It was a handsome, sunny smile that usually made people feel at ease, but at this moment, it made Shizuka Hattori, this fully ripe beauty in a kimono, feel incredibly panicked.
Before she could react, Yuu Hoshimiya's large hand moved down instantly, unbuckling the seatbelt that restrained her voluptuous body.
Then, a pair of large hands gripped her supple waist like iron pincers.
The SUV was spacious enough for some action, and an irresistible force instantly flipped Shizuka over in the passenger seat.
In an instant, the previously normal atmosphere inside the car became thick with sexual tension.
The mature beauty was now kneeling on the passenger seat with her back to Yuu, her face pressed toward the window.
The loose kimono could not hide her plump, rounded, and perky buttocks; her wooden sandals fell off, and her small feet in white socks kicked about helplessly.
At this moment, Shizuka no longer had her previous calm and composed demeanor; her face was filled with terror.
Is he crazy? What is he trying to do? No way, right here on the highway? How does he dare to do this?
Japanese kimono culture was historically derived to serve men, meaning that wearing a kimono was actually designed for the convenience of sex, making it extremely easy to remove and engage in intercourse!
Therefore, the moment she saw herself placed in this position by Yuu, Shizuka's first thought was that she was about to be raped.
After half a day of contact, she had to admit she was impressed by this handsome young man, and she understood why Kazuha had joined his harem so fearlessly despite knowing he had other girlfriends.
Even because he had saved her earlier, she felt a slight spark of affection for him, feeling that her son, who only cared about deductions, really couldn't compare to Yuu...
But none of that was enough for Shizuka to simply allow Yuu to have his way with her so recklessly.
The woman in the kimono immediately began to struggle and cry out, but her efforts were pathetic against Yuu's freakish strength.
Gradually, her resistance weakened, but the resentment and bitterness in her heart continued to grow.
As the wife of the Superintendent of the Osaka Prefectural Police, when had she ever been treated like this?
Soon, Shizuka felt a chill on her buttocks.
Shizuka had resigned herself to her fate; she didn't dare to scream for help now, instead staring out the window in terror, fearing someone would see her in this pathetic state.
If people were to gather and witness this, she would never be able to show her face in public again.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Hot, large hands slapped Shizuka's perky buttocks; she bit her lip hard, her eyes filling with a watery mist, her pale face turning completely crimson...
Is this foreplay? Damn him, how dare he humiliate me like this!
She had already decided that upon returning to Osaka, she would gather all her power to get revenge on Yuu Hoshimiya.
Meanwhile, a faint smirk appeared on Yuu's face.
Heiji Hattori's mother, the wife of the Osaka Police Chief, the queen-like Shizuka Hattori was kneeling before him, getting her ass whipped!
No matter her status, if she provoked him, she had to be punished; he wouldn't hesitate to strike!
The crisp sound of slapping echoed throughout the Lexus, accompanied by her constant pleas for mercy.
After thirty strikes, Shizuka's head was bowed low, her eyes filled with tears of pure humiliation.
However, after Yuu finished the thirty slaps, Shizuka waited in vain for the scene she had imagined to follow.
When dealing with a mature woman who has held a high social position for years, pure gentleness and consideration aren't enough.
They take it for granted, as they are surrounded by sycophants and yes-men every day.
Appropriate aggression and pressure can instead make them see a man in a new light and trigger more intense emotional shifts.
But everything must be in moderation.
If Yuu were to actually rape Shizuka right now, they would become mortal enemies.
To protect her reputation and that of the Hattori family, she wouldn't go public, but she would definitely spend her life plotting his destruction, and she would never willingly be with him.
Let alone reaching a Destiny Contract.
Yuu's voice rang out, "Alright, Mrs. Hattori. The punishment is over. Don't play such wicked pranks next time."
What? It's over just like that?
Hearing this, Shizuka felt a surge of relief; having escaped the "death" of her virtue, joy actually began to bloom in her heart, and her resentment slowly transformed into a strange thrill.
This was the "skylight effect"—originally, being spanked would have been absolutely unacceptable to Shizuka.
But under the mistaken belief that she was about to be forcefully taken, suddenly discovering it was "only" a spanking...
If the punishment was only this, she felt it wasn't entirely unacceptable!
After all, she was the one who was in the wrong first this time.
Furthermore, even Shizuka herself didn't notice a fleeting sense of disappointment that flashed deep within her soul.
She quickly adjusted her kimono, sat back in the passenger seat, and refastened her seatbelt, gripping it tightly as if it could provide a sense of security.
However, the deep blush on her face refused to fade.
Soon, Shizuka realized something: Yuu Hoshimiya had called her "Mrs. Hattori."
This meant he already knew she was Heiji's mother, yet he had laid hands on her anyway.
Shizuka scolded him indignantly, "Mr. Hoshimiya, you are far too rude! You knew exactly who I am, yet you still treated me like this!"
But she didn't realize that her scolding had no bite at all; instead, it sounded soft and糯 (nuo - sweet/supple), much like her voice when she was kneeling and begging for mercy.
