The Underworld, Starting with Debt

"The flavor of the sauce is so rich~ but..."

"It smells like another girl's scent, is it Nina's?"

With her index finger pressed against her bright red lips, under the warm light, Tsubaki Mira narrowed her long, phoenix-shaped eyes, her gaze flashing with a profound meaning.

......

After taking out a change of clothes from his room at the Tsubakien house, Ito Koshitomo went to the bathroom door.

Someone was already in the bathroom; the bright incandescent light diffused through the rising steam, creating a somewhat hazy atmosphere.

Ito Koshito was about to go upstairs to the bathroom.

"Crash-"

A splashing sound rang out before Ito Koshitomo had left.

"Click"

A wisp of mist drifted out, revealing a seductive curve that appeared and disappeared.

"Nina, we need to use the bathroom... Huh? Shi-kun!"

Accompanied by a sweet voice, Yuna Tsubakizono walked out of the bathroom, wiping her hair.

Her snow-white skin took on a rosy hue under the steam of the hot water, and her wet orange hair cascaded over her shoulders, water droplets sliding gracefully down her delicate collarbone.

A touch of crimson, and she is intoxicated.

Ito Koshito's body stiffened abruptly. He held his breath and stared blankly at the beautiful curves.

"Stop!"

Water splashed as Tsubakizono Yuna pounced on Ito Koshitomo with a grin.

"be careful."

Reaching out to encircle her slender waist, Ito Koshichi caught Tsubaki Yuna, who was walking towards him.

Their soft, delicate bodies embraced tightly, and Yuna Tsubakino thrashed about like a lively fish, her vibrant and beautiful body revealing glimpses of spring.

Especially with the soft pressure, Ito Koshito felt his whole body become burning hot.

He suppressed his inner turmoil and tried his best to control himself from doing anything inappropriate.

"Yuna, I'm dirty."

She blinked her big, watery almond-shaped eyes and said, "Then let's wash together."

He pinched her smooth, jade-like skin.

"Wait a minute, it will wrinkle if it soaks in water for too long~"

"Well......"

Yuna Tsubaki pondered for a moment, then sighed regretfully.

"Alright then, but..."

With her glossy pink lips slightly pouting, Yuna Tsubaki wrapped her arms around his neck in a coquettish manner, and a delicate fragrance, like orchids and musk, entered Ito Koshito's nostrils.

Yuna Tsubaki tiptoed and planted a light kiss on his cheek. The beautiful girl seemed to possess a magical power, becoming alluring.

"You've got to make it up to me tonight, right?"

......

"Nina, help me blow-dry my hair, hehe..."

Although it was summer, the air conditioning in the house still made people feel cold. Tsubaki Yuna didn't even bother to dry her hair and quickly dried herself and put on her clothes.

In Tsubakizon Jinna's room, Tsubakizon Yuna burst in noisily, her delicate pink feet stomping loudly on her black slippers. The straps of her black nightgown slipped down casually, exposing her smooth, white shoulders to the air.

"Hey~ Nina's going to take a shower."

Looking at the clothes in Tsubakizono Nina's hands, Tsubakizono Yuna sighed regretfully. As a lazybones, she was too lazy to do anything herself.

"Oune-chan."

Tsubaki Nina glanced at her disheveled older sister and sighed helplessly. Her sister was really something else. To outsiders, she seemed quiet and shy, but at home, she was like a lively golden retriever, clinging to them like crazy.

Especially towards Zhijun, she practically clung to him.

Tsubaki Nina pursed her lips, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Hey, can you please tidy yourself up a bit? You're so sloppy, what will Zhijun think of you later?"

"Hehe, Zhi-jun wouldn't care!"

With her bright green eyes glancing around, Yuna took out a hairdryer from the bedside table drawer and sat down at the dressing table with a smile, starting to blow-dry her hair.

Tsubaki Nina rolled her eyes at her older sister, picked up her clothes, and walked out of the bedroom.

"Oh, right, Nina." Tsubaki remembered something, stopped drying her hair, and gently tapped her head. "Shi-kun is taking a shower in the bathroom downstairs. Do you want to wait a little longer, or go upstairs to shower?"

