Every Story Needs an Ending (Continued)

Feeling that familiar, warm embrace once again, her well-developed body trembled, and the unease in her heart was somewhat alleviated.

In that intimate embrace, she could feel Fushimi Makoto's beating heart, a surge of energy rising from his chest, each beat seemingly echoing her own. Warmth and shyness rippled through her, mingling with an unprecedented sense of embarrassment that made her breathing rapid and disordered.

Ironically, this made her even more alluring than usual.

"It's not that you've become bad, it's that I, this bad person, have led you astray." Fushimi Makoto lowered his head, touching the girl's fair forehead and delicate nose.

"That's not true, it's not your fault."

"Actually, this is my fault."

Fushimi Makoto interrupted her, putting his arm around her slender waist and saying softly, "You should know, right? I'm a womanizer, even Yukino gave me a nickname."

"Nickname?" Nakano Yotsuba felt less nervous after hearing his voice.

"Yeah, she often calls me Fushimi Woof, and occasionally she'll call me 'womanizer Fushimi Woof.'"

"Fushimi... Woof?" Nakano Yotsuba was stunned.

The funniest thing is that she paused for a moment before uttering the word "woof" in surprise.

This makes it easy for people to think she's deliberately acting cute.

Even if she didn't do it on purpose, it was still really cute.

"Now you know how bad I am, right?" Fushimi Makoto said, staring into her eyes.

Nakano Yotsuba didn't dare to look him in the eye, but she was being held tightly, feeling powerless and unable to struggle.

Yeah, I really don't have the strength anymore, I can't break free.

She thought to herself.

"I don't think you're a bad person." Nakano Yotsuba lowered her eyelids slightly, and the girl's shyness was evident on her face at that moment.

"I'm a bad guy, that's why I came to find you at this time," Fushimi Makoto said.

Nakano Yotsuba's eyelashes trembled, and her eyes darted away shyly.

After a while, she quietly raised her hand to Fushimi Makoto's waist, lowered her head, and rested her face against his chest. "Anyway, I don't think you're a bad person. In my heart, you're a very, very powerful superman."

"You're even using the same words repeatedly? Well, I guess I really am quite something," Fushimi Makoto teased.

Nakano Yotsuba laughed along.

A few seconds later, her body trembled even more violently, as if even the hand that was wrapped around her waist was burning hot, making the girl's body go weak, her strength being drained away bit by bit, and she pressed herself even tighter against him, wanting him to hold her even tighter.

"Would you like to come to my room?" she mustered her courage and asked.

"Want to chat to pass the time? Sure, I'll stay with you until you get tired, then I'll leave."

"No... I, I want to be like them too."

"They?"

"Yes, them."

"Good."

In the living room, she drooped her eyelashes with shyness, her cheeks flushed, and the soft layers of shyness in her heart were about to melt away, like snowflakes in winter sun shining down, flowing with gentle streams of water, the water reflecting the other person's image and carrying the sweet taste of candy.

The next morning, to avoid being discovered, Nakano Yotsuba suppressed the urge to stay in Fushimi Makoto's arms, blushed, and hurriedly dressed, saying, "You go out first, I'll come out later too."

Fushimi Makoto slowly dressed, chuckling, "It's too late."

"Too late?" Nakano Yotsuba was stunned.

Fushimi Makoto offered no explanation.

But as soon as Nakano Yotsuba opened the door, she understood what the other person meant.

"You're awake already? Why don't you sleep a little longer?" Outside the door, Nakano Nino, holding a vacuum cleaner, stared at the two with a half-smile.

Nakano Yotsuba's face flushed red. She stood frozen in place, feeling both ashamed and afraid, her eyes darting around as if she might shrink away and hide at any moment out of guilt.

Fushimi Makoto coughed. "Why are you up so early?"

"Because we need to clean." Nakano Nino gestured with her eyes to the vacuum cleaner in her hand. "But it's too late for you to change the subject now."

"It's not late, it's not late. I'll help you clean up, you can rest." Fushimi Makoto sounded like a lackey from a TV show.

Nakano Nino couldn't help but laugh, "Then it's up to you."

"Don't worry, I've also studied how to do a thorough cleaning."

As Fushimi Makoto went off to do his work, Nino came to her sister's side and reached out to hug Yotsuba, whose body was tense.

"Nino?" Nakano Yotsuba was clearly surprised.

Nakano Nino pressed her face against her sister's, her tone unusually gentle. "The five of us are a whole, we were before, we will be in the future, and we always will be."

Nakano Yotsuba was stunned.

She never expected Nino to say that.

I felt touched, but also deeply guilty.

She felt she was a bad child for sneaking food.

"Don't think about those messy things. Even if there's something wrong, it's all Makoto's fault... Don't rush to refute me. This is what Ichika said, and Miku, Itsuki, and I all think so too."

Nino continued to hug Yotsuba, a shy smile appearing on her face as she spoke, "By the way, do you feel like you've become stronger?"

"Huh?" Nakano Yotsuba looked completely bewildered; she didn't understand why Nino's topic had jumped around so drastically.

Nakano Nino, however, spoke as if she'd been there before, asking, "This is your first time, right? Did it hurt? Did it affect your walking?"

Nakano Yotsuba was extremely embarrassed, but she still subconsciously sensed it.

Gradually, her expression grew increasingly surprised. "It doesn't hurt at all! Not at all! And I feel stronger, and my spirits are incredibly high!"

