[NTR Countdown: 61 Days Remaining]
(The time in the previous chapter was 68 days, so one week has passed)
The early morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains and spilled into the foyer, casting several long, thin spots of light onto the floor.
The air was filled with the faint aroma of breakfast, the lingering scent of the eggs and toast that Kaoru Hoshitani had woken up early to fry for his girlfriend.
Aina Saiten stood in the foyer, already dressed in her outdoor suit, holding an exquisite briefcase in her hand.
Her face beamed with an irrepressible smile of happiness, a look as bright as the sunlight outside.
For the past week, she felt as if every day was filled with hope and something to look forward to.
“I’m leaving now, Kaoru.”
She turned around and looked at her boyfriend, who was standing in the living room to see her off.
Kaoru Hoshitani wore a loose, cream-colored loungewear set.
His soft black hair was a bit messy, making his face appear even more gentle and harmless.
He nodded slightly, pulling his lips into a shallow arc as he replied softly, “Okay, goodbye.”
Aina Saiten did not turn to open the door immediately.
She tilted her head, a hint of playfulness in her eyes as she took a step toward him and pouted her lips slightly. “One more kiss.”
Kaoru’s eyelashes trembled slightly. He glanced at his girlfriend and then obediently stepped forward, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
The kiss was very light, like a feather brushing past, yet it made Aina’s heart melt.
“Mmm… All right, all right,” Kaoru said, stepping back slightly with a hint of urgency that he didn’t even notice himself.
“Don’t you have to go to the company? Don’t be late.”
Aina Saiten finally smiled with satisfaction, turned to open the door, and gave him one last look over her shoulder. “Then I’m off. See you tonight!”
“Be careful on the road.”
The door closed softly behind her.
Aina Saiten walked toward the elevator with a light step, mentally calculating her work schedule for the day.
Since jumping over to Izumimori Corporation, her income was more than three times what it used to be.
Moreover, she could get off work between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM every day, giving her more time to exercise and spend with Kaoru.
Although she didn’t know why, it seemed that every time the weekend arrived, something always came up at the company that required her to work overtime.
However, she could usually be back before evening, so it wasn’t a big problem.
‘But thinking about it, there’s no other way. After all, I am part of management now…’ she comforted herself, a sense of accomplishment welling up within her.
What she didn’t know was that the reason she was called in for overtime every weekend was that a yellow-haired woman was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Those contracts that suddenly had issues, those emergency documents that needed processing, and those tasks that shouldn’t have been her responsibility but somehow landed on her lap—every single one was a move in a carefully designed game of chess hidden behind Rika Kawasaki’s gray eyes.
……
After seeing his girlfriend out, Kaoru Hoshitani stood in the foyer for a while, listening to the sound of the elevator doors closing and the noise fading away at the end of the hallway.
Then, he turned and walked back into the bedroom.
He sat in front of the vanity, looking at the familiar face in the mirror. The man in the mirror had delicate features and a pure aura, like a piece of unpolished jade.
He took a deep breath, picked up the cosmetics on the vanity, and began to skillfully apply them to his face.
Foundation, concealer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, blush, lipstick—he performed every step with fluid grace, as if he had done it thousands of times before.
And indeed, this was the routine he had repeated every morning for the past week.
Thirty minutes later, the face in the mirror had completely transformed.
He was no longer the pure, harmless Kaoru Hoshitani who looked like a little deer.
He was now a stunningly beautiful person with a mature charm and an inviting allure in his eyes.
The cosmetics cleverly masked his original purity, granting him a completely different kind of beauty.
His phone vibrated at that moment.
He picked it up and saw a short message on the screen. The sender was a number he hadn’t saved, but he knew exactly who it was.
“Get downstairs.”
Only two words, yet they felt like an order that could not be disobeyed.
Kaoru Hoshitani stared at the two words for a few seconds before putting his phone down.
He took a black baseball cap and a light gray mask from the wardrobe.
He carefully put on the hat, pulling the brim low until it covered most of his face, and then put on the mask to seal the rest tightly.
In the mirror, only a figure wrapped so tightly that his face was unrecognizable remained.
He put on his shoes, opened the door, and stepped out into the morning sunlight.
……
Walking out of the block where the apartment building was located and turning two corners, Kaoru Hoshitani saw the bright blue sports car parked by the roadside.
The sleek, streamlined body of the car reflected the dazzling sunlight like a crouching predator, drawing the gazes of passersby.
However, there were very few people on this street, and the occasional pedestrian only gave it a passing glance before looking away.
Kaoru Hoshitani looked left and right, confirming there was no one he knew around.
Only then did he walk quickly toward the car, pull open the front passenger seat door, and slide inside.
The interior of the car was filled with a faint scent of tobacco and a certain fragrance he was becoming more and more familiar with—the scent of that woman.
The leather seats were soft and warm, and the warm air from the air conditioner brushed gently against his cheeks.
