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Three lively girls cheerfully headed towards the apartment where Hikari was supposedly living alone.
Little did they know, Hikari had no intention of returning to his apartment tonight...
Today, Hikari was planning to stay at Madam Mira's house, his adoptive mother, instead of returning to his apartment.
Given that both Natsuha and Yukino had triggered some notable plot events, he figured it was best to stay close in case something happened. Besides, some of his adversaries, like Oga and Takahashi, were still lingering threats.
With all that to consider, he decided to dine at Mira's, as her place was also closer to Natsuha's apartment.
Additionally, he wanted to deliver some protective charms, like the Clarity Amulet, to those he cared about, especially Madam Mira.
——
The walk back with Natsuha was uneventful, save for her enthusiastic chattering as she tried to keep a conversation going with him. Not a single shady character appeared, which was slightly disappointing for Hikari.
After seeing her to her apartment complex, Hikari casually remarked, "Alright, I'll leave you here. I'm heading back."
For the first time, Natsuha found herself wishing the walk had been just a bit longer. With a reluctant look, she invited, "Hikari-kun, how about coming up for some tea? I make really good tea, you know."
Hikari's gaze lingered a bit too long on her rather generous figure. "Are you sure you mean... that kind of tea?"
Natsuha blinked, puzzled. "What do you mean, 'that kind of tea'?"
"Never mind," Hikari chuckled, shaking his head. "It's getting late, and if I don't get home soon, my lovely foster mother will be angry." His mind flashed briefly to Madam Mira's outwardly gentle, inwardly calculating smile.
With a sigh, Natsuha said, "Alright then, I'll head up. But don't forget—tonight, you still need to come over and 'borrow' my homework."
Hikari paused, genuinely baffled. "What homework?"
Natsuha stared at him. "You asked earlier, didn't you? You wanted to borrow my notes for the assignments. I said I'd finish up when I got home, and you said you'd drop by later to copy them. You really weren't listening, were you?"
Watching her cheeks puff up in mock frustration, Hikari quickly held up his hands. "Hey, hey, no need to get worked up! I might have been a little... distracted, keeping an eye out in case anyone suspicious, like Masaru or his gang, tried to follow us."
Natsuha's face softened, a small smile breaking through. "Oh, so you were on high alert for my safety? That's sweet of you. I'm sorry for getting the wrong idea."
"Just write it down, and I'll come over tonight to 'copy' it," he promised with a nod.
Natsuha's smile grew a little wider, her eyes glinting as if she'd achieved a small victory.
Before heading off, Hikari used his Pure Love Aura Vision technique to check Natsuha's aura. Noticing a swirl of red mixed with the usual white glow, he frowned.
He placed a small origami crane, imbued with a protective charm, nearby. Then, he gave her a serious look. "Listen, be careful tonight. Don't open the door for anyone except me, okay?"
Though she wasn't quite sure why he was so insistent, Natsuha blushed, sensing his concern. "Got it, I'll be careful," she replied earnestly.
As Hikari walked away, Natsuha couldn't help but sigh, her thoughts drifting back to his chiseled face and the memory of him kicking Masaru away like it was nothing. Her pulse quickened.
"Which... movie should I choose this time...?"
Natsuha booted up her computer, scrolling through her meticulously curated collection of movies.
Just as she was settling in, her phone rang.
"Could it be... Hikari-kun?" Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. The idea that she'd just been about to imagine him, only to have him call, felt a little too perfect.
But when she checked the caller ID, her hopes deflated. Answering, she said, "Hey, Yuuta, what's up?"
On the other end, Yamano Yuuta's cheerful voice came through. "Just thinking of you, Natsuha-nee! Have you missed me?"
"Uh…" She was momentarily lost for words. It wasn't a lie, but lately, her mind had been too occupied with a certain someone else to give much thought to Yuuta.
Thankfully, Yuuta continued before she had to say anything. "Hey, so we have a break at school, and it's so boring out here in the countryside. I missed you, so I'm on my way to visit. You're home, right? I'll see you tonight."
"What?"
Before she could respond, the line went dead.
Placing her phone down, Natsuha felt an odd conflict tugging at her emotions. Normally, she'd be thrilled for a visit from her childhood friend. But this time, her heart seemed... unsteady. Her mind drifted back to Hikari's face.
"It's weird... Yuuta feels more like a little brother, but Hikari-kun… he's a real man…"
Natsuha shook her head, fighting off her conflicted thoughts. But it wasn't easy.
———
Meanwhile, at an arcade across town, Yamano Yuuta hung up the call, frowning at the scruffy, blond-haired delinquent standing before him.
"You're saying Natsuha-nee is secretly dating Hikari? Are you sure, Masaru?"
Masaru Oga, his leg still bound in bandages, sneered. "What's wrong? Don't believe me? Then why else would you rush here? To see for yourself, right?"
Yuuta's expression grew uneasy, doubt creeping in. Just this morning, he'd received a call from Masaru, claiming Natsuha had betrayed him to date Hikari in secret. Suspicion gnawed at Yuuta's mind, and now he found himself in the city, desperate to confirm the truth.
Seeing Yuuta hesitate, Masaru pressed on, "Here's the plan. Tonight, I'll come with you to her place. You can ask her to her face, and we'll see if she denies it. I'm ready to confront her right in front of you."
Yuuta, conflicted but unable to deny his curiosity, eventually agreed. "Alright... fine. We'll both go."
Watching Yuuta's naivety, Masaru's gaze darkened, and a wicked smirk played on his lips.
———
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm pink hue over the streets, Hikari finally returned to the Tsubakihara Household.
Before he could even knock, the front door swung open. Standing there was Madam Mira, a strikingly beautiful woman with an hourglass figure, her smile as radiant as always. "Welcome home, little Hikari."
Hikari smiled back, "Yeah, I'm back, Madam Mira."
"I'm in the middle of cooking, and it'll be ready soon. Come in and get comfortable." She flashed a grin, wiping her hands on the apron she wore.
"Thank you. But… how did you know I was home before I even knocked?" Hikari asked, a little surprised.
"Didn't you notice the new camera by the door?" Madam Mira winked. "I programmed it to recognize your face so I'd be alerted the moment you came back. I wouldn't miss greeting you at the door."
"Oh... I see." Hikari couldn't help but chuckle, a warm feeling in his chest. Even though he was her adopted son, her attention and care were on par with her own daughters—perhaps even more so.
Though, admittedly, her interest in him had become something of an odd mix of motherly care and possessiveness.
[T/N: Those of you who are getting impatient about R18 chapter, 1st R18 is CH37 with exactly 6604 words(around 6 chap long but I will post in a single chap). You can wait or read through Patreon. Also, new images are up.]
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