Kuroha Akira was just an ordinary person.
Even without looking at his right hand—that cheat ability that could copy others' talents—he clearly understood his own mediocrity. His cheat could only borrow brilliance from others; ultimately, those talents weren't genuinely his own. He was a collector of other people's light, not a source of it.
"Shion, you might think I'm very special… but actually, there's nothing special about me. Like everyone else, I was just attracted by your appearance, and then superficially fell for you."
"…"
It's okay if it's just my appearance…!
Shinomiya wanted to shout that at him, but she couldn't. Because she couldn't help but ask herself: Is it really okay?
No, it wasn't okay at all. Because Kuroha Akira was the first man Shinomiya Shion had ever truly liked. So she hoped Kuroha Akira would like all parts of her—not just her appearance, but her inner self as well. If he only liked her looks, she would definitely be very sad and fall back into that inferiority complex of being just a pretty face. And it might even backlash more intensely than before.
Because it was precisely because Kuroha Akira had acknowledged her talent that Shinomiya Shion's inner self—shattered by her overly beautiful appearance—had been able to be reborn.
Kuroha Akira, uninterrupted, continued to speak.
"If we were classmates, I would definitely confess to you."
Of course, that was assuming Kuroha Akira was a real student… However, he was already an adult. After becoming an adult, one loses pure emotions and prioritizes material conditions.
If he had met Shinomiya Shion during his student days in his previous life, she would probably have become his first crush and secret love interest. However, in that case, he would also have confessed to her like all those other ordinary boys who secretly liked Shinomiya—and then been rejected by her. Because an unspecial version of him would have had no chance to get close to her.
Kuroha Akira revealed this point to her.
"But if we were just classmates or friends, do you think we would have developed to this 'one step away' relationship we have now?"
"…"
Yes! There will be a fated encounter!
She wanted to say that, but couldn't. Because she knew it wasn't realistic. Even with her love-struck mind, she understood that her meeting with Kuroha Akira was predicated on her running away from home. If not for their encounter at the abandoned shrine, she might never have even known Kuroha Akira existed. This fact left her speechless.
Kuroha Akira then spoke the answer for her.
"The answer is no. Because if we were merely classmates or friends, such a relationship would be very fragile—so fragile that just moving houses or transferring schools could naturally break it off."
"…"
"Shion, do you still remember the names and faces of the boys who confessed to you in middle school?"
"Hmm…"
"You don't remember, do you? That's normal. Because they weren't important to you. They were just passersby in your life—background characters in your story."
Shinomiya Shion tried to recall past confession scenes, but she indeed only had extremely vague impressions. She couldn't remember any names or faces. She had met them, seen them, but never cared.
Then she finally understood why she had felt so anxious when she saw Kuroha Akira's expression just now.
Because Kuroha Akira's expression was the same as those boys'.
The self-deprecating look after being clearly rejected—despite confessing knowing it would fail.
So, Akira-kun also feels inferior…
He isn't always as confident as he appears. He also has a vulnerable side, feeling unworthy of her…
It was then that Shinomiya Shion began to touch upon Kuroha Akira's true nature—truly starting to understand his thoughts. And then she was no longer flustered. She realized that her fear was only due to not understanding Kuroha Akira well enough.
So she gradually calmed herself and braced up again, because she also wanted to persuade Kuroha Akira, to make him accept her, and thus make this relationship happen.
"If I had met Shion at school, even if I confessed to you, I would most likely become one of them—simply forgotten by you."
"Hmm, but that's just an 'if,' isn't it? In reality, we're not classmates, are we?"
"That's right. Ultimately, the reason we could develop into this 'sleeping in the same bed' relationship is because I brought you back to Kobayashi, and now we live together… It's this environment that quickly brought us closer."
Many couples only start cohabiting after a long period of dating. But Kuroha Akira and Shinomiya Shion had started living in the same room from the very beginning. This was like getting pregnant before marriage—the shortening of physical distance further accelerated the rapid warming of emotions.
"Yes… that point is indeed crucial."
Shinomiya also admitted this. It was precisely because of cohabitation that she would be immersed in Kuroha Akira's scent every day, indulge in the game of leaving her own scent, and as she smelled the constantly mixing fragrances, her infatuation grew deeper and deeper.
"Of course, this is also because that stingy old woman refused to give you a separate room…"
Tsk, old woman, it's all your fault! Why are you setting up assists? Aren't you forcing me to expose my shortcomings?
Do you know how miserable it is for a man to admit his 'incompetence'…
Even Kuroha Akira didn't want to show a pathetic side in front of Shinomiya. However, he only had this one move left now.
