The Underworld, Starting with Debt

"By the way, come in quickly. It's been really rude of me to leave you standing outside like this."

A gentle evening breeze, carrying a refreshing coolness, lightly ruffled the hair by Shirakawa Miwa's ear, and she realized that she had been standing and chatting with Ito Kozue at the door.

Miwa Shirakawa always felt a strange sensation during her conversations with Koshitomo Itō.

This feeling is something she can't experience when chatting with other men. This feeling immerses her in it. It's the unspoken understanding between her and Ito Koshito that makes her unable to extricate herself, and she always forgets everything else.

She gently tapped her own head as a form of punishment, then turned around and led Ito Koshitoshi into the house.

"Oh dear! I was planning to have a hot meal ready for Ito-kun as soon as he arrived at my house, but I didn't expect him to come so quickly. I haven't even finished making dinner yet."

While taking out a brand new pair of men's house shoes from the shoe cabinet in the entryway, Shirakawa Miwa said.

Leading Ito Koshitoshi into the living room, Shirakawa Miwa smiled and said, "Ito-kun, please make yourself at home. I'll go to the kitchen to get some water. Would you like some black tea?"

"OK."

Only after the voluptuous beauty of her figure disappeared into the kitchen did Ito Koshino focus his gaze on the cozy little house.

Miwa Shirakawa's apartment wasn't large, but it had all the necessary functional areas.

Bright lights shone down from the ceiling, illuminating the neatly arranged furniture and making it appear warmer.

Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Ambiguity in the Kitchen (Part 1)

When Shirakawa Miwa came out of the kitchen carrying two steaming cups of black tea, she saw Ito Koshitomo sitting on the sofa, looking around.

"Hehe... Ito-kun, please have some tea~"

She walked over to the sofa, placed a teacup on the table, and handed over another cup with a smile.

"Thank you."

Ito Koshito took the cup of black tea, sipped it, and said with a smile, "Shirakawa Morisei, your house is decorated very warmly."

"Right!" Her eyes crinkled into a smile, and she giggled sweetly, her delicate hand lightly covering her mouth. Shirakawa Miwa was clearly pleased with Ito Koshino's praise. "Back then, I put a lot of effort into designing and modifying it!"

"Hehe~ I imagine that Mori's boyfriend must be very lucky to have such a capable and beautiful woman as his girlfriend."

"Hmm~ Sorry, I don't have a boyfriend yet."

"Oh~ Sen Sai is still single!" Ito Koshito was a little surprised. A gentle and beautiful woman like Shirakawa Miwa with a great figure should have many suitors.

"Hmm—I hadn't thought about it before."

Touching her still delicate face, although she still looked young, even with her natural beauty, it couldn't change the fact that she was almost thirty.

Miwa Shirakawa sighed helplessly, "Now that I'm older, my family is pressuring me to get married. Looking back, it's such a pity I didn't have a relationship when I was in school..."

"Hey, it's not too late now. No matter how beautiful you are, Shirakawa Mori, there will definitely be many people chasing after you."

"Sigh... My family is arranging blind dates for me every day now. Who knows, maybe in the future I'll fall for some guy and get married..."

"..."

He took another sip of black tea. After all, it was Shirakawa Miwa's family matter, and Ito Koshizumi couldn't really discuss it. But...

Looking at Shirakawa Miwa's charming face, her voluptuous figure, and her shapely, long legs... Ito Koshitoshi's heart couldn't help but stir with some thoughts.

"Alright, alright." Gently patting her cheeks, Shirakawa Miwa regained her gentle smile and looked at Ito Koshinobu.

"Let's not talk about that anymore, Ito-kun. You can sit down and do something else. Mori, I'll go prepare a big meal for you."

She stood up from the sofa, brushed her loose hair aside, and quickly clenched her fist.

"Let me help too. Shirakawa Morise, don't let my young age fool you, my cooking skills have been praised by many people."

Ito Koshichi also stood up, and was about to follow Shirakawa Miwa to the kitchen, but Shirakawa Miwa stopped him.

"No way~ How can we let the guests do it? Ito-kun, you should just stay on the sofa and drink your tea."

With one hand on her hip, Shirakawa Miwa waved her hand and refused righteously.

"It's alright, let me help!"

"Da meo~"

It's clear that Shirakawa Miwa has once again become stubborn over some unexpected little things!

Raising her hands, Shirakawa Miwa tried to grab Ito Koshitomo's shoulders to press him down and sit back on the sofa.

"Hey, Shirakawa Morise, you're acting like you're in the library again~"

"Hmph!" Shirakawa Miwa snorted, her voice rising an octave. "Didn't Morise say that you're not allowed to use that incident to mock Morise anymore?"

Having said that, he strode aggressively toward Ito Koshichi, looking as if he intended to pin Ito Koshichi down on the sofa and give him a good beating.

"Haha, Sensai, I was wrong."

Seeing this, Ito Koshichi took a few steps back with a grin, dodging Shirakawa Miwa's attack, and said apologetically, but no matter how you looked at it, it was just cheeky.

"Humph!"

Shirakawa Miwa stomped her foot lightly, glaring at Ito Koshino with dissatisfaction. She turned away, crossed her arms, and sulked to herself.

Ito Koshitoshi panicked. 'Oh no, Shirakawa Morisei is really angry?!'

