Yuki Shinohara marched ahead, exuding a hostile, keep-your-distance aura. Unfortunately, it had absolutely no effect on Caleb.
If she sped up, Caleb sped up. If she slowed down, Caleb slowed down. If she ran, Caleb chased. If she tried to escape... she couldn't.
By the time they reached the commercial district, and Caleb was still trailing her without hurry, Yuki finally stopped.
She spun around, glaring at Caleb. "What the hell are you following me for?"
"Is this road your property?" Caleb raised an eyebrow, his handsome face filled with provocation.
Yuki clenched her fists. That face, which so easily charmed girls, was infuriating her more with every second.
Yuki deeply regretted not giving him a proper beatdown last time. Now, she couldn't talk her way out of it, nor could she fight her way out. She had no outlet for her rage but to grit her teeth and glare at Caleb.
Caleb looked utterly composed, lifting his chin. "Hey, are you moving or not? Don't block the way."
Yuki shot him a defiant look but grudgingly moved aside.
As Caleb drew level with her, he suddenly stopped. "On second thought, I don't feel like walking anymore. Maybe I'll just go find Reina and the others."
"AAARGH!!!"
Eyes blazing red, Yuki exploded. She'd rather take another beating than keep this rage bottled up tonight.
"I'll kill you!"
A woman who loses her temper is truly terrifying. Caleb was momentarily caught off guard and took a couple of scratches.
The price, however, was that she was now slung over his shoulder, her soft stomach pressed against his collarbone, causing her to dry heave occasionally with every step Caleb took.
Ignoring the strange looks from passersby, Caleb carried Yuki right into a Love Hotel.
Under the receptionist's 'youths-these-days-are-so-wild' gaze, Caleb casually offered some half-truths about their identity, paid the deposit, and carried Yuki into their small room. The nature of Japan's customs meant that ID cards were non-existent, and even their school uniforms were selectively ignored.
Thump!
Caleb tossed Yuki onto the highly springy king-sized bed. "Are you calm now?"
"Hmph. What exactly do you want?" Yuki frowned, instinctively pulling her arms around her body.
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," Caleb waved his hand, signaling her to ease up. "I just want to make a deal with you."
"A deal?"
"Yes, a deal."
Yuki looked at Caleb suspiciously, not grasping what kind of transaction he was proposing.
Without further theatricality, Caleb got straight to the point. "Are you in love with one of them, Reina Hamada and the others?"
"No."
Caleb: [?_??]
"I like all three of my bosses."
Holy hell, Caleb thought. This 'blond devil' had some nerve. Even he couldn't openly admit to something so shameless.
"Ahem…" Caleb composed himself. "Well, that's different from what I thought, but it's not a problem."
A flash of understanding crossed Yuki's mind. She vaguely guessed what Caleb was leading up to.
"You can help me?"
"I can help you."
They spoke almost simultaneously.
The air hung in silence for a moment before Yuki broke it. "What do you want in return?"
"Nothing much. Just spend one night in bed with me." Caleb spread his hands, his expression casual, as if this were as simple as eating or drinking water.
"In your dreams!"
Yuki refused instantly, without even considering it. She spat out her disdain: "Sleep with you? I'd rather find a dog!"
"A bitch or a male dog?"
Yuki: "…"
"A bitch! Are you happy now?!"
The immediate rejection was unexpected, but Caleb didn't take it personally. Most lesbians were actually bisexual, but a small minority who genuinely hated men wasn't impossible. More importantly, Yuki didn't particularly fit his personal preferences.
However, to gain a new talent, Caleb decided to push a little harder.
"Since you won't discuss this nicely, I guess I'll have to tell Reina and the others everything you've done." Coercion naturally followed the failure of seduction.
"You wouldn't want Reina and the others to know what you did, would you?"
Caleb didn't know the exact nature of the girls' relationship with Yuki, but he was certain they were absolutely compliant with him right now. He and the three little vixens had already tried almost every position imaginable over the past few days. They were so insistent that Caleb hadn't even had time to seek out other girls to use his ability on.
"You… you're despicable!" Yuki's face was livid, but she still didn't relent.
"Me, despicable? Have you forgotten how you threatened me before?" Caleb scoffed. "You were too afraid to go against Reina, so you came to threaten me privately. You wouldn't listen to any explanation, just jumped straight to beating me up, and even tried to do it again today."
Yuki was speechless, only able to counter-ask, "You deliberately pretended to be weak before! You planned to trick me into attacking you so you could carry out today's plan, didn't you?"
"Deliberately pretending to be weak? I had no interest in that."
"Impossible! How could you get so much stronger in just one week?"
Caleb glanced at her dismissively. "If you want to know how, go ask Reina and the others."
"Alright, I don't have time to play games with you. Give me your answer before school ends on Friday."
"If you cooperate nicely, all past debts are erased, and I'll even help you get into their beds."
"Otherwise, I'll tell Reina and the others how you threatened me."
With that, Caleb dusted off his pants and left. He wasn't particularly interested in forcing people, but Yuki was an exception.
He hadn't forgotten the humiliation of the beatings and threats; now he was just exacting revenge in a different way. The more Yuki struggled, the more delighted he felt. Seeing her look so miserable and conflicted was far more satisfying than a simple beating.
Four days passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Yuki sought out Caleb multiple times to negotiate, often coming close to agreeing but ultimately failing to compromise.
Caleb kept his word. The moment the dismissal bell rang on Friday, he told Reina and the girls everything.
"So that's what happened. Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"I was worried I might accidentally drain you dry at the time, so I just went along with her."
"That rotten girl! No wonder she hasn't been around me much lately." Reina put her hands on her hips, annoyed. "It's one thing that she likes girls, but to actually try and threaten my man!"
"You didn't know she liked you?" Caleb asked, surprised.
Ruri Kurumizaka leaned against Caleb's back, her voice sweet and affectionate. "Ruri had an idea, but I didn't think she'd do something so awful."
They knew how frail Caleb's body had been. The fact that a beating from Yuki Shinohara hadn't landed him in the hospital proved she had held back significantly.
Yukina Sasaki patted her large, firm chest. "Leave this to us. We guarantee Yuki won't bother you again."
After watching the miserable and conflicted Yuki Shinohara for the past few days, Caleb's anger had mostly subsided.
As for gaining a new talent... she might not even have one.