Chapter 167 – The Catlike Sound

Although Yukino wasn't here to serve as the "supervisor" this time, Haru still maintained a professional and focused demeanor, just like the last massage session.

He had real training in massage techniques, and paired with his skill [Auto-Aim], he could precisely sense where to press in order to bring Megumi the greatest comfort.

Unlike Utaha, who had reacted quite intensely during her session, Megumi remained composed—at first.

But as Haru explained each movement while his warm fingertips pressed gently through her clothes onto her back, her steady breathing gradually became ragged.

Though she was clearly trying to restrain herself, breathing rhythms were among the easiest things to betray a person's state.

Not to mention that Haru is now like a "possessed by the Uzumaki clan" and his perception is maxed out.

Megumi first narrowed her eyes in comfort, soaking in the sensation that felt like slipping into a hot spring—pure bliss spreading slowly through her back. Even her long eyelashes trembled faintly.

That soothing warmth was gentle and soft, and she could feel the heat of his palms through her clothes.

Her teeth gently bit into her lower lip, and her mind drifted, hazy and dreamlike, as a deep sense of relaxation settled over her. With every expert motion of Haru's hands, that comfort spread through her whole body… and in the next moment, intensified exponentially—

Until she finally couldn't hold back a soft, involuntary sound.

"Mm…"

It was almost like a soft mewl, catlike and delicate.

She sounded uncannily like the orange cat that always lounged lazily nearby—except her voice was far softer, more feminine, more beautiful.

On the side, Utaha was listening attentively, lips pursed as she tried her best not to let her expression slip.

She wanted to laugh.

But out of respect for Megumi's "contribution," she held it in.

After all, as someone who had already experienced Haru's massage firsthand, she knew just how outrageously good it felt—and just how difficult it was to stay composed.

If Megumi hadn't been there today, Utaha wouldn't have minded volunteering herself for the massage at all.

But precisely because someone else was present, she chose to behave and quietly observe. She didn't want to embarrass herself like last time.

That said, seeing Megumi's flushed cheeks, her dazed, half-lidded eyes, and that barely suppressed expression of restraint… all of it, in stark contrast to her usual composed demeanor, utterly captivated Utaha.

From Haru's point of view, he could only see the back of Megumi's head—completely unaware of the subtle yet telling changes in her expression. That allowed him to stay fully focused on his massage.

Five minutes passed like that.

Then suddenly, Megumi let out a soft, breathy "Mm…"

Yes! That's exactly how it was for me!

I nearly started meowing from how good it felt!

Utaha felt an unexpected kinship in that moment. A comrade-in-arms.

She remembered how Yukino had sneakily recorded her reactions last time, and just thinking about it still made her grit her teeth in frustration.

Thankfully, this time, she was just a spectator.

"W-Wait… please stop…"

Megumi's flustered voice cut through the air, catching both of them off guard.

Haru immediately pulled his hands back. "What's wrong?"

Utaha also turned to look, puzzled.

Megumi bit her lower lip hard, her fair hands clenched into tiny fists.

She'd made a huge mistake.

Earlier, while out shopping with a friend, she had accepted a fruity tea drink as a gift. She hadn't finished it—but she'd drunk more than half.

Then later, while hanging out with Haru at the arcade, he'd bought her a bottle of water.

Everyone knows: when someone takes in too many fluids in a short time, and if there's some external trigger, the urge to go to the bathroom can hit hard.

And Haru's masterful massage technique?

That was the external trigger.

Megumi's face turned scarlet. She stiffened, stood up abruptly, and without even looking at either Haru or Utaha, bolted toward the bathroom.

It was only then that Haru and Utaha finally pieced things together.

The living room suddenly fell into an awkward, heavy silence.

Haru kept a calm expression, pretending he had no clue.

Utaha's eyes sparkled with amusement, thinking: She really did get pushed over the edge…

Neither of them said a word, as if they were playing some silent game of "who talks first loses."

After about half a minute, Haru, feigning ignorance, said, "I'll go plug in the rice cooker."

