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Chapter 74: Saeko Busujima's Resolve
Nighttime.
Rei casually mentioned the storage room to Suyan.
To her surprise, Suyan only paused for a second before readily agreeing to the arrangement.
Even Rei hadn't expected things to go so smoothly.
Not only had she successfully convinced Suyan to move into the room she had painstakingly cleaned that afternoon, but Saya had also flawlessly executed her end, insisting on sharing a room with Yuriko.
It felt like heaven itself was helping her.
With everything perfectly in place, all she needed now was the right moment.
But...
Why?
Why was Saeko, the person she was sharing a room with, refusing to sleep?!
Rei glared resentfully at the purple-haired girl, who was sitting cross-legged on her futon, deep in a meditative state cultivating her Nen.
What do I have to do to finally get away?!
"Miyamoto, am I keeping you awake?"
Saeko opened her eyes and met Rei's incredibly bitter gaze.
"Not! One! Bit!"
Rei gritted her teeth, practically spitting out every single syllable.
"Haha..."
Seeing Rei's reaction, Saeko couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. Her clear, violet eyes locked onto the flaxen-haired girl. "Miyamoto, if you really can't hold back, you should just go."
"What do you mean by that, Senior Saeko?"
Rei was completely caught off guard by the senior's words.
Though she had a sinking suspicion, she desperately refused to entertain the thought.
However, Saeko's next words ruthlessly shattered the secret she thought she had hidden so well. "You're in such a rush because you want to go find Suyan, right?"
"Ah? H-How did you know?"
Rei froze completely.
She began to doubt herself.
Was I really being that obvious?
Did she really see through my plan that easily?
"Your intentions are actually pretty obvious, Miyamoto. Suddenly clearing out an empty room just for Suyan."
"And then spending the entire evening fidgeting restlessly right in front of me."
Saeko shook her head, explaining as if she were reading Rei like an open book.
"This..."
Rei scratched her cheek, a deep shade of embarrassment coloring her face.
After a moment's hesitation, her curiosity won out. "Then... doesn't it bother you, Senior Saeko? If I go to him?"
"It does, but it also doesn't."
Saeko asked gently, "Do you remember the question you asked me before, Miyamoto?"
Rei looked confused.
Saeko continued serenely, "Before, you asked me if I was Suyan's girlfriend. I answered no."
Hearing this, Rei's memories instantly clicked.
Over half a month ago, it was exactly that answer that sparked her sudden urge to launch an offensive on Suyan.
Because of it, the things that happened between Saeko and Suyan in the infirmary later on had made her sulk for quite a while.
But she couldn't understand why Saeko was bringing this up now.
Saeko's serene voice continued, "Right now, my answer remains the same. I am not Suyan's girlfriend."
"However, there was a second half to that answer that I didn't say out loud."
"I'm not his girlfriend. I am his woman."
Rei's eyes went wide, her pupils trembling as she stared at the purple-haired senior in sheer disbelief.
She never expected Saeko's level of resolve to be this terrifyingly high.
If love was a war, and she had to face an opponent like Saeko...
She couldn't win. She couldn't possibly win.
She couldn't see even a sliver of hope for victory.
In all honesty, if Rei had been Suyan's first woman, she would have absolutely tried to chase away all the other girls buzzing around him.
She could never be as magnanimous as Saeko.
Seeing Rei's reaction, Saeko didn't look the least bit surprised. Instead, she smiled and used the most grounded reasoning possible. "Miyamoto, you've formed a Contract with Suyan now too, haven't you?"
"Tell me, do you really think Suyan would ever abandon any of the women he's made a Contract with?"
"That..."
Sudden realization dawned on Rei.
The logic was flawless. Yet, even knowing the binding nature of the Contract, it had still taken Rei quite some time to forcefully accept the reality of the situation.
But Saeko was completely different. Not only did she effortlessly accept the reality, but she actively facilitated it.
If memory served, it was Saeko who had dragged Saya into the infirmary in the first place.
And because of that, the pink-haired girl had forged a deep bond with Suyan.
Which later resulted in Yuriko being pulled into the fold as well.
It was no exaggeration to say that the inclusion of Yuriko, Saya, and herself was entirely built upon the foundation of this senior's immense generosity.
