Chapter 131 - 131: She’s Got Heatstroke

Inside the room, Haru and the girls sat in front of Utaha's laptop. Snacks, tea, and drinks were spread out neatly beside them — the full movie-watching setup. To him, this was the ultimate way to enjoy a film. In fact, he thought the same applied to gaming. As long as he had enough drinks and snacks, and happened to be playing a game he loved, he could easily go days without stepping outside. As the movie started playing, the three girls straightened their backs and watched intently. Haru sat on the far left with Yukino beside him, while Utaha and Megumi took the right side. Of course, being on the outer edge was no coincidence. There was no way Yukino would allow some cliché "left-arm, right-arm cuddle" situation. That was pure fantasy. The story unfolded on-screen, but he had already diverted a portion of his attention to something else — the three girls in the room. Thanks to his [Auto-Aim] skill, he noticed right away that Megumi seemed… off. Her usually calm eyes were occasionally flickering with a nervous tension. And beneath that, there was something else — something subtle, something buried. Was it embarrassment? Or maybe… anticipation? Curiosity? He couldn't quite place it. But once he noticed, he couldn't stop paying attention. The movie's plot was easy to follow. The male lead, a writer, is left broken and alone after his wife's suicide. The female lead, despite having a boyfriend, is young, full of life, and drawn to danger. Their paths cross. Desire flares. And just like that, they fall into each other's lives. "Classic Western female lead setup," Utaha commented. Yukino nodded. "The cinematography is impressive. The dialogue's sparse, but the camera work captures their personalities so vividly. You understand them right away." "Not surprising," Utaha added, "The director's known for his work — lots of awards and nominations. I didn't look up the details, though." Then, she paused, suddenly realizing something. "…You've been unusually quiet today." She turned to Haru. Yukino didn't say anything, but she, too, had been noticing it. Normally, he would be cracking jokes or squeezing himself into their conversations. But today? He'd been oddly silent. "I'm just focused on the movie," he replied innocently. Utaha raised an eyebrow. Yukino didn't fully buy it either. Megumi, meanwhile, remained silent — which was nothing new. Except… this silence felt different. As the movie continued, he caught more of her expressions — more tension in her eyes, more unspoken emotion on her face. And then he noticed her hand, resting quietly on her lap… slowly curling into a fist, clutching at the hem of her skirt. He still didn't know what was going on, but something was clearly building. So he stayed alert. Yukino and Utaha, on the other hand, had completely immersed themselves in the film. The director's finesse and mature storytelling had completely drawn them in — especially given their desire to improve and refine their own perspectives. Suddenly, he noticed Megumi tense. Her whole body stiffened. Her eyes went wide — as if to scream, "Incoming!" Right on cue, the movie hit that scene — the man and woman, alone, locking eyes… clothes slowly coming off, hands wandering, breath catching. The passionate kind. He finally understood. So that's why… She must've looked up the film earlier on her phone. That's why she's been nervous since the start. She's been waiting for this moment the entire time. Both Yukino and Utaha turned bright red. The actors were bold, the lighting and cinematography tasteful yet undeniably intimate — it set the mood perfectly. Silence fell over the room like a blanket. No one spoke. Yukino, face flushed, instinctively glanced at Haru. He caught the look and responded calmly,"She's not as good-looking as you." Yukino: "…" Utaha chuckled, her face also a delicate shade of red. "Survival instincts kicking in?" "No," he replied without missing a beat. "I'm just stating the truth." His tone was cool, composed — the image of a man unfazed. Honestly, this kind of scene was child's play for him. Shinoda-sensei, Fukada-sensei, Aizawa-sensei… all of them had already taught him more than enough valuable lessons in life. Compared to those teachers, this film? Barely an appetizer. Of course, to say he was completely unaffected would be a lie. Sure, Yukino had intentionally placed him on the edge, away from the other two girls, but they were all still huddled close in front of a laptop screen — just inches apart. He didn't even need to inhale deeply. With each ordinary breath, the unique fragrances of the three girls reached him clearly. Yukino — a soft, understated freshness. Utaha — a deep, intoxicating floral scent. Megumi — a crisp, airy sweetness. In his mind, he automatically categorized them, like in one of those gacha mobile games he used to play: The White Orchid Girl.The Rose Blossom Girl.The Jasmine Breeze Girl. While he was off mentally sorting perfumes and personalities, the two girls beside him were nowhere near that calm. After all, both Yukino and Utaha had already crossed a certain line with him. Now, under the dim light, with the movie's bold and sultry cinematography playing mere inches away, their nerves were stretched taut. It was too quiet. Too charged. At nearly the same moment, both girls felt their bodies start to heat up — a low, insistent warmth blooming from within. Their faces were burning. Their breathing, subtle at first, gradually started to slip out of rhythm. Yukino bit her lip, managing to maintain her poise with sheer willpower. Utaha, seated on the right, quietly pressed her knees together, her thoughts wandering. Her focus was no longer on the screen — instead, she found herself picking up on the rhythm of Haru's breathing. No way, she thought.Am I really thinking about doing