Shiratori Seiya stared blankly at the transparent interface before him, and Hōjō Suzune, sitting beside him, was also stunned. The silence in the car stretched between them like a taut wire, ready to snap.
The next second, the latter reacted with a gasp, then frantically pulled out tissues from her bag to wipe Shiratori Seiya's clothes, her small face scrunched up as she anxiously said, "Seiya, what's wrong with you..."
Shiratori Seiya had also come back to his senses by now, or rather, the moment the mineral water splashed on his face, he had somewhat sobered up. But sober as he was, he still felt... incredulous. He truly wanted to ask Suzune directly, when did this happen? How did her affection level get maxed out?
"It's nothing."
Taking the tissue Suzune handed him, Shiratori Seiya wiped the water from his body, started the car, and remained silent. Perhaps feeling that such silence would be too oppressive, he casually played a song.
Hōjō Suzune glanced at him with a puzzled look. Although she could understand that he might be uncomfortable from a cold and unwilling to speak, she still felt something was off in her heart at this moment. If there was anything off, it was the atmosphere. Even if he didn't speak, the atmosphere shouldn't be this tense. It felt like a storm was gathering just beyond the horizon of their conversation.
She pursed her lips, leaned her soft body against the seatback, intertwined her fingers, and twirled her two thumbs around. Her small fingers twisted together like tangled roots, betraying her nervous energy. After a while, as if she had thought of something, she suddenly said, "Um, Seiya..."
"Hmm? What is it?"
Hearing the girl's voice, Shiratori Seiya felt his throat start to dry up again. His mood was somewhat complex right now. As a man, knowing that a beautiful girl wholeheartedly liked him was inherently a joyful thing. It proved that he himself was more charming than other men; this was ingrained in his genes. However, he couldn't be entirely happy right now. The three women at home were already enough to give him a headache, and with Suzune added to the mix, he didn't know how to handle it.
Moreover, and more importantly, he knew that this affection level would not decrease. If Suzune were to do something irrational like Shione again, saying he'd be overwhelmed would be an understatement. Especially if these two sisters were to do something to harm each other...
Temporarily not considering Mio, if Saori knew that Suzune also liked him...
Just thinking about having to pick up Saori now, Shiratori Seiya felt his head ache even more. The weight of it pressed down on his shoulders like an invisible burden.
However, Hōjō Suzune was unaware of his complex thoughts at the moment. Recalling the phone call her sister had made to her the night before, and remembering what she had been doing at the time... it was as if her sister's moans on the phone echoed in her ears again. Hōjō Suzune bit her pink lips and couldn't help but ask, "Um, Seiya, were you with my sister the night before last?"
Hearing Suzune suddenly ask this question, Shiratori Seiya didn't immediately react, only letting out an 'Ah'. Then, taking advantage of the red light, he thought back to the night before last. It was indeed true, so he glanced at her and asked, "Yes, why?"
Seeing Shiratori Seiya nod, Hōjō Suzune's heart sank, and a gloomy look flashed in her eyes. How shameless.
Composing herself, Hōjō Suzune continued to probe, "Um... Seiya, were you resting at home that night?"
"Hmm?" Hearing her ask this, Shiratori Seiya couldn't help but feel a little strange. He furrowed his brows and counter-questioned, "I was at home, but Suzune, why are you suddenly asking this?"
"Uh..." Hōjō Suzune hesitated for a moment, feeling that asking like this wouldn't yield anything. She swallowed, hardened her heart, and simply asked directly, "Um, so you and my sister... have you had sex?"
*Istg, I'm just as confused as you are. It was clearly implied in the Shione hospital scene but now it's like this.
"Ah? How could that be?" Shiratori Seiya couldn't help but open his mouth. He pondered the logic of Suzune's words before and after, and couldn't help but say, "I just had dinner with Shione that night, but I was too sleepy later, so your sister went back to her own home."
He paused, then added, "I told you before, your sister lives right across from my house..."
Hearing this, Hōjō Suzune's anxious mood not only didn't ease, but her brows furrowed even tighter. Her small face twisted with frustration.
"Idiot Seiya." She made a bitter face, bit her lip, and couldn't help but softly curse. The words slipped out like a confession, tinged with both affection and exasperation.
If Seiya was indeed in his own bedroom that night, according to his phone's location, he must have been with his phone. Her sister was able to answer the phone and even do that kind of thing, and she didn't even bother to lower her voice when talking to her... Who knows what she fed Seiya? Sister, you're truly insane!