"Um... Shirakawa Morisei, I was wrong." Scratching his head, Ito Koshitoshi approached Shirakawa Miwa sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Morisei, I..."

"Hehe, I've got you!"

Suddenly, Shirakawa Miwa, who had seemed sullen and angry just moments before, turned around abruptly and grabbed Ito Koshitomo's wrist.

Stunned, Ito Koshiki stared blankly at Shirakawa Miwa, never expecting that Shirakawa Miwa, who seemed gentle and approachable, would actually be plotting something.

Sure enough, beautiful women are the best at deceiving people!

Miwa Shirakawa's eyes were full of mockery. She stretched out her slender index finger and poked Ito Koshino's forehead, chuckling softly, "Hehe, who told you to talk nonsense?"

"As expected, experience counts!" Ito Koshi shook his head helplessly, letting Shirakawa Miwa tease him with her little tricks.

"Ugh! Ito-kun! Do you even know how to talk?!" Shirakawa Miwa pouted, but her eyes were full of laughter. "Are you implying that Mori is cunning?"

"You've misunderstood, that's not what I meant..."

"I don't care, unless you let me pat your head."

With a bright smile, Shirakawa Miwa blinked mischievously and gave a playful laugh.

"Do it……"

"Hmph, if you won't let me touch you, I'll do it myself."

Just like in the library, Shirakawa Miwa always wants to challenge herself to reach heights she cannot achieve.

Although Ito Koshitoshi's head wasn't as tall as the bookshelf, Shirakawa Miwa enthusiastically stood on tiptoe, braced herself on Ito Koshitoshi's shoulders, and leaped up.

A strong, soft impact suddenly enveloped Ito Koshichi's head, and a sweet, intoxicating fragrance flooded his nostrils. Ito Koshichi's mind was in disarray, and he became dizzy.

"Hey~"

Like a wound that has healed but the pain is forgotten, Shirakawa Miwa will pay the price again. Sure enough, her little toe accidentally tripped over the corner of the table. Time seemed to freeze; Shirakawa Miwa lost her balance, leaned forward, and fell onto Ito Koshitomo.

Ito Koshito, who was plunged into darkness, was unaware of what was happening when he was thrown backward by the gravity exerted by Shirakawa Miwa.

His arms instinctively wrapped around Shirakawa Miwa's waist, stabilizing her body, and he pulled her back onto the sofa.

"boom"

"ah!"

A sudden gust of wind swept through the air, lifting Shirakawa Miwa's hair. As the flowing strands were pulled back by gravity, they slowly settled back down, restoring the original tranquility.

At this moment, Shirakawa Miwa tightly hugged Ito Koshito's head, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and shame, her eyes closed, and her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

“Um… Ito-kun…”

"Uh huh~~"

Warm breath seeped through the gap, sprinkling onto her snow-white swan neck, tickling her gently. Like a solar breeze, it diffused across her pretty face, carrying a burning heat.

It made her recall the passionate and enchanting moments in the library.

"Hey~!"

Shirakawa Miwa quickly let go of her hands and tried to stand up by supporting herself on the sofa, only to find that Ito Koshizumi was holding her waist.

"Ito-kun...can you let go of my hand?"

She swayed gracefully like a willow branch in the wind, her skin as smooth as cream, soft and boneless, warm and gentle as jade. For a moment, Ito Koshitoshi forgot the immense evil that was constantly robbing him of his breathing space; the delicate skin around her waist seemed smoother than silk.

Upon hearing this, Ito Koshi reluctantly let go. Shirakawa Miwa also stood up, awkwardly turning to the side, gathering her hair, and adjusting the t-shirt that was sticking to her chest.

"Um... Ito-kun, I'll go to the kitchen to get busy... You, please make yourself at home."

After saying that, Shirakawa Miwa, wearing comfortable house shoes, ran towards the kitchen without looking back, "tap tap..."

"call--"

"call--"

"call--"

Lying on the sofa, Ito Koshino breathed softly. The fresh air circulated, and with each breath, a faint fragrance seemed to linger.

"Shirakawa Morisei looks quite gentle, but I didn't expect her to be so fierce..."

I sat up, picked up the fragrant black tea from the table, and took a sip. This rich and flavorful tea should be savored slowly, not rushed.

Unfortunately... this is the underworld teeming with minotaurs; there's no time to savor it slowly. If you linger, others will beat you to it and pluck the best parts. In the end, all that's left is a sigh of regret.

After downing his black tea in one gulp, Ito Koshitoki stood up and headed towards the kitchen.

…………

'Shirakawa Miwa, Shirakawa Miwa, what's wrong with you! You're acting like a lovesick woman! How can you be having such fantasies about Ito-kun!...'

In the kitchen, Shirakawa Miwa didn't rush to start cooking. She turned on the tap, cupped her hands, and gently splashed the cool water on her burning cheeks to cool them down and ease her shyness.

I've been thinking about how lately, like a young girl experiencing the stirrings of first love, I keep having embarrassing dreams late at night, always with the same male protagonist. Every time I'm about to see his face clearly in my dream, I suddenly wake up in a fright. It's as if my heart is both yearning and resisting.

Whenever I have that kind of dream, when I wake up in the morning and look at the empty room, I inexplicably begin to feel lonely.

'I've lived alone for a long time before and never felt this lonely... When did it start...?'

Touching her cheek, Shirakawa Miwa quietly pondered.