"That's not Granny Kobayashi's fault…"
Shinomiya Shion, on the contrary, was very grateful for Granny Kobayashi's 'assist' born from her adherence to old rules.
"Even if we don't live in the same room, we live under the same roof, and our relationship will eventually grow closer. I would still fall for Akira-kun—no matter how many times it repeated, I would fall for him."
Shinomiya Shion said these words with immense conviction. Only this feeling, she was sure, would not fade, because it was her true heart.
"Yes, but honestly, I knew you would fall for me. I just didn't expect the progress to be so fast—far exceeding my expectations…"
Because Kuroha Akira hadn't anticipated that Shinomiya possessed her mother's love-struck mind, constantly self-strategizing, leading her favorability to an unusually high level.
"Hmm…"
Shinomiya Shion also blushed a little. It was through constant contact with Kuroha Akira—and during his massages—that she gradually realized her feelings, intertwined with the intense pleasure.
"Because I feel that Akira-kun is very reliable…"
"Then why do you think I'm reliable?"
"Because you're my Producer… Ah…!"
Shinomiya thus fell into the trap Kuroha Akira had dug for her.
"That's right. Precisely because I am your Producer—because I said I would be responsible for your life and plan your future—that's why you value me so much and are willing to listen to me. However, if we were in a different relationship, the 'weight of my words' would be insufficient, and you wouldn't care about me so much, would you?"
"Hmm…"
Shinomiya bit her lower lip. She had already lost ground in this conversational skirmish, with Kuroha Akira gaining the upper hand.
"So what I want to emphasize is the nature of our relationship. I already clarified this last time in the bathroom."
"A Producer and the artist he's responsible for… But this relationship doesn't conflict with being lovers, does it?"
"It doesn't conflict, but it will 'lower the upper limit.'"
"Lower the upper limit?"
"Hmm. I think Shion, you should be very clear about what I want to get from you."
"…Money."
She knew. She had known from the very beginning. Kuroha Akira had never hidden his intentions when he first approached her.
"That's right. Although in the bathroom earlier, I used the Producer identity to draw a line with you and told you I didn't want you to only have one choice of destination… those were just excuses to put you off. I actually don't mind becoming your only destination. Rather, I'd be very happy to get you in that way."
"So you were lying to me? And I even told Akira-kun that once I could stand on my own, I'd get your answer."
"It wasn't entirely a lie—just a slightly different starting point… Actually, the reason I don't want to touch you is that once I truly possess you, I'm sure I'll start to regret it. Because I originally intended to extract enormous wealth from you."
"Ah… But, even if we're together, I can still make money, can't I?"
"You can. But I said it would lower the upper limit."
"Is it because I'm not a virgin? But as long as we hide it…"
"It has nothing to do with that. Whether you're a virgin or not is irrelevant. It's that I myself will become an obstacle to your career… Because I will want to possess you. I won't want you to be in the public eye. That's what you call possessiveness…"
These words made Shinomiya Shion's heart pound.
So Akira-kun is also like her… After falling in love with someone, you just want to possess all of them!
After her initial joy, she immediately felt a pang of anxiety. Because she also understood the contradiction.
"Do you understand? Right now, I only like you, but I have no right to interfere with your private life. But if I become your lover, I would join your private life and then try to expand it—and this would have a significant impact on your career path, possibly even ending your professional career."
"Hmm…"
This was an irreconcilable contradiction—a relationship flag that seemed impossible to clear.
"This would go against my original intention of bringing you back, and it would also betray your trust in me… Because Shion, you believed I could truly help you achieve independence, which is why you came with me, right?"
"Hmm…"
With Kuroha Akira's help in review, Shinomiya Shion also recalled her initial feelings. At that time, she hadn't truly fallen for Kuroha Akira; she had followed him with expectations for the future. It was only later, after falling for Kuroha Akira, that her motivation completely changed—becoming an effort to gain his attention and gaze. From doing it for herself, it became doing it for him…
This was all the influence of her love-struck mind. And Kuroha Akira had not blindly fallen into love.
"So actually, what restrains my desires and hinders our relationship is not some grand reason, but merely my greed."
Kuroha Akira confessed to Shinomiya.
"I am a greedy person. What I want to gain from Shion is not just temporary pleasure and a loving partner; I want to gain the wealth you bring me even more… Otherwise, facing you, I would always feel inferior."
"Inferior…"
Sure enough, he did… But he said it himself.
Shinomiya Shion knew that for Kuroha Akira, this might be harder to say than a confession. No one wants to make a fool of themselves in front of the person they like, let alone expose their weaknesses.
