"M-Miki… aren't you supposed to be abroad?" Watanabe Tetsu's entire body was trembling—heart, lungs, kidneys, the works.
This is bad. Really bad. Did going out for fun make her angry? Or… was there a hidden camera in the haunted house?
"Come here." Yuki Miki's tone grew colder by three degrees.
Tetsu had no choice but to obey and walk over.
Miki pointed to the tatami mat directly in front of her. "Sit properly."
"Miki, just tell me what I did wrong! I'll fix it, I swear it won't happen again."
She continued to point at the mat, smirking coldly, silent.
Tetsu sat properly in front of her.
"This is for you." Miki's voice carried no hint of surprise as she said something cryptic.
He glanced at her—this woman seemed to be waiting for his reaction.
He couldn't give in now!
Tetsu reached out his other hand, placing it over Miki's calf. The smooth texture of her high-end stockings immediately transmitted through his fingers.
Yet his movement was less about taking advantage and more like giving her a massage.
Still, how far can you touch a girl's leg before the line between "massage" and "taking advantage" blurs?
"You had fun today, didn't you?" Miki said, letting him keep his hand on her calf, and pinched a photo from the table, holding it in front of Tetsu's forehead.
He had to lean back slightly to see it clearly.
Luckily, it wasn't a photo of him hugging Rin Seino in the haunted house—or he'd be doomed.
"I didn't sit with any girls," he said, staring at the roller coaster snapshot. "Miki, you don't know—when we went out today, I even brought two other guys, didn't take photos with the girls, and kept my distance while walking. Just ordinary socializing."
"Oh?"
"Don't believe me? You can ask!"
"And the haunted house?"
"Th-the haunted house?"
Miki let out a cold laugh. "Holding other girls' hands felt comfortable, didn't it?"
"…"
"How should I punish you?"
Miki's smile remained, but her eyes darkened suddenly, sending a chill down Tetsu's spine.
"Uh… Miki, you're… showing a little."
Miki lowered her head—one of her feet was still in Tetsu's grasp, and her skirt naturally lifted slightly.
She rested a hand on the hem and slowly raised it: "What, want to look?"
"I-I'm fine," Tetsu said, glancing once but immediately looking away.
The first glance was instinct; looking again was a matter of principle!
"Good," Miki said with a teasing smile.
Then her expression suddenly darkened. "If you hadn't done anything wrong today…"
She lifted her other foot, which Tetsu instinctively caught again—he was now in a very awkward position.
A girl in black stockings sitting on the table, her legs held by Tetsu in proper seiza—this was not good.
Worse, Tetsu noticed Miki was slightly blushing.
Was she… excited?
Making her feel comfortable went completely against his intentions.
"Sorry!" Tetsu immediately let go, taking a few steps back.
Miki smirked coldly, stood, adjusted her skirt, and walked toward the door. "Follow me."
"Where are we going?"
"Don't you want to meet my parents?"
"This…"
Two minutes later, Tetsu was sprinting down Shinjuku Boulevard. Miki's luxury car cruised alongside at 20 miles per hour.
This was her way of punishing him for making her uncomfortable?
The wind roared past his ears. His legs barely obeyed his commands.
Summer's evening breeze swept through his hair. Sweat beads merged into a single drop, sliding down his cheeks and neck.
Eyes forward, head straight, breathing steady—he ran as if he could keep going forever until reaching the destination.
Passersby stared at him, enjoying the night out.
Tetsu's stride was light and graceful. Thighs propelled lean calves, toes barely touched the ground, heels landed softly—athletic perfection.
And being ridiculously handsome, he looked like a scene straight out of a movie chase.
After several streets, he couldn't keep it up.
No more steady breathing, no more perfect posture—everything collapsed.
"Ha… ha—"
He stopped, hands on knees, gasping, simmering with anger at being toyed with.
On the bustling Shinjuku Boulevard, he yelled:
"Why! Why do I have to live like a henpecked husband!!!"
People around burst into laughter, pointing at him.
A street guitarist even improvised a tune:
"On Shinjuku Boulevard at night~
Handsome guy is running~
Why~~~ why~~~
Turns out he's being trained by his girlfriend~~~"
A storm of guitar riffs followed.
Laughter grew louder, girls giggling behind their hands.
Inside the luxury car, in the dim light, Miki scanned the laughing crowd coldly.
"Let him in."
The car stopped smoothly beside Tetsu; the door slowly opened.
He steadied his breath, straightened up, and got in.
The black car vanished like a shadow into the lively Shinjuku streets.
Miki leaned against the left door, facing Tetsu who was still catching his breath.
"This time, I'll let it slide."
"N-No, I… won't do it again!" Tetsu panted, shaking his head. "No more haunted houses."
"I meant if you dare say 'henpecked husband' on the street again…"
"Can't I say the truth?"
"No." Miki's expression darkened.
Still, Tetsu felt like she wouldn't really get angry—but better safe than sorry. "Henpecked" remained a forbidden phrase.
Even if his body was in top shape, running naked down Shinjuku Boulevard wasn't part of his fitness goals.
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped before a grand, traditional estate, like a Shogun's mansion straight out of a period drama.
Tetsu got out, looking around—he couldn't see another household even from a distance.
How many misdeeds would it take to own a property this vast in the heart of Tokyo?
He followed Miki inside, crossing a courtyard larger than Kamikawa Academy's baseball field, finally reaching the entrance.
"Miss," a woman in a kimono bowed.
"Take him to bathe," Miki said, pointing at Tetsu.
"Yes, Miss."
"Use my room's bathroom."
The kimono-clad woman raised her head slightly in surprise, then quickly lowered it again. "Yes, Miss."
"Master, please follow me."
Tetsu followed her winding path into a delicate, feminine-styled tatami room.
The woman led him further to a bath overflowing with water.
"Master, this is hot spring water. You can also shower here."
"Thank you."
"I'll fetch your clothes. You may bathe now."
"Alright, thank you."
Her impeccable manners prompted Tetsu to bow instinctively.
After she left, he stared at the flowing hot spring water, mentally criticizing the evils of capitalism, then undressed. He rinsed off the day's sweat in the shower before sinking into the bath.
The indoor temperature was comfortably warm—perfect for a summer hot spring.
Tetsu let out a contented sigh.
After the bus ride, haunted house, roller coaster, and evening sprint, he was utterly exhausted.
Might as well just sleep…
Meeting parents? Not happening.