A luxury car was parked downstairs, drawing the attention of passersby. Watanabe Tetsu, familiar with this routine, slid inside.
The car started moving slowly. Yuki Miki asked where he wanted to go.
"Shinagawa Aquarium," he replied.
"The aquarium? That kind of place is fun?"
"Have you been?"
"Just the name alone isn't interesting," Yuki Miki said, leaning on the central armrest, her right hand supporting her pale, delicate cheek.
"Well, if you haven't been, going once won't hurt, right? Isn't it said that people should experience everything once in their lifetime? That's how—"
"If it's boring, you're responsible." She closed her eyes.
The car fell silent immediately. Watanabe Tetsu turned to the robot, Shizuru, who was staring at him motionless.
He smiled lightly. Shizuru's expression faltered, then her brows furrowed in anger. Her hand moved behind her—the spot where she had pulled out her gun last time.
Watanabe Tetsu raised an eyebrow, still grinning like the playful, carefree boy he was. But Shizuru was now fully alert, no longer susceptible to his charm.
Bored, he turned his attention back to Yuki Miki, eyes closed, seemingly enjoying a nap.
'She's probably secretly studying late at night,' he guessed mischievously.
The group headed toward Omotesando in Shibuya, where Kiyono Rin had arranged to meet them.
The car stopped in front of Meiji Shrine, at the Omotesando entrance. There, a poised and elegant girl waited.
Wearing a white short-sleeve top and high-waist skirt, she stood out even more than in her school uniform.
Beyond her stunning face, slender waist, and long, proportionate legs, her very posture radiated a class different from other girls.
Though late May was hot, she remained focused, fanning herself or showing impatience not once. Her long black hair shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
She exuded a saintly calm, as if the temperature around her was always perfect.
Once Kiyono Rin got in the car, she positioned Watanabe Tetsu between her and Shizuru. Fortunately, the car was spacious enough that three people of their builds were not cramped.
Shizuru bowed slightly to Kiyono Rin, who softly greeted her:
"Good afternoon."
Then she turned to Watanabe Tetsu.
"Good afternoon, Watanabe-kun."
"It's noon already, Kiyono-san," Watanabe Tetsu replied, glancing at the shopping bag she carried—probably summer casuals from Omotesando.
Rin tucked some stray hair behind her ear and smiled. "Indeed, it's noon already."
Watanabe Tetsu was momentarily surprised. No bickering today.
"You look lovely today, Kiyono-san."
"Bam!"
He caught Yuki Miki's kick aimed at his groin.
Yuki Miki maintained her reclined posture, smirking cruelly.
"Yuki-sama, what is this? I was just complimenting her out of courtesy," he said, lowering her leg.
Kiyono Rin teased him: "You don't understand women, Watanabe-kun. That was jealousy. Whether you were polite or not doesn't matter."
Crossing her arms, she added: "I bet today you didn't compliment her at all, just me, right?"
Ah, so that's it! Lesson learned.
"Yuki-sama, you look—"
"Throw him out!" Yuki Miki said sternly.
Shizuru seemed eager, pulling out her gun and aiming it at Watanabe Tetsu, simultaneously opening the car door.
The car passed Shibuya Station. Through the open door, he caught a flash of the Hachikō statue—it was moving too fast.
"Wait, wait!" Watanabe Tetsu's face went pale.
If he fell, his body would spin across the pavement, ending as an unrecognizable mess.
The wind swept in. Sitting elegantly, Kiyono Rin's hair flowed as she calmly said:
"Under Article 199 of the Penal Code, murder can be punished by death. Don't worry, Watanabe-kun. The law will avenge you. The Kiyono family will not miss this opportunity either."
"I'd rather survive right now than wait for revenge later!"
Unfazed, Shizuru grabbed him by the temple with one hand, dragging him toward the open door.
As the summer wind hit his face, Watanabe Tetsu prepared to resist using points and stamina, when Yuki Miki's voice cut in:
"Forget it." Her tone was as casual as if she had just ordered the Tsukiji fish market owner to kill a live fish.
Watanabe Tetsu exhaled and broke free from Shizuru's grasp as the car door closed.
Yuki Miki looked at his hair, ruffled by the wind, and smiled: "Watanabe, watch your words. There's no next time."
This woman was insane! He only participated in the rescue activities because he had his head in the game.
