A few days later, Kaoru saw Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi standing outside his room early in the morning.

"Good morning, Mitoma-kun." Sakayanagi Arisu greeted him before casually stepping past him and walking into his room as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"At least say 'excuse me' or something?" Kaoru grumbled in slight annoyance.

Who in their right mind barged into someone's room this early in the morning?

"It's not like it's our first time here. It's freezing outside—move." Kamuro Masumi pushed her way in just as forcefully, her eyes scanning the room

"Huh. Weird. Nothing's hidden in here?"

"What exactly are you looking for?" Kaoru shut the door behind them, exhaling in relief.

Thank goodness they hadn't come at night.

"It's much better than before, Mitoma-kun." Sakayanagi Arisu immediately noticed the extra pairs of disposable slippers by the entrance before her gaze drifted to the caterpillar-shaped plush on the bed, the signs of kitchen use, and the overall arrangement of the room.

"What's this?" Masumi paused, picking up a long strand of hair from the floor, her expression turning icy.

"I haven't had time to clean yet." Kaoru glanced at her legs. "Also, take off your shoes before coming in."

"Tch." Masumi couldn't be bothered. It wasn't like this guy hadn't brought who-knows-how-many girls into this room already.

If she got mad over every little thing, she'd have died from anger long ago.

Today was a day off, so both Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi were in casual wear.

The former wore a black pinafore dress over a white long-sleeved blouse with a cute ribbon at the chest, exuding the refined air of a proper young lady.

The skirt's length was just right, revealing her slender, straight legs encased in sheer black tights—delicate yet subtly alluring in an untouchable way.

Masumi, on the other hand, didn't seem to have put much effort into her outfit—just a long-sleeved top and a jacket paired with jeans.

However, the high-waisted design accentuated her slim waist, and the curve of her perky backside was unmistakable.

Now, both had taken off their shoes.

Sakayanagi Arisu sat on his bed, her cane resting beside her, the tips of her toes lightly touching the floor, her ankles tinged a soft pink.

Meanwhile, Kamuro Masumi had settled at his desk.

The weather outside was getting closer to winter, but the room remained comfortably warm and cool like summer.

Kamuro Masumi had just sat down not long ago and already took off her coat. Even such a simple action couldn't help but draw attention.

"Would you like something to drink?" Kaoru averted his gaze from the curve of her chest.

Size was relative—currently, she was the most prominent figure in the room, while Sakayanagi Arisu was completely obscured by her bowtie.

Masumi wanted hot cocoa and Sakayanagi wanted coffee, but Kaoru prepared black tea for them instead.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" Masumi asked, exasperated.

"I didn't have cocoa, and the coffee ran out. Make do with this," Kaoru replied, placing the tea in front of her before handing another cup to Arisu.

"Be careful, it's hot. Don't spill it on my bed."

"Is this really black tea?" Sakayanagi sniffed lightly, her eyes widening in surprise.

She could tell the tea was of good quality.

"A kind person gave me some earlier," Kaoru nodded. "Would you like something to eat?"

"What exactly do you have to offer?" Masumi eyed him suspiciously.

"Nothing," Kaoru answered bluntly.

"If you don't have it, then don't ask people!" Masumi felt quite annoyed.

"Hehehe, don't take it to heart, Masumi-san. We were just here to have some fun, after all—this is Mitoma-kun's place," Sakayanagi smiled gently.

"Besides, it was our fault for disturbing so early in the morning. We were just too excited after receiving Mitoma-kun's invitation."

'So you do know it was improper.'

'I almost thought this was a room inspection', Kaoru mused internally.

"If you two want to play chess, then play chess. Why drag me into it?" Masumi took a sip of black tea, finding it rather bitter.

She really didn't like this kind of tea.

"To prevent someone from resorting to desperate measures," Sakayanagi explained softly, her smile unwavering.

Kaoru's face darkened.

"I hope it's not because someone refuses to admit defeat."

"Oh? More than that, I'm worried someone might get so angry they lock me up here," Sakayanagi blinked playfully.

"After all, I perfectly fit someone's fantasy of a loli. What if they decide to do something bad to me?"

Kaoru glanced at Sakayanagi's chest, prompting her to expressionlessly tap his shin with her cane.

"I didn't even say anything."

"No need. With someone like you, your face says it all."

"I was just thinking—this size is just right for a loli."

Kaoru got another tap.

The young lady's temper was truly unpredictable.

She was the one who called herself a loli, yet now she was angry.

"Enough small talk. Where's your chess set?" Sakayanagi placed her tea on her lap.

Her cup was a mug, so she didn't have to worry about it being too hot.

The gesture gave off the air of a young lady enjoying afternoon tea.

Since they were going to play, Kaoru had naturally prepared the board and pieces.

He sometimes practiced, though only briefly.

After setting up the board, Kaoru looked up at the girl's delicate face and asked.

"Aren't you coming down?"

"Masumi-san will play for me." Sakayanagi still hadn't taken a sip of her tea—perhaps she wasn't thirsty—but aside from resting it on her lap, there was nowhere else to place it nearby.

Noticing Kaoru's gaze, Masumi scowled.

"I'm just helping her. It's not like I want to play. I don't understand any of this."

So Masumi was just her proxy?

But thinking about it, Sakayanagi had leg problems.

Making her kneel in front of Kaoru for long periods was out of the question.

She could only sit on the bed and watch the two of them play.

Forget kneeling—Mitoma had noticed she never wore thigh-high socks, only tights or garters, because thigh-highs would slip down, and fixing them would be troublesome for her.

Thus, Kaoru accepted their rules.

The first move went to Sakayanagi, with him responding afterward.

Under Sakayanagi's direction, Masumi moved the queen, securing control over the center of the board.

Then, on his turn, Kaoru dutifully moved his piece.

"Hehehe, Mitoma-kun's chess skills haven't changed at all, have they?"

After just a short while, Sakayanagi had already gauged Kaoru's level, her face full of amusement.

"It's not over yet. Don't speak so confidently."

"Even if you act tough, the path to victory won't change, you know?"

"Do you really think I have to compete with you just to determine a winner?"

"Hehehe, that expression is quite amusing. Is it because there's no bet this time, so you think it doesn't matter even if you lose?"

"Do you want to make a bet?"

"No, today I'll just accompany you for a while and chat a bit."

As she spoke, Sakayanagi Arisu smiled and picked up her teacup, taking a delicate sip.

After she finished drinking, Kaoru inexplicably stared at her intently, as if watching a little rabbit walking into a trap—utterly baffling.

"Could it be that you want to bet… bet… bet…"

Sakayanagi Arisu felt her eyelids grow heavy.

Everything before her flickered in and out of focus. She was so tired, so sleepy.

Just as the girl was about to collapse, Kaoru swiftly caught her.