Kuroha Akira was thus forcefully dragged back into the house by Shinomiya Shion, hand in hand like a prisoner being escorted to jail.
Then, Shinomiya Shion swept her icy gaze over the few people still standing outside the door and slammed it shut with extra emphasis.
That loud BANG seemed to carry an unspoken message: "You'll never get in here."
Shirai Shiori was visibly displeased by Shinomiya Shion's overly obvious "outsiders not welcome" attitude. She crossed her arms over her chest, her lips curling downward slightly.
"Well, that was certainly a warm welcome… Is she a kid from this host family?"
"She is not."
Asato Hitomi answered as she climbed back into the car. Shirai Shiori raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "Hmm? Hitomi, do you know who she is?"
"She's just a little kitten that Akira-kun is raising. Hehe… Don't you think she's adorable?"
Shirai Shiori cupped her chin with her hand and complained, "Can that even be called adorable? She looked so fierce… And yet, even with that expression, all she gives off is this stunning, otherworldly vibe… That's straight-up cheating levels of beauty."
"Shiori, you're also very beautiful, you know?"
Shirai Shiori shrugged. She was long used to hearing compliments about her looks, but she'd never let it go to her head. If anything, being good-looking had become ammunition for those who envied her to attack her.
"I know I'm not bad-looking, but I also know my place. That girl just now was a real-life Princess Kaguya…"
Princess Kaguya from The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter got her name because her beauty was said to shine brilliantly even in the darkest night. Every man who laid eyes on her became infatuated, losing sleep, hearts burning with desire, vowing to marry none other than her.
Shirai Shiori had always thought that was just an exaggerated legend. She never expected to witness it in real life today…
That was the kind of beauty that could bewitch most men.
And Kuroha Akira lived with her… could he resist that temptation?
Then again, was there even any need to resist?
Any man would want to get close to such a stunning beauty.
Come to think of it, maybe that was exactly why Akira-kun could remain completely unfazed even when she'd stood naked in front of him. He'd already seen the most top-tier beauty up close, so everyone else just paled in comparison…
The more she thought about it, the less confident she became. So Shirai Shiori couldn't help but ask Asato Hitomi directly.
"Hitomi, do you think… Akira-kun might end up like the Emperor, completely enchanted by Princess Kaguya?"
Shirai Shiori had originally wanted to ask, "Is Akira-kun dating her?" But that would've made it sound like she had feelings for Kuroha Akira, so she quickly changed her wording.
"No, Akira-kun isn't that kind of person."
Asato Hitomi answered with absolute certainty again, not a trace of wavering in her voice.
"For Akira-kun, appearance is just a bonus, not the main course. What he truly cares about is a person's inner qualities."
Talent and potential.
Those were the two things he valued.
If you had no talent, no matter how good-looking you were, you wouldn't catch his eye.
Conversely, beneath that beautiful exterior, that woman also possessed the talent that Kuroha Akira valued.
She was a formidable opponent.
"That's true… Akira-kun really isn't someone who only cares about looks. Even though his gaze can be a little lecherous sometimes, his actual behavior is very gentlemanly…"
Recalling what Kuroha Akira had said and done in her room that day, Shirai Shiori nodded in strong agreement.
Then Aizono Moe—who had just lived through the "bathroom leak incident" earlier today—also nodded emphatically.
"Mhm mhm! I think so too! Kuroha-kun is very considerate of others!"
Seeing both of them speaking up for Kuroha Akira, Asato Hitomi covered her mouth and chuckled, teasing them.
"It seems you two have also come to fully trust Akira-kun. I remember when I first brought him to the Literature Club, you both looked like you didn't want boys anywhere near you… Hehe, looks like my Moe-chan and Shiori-chan have really grown up. You should both thank Akira-kun for his contributions."
In fact, Asato Hitomi had secretly given Kuroha Akira various "benefits" as rewards, but that was her exclusive secret—something she didn't want to share with her best friends.
"Weell…"
"Mmm…"
Shirai Shiori and Aizono Moe both looked away, appearing somewhat embarrassed.
But they weren't embarrassed because they'd initially rejected Kuroha Akira. No—they were embarrassed because they were recalling the process of becoming familiar and intimate with him.
That had been truly mortifying. A completely cringe-inducing experience that they couldn't really tell anyone—not even their best friends.
The three friends, who were practically sisters, each had a private secret with Kuroha Akira.
Asato Hitomi could naturally tell that her two best friends had something going on with Kuroha Akira—that was why their attitudes had softened so much. She simply felt that friends getting along better was a good thing, and there was no need to interfere too much.
However… that woman from just now…
Asato Hitomi found that she was genuinely displeased with that "usurping" woman.
Calling her a cat was absolutely spot-on. Just a little provocation earlier, and she'd immediately bristled like someone had stepped on her tail—hissing at the people outside to mark her territory.
That also precisely proved that she was actually very insecure. She felt threatened. She was afraid that even her "Kobayashi territory" might be invaded by outsiders.
But… do you know?
Actually, Kobayashi is a place I can freely enter and exit.
You're the outsider here, Shinomiya Shion.
If I weren't considering Akira-kun's feelings—if I didn't want him to misunderstand me—why would I have ever given you the chance to live with him in the first place?
Everything you have right now… I let you have.
"In short, Akira-kun and that girl aren't in that kind of relationship."
"Is that so? Hitomi, you seem to know everything."
"Hehe… I don't know everything, you know. I only know what I know."
Asato Hitomi narrowed her eyes, still smiling, but there was a hint more gloom in her expression than usual.
"Let's go, Rui-san. First, drop Moe-chan and Shiori-chan off at home. Also… don't tell Mom I came here."
"Yes, Ojou-sama."
On the other side of town, Kuroha Akira was dragged back inside by Shinomiya.
Shinomiya went to draw the bathwater, and Kuroha Akira figured it was about time for a soak. After all, he'd entered the girls' restroom and even gotten some of Aizono Moe's holy water on him… even he felt like there was definitely an odor by now.
So once the bath was ready, Kuroha Akira quickly stripped off his clothes and hopped in.
Sinking into the hot water, he finally relaxed and began replaying what had just happened.
Even though Shinomiya hadn't said much after they got inside, Kuroha Akira could tell from her attitude that she was genuinely upset this time.
Seeing him have connections with other girls made her unhappy… Was that jealousy?
Had her affection already reached the stage of love?
Or was it just simple possessiveness—like a house cat discovering that its owner had petted another stray outside? She became wary of the unfamiliar scent, wanted to re-cover him with her own scent, and thus became more clingy than usual. Helping him draw the bathwater was probably also a way of showing affection.
But in fact, what had happened up to this point was not the main reason Kuroha Akira would end up sleepless all night.
What truly made his heart burn… what really kept him tossing and turning…
Was what came next.
Later, while he was still soaking in the bath, Shinomiya burst in.
And… she wasn't wrapped in a towel.
After seeing with her own eyes the other girls who had a connection with Kuroha Akira, Shinomiya felt a very real, tangible threat.
And a stressed cat… acts out aggressively when it feels insecure.