Chapter 162: 158: Ceremony (2)

Chapter 162: 158: Ceremony (2)

Boom! Boom!

The sound of approaching footsteps reverberated through the corridor, someone rapidly approaching the room.

Despite her anger building up inside, Ruri had to make an effort to control her emotions, avoiding any accidental outbursts that might devastate the entire building.

Before opening the door, she mentally prepared herself. Thoughts of violently confronting those who dared to intrude without permission ran through her mind.

With a resounding crash, Ruri forcefully swung open the door, seemingly unbothered by the potential damage she might inflict on it. In the end, a severe crack marred the door frame as a result of her hasty entrance.

Startled by Ruri's abrupt arrival, the two occupants in the room appeared surprised.

Yet, the catastrophic scenario she might have imagined failed to manifest. Instead, both people inside were unusually well-behaved and proper.

Ayane remained seated at the edge of the bed with a chair, fully clothed, showing no signs of disarray. She was spoon feeding Shiraishi hot rice porridge with a gentle touch, as if she was tending to a patient carefully.

Ruri's face betrayed no emotion, her stern presence filling the room. It wasn't so much anger radiating from her as it was an aura meant to unnerve those inside.

"I realized that Shiraishi-kun was home alone, so I brought over some lunch. I didn't do anything... Are you angry?" Ayane set down the spoon and the bowl of hot rice porridge, calmly addressing Ruri.

"No. I just thought it would be nice if you let me know before coming over. There's no need for it to take so long to feed him." Ruri responded with a tone as level as Ayane's.

Though their conversation seemed normal, Shiraishi could sense the palpable tension in the air.

"Well, Shiraishi-kun's kindness is hard to resist, and he's been pulling me closer. It is a bit of a dilemma, so I stayed for a while." Ayane explained with a gentle smile.

"Didn't you just decide stay refusing to leave?" Shiraishi interjected.

"What are you talking about? Shiraishi-kun, men should never lie to women."

Ayane replied, her head tilted in apparent confusion, as if she was completely unaware of what Shiraishi was talking about.

"Alright, Ruri, there's really nothing to it. Can you take her out? I would like some time alone." Shiraishi said while rubbing his forehead, feeling exasperated by the tense atmosphere.

Shiraishi massaged the area between his eyebrows, deeply troubled by the tense atmosphere. The more Ayane tried to clarify the situation, the worse it seemed to become.

This woman had a remarkable knack for maintaining her composure even when facing challenging situations. A mere hint of embarrassment and the truth would remain unspoken.

"You should have considered me a wounded person before coming over here,"

Shiraishi remarked, his eyes filled with complaint as he gazed at Ayane. It wasn't so much about angering Ruri as intentionally disrupting his rest. He could likely comprehend the root of this resentment. As a result, a sense of guilt began to well up within him.

While Shiraishi pondered these thoughts, Ruri, on the other side, took a deep breath and said, "You can continue your conversation here. I'm not that possessive."

With that statement, she left the room, her attitude just as cold as usual.

Approximately ten seconds after Ruri left the room, a sudden deafening noise rang out.

Boom!

The entire room, no the entire house, from the rooms to the foundation underneath, experienced an intense and horrifying tremor.

Amid the panic and screams, the house tilted at a thirty-degree angle. In his weak state, Shiraishi awkwardly rolled off the bed and fell onto all fours on the ground.

"What's going on—?"

Shiraishi barely had time to voice his confusion when he heard a resounding crack from above.

Looking upward with a sense of foreboding, he watched as a gaping hole formed in the ceiling, causing stones to fall down.

The entire house was reduced to rubble. Shiraishi and Ayane were buried beneath a huge amount of debris.

Passersby were drawn to the scene.

An old man walking his dog passed by. He glanced at the collapsed house and continued on his way with a nonchalant expression. His dog barked twice.

...