"Go on."
Saeko waved Rei off, offering her a word of encouragement. "Good luck, Miyamoto!"
Rei gave Saeko a deeply complex look before finally uttering two solemn words. "Thank you."
The flaxen-haired girl placed her right fist over her heart and marched out the door.
Carrying the will of Senior Saeko... I absolutely cannot lose!
Relying on the faint moonlight filtering in from outside, the girl felt her way downstairs, slowly creeping toward Suyan's room.
The house was suffocatingly quiet.
So quiet that she felt like she could hear the thumping of her own heart echoing in her chest.
"Are you coming down for a glass of water too, Rei?"
Suddenly, a voice echoed from right behind her, startling the girl so badly she nearly jumped out of her skin.
Rei instinctively whipped around.
It was the purple-haired woman she had specifically arranged for Saya to keep occupied.
Yuriko Takagi.
The mature, intellectual beauty sat quietly on the living room sofa, a serene smile resting on her lips.
Her lush purple hair cascaded down her milky-white skin.
Under the moonlight, every inch of her radiated an aura of elegant, mature allure.
Rei took a deep breath.
Looking at that perfectly composed smile, Rei felt a sudden, violent urge to tear the woman apart.
On the surface, however, she replied with forced politeness. "Yeah. What a coincidence, Ms. Takagi."
In response, Yuriko said absolutely nothing. Her violet eyes gleamed with a light that seemed to pierce through all deceptions.
Under that piercing gaze, the flaxen-haired girl felt incredibly cramped.
She walked over to the fridge, poured herself a glass of cold water, and chugged it down.
The icy liquid slid down her throat.
Stay calm, she told herself desperately.
The more critical the moment, the calmer you must be.
I cannot let her see through my plan.
After finishing the water, Rei turned to the older woman. "It's so late. Aren't you going back to sleep, Ms. Takagi?"
Yuriko replied casually, "I suppose I caught up on too much sleep this morning. I was tossing and turning in bed, but I didn't want to wake Saya, so I decided to come out here and sit for a bit."
"If nothing changes, I'll probably just sleep on the sofa tonight so I don't disturb her."
As she spoke, a teasing smile played on Yuriko's lips.
Perhaps because the room was too dark, Rei completely missed the expression on her face.
Instead, she actually found the excuse completely reasonable.
But wait, doesn't that completely ruin my plan?!
Does she expect me to just casually stroll into Suyan's room while she's sitting right there watching?!
Rei puffed out her cheeks, a wave of deep frustration rising in her chest.
"What about you, Rei? Aren't you going back to sleep?"
Yuriko deliberately played dumb, tossing the question back at her.
Her goal was simple: to scare the flaxen-haired girl away.
Then, she would intercept the prize and enjoy the fruits of Rei's hard labor.
After all, stolen goods always tasted infinitely sweeter.
No, it's not really stealing, is it?
Rei was trying to execute a surprise attack out of nowhere.
Whereas Yuriko had made a formal appointment with Suyan beforehand.
Strictly speaking, she was simply defending her own rightful territory.
Caught in a bind, Rei could only offer an awkward response. "In a minute. In a minute."
"Oh, right. I ran some hot water in the tub earlier to help relax my muscles so I could sleep better," Yuriko suddenly offered. "Judging by the time, it should be just about full. Care to join me for a soak?"
"No thanks."
Rei shook her head, quickly rejecting the offer.
But internally, she was screaming: This is the perfect chance!
As long as she waited for Yuriko to step into the bathroom, she could seamlessly slip into Suyan's room.
"Is that so? Suit yourself."
Yuriko waved a hand, looking entirely unbothered by the rejection.
Without another word, she stood up and sauntered toward the bathroom.
Now's the time!
Rei's heart soared with confidence.
She was so hyper-focused that she completely failed to notice the triumphant smirk on Yuriko's face as she walked away.
Watching Yuriko disappear behind the bathroom door, Rei stealthily tiptoed to Suyan's room.
The door was unlocked. Heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and overwhelming excitement, Rei gently pushed it open, her eyes darting eagerly inside.
Instantly, her pupils dilated, staring at a scene she found completely incomprehensible.
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