"What's wrong?"
Haruto shifted his gaze. "Nothing. Let go, it's time to head back."
"Huh?"
Nino gritted her teeth and looked at him. "I won't let go."
"I'll kiss you!"
"Go ahead!"
"..."
"How dare you dislike me?"
Seeing her sad eyes, Haruto sighed softly in his heart, then lowered his head and kissed her lightly.
A bit salty.
Was that a tear?
It must be!
Nino wrapped her arms around his neck with a proud look in her eyes. "I'll let you go this time. But if there's a next time, I won't~"
Haruto lowered his head and kissed her again.
Nino was briefly surprised, then lifted her face eagerly, her lips slightly parted. Seeing this, Haruto firmly went in for a deeper kiss.
This time, it tasted sweet and refreshing.
Was it the taste of black tea?
Two minutes later.
Haruto exchanged a few words before heading back to his room.
He had to go to the mountains tomorrow.
There were things he needed to witness.
Everyone was determined not to let him go alone and expressed their wish to join him.
Haruto didn't object and readily agreed.
After bathing in the hot springs, he wrapped himself in a bath towel, returned to his room, turned off the lights, and chatted briefly with Mafuyu, Sora, Shoko, Yukino, and Yuigahama.
Before he knew it, it was past 10 p.m.
After a day of driving, hiking, and wandering the town, the girls were exhausted and went to bed early.
The night grew silent.
Haruto put down his phone, closed his eyes, and prepared to use his powers to infiltrate Nakano Rena's dreams.
The fox had said Rena represented many people's hopes, so he couldn't be careless.
According to information from the Abe and Kamiya families, Rena had been active at shrines and mysterious places worldwide since her appearance.
So here was the question:
What was Rena trying to achieve?
This question intrigued him and was one of the reasons Haruto had come to Itomori Town.
Let's begin!
Haruto closed his eyes.
But just then, the door suddenly opened, and the sound of soft, deliberate footsteps echoed.
His attention snapped back. He raised an eyebrow and immediately ruled out staff or any intruders.
He'd taken necessary precautions when leaving. There was no way he was careless or negligent.
Plus, there was Yoruha.
Yoruha wasn't human, so she didn't need to sleep at all. Even if she did, it was just pretend, remaining completely still.
Thus, there was no chance an outsider could sneak in.
So who was it?
Haruto suddenly thought of a possibility.
Because the only ones sneaking around now were the girls.
There was no bed in the room, only a tatami mat, and Haruto was lying on it.
At that moment, footsteps approached, and the faint scent of shampoo filled the air.
It smelled wonderful.
A few strands of hair gently brushed his cheek, tickling him.
The side door facing the corridor wasn't fully closed, allowing the moonlight to stream in. A girl with pink hair in a yukata knelt beside Haruto, her long, soft pink hair draped over her shoulder.
Under her smooth bangs was a pair of pure blue eyes, complementing a gentle and dignified face.
"Kuromori~"
Nino whispered softly, a hint of unexplained anxiety in her voice.
Hearing her slightly anxious voice, Haruto felt a slight warmth in his heart. Instead of pretending to be asleep, he opened his eyes and looked at her.
In the bright moonlight, she wore a pink yukata, and a bit of nervousness showed in her pure blue eyes.
"Nino, what's wrong?"
Seeing him awake, Nino whispered, "Sorry, I just had a nightmare, so I'm a little scared."
Haruto lifted his blanket and said, "It's cold at night, come here and tell me about it."
"Mhm~"
Nino answered softly, biting her cherry lips, blushing, and obediently snuggling into his embrace.
Haruto held her gently and said, "Silly, what kind of nightmare did you have this time?"
"I'm not silly."
Nino couldn't help but retort, then closed her eyes, savoring his embrace. "I haven't had a nightmare in a long time, you know? If I had one this time, it's all your fault."
She looked up into his dark eyes, puffed her cheeks, and said, "Yes, it's your fault. I dreamed that you left us and disappeared. We looked for you for a long time but couldn't find you."
"Heartless man!"
"Careless man!"
"Big pervert!"
"So yes, it's all your fault."
"If it weren't for you saying those things suddenly, I wouldn't have had that nightmare!"
"Sorry." Haruto had just finished speaking, then added, "Nino, don't move."
"I'm not moving, I just feel uncomfortable sleeping, huh~ Silly, don't move your hand~"
"Why?"
"Huh?"
Haruto's expression was serious. "If you can move, then of course I can too. Besides, this is my room. I can move if I want."
"Hmph~"
Nino pretended to scoff, but her heartbeat raced, and her face flushed.
"Girls can move, but boys can't!"
"Sorry, I don't understand."
Nino held onto his hand tightly, unconsciously biting her lip as her breathing grew slightly heavier.
She looked at him intently, her voice trembling slightly, a hint of playfulness in it:
"Do whatever you want, mhm~"