After enduring the cold wind all afternoon and moving to a new single-family villa in the evening, Shiraishi's cold appeared to worsen. His plan to rest and recuperate during his illness had been thwarted. However, the chaotic events from earlier in the day had subsided, and he could finally enjoy a peaceful evening.

Shiraishi planned to take another day off to compensate for missing a day of relaxation.

During the night, as he lay in bed, Shiraishi suddenly noticed Ruri standing beside him, her eyes locked onto him without blinking. Her gaze, akin to a deep, cold abyss, sent a chill down Shiraishi's spine.

"Ruri... what's the matter?"

Shiraishi asked, feeling an unsettling thump in his chest. His worsening cold had made his tone nasal.

"I'm thinking about... if i should strangle you right now." Ruri said in a cold tone.

'Please don't say such dreadful things at night.' Shiraishi said inwardly as he felt the cold chill creeping into his very bones.

When Shiraishi was about to respond, he suddenly felt a severe twist in his waist.

"Ah!"

Shiraishi couldn't help but shout. As he gingerly touched his painful waist, he realized it had turned an alarming shade of blue.

Indeed, it had.

Just as Shiraishi was about to speak, Ruri changed her position and straddled Shiraishi, digging her nails deeply into his neck.

"Why can't you control your lower part?"

"I'm truly dedicated to you, you're the best woman in the whole world." Shiraishi hurriedly replied.

This statement wasn't just a polite statement. It came from the heart.

"What about her?"

"Well...."

It was complicated. It wasn't easy to explain. After all, what was wrong with men having desires? He just didn't want to let anyone down.

As adults, they had grown more open about their feelings. To him, each of them was a unique and cherished individual.

They were worth risking his life for.

Though he held these sentiments, saying them out loud made him feel something terrible might happen.

"If you're lying to me, I won't go easy on you. I'll kill you." Ruri warned.

"I'm not lying."

"What about her!!?"

Her fingers were tightening on his neck. They seemed to be drawing blood.

"It appears you have no excuses left, so I'll deal with you tonight."

Her murderous intent was evident.

Initially, Shiraishi believed Ruri was simply joking, but he soon realized she was serious.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.

The sound. of the howling wind outside seemed to grow louder.

...

When he woke up in the morning, the warmth of a burning stove contrasted with the cold outside.

Shiraishi's cold had not yet healed, and his eyes were surrounded by heavy dark circles.

The woman who shared his bed was entirely naked. She woke up at that moment, her breath warming the air as she asked by his ear, "How many times were you 'killed' last night?"

"I'm hungry, let's go get something to eat."

Shiraishi had little choice but to agree He decided it would be wise not to wander around further.

After all, this was a festival, the streets were filled with Miko performances and blessings, particularly in the commercial street's center, where the melodious sound of flutes could be heard from a distance.

The three of them entered a hot spring tavern to have a meal and enjoy the hot springs afterward. While ordering food, they also bought a few bottles of sake.

The flute's melodies could still be heard from outside, where priestesses continued their gorgeous dances to pray for people.

Shiraishi closed his eyes, sipped sake, and listened to the flute's tunes while imagining himself dancing with one of them.

Life seemed peaceful and pleasant this way.

However, his daydream was interrupted as the dancing Miko in his imagination transformed into Ruri and Ayane, wearing in their attire, gracefully performing before him.

"Cough!"

Shiraishi choked on his drink, coughing. He opened his eyes to find an uncomfortable atmosphere at the table.

Ruri and Ayane were locked in a tense exchange of glares. Several empty sake bottles sat beside them, their faces flushed with drunkenness.

"If you can't handle your sake, you shouldn't have drunk so much. We could've enjoyed the festival afterward."

Shiraishi looked at the two who were competing silently, and thought that today could be passed without any worries, but it seemed he thought too much. How could these two women coexist peacefully.

"Shiraishi-kun, just stay seated, unlike a certain someone, i can hold my sake well, and I've never turned down a drink." Ayane held the cup in her hand, and drank in one gulp.