“Kaoru, you’re so careful just to make sure your useless girlfriend doesn’t find out you’re heading out to have an affair with your sex friend.”
A mocking voice came from beside him.
Rika Kawasaki sat in the driver’s seat, one hand on the steering wheel and a freshly finished cigarette between the fingers of her other hand.
Today, she wore a tight black leather jacket that outlined her fit and smooth body curves.
Her long blonde hair fell casually over her shoulders, and her gray eyes held a playful smirk as she looked at his heavily concealed face.
The words “sex friend” and “affair” were like two sharp thorns, stabbing hard into Kaoru’s eardrums.
“That’s not it!”
He removed his mask almost as a reflex, revealing a face flushed with agitation.
A fire of anger burned in those deer-like eyes.
“It’s only because you’re threatening me with the video and Aina’s job! I’m being forced… I’m being forced!”
His voice trembled slightly with emotion. Every word sounded like an oath, yet also like he was trying to convince himself.
Looking at him like this, the curve of Rika Kawasaki’s lips only deepened.
For the past week, as soon as his useless girlfriend left for work, she would appear at this intersection right on time.
The two would first go somewhere for a “date,” like shopping at the mall, and then they would go to a hotel to get a room.
Finally, she would drop him back home before his useless girlfriend got off work.
It was like this every day, without fail.
Perhaps Kaoru Hoshitani hadn’t realized it himself yet, but Rika Kawasaki had keenly noticed one thing—in bed, once things truly got going, he had already learned to enjoy the pleasure brought by a woman other than his girlfriend.
The initially awkward, stiff reactions had now become natural and practiced.
The eyes that were once tightly shut and the lips that were once bitten hard would now part at certain moments, letting out suppressed, beautiful gasps.
He thought he was still the coerced, threatened victim, but his body had already betrayed his will.
Rika Kawasaki said nothing more. She simply flicked the finished cigarette butt out the window, watching it land on the road as sparks flew. Then, her foot pressed down on the gas pedal—
The engine let out a low roar, like a beast being awakened.
The bright blue sports car shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, instantly merging into the traffic on the main road and disappearing into the city’s concrete jungle.
……
At the same time, in another corner of the city, inside the President’s office of Izumimori Corporation.
Chinatsu Ayase stood before the heavy solid wood door, took a deep breath, and adjusted her appearance.
Today, she wore a tasteful light gray skirt suit, her long hair neatly tied back, and a perfect, obedient smile on her face.
She raised her hand and knocked gently on the door.
“Come in.”
A steady female voice came from inside.
Chinatsu Ayase pushed the door open and entered.
The large office was brightly lit, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of Tokyo’s bustling skyline.
A middle-aged woman dressed in an elegant dark suit sat behind a large desk, reviewing documents.
Her features bore a slight resemblance to Rika Kawasaki, but they held more of the majesty and coldness of someone who had long held a high position.
“Mother, did you want to see me?” Chinatsu Ayase called out in a sweet voice, that word “Mother” carrying just the right amount of intimacy and obedience.
The middle-aged woman—Hana Kawasaki—looked up at her younger daughter who had just walked in.
That face, which had inherited the beauty of that man, looked exceptionally delicate in the sunlight.
And that call of “Mother” was something she hadn’t heard from her rebellious eldest daughter in a very long time.
The stern expression on her face softened considerably the moment she saw that face and heard that voice.
She pointed to the chair across from her desk, her voice gentler than usual. “You’re here, Chinatsu. Sit down.”
Chinatsu Ayase sat down obediently, her hands naturally folded over her knees in an elegant and graceful posture.
Hana Kawasaki first asked about her recent work and life — how she was adjusting to the Human Resources Department, how she was getting along with her colleagues, and if she needed anything in her personal life.
Chinatsu Ayase answered them one by one. Every answer was perfect, demonstrating her ability while maintaining her usual humility.
Hana Kawasaki listened and nodded with satisfaction. This child was indeed much less of a headache than her sister.
She paused for a moment and then asked a question she had been concerned about.
“Chinatsu… how are you and Rika getting along?”
The question seemed casual, but it carried complex implications—as a mother, she naturally hoped her two daughters could live in harmony.
Chinatsu’s eyelashes flickered almost imperceptibly.
She thought rapidly about her mother’s true intention behind the question—was it simple concern? Was there a deeper meaning? Or had she heard some rumors?
But her expression didn’t change at all, remaining as obedient as ever.
She tilted her head slightly, her voice carrying a hint of recollection. “Ah… with Sister…”
She paused as if remembering. “Last week, I had dinner with Sister and my Brother-in-law.”
“Brother-in-law?”
Hana Kawasaki raised an eyebrow slightly, a flash of surprise and curiosity appearing in her eyes, which were identical to Rika’s.
“You’ve met your sister’s boyfriend?”