"As expected, this is what Ichika mentioned last time... essence absorption? Actually, I don't really understand it either, but anyway, we'll become stronger and stronger in the future. Remember, not the level of athletes, but the level of 'evolution' we've become."

"Evolution?"

"Yes, Ichika told me that too. She said Yukino and Utaha- senpai already knew. Never mind, let's go find Ichika, she'll explain things to you."

"Oh."

Yotsuba was led away by Nino in a daze.

Although she didn't understand much of what was being said, there was one thing she did understand.

The five of us will always be a whole, and we will never be separated.

On the first day of the new semester, the principal enthusiastically concluded the opening ceremony, while Hiratsuka Shizuka and Matsukaze Mayu strolled around the school, observing the various reactions of the new students.

"Mayu, have you met that transfer student named Yuigahama Yui? She's quite cute. I heard she's already become friends with Yukino, and she'll probably be a core member of their little drama group in the future."

"Yes, I know her. I've met her. She's a very pretty girl with really nice skin."

"Ha, you don't need to envy those girls in this regard. Haven't you noticed how good our physical functions are?"

"Shizuka! This is a school!"

Matsukaze Mayu and gave her best friend a reproachful look; she certainly understood what her friend was talking about.

Since she Hiratsuka Shizuka completed the absorption of essence, their physical functions have improved by leaps and bounds. Not only has their skin become better and better, but even the minor ailments caused by sitting in chairs for many years have disappeared without a trace.

However, the way she became stronger was too unusual for her to discuss at school.

Just then, Hiratsuka Shizuka spotted Yumiko in the crowd. As if remembering something, she leaned close to her best friend and whispered, "Did you know that Yumiko often gets Makoto to take photos of her? All those beautiful photos she posts on social media are the work of Makoto, this professional photographer?"

"I think I've heard of it, but what's wrong with it?" Matsukaze Mayu didn't understand.

Hiratsuka Shizuka's cheeks flushed slightly, and her tone became somewhat evasive. "Given her relationship with that guy, and his lecherous nature, do you think their interactions only consisted of proper filming scenes?"

Matsukaze Mayu blushed as well, and said shyly, "How could you have such a thought?"

"I only have a reasonable suspicion, because once when I was talking to Yumiko about this, her expression changed for a fleeting moment. Although it was very brief, I still noticed it."

"Yeah?"

Matsukaze Mayu a moment. She knew her best friend's insightful nature; she was quite perceptive.

After thinking for a moment, Hiratsuka Shizuka made a bold decision. "How about we go find Makoto together today?"

"...Okay." Although Matsukaze Mayu shy, she also enjoyed becoming stronger.

"Let's invite Yumiko along too, and tell her we'd like to take some nice photos as well."

"Ah?"

"Mayu, you're my only good friend."

"Isn't Ms. Haruno your friend?"

"Let's not talk about her now, let's talk about us."

"Honestly, you know perfectly well I won't refuse you."

In a beautifully decorated apartment, Haruno sneezed softly, picked up a tissue, rubbed her nose, and wondered if that little rascal was missing her?

She put her thoughts aside and went to the master bedroom door, knocking on it.

"Come in, the door's unlocked," came Mrs. Yukinoshita's voice from inside.

Haruno pushed open the door and immediately saw her mother sitting in front of the dressing table.

The other person is looking in the mirror, checking their skin condition.

Haruno couldn't help but recall that her mother had specially bought this house in Tokyo, but hadn't even given her and her sister the keys...

A slow, enigmatic smile played on her lips, "Mother, would you like to continue looking in the mirror?"

Mrs. Yukinoshita's tone remained unchanged. "What is it?"

"No, I just feel that no matter how many tests you have, it won't change the fact that your skin is getting better and better."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Yukinoshita's expression finally changed. "What do you know?"

"I don't know anything," Haruno said with a smile, shaking her head.

But the next second, she raised her index finger and pressed it to her rosy lips. "I only know Makoto's secret of helping others become stronger, that's all."

A brief silence fell over the room, Mrs. Yukinoshita said calmly, "I see. Tell me more about it when I have time."

"Yes."

Haruno leaned against the door, his eyes flickering.

She actually had a very bold plan.

The success rate of this plan is extremely low, possibly even zero.

But the more she did this, the more excited she became.

We should at least give it a try; what if we succeed?

After all, wouldn't it be hilarious if the mother showed an expression of shame and embarrassment?

Six o'clock in the evening.

Inside a dessert shop, Yukino and Utaha sat facing each other, and the appearance of the two beautiful girls with long black hair attracted the attention of many customers.

Some people tried to chat her up, but after Yukino coldly rejected them, everyone was immediately stunned by the girl's flawlessly beautiful face.

Being intimidated by an aura sounds like something out of the mystical, but auras are a real thing.

"He specifically asked a girl out, but he's so late. Is that acceptable?" Utaha suddenly spoke up, stretching as if to indicate her impatience.

Yukino remained calm. "It's because Ichika called him over at the last minute. Apparently, Sayuri took Eriri Spencer Sawamura to visit the Nakano Family because Mr. Nakano Maruo was away on a study exchange trip, Ichika simply called him over."

"Oh, Ichika and the others also know about Eriri Spencer Sawamura's dishonesty?"

"Given Eriri Spencer Sawamura's personality—she can't hide her feelings—do you think anyone wouldn't notice?"

"I didn't notice that with Yotsuba. At least when we met last time, she was completely absorbed in the joy of chatting with Fushimi."

"..."