"Because I have nothing right now. No money, no house of my own—just a freeloader living at Kobayashi. As I am, I can't even afford gifts or rings for you, can't give you a proper wedding, let alone a honeymoon…"
"Akira-kun, I don't mind…"
"I know you'll say you don't mind, but I do. I don't want to have you but be unable to give you happiness. This is a man's ridiculous and pathetic self-esteem."
"…"
Impulsive young people often throw caution to the wind for love, but Kuroha Akira knew that material conditions were equally important. The prerequisite for happiness was no longer worrying about life. Finding joy in hardship was merely a helpless compromise. Even parents were not the most reliable existence; the most reliable was always oneself.
One must first be able to stand on their own, and then have the confidence to pursue other things, such as… love.
"But my self-esteem is still insignificant compared to others. If I fulfill my promise and truly help Shion succeed, I don't mind using the money I get from you to achieve financial freedom. Even if outsiders say I'm being supported by you, it doesn't matter. I don't care about that kind of reputation."
"Ah…!"
Shinomiya suddenly understood. She knew Kuroha Akira's words were leaving a 'shortcut' for her—even kindly helping her merge the paths of 'career' and 'love.'
Achieve career success, financial freedom, find love, build a family, day and night, surrounded by children and grandchildren, a lifetime of happiness… It could all be achieved!
"So, do you understand, Shion? I don't touch you, not because you lack charm, nor because I cherish you, but simply because you haven't brought me enough wealth yet."
I'm just a good-for-nothing who only wants to live off women.
I covet not only your beauty but also your body, but because I want money more, I haven't made a move.
No matter how good or reliable you thought I was before, at this moment you must understand…
I am the parasite that latches onto you.
Kuroha Akira used this method to shatter Shinomiya's illusions about him. However, there were no illusions. After understanding the real Kuroha Akira, Shinomiya was even happier. It felt like the capture progress had finally entered the next stage.
Ah, Akira-kun has finally opened his heart to me…
And the goal was very clear.
"So, it's still a matter of money, isn't it?"
"That's right, it's a matter of money. What I said before sounded like I was asking you to wait for me, but actually, I'm waiting for you… If Shion, you truly want to develop to the final stage with me, then fully utilize your talents, achieve my plan as soon as possible, reach the peak, and earn enough money for me. That way, I'll have enough confidence to possess you exclusively."
"I understand… I understand everything!"
With money, she could have Kuroha Akira. Have his body, have his love, have all of him. Isn't that simple?
At this moment, Shinomiya was like someone who had finally figured out the route condition for the male character she wanted to capture in an otome game—it turned out that the money requirement had to be met first.
"If you understand, then go put on your clothes… Don't tempt me anymore. I'm also enduring a lot of pain. You might be 'relieved,' but you don't know how hard it is for me, do you? Please, show some consideration for a boy in puberty…"
"Hmm… I'm sorry…"
Shinomiya gave an awkward smile. Only after this heart-to-heart with Kuroha Akira did she finally understand his difficulties. He liked her, and he wanted to 'eat' her, but he just couldn't give her happiness without money.
"And untie your hair too. Sleeping with that hairstyle must be uncomfortable for you… I'm sorry, I only made you tie your hair to make myself feel better, but actually, I prefer your long hair. I just don't want others to see it…"
Since he had already thrown caution to the wind, Kuroha Akira honestly apologized to her, also wanting Shinomiya to return to her long, straight black hair, which he found more pleasing to look at.
Shinomiya Shion's favorability +99999…
Akira-kun is too adorable like this!
After taking off that mask of confidence and omnipotence, Kuroha Akira's honest and slightly selfish appearance… he only showed this side to her! Because Akira-kun liked her too!
This emotional satisfaction was the reason for Shinomiya's favorability to skyrocket. Women also fell for a man's 'contrast,' and Kuroha Akira's contrast happened to hit Shinomiya's preferences perfectly.
Women in love were willing to give everything for the man they liked, which was why they always fell for scumbags who constantly demanded from them—because it gave them immense satisfaction… Shinomiya Shion's preferences were as terrible as her mother, Shinomiya Fumiko's.
"And also… Shion, you need to be more careful in the future. Don't easily show such an unguarded side to a man."
"I understand, I'll be careful. And there's no way I'd be this casual with anyone other than you, Akira-kun."
"That's good…"
"Oh, right, Akira-kun… you haven't massaged me yet today, have you?"
"Ah… alright then… come here."
Kuroha Akira guiltily averted his eyes; his heart was itching, and so were his hands. He knew he was walking a fine line, but at this point, the line had already blurred beyond recognition.
