To be honest, not only was she simple and easily flustered, but she was also incredibly timid.
The phrase "clumsy yet overly ambitious" fit her perfectly.
"Eriri!"
Kyousuke raise his voice slightly, he took hold of her arm and gave it a gentle shake.
'Hmm?'
Still lost in the world of her doujin story, Eriri suddenly snapped back to reality as she felt a ticklish sensation against her chest.
She was currently in a classic Michael Jackson-style 45-degree lean. With just a slight tilt of her head, she could see her own chest.
And there—was a hand.
She stared down, blinking several times, repeatedly confirming the situation. The sensation, the weight, the undeniable visual evidence all pointed to one fact.
There was really a hand. On her chest.
"AHHH!!!"
Completely disregarding the fact that she was still in someone else's grasp, Eriri started thrashing wildly, attempting to use her blonde hair as a weapon.
Unfortunately, she forgot that she was at home and hadn't tied her hair into her usual twin tails. Without them, her silky golden locks had little offensive power.
As she suddenly started struggling in his arms, Kyousuke nearly lost his grip.
Instinctively, he held on tighter, and the previously unremarkable surface now had an unexpected softness.
"P-pervert! Y-you, what do you think you're doing?!"
A sharp jolt ran through her, the firm pressure on her chest sending a shock akin to static electricity down her spine.
It left her momentarily frozen—like a kitten scruffed by the neck. Her face, however, turned a deep shade of red, so intense it seemed like she might overheat and faint on the spot.
What a mess this turned into...
With a sigh, Kyousuke carefully lifted Eriri and placed her back on solid ground.
"Sorry. That was inappropriate of me."
Once he made sure she was steady, he let go.
The supposedly tough and prideful girl was now too embarrassed to even look at him.
Instead, she turned her gaze toward the sketchpad she had managed to keep a firm grip on, even while being jostled around.
"Ah! My drawing!" Eriri exclaimed in distress.
Kyousuke followed her gaze, confirming what he had already suspected—it was definitely not a modest piece of art.
The sketch depicted a shirtless young man embracing a girl in a princess dress, her twin tails cascading down her back.
Though it was still just a draft without any color, the sheer intensity of the scene was undeniable.
The male figure's chiseled muscles glistened with sweat, warm breath escaping his lips as he held the girl close.
His hand sank slightly into her ample softness, while her face—partially hidden in shadow—was tinged with an unmistakable blush. She clung tightly to his neck, her own breath visible in the cool air.
Even a blind person could tell what was about to happen next.
The only downside? The young man's face had been torn away from the page.
"It might still be possible to piece it back together," Kyousuke mused, reaching out for the torn fragment.
"No way!"
Eriri, who had just been mourning the loss of her painstakingly revised masterpiece, suddenly snapped back to reality.
With a startled yelp, she yanked the sketch behind her back, hugging it protectively.
'Crap! He saw it! He saw everything! What if he recognizes that it's me and him in the drawing?!'
Panicked, she took two cautious steps backward.
"Hmm? Now I'm really suspicious." Kyousuke narrowed his eyes and reached behind her, testing her reaction.
"What are you doing?!"
Eriri stumbled back further, her face still burning red.
Whether it was lingering embarrassment from earlier or something else entirely, even she wasn't sure anymore.
"I just want to take another look at that drawing. Something about it feels familiar."
"Shut up! Like you'd even have the artistic sense to recognize anything! It's just a trick of the mind!"
With all her might, she clutched the sketchpad behind her.
Honestly, considering how petite she was, the oversized sketchpad looked comically large in her grasp.
Watching her exaggerated stance, Kyousuke secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At least things had settled down for now.
"Lily, Hojou-kun, dinner is ready."
Sayuri's gentle voice called from the doorway.
"Coming!" Eriri responded immediately before turning back to Kyousuke.
"You better not tell anyone about what just happened! Or else...!"
'Or else what?'
She opened and closed her mouth several times but couldn't come up with a proper threat.
Instead, her face grew even redder, her small fangs peeking out as she grumbled and stormed off, blonde hair swishing behind her.
Kyousuke watched as she stomped toward the door, still lugging the enormous sketchpad.
He considered saying something but ultimately decided against it.
Just as she reached the doorway, she realized she was still holding onto something extra.
"Hojou, go ahead. I... I have something to take care of first."
Her proud tone made it sound like she was giving orders to a knight, but her scarlet face utterly ruined the effect.
"Sure, sure. I'll wait outside. Hurry up and 'take care' of whatever it is."
No need to ask—he knew she was just trying to hide the drawing.
Honestly, it wasn't even worth hiding. Compared to the sketchy drafts of hers he had seen before, this one was practically tame.
