The beautiful girl captivated not only with her appearance and grace, but with everything about her exuding a unique tenderness and charm.
When Yukino closed her eyes for the last second, her shy and fiery gaze seemed almost entangling.
Under the night sky, many couples embraced and kissed during the fireworks display. However, the sweet atmosphere shared only between lovers remained undisturbed by anyone.
Perhaps Yukino, too, had been affected by the vibrant fireworks, or maybe it was her frustration with Utaha's earlier behavior. Right now, she clung tightly to Haru's neck without a hint of shyness or resistance.
Such bold actions were not something she usually exhibited.
Her body, slender and light, carried a pleasant fragrance. Her once cold face now blushed a deep crimson, more vivid with each burst of fireworks, as if her cheeks were burning.
Her calves were perfectly curved, with the ideal lines for stockings and ankle socks.
While her thighs were a bit thinner than Utaha's, lacking the same fullness, their shape was still graceful. Along with her waist, slender and delicate like a willow branch, Haru's initial gentle hold around her waist slowly shifted to a more firm embrace.
Her waist, he couldn't get enough of it.
Her waist and legs were the perfect choice for living a blissful life.
Since they were in a public place, and he knew how Yukino was embarrassed, their kiss didn't last long—just a brief but sweet exchange.
He pulled her, blushing and shy, into his arms and softly asked, "Are you still mad at me?"
"Mm."
Yukino seemed fair enough to separate things—while she was happy now, she was still upset about that earlier incident.
He feigned annoyance, "I knew you'd say that. Looks like I'll have to atone tonight."
Yukino, intrigued, smiled and asked, "How are you going to atone? I should warn you, my standards are high."
He sighed dramatically, "Of course, I'll atone with my body...."
Yukino, her face red, immediately covered his mouth.
Could he really just say that?!
Her eyes conveyed a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
Of course, she thought he could keep his words to himself, but he couldn't avoid doing something about it.
Nearby, under the night sky, Megumi glanced at the sour-faced Utaha and asked, "Should we go over now, or just stay here?"
Her answer came in the form of a quiet pause.
A while later, Utaha, still sulking, bit into a snack and mumbled, "Forget it, let's not go find them now."
After all, she had made the mistake of sneaking away earlier.
If she got any closer, watching their sweetness up close would only make her feel more like a lemon.
Being at the prime age of youth, naturally, it was the most energetic phase.
Once the cooldown was over, she could go again.
But sadly, it wasn't convenient to go over now.
She thought regretfully.
In the end, she and Megumi waited for another twenty minutes before heading over.
The group didn't leave until after eight o'clock.
However, on their way back, Haru and the others encountered the same bald, muscular man from earlier.
This time, he was accompanied by two others and was holding a baseball bat.
The moment Yukino and the others became serious, Haru walked up to the trio, waving at the bald man with a friendly tone, "Were you waiting for me, big bald?"
The bald man froze, seemingly not expecting him to be so relaxed.
He glared and raised the bat. "I hate being called bald."
"Got it, got it. Today's a romantic fireworks show. Let's keep the peace and avoid causing trouble."
Haru said, acting all familiar with him.
The bald man, feeling disrespected, was about to curse when, before he could utter a word, he felt a blur in his vision. His bat was suddenly snatched from his hand.
In the stunned gaze of him and his companions, Haru maintained his friendly smile, holding the bat at both ends. Without applying much force, he effortlessly bent it.
The trio stood there, frozen with horror on their faces.
Yukino and the others, initially serious, were now dumbfounded by the scene.
"You got a fake bat. This one's defective," Haru casually handed the bent bat back.
The bald man blankly took it, his anger now completely gone.
"Let's keep the peace, okay?" Haru repeated.
At last, the bald man understood and silently moved aside.
Haru waved for Yukino and the others, and they walked away.
It wasn't until their figures disappeared into the distance that one of the bald man's companions asked, "Did you really buy a fake one?"
The bald man remained silent.
The bat was certainly not fake—he and his friends frequently played baseball, so their equipment was top-notch.
But because of this, the casual way Haru bent the bat made him feel a chill down his spine.
After a few seconds, he whispered, "That guy was right. We should keep the peace."
His two companions stared at him, "???"
Wait, you called us over to back you up, and now you're all about peace?
But looking at the ruined bat in his friend's hand, they didn't dare to say anything more.
A sturdy baseball bat could be bent so easily, so what would happen to a person's wrist or leg?
Meanwhile, Yukino and the others were still caught up in the scene with Haru's "peaceful resolution."
After a while, Yukino finally asked, "Was that bat really defective?"