Shinomiya's eyes immediately lit up like stars on a festival night—he actually agreed!
As long as it wasn't kissing or going all the way, he would agree, because Akira-kun was also holding back! He also needed 'stress relief'!
Now she could enjoy herself thoroughly~
"Good! I'll put on my pantyhose right away. Akira-kun, which kind do you want? Black or white?"
"Black, then. A bit sheer… Um, just to be clear, what follows is just a massage… So… if you feel uncomfortable, push my hand away… Understood?"
The statement, clearly trying to cover up his intentions, only exposed Kuroha Akira's true motives. His words were saying one thing, but his eyes were saying something else entirely.
Shinomiya Shion was too beautiful—so beautiful that Kuroha Akira felt he'd be letting himself down if he didn't do something. Who knew how long he could hold back? If he kept having these thoughts, of course, he wouldn't be able to restrain himself.
The most critical factor, of course, was the body—touch cannot be blocked. Conversely, appropriate 'satisfaction' could also help with subsequent restraint. However, the bottom line was slowly conceded until it disappeared.
"…Mm!"
Shinomiya became even more excited, a blush spreading from her cheeks to her earlobes. She knew that what followed was a more advanced level of relaxation—the kind that would leave her breathless and satisfied.
"Move the quilt to the side, and you don't need to wear pants… And it's best to lay a towel on the bedsheet…"
"I'll go get it right away!"
Shion practically bounced off the bed, her freshly unbound hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of ink. She rummaged through the closet with trembling fingers, retrieving a fluffy white towel and—after a moment's hesitation—the black sheer pantyhose Akira had requested. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she stepped into them, rolling the delicate fabric up past her ankles, her calves, her knees, all the way to her upper thighs where they clung like a second skin.
He asked for these specifically…
He wants to feel me through them…
The thought sent a shiver racing up her spine.
When she returned to the bed, Akira had already positioned himself at the foot, sitting cross-legged with his sleeves rolled up past his forearms. The dim lamplight caught the defined muscles there, and Shion felt her mouth go dry.
"Lie down on your stomach first."
His voice was rougher than usual. Lower. The kind of tone that made her thighs press together involuntarily.
Shion spread the towel across the center of the bed and lowered herself onto it, her cheek pressing into the cool fabric of the pillow. The position left her feeling exposed—her legs stretched out behind her, the sheer black pantyhose doing nothing to hide the pale skin beneath, the curve of her calves, the soft flesh of her inner thighs.
"Nn… like this?"
"Yeah."
Akira's hands found her left ankle first, his thumbs pressing into the arch of her foot through the gossamer-thin nylon. The pressure was firm, practiced, but there was something different tonight. His touch lingered longer than necessary, his fingers tracing the delicate bones of her ankle before sliding upward.
"Hahh…"
Shion exhaled shakily as his palms cupped her calf, kneading the muscle with slow, deliberate strokes. The friction of his skin against the pantyhose created a soft shhhh sound that seemed impossibly loud in the quiet room. She could smell the faint sweetness of the fabric softener on the towel beneath her, mixed with something warmer—the scent of Akira's skin, masculine and clean, with an undertone of something darker. Desire, maybe. Or restraint wearing thin.
"Your muscles are tense here."
"Mm… because I was nervous earlier…"
"I know."
His hands crept higher, past the curve of her calf to the sensitive hollow behind her knee. Shion's breath hitched. This was already further than he usually went—the invisible boundary they'd both been pretending existed.
"The parts further up are not something my status allows me to touch."
That's what he'd said before. But tonight, his fingers seemed determined to prove that statement obsolete.
"A-Akira-kun…"
"Does it hurt?"
"No… it's just…"
It feels too good.
She couldn't say it. Couldn't admit how every press of his thumbs sent sparks shooting up her thighs, how the slow drag of his palms made her skin prickle with goosebumps even through the pantyhose. Her toes curled helplessly as he worked the muscle just above her knee, and she had to bite her lip to stifle a whimper.
"Fuaaah…"
The soft moan escaped anyway, muffled by the pillow.
Akira's hands paused for a fraction of a second—then continued their ascent.
He's really going higher…
Past the knee line…
Oh god, oh god, oh god—
His palms pressed flat against her lower thighs, the heat of his touch bleeding through the sheer fabric like a brand. Shion's hips twitched involuntarily, pressing down into the towel beneath her as warmth pooled low in her belly. She could feel herself growing slick, the telltale dampness spreading between her legs, and mortification warred with arousal in her chest.
Can he tell? Can he smell it?
