Akashi was fully aware that Yukiko was using him as a shield.
He wasn't oblivious to the unusual situation behind him, which only made things more awkward.
He couldn't simply remain where he was, yet getting up wasn't exactly appropriate either.
Still, he had to admit Yukiko was exceptionally well-maintained—soft and elegant in all the right ways.
As Yukiko leaned further back, her precarious position was on the verge of becoming blatantly obvious to Eri and Ran.
Realizing this, Akashi sighed internally.
"Auntie Eri, Sister Ran," he said, his voice sweet and innocent, "I'm hungry. Is there a bento box I can eat?"
Ran immediately perked up at his words.
"Oh no, Akashi! You didn't even eat lunch before we left the villa!" she exclaimed. "Wait here—I'll go buy some bento boxes. Mom, Aunt Yukiko, do you want anything?"
Both women shook their heads, declining her offer.
Without hesitation, Ran left to fetch food.
Akashi then turned his gaze toward Eri.
"Auntie Eri, I'm thirsty," he said, his wide eyes filled with an innocent plea. "Could you get me one of those orange sodas from the vending machine?"
Faced with his puppy-dog look, Eri could only smile.
"Of course, Akashi. I'll be right back!"
She rose gracefully, her heels clicking as she strode toward the door. With that, the door shut behind her, leaving Akashi and Yukiko alone in the room.
Once they were alone, Akashi's demeanor shifted slightly.
"Can you let me go now, Yukiko-san?" he asked pointedly. "You know, the Yukiko-san who… uh… peed her pants."
Yukiko's expression froze in mortification. She immediately released him.
She had dressed to impress today—her outfit a white dress cinched at the waist with a golden belt, exuding charm and elegance.
But such grace came at a cost. The delicate white fabric had betrayed her, turning embarrassingly transparent.
Her long legs were now on full display, making the situation even more humiliating.
Still, Yukiko wasn't one to crumble easily. With her head held high, she tried to maintain her composure.
"Akashi," she began, her voice strained but steady, "this isn't what you think. Sister didn't, um… pee her pants. This is, uh…"
However, for all her skills as an actress, Yukiko found herself at a loss for words. What excuse could she possibly give a little boy without sounding utterly ridiculous?
Before she could come up with anything, the office door suddenly swung open.
Eri walked in, her suit immaculate, her expression one of casual curiosity.
Akashi and Yukiko both froze in horror. Neither of them had anticipated this interruption.
To make matters worse, Eri had left Midori, her assistant, to handle the errand, allowing her to return far sooner than expected.
The scene before her was nothing short of comical. Eri's eyes widened in disbelief before she burst into laughter.
"Oh, this is too good!" she managed between fits of giggles.
Yukiko's face turned beet red. A sharp, exasperated noise escaped her lips as she scrambled to find some semblance of dignity.
She glanced around the room, half-hoping for a crack in the sofa to crawl into, but luck was not on her side.
Completely mortified, Yukiko snapped.
"That's it! I'm going to kill you!" she shouted, storming toward Eri.
High heels clicking furiously, she lunged at her friend, hands poised to deliver a pinch that would silence the mocking laughter.
But Eri was unbothered, laughing so hard she could barely stand. Yukiko's attack only fueled her amusement, making the scene even more chaotic.
For Akashi, watching the two women bicker like schoolgirls was both entertaining and deeply surreal.
Eri couldn't resist teasing Yukiko, her tone dripping with mockery.
"Yukiko, it's been years since we've last met, but what's happened to you?" she said with feigned concern. "Did you seriously lose control like that? You can't even hold it together anymore?"
Yukiko's face turned a deep shade of red, equal parts humiliation and fury. She lunged at Eri, her fingers mercilessly pinching at her friend's arms.
"You've gone too far, Eri!" Yukiko fumed, her embarrassment hitting an all-time high.
Inwardly, she was screaming. Today was an absolute disaster. If she could, she'd either strangle Eri or disappear from the face of the earth entirely.
Eri, now pinned to the sofa by the indignant star, let out a dramatic cough. Gently patting the hand at her neck, she soothed, "Yukiko, calm down. I promise I won't tell a soul!"
"Swear it!" Yukiko demanded, her voice trembling with residual anger.
"I swear," Eri replied, raising a hand solemnly. However, the mischievous smirk tugging at her lips gave away her amusement.
Seeing Eri's sincerity—or at least an attempt at it—Yukiko slowly began to relax.
Sensing the shift in her friend's mood, Eri sat up and offered, "You can't go around like this. It's too inconvenient. Come to my lounge. I'll find something for you to wear."
Yukiko blinked in surprise. "You have a lounge here?"
Eri chuckled, enjoying her friend's disbelief. "Of course. Welcome to modern offices."
With a press of a button, an invisible door slid open in the wall, revealing a hidden lounge. Eri grabbed Yukiko's hand and pulled her inside.
Meanwhile, Akashi, observing the exchange between the two women, remained utterly unbothered. Watching them go from rivals to pseudo-sisters in an instant was almost comical.
But it wasn't something he dwelled on.
As the two women disappeared into the lounge, Akashi turned his attention to the office. He wandered around casually before settling into Eri's plush office chair.
Behind him, the floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a sprawling view of Tokyo. Spinning the chair slightly, Akashi admired the vibrant cityscape.
It suddenly occurred to him—this was his first time visiting Eri's law firm.
"I haven't even checked in yet," he muttered to himself.
Almost on instinct, he called out: "System, check me in!"
A crisp click echoed in his mind as the system's check-in interface materialized.
A snapshot appeared: the young shota sitting smugly in an office chair while two stunning women changed clothes nearby.
The image shattered into countless shards of purple light, which then condensed into a treasure chest. With a soft pop, the chest opened, and two beams of light shot into Akashi's body.
『Ding! Check-in successful! Congratulations to the host for acquiring the following skills: Pleasurable Massage Lv1, Pear God Fall Lv2, and Succubus Whisper Lv1! 』
『Pear God Fall has been upgraded to Lv4! Congratulations! The probability of women falling (both physically and figuratively) has increased significantly. There is now a small chance of miraculous, unexpected events occurring! 』
Akashi's brow twitched.
"What does this 'miraculous event' mean?" he muttered, his face darkening. "This skill is getting more absurd with every upgrade!"
Shaking his head, he moved on to review the other skills.
『Pleasurable Massage Lv1: The host's hands possess a magical touch. By targeting specific acupuncture points, the host can induce a euphoric healing experience, capable of alleviating injuries and stress. 』
"Not bad," Akashi thought, nodding in approval.
『Succubus Whisper Lv1: Consumes spiritual energy to release an enchanting aura on a target, summoning whispers from the ancient gods. The target is plunged into a state of chaos and vulnerability. 』
Akashi raised an eyebrow. "Now 'this ' could come in handy."
Despite the occasional oddity of his abilities, Akashi found himself satisfied with the check-in results.
"Not a bad haul," he mused, spinning the chair to face Tokyo's glittering skyline once more.
For now, everything seemed to be going his way.