Animania: Everyone Loves Me

Soyo?

To be honest, upon seeing that familiar avatar on the phone screen, Kaito had a feeling of inevitability.

After all, this girl who was as gentle and familiar as a newlywed wife, even though she was already doing her best to suppress her longing, still unconsciously showed herself to be very clingy when facing the boy she liked.

Sending messages and chatting during free time, or having long phone calls, were everyday occurrences.

Of course, Soyo grasped her measure very well, never forcibly intervening in her boyfriend's social circle, nor pointing fingers at his hobbies. Even when she threw a small tantrum occasionally, it was only when the two were alone, more like a harmless act of affection.

If there was a single flaw… it would probably be that she remained overly enthusiastic about remedial lessons?

But that also varied from person to person. At least for Kaito, just based on Soyo's level of teaching, it was far from enough to make him feel pressured.

Even adding Yumiko wouldn't make a difference.

Though his cultivation wasn't at its peak, the foundation of the Nascent Soul stage was still there. The energy expended during normal activities was even less than what his physical body could recover on its own.

In other words, as long as he wanted, he could practically never feel tired.

Kaito didn't dislike Soyo's closeness. To him, a clingy girlfriend was also very cute.

It's just that… the timing of this call was a bit inconvenient.

However… nothing was unspeakable. Since he had a clear conscience, there was no need to hide anything.

So he had no intention of hanging up, nor any plan to hide anything. Right in front of Mutsumi, he directly and openly answered the call.

———

[Roppongi, a Luxurious Duplex on the Forty-Second Floor of a Tower]

In the bright bedroom with huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the girl in silk pajamas leaned on the bed. Her scattered brown hair gently flowed behind her like melted toffee. A few strands drooped off the edge of the bed, and her pale face was almost translucent under the phone's glow, while the smile on her lips lingered like catkins on a branch, never blown away by the wind.

"You were a bit slow to pick up today… were you busy?"

["Good guess."]

The handsome boy on screen raised an eyebrow, ["Too bad, no reward."]

Whether there was a reward or not, Soyo didn't really care.

She just keenly noticed that the background on screen looked a bit off.

There was mist, the sound of water, and the surrounding environment looked like bathroom decor.

'Is he about to take a bath?'

Although they were already in a proper relationship and had done the most intimate things, encountering such a situation still made the girl a bit shy as she turned her eyes away and whispered, "Um, am I disturbing you?"

Kaito shook his head, just about to say something when the cat girl beside him suddenly leaned in.

["Onii-chan-chan, the water is still too hot… eh?"]

Her gaze met Soyo's on the screen. She tilted her head, showing a thoughtful expression, "It's that woman from last time."

When she first met Kaito at the ring, Raana had tried to snuggle closer, but was stopped in time by the gentle and kind Soyo.

Because of that, she had a deep impression of that face.

"Raa… Na-chan?"

Soyo was also stunned.

'Isn't Kaito-kun supposed to be in the bathroom?'

'So… who can tell me why that stray cat is also there!"

Seeing the brown-haired girl's confused and dazed look, seemingly so shocked she couldn't speak, Kaito cleared his throat and decided to get straight to the point.

["Actually, not just Raana, Mutsumi is also here."]

He slightly turned the camera. Although it only captured half of the familiar green hair, it was enough to confirm her identity.

Mutsumi lowered her lashes and sighed in her heart.

She had barely sneaked halfway and already got caught red-handed.

At this point, pretending not to know anything clearly wouldn't work. After a moment of hesitation, she still leaned into the camera, gently raised her hand, and greeted, ["…Soyo, good evening."]

Soyo: "..."

Soyo: "?"

———

[Ten Minutes Later]

"So… what you mean is, this wasn't the first time you and Raana-chan bathed together. Mutsumi found out, so she joined in, and that's how it turned out like this?"

Kaito nodded.

Though there were a few differences in detail, that was essentially how it happened.

Finally understanding the ins and outs, Nagasaki Soyo remained silent for a long time after getting a clear answer.

Raana was just a humanoid cat, naive and ignorant of worldly matters, and still quite young. She wasn't particularly worried about her as a threat.

But… Mutsumi was different.

Soyo had very complicated feelings about this friend.

On one hand, as the one whose boyfriend was being stolen, she should have been furious, ["I treated you as a friend, and you actually want to sleep with my man?"]

If today she dared to bathe with him, wouldn't she dare to eat him tomorrow?

But on the other hand… as the main culprit behind the birth of the Mortis personality, Soyo felt deep guilt toward Mutsumi.

If it weren't for her showing off and provoking Mutsumi's emotions, making her develop a fear of being left behind, things wouldn't have developed this way.

It was precisely because of this guilt that Soyo found it hard to say harsh words to this quiet and reserved girl.

And also… she seemed to lack the right to criticize Mutsumi.

After all, if we trace things back, she was the one who, knowing Kaito was already dating Miura, still refused to give up, the "bad woman."

If she could do it, of course others could too.

Of course, the reasons for Soyo's change of mindset went far beyond that.

In the past, the reason she didn't want to share the boy she liked with others. Besides the natural possessiveness between lovers, was also because she worried that Kaito's energy was limited, and if she herself wasn't even satisfied, how could she let others have a share?

But now, Soyo no longer had that concern.

If there had to be someone after her… if it was Mutsumi, it was better than an outsider. At least she knew her well, and they could get along.

That said, she still felt every bit as jealous as she should.

Soyo gently bit her lip, her beautiful lake-blue eyes full of misty resentment.

'No matter what Mutsumi has done behind my back…'

'When it is my turn, I will definitely reclaim it all from Kaito-kun, TENFOLD!'

———

'Is it just his imagination?'

'Why did it feel like Soyo's look before hanging up was… a little familiar?'

'Back when she dragged me into the room and left Mutsumi alone in the living room to wait, didn't she wear that same expression?'

Kaito was silent for two seconds.

'Soyo… is she also, like Yumiko, have developed some strange fetish?'

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