"Yeah, when I held it, I could tell it didn't feel right. He probably bought a cheap one to save money," he lied smoothly.
The three girls exchanged glances, unsure of the truth behind his words.
They hadn't touched the bat themselves, but considering how easily Haru had bent it, they started to believe his explanation.
The group reached the hotel entrance. Since it was still early, and at Utaha's suggestion, they decided not to go back to their rooms. Instead, they sat on the benches outside, enjoying the evening breeze.
"If we could sit up there, the view would be amazing," Utaha said.
Utaha stared up at the roof of the inn and spoke softly.
"I wonder what the view would be like up there."
Megumi looked up as well. "Probably better than here. The inn is surrounded by trees, so if you sit somewhere high enough, the scenery might change."
Yukino gave their conversation a flat response. "Give it up. Even if we got a ladder, there's nowhere to get proper footing. The best we can do is hang around the fourth floor."
"I was just saying," Utaha replied with a casual smile.
Then she noticed Haru looking up at the roof too, scanning it up and down as if he was seriously thinking about it.
She couldn't help but laugh. "Don't tell me you're actually planning to climb up there?"
"It's not that hard, really," he said.
The three girls all assumed he was joking.
Haru kept the playful tone in his voice. "Yukino knows—I've always been pretty good at climbing trees and jumping fences."
Yukino gave a small nod. "You did show off your monkey-like talents back then."
"…Alright, talking is one thing, but calling me a monkey is just rude."
"I meant it as a compliment," Yukino replied with a beautiful smile.
Haru stood up with an exaggerated sigh. "Looks like I have to show you guys what I'm really capable of."
"What are you planning to do?" Utaha asked curiously.
Instead of answering, he turned and held his hand out to Yukino.
She blinked, suspicious. "What?"
"Just go along with it. You'll see soon enough."
Though Yukino was sure he was up to something dumb again, she thought back to the fireworks display earlier and how much she'd enjoyed it. After a moment of hesitation, she reached out and took his hand.
Haru turned to the other two. "You two stay here and don't move. I'll be back in a bit."
With that, he led a puzzled Yukino away.
Utaha frowned. "So… is there a point to us sitting here like this?"
"Probably not. He likely just wants us to wait," Megumi said, sounding thoughtful.
She remembered Haru's secret identity as the "hooded hero."
If it's him… he might actually pull this off.
Meanwhile, Haru had led Yukino around to the back of the inn.
He'd already scouted the area earlier that day—other than the entrance and main hallway, the inn didn't have any security cameras.
The spot they were in now was completely out of sight.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Yukino asked, a little flustered.
There was only a dim light under the inn's eaves. A few steps further into the back, and they'd be standing in near-total darkness.
It was the perfect place for a secret rendezvous.
Haru had been acting so mysteriously that she couldn't help but let her mind wander.
"Close your eyes," he said.
Her face flushed deeper. She stared at him, half in disbelief. "You're not seriously going to try something, are you?"
"Just close your eyes. I promise you'll like it."
Still blushing, Yukino hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind to trust him.
If he tries anything, he's getting a kick to the face.
With that threat in mind, she slowly shut her eyes.
The next second, she felt his arm slip around her waist.
Just as she was about to yell, his voice came gently at her ear. "Relax."
Yukino gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to peek. She waited, tense and unsure.
Then, a few moments later—
"You can open your eyes now."
Yukino opened her eyes, confused.
But within the very first second, she froze.
She and Haru… were sitting on the rooftop.
"You actually climbed up here?" she asked, her breath catching slightly.
She was shocked—but more than that, she was delighted.
She loved this view.
From here, she could see the entire area around the inn. In the distance, the forest stretched into the night, cloaked in shadows and moonlight.
"I told you I was good at climbing things. Do you believe me now?" he said with a smug grin, clearly fishing for praise.
Yukino turned her head, gazing at the night-covered woods. Her heart, for once, felt at peace. "Thank you… I really like this surprise."
"I'll go get the others," Haru said, getting to his feet.
But just as he moved, someone grabbed his collar.
Startled, he looked back—only to see Yukino's eyes shimmering in the low light, her soft lips slightly parted.
"Let them wait a little longer," she whispered.
Who said only the older girls got to steal a moment for themselves?
Yukino, as if recalling that night when she'd boldly taken the lead, pulled him down by his collar and kissed him—her cheeks glowing red.
A husky, almost sultry voice escaped her lips: "I'll allow you to touch my legs."
One move—straight to the peak.
Haru's brain short-circuited from the shock.
Meanwhile, back on the bench, Utaha and Megumi were still waiting.
Utaha stared into the dark with a blank expression. "How long are we supposed to sit here?"