"Mhm," Utaha responded cooperatively, tactfully avoiding any mention of Megumi's little accident.

But five minutes later, when Haru returned from the kitchen, the bathroom door still hadn't opened.

Now both of them were genuinely concerned and stood up to check.

Since Utaha was a girl, she naturally approached the door. Haru stayed back, giving her space.

They exchanged a quick glance, and then Utaha gently knocked. "Megumi, are you okay?"

A few seconds of silence passed before Megumi's soft voice came through, barely audible: "Is Amamiya-kun still there?"

Her voice was quiet and laced with embarrassment. You wouldn't hear it unless you were standing right by the door.

Utaha turned around and waved Haru away. He got the message and went straight to the bedroom to give them privacy.

"He was in the living room just now, but I asked him to head into the bedroom. You can talk to me," Utaha said gently, leaning against the wall, curiosity rising about what exactly had happened inside.

Megumi's voice trembled slightly, soaked with both shame and hesitation. "Senpai… can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Could you… get me a new pair of underware?"

"…Huh?"

Utaha froze for a moment.

So her guess had been right after all—Megumi hadn't been able to hold it in.

She took a deep breath and composed herself.

As a fellow girl, she knew exactly how mortifying this must be.

Let alone the fact that it happened… in a guy's home.

"I got it. I'll head out and buy you a pair. But… you'll need to tell me your size," she replied softly, almost whispering.

"Thank you…"

While the two girls whispered through the door, Haru sat in the bedroom like a man without a mic in a voice chat—completely out of the loop.

Though to be honest, he'd more or less figured out what had happened.

Megumi, with her typically calm and composed personality, had deliberately asked him to leave.

There was really only one possible explanation.

She… leaked.

Just thinking about it was enough to imagine how utterly humiliated she must feel.

If it were someone with a stronger sense of pride, they'd probably already be crying.

Haru calmly kept to himself, understanding that the best thing he could do now was pretend he still didn't know a thing. Anything else would just make it worse for Megumi.

He waited quietly in the bedroom, and after what felt like an eternity, Utaha finally called out, "You can come out now."

Haru stepped into the living room and saw Megumi sitting on the couch, head down, hugging the orange cat plushie tightly.

Utaha gave him a subtle look: Play along.

That one look confirmed all of Haru's suspicions.

He nodded inwardly and spoke up, "I'm about to start cooking. Is there anything you guys feel like eating? I went shopping recently, so we've got plenty of ingredients."

Utaha jumped in quickly, "I remember Yukino mentioning you're good at Chinese dishes? Why don't you make something like that today?"

"Sure. What about you, Kato?"

"…Anything's fine."

Megumi didn't even lift her head.

But from Haru's angle, he could clearly see the pink flush on her cheeks and the soft cherry tint blooming along her pale neck.

"Alright then, I'll make a few homestyle Chinese dishes… and fennel meatball soup."

With that, Haru finalized the menu and headed back into the kitchen.

But just as he was getting started, Megumi suddenly said, "Senpai, I'm going to the kitchen for a bit."

"Huh? Sure—but just so you know, he doesn't like being disturbed while he's cooking. Don't take too long," Utaha replied with a teasing smile.

Even she couldn't believe how gentle she was being now.

After all, she had been the one who suggested Megumi take Haru's massage in the first place.

And now, things had ended up like this.

Even going downstairs earlier to buy underwear for Megumi had been painfully awkward.

In the kitchen…

Haru was chopping vegetables when he heard soft footsteps behind him. He turned—and saw Megumi standing at the entrance.

A faint blush still lingered on her face. Under the soft light streaming through the window, she looked even more delicate and adorable than usual.

"What brings you here?"

"Does Utaha-senpai know… how good you are at massages?"

They spoke at the same time.

Haru's heart skipped a beat. Wait—where is this going?

Still, he responded calmly, "She probably does. I taught her once. Yukino was there too."

Megumi's expression shifted slightly. Her eyes sharpened, unreadable.

"So… Senpai got massaged to this point too?"

Haru: "..."

That's not a question you can answer lightly.