Yuki Gyakukai, Take Responsibility or Die!

"Y-You—how did you just barge in?! Don't you know how to knock?! Go die!!!"

Inside the room, Suzune Horikita, who had been changing clothes, was now flushed crimson all the way to her ears as she stared at Yuki Gyakukai, who had suddenly walked in. Even the skin exposed to the air was tinged with a faint pink.

Sensing his burning gaze tracing over her bare skin, she no longer cared about anything else. In an instant, she lunged forward and swung a horizontal kick at Yuki Gyakukai's head.

Yuki watched Suzune Horikita rush in, lifting her leg and practically handing him a free show, and couldn't help but feel speechless.

But seeing her ankle already inches from his face, his hands reacted on instinct—one grab caught her ankle, and with a quick pull—

The next second, Suzune Horikita's vision flipped upside down. Her entire body was now suspended in midair, held upside down, both of her flailing legs firmly locked in the man's grip.

An indescribable wave of shame and humiliation surged through Suzune Horikita's heart. Her crimson pupils were filled with icy killing intent as she glared at Yuki Gyakukai:

"I'll kill you... I'll kill you... go die... go die..."

Her small hands kept swinging wildly, trying to strike at Yuki's vital points.

Speaking of which—that could be considered every man's fatal weakness. Yuki felt a chill run down his lower body.

He reacted quickly, flinging Suzune Horikita into the air. Amid her startled cry, he caught her and held her tightly in his arms, locking her in a firm princess carry.

Feeling her body unable to move, unable even to struggle, and the unfamiliar touch against her skin—

Suzune Horikita felt she might as well just die right then and there. It was simply too mortifying.

But in an instant, a flash of realization struck her mind like an electric current.

Wait a minute—this is my room. Why should I be the one feeling ashamed?

She gritted her teeth and coldly looked up at Yuki, speaking in a voice that was almost hard to force out:

"Yuki Gyakukai, you're going to take responsibility, right? If you don't, just wait to die!"

Enjoying the soft, smooth skin of the girl in his arms, and hearing her almost venomous words, Yuki looked down helplessly:

"I already have Tomie. I can't exactly take responsibility for you."

"Can't you divorce her? And you're the one who broke into my room. Do you believe I'll send you straight to jail?"

Looking at Suzune Horikita's nearly icy expression—if you ignored the blush on her face, it was actually quite threatening:

"Sorry about that, but you're the one who gave me the room key. How can you shirk the blame and pin it all on me?"

Feeling that Suzune Horikita in his arms was like a hot potato, he immediately let go and set her down on the bed.

Once she was back in familiar territory, Suzune Horikita reacted instantly.

She threw her hands out, grabbed the blanket from the bed, and wrapped her entire naked body inside it, without a single thought for the fact that it was still summer.

So just a moment later, the room started to feel a little stuffy. And Suzune Horikita, wrapped up in the blanket, was already starting to sweat uncomfortably.

"Maybe you should put some clothes on first."

"No way. With a pervert like you in the room, I feel like my body is under threat."

"Tch. You're really getting into this act. Fine, I'll turn on the air conditioner for you."

"The remote is inside the drawer. Set it to 25.5 degrees."

Hearing Suzune Horikita's words, Yuki Gyakukai couldn't help but curl his lips, but his body still moved quickly to the drawer.

And Suzune Horikita, sitting on the bed, watched Yuki approach the drawer. Something seemed to cross her mind, and her face suddenly flushed even hotter.

"Wait—never mind, don't turn on the air conditioner..."

By the time she said that, it was already too late.

Yuki Gyakukai hadn't noticed anything unusual at first. But now he saw the clothes she had just taken off nearby, a chair with suspicious water stains, the faint smell of sea salt in the air, and a computer screen still lit up.

In an instant, everything clicked. He turned his head in surprise to look at Suzune Horikita, who was blushing and couldn't meet his eyes:

"I only got you into the galgame circle a month ago, and you're already paying tribute to the legendary mining master, becoming a silent-cast water mage."

Ding!

The air conditioner turned on, and a cool breeze slowly circulated through the dorm room. But it couldn't blow away the heat radiating from Suzune Horikita's body.

This feeling was like—you're alone in your room, taking off as the captain, and just when you're speeding up, your dad suddenly bursts through the door. And you can't interrupt the spellcasting.

So there you are, grandpa meets grandson.

Awkward doesn't even begin to cover it.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere in the room, Yuki Gyakukai fell silent for a moment.

After all, he was the one who had dragged the innocent Suzune Horikita into this degenerate circle.

He bore some responsibility for that.

A long moment passed.

"Yuki... you didn't see anything just now, right? That's how it is, isn't it?"

Looking at Suzune Horikita's almost pleading gaze—as if, if he didn't agree, she would burst into tears right in front of him.

"Yeah, I didn't see anything."

Actually, he saw half of it.

As for which half?

Probably the half where the bear-print panties were just being pulled up to her thighs.

Suzune Horikita: Doesn't that mean you saw everything?!!!

"Then let's just say nothing happened just now."

"Mm, right, I have amnesia. Nothing happened just now at all."

Hearing him say it like that, Suzune Horikita, who had already half-deceived herself, felt a fresh wave of shame wash over her.

She immediately covered her flushed face with both hands and said in a trembling voice, "Ah... right... go to my wardrobe and grab a set of casual clothes."

Yuki Gyakukai naturally obeyed without question. Once she got the clothes, Suzune Horikita took them and rustled around under the covers, dressing herself.

By the way, why didn't she kick Yuki Gyakukai out?

Suzune Horikita just felt like she'd been stupid again.

After getting dressed and stepping out of bed, she still wore a blank expression as she walked over to the desk, picked up the dirty clothes, quickly wiped away the remaining water stains, then carried the clothes to the bathroom.

Once she had tidied up just about everything, she couldn't help but let out a light sigh.

Her confidence somewhat restored, she immediately turned her head to look at the culprit who had embarrassed her:

"So, why did you get to my room so fast? You told me earlier it would still be a while."

"Right, 'a while.' I came as soon as I got the key card you gave me."

Realizing the culprit was herself, Suzune Horikita's upper and lower teeth unconsciously ground together, a creaking sound filling the entire bedroom.

She stared at Gyakukai with an icy gaze, as if the prey she was gnashing between her teeth was him.

Feeling it still wasn't enough to vent her anger, she strode forward, pushed the unresisting Yuki Gyakukai with both hands, and shoved him onto the bed.

Looking down at him from above.

"As expected, I still feel furious. Tell me, what exactly is our relationship now?"

Yuki Gyakukai didn't know the right answer, so he could only venture a guess:

"Inseparable friends? Yuki and Bug-nee?"

After all, he remembered that Suzune Horikita had once said that once you fall in love with galgames, you're on the same level as insects.

So calling her Bug-nee for now shouldn't be wrong, right?

But it seemed he answered wrong.

At this moment, veins bulged on Suzune Horikita's forehead. Though there was a faint smile on her lips, it didn't look like joy at all!

"You actually dare to say that, you bastard. You really should just go die!"