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Haru felt like his heart had just skipped a beat. Baby. She called him baby. When did she start calling him that?

"What do you think?"

Sakura's voice snapped him out of his daze.

He looked up—and immediately forgot how to breathe.

She stood before him in a zombie nurse costume—a short white dress splattered with fake blood, a toy stethoscope draped around her neck. The outfit clung to her body in all the right places, and her bare legs seemed to go on forever.

Haru's brain short-circuited. He just stared, wide-eyed, as something dark and primal flickered inside him.

And just like that, a switch flipped.

Haru was turned on.

When he didn't respond, Sakura smirked and decided to tease him a little.

"Mr. Soma," she purred, taking slow, deliberate steps toward him. "You seem to be staring at my legs a lot."

Haru swallowed hard, looking away. "Uh—I—mhm."

Sakura bit back a laugh. His face was bright red, and judging by how stiffly he sat, his heart rate had gone from resting to racing.

"Oh no," she continued playfully. "And now you're all flushed. Do you have a fever?" She reached out, pressing her cool palm against his forehead.

The second her skin touched his, Haru clenched his jaw. A sharp jolt of electricity shot down his spine. He knew what she was doing, but that didn't make it any easier to control himself.

"Hmm, no temperature," Sakura mused. She grabbed the toy stethoscope, slipping it into her ears. "Let's check your heart rate, then."

She slid the stethoscope beneath his shirt—

BANG!

Before she could react, Haru had her pinned against the dressing room wall.

The entire store went dead silent.

A few customers gasped, their heads snapping toward the dressing room doors.

"H-Haru?" Sakura squeaked, eyes wide.

Haru smirked, his hands braced against the wall, caging her in. His gaze was dark, heated. Dangerous.

"Why the long face, doc?" His voice was low, husky. "Wasn't this the reaction you were trying to get out of me?"

With one swift motion, Haru took off his T-shirt, revealing his sculpted chest and defined six-pack.

Sakura's eyes widened, taking in his transcendent body.

"So, doc," Haru murmured, leaning in. "Wanna play?"

"Not here, I don't!" Sakura whisper-shouted, glancing toward the door. "They're gonna call security!"

Haru ignored her, pressing his body flush against hers.

Sakura could hear his heartbeat—loud, steady, dangerous—against her chest.

Suddenly… Haru's idea didn't seem so bad.

She was about to give in to temptation when—

"I apologise for the disruption, everyone," a woman's voice rang out. "One of our customers accidentally bumped into the wall. Please continue shopping."

The murmurs of concern faded, and the store returned to normal.

But then—

"Don't think you two can just walk out together," a firm voice said from behind the curtain. "Exit one at a time."

Haru sighed and pulled his shirt back on.

Sakura went out first, followed by Haru.

Waiting outside stood a woman in her mid-thirties. She was dressed in a sleek black pantsuit, her short, sandy-blonde hair framing sharp blue eyes. Unlike the other staff, she didn't look Japanese.

"I'm so sorry," Sakura began, but the woman just laughed.

"That's quite a tenacious boyfriend you've got there."

Neither Sakura nor Haru responded.

The woman smiled. "Let's start over. My name is Selena Reynolds, and I own this store."

Both Sakura and Haru's expressions dropped.

"I sincerely apologise," Haru said, bowing. "That was all my fault."

"No, no, it's quite alright." Selena waved him off. "Actually, I've been looking for a couple like you two."

Sakura blinked. "What do you mean?"

Selena's eyes gleamed. "I've designed a new Halloween couple's costume, but every couple I've observed so far has been… let's say, lifeless. I was searching for a pair with passion, chemistry—" she gestured between them, "—and you two fit the bill."

Sakura hesitated. "So… you liked our relationship so much that you want us to be the first to wear your design?"

"I know it sounds odd," Selena admitted, "but yes, exactly."

Sakura turned to Haru. "What do you think?"

Haru shrugged. "Surprises like this don't happen every day. Let's give it a shot."

…

Haru stepped out first.

He was dressed as a vampire, wearing a silk black cape over a tailored suit drenched in fake blood. His sleek leather boots clicked against the floor as he moved, and his fangs looked shockingly real.

Then—

Sakura stepped out.

And Haru's jaw dropped.

She wore an extremely short, strapless black dress, fishnet tights hugging her legs, and high heels that made her look like a queen. The silk cape draped elegantly behind her, but—

Haru swallowed hard.

This dress was so short it should be illegal.

"Do you like it?" Sakura asked shyly, playing with her fingers. A faint blush dusted her cheeks.

Haru came back to reality. "I mean… you looked hot in the nurse's outfit, but now…" His eyes darkened. "You look sexy."

Sakura smiled. "So do you, Mr. Count Hotula."

Selena beamed. "You two look gorgeous. 

May I take some photos for advertisement?"

Sakura stiffened.

She suddenly felt exposed. Too much of her body was showing. This dress wasn't just revealing—it left her feeling vulnerable.

Kenji's touch—his hands on her body, his sickening whispers—flashed through her mind.

Her stomach twisted.

And suddenly—

She turned and bolted to the nearest restroom.

"Sakura!" Haru called, immediately running after her.

…

Sakura vomited into the toilet, her body trembling.

Haru crouched beside her, holding her hair back, rubbing gentle circles on her back. "It's okay," he murmured. "I'm right here."

Selena walked in, looking slightly concerned—though her eyes flickered to Sakura's costume more than her face.

"Are you alright?"

Sakura wiped her mouth, still pale and shaken.

Haru turned to Selena.

"We appreciate your offer, Miss Reynolds," he said coolly. "But my girlfriend and I will not be part of any advertisement. Thank you for the opportunity."

Selena's smile faltered.

She had spent weeks trying to find the perfect models, and now that she'd finally found two stunningly attractive people—they were rejecting her?

"If you agree, you can keep the costumes for free," she tried.

"No, thank you."

"But—"

Haru's expression darkened. He glared at Selena.

"Don't you understand?" Haru cut her off, his voice ice-cold. "We neither need it nor want it."

With that, he wrapped his arm around Sakura and led her away—leaving Selena standing there, speechless.