“You… seem to really like this, don’t you?”
Rika Kawasaki, who caught this subtle reaction, looked as though she’d finally discovered the code to deciphering the other’s contradictory words and actions.
A flash of understanding and rekindled interest flickered in her gray eyes.
Once again, she pressed forward with an irresistible force, squeezing the already scant space between them until it nearly vanished.
She extended her callused yet powerful fingers, gripping Kaoru Hoshitani’s chin, which tried to evade her, a bit forcefully.
Applying slight pressure, she forcibly straightened his face, which had turned enticingly red, leaving him no choice but to meet her gaze head-on.
She lowered her head, drawing close to his ear, her laughter laced with teasing certainty, her voice low and warm breath brushing against his sensitive earlobe.
“I… I don’t like it at all! …It’s disgusting… Let me go…”
At this moment, Kaoru Hoshitani’s wide, startled eyes were completely filled by the close, healthy, sun-kissed curves and fullness before him, leaving no room for anything else.
The overwhelming sense of shame and guilt made his heart pound wildly, as if it might burst from his chest.
Desperately, he squeezed his eyes shut as if that could block everything out, then, mustering the last bit of stubbornness, he opened his mouth and, voice trembling, cursed in a futile attempt to build a final defense with words.
Of course, Rika Kawasaki paid no heed to what sounded, in her ears, completely harmless—if anything, it was more like a shy invitation.
This push and pull only excited a deep-seated urge for control and conquest within her, making her heart race with anticipation.
Finding it bothersome to decipher the complex minds of men, at this moment, she felt as if she’d finally found a telltale sign that could directly reveal a man’s true feelings—a body that never lied.
“Heh… So you actually like it this much?”
Her gaze swept downward with deliberate meaning, her tone full of teasing understanding,
“So excited…”
[As I thought… This little man is just innately lewd, saying one thing while his body says another. It looks like… I’ll have to slowly work on him… I won’t stop until he begs me himself!]
With this sense of certainty, Rika Kawasaki’s earlier hesitation vanished without a trace.
The corners of her lips curved up uncontrollably, a mysterious and predatory smile of inevitable victory…
That smile mixed the satisfaction of discovering a secret, anticipation for the impending ‘taming’ process, and a tenderness bordering on cruelty.
“Guh— You— What are you trying to do…?!”
Feeling her presence draw nearer again, and sensing the danger behind that smile, Kaoru Hoshitani’s eyes widened in fright.
He swallowed nervously, a dry sound escaping his throat, and instinctively tried to shrink back, but only managed to press uselessly against the cold wall behind him—nowhere left to retreat…
———
Aina Saiten was carefully cradling a bouquet of meticulously chosen Sunflowers, standing alone on the train that would take her to pick up her boyfriend, Kaoru Hoshitani, after work.
The train car was slightly crowded with the evening rush; the air was tinged with the fatigue of commuters, but only the Sunflowers in her arms brought a splash of brightness to the dreary scene.
Because today’s interview at the Quansheng Group had gone exceptionally well, with several interviewers expressing recognition for her professional abilities and industry insight, Aina Saiten estimated that her chances of landing this dream high-paying job were quite high.
Thinking of this, the tension that had gripped her for days finally eased a little.
The corners of her lips lifted in a genuine, gentle smile.
Her mood was as bright and full of hope as the Sunflowers in her arms, glowing under the warm yellow lights.
Leaning her head slightly against the cool window, she immersed herself in thoughts, carefully planning how to use this bouquet and the good news tonight to comfort and please her adorable boyfriend, who was still sulking.
Suddenly, without warning, the train she was on slammed on its emergency brakes!
“Screech–!”
A sharp metallic scraping noise rang out, accompanied by startled cries from the passengers caught off guard.
The powerful inertia was like an invisible giant hand, sending Aina Saiten, who was standing near the door with one hand gripping a strap and the other protecting the bouquet, lurching forward and stumbling several steps to the side.
Fortunately, Aina Saiten reacted quickly, tightening her core and grabbing the cold metal pole beside her with her free hand just in time.
Her elbow struck it hard enough to go numb, but she managed to steady herself and avoided falling clumsily to the ground.
But in that split second of panic, she had instinctively used the arm holding the bouquet to brace herself, and ended up squeezing the Sunflowers in her embrace too hard.
There was a faint rustling as the wrapping paper crinkled, and the bit of water held at the base of the bouquet’s sponge shot out with a “pop,” soaking a large patch of her blouse with icy, damp water that stuck coldly to her skin.
To make matters worse, the most vibrant Sunflower on the outside had suffered a heavy blow in the crush.
Several golden petals had snapped off, and one especially large petal, like a butterfly wing ripped away, clung alone and strikingly bright to her wet, pale shirtfront.
She didn’t even have time to lower her head and deal with the quickly spreading water stain on her chest.
Her gaze went first—anxious and pained—to the Sunflowers in her arms, which she’d intended to use to cheer up her boyfriend.
That Sunflower, just moments ago so full of life and turning its radiant face toward the light, now drooped near the base of its stem, bent and bruised, its petal edges creased and damaged from the violent squeeze.
The whole flower head hung limp, as if battered down by a sudden rain, its former brilliance dulled and replaced by a look of aggrieved wilt.
“Ah… How could this happen…”
Aina Saiten muttered in frustration.
Hurriedly freeing one hand, she gently pinched the petal stuck to her shirt and placed it in her palm, then tried to restore the damaged flower.
She grasped the upper, relatively intact part of the wilting Sunflower’s stem, gently trying to make it stand upright again.
Then, with some difficulty, she tucked the bottom of the stem between the sturdier eucalyptus and filler leaves beside it, using the other plants for support, barely managing to prop the injured Sunflower back up.
From the front, if one didn’t look closely, it appeared almost no different from the other two unscathed blooms.
Only upon careful inspection could one spot the hidden creases and the slightly unnatural angle.
“Sigh… I hope it isn’t too obvious. It’s just a little flaw, it should… be fine, right?”
She murmured to herself, eyes sweeping over the other two bright and perfect Sunflowers, trying to draw some confidence from them,
“After all, there are still two Sunflowers that are just fine, the main part is still good…”