"Mr. Hayashi~~"
Night.
Only two people remained in the room.
The curtains had been drawn early, leaving only a desk lamp casting a warm glow. The heater in the corner filled the air with a cozy warmth, mingling with a subtle and intimate scent.
"You're such a good woman, Reiko."
Stroking her face, Hayashi Yoshiki offered a calm, effortless smile.
The woman's manicured hands, painted in deep red, gently clasped his wrist. She leaned in, nuzzling her flawless cheek against his palm with devotion.
"Yes… I'm a good woman."
She said it as if relishing the affirmation.
With a hazy, melting gaze, Shimizu Reiko looked up in rapture at the man looming over her.
There was no light in those black eyes.
They were like a bottomless abyss.A swirling black hole.And yet, she had surrendered herself—mind and body—into that endless darkness.
"So, what are you willing to do for me?"
"What does Mr. Hayashi want me to do~?"
"Everything."
Hayashi Yoshiki chuckled.
His eyes narrowed, and he gave a deceitfully sweet smile. But just as Reiko tried to refocus her dazed vision, the man leaned closer.
He braced one arm on the pillow beside her head and looked down at her—at her stunning, almost unreal beauty—with a quiet, overbearing intensity.
"Give me everything you have."
"Okay..."
Reiko trembled. She felt herself overflowing again.
Her entire body was vibrating with joy.
Ahhh… Mr. Hayashi, Mr. Hayashi...
She had never encountered a man like this in all her life.
In her twenty-something years, countless men had lusted after her beauty—like Suehiko Ito and Masaharu Nishio. But all of them were easily manipulated like foolish dogs by her charm and acting skills. They had only reinforced her belief that this was how the world worked.
Until today.
"Can I… keep it for Mr. Hayashi?"
Her hand slowly slid over her abdomen.
This was life.
To ensure the continuation of the species, it was hard-wired into a woman's genes to desire the finest male. The flood of estrogen Reiko now experienced brought on a desire she had never known before—and her instincts rejoiced at the idea of what the future might hold.
"I want to give birth to your child, Mr. Hayashi."
"That's why I said you're a good woman, Reiko."
Hayashi Yoshiki smiled. He gently cupped her cheek and stroked her hair.
"But before that, I have something else I need you to do."
"Yes..."
Reiko responded with complete obedience.
At that moment, the phone in her living room rang again. But instead of answering it, she walked over to him, still wrapped in the blanket, and leaned in one last time.
Yoshiki caressed her head gently.
"I've got something else to take care of."
"Okay."
She didn't complain.
She only brushed her cheek affectionately against him once more and quietly watched as Hayashi Yoshiki put on his clothes and left.
She remained in silence for a long time.
Eventually, Reiko wrapped her still-burning body in the blanket and walked to the living room to answer the phone.
"Reiko! Why did it take you so long to answer?"
"I'm sorry… I wasn't feeling well today. What's the matter, Suehiko?"
"I… wanted to ask if you'd have dinner with me tomorrow night. It's at a really lovely riverside restaurant, by the Tsutsu River."
"That place? But I heard there was a serious car accident there today..."
"Eh?! Really?"
Ito Suehiko sounded genuinely surprised.
Reiko's eyes momentarily flashed with contempt and impatience—but her tone remained sweet and gentle.
"By the way, Suehiko… there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Anything, Reiko."
"Can we meet tomorrow?"
"Of course! What time? I'll make a reservation."
"I'll leave that to you, Suehiko."
Facing his sudden eagerness, Reiko smiled faintly.
Why she wanted to meet Ito Suehiko:
Because she planned to kill her other accomplice, Nishio Masaharu, the man who helped her rob the armored car, and then pin the entire crime on Suehiko.
—It wasn't about making more money.
It was because MasaharuNishio, in his stupidity, had shot and killed a guard during the robbery. Though it hadn't affected their escape, it had violated the carefully constructed plan—and Reiko couldn't forgive that recklessness.
Besides, she had grown tired of both men.Fawning. Pathetic. Bootlicking.
After hanging up, she made a mental note to visit the pharmacy tomorrow—it would be difficult to move otherwise.
Mr. Hayashi is so strong—
She was sure that without medication, she might catch an infection.
Meanwhile
Hayashi Yoshiki was driving back to his office.
It was a little past 11 p.m. when he checked his phone and saw a message from Yoko Okino.
Yoko Okino: "Is Yoshiki-kun okay?"Yoko Okino: "I'm already waiting for you at home..."
Sent about ten minutes earlier.
Yoshiki called her with a slight smile on his face.
"It's me, Yoko."
"Would you mind waiting another 30 minutes? I need to grab something from the office."
"Yes, I'll drive safely."
"...Really now, don't be so cute. You're distracting me while I'm driving."
"See you soon."
After hanging up, he arrived at his office.
He needed a shower.
—While it wasn't impossible to bathe at Shimizu Reiko's place, the scent of her shampoo and body wash was unmistakably feminine. It wasn't ideal when he was about to visit Yoko Okino.
He also needed to bring the flowers he bought earlier, which he'd left in the office.
After showering, changing, and picking up the bouquet, he stepped outside…
Only to stop at the gate of the office courtyard.
Under the full moon—
A girl with long crimson hair stood in the shadows, dressed like a witch.
Her presence radiated something otherworldly.
Her eyes blazed like fire as she glared at Hayashi Yoshiki.
"Forest.""Good.""Tree."
Koizumi Akako enunciated each word clearly as she stepped into the yard.
At that moment, Yoshiki noticed the sickle-shaped weapon in her hand.
Oh no...
She was more impatient than he'd expected.