Daylight had begun to show itself like a gentle and graceful young lady. For some, the passionate nights had ended, and for others, new excitements had begun. But for most, it was time for work or leisure. After all, it was still summer! Everyone wanted to enjoy the beauty of summer, right?
Yuu, being one of them, was in a similar situation. He was discharged as soon as he woke up that morning. Now, he was getting ready to leave. After putting on his jacket, he went into the bathroom and washed his hands and face before leaving.
Then he paused and looked at himself. He hadn't looked at himself in the mirror for the past few days. When he saw his reflection now, he touched his cheek in astonishment.
Undoubtedly, the reflection was of a young man. He looked like he had stepped out of an anime where handsome male protagonists were in vogue. With sharp facial features, a pointed chin, and a well-proportioned nose, he was definitely the image of a certain kind of male protagonist.
Looking a little closer, he realized that his cheeks still had plump, boyish features. Even with this handsome look, the softness in his cheeks and the fact that his cheekbones hadn't fully emerged yet gave him a sweet aura.
Yuu was aware that the sweetness part was his own, but the surprising and balanced mix he saw now felt completely unfamiliar.
There were hints of his old life on his face, like the thickness of his eyebrows. He had been handsome in his old life, too. Maybe not model-level, but at least respectable. Still, this... this was beyond that.
Velora, on his shoulder, giggled with her ruby-colored eyes. She explained with a playful and amused tone:
"You could say this is a side effect of absorbing desire. You're getting increasingly handsome while retaining your existing features."
Yuu touched his face, finding it hard to believe. He hadn't looked carefully at himself in the mirror for the past few days. But as he paid attention, he noticed the smoothness of his skin and the disappearance of minor pimples. This both surprised and made him smile.
"Getting increasingly handsome, huh?" he murmured to himself. This could be considered a pleasing development. This explained why a middle-aged woman had run away like an embarrassed young girl.
He chuckled lightly and slung his jacket over his shoulder. He casually checked WhatsApp on his phone. There weren't many messages from his family because he had told them he was leaving. The messages he saw from his cousins made his cheeks flush.
[Aya-nee: Yuu-kun, the house is ready. We're waiting for you.]
[Aya-nee: photo.jpg]
She had sent an explicit photo showing her bra. Her sweetly large breasts were barely contained in the bra, but they looked so perfectly shaped...
Yuu took a hot breath and closed his phone without daring to check Megu-nee's messages. He was afraid of wandering around with an erection.
...
When he reached the exit, he ran into Yoko, who had finished her work and was wearing more casual clothes. She was wearing a long, light purple skirt and a simple white, short-sleeved blouse. She was yawning before leaving. This was her way of relieving the tension in her body.
Yuu approached cautiously. He was like a predator who didn't want to frighten a timid deer. He felt a sense of self-loathing for being in this situation, but he convinced himself to see it as an opportunity to get to know Yoko better.
Yuu followed Yoko as she passed through the hospital doors. Yoko seemed not to have noticed him due to her lack of sleep and fatigue. Now that he thought about it, both night shifts had been assigned to Yoko.
'It looks like Yoko-san is truly going through a period of bad luck,' he thought to himself. As he walked with her for a while, he was surprised to realize they lived in almost the same neighborhood. He shouldn't be that... close.
He sighed lightly. Kyouka had taken him to the hospital closest to their home, not the closest to where they were staying. She probably hadn't thought it was serious at first.
A smile appeared on his lips. Then he shook his head and approached Yoko.
Yoko, meanwhile, was thoughtful and tired. Aside from her physical exhaustion, her mind was in turmoil. The reason was simple and clear.
Yuu and the inappropriate feelings he evoked.
She knew it was wrong, of course, but her body had been uncomfortable all night, completely disregarding her awareness. So much so that... she had to take a break and touch herself in the restroom!
How old was she, and she hadn't felt this aroused in a long time. It was both frightening and exciting. She shook her head. She reminded herself not to dwell on these thoughts.
Besides, he had already left the hospital, hadn't he? She would recover in a few days and return to her boring but necessary routine.
At least, that's what she hoped, but she was wrong.
"Hey! Yoko-san."
The sound of his voice and the hand that rested on her shoulder sent a shiver down her spine like an electric shock. She could feel the hot warmth of his palm on her exposed shoulder. The summer heat certainly wasn't helping either.
Hot, soft, and sweaty.
These were the best words to describe the sensation. Yoko took a warm breath and carefully pushed Yuu's hand away. She managed a slight smile, keeping her voice as steady as possible.
"Hello, Yuu-kun. You've been discharged."
Yuu smiled, but his smile... was warm and sincere. It was as if he were looking at his lover. His tone of voice was similarly gentle.
"Yes, I have. I guess we live in the same neighborhood, huh?" he said, then paused for a moment. "Shall we walk together?" he offered.
The tone of his voice and the childishness of his offer took Yoko back to Yuu's needy expression from eight hours ago. Something had definitely changed between them, but this shouldn't be happening. So she ignored the softness in his voice but didn't refuse his offer either.
"Sure. I didn't know we were in the same neighborhood."
Yuu chuckled lightly.
"It's a pleasant surprise for me too."
Then they slowly began to chat. Yoko noticed the proximity of Yuu's walk. He had clearly entered her personal space, which made her tense up. However, Yuu spoke in the same soft and warm tone.
She thought about scolding Yuu for violating her personal space and pushing him away, but she couldn't. Not when he was talking so sweetly and making her heart beat so fast.
Still, realizing they were getting close to her house, she put some distance between them and looked at him.
"Yuu-kun, that night..." she began but didn't know how to continue. She had to draw a clear line. She realized she could break this boy's heart. Worse yet, her own heart was in danger.
But Yuu cut her off. There was a nervous tone in his voice when he spoke.
"I was going to mention that too. That night can stay between us, right?"
It wouldn't be a big problem for Yuu if he told anyone, but if it got to his family... The lightest punishment would be a minor scolding. The worst would be breaking everyone's hearts. This... was something he didn't want right now.
Not until he was sure about the situation with Yoko. Of course, realizing the direction his words were going, he wouldn't let her draw that line.
"Of course..." Yoko said without hesitation. Who could she tell such a thing to? Especially when she was the one who would be burned here... Then she continued. Or rather, she was about to, but Yuu didn't let her again.
"Good then. Well..."
Yuu took out the small cardboard piece on which he had written his phone number at the hospital. He smiled as he handed it to her:
"If you ever need anything... call me. Okay? I'll help in any way."
He hesitated for a moment and added before running away: "That includes naughty things."
And just like that, Yuu ran away, both annoying and embarrassing Yoko. Yoko didn't know what to say for a moment. When she did, it was too late. "Yuu..." she grumbled angrily. This perverted boy was clearly inviting more!
Letting out an irritated sigh, she looked at the card in her hand. Despite her anger, a look of uncertainty appeared on her face. Finally, she put it in her pocket and entered her house