Chapter 116 - 116: Win, Win, Win!

After helping his friend fulfill his childhood dream of filming an Ultraman skit, Haru was invited to a meal as a thank-you. However, Yukino and Utaha were more interested in returning to his place for some well-deserved "Sage Time," so they declined the offer. Before heading to the Hayakawa household to change out of his suit, an unexpected incident occurred. Two young men suddenly burst out from the corner of the street, looking panicked as if they were running for their lives. Their suspicious behavior immediately caught the attention of Haru and his group. One of the them, a blonde-haired man, hastily threw a woman's handbag behind a trash bin. The moment he turned around, he locked eyes with Haru and the others. His expression visibly stiffened. "This guy's up to something," Utaha quickly noted. Yukino shot Haru a glance—Let's observe first. Haru nodded and waited. Less than a minute later, a patrol officer appeared from around the corner. He spotted the two young men, hurried over, and blocked their path with a stern expression. "Finally stopped running, huh? Where's the purse you just stole?" "Officer, what are you talking about? We didn't steal anything!" "Don't play dumb! Someone saw you take it with their own eyes!" After just a few lines of exchange, Haru and the others grasped the situation. Yukino suddenly spoke up. "Ultraman is a symbol of justice, right?" The others paused for a moment. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, Furukawa's eyes lit up. "Of course! Ultraman is the ultimate hero of justice!" He and his friend turned to Haru, their expressions filled with anticipation. Utaha covered her mouth, smiling. "Seems like it's your time to shine." Even Yukino, usually composed, seemed eager to watch the show unfold. With his friends egging him on, Haru—still dressed as Zero—stepped forward. His appearance startled both the officer and the two thieves. "Good evening," Haru greeted calmly before walking past them to retrieve the purse from behind the trash bin. The two thieves were completely dumbfounded. Whether it was because their evidence had been found or because they had just been confronted by Ultraman himself, it was hard to tell. "This should be the stolen handbag. My friends and I saw them hide it here just now," Haru said, handing it to the officer. Still caught off guard, the officer hesitated for a second before taking it. After a brief moment, he let out a chuckle. "Thank you… Ultraman?" Haru glanced at the stunned thieves and sighed. "People of Earth, you must believe in the light. Stop committing crimes and walk the path of righteousness." The officer's face grew even more amused. Since the situation had been resolved so easily, Haru wasn't required to give a statement at the station. As the officer led the thieves away, he bumped into a fellow patrolman. "You caught them?" the colleague asked. "Yeah, got them," the officer replied, then added with a strange expression, "And you won't believe who helped us—Ultraman." "…What?" Seeing his colleague's confusion, the officer couldn't help but laugh. "Starting today, I've decided—I'm going to believe in the light, too. When I get home tonight, I'm rewatching Ultraman Zero!" "…I have no idea what you're talking about!" Meanwhile, back with Haru's group— When he returned, he found Yukino and the others standing there, all holding up their phones. Furukawa was still recording. He waved at Haru and grinned. "I swear, if we uploaded this online, it'd go viral." His friend chimed in, laughing. "I can already see the headline—'Ultraman Zero Descends to Assist the Police in Capturing Criminals!'" "Are you guys serious?" Haru shot them a glare, raising his fist as if preparing to unleash an "Ultraman Punch." "Relax, we're just messing with you. This kind of funny video is for personal collection, not for showing off." With that small detour behind them, the group parted ways. That evening, Haru cooked dinner. Utaha had become quite the regular guest in his home. By now, she had perfected the art of making excuses to her parents for skipping dinner at home. After a delicious meal, the two girls sprawled across the chairs, too full to move. Haru, already used to this, quietly got up to clean the table. But just as he stepped into the kitchen, he heard approaching footsteps. Turning around, he saw Yukino standing there. He raised an eyebrow—was this another person resisting the "Sage Time buff"? The last time this happened, it was Megumi Kato, who had unexpectedly discovered the buff's benefits and had taken the chance to ask him about photography. Now, Haru was curious to see what Yukino was up to. "Hold off on the dishes for a second. I need your help with something," Yukino said, leaning against the wall. She seemed to be fighting the urge to "lie down and relax," but her voice remained lighthearted. Haru played along. "What is it?" "I feel like I'm in a great state of mind right now—perfect for studying." She had noticed. "And why do you think that?" Haru asked. Yukino crossed her arms, tapping her fingers lightly as she considered. "I'm not sure of the exact reason, but when I reviewed my notes just now, I realized that my focus is much sharper than usual." Her clear, intelligent eyes landed on Haru's face. "So, help me out." "With what?" "Training." "No problem." While Utaha was still lying lazily in the living room, Yukino had already followed Haru into the training room. The hum of the treadmill filled the air as she ran, her legs moving in a steady rhythm. Under Haru's guidance, she adjusted her breathing and pace, her gaze growing brighter and more focused. "As I thought," she murmured between breaths, "I really am in top form right now." Yukino was pleasantly surprised. This motivated her to focus even more. She saw this as a great opportunity to improve her physical fitness. Standing beside her, Haru found himself at a loss for words. Yukino was so engrossed in her