Yuu laughed and said, "It's precisely because I knew you were Heiji's mother that I was extra patient with you. I could have exposed you instantly, yet I played along with your act for the whole afternoon. I didn't expect you to get addicted to the role and keep lying to my face until now."
"So I gave you a little punishment. It wasn't too excessive, was it, Mrs. Hattori?"
Yuu's left hand made a grasping motion in the air, causing the blush on Shizuka's face to deepen.
He even made a show of sniffing his left hand; Shizuka turned bright red and hurriedly reached out to push his arm down.
Truth be told, when Yuu looked at the pleading, defenseless Shizuka earlier, he really had been tempted to take her right then and there.
But the time and place weren't right, and combined with his willpower forged through "training" with many beauties, he managed to hold back.
You have to remember that Japanese kimonos are traditionally worn without underwear; Shizuka had been completely exposed and defenseless.
Looking at Yuu, who was acting like he had done her a favor after taking advantage of her, Shizuka felt a fire of anger burning in her chest.
She forced herself to suppress her rage, taking deep breaths as her impressive chest heaved up and down.
Yuu, meanwhile, started the car and continued toward the station.
After a while, the blush on Shizuka's face finally faded, and her skin returned to its pale, jade-like state.
The mist in her eyes vanished, replaced by clarity.
Her expression returned to its original composed state; the mature and steady kimono beauty was back.
After a long silence, Shizuka spoke again.
"Mr. Hoshimiya, I truly underestimated you. But since you saw through my lies and my trap, can you guess what my real request was?"
Yuu didn't care.
"Whether I can guess or not doesn't matter. If it weren't for Uncle Mouri's sake, I wouldn't have played along for so long."
Hearing this, the anger that had just subsided in Shizuka's heart began to rise again.
Actually, Yuu knew that the reason Shizuka came was definitely because of her son, Heiji Hattori.
Yuu wasn't sure if Kazuha had told Heiji everything about their relationship, but even if she said nothing, the change in the girl's attitude would be enough to make Heiji miserable.
If Heiji still hadn't noticed anything by now...
Then he really needed to get his head checked.
Regarding his relationships with the girls, Yuu never took the initiative to reveal them without their consent.
If Kazuha was still hiding it, him leaking the info would cause her a lot of trouble.
So, without exposing the truth about Kazuha, accepting Shizuka's request would just be looking for trouble.
Shizuka didn't care about Yuu's attitude and continued to speak for herself.
"Every time Heiji returns home from Tokyo lately, he's in a terrible mood, and his relationship with Kazuha has become icy."
"Kazuha used to visit my house all the time, but now she barely comes at all. Even on the rare occasions I invite her over, she doesn't go to see Heiji; she only talks to me."
Shizuka peeked at Yuu, hesitated, and ultimately decided to hide her suspicion that Yuu and Kazuha were together.
This was a concealment, not a lie; surely he wouldn't "liquidate" her for it later!
With her recent lesson fresh in her mind, Shizuka found an excuse for herself and continued.
"Furthermore, after Heiji came home a few days ago, he seemed possessed, constantly writing the name 'Kudo' on paper."
"Based on my deduction, something must have happened in Tokyo that caused the rift between him and Kazuha, and the key figure is this 'Kudo.' I'm not entirely sure, though, so I wanted to hire you to investigate."
"The commission fee is five million yen!"
Hearing this, Yuu's cheek twitched. That was quite a large sum!
If it were Kogoro Mouri, even knowing he couldn't find Shinichi Kudo, he would have accepted it instantly and then found a way to fake the results.
But Yuu didn't want to get involved, especially since he suspected Shizuka already guessed that his relationship with Kazuha was unusual.
If she didn't have any suspicions, she never would have investigated him beforehand.
But since she didn't say it, Yuu simply pretended to be ignorant.
Yuu refused her, saying, "Mrs. Hattori, do I look like a man who needs money?"
"I cannot accept a request to investigate the romantic problems of young people. Besides, I'm not a detective by profession; I'm just a teacher. I only helped today as a favor to Uncle Mouri."
"And let me offer you some advice, Madam: the romantic affairs of the youth should be left for them to resolve themselves. You should let nature take its course."
Shizuka frowned and parted her lips again.
"Ten million yen!"
Yuu looked speechless. Did Shizuka really not know about his relationship with the Suzuki family, or was she just pretending?
Trying to pressure him with money was a complete waste of time.
With his current wealth, he didn't care about such small change at all.
However, Shizuka was a smart woman. Seeing that Yuu was truly uninterested, she stopped raising the price and shifted to a more vulnerable approach.
A look of weakness appeared in her eyes as she pleaded, "Mr. Hoshimiya, for the sake of your acquaintance with Heiji, please help me. I'm worried he'll never recover from this. If you have any conditions, please name them. I will do whatever I can!"
"I don't have any conditions. It's just that matters of the heart have no solution. Even if you find out the truth, will Kazuha falling for someone else change? The result is the same. Heiji has to recover on his own."
Yuu's words had a double meaning; he wondered if Shizuka could grasp the depth of it.
