voice trembling. The policeman raised his gaze, scrutinizing Sato closely.
He noticed several burn marks just above Sato's shirt collar and sleeves. The officer's expression softened slightly.
"I guess I could delay my report until tomorrow morning... But they will be notified," he replied, his tone gentler, a tinge of pity in his eyes.
"That's... alright... Thank you for your consideration," Sato said, sighing in relief.
In the meantime, Yuuto had finished talking with a police officer, providing his name and details of what had happened.
...Even to the police officer, he didn't mention the name, "Black Letter".
During that time, Shiyon came down from the roof with the police officers who had the assailants handcuffed.
The paramedics discovered that, aside from some bruises, cuts, and potential psychological trauma, none of the group had severe injuries.
Shiyon, in particular, had a long conversation with several police officers.
Chiyoko then called her mother to come and pick her up.
With nothing else to do, the group sat on the wooden deck, just outside the lobby. Chiyoko returned to her place beside Yuuto, coiling herself around his arm.
Yuuto, exasperated, finally gave up on trying to push her away.
"Where are your parents, Sakurai?" Hiyori asked.
"...On vacation. They've been doing that a lot recently," Yuuto murmured.
"I see. With Shun's dad picking him up, I guess Sakkun and I will go with you and Chiyokocchi's mom since we all live around the same area. Is that cool, Chiyokocchi?" Hiyori asked the curled-up girl.
She merely nodded.
"I guess it's a 'guys only' ride for me and Shun-chun~... How romantic..." Shiyon said cheerfully.
Yuuto turned his head to Shiyon, recalling his bloodied state when he climbed up to the roof.
'...I wanted to talk to this bastard about how he ended up like this. He even seemed to have a particularly long conversation with the policemen... But it seems like it won't be today...' Yuuto thought, glancing over at Chiyoko, who appeared to have fallen asleep, laying on his shoulder.
"...She's really peaceful there, that girl," Hiyori said, leaning on her elbow, prompting everyone to take a look.
And everyone did, except Shun, whose gaze remained fixed on the ground.
"My~... A love triangle, perhaps...? It will be really difficult for me to keep it a secret from Taka-chun... But, seeing as you're a friend of mine, I'll have to somehow bear with it~.." Shiyon commented, causing Hiyori and Sato to chuckle.
"Speaking of which, why aren't you doing it with your boyfriend, heroine?" Yuuto spat back at Hiyori with his usual deadpan expression.
"A-ah... W-well..." she stuttered, glancing at Sato.
'Gottem.'
"I... Uh..." Hiyori murmured, unsure how to react as she blushed.
Sato then smiled, the weight of the night's events gradually lifting. With a swift maneuver, he rested his head on her thigh.
"S-SAKKUN!?" she stammered, her body jolting as he laid there.
"Ara~~~~~!!" Shiyon reacted, enthusiastically placing his hand over his mouth.
Sato merely looked up at Hiyori's face with a calm smile.
"Well, I'm too small for Hikki. I should be the one to lay on her," he said confidently.
"T-that's..!!" Hiyori stuttered, unable to meet his gaze.
"Right, so you also agree your girlfriend's a Sasquatch," Yuuto swiftly commented.
Everyone then looked at Yuuto, except Shun and the sleeping Chiyoko.
[BACKGROUND MUSIC: Selin Soral - Ethereal]
They chuckled lightly in unison, Hiyori's tension and embarrassment dissipating...
...With Yuuto joining in momentarily with a short chuckle of his own.
Before long, Chiyoko's mother arrived.
Yuuto tried to wake Chiyoko up, but she remained peacefully asleep.
With another exasperated sigh, he hoisted her up in his arms, princess carrying her to the car.
She momentarily opened her eyes as he carried her, careful not to let Yuuto notice she was faking her sleep as she blushed deeply....
Chiyoko's mom, who could always tell when her daughter was truly asleep or just pretending, felt her worry and anxiety for her daughter's safety dissipate upon noticing her state. Her expression relaxed with every step the group took towards her car.
"Haah... That girl is too mischievous," her mother said in resignation, sighing deeply in relief.
As the four students drew near, she rolled down the window and spoke to Yuuto with a knowing smile, "How about you take her with you to the back? So as not to disturb her, young man?"
With a sigh, Yuuto, Hiyori, and Chiyoko went to the back, with Chiyoko lying between them, while Sato settled in the front.
Before long, the car drove off into the distance, leaving Shun and Shiyon waiting for Shun's parents to pick him up.
"Young man..." Chiyoko's mother started, looking at Yuuto through the mirror.
Yuuto merely raised his head, meeting her gaze squarely.
"My daughter told me everything... I can't find the words to thank you enough for saving my precious daughter," she murmured, her eyes moistening slightly.
"It's nothi—"
"Really... Really... Thank you... I just... I don't know what I'd have done if something..." She stopped herself, fighting back her tears as she looked back at the road.
Yuuto remained silent, feeling Chiyoko clutching his pants.
'Tsk... So this little runt was faking it...?' he thought, scrutinizing her while also glancing at her mother's teary eyes.
'Well... Just for today, I'll allow it,' he thought, resting his palm on her head while looking out the window as he leaned back on his seat.
"...Don't mention it," he let out quietly.
Sato and Hiyori both looked at Yuuto, smirks of pride on their faces.
Meanwhile, back at the resort...
"Your parents sure take a long time, Shun-chun," Shiyon commented to the unusually quiet Shun.
"My dad just called. There's heavy traffic," Shun muttered, his eyes showing defeat.
Shiyon noticed the lack of enthusiasm in his voice.
"It's alright, Shun-chun. It's all behind us—"
"Shiyon-san," Shun cut him off, his voice suddenly louder.
"...?"
"Can you please help me get stronger?"