As Yukiko headed downstairs to face Yūsaku and Shinichi, Akashi remained upstairs, diligently cleaning all evidence from the guest room.
The wet, sticky blanket was still stained with puff cream, beyond salvation even after enduring countless 'heavy rains'. Without hesitation, Akashi carried the soiled blanket out and tossed it into the large laundry bin meant for recycled linens.
With that task completed, he returned to the guest room.
There lay Eri, still unconscious. Akashi couldn't help but admire her beauty.
Her serene face, framed by her cascading hair, was as breathtaking as a springtime begonia in full bloom. She was nothing short of a masterpiece crafted by the Creator.
Yet, even in her unconscious state, Eri's brows furrowed slightly, as if weighed down by worries lingering in her dreams.
Akashi was no opportunist, nor someone who would take advantage of another's vulnerability.
"No," he murmured to himself, stepping closer. He gently leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Eri's lips.
But this wasn't a kiss of mere affection. It was the manifestation of his unique skill: Lv2 Imported Sugar —a powerful healing ability.
As the sweet, luminous energy of the skill surrounded Eri, her body responded instinctively. Her tense features softened, and the faint bruises she'd sustained during the earlier chaos began to fade.
Akashi worked with care, his focus unwavering. His attentiveness activated another latent skill, further accelerating Eri's recovery.
Eri stirred, letting out a faint hum. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, her consciousness returning.
The first thing she did upon waking was instinctively cling to Akashi, holding him tightly.
"Akashi, run!" she cried, her beautiful eyes wide with panic.
Her memories were clouded, stuck on the terrifying moments at the abandoned construction site—the gunfire, the van, and the crash.
Akashi gently patted her shoulder, his small hand comforting her.
"Auntie Eri, it's alright now. Everything's okay," he reassured her softly.
Eri's gaze darted around the room, taking in her surroundings.
They were in a hotel room, far from the chaos she remembered. But as she became aware of her situation, her panic deepened.
Her heart sank.
No way. No way!
Had those men succeeded while she was unconscious?
The thought overwhelmed her, and hopelessness crept into her expression.
Akashi, perceptive as ever, immediately saw the direction of her thoughts.
"Auntie Eri," he said urgently, "it's not what you think! Nothing happened to you!"
He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "It was… it was Sister Yukiko! She saved us!"
"What?"
His words jolted Eri out of her spiraling despair.
She quickly checked herself, her hands trembling as she verified her condition.
Throughout her self-examination, Akashi stood there calmly, making no attempt to avert his gaze.
After a moment, Eri exhaled deeply, relief washing over her.
It seemed… nothing had truly happened.
The beauty's expression softened, and she hugged the young boy tenderly.
"Akashi," she asked gently, "can you tell Auntie what happened after I passed out?"
Nestled in her warm embrace, Akashi felt his heart race. If not for the Yin energy he had absorbed earlier, he might have found it hard to resist running away.
After all, who could withstand the charm and gentleness of such a stunning, extraordinary woman?
Gathering his thoughts, Akashi snapped out of his daze and quickly relayed the story he had prepared.
"After you passed out, the two gangsters in the van opened the doors and jumped out," he began.
"Sister Yukiko and I didn't know what to do."
"But then, out of nowhere, another group of people showed up—some kind of extremists. They started fighting with Nagano Takahito and his men."
"It turns out Nagano Takahito was part of a gang, and he had stolen goods from another gang. They caught up with him."
"In the end, they were all killed!"
"We only escaped because we stayed hidden in the van."
"When the extremists tried to approach the van, it suddenly caught fire. They didn't bother checking it and left!"
"Sister Yukiko used that moment, while the fire wasn't too strong, to pull us out of the van and run. After that, we took a bus to the nearest hotel to rest."
"You were unconscious until just now!"
Akashi's voice was calm and steady, but his words carried enough weight to make Eri sigh in relief.
She silently thanked her luck.
What a relief that nothing terrible happened while she was unconscious!
And Yukiko—her quick thinking and courage had saved them all.
Glancing at herself, Eri noted her borrowed clothes and quickly concluded that Yukiko's outfit must have been ruined in the fire during the rescue.
Suddenly, a thought struck her.
"Akashi," she asked, her tone serious, "do you know who those people were—the ones who were fighting?"
Akashi shook his head. "I don't know! They were all wearing black clothes and hoods. As soon as they got out of their cars, they started shooting!"
"Sister Yukiko said they're probably Yakuza. They just killed Nagano Takahito and left without a word."
Eri nodded slowly.
"Yes, Akashi is still a child," she thought. "How could he understand such things?"
Her mood lightened. Justice had seemingly intervened to punish Nagano Takahito for his crimes, and they had escaped unscathed.
Feeling a surge of relief and gratitude, Eri pulled Akashi closer and planted a kiss on his porcelain-like cheek.
One kiss became two, then three. Her unreserved display of affection caught the shota off guard.
"Auntie Eri! No, you can't do this!" he protested, squirming in her embrace.
Eri, however, only found his struggle amusing. After the life-and-death crisis earlier, it seemed as though a mischievous side of her had awakened.
Narrowing her eyes playfully, she teased, "Oh? Is it not okay?"
"Then who was it that secretly kissed me earlier while I was unconscious?"
The corners of her lips curled upward in mock anger.
Akashi froze. "I-I wasn't kissing you secretly! I was helping treat you!"
Eri blinked, momentarily stunned by his response.
"Helping… treat me?" she repeated, barely suppressing a laugh.
This little boy was so naive—so adorable!
"Fairy tales shouldn't be taken seriously," she thought. "Does he think he's a prince kissing a princess to save me?"
Feigning seriousness, she nodded. "Ah, yes, treatment. But Auntie still doesn't feel quite well. Akashi, can you help treat me again?"
Taking her words at face value, Akashi nodded earnestly.
"Of course!"
He stood, leaned forward, and wrapped his small hands around her neck, planting a kiss on her lips.
His Lv2 Imported Sugar skill activated once more, sending its healing energy coursing through her body.
Eri's eyes widened in shock as the sensation washed over her.
"S-Sweet?"
In an instant, the soreness in her shoulders and neck disappeared.
Could it be… that Akashi was telling the truth?
Before she realized it, Eri had wrapped her arms around him instinctively.
As the healing process continued, neither of them noticed the guest room door creak open.
A beautiful figure stepped inside, her gaze taking in the scene before her.