It felt as if there was a vortex inside, threatening to swallow his soul whole.
The woman’s scorching breath sprayed across his face, a presence that could not be ignored.
He thought she wanted to kiss him again, just as she had countless times before.
A mix of numb resignation, and a faint, almost imperceptible longing that had been coaxed out of him, caused him to slowly, as if surrendering to fate, close his eyes.
His long eyelashes, fragile as black feathers, obediently drooped down, waiting for the anticipated plundering.
Yet, seconds passed, and the expected kiss still did not fall.
He could clearly feel her hot breath brushing over his lips, the distance so close that he only needed to move forward a centimeter to touch her.
He could even smell the faint scent on her body, a blend of tobacco and something uniquely her own.
【This is just too unfair…】
Kaoru Hoshitani was utterly exhausted, his mind a blank.
All thoughts and resistance had been shattered by the unrelenting shocks.
He no longer wanted to ponder what new scheme this woman was playing at, nor did he wish to struggle for the sake of so-called dignity and boundaries.
A profound weariness, together with a deliberately induced, twisted desire, finally overwhelmed everything.
He rose up ever so slightly onto his toes, barely noticeable, and with trembling, cold yet soft lips, took the initiative, with a hint of sacrificial devotion, to press them against Rika Kawasaki’s lips—those lips that had been waiting with a smile of total control.
All this time, Rika Kawasaki had been carefully observing every subtle expression and reaction of the little man before her.
The moment he took the initiative to kiss her, a flash of intense, triumphant light—undisguised and brimming with the satisfaction of having lured prey into a trap—flitted through the depths of her gray eyes.
In truth, she seemed to be a born hunter.
Even without much real experience, she had intuitively and expertly applied the so-called “Bridge Effect”—in which accelerated heartbeats and rapid breathing, triggered by extreme fear and tension, could easily be mistaken for affection or reliance toward the person beside you.
She skillfully twisted and fused the emotions of fear and dependence, using both the threat of the external environment and her own stance as “Protector.”
Like the most delicate of craftsmen, she forced her image as Conqueror and Sadist into the fragile, cracked inner world of Kaoru Hoshitani.
When this long, controlling kiss finally ended, Rika Kawasaki let out a satisfied, almost inaudible sigh.
She showed no intention of letting go; instead, her right arm, like an iron clamp, firmly supported the man’s soft and slightly trembling hips.
As if displaying a precious Trophy, she effortlessly lifted him with one arm, leaving him no choice but to wrap his slender arms anxiously around her neck for balance.
Then, with her free left hand, she casually picked up the Pizza Box that had been left atop the narrow shoe cabinet in the Foyer, and, carrying her “Possession” with leisurely steps, returned to the dimly lit Living Room.
The two had been entangled for almost two hours.
It was now nearly two in the afternoon, and neither had eaten lunch, leaving their stomachs empty.
Rika Kawasaki sat down on the Living Room Sofa with Kaoru Hoshitani in her arms, positioning him sideways on her lap in a childlike pose, completely encircled by her embrace and the sofa’s backrest.
With one hand, she lifted the lid of the Pizza Box, and a rich aroma of cheese, tomato sauce, and baked dough wafted out.
She picked up a slice of pizza, its edges golden and crispy and loaded with toppings, and stuffed it unceremoniously into Kaoru Hoshitani’s trembling, cold fingertips before grabbing another slice for herself, biting into it with relish and satisfaction.
However, Kaoru Hoshitani could not summon any appetite for the tempting food in his hand.
The water he’d been forced to drink in the past two hours had already filled his stomach to bursting, leaving a lingering, nauseating sensation in his throat.
Blankly and mechanically, he parted his pale lips, and under the woman’s watchful gaze, forced himself to nibble a few tasteless bites, swallowing with great effort.
The melted cheese on the pizza stretched into long threads, sticking to the corner of his lips, yet he remained unaware.
When Rika Kawasaki finished her portion with brisk, wolfish bites, licking the sauce from her fingers in satisfaction, she glanced down at the mostly untouched slice still in Kaoru Hoshitani’s hand, her lips curving into a mocking smile.
“What’s this? That’s all you’re going to eat?”
Her voice was lazy, tinged with an undeniable authority. “Don’t blame me later for making you work but not feeding you to replenish your strength.”
Before the words had fully faded, she’d already, with practiced ease, pulled the slice from Kaoru Hoshitani’s stiff hands and devoured it in a few bold bites, her actions rough and possessing, as if to declare that even his leftover food now belonged to her.
After finishing, she looked at her own fingers, which were inevitably stained with sticky red tomato sauce and traces of cheese.
Without hesitation, she thrust those food-scented, slightly oily fingers forcefully into Kaoru Hoshitani’s slightly open mouth.