Suddenly being cursed by Suzune, Shiratori Seiya was a bit confused, but seeing her look as if she knew something, he asked, "Suzune, do you have something to tell me?"
"..."
Hearing him ask this, Hōjō Suzune fell silent. Her small fingers twisted together in her lap like tangled roots, caught between the urge to expose her sister's betrayal and the fear of what such a revelation might unleash. Currently, her sister was already cornered by those two shameless women and was acting desperate. If she were to tell Seiya about her sister drugging him, there's no telling what her sister might do.
Moreover, even if Seiya didn't tell her it was her who said it, her sister would still guess. After all, Seiya hadn't noticed before, so how did he suddenly notice as soon as she arrived? And the only person who knew about her sister's actions that night was herself. She would probably call her mother without hesitation and make her return to Kyoto. At that point, with her far away, she wouldn't be able to protect Seiya from her sister.
But she also couldn't just let Seiya remain oblivious, otherwise, what if her sister drugged him again?
Thinking this, Hōjō Suzune slowly closed her eyes, her small face taut as she bit her lip. Her chest rose and fell with a deep, steadying breath. A moment later, she suddenly said, "Seiya, my sister likes you so much, to that extent, and now she even lives across from your house. It's impossible for her not to make a move on you, right? So I just thought, maybe you two… did that…"
Hearing her explanation, Shiratori Seiya found it somewhat reasonable. He nodded and explained, "We didn't have sex. Your sister isn't that bad. I'm a man, she couldn't force me to do anything. Talking about 'making a move' or something, one might think I'm the girl."
"Who knows? If I'm not mistaken, she probably cooks for you every day since she moved in, right? What if one day she just can't hold back and puts something in your food, Seiya, you wouldn't have any way to stop her, would you?"
"That's not…"
Shiratori Seiya felt that Suzune was exaggerating, but he closed his mouth as soon as he finished speaking, feeling in his heart that something indeed seemed a little off. Recalling the conversation that day, was he really just too tired, which was why he fell asleep so early? The doubt wormed its way into his thoughts like a persistent itch.
"Anyway, you should be careful…" Hōjō Suzune saw him frown, a suspicious look appearing on his face, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. No matter what, at least don't be completely unvigilant, idiot Seiya. My sister is capable of anything now.
With that topic concluded, Hōjō Suzune watched the car gradually drive towards the outskirts, remembering Seiya saying he was going to pick someone up… Her small eyes darted around, and she suddenly asked, "Um, Seiya, who are we going to pick up now?"
"…"
Who to pick up?
Shiratori Seiya suddenly felt this question was particularly difficult to answer. If he only mentioned Saori's name, Suzune wouldn't know who she was and would definitely keep asking. But saying Saori was his girlfriend wasn't right either. Saying she was his fiancée…
Thinking of Suzune's affection level displayed on the system just now, Shiratori Seiya felt his head ache even more, and even swallowing made his throat hurt. The words lodged in his throat like stones.
"You'll know when you see her later."
Hearing him say this, and knowing he was feeling unwell, Hōjō Suzune didn't press further. She obediently said, "Oh," and simply stared at the gradually darkening sky outside, lost in thought. Her mind churned with half-formed plans and unspoken warnings.
About a few minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of C University, and Shiratori Seiya called Saori.
Before the call could connect, a tall figure appeared at Shiratori Seiya's car window.
Knock, knock, knock.
Hanging up the phone and rolling down the window, Shiratori Seiya looked at Saori, who was leaning in, seeing himself reflected in her pure black eyes, and softly said, "Saori, get in."
Hearing his hoarse voice, Hasegawa Saori's eyes froze, and she exclaimed, "Seiya, are you sick?"
"It's nothing, just a common cold. I've taken medicine, and I'll be fine tomorrow."
"Seiya, you…" Looking at the boy's haggard face, Hasegawa Saori still wanted to say something, but the next second, the corner of her eye caught sight of the girl in the passenger seat… Her clear black and white eyes instantly widened, then she said nothing, walked around to the passenger side, and directly opened the car door.
"?"
Seeing the woman standing before her, aggressive in her approach, Hōjō Suzune's heart tightened. However, her delicate brows furrowed, and she couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
However, no sooner had her words fallen than she noticed the other person's gaze pass through her, looking towards Shiratori Seiya, and asking with a hint of grievance, "Isn't Seiya's passenger seat for Saori?"