Tsubaki Nina paused for a moment, then stepped out of the bedroom again.

"......I see."

"Click"

As the door closed, the whirring of the hairdryer started again.

Soft, warm light streamed down from the ceiling, and long orange hair cascaded down, obscuring Tsubaki Nina's face. The soft light cast a faint shadow on Nina's face.

Leaning against the door, listening to the occasional cheerful humming amidst the clamor of the wind, Tsubaki Nina quietly fiddled with her clothes with her head down.

'I want one too...'

Both Onee-chan and Shi-kun have changed...

That night, they became closer...

But it seems like I've been excluded...

Her slender fingers gripped the clothes tightly, until they turned white.

At this moment, Tsubakizon Nina felt like a child who couldn't fit into the group, and a strange sadness welled up in her heart.

'I want to be like Onee-chan!'

Tsubaki Nina was so determined.

Reaching into her pocket, Tsubaki Nina pulled out a small glasses case. Opening it, she found a pair of emerald green contact lenses inside.

Chapter 156 Declaration

In island nations, bathing is not merely a daily routine of cleaning, but a deeply ingrained cultural ritual. The islanders' love for bathing is truly unique; even in the sweltering summer, they tirelessly immerse themselves in steaming hot water, as if this way they can wash away all the impurities and the heat.

A survey conducted in an island nation found that in summer, more than one in three people spend every night in the bathtub, while in winter, one in two people spend the same amount of time in the bathtub.

Taking a bath is practically ingrained in the bones of the island nation's people.

Before Ito Koshitoki entered, the bathtub in the bathroom was already filled with a hazy white mist, indicating that Tsubaki Yuna had already taken a bath beforehand.

"call--"

Warm water flowed slowly in the bathtub, the steam obscuring Ito Koshito's face and blurring the bathroom lights.

"It's so comfortable."

Leaning back against the edge of the bathtub, with his thick arms draped over the side, Ito Koshito squinted, letting his body drift with the current, his head swaying gently.

It felt as if all the pores in his body had opened up. Ito Koshito took a deep breath, feeling an immense sense of relief throughout his chest, as if it were about to leap out of his lungs. He exhaled a long breath, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

At this moment.

"Click"

A crisp sound of the doorknob turning echoed from the bathroom doorway, unusually noticeable in the otherwise tranquil space.

Ito Koshito turned his head and saw a beautiful figure reflected in the frosted glass door.

After thinking for a moment, Ito Koshitoshi spoke uncertainly:

"Is this Nina? Do you need to use the bathroom? I'll be right out."

The figure at the door paused, seemingly surprised that Ito Kozue was so perceptive as to have spotted her so quickly.

Tsubaki Nina instinctively wanted to close the door.

"Crash-"

The water in the bathtub was splashed everywhere by Ito Koshitomo's movements.

Ito Koshitomo decided not to take a bath and prepared to get out.

'Nina Tsubakizono, be brave!'

Tsubaki Nina gritted her teeth and pushed the door open hard.

Then......

"boom--"

The bathroom door was slammed shut.

Inside the bathroom, the two looked at each other.

Ito Koshito was stunned. He stared blankly at the girl in front of him. Her orange hair was tied in a ponytail, and long strands of hair were draped over her shoulders.

A pure white bath towel was wrapped around her fair and delicate body, her slender hands clenched into fists, creating wrinkles at the edges of the towel.

Tsubaki Nina's eyes were half-closed, and a blush rose on her delicate face and fair skin.

Tsubaki Nina is severely nearsighted. With her glasses off and the bathroom filled with white mist, her contact lenses were fogged up, so she couldn't see Ito Koshino's face clearly at all. She could only vaguely perceive a silhouette.

but......

"Thump, thump..."

Tsubaki Nina felt her heart pounding like a deer's, her blood surging through her veins, and her body burning hot as if it were being scorched by fire.

Ito Koshitoshi's intense gaze was like the blazing summer sun; with a gentle sweep, it stirred ripples in her heart like a feather, causing endless waves to surge within her.

Before the battle even began, Tsubakizono Nina was filled with fear, and by subduing the enemy without fighting, she found an excuse for her own vulnerability.