Threat! Acting Explodes!

Shiomiya quickly checked his body and discovered that he wasn't wearing anything.

As for Kushida, Shiomiya didn't even dare lift the blanket to check.

What the hell was this?!

What exactly happened yesterday?

Shiomiya began recalling yesterday's events: club activities, playing the piano, losing control of his emotions...

What happened after that?!

Damn it!

How could he have blacked out without even drinking?!

Just as Shiomiya was freaking out, Kushida was awakened by the commotion.

Kushida rubbed her sleepy eyes. Seeing that Shiomiya was already awake, a sly smirk curled across her lips.

Kushida sat up against the headboard, drew her legs up, buried her face between her knees, and began to sob.

Seeing Kushida like that gave Shiomiya a headache. From the patches of skin she had exposed, he could infer that she probably wasn't wearing anything on her upper body either.

For the first time, Shiomiya regretted being so observant.

That only brought them closer and closer to that conclusion!

A lone man and woman, sharing a bed, the girl crying.

All the elements were there!

Was the Shinomiya Family's reputation going to be ruined by me? Though it never had much of a reputation to begin with.

Kushida was still sobbing, hugging her knees and curling into a ball, her body trembling faintly with every sniffle.

Even if Shiomiya wanted to ask something, he had no idea how to begin.

Should I just ask whether I violated you?

No, no, that wouldn't make me some kind of god—that would make me a beast.

Shiomiya had encountered an unprecedented dilemma.

Then, Shiomiya suddenly calmed down.

The tougher the situation, the more I need to stay calm. Shiomiya Yo, get that smart brain of yours working!

While Shiomiya was deep in thought, Kushida spoke first.

"Yo... why... did you do this?" Kushida spoke in broken intervals, unable to stop sobbing.

That immediately threw Shiomiya's freshly calmed mind into chaos.

Who could handle this? There was no need to think about it anymore—this was a crime, wasn't it?!

"Uh... I..."

Just as Shiomiya was about to comfort Kushida, he suddenly sensed that something was off.

No!

Looking at the fragile girl before him, Shiomiya finally realized what felt so wrong.

If Kushida were really the angelic girl she pretended to be, this reaction would be perfectly normal. But the real Kushida should have been ripping my skull open by now, then using this to threaten me, enslave me, and make me her dog!

But could he really say that?

Tell a girl you had most likely violated, "You're pretending, aren't you?"

Would any decent human being do that?

Shiomiya decided to stall for time.

"Let's... get dressed first."

Kushida merely nodded in agreement.

Shiomiya didn't dare lift the blanket either, so he could only put on whatever he could reach with his hands.

Fortunately, he could grab his shirt and pants.

The shirt was easy enough to put on, but how was he supposed to put on his pants?

Shiomiya could only squirm around beneath the blanket. At one point, he accidentally touched Kushida, and both of them recoiled slightly in embarrassment.

Finally dressed, Shiomiya got up and shut himself in the bathroom.

"Kushida, call me when you're dressed. We'll talk this out properly afterward."

Once Shiomiya had shut himself away, Kushida let out a breath of relief.

She raised her head, and there was no trace of that fragile, shattered look left on her face. After casually wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, Kushida slowly began getting dressed as well.

Kushida stretched, her figure beautifully curved. She first put on her knee-high socks and skirt, then picked up the underwear and shirt by the bed and put them on. After admiring herself in the full-length mirror Shiomiya had bought, she sat down by the bed.

Taking out her phone, she opened a photo inside. It showed Shiomiya lying on top of Kushida. The blanket obscured them, but it was enough to infer that neither of them was wearing anything on their upper bodies.

A teasing smile appeared on Kushida's lips.

"Now you're really finished, Shiomiya Yo."

Kushida adjusted herself and called Shiomiya out.

"Yo... come out. I... I'm dressed." Kushida's voice trembled timidly, as though she feared something but had no choice but to face it.

Anyone who saw that performance would have to call her a veteran actress!

Art really did come from life!

Only after hearing Kushida call him did Shiomiya emerge from the bathroom, his entire body radiating awkwardness.

Shiomiya sat across from Kushida, gathered his thoughts, and slowly spoke.

"Kushida... did... did that really happen between us?"

Although Shiomiya felt embarrassed and like a total bastard, he still had to ask. Otherwise, he would be miserable keeping it bottled up.

Kushida stared at Shiomiya in shock. Her eyes quickly reddened, her face filled with grievance and disbelief as tears welled in her eyes.

Seeing Kushida like that, Shiomiya immediately panicked and hurriedly explained.

"That's not what I meant. I just wanted to know the exact details."

Only then did Kushida stop crying and begin recounting what had happened yesterday.

She left out the part about wanting to uncover Shiomiya's secrets, and her account came to an abrupt stop at the part where Shiomiya had pinned her beneath him.

After hearing the entire story, Shiomiya's expression became impossible to describe. He could tell Kushida wasn't lying—at least, everything she said was true. But the more logically coherent the whole sequence was, the more it proved that Shiomiya was not innocent.

As for the abrupt ending, Shiomiya simply assumed Kushida was too embarrassed to say more.

Shiomiya was completely numb by now. The initiative was in Kushida's hands, not his.

"Kushida, how do you want to resolve this? No matter how you plan to handle it, I'll accept it."

Shiomiya could only show that he would cooperate unconditionally. As things stood, he had no ground to stand on.

He could ignore being falsely accused by Kushida before, but if he had really done it, then he had to own up to it.

Shiomiya was usually a little unhinged, but he still had basic moral standards.

Seeing Shiomiya's attitude, the corners of Kushida's lips lifted slightly. The plan had worked!

"Yo, you know what I want. You'll help me, right?" Kushida crossed her arms, lifted her eyes slightly, and looked at Shiomiya pitifully.

At that moment, Shiomiya had no resistance whatsoever toward Kushida. He only felt miserable.

"Kushida, use your real voice and usual persona instead. This feels really weird," Shiomiya said awkwardly.

Kushida recalled the Shiomiya User Manual from yesterday.

Could it be that Shiomiya likes the real me?

Kushida felt that Shiomiya did have some feelings for her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have held onto her and refused to let go.

That would make him easier to use!

Kushida spoke to Shiomiya in her natural mature voice, her gaze carrying a trace of resentment and disgust. "I just hope you'll listen to everything I say from now on. Everything, understand? You piece of trash!"

Shiomiya's mouth twitched. Sure enough, this was the real Kushida. It seemed he really would have to share a desk with Kamuro Masumi.

"I didn't expect you to be so rough, Yo. You just went straight for it. Tch! What an animal!" Kushida curled her lip, making no effort to hide her disgust for Shiomiya.

Shiomiya was fine with it. It was only a few insults, after all. He really wasn't a good person.

He stood up, intending to straighten the bed. But the moment he approached it, Kushida's entire body suddenly tensed. Shiomiya, with his sharp observation, noticed it.

He could only sigh inwardly. It seemed he had left quite a shadow on Kushida.

Kushida silently watched Shiomiya tidy up.

The moment Shiomiya lifted the blanket, he found a large wet stain on the bed. He froze.

Beside him, Kushida's face instantly turned bright red.