Chapter 262: Isted
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Shortly after, the bed was upied by all three women — Yoruichi casually lying on it, Momo sitting quietly on the edge, and Rukia attentively observing Yoruichi from her seat next to Momo. The catgirl seemed oblivious to the subtle animositying from the small girl with ck hair, or she simply didn’t care.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Yoruichi waved her hand dismissively without bothering to move from her position. “Kazu, take the guests to another room. I’m sleeping here.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">She acted more spoiled than before, partially out ofziness and partially to tease the ticked-off Rukia. Her nonchnt behavior aplished her goal, splendidly so.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rukia’s brows furrowed, a clear sign of her increasing hostility towards Yoruichi. “Kazuya, who is thisdy and why is <span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">she<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"> ordering you around?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Momo pointed a finger at Yoruichi’s tail. “Shouldn’t we ask about that? Why does it move like it’s real?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“That too, but my question is more important right now!”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Uh, okay!”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Kazuya looked at the friends with contrasting priorities. “How long have you two been here?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“We just arrived,” Momo replied before turning her gaze to Yoruichi. “Rukia, she is Yor. I met her on our hot spring trip… I’m not sure about their rtionship.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Momo would’ve made a connection between Yor and Yoruichi if it weren’t for her cat form’s masculine voice. Yoruichi’s choice went againstmon sense on so many levels.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rukia snorted, eyes ring daggers at him. “This house has one bed, and she is sleeping on it. How hard is it to guess their rtionship?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rather than jealousy, she felt anger towards him for “cheating” on Momo. The anger had seeped into her tone, despite her previous oath to act withposure.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Momo nced at him, pleading with him to put an end to the undesired conflict. “Rukia-chan, we should go to the living room.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rukia swiveled to Momo with a surprised look. “He is having an affair with this woman! Girl, why am I more pissed than you?!”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Because you like me,” Kazuya said with a smile. “Also, Yor is my future wife. It’ll be better for everyone to get along.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Yoruichi, who had been acting disinterested until now, hurriedly sat up. “When did I agree to be your wife?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Kazuya chuckled. “Yor is just shy.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Shy my foot,” Yoruichi snarled before lightly kicking the back of Momo’s head. “I’m Yoruichi, idiot. The ck cat is my alternate transformation. This is my real form, how I was born.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">To further illustrate her point, Yoruichi jumped into the air and transformed into her cat form with a loud poof.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“See. I am YORUICHI!”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Startled, Momo and Rukia exchanged a nce before pinching each other’s cheeks.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“We aren’t dreaming,” Rukia whispered. “That ck cat wasn’t an old man but ady. A beautiful one at that.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Yeah…” Momo nodded. “Yor Yoruichi… we should’ve connected the dots.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Yoruichi couldn’t contain herughter at the sight. “Geez, you girls could’ve discovered sooner if you just asked yourself the question — why is a lecherous guy like Kazuya keeping an old cat? You’d have gotten your answer.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Momo’s eyes widened. “I-I thought you mentored him. That’s why you’re important to him.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">The misunderstanding had prevented her from thinking too deeply about the wise talking cat.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“I only taught him minor things. In any case, I hope you all have a pleasant evening. I''m gonna sleep in the living room.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Carefree and nonchnt, she hopped off the bed and made her way out of the room.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rukia rubbed the back of her head. She had something a lot on her mind but clearlycked the courage to say it.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Momo abruptly stood up and directed her finger straight at the door. “I’m suddenly feeling thirsty.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">She hurriedly exited the room before anyone could utter a word. Kazuya knew that she had done this to give him some alone time with Rukia. Momo inviting Rukia to a threesome wasn’t an on-the-spot idea — she had pre-nned everything to insert Rukia into her rtionship with him.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">The clueless Rukia took a deep breath and faced him. His calm expression made her heart slow down, allowing her a chance to regain some much-neededposure.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“K-Kazuya… how was your first day here?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Pretty good, actually.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">He picked a simple response that would make her feel more rxed around him.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“I see… Look, I’m sorry for doubting you—” She paused when she saw himing over and plopping down next to her. “H-Hey, you’re too close!”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“This is close?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Yeah!”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">She scooted an inch away, but before she could escape, an arm wrapped around her waist, firmly holding her in ce.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Stop taking advantage of me—”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rukia’s words all but froze in the next instant. Their eyes locked, and he gently grasped her chin, drawing closer and closer. Her eyes were glued to his lips, her own quivering as though recalling their passionate night inside her dorm room.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">‘T-This crazy guy!’
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">She could push him back and end whatever was going on between her and him. OR she could experience that incredible moment again and feel his warmth at the same time.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rukia faced a tough decision, one that might change her future for better or for worse.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">As her heartbeat soared, time seemed to slow down around her. She felt his lips hovering just a breath away from hers, tempting her into probably the dumbest decision of her life.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">‘He did it first. It’s not my fault!’
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">From the corner of her eyes, she took a quick nce at the closed door. Relieved that nobody woulde without knocking, she shut her eyes and tilted her head ever-so slightly.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">The lips she so craved pecked her cheek. “Rukia, it’s done. You can open your eyes now.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">With a wide-eyed stare, she locked eyes with him, realizing that she had been tricked into an embarrassing situation. “Why did you do that?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“What did I do?”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“You… you know exactly what you did.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">He blinked his eyes at her usations, looking like an honest-to-goodness innocent person — the opposite of his true nature. “I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Was he being mean to her? Just a bit. The small amount of teasing was nothingpared to his fun. In addition, he was conditioning her to be more sincere with herself and him. In simple words, he wanted her to be more proactive with her desires.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Rukia clenched her jaw, shooting him a menacing sideways look. His response was just as unconcerned as before.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">She shrugged his hand off her back and climbed on hisp.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Rukia—”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">She roughly grabbed his kimono’s cors and leaned her entire weight against him. If someone like Harribel did this to him, he’d have lost his bnce. However, Rukia’s petite figure just wasn’t enough to make him buckle under its weight.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“Kazuya, I hate you.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Contrary to her previous statement, she couldn’t resist her urges and drew him closer before locking lips with him. And contrary to her rough grip on his cors, she gave him the most vani kiss possible.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">“I want more. Give me more…”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">He rested his hands on her hips, smiling. “Everything in this world is yours to take, if you put in the effort.”
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">She didn’t even blink at his suggestion and immediately dove in for another kiss. The moment her lips met his, it was on. Adrenaline zed through him. There were no light pecks, gently probing tongues, or chaste kisses. It was full-throttle passion. Her lips pressed hard against his, and their tongues were frenzied as they explored each other’s mouths.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Her ‘hateful’ kiss allowed no opportunity to escape. Not that he wanted to escape her.
<span style="color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">Amidst their sloppy kiss, the door slowly opened, its creak barely above a whisper. So lost in her moment that Rukia paid no attention to her friend walking inside. She didn’t register Momo sitting by her side and observing the two with a pleased smirk.