"In this rain, going home would be dangerous. Yukima-kun, why not stay the night?" Sayuri said, voice soft, yet with an unmistakable glint in her eye. "Our house has plenty of rooms."
Yukima Azuma hesitated for exactly zero seconds.
"Then I'll be in your care," he answered, pretending he hadn't caught the mischievous lilt in her tone.
Sayuri smiled knowingly and ascended the stairs to prepare the guest room.
Azuma turned back to the living room and casually sat next to Eriri.
"Looks like I'm relying on you and Sayuri-obasan again tonight."
Eriri huffed, brushing her golden twin-tails behind her ear.
"Just this once! And only because of the rain!"
Her eyes darted away, but her cheeks betrayed her—tinged with pink.
So typical. So tsundere.
So ridiculously cute.
The TV suddenly interrupted the moment with a breaking news broadcast.
[A space probe has detected a comet approaching Earth.]
[Named "Charlotte," it'll pass close enough to see with the naked eye.]
[It's visible from Hokkaido skies, expected on July 1st.]
[A once-in-a-millennium celestial event!]
Both Eriri and Azuma instinctively stared at the screen, captivated.
Azuma felt something about the comet stirred a strange sense of déjà vu.
He couldn't quite place it.
Meanwhile, Eriri's eyes sparkled—clearly waiting for him to say something.
Azuma turned, catching her expectant gaze.
He paused… then smirked.
"Eriri. Let's go see the comet together this July."
Her tsundere gears short-circuited for a second.
"I—I guess that's fine!" she sputtered. "Not that I want to go with you or anything! It's just… since you invited me…"
She turned her head, clearly suppressing a grin.
The living room air turned cozy and light—until Sayuri returned.
"The room's ready," she announced with her usual grace.
Azuma stood and followed Eriri upstairs. Their rooms were opposite each other—only a hallway apart.
As they reached the guest room, Azuma's phone vibrated.
The screen lit up:
Incoming call—Kasumigaoka Utaha.
He answered with no attempt to hide it.
Eriri's ears perked up like a suspicious cat.
"Who's that woman with black hair, black stockings, and no shame?" she muttered, edging closer.
From the phone:
"Moshi moshi. Where did you book the hostess service? Tell me so I can report it to the police."
Eriri clenched her fists.
What hostess service!?
She lives with him! And now she's accusing him of cheating!?
Azuma sighed. "Senpai, I was just about to call you. The rain's too strong—I can't make it home."
Utaha's voice turned sharp.
"And where exactly are you spending the night?"
"At Eriri's house. Sayuri-obasan offered."
There was a pause.
Eriri leaned in with a triumphant smile, expecting an outburst.
Instead—
"Oh, Sawamura's place? Whatever. Don't forget to bring breakfast tomorrow." Click.
Eriri: "…?"
Disrespected. Violently so.
If it were Kato Megumi's house, Utaha would've gone full possessive Yandere. But Eriri? She didn't even flinch.
The ultimate humiliation.
Later, Azuma entered the guest room.
Across the hall, Eriri stormed into her room, flopped into her chair, and pulled off her contact lenses. She swapped them for her black-rimmed glasses and sighed.
Tonight, she was planning to finish her summer Comiket project—a new H-doujin.
But her eyes wandered.
Next to her tablet sat his plot draft.
She flipped through it.
As she compared their stories, something inside her stirred. Despite her skill as an artist, Eriri had always been criticized online for her weak storylines.
She hated to admit it, but Azuma's writing…
It was insanely hot.
Even she got a little flushed just reading it.
…Wait. Flushed?
Suddenly, her breath hitched.
"…Huh?"
Eriri shifted on her chair. Something felt… off.
Wet?
Her face turned crimson. She slowly stood and glanced at her seat.
Then—
"Aaaaaaaaaahhhh!!"
She screamed in her head, cheeks burning.
Did I just—?!
No. No way. Not from reading a doujin plot! I've drawn WAY worse!
Her legs wobbled. Her eyes darted to Azuma's script.
That was the only difference tonight.
Horrified and aroused, Eriri scrambled to grab a bath towel and darted toward her personal en suite bathroom.
In the bath, she sat quietly, soaking in warm water.
"…Stupid Azuma."
Her soaked underwear hung on a rack.
After bathing, still wrapped in the towel, she stepped back into her room—
FLASH!
A lightning bolt split the sky, lighting the room like day.
BOOM!
The thunder rolled in.
And the lights—
Died.
Eriri froze.
"…Ah… AH!?"
Another thunderclap. She fell to her knees, screaming.
She'd always been scared of the dark—always needed a nightlight.
And she'd just watched a horror show, too.
"Eriri! Are you alright?" came Azuma's voice, followed by knocking.
"I… I—h-hic…"
Another crack of thunder—Eriri's mind snapped.
"AZUMA!!! HELP ME!!!"
The door flew open.
Azuma ran in and found her curled on the floor, sobbing and shivering, towel clinging to her body.
Without thinking, he scooped her into his arms.
"It's alright. I'm here."
She clung to him desperately, burying her face in his neck.
"Azuma… huhu… I was so scared…"
Her bare skin pressed tightly against him.
Something felt… off.
Azuma blinked.
…Wait.
This softness…
The towel had slipped. What little fabric was left between them had been crushed in the embrace.
He dared not move.
At that moment—
Click.
The lights flickered back on.
Sayuri's voice called from outside, "The breaker tripped. I fixed it. Are you two alright?"
Before Azuma could answer—
Sayuri opened the door.
She paused at the scene: Eriri, clinging to Azuma, nearly nude, towel barely hanging on.
Sayuri: "…"
The door closed.
Then—footsteps. A pause. Return.
The door opened again—just a crack.
Something slid inside.
Azuma turned.
A box of condoms lay on the floor.
"…Seriously, Sayuri?" he muttered, face burning.
Classic matchmaking mom.
Eventually, Eriri calmed down.
Then, realizing her state of undress, her brain blue-screened.
"Y-Y-You!!!"
Azuma averted his gaze. "I didn't see anything."
"L-Liar!"
"I swear. Want me to close my eyes?"
"Do it!!"
Azuma obediently shut them.
"U-Um… c-could you… carry me to bed?"
"Of course."
She guided him with whispered directions—still under the towel—until they reached the bed.
She dove under the blanket.
"Okay… you can open your eyes now."
He did.
Eriri peeked out from under the blanket—only her flushed face and green eyes visible.
Azuma chuckled. "Well then, I'll head back to—"
"No!"
She clutched the edge of the blanket.
"…Stay. Don't leave me. Please?"
Her voice was a whisper—fragile, honest.
Gone was the tsundere mask. This was the real Eriri, trembling and vulnerable.
Azuma froze.
How was he supposed to say no to that?
"…Alright. I'll get you some clothes first."
He walked over to her wardrobe.
It was full of pastel-colored lingerie, frilly nightgowns, and even some suspiciously risqué outfits.
He picked the plainest pajamas and brought them back, along with a fresh set for himself.
"I'll wait in the bathroom. Let me know when you're done."
After some rustling and suspicious squeaks from under the blanket, Eriri finally whispered:
"…You can come back now."
Azuma returned.
Eriri sat upright, dressed in her modest pajamas, still red in the face. Her long lashes were wet with leftover tears.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked up.
And all Azuma could think was:
Too cute.
Too dangerous.
And tonight… far from over.