Seeing Natasha Romanoff so flushed and grinning after a few drinks, Ryuuto chuckled.
"They say people speak the truth when they're drunk… so I'm inclined to believe what you just said."
Natasha raised a brow. "Oh? So you're saying everything I say when I'm not drunk is a lie?"
Her teasing smirk told him she wasn't angry — just having fun at his expense.
Ryuuto sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Alright, enough jokes. You should rest. I need to find Susan before she disappears on me again."
"Okay, okay," she laughed, waving him off. "I hope you two have fun. I won't get in the way."
As he walked off, Natasha exhaled softly, her smile fading into a quiet sigh.
"He really has no idea…"
Ryuuto slid on the thermal-vision glasses — a little gift from Shion's latest upgrade — and the world instantly shifted into a swirl of red, black, and green tones.
Red for heat, black for normal, green for cold.
"Alright, Susan… let's see where you're hiding."
If she was anywhere on campus, he'd find her easily.
Or so he thought.
Thirty minutes later, after scouring every hallway, classroom, and even the labs — nothing. Not a single trace of her.
He sighed, pulling the glasses off and rubbing his temples.
"Great. Either she left campus… or evaporated into thin air. And knowing her, probably both."
His frustration bubbled over. "I knew I shouldn't have let her drink! Invisible or not, that woman's a magnet for chaos…"
Still muttering, Ryuuto trudged back to his dorm. The room felt too quiet as he tossed the glasses onto his desk and slumped down on the bed.
He thought for a moment, trying to come up with a plan. Nothing came.
"Whatever. I'll deal with it tomorrow…"
He lay down — and froze.
Something smelled… sweet.
Feminine. Familiar.
Ryuuto blinked. Then noticed the right side of the bed was slightly dented.
"…No way."
He reached out hesitantly, his fingers brushing against something soft. Smooth skin. A shoulder.
Then the slow rhythm of breathing.
"She's—? Oh, for crying out loud…"
Susan.
Invisible, fast asleep.
He exhaled in relief and shook his head. "I turned the whole school upside down… and she was here the entire time."
From the way the mattress had shifted, she'd probably snuck in earlier — maybe even before the System's last mission triggered — intending to pull some prank on him. Then promptly passed out instead.
Ryuuto rubbed his face. "Unbelievable… you're really not making my life easy."
He gently propped himself up and gave her shoulder a light tap.
"Hey, Susan, wake—"
He froze again.
Wait…
Why does it feel like she's not wearing anything?
The realization hit like a jolt of electricity.
He remembered what she'd told him once — her invisibility extended to clothes she wore, but not the ones she took off.
Meaning…
"Oh, hell no."
He quickly averted his gaze to the ceiling, as if that helped against an invisible person.
Calm down, Ryuuto. Calm. Down.
[Ding! Mission Complete! Reward: Hokage Character Data Pack. Open now?]
"Not now!" he hissed mentally, ignoring Shion's notification.
He was too busy panicking over the invisible woman snoring beside him to care about loot boxes.
Just as he debated how to handle the situation, a soft whum echoed — someone had phased through the wall.
Ryuuto nearly jumped.
"Katie Dee?!"
Sure enough, the girl floated halfway through his dorm wall like a half-ghost, her eyes half-lidded, cheeks flushed red. She stumbled forward and blinked sleepily at him.
Completely drunk.
"Wait—Katie? You didn't drink at the party. You're sixteen!"
Ryuuto frowned, mentally replaying the night.
Then it clicked.
After the dance ended, she'd volunteered to help Qin and Ouluo return the unopened bottles to the cellar.
She must've opened one herself.
"Ah, that brat…" he muttered.
Katie swayed slightly, then held out her arms. "Brother… hug."
[Ryuuto! Don't you dare! She's still a minor!]
Shion's voice shrieked in his head, scandalized.
But Ryuuto sighed, ignoring her. He gently caught the staggering girl before she face-planted into the floor, wrapping one arm around her to steady her.
Her hair was a mess, and she trembled slightly — a mix of cold, exhaustion, and booze.
"Shion, do you even know why I'm holding her?"
[Because you're a beast?]
Ryuuto smirked faintly. "Actually, because I'm her teacher. Her brother figure. Her family when she's got no one else."
He looked down at Katie's drowsy face — innocent, despite the mess she was in.
"She got rejected by her parents. She's been working herself to the bone just to keep up here. If I pushed her away now, that'd crush her."
Shion was silent for a second.
[…That actually sounds responsible.]
"Of course it does. I am responsible."
He chuckled softly and brushed her hair back from her face.
For a moment, he even forgot that an invisible Susan was still asleep beside him.
"Hey, Katie," he murmured. "Want me to take you back to your room?"
She mumbled, eyes still closed. "No. I'll sleep here."
"This is my room," he sighed. "You can't just—"
"It's fine… brothers and sisters can share beds…"
Ryuuto nearly choked. "That's— not how that works!"
He knew it was the alcohol talking, but something about her quiet words warmed him anyway.
They say drunk people speak the truth, huh?
Maybe she really did see him that way — someone she could trust.
He exhaled softly, smiling despite himself.
"Don't worry, kid. No matter what happens, I'll protect you."
"Mhm… thank you, brother," she whispered, curling closer. "Now stop talking… sleepy…"
Ryuuto looked down at her, then over at the seemingly empty space beside him where Susan still lay invisible.
"…Great. Two people. One bed. And one massive headache."
Before he could even figure out how to deal with the situation, a thump! came from under the bed.
"—Ow!"
Susan's muffled yelp confirmed what he feared.
Ryuuto palmed his face. "Perfect. Just perfect."