“Lick them clean.”
The command was simple and direct. Kaoru Hoshitani’s body shuddered violently, his long lashes drooping like startled butterfly wings, hiding all the humiliation and numbness in his eyes.
He closed his eyes and, like a broken puppet who could only accept commands, used his soft mouth and tongue, mechanically and slowly, to clean those invading fingers, licking away every trace of residue.
The sweet and salty taste of the sauce, mingled with the woman’s skin, once again flooded his senses.
Rika Kawasaki savored the “service” at her leisure, her gaze drifting idly about.
Suddenly, she noticed a small piece of Orleans Chicken lying on the pale, smooth thigh of the man in her arms—now covered with suspicious red marks—fallen there when one of them had been eating pizza earlier.
Her gray eyes darkened. Without hesitation, she bent down and caught the chicken with her lips, her warm mouth brushing his sensitive skin as she swept the morsel into her mouth…
At seven in the evening, the City lights began to glow.
Aina Saiten, worn out from a long and tedious day’s work, squeezed off the train and walked heavily toward the familiar Apartment Building.
The cool night breeze swept away some of her weariness. Thinking of the warmth waiting at home and her beloved boyfriend, her steps unconsciously quickened.
She unlocked the door with her key, and was immediately wrapped in the familiar warmth and bright lights, which chased away the cold and fatigue of the outside world.
“Kaoru, I’m home.”
While changing shoes, she habitually called out into the house, her voice tinged with the comfort and anticipation of coming home.
The Living Room showed no immediate sign of that familiar figure, but her gaze was instantly drawn to the several dishes laid out on the Dining Table.
At the same time, gentle sizzling from the Oil Fryer and the faint clatter of a spatula sounded from The Kitchen.
All these cozy signs told her that her beloved was preparing dinner for her in The Kitchen.
A wave of warmth flooded her heart, and a blissful smile appeared on Aina Saiten’s face.
She placed her heavy briefcase on the low cabinet by the door, took off her coat, and tiptoed toward The Kitchen.
At the kitchen doorway, she saw the figure she missed day and night.
Kaoru Hoshitani stood with his back to her, wearing the Cartoon Cat Apron they had bought together.
The straps were tied into an exquisite Butterfly Knot behind his slender waist.
Leaning forward slightly, he held a pair of long chopsticks in his right hand, focused on turning the last few Fried Shrimp in the Oil Fryer.
The warm yellow light cast a gentle halo over his soft black hair and elegant neck.
What woman, after a hard day’s work, wouldn’t feel satisfied and overflowing with affection to come home and see such a beautiful and caring boyfriend preparing dinner?
Aina Saiten’s heart was brimming with tenderness. She quietly walked up behind him, and gently, lovingly wrapped her arms around his delicate waist, pressing her cheek against his thin back.
Perhaps he had heard her unsoftened footsteps, for this time, Kaoru Hoshitani did not seem startled.
Yet the moment she touched him, his once-focused body stiffened imperceptibly, and his grip on the chopsticks tightened slightly.
“How was your day at home? Did you go out and get some fresh air?”
Immersed in the cozy atmosphere, Aina Saiten rested her chin intimately on her boyfriend’s thin shoulder, asking softly.
Then her delicate nose twitched, picking up the fresh scent of shower gel from the smooth, slender skin of his neck, along with a hint of lingering moisture.
“Hmm? Why did you shower so early today? Won’t you pick up more cooking smells after making dinner?”
She asked absentmindedly, with care in her tone.
Hearing his girlfriend’s gentle question about his day, Kaoru Hoshitani’s body trembled uncontrollably, his grip on the chopsticks nearly slipping into the Oil Fryer.
He bit his lower lip so hard he nearly drew blood, barely suppressing the sob that threatened to escape his throat.
Of course, he could never tell the woman who loved him with all her heart.
Today, in the home full of their memories, that devilish, blonde woman had barged in and, right there on the Living Room Sofa where they usually cuddled to watch TV, subjected him to unspeakable, total violation and plundering.
That woman had only left, like a sated beast, an hour before Aina returned from work, taking her time dressing as she departed.
He had been left filthy and despairing, forced to drag his nearly shattered body to the bathroom, scrubbing himself raw in a desperate attempt to wash away every trace and scent.
Only then had he managed to piece together his broken mask, step into The Kitchen, and prepare this dinner for her, so he could face his unsuspecting, hard-working girlfriend…
He could only bury all his fear, humiliation, and overwhelming guilt in the darkest corner of his heart, summoning every ounce of strength to keep his voice from cracking as he forced out a trembling, barely audible reply:
“N-no… nothing, I just felt a bit sleepy this afternoon, so I showered to wake up… D-dinner will be ready soon, Aina, you should go wash your hands first…”