The yacht's bathroom was located at the center of the second deck. Beyond it were several cozy cabins for resting.

Sosuke Kitahara hummed a lighthearted tune as he made his way down the corridor. Just as he turned the corner, he ran into Haruno Yukinoshita.

"Finally my turn, Haruno-senpai," Sosuke smiled as he greeted her.

Haruno was dressed in a white bathrobe, her damp hair clinging to her face as she gently patted it dry with a towel. Her freshly showered skin was flushed with warmth, giving her an alluring glow. Hearing Sosuke address her so formally made her pause for a beat he usually just called her by name, never using honorifics.

So… he really sees us as companions now?

And he's got pretty good manners when he wants to.

"We were only in there ten minutes between the three of us," she said playfully, giving him a wink. "You make it sound like we hogged the bathroom forever."

Sosuke's eyes naturally drifted to her robe for half a second, but he quickly smiled and replied, "There's plenty of time left tonight. The yacht will stay docked offshore for the night, right? Everyone's tired, we might as well rest properly."

"I'm not really sleepy yet. What if we."

"The shoreline isn't visible at night," Sosuke cut in. "Even if we sail over now, we'd just be floating in the dark. Since we're spending the night on the water anyway, might as well anchor near the military ship. Their lights are still on. If anything happens, they'll be the first to sound the alarm. Plus, it looks like a bunch of ships are already gathering nearby. I think we're not the only ones with this plan."

"Hm. Makes sense. Let's go with that," Haruno nodded.

As she chatted, she kept drying her hair, sometimes letting the robe slip just enough to expose a patch of snowy white skin. Even though she adjusted it now and then, Sosuke couldn't help but feel the heat rise behind his ears. His gaze wandered of its own accord.

Haruno shot him a side-eye glare and yanked the robe tightly shut, leaving no room for "accidents." Her brows furrowed slightly as she gave a dramatic wave of her hand, pinching her nose. With those bright, cunning eyes scanning Sosuke from top to bottom, she smirked and teased, "Hurry up and take a proper shower already. Your clothes are practically fermenting."

Sosuke sniffed at his own shirt. There was a distinct mix of blood, sweat, and something unmistakably… zombie. After all, they had been fighting off the infected nonstop. He hadn't minded at first, but now that he was in a clean, modern environment, the contrast made it hard to ignore.

"Alright!" Sosuke nodded and headed into the bathroom.

Since Haruno had just used it, the floor was still damp. The air was filled with a faint, mature fragrance warm, feminine, and unmistakably hers. Sosuke took a deep breath, almost unconsciously, letting the unfamiliar comfort sink in.

Then his eyes landed on a small bamboo basket sitting on the sink.

Inside… were a few sets of lingerie. Cotton white. Lacy black. Light as silk and utterly seductive.

Just two glances were enough to make his throat dry.

"She's way too careless. Doesn't she know there's a hormonal teenage guy using this next? What if he wasn't... y'know... well-behaved?"

Sosuke muttered under his breath and quickly looked away, unbuttoning his shirt.

Just then.

Knock knock.

A gentle tapping came from the door.

Sosuke reflexively tugged his clothes back down and cracked the wooden door open. Outside stood Utaha Kasumigaoka, composed and elegant as always.

"Tch, Haruno-senpai seriously forgot to take out her clothes," Utaha sighed. "Can you hand me the basket?"

"Which ones are yours?" Sosuke asked as he held it out.

Utaha peeked into the basket, noting that everything was still neatly arranged. She couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief. Then she caught Sosuke's amused grin and felt a sudden urge to mess with him.

With a mischievous tilt of her head, she leaned in close and whispered, "You boys are always curious about a girl's underwear, aren't you? Why don't you guess which one's mine? If you get it right, I'll give it to you."

Sosuke rolled his eyes with a snort. "Why would I want your underwear? Don't lump me in with those childish perverts."

He deliberately averted his gaze from her chest and locked eyes with her flawless face. Then, in a low murmur, he whispered, "Don't lock your door tonight. Better yet, why don't you come to me yourself?"

Utaha's eyes widened.

She was used to teasing others with a flick of her hair or a cutting remark—but Sosuke's serious expression caught her completely off guard. That intense gaze… it was like he could see straight through her.

Normally, she'd smirk and throw a sarcastic jab.

But this time, her heart skipped a beat.

Instead of flinching, she flushed red, touched her warm cheek, and muttered with a mix of defiance and embarrassment, "In your dreams. I'm locking that door. And the windows too."

She turned to leave, but Sosuke looked like he was about to say something when.

"Utaha? Are you in the bathroom?" Yukino's voice came from the kitchen. "There's another one in the master bedroom."

"Nope! I'm just grabbing the clothes Haruno-senpai left behind," Utaha replied, pulling the door closed behind her. "Hurry up, okay? The rice will be done soon."

"Got it."

He listened as her footsteps faded away, the sound of her sandals tapping against the deck growing softer until the room fell silent once more.

This yacht's bathroom was nothing short of luxurious modern and spotless. Naturally, for the Japanese, there was both a soaking tub and a separate glass-enclosed shower.

Sosuke peeled off his clothes and stepped into the shower. He adjusted the water to a comfortable temperature and let it wash over his flushed face. Lathering up with soap, he began scrubbing himself clean, mumbling under his breath.

"Just now... all three of them showered in here, huh?"

His brain immediately conjured up all sorts of chaotic mental images.

"Damn… is this my limit?"

He flicked some water from his hair, rubbed his face, and glanced downward. His expression turned helpless.

"Hey! You! Quit acting on your own. Follow orders, dammit!"

After rinsing off, he shut off the water. But as he turned to reach for a towel, he was met with another dilemma.

Three towels hung neatly on the wall. All were different colors. All were damp.

Seriously?

He stared at them for a moment.

"No spares? Don't tell me… they all used these already?"

After a few seconds of hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the one hanging furthest out.

"Well, if it's the outermost one, it must be Utaha's, right?"

He smirked to himself as he began drying off.

"I'm sure she won't mind."

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