something bad? The thought came unbidden, wild and dangerous — and she didn't reject it. When she turned her head and looked at him, her eyes were already shimmering with a soft, glassy glow. Megumi sat on the side, her cheeks flushed red, tightly clutching the hem of her skirt. She didn't dare utter a single word — afraid, perhaps, that someone would notice what she was thinking. No matter how calm and rational she usually was, in a situation like this, even she couldn't help but entertain a few strange thoughts. Especially considering that only Yukino sat between her and Haru. "Should we switch to another movie?" Haru asked, his voice smooth and unbothered. Of course he noticed their reactions. Every breath, every twitch, every quiet shift of the body — none of it escaped his eyes. The room fell silent. Five seconds later, Yukino was the first to speak. "Let's keep watching. The cinematography and lighting in this film are masterful… very educational," she muttered, her voice dull and lacking the usual sharp clarity. Utaha, in turn, let out a teasing laugh to mask the tension. "I agree. As long as someone doesn't start saying weird things again." He leaned back lazily, resting his chin in his palm. "You girls really underestimate me, don't you?" All three turned toward him at once, their expressions unified: Oh? So you're saying you're experienced now? He met their gaze head-on, his composure unwavering. "Why are you looking at me? Watch the movie. That scene you were all blushing at? It's already over." Yukino and Utaha shot him a synchronized glare. It's fine if you notice. But why say it out loud?! Megumi quietly averted her gaze and bit her lip. Truth be told, she did want to change the movie. She'd read up on it beforehand — and she knew scenes like the one they'd just watched were far from rare. In fact, things were only just getting started. The movie continued. In the warm, amber glow of the room, the three girls' cheeks were flushed a brilliant red. Their delicate features were tinged with an irresistible charm. Meanwhile, Haru, ever so calm, had the mental capacity to muse: So the lead actor was Marlon Brando… No wonder his face felt familiar. Did the Godfather really star in something like this back in the day? Right on cue, Yukino spoke up. "I think I've seen this actor before. Is he famous?" "I'm pretty sure he played a role in The Godfather," Utaha said with narrowed eyes. "Marlon Brando," Megumi supplied calmly. Both Yukino and Utaha glanced at her in surprise. She knows more about film than we do? Of course, Kato wasn't about to admit she'd looked it up beforehand. Then came the second intimate scene. This time, the tension in the room snapped. If it had just been that one earlier moment, they could have powered through it. Sure, the film's style was bold. And yes, there was a boy — this boy — sitting with them. But Haru had stayed cool the whole time, his face wearing an expression that screamed: "Seriously? This is amateur hour." That aloofness was the only thing keeping the girls from spiraling. Until now. The second scene hit harder. Slower. Closer. The atmosphere shifted. He could feel it. Yukino, beside him, had unconsciously clenched her fists. Her cheeks were burning hot, her eyes still locked on the screen — torn between wanting to continue and wanting to run. Utaha wriggled slightly in her seat, as if trying to ease some invisible pressure. Megumi had frozen, perfectly still like a porcelain doll. Haru, calm as ever, leaned slightly and nudged Yukino's arm. Her whole body tensed. A second passed. Then, she glanced over, her face glowing red. He silently mouthed: "Switch movies?" Yukino bit her lip, her eyes flashing back: "Why?" He smiled faintly and mouthed again: "You can't handle it." He said "you" — not "you all." Subtle. Yukino wouldn't overthink it that way. But she still heard the challenge buried in it. That got to her. We grew up together. If you can stay so calm, why shouldn't I be able to handle this? She inhaled deeply, her chest rising visibly with the breath. She shook her head at him. He understood immediately. Trying to act tough, huh? Fine. Without hesitation, he reached out his hand. Just as Yukino, cheeks still flushed, tried to turn her attention back to the movie, his hand landed lightly on her slender waist. Her expression froze on the spot—she nearly gasped aloud. Her beautiful eyes widened in shock as she turned her head sharply to glare at him. He met her gaze with a calm look that clearly said, Just keep watching. Don't mind me. Bastard! She mouthed the words at him, her expression filled with frustration and embarrassment. She wanted to push him away—but not in front of Utaha or Megumi. That would be too awkward.More importantly, the movie's sensual scenes had already stirred something inside her, something that made her long for the comfort of her boyfriend's arms. She had been suppressing those feelings, relying on her strong self-control to maintain composure. But now, with him making these sneaky moves, he had struck directly at the weakness she was trying so hard to hide. So she didn't stop him. Instead, she turned her head back toward the screen, pretending like nothing was happening—letting his wandering hand have its way with her. That was until his fingers slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, brushing against the bare skin of her waist. Her eyelashes fluttered. Her body trembled. She couldn't keep up the act anymore. Her body lost its strength and leaned to the side. "Yukinoshita, are you okay?" ×2 Both Megumi and Utaha, who had been too flustered by the movie to speak a moment ago, were startled by the sight of Yukino suddenly slumping sideways. Haru quickly reached out and caught her by the shoulder, replying with a perfectly calm expression: "She's got heatstroke." "…???"