training that she didn't even notice how the movement of her strides caused her skirt to lift slightly, revealing a glimpse of pure white fabric. I have now truly entered Sage Mode, Haru thought to himself. Meanwhile, back in the living room, Utaha stretched lazily, her ample curves accentuated by the motion. Coming to his place to relax was definitely the right choice. If I do this four times a week, all the fatigue from my hard work will melt away. She wasn't entirely sure of the science behind it, but her instincts told her it had something to do with being in the home of someone she liked, enjoying the food made by someone she liked. "Where are they?" Utaha glanced around the room. Aside from the orange tabby cat lounging lazily on the couch, Haru and Yukino were nowhere to be seen. Just then, she heard movement coming from the room where the fitness equipment was kept. Her curiosity piqued, she stood up and approached. The door was slightly ajar, and as she got closer, she could hear voices from inside. "You should stop now. I think you've reached your limit." Haru's voice came through. "I can still keep going... Your guidance is really effective. At least my legs aren't giving out like before... Hahh..." Yukino's voice followed, breathless and unsteady. Utaha froze for a second. Then, in a flash, her mind was flooded with all sorts of indecent images. However, reason quickly pulled her back. No matter how hungry they were, there was no way Haru and Yukino would dare "to do that" right under her nose. Not to mention—she was already at the door. I must be overthinking this. Suppressing the slight embarrassment creeping up on her, Utaha adjusted her expression and pushed the door open. The first thing she saw was Yukino on the treadmill, panting for breath. "Are you done resting?" Haru turned to her. "Yeah." There was the tiniest shift in Utaha's expression. Even though she knew her assumption had been wrong, seeing Yukino gasping for air still made her feel a little awkward. At that moment, the treadmill came to a stop. Yukino stepped down, supporting herself by resting her hands on her knees. Still catching her breath, she glanced up. "Senpai, your expression looks... off." Utaha had already recovered and coolly responded, "Well, what do you expect when you left the door half-open and all I could hear was your heavy breathing?" "...Breathing?" Yukino's flushed face suddenly cooled. Haru quickly stepped in as the mediator. "Yukino, take a break. No more talking. And Senpai, do you want to give it a try?" "Pass." Utaha rejected the offer without hesitation. She had been keeping up with her workouts lately, but there was no way she would start running without proper preparation. The reason was simple—her chest was too big. She was still wearing her school uniform, and if she started running now, it would be incredibly uncomfortable. That thought made her sneak a glance at Yukino, who was still slightly hunched over. I guess being flat has its advantages. "Where exactly are you looking?" Yukino's sharp instincts caught her in an instant. Utaha sidestepped the topic. "Once you've rested, shall we head home together?" Yukino, displeased by her evasiveness, responded coolly, "Senpai, you can go home by yourself." Utaha paused. "You're staying over?" "That's right." Wiping the sweat from her face, Yukino took her time enjoying the sight of Utaha's stunned expression. Her mood suddenly lifted. Utaha bit her lip slightly, her beautiful eyes drifting toward Haru. Haru caught the meaning in her gaze and chuckled. "If you want to stay over too, I wouldn't refuse. It's just that…" "As far as I know, you're still living with your parents, aren't you?" Yukino cut in smoothly. Utaha clenched her jaw in frustration and nodded. Yukino's smile deepened. "Then you don't have the option to stay over. Give it up." Seeing how pleased she was, Utaha ground her teeth. "I could call Megumi and have her cover for me." Yukino instantly understood and didn't bother to hide the ridicule in her smirk. "Using a friend to deceive your parents so you can spend the night at a guy's place… Don't you think that's a bit inappropriate?" Utaha's chest rose and fell sharply. Damn it! Of all the times to be stuck living with her parents! It really was inconvenient. But more importantly, Yukino was outright showing hostility now. What if she tipped off Megumi and sabotaged her plan? Utaha didn't believe Yukino would be petty enough to snitch, but she wasn't willing to take that risk. Haru, meanwhile, realized he had somehow stumbled into a full-blown battlefield. Just as he was about to play peacemaker, Yukino shot him a subtle but unmistakable look of warning. That gaze practically screamed: What? You think you can have both? A death trap of a question. Haru straightened his face. "I should go do the dishes." Yukino's expression softened into satisfaction. As Haru left, she regulated her breathing, her composure gradually returning. And as she glanced at Utaha's frustrated face, her sense of triumph only grew. Not only had she made real progress in her training, but she had also successfully taken down a certain well-endowed senpai's confidence. A double victory. When they returned to the living room, Yukino had barely sat down when Utaha's displeased voice reached her ears. "Are you satisfied now?" "Of course." Yukino admitted it without hesitation, even allowing herself a smile. Utaha pursed her lips. "You've only won this round." "That's why I'll keep winning from now on." Yukino openly declared her philosophy. Three simple words: Win, win, win. Utaha fell silent, her expression dark. She wasn't in the best mood—true, she didn't have the advantage of living nearby. But that didn't mean she had no options. Not being able to stay over ≠ not having any chances at all. With my natural assets, finding an opening to get ahead won't be a problem. Yukino had her philosophy of victory. Utaha had her philosophy of sneaky opportunities.