"I've heard that women with big chests are poor drinkers."

"Oh... Are you still jealous of them?"

Ayane retorted, puffing out her chest slightly, causing things to tremble beneath the thin fabric.

"You're the jealous one. I've won completely. Your ugliness is written all over your face."

Ruri shot back, a smug smile playing on her lips. She raised her cup elegantly and took a sip.

Ayane took a deep breath, her chest heaving, showing the extent of her frustration.

Then, she uttered two words,

"Teapot lid."

Ruri displayed a visible annoyance at the words.

"Who's sleeping next to Shiraishi now? You can see it with your Byakugan, right?"

"Teapot lid."

"...b*tch."

"Teapot lid."

The tension crackled in the air. Their utensils clinked and sparked as fork and knife collided.

"Alright, it seems like you've both had a bit too much to drink. How about we head to the hot spring to calm down?" Shiraishi suggested, hoping to diffuse the situation.

"Shiraishi-kun, just sit here."

"That's right. You're not at fault for not being able to control your lower body."

"Things were weird from the start, but obviously I was the one who honestly met Shiraishi-kun first, and I was the one who kissed him first. Why are you acting so shamelessly teapot lid? Are you trying to seduce Shiraishi-kun?"

Ayane vented her frustration towards Ruri. The more she thought about it, the more resentful she became.

Shiraishi just took a sip of his wine.

"What's the importance of your words? You b*tch, you're the one being shameless."

"Wasn't I the one to win his love first?"

"Even if you won him with a sword, it doesn't change the fact that you are weaker than me. The unwilling face of a loser is truly ugly."

"Strength is used to show power. No wonder Shiraishi-kun can't let go of my gentleness. With you around, he must have been under lot of pressure."

Observing the two engaged in a verbal confrontation, their gazes locked, with sparks flying in the air, Shiraishi realized they would likely continue bickering all night.

He sighed and decided to continue drinking. The sound of the flute filled the air, and the lively festival carried on. It seemed that this year might be peaceful.

...,..

At noon, the sun shone brightly, creating a beautiful day. The bustling festival had concluded, leaving Oni City quiet and empty during the day.

Something was moving under the bed. Ruri got up, gathered her long hair as she picked up her clothes and began dressing.

"Ruri, what time is it?"

Shiraishi asked groggily. He was experiencing a mild hangover due to the heavy drinking at the tavern the previous night. The bed felt warm and comfortable, and he had no desire to leave.

It was the New Year season, so he could afford to relax a few more days without worrying about work.

Ruri didn't respond but said, "I'm going out to buy a new house."

Shiraishi was surprised. They had only bought this house a few days ago. Why would they need a new one already?

"What's wrong with this house? Why do we need a new one?"

"This house.... isn't clean. I want a new one."

Ruri walked out with a blank expression, her expression was as cold as usual.

"Shiraishi-kun, whats... the matter? Do you still want it.....? No, I couldn't do it last night..."

Ayane's voice sounded from behind, where her white arms wrapped around Shiraishi's neck. She opened her eyes slightly and giggled, clearly still feeling the effects of last night's drinking.

"Ayane? You...?" Shiraishi was startled as he suddenly realized Ayane was sharing the bed with him.

His head began throbbing again. Thinking back, they had all consumed a large amount of drink last night, which led to...

Shiraishi's face paled.

"Ayane, get up!"

"Huh? What's wrong?" Ayane lifted herself up slightly, her pajamas partially undone. She yawned, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"No time to explain; just hurry—"

Boom!

The foundation of the building trembled, causing the entire villa to tilt at a 30-degree angle due to a powerful force.

The walls began to crack visibly.

In their panic, Shiraishi and Ayane rolled off the bed just as a large stone fell from above.

Meanwhile, Ruri stood outside staring at the house now in ruins expressionless.

-----

90 advanced chapters on Patreon.

Patreon. com/chizihn