The hotel at the foot of the mountain was a very comfortable place.
Especially after a delicious dinner and a long soak in the hot springs, Hayashi Yoshiki felt relaxed and refreshed.
He was waiting for someone.
While waiting, he turned on the television and followed the recent news—reports of shootings in Beika Town and Ekoda City continued to dominate the headlines. These two places, in the storyline, corresponded exactly to the main areas of activity for the Black Organization (the Winery) and the Zoo.
Hayashi Yoshiki speculated that the conflict between the two factions must have escalated significantly.
...Perhaps Rum, who had yet to show himself, was also quietly frustrated. After all, the blame had inexplicably fallen on his shoulders, bringing trouble to the organization. His notoriously short temper may now be flaring due to this resentment.
(Even if they're pressing hard now, it doesn't necessarily mean it will continue.)
(At this stage, the key is still finding out Rum's name and true appearance.)
After all, Rum was the second-in-command of the Black Organization, as well as the head of its intelligence division. Whether Hayashi used the Death Note to control him or extracted secrets from him, either option would cause massive upheaval within the organization.
He wanted to replicate the strategy once used against Günter von Goldberg II.
But at present, there were no available leads on Rum. Moreover, there was also the reaction from Koizumi Akako—when Hayashi had tried asking her to divine whether "Kurosawa Jin" was truly Gin's real name, she'd become noticeably irritated.
"Do you think divining names is that easy? It consumes a tremendous amount of my magical energy—not to mention rare ingredients like dragon whiskers, mermaid tears, and kappa eyes! Using them just to check if someone's name is this or that is completely pointless!"
Hearing that, Hayashi Yoshiki had come to understand clearly that name-based divination was no simple matter.
Still, he had to find a way to get closer to the truth.
Knock knock.
A light knock at the door interrupted Hayashi's thoughts.
"Come in."
"...Excuse me."
The shoji door slid open quietly, revealing a soft and delicate female voice.
Yoko Okino entered the room cautiously, checking the hallway behind her before closing the door gently. A bright, happy smile lit up her face.
"I'm here, Yoshiki-kun… Sorry, Ogiya was sticking too close, so I was a little late."
Ogiya was her new manager.
"It's fine," Hayashi said, smiling. He looked at Yoko, who had walked straight up to him and was now standing quite close. "You look beautiful, Yoko."
"Well, of course!"
She struck a playful, narcissistic pose—adorably intentional.
Her soft, glossy hair had been tied back, making her look gentler and more innocent than usual. And because she had just bathed, the skin visible beneath her loosely worn yukata was slightly tinted with a cherry-blossom hue, glistening with delicate warmth.
Without hesitation, Hayashi reached out and took her hand, pulling her close and kissing her as she leaned in.
Yoko didn't resist.
At first, she was shy, clearly unsure where to place her hands. She folded them against her chest, closed her eyes, and let Hayashi kiss her.
Her heart pounded furiously.
…
Yoko Okino found it almost unbelievable.
Even with just their lips touching, her emotions surged so powerfully—nervous and thrilled all at once.
"Feeling okay?"
"...Ugh, don't bully me, Yoshiki-kun."
"But even if you say that… I just can't help myself sometimes."
He smiled gently, and Yoko pouted slightly in return.
Feeling that he was a little too composed, she let out a soft hum, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him back.
Hayashi Yoshiki was surprised.
But only slightly.
His response deepened briefly, and Yoko's breathing became heavier as she exhaled through her nose.
When they finally parted, her lips were cherry-red, moist, and trembling.
She had to take a moment just to steady her breath.
"...Yoshiki-kun, what were you doing just now?"
"Nothing much. Just watching the news."
"Oh…"
She turned her attention to the television, clearly trying to avoid his teasing gaze. "The news lately has been kind of scary…"
"Yeah, things have been pretty chaotic."
"How about we watch a movie?" Yoko suggested, "I checked earlier, and this hotel has a nice selection of videotapes."
"Sounds good. What kind of movie do you want to watch? Horror?"
"...I'd be too scared to sleep."
"Then I'll stay with you, Yoko."
"....."
His words made Yoko blush deeply.
Spending the night together—that's what he means, right?
Her heart squeezed tightly.
The overwhelming nervousness, the heat flooding her cheeks, and the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her chest—surely Yoshiki noticed all of it.
But this felt too fast.
More importantly…
"We'll be found out easily… Everyone from the crew is staying at this hotel, too."
"I know."
Hayashi gave a faint smile.
Yoko, half-kneeling in his arms, felt his breath close to her ear as he leaned in and whispered in a velvety voice:
"Then I'll find another opportunity later…"
Find another opportunity…!
He wasn't hiding his intentions at all.
But under that gaze, Yoko couldn't bring herself to object.
She lowered her head.
"...."
"...."
"So, what kind of movie should we watch?"
Sensing that continuing to tease might backfire, Hayashi shifted the topic.
"Something more relaxing, maybe?"
"Yeah, that sounds nice."
Hayashi nodded.
As he began browsing the videotapes, Yoko watched with a mix of nervousness and anticipation, but also a hint of relief.
He finally selected a serious romantic film.
Unsurprisingly, hot spring hotels often stocked romantic or horror films—standard fare for young couples or married guests.
As the movie began playing, Yoko Okino quietly leaned closer to Hayashi Yoshiki, gently tugging on the sleeve of his bathrobe.
She softly rested her head against his shoulder.
"Is it okay if I get closer?"