The car fell silent again. Before reaching Shinagawa Aquarium, Watanabe Tetsu, having learned his lesson, quietly scrolled through his phone.
Quietly, but both companions could still catch glimpses of the screen if they cared enough.
LINE group chat:
Kunii Osamu: Morning study break. Want to grab lunch together?
Saito Keisuke: My cram class ends in 10 minutes. I'm free.
Saito Keisuke: Watanabe?
Watanabe Tetsu: Can't.
Kunii Osamu: You still need to eat, right? It's only two hours.
Saito Keisuke: I have afternoon classes too. Can't play all day.
Watanabe Tetsu: It's not that I don't want to, I'm tied up.
Kunii Osamu: ?
Saito Keisuke: Back home?
Watanabe Tetsu: Being a tool for Kiyono Rin and Yuki Miki.
Kunii Osamu: Suicide.
Saito Keisuke: No wonder! Jealous!!!
Watanabe Tetsu: Jealous.
Watanabe Tetsu: I just complimented Kiyono Rin in casual clothes out of politeness and didn't compliment Yuki Miki… almost got killed.
Watanabe Tetsu: That's my situation. Still jealous?
Long silence.
Watanabe Tetsu: If you pity me, buy me a drink Monday.
Three seconds later.
Saito Keisuke: You seem to have life perfectly balanced.
Kunii Osamu: Lunch meet canceled! I need to study! Only studying will make life fulfilling!
Watanabe Tetsu: No, it's mostly about looks. You need to be handsome.
"Pfft—"
He looked up. The one who had just snickered, Kiyono Rin, now stared out the window. He glared at the back of her head.
The car reached Shinagawa Station. The aquarium was right in front of them. Four of them walked from the car—it took less than two minutes.
Rin carried her shopping bag with her.
Being the only male, Watanabe Tetsu spread his hands: "I'll buy the tickets, 2300 yen each."
Rin pulled a pale pink wallet from her stylish white round bag and handed him the money for two tickets.
Shizuru handed him a card. He purchased four tickets, giving them to everyone.
As they entered, Watanabe Tetsu said: "Let's get drinks at the Coral Café first, so we can sip while walking."
Inside, the blue-and-white lighting transformed the walls and ceiling into deep-sea colors.
Rin glanced at the tickets and murmured: "Dolphin show?"
Watanabe Tetsu noticed her eyes flicker but said nothing.
He had no particular preference to see, though he could have suggested something—"Tokyo's handsome guy" never stumbled in public.
Yuki Miki compared everything with Rin, and as the only male, he played the reluctant judge.
Earlier, a teasing compliment nearly caused a bloodbath. Best to stay safe.
"Dolphins? The Kiyono family must be troubled by heirs like you. Lead the way—I want to see the sharks." Yuki Miki said to him.
"Drinks first," Watanabe Tetsu insisted.
Yuki Miki glanced at him: "Fine, but if I'm not satisfied, you know the consequences."
He expected her dissatisfaction, so he followed his own preference.
After buying drinks, he didn't go to the sharks but entered a dimly lit room with large cylindrical tanks, resembling experimental growth tanks from a sci-fi movie. Jellyfish drifted inside like dandelions.
Their transparent bodies reflected different colors under the lights, captivating visitors. Rin even took out her phone for photos.
Yuki Miki stood by a blue tank, her expression unreadable.
"Sorry, sorry," a voice nearby apologized. Watanabe Tetsu glanced over—it was a couple who had accidentally brushed against Yuki Miki while taking photos.
The girl apologized again, urging her boyfriend to snap the photo.
Watanabe Tetsu looked at Yuki Miki. The shifting lights made her expression grim, then she suddenly smiled.
In a shadowy corner, a few casually dressed men walked over, seemingly admiring the jellyfish. But Watanabe Tetsu noticed syringe-like reflections on their sleeves.
His expression changed. He couldn't imagine Yuki Miki trying to kill someone for a mere bump.
"Hey, an apology is enough, right?" He held his drink and stepped in front of her.
The boyfriend lowered his camera and approached.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
The girl said: "I accidentally brushed her shoulder. I apologized."
The guy looked at Watanabe Tetsu: "She apologized. What more do you want?"
Watanabe Tetsu glanced around—those men were still watching.
'Bro, I'm saving you. Don't hate me,' he thought.