Regardless, these words served as groundwork for when his relationship with Kazuha eventually became public.
Hearing this, Shizuka's face stiffened, and she let out a long, heavy sigh.
"I see. You're right, Mr. Hoshimiya. I suppose I was the one acting obsessed!"
Shizuka stared blankly at the neon lights passing by outside.
Half an hour later, they arrived at Tokyo Station. Both got out of the car, and Shizuka's expression had returned to normal.
She seemed to have been moved by Yuu's words and stopped obsessing over her son's problems. Instead, she gave Yuu a polite bow.
"Mr. Hoshimiya, I'm sorry for bothering you and causing you so much trouble today!"
"However, you were wrong about one thing you said about me in the car!" A smile touched Shizuka's face as she spoke.
"Oh? I'm all ears!"
Shizuka only laughed at his inquiry and refused to answer.
But she soon spoke again: "I will never forget what you did to me in this car today, Yuu. If you come to Osaka this weekend, I will be sure to give you some... special 'hospitality'!"
Yuu showed no fear and returned a brilliant smile.
"I'll be looking forward to it then!"
He had been worried about finding an excuse to continue his contact with Shizuka to deepen their relationship, and now the opportunity had presented itself perfectly.
In that case, he would gladly accept the mature beauty before him!
After their goodbyes, Shizuka walked into the station gracefully in her wooden sandals.
Yuu got back into his car and headed toward home.
On the Shinkansen back to Osaka, Shizuka Hattori looked out the window at the brilliant starlight and raised her left hand.
She removed the bandage from her ring finger, revealing a scabbed-over scar beneath.
With a gentle wipe of her right index finger, the scab fell away on its own, and the scar vanished completely. Her left hand was once again flawless.
"Romantic freedom, huh...?"
Around 10:00 PM, Shizuka arrived home and went straight to the bathroom to wash up.
She removed all seven layers of her kimono, revealing a body as white as polished jade. She stood before the full-length mirror, examining herself.
Shizuka turned around and saw a splash of vibrant red on her perky butt.
On her right butt cheek, there was actually the mark of a red maple leaf.
Shizuka's eyes widened.
This was exactly where Yuu Hoshimiya had slapped and disciplined her, the fallen maple leaf from the roadside having been pressed into her skin by his hand.
It was a striking, soulful red!
Shizuka couldn't resist reaching out to touch the mark, and the memory of the humiliating ordeal in the car immediately flooded back.
She could still feel the lingering warmth of Yuu's palm on her skin; it was a strange sensation, and a feeling of transgression echoed in her heart.
Shizuka looked at herself in the mirror, her skin as clean as fine jade, tracing her curves with her index finger.
Then, she unpinned her hair, letting her brownish locks cascade down.
Her previously cold and arrogant aura shifted instantly into something incredibly seductive and glamorous!
Shizuka narrowed her eyes, and her gaze turned sharp. "Yuu Hoshimiya," she murmured.
She turned and stepped toward the large wooden bath. She climbed the steps and stepped into the hot water, her body sinking until her graceful figure was completely submerged.
It seemed the hot water was the only thing that could calm the chaos within her.
After finishing her bath, Shizuka put on a gray yukata and tied her hair back up. Her face was now calm once more.
She stepped out of the bathroom and walked along the wooden hallway in her sandals. Soon, she spotted Heiji Hattori still practicing his kendo beneath the starry night sky.
In the courtyard, Heiji was drenched in sweat, repeatedly swinging his wooden sword.
He was preparing for the kendo tournament this weekend.
Shizuka sighed. After talking with Yuu, she understood that matters of the heart could not be forced.
The problem between Heiji and Kazuha had to be solved by them.
And if it were true that Yuu Hoshimiya was the one who had taken Kazuha away, then...
As a mother, she would advise Heiji to find someone else to love as soon as possible.
After only half a day, even she had been somewhat captivated by Yuu, let alone the young and impressionable Kazuha.
When facing an opponent that is absolutely impossible to defeat, giving up early is the only wise move.
Otherwise, it would just be a waste of effort, leaving nothing but regret and pain.
Shizuka shook her head and left the courtyard. After instructing the housekeeper to prepare some hot soup for Heiji, she headed toward her own room.
As she passed a pitch-black room, a deep, powerful male voice rang out, "You're back!"
Shizuka froze for a second, her face turning cold and stern. "Mmm. I'm back!"
Inside the dark room, the silhouette of a powerful man could be seen. He was kneeling on a cushion, holding a long sword in both hands, his eyes closed.
At the sound of Shizuka's voice, his left eye suddenly snapped open. It was a narrow, hawk-like eye, radiating an inexplicable authority!
He closed his eye just as quickly as he had opened it and continued, "Get some rest early since you're back!"
"Yes!"
Shizuka gave a slight nod, her face expressionless. She walked gracefully past the dark room and entered the one next door.
As Shizuka entered the adjacent room and slid the door shut behind her, it felt as though there was an insurmountable chasm between the two rooms!
Tranquility returned to the backyard of the Hattori residence in Osaka.