'This is hopeless.'
Staring at Yuugi, who was still sprawled unconscious on the floor, Rins face darkened like the bottom of a scorched pot.
No matter how hard he shook her, she wouldn't wake up. Even a solid slap only made her shift slightly—though the feel of it was admittedly nice.
Shaking his head to clear distracting thoughts, he hauled her back onto the bed.
But the moment she touched the mattress, it was like triggering a combat reflex—Yuugi suddenly jolted upright, her smooth legs instantly locking around Rins neck.
With a twist of her waist, the world spun violently in his vision.
The next second, his back slammed into the bed, Yuugi now straddling his chest.
The soft yet suffocating pressure made his breath hitch. Then, her provocatively slurred declaration echoed in his ears—
"Boss~ Why… why're you running? Hic—Can't handle it?"
"I'm not even warmed up yet!"
Faced with such a challenge, Rin had no choice but to retaliate with everything he had.
The battle erupted instantly—
BANG!!!
The sound of furniture collapsing tore through the room, loud enough to startle Marisa as she passed by outside.
She blinked at Yuugi's door, then shrugged and continued merrily toward the second floor, a handful of alarm clocks dangling from her fingers.
'Heh. I'm stuffing Reimu's room with these. Try extorting me? Enjoy a sleepless night!'
Just as she was about to sneak into Reimu's room, Aya, finally freed by Yukari, hesitated near the living room, itching to dig for more scoop.
But when she spotted Ran walking past with a bloody rabbit in hand, her fur stood on end.
Defeated, she slumped onto the sofa, her face a picture of tortured restraint.
"I can help too. I usually cook for Cirno and the others, so I know my way around a kitchen." Keine offered as she watched Ran bustling about.
Ran smiled and nodded in agreement.
The moment Keine left, Mokou's tense nerves finally relaxed.
She sprawled across the sofa like a retired old man, her fair feet propped on the table, lazily flipping through Aya's newspaper.
But when she spotted an article about the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, her gaze froze.
"Mysterious rabbit spotted in the bamboo forest that said to bring extreme luck, even guiding lost travelers out with ease…"
"There are rabbits in there? Since when?" Mokou scratched her head, muttering loud enough to catch Aya's attention.
"You've been there too?"
"Yeah, went to dig for bamboo shoots. Didn't see any rabbits, though—just that damned black-haired bitch."
The mere thought of that woman made her blood boil.
'There I was, minding my own business, digging up shoots, and suddenly— BAM! —traps everywhere!'
'She claimed they were for catching rabbits, but the whole time, she was just laughing at me! And when I charged at her? More traps!'
Mokou nearly shredded the newspaper in her hands.
'Goddammit!'
Aya, however, perked up at her grumbling.
"She lives in the bamboo forest? When I was there gathering news, I wandered for hours without seeing a soul, got completely lost."
"Then I caught a glimpse of some rabbit, and poof—I was out."
"Yeah, supposedly deep in the forest, some… 'Pavilion' place." Mokou rubbed her cheek, trying to recall. Back then, she'd been too busy raging over the traps to remember details.
But next time I get close enough to brawl, let's see how smug that woman is then!
"Can you take me there tomorrow? I'd love to interview her! My journalist instincts say there's a big secret hiding in that forest!"
"Sure, I'm free tomorrow. Keine even gave me the day off." Mokou grinned at the thought.
Sure, getting chased through the streets was terrifying, but the outcome wasn't bad!
As the two reached an agreement, neither noticed Suika quietly vanishing from the living room.
A thin mist seeped across the ceiling, slipping into hidden compartments.
After counting her secret liquor stash, all bottles accounted for, Suika finally exhaled in relief.
'She didn't find it. The ship of friendship hasn't sunk yet. But… just a fall? With Yuugi's bear-like constitution, that doesn't add up.' Suika frowned, her unease growing.
Before she could ponder further, a gap opened beside her, Yukari's voice drifting out—
"Suika, come help me with something."
"'Kay~" Suika's mist swirled into the gap.
But when she reformed at Yukari's side, her eyelid twitches.
'Why does this door look so familiar?'
Turning around, she spotted the ominous guard station—and her heart stopped.
Without waiting for Yukari to speak, she spun on her heel and bolted.
Yet before she could escape, Yukari yanked her back by the collar.
"No need to rush off~ We're just looking, not breaking in. You've always bragged about the traps here being 'impenetrable.' I'm curious."
"You want me to test them for you?!" Suika glared, her internal alarms blaring.
I'm still in my probationary period! I can't get involved in this!
"You've seen them before, right? With your experience, you might dodge them all~"
"Are you high?! If the boss finds out, I'm dead!" Suika flailed like a trapped animal, resisting with every fiber of her being.
"Relax~ I promise the boss won't notice, no matter what happens. He's… occupied." Yukari's tone carried a knowing lilt. Suika's struggles weakened.
"How do you know that?"
"No questions~ If anything goes wrong, just blame me." Yukari patted Suika's head reassuringly, though the tips of her ears were faintly pink.
She knew exactly how busy Rin was. After all, Yuugi had been so enthusiastic she'd broken the bed…