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Chapter 51: Where Did My YukimiBotamon Go?
Minami Rika's house.
Around 3:23 a.m.
Tick… Tick…
The second hand on the wall clock kept jumping forward with mechanical precision.
Yet the flaxen-haired girl curled up on the sofa felt as if the clock had broken. How else could every single second stretch on so endlessly?
Miyamoto Rei kept glancing up at the clock, only to immediately shift her gaze toward the entrance closest to the genkan. She was waiting for someone.
She didn't know why she waited.
She didn't know when this compulsion had taken root.
She only knew she needed to see him before she could close her eyes.
Only after confirming that Suyan had returned—after knowing the two of them were under the same roof again—would the knot in her chest finally loosen. Even if they didn't exchange more than a glance or a silhouette, it would flood her heart with overwhelming relief.
Rei thought she might be losing her mind. She had never cared this much about any guy before.
But Suyan possessed some kind of special magic that made her want to drift closer to him no matter what. Even though she knew his relationship with Marikawa Shizuka and Busujima Saeko was anything but clear, she still flew toward him like a moth to flame.
And strangely, she found the feeling… sweet.
If that was the reason she was waiting, then what about the other woman?
Rei turned her eyes to the second sofa a short distance away. There sat the tanned, mature beauty who had been waiting just as long as she had—Minami Rika. Compared to Rei's restless fidgeting, Rika looked almost serene, sitting in silence.
Before Rei could ponder further—
Click.
The lock cylinder turned as a key slid home.
At this hour, who else could it be but Suyan?
Joy surged through Rei's chest. She shot to her feet, ready to greet him.
But a black shadow exploded past her even faster.
Rei's eyes widened.
The shadow was none other than Minami Rika. In a single fluid bound she raced for the entrance, moving like a black panther at full sprint.
Because she was barefoot, each step landed with the silent spring of a cat's paw, barely touching the floor.
Her fist, however, was faster.
It was a good thing Suyan had come home late. If he had shown up a few hours earlier, when Rika's anger meter was still maxed out, she might have really pulled her gun and put a round straight through his skull.
But after the long wait, though the frustration still simmered, her rage-clouded mind had slowly regained some rationality. Shooting him would be irreversible.
Still, she needed an outlet.
So fists it would be.
She was the one ambushing him, sure—but he was a man, so the gender advantage canceled it out. Fair enough.
The instant Suyan pushed the door open, a fist hurtled straight at his face—powerful, lightning-fast.
An ordinary person would have been knocked out cold for at least an hour.
Yet Suyan's first thought wasn't how to dodge.
It was…
Wait, where are my two YukimiBotamon? What happened to my huge fluffy snowballs?
Normally the two adorable little furballs were the first to greet him at the door.
Why was he getting a fist instead?
As for the threat level…
Too slow!
Suyan casually raised his right hand and caught Rika's punch in his palm with effortless grace.
Rika's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected him to block her sudden full-power strike.
Maybe the man Shizuka chose isn't as useless as I thought.
But she wasn't about to stop. Her gaze sharpened; her other fist whipped toward his head.
Smack!
Once again, Suyan's free hand snapped up and seized it.
He lifted both of Rika's arms high, spun her body half a turn, and pulled her firmly into his embrace.
Up close, he noticed something unexpected. Rika wore only a touch of vivid lipstick; there wasn't a trace of other makeup on her face. Her style was clearly minimalist.
Yet at this intimate distance, a faint, elegant fragrance drifted from her skin.
Suyan sighed. "Big Sis Rika, what exactly are you trying to do in the middle of the night?"
Rika froze for a second.
His warm breath brushed across her neck, raising goosebumps across her wheat-colored skin.
Only when she heard his voice did she snap back to reality. Mortified, she snarled, "Go to hell!"
Her right leg shot upward in a high kick far more dramatic than a perfect split—sharp, powerful, and strangely beautiful. The long limb lashed toward Suyan's face like a whip.
He saw everything clearly.
Her toenails were neatly trimmed, no polish, clean and delicate. The arch of her foot was graceful, without an ounce of excess fat—lean where it should be, softly curved where it counted. On certain forums these would be rated "premium edible." Perfectly Zhouli-compliant.
Clearly, Rika took excellent care of them.
Compared to feet, he much preferred lips.
Without hesitation he tilted his head, dodging the whip-like kick.
Rika instantly retracted her leg and followed through with a scorpion-tail sweep from behind. This time she wasn't aiming to hit; her foot planted against his abdomen, then pushed hard, using the momentum to break free from his hold.
In truth, her strength alone could never have escaped him.
But first, Suyan hadn't gripped her with real force.
Second, he was worried that if he didn't let go, the sudden leverage might dislocate both her arms.
Of course, all of this was only because Rika's behavior—while bizarre—still fell within his tolerance.
If her foot had slid any lower and pressed harder, he really would have gotten angry.
Freed, Rika dropped into a crouch on the floor, back arched, head raised like a coiled predator preparing to pounce. Her eyes held no frustration—only the blazing excitement of a hunter who had found worthy prey.
After that brief exchange, Rika was certain.
In close combat, Suyan was a master who far surpassed her—perhaps by a huge margin.
She stared at him, tongue unconsciously darting out to wet her lips.
His unexpected strength sent a thrill racing through her.
She loved excitement. She loved challenges.
And more than anything, she craved a man… who could completely conquer her.
Will that man be you?
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