The room was already thick with the mingled scent of their bodies—her floral shampoo, his clean musk, and something heavier now, something undeniably feminine and wanting. The humid air clung to her skin like a second layer of clothing.
"Shion."
"Y-yes?"
"Turn over."
Her heart nearly stopped.
"Turn… over?"
"The front of your thighs needs work too."
Liar. Liar, liar, liar.
But she obeyed anyway, rolling onto her back with her face burning. The new position was infinitely more vulnerable—she could see Akira's face now, could see the way his jaw was clenched tight, the way his dark eyes tracked the rise and fall of her chest with each shallow breath. Her thin sleeping shirt had ridden up during the turn, exposing a sliver of her pale stomach, and she watched his gaze drop to it before he forcibly looked away.
He's barely holding on…
Just like me.
His hands found her ankle again, retracing the same path up her calf, but this time she could watch. Could see how his fingers pressed just a little harder than necessary, how his thumbs traced circles against the sensitive skin behind her knee that had nothing to do with massage and everything to do with wanting.
"Nnn… hahh…"
Her back arched off the bed when he reached her thighs, his broad palms spreading across the front of them, fingers curling around to grip the soft flesh. The sheer pantyhose was practically translucent now, stretched thin over her legs, and she could see the contrast of his tanned hands against her pale skin through the dark fabric.
"Here too?"
"Y-yes… please…"
Please what? Please more? Please don't stop?
She didn't even know anymore.
Akira's thumbs dug into the muscle of her inner thigh, and Shion's entire body jerked. A wet squelch sound reached her ears, and she realized with dawning horror that the towel beneath her hips was already damp—had been damp for a while now, absorbing what her body couldn't contain.
"Akira-kun, wait—"
"It's fine."
His voice was hoarse, strained at the edges.
"I told you. If you're uncomfortable, push my hand away."
But she didn't want to push him away. That was the problem. She wanted him closer, wanted those hands to slide just a few inches higher, to press where she was aching and empty and—
"Fuaaa— nnhh—!!"
His thumbs pressed into the crease where her thigh met her hip, rubbing firm circles through the soaked fabric, and Shion's vision went white. Her hips bucked up into his touch without her permission, chasing the pressure, needing more, more, more—
"Hyaahh— Akira-kun—!"
"Shh. Just relax."
How can I relax when you're—
His fingers slipped beneath the waistband of her pantyhose, not removing them, just creating enough slack to let his hands slide deeper, and Shion's thoughts dissolved into static. He wasn't touching there—not directly—but his thumbs were so close, rubbing the tender flesh of her inner thighs in slow, maddening circles, and she could feel the heat of his palms radiating against her core through the thin layer of nylon still separating them.
"Nnhh— hahh— fuuu—"
Her breathing came in short, ragged gasps. Drool pooled at the corner of her mouth, sliding down her chin in a thin strand she was too far gone to wipe away. The scent of her arousal hung heavy in the air—sharp and sweet and unmistakably wanting—mixing with the salt of her sweat and the lingering traces of her jasmine body lotion.
"A-Akira… kun…"
"Does it feel good?"
"Nnhhh— yes— too good—"
I'm going to—
If he keeps going, I'm going to—
…
After midnight, Kuroha Akira got up, withdrew his hands, and picked up the towel—heavy with absorbed moisture—and Shion's black sheer pantyhose.
"Then I'll go wash my hands and come back in a bit… Shion, you should also… put on your pants before you sleep."
Kuroha Akira had indulged his hands to his heart's content, and Shion had been so stimulated by him that her mouth watered and drooled. At this moment, Shion lay sprawled on the bed, as if she had been in a sauna for far too long—covered in sweat, the lingering aftertaste of her body becoming incredibly languid still taking effect.
She opened her hazy, moist eyes, licked her lips, and asked lazily,
"Akira-kun… can I request this 'special' kind in the future too?"
"Of course…"
Anyway, it's already like this. And honestly, Kuroha Akira quite enjoyed it too. There were still remnants on his hands, and when he went to the restroom to take care of things, the 'materials for casting' were also abundant.
"Hehe… Then I'll wait for you to come back… We're sleeping together tonight too, right?"
"Mm."
Shion lay lazily on the bed. Although she was still a virgin, it was merely a case of 'the window paper not yet being poked through.' Both her inner and outer self had already recorded the wonderful experience Kuroha Akira had given her… For someone with a strong sense of spiritual purity, she was actually already considered 'unclean.'
Although they weren't lovers yet, it was better than being lovers.
Kuroha Akira was being reverse-conquered by Shinomiya Shion.
And the only obstacle remaining in front of Shion was the single metric of 'wealth.'