Shrugging, Kyousuke stepped past Eriri and exited the room. As he walked out, her flustered voice trailed behind him.
"I'm not hiding anything! I just need to change into socks suitable for dinner!"
———————————————————————
Moments later, the sound of frantic rummaging echoed from her room.
About a minute later, the door finally opened.
"Ahem. Let's go." Eriri brushed her bangs aside as she stepped out.
Kyousuke glanced down at her feet. She was still wearing the same fluffy yellow slippers, her ankles completely bare.
He wasn't staring intentionally—it was just impossible not to notice. She hadn't changed her socks because she wasn't wearing any to begin with.
"You pervert! Why are you staring at my feet?!" Eriri took a step back, arms crossed over her chest in mock horror.
"No, I was just—"
"Shut up! Who even changes socks just to eat dinner?!"
"But... you just said—"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
Before he could finish, she launched her signature twin-tail attack. Now properly tied up, her long hair spun like two miniature whirlwinds.
Caught off guard, Kyousuke barely managed to shield his face, coughing as stray strands found their way into his mouth.
"Lily, hurry up and bring Hojou-kun down here!"
Sayuri's voice called again from downstairs, forcing Eriri to halt her attack.
Dizziness hit her like a wave. She had exerted far more energy than usual, putting in ten times the effort she used against her own father.
Now that she had stopped, the sudden exhaustion left her wobbling on her feet.
Seeing her sway, Kyousuke quickly grabbed her arm.
"Let's go."
"Oh..."
Still dazed, Eriri obediently followed him down the stairs. Halfway down, she finally regained her senses and immediately yanked her arm away, gripping the railing instead.
They entered a smaller dining room rather than the grand, overly formal one.
Inside, Sayuri and a blonde foreign man were already seated. When Kyousuke walked in, Sayuri greeted him with a warm smile.
The man, however, stood up and stepped forward, extending his hand over the table.
Though a little surprised by the formal gesture, Kyousuke quickly reached out for a handshake.
Meanwhile, Eriri rolled her eyes and plopped down opposite her mother, acting as if none of this concerned her.
"Hello, I'm Eriri's father, Robin Spencer. Thank you for helping my daughter before. It's been quite some time, and I haven't had the chance to properly express my gratitude—how rude of me."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Spencer. I'm Hojou Kyousuke. It was just a small matter, nothing worth such formal thanks."
"Heh, it wasn't a small matter at all. After that, Lily went on and on about you to Robin, calling you her very own Robin Hood."
"M-Mom!"
Eriri, who had just started cutting into her omelet, nearly choked at the unexpected betrayal. Her cheeks flushed red as she protested in a hushed voice.
"Oh my, did I say something I shouldn't have?"
Sayuri covered her mouth with the back of her hand, laughing softly.
Robin Spencer had initially intended to say something more, but when he saw his wife and daughter sharing such a warm moment, his face melted into a dopey, lovestruck smile.
"Dad, watch your expression. Your diplomat facade is slipping," Eriri huffed before stabbing a piece of omelet with her fork and stuffing it into her mouth.
"Ahem. Well then, let's begin our meal, Hojou-kun." Robin quickly composed himself.
"Of course," Kyousuke replied, taking the open seat—right next to Eriri and directly across from Robin.
Somehow, this whole setup felt... weird.
It was hard to put into words, but it reminded him of a scene straight out of a newlywed couple's first breakfast together with the in-laws.
The realization hit him like a truck, and he immediately buried his head in his meal.
Omelet, oatmeal, sandwiches, and milk tea. And judging by the portions, they had definitely accounted for his appetite.
Now this was proper breakfast. Who even eats plain white rice in the morning?
A mental image popped into his head a traditional Japanese room with a low table, and a delicate, feminine version of himself eating from a small bowl.
Wait a second... Isn't this just like Miyamizu Mitsuha's house?
No, no, no! What kind of guy sits next to a blonde twin-tailed beauty and thinks about another girl? How disrespectful!
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Kyousuke glanced at Eriri from the corner of his eye—only to find her already looking at him.
Their gazes locked for a brief second before both of them jerked their heads away like they'd been electrocuted.
'What the hell was he looking at me for?!'
Eriri felt like her face was on fire.
Ever since Hojou showed up, it felt like she had been blushing non-stop.
'Ugh, seriously! Just eat your food properly! Why are you looking at me?!'
Of course, there was no way she'd admit that she had been thinking about how eerily similar this whole breakfast scene felt to certain, ahem, adult-themed doujinshi she had drawn before.
According to typical story progression, right about now, under the table…
Just as that thought crossed her mind, her hand trembled, and—
Clatter!
Her fork slipped from her grip and fell to the floor.
[TL note - damn girl relax]
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