Mochizuki Haruka sat nervously, her hands folded neatly on her lap, unable to meet my eyes.

For a woman who looked so elegant and mature in her OL outfit, she was surprisingly inexperienced. I could tell just by the way she fidgeted, her long lashes trembling like the wings of a timid butterfly.

During her college years, she'd told me, she was practically invisible to boys. She never joined any parties, never tried to stand out — and now, after work, her life was nothing but long hours at the office, followed by late nights crashing into bed.

So when it came to men, she was like…

An uncharted flower bud.

Her cheeks were already pink when I entered her apartment, but now, sitting less than a meter away, the blush spread like a fever to her neck.

Her fingers curled slightly against the hem of her skirt. Her breathing…

Was she holding her breath?

She has no idea what to do right now, does she?

I leaned back slightly, careful not to spook her. Haruka-san wanted a taste of the youth she'd never had — a romance as sweet and clumsy as her college days.

And just like a flower bud, she needed time.

If I tried to pluck her now, too soon… I'd only crush her.

So I smiled gently and said, "It's getting late, Mochizuki-san. You should rest early tonight."

She blinked, almost startled by the simple line — then sighed with visible relief.

"Y-Yes… Ginjo-san should rest too. See you on the weekend."

Her lips curved softly. "Actually, I'm… glad you found out today."

"Oh? Why?" I asked, amused.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes averting mine.

"If you hadn't found out, I would have had to sneak out in my uniform before our weekend date. What if we'd run into each other? This way, I don't have to hide anymore."

She laughed softly — a small, shy laugh that was too cute for my heart to handle.

"Then… see you this weekend," I said, giving her a casual wave as I left.

The night breeze outside was cool against my face.

Looking up, I spotted the bright moon hanging like a jewel in the dark sky. Somehow, it felt like it was watching me with envy.

Back in my room, I slipped into a hot bath, letting the steam melt away the tension of the day. Later, sprawled lazily across my bed, I pulled up the glowing blue system panel.

[Target: Haruka Mochizuki's favorability +5, Reward: 5000 yen.]

[Current Target: Haruka Mochizuki – Favorability 85.]

[Target: Kana Kobayakawa's favorability +3, Reward: 3000 yen.]

[Current Target: Kana Kobayakawa – Favorability 78.]

A grin tugged at my lips. Not a bad haul today.

With a tap, I closed the panel, replaying tonight's events in my head.

Haruka-san, Kana, Tomoko…

Every single one of them had layers beneath their usual masks. Maybe life had made them dull their sparkle, day by day, until they'd forgotten who they were.

If I was being honest, I wanted to bring that fire back.

Not just for them… but for myself.

Late at night, Tokyo was silent. Soon, I drifted off into a comfortable sleep.

Morning.

I woke naturally, my body clock pulling me out of dreams. The sunlight spilling through the window danced across the wooden floor, warm and golden.

I washed up quickly and stepped out into the yard.

"Good morning, Tomoko," I greeted.

The ever-beautiful Tomoko Matsumoto turned from her broom with a smile that could outshine the sun.

"Good morning, Sousuke-kun."

She looked too happy to see me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"I had already prepared dinner yesterday," she said with a faint pout, "but then I got your message saying you had to work overtime."

"Ah, sorry, Tomoko. A senior had an emergency, so I filled in for him," I replied, scratching my head.

"Did you eat properly?"

"Yeah, I just grabbed a convenience store bento."

Her lips puffed out, cheeks slightly pink. "You could've told me! I would've reheated dinner when you came back."

I chuckled. "I didn't know what time I'd return. I can't let you wait around just for me."

"What's wrong with that?" she shot back lightly. "Next time, let me know in advance, alright?"

"Alright, alright," I conceded, holding up my hands.

It wasn't anger. It was… care.

For Tomoko, feeding me had become a kind of joy — a reason to look forward to the day. Maybe, for her, I was like a bright new chapter in an otherwise quiet life.

But… she wasn't looking at me like I was a child.

Her gaze was far too warm, far too… womanly.

When she walked ahead of me, her floral pink skirt swayed gently, showing just enough of her figure to make my heart beat faster.

The morning sunlight, the soft scent of detergent on her clothes, her graceful neck as she leaned over to wipe the counter —

Before I could stop myself, I stepped forward and slipped my arms around her waist from behind.

"Sou…Sousuke-kun?" she stammered, her body trembling. "I-It's too early for this… You need to finish breakfast and head to school."

I leaned closer, my breath brushing her ear. "Even so… what I want to taste now isn't breakfast, Sister Tomoko."

She shivered and replied, "S-Sousuke-kun…"

Her voice cracked slightly as she melted against me, the warmth of her body pressing back.