"How dare you touch my woman with your pathetic self?" he sneered, mocking Yuki Miki's anger.
"What do you mean?" The girlfriend snapped—any man would react.
Watanabe Tetsu didn't like cursing. Words wouldn't stop Yuki Miki's murderous intent, so he acted.
A blindingly fast straight punch hit the man's face, nose bleeding.
Dizzy, the man muttered a classic Japanese curse.
Another punch hit his stomach. Weak and unfit, he curled up like a shrimp.
"Ahhh—" The woman screamed, chaos erupting.
"What are you doing?!" she yelled at Watanabe Tetsu.
He slapped her boyfriend again with his free hand: "Speak again?"
'Sorry, but as a man, take it for your girlfriend,' he thought.
"Security! Security!"
Another slap: "Speak again?"
"Police! I'm calling the cops!"
Watanabe Tetsu stayed silent, delivering another precise slap, drawing blood at the corner of the man's mouth.
The woman stopped yelling, glaring at him in fear and anger, waiting for security.
Soon, the nearest aquarium security arrived.
"Arrest them! I'm calling the police!" she shouted.
Before she finished, Watanabe Tetsu slapped her boyfriend again.
"Sir, please stop! We'll handle it!" a security guard said sternly.
The woman's voice echoed in the dim aquarium.
Watanabe Tetsu glanced at Yuki Miki, who smiled.
He read her expression: she wasn't satisfied, which meant the noisy woman was still in danger.
He moved forward. Security reached to stop him, but he bent and kneeled into one guard's stomach, sending him down.
Two more guards charged—he took them down easily.
He silently apologized in his heart, approached the couple, and slapped the man again.
The woman looked terrified. The man's face was a mix of anger, fear, and helplessness.
"You disturbed the jellyfish," Watanabe Tetsu said exhaustedly.
Yuki Miki's laugh followed.
He exhaled and said cheerfully: "Next time you touch my woman, one slap per encounter."
Turning back, he asked Yuki Miki: "You okay? If not, I'll teach them another lesson for you."
"Forget it," she waved. "I'm in a good mood—let her go."
They left the jellyfish area. No staff intervened.
Sipping his drink, he said casually: "Am I too violent? Just a touch and I beat them like that?"
"What's that?" Yuki Miki seemed oblivious.
She smiled knowingly: "Relax. Ordinary people can't even touch me."
Watanabe Tetsu awkwardly smiled: "Let's see the sharks."
The shark tank was massive, with many fish. Visitors descended a spiral ramp to reach the bottom.
Halfway down, Shizuru's phone rang. Yuki Miki frowned slightly.
Two seconds later, Shizuru finished, whispering to Yuki Miki.
"A bunch of useless idiots… they can't do anything without me," Yuki Miki muttered, heading out, with Shizuru following.
Their departure cleared the previously crowded ramp. These men and women were her subordinates.
Now, only Watanabe Tetsu and Kiyono Rin remained.
"Sharks or dolphin show?" he asked.
Rin, expressionless, replied: "Dolphin show in twenty minutes."
They walked the rest of the ramp in silence, reaching the bottom of the giant aquarium: a 20-meter-long "underwater tunnel."
Fish swirled above and around them, sometimes darting, sometimes freezing mid-water.
Every turn reflected rainbow-like colors, a living kaleidoscope.
"Curious?" Watanabe Tetsu asked, eyes on a sign listing stingrays, sharks, sea bream, and other tank species.
"Don't know why, but you care for them," Rin said, staring at roughly eight thousand spotted fish. "I can tell you're a good person."
Not exactly a compliment, but he said thanks.
"Most people are curious. Like the last time, about medicines, Otanoshimizu, and so on."
"'The Kiyono family is troubled by heirs like you.' Didn't you ask?"
"I'm waiting for you to fall for me and tell me yourself," he said, making Rin giggle.
He wasn't joking. He wasn't interested in her personally—his words were a mild provocation, yet he laughed too.
Rin's pure laughter was rare. Previously, she only smiled teasingly or smugly, always deliberate.
"I'm waiting for you to fall for me and tell me yourself," she replied with a smile.
Watanabe Tetsu faced a shark opening its massive jaws on the other side of the tank, trying to remain calm, though a little afraid, and said to the girl beside him:
"Let's see who's the uncivilized ape here."