65. Momobami Kirari Wants to Tame a Dog

65. Momobami Kirari Wants to Tame a Dog

"Jabami-san, would you mind giving me a moment alone with Hikigaya-kun?"

Jabami Yumeko paused and looked to Hikigaya Hachiman for confirmation. After receiving his approval, she said, "Hikigaya-kun, I'm staying with my sister in Room 101. If you need anything, come find me there."

"Well then, I'll be going now~"

Yumeko gently closed the door, leaving the single hospital room empty but for Hikigaya Hachiman and Momobami Kirari.

Hikigaya sharply noticed the thick file folder in Kirari's hand.

She was still in her school uniform—judging from the dimming light outside, she appeared to have come straight from school.

"Hikigaya-kun, in my hand is your investigation file. Do you want me to open it?" After sitting down, Kirari tightly crossed her shapely legs and sat gracefully in the chair next to Hikigaya.

From her, Hikigaya could smell a faint floral scent.

"This file was sent to me by Ririka, and I haven't opened it yet~"

"If you'd rather I didn't, I can destroy it."

Kirari leaned down, her full chest nearly pressing against Hikigaya's. As she spoke, her warm breath brushed his face. Her deep blue eyes locked onto him.

Under her gaze, all lies became meaningless.

That was the core philosophy of Hyakkaou Private Academy—cultivating the ability to read minds. Beyond gambling, it was a skill meant to be applied to every facet of life.

Hikigaya, of course, was aware of this. Or rather, his thoughts moved so fast that he responded before Kirari could even sense his hesitation.

"Go ahead, President Momobami." He gave his answer without a moment's delay.

Though Kirari's opening line deviated slightly from the scenario he had envisioned, it still fell within the range of possibilities he had considered earlier while strategizing.

Sincerity is the only ultimate weapon.

He needed to win Kirari's trust—absolute, unreserved trust.

Hikigaya believed her when she said she hadn't read the file yet, and he also believed she wouldn't hold it against him if he declined. But if he refused now, his path forward would be blocked.

Besides, there was nothing in the file he couldn't afford to let her see. In fact, he had always intended to use this information one day as a trump card—to strike a fatal blow against an opponent. So offering it now to earn Kirari's trust made perfect sense.

His decisiveness caused a subtle glimmer in Kirari's otherwise calm, abyssal eyes. She reached for the string binding the folder and began to slowly unwind it.

Sheet after sheet of printed paper containing his personal information was pulled out and examined by Momobami Kirari.

With just a glance, Hikigaya realized the file started all the way from his elementary school days.

No detail was left out.

It even contained things he had forgotten himself—like who his deskmate was in first grade. For a moment, Hikigaya felt like he was stripped bare and laid out on a dining table, each sheet of paper covering different parts of him, now being delicately lifted one by one by Kirari with chopsticks...

What the hell is this—human sushi?!

To probe Momobami Kirari's attitude and draw out more information, Hikigaya spoke up first: "I heard that Councilor Kiwatari from Chiba got arrested."

"Mm."

Kirari didn't look up from the file, her beautiful eyes scanning the documents as she replied, "Your information network is more impressive than I expected, Hikigaya-kun."

"What about Kiwatari Jun?"

"He woke up earlier than you did. He's already in prison. As for Councilor Kiwatari—since he's a public official, it'll take a bit more time for father and son to reunite."

Hikigaya stiffened. Skipping over the judicial process entirely—this was the power of the Momobami family.

A notorious second-year delinquent from Hyakkaou Academy had been erased with barely a whisper.

Finally, Momobami Kirari finished reading the document titled 'Hikigaya—Elementary School Report.'

"Hikigaya-kun, I didn't expect you, Sachiko, and Mibuomi to be elementary school classmates. You must hate Mibuomi…"

"Yeah."

Hikigaya admitted frankly: "More than anyone, I want him to go to hell."

"I see…" Momobami Kirari set down the file and rested her chin in her hand, carefully observing Hikigaya Hachiman.

"Hikigaya-kun."

"I'm here."

"I'm going to give you two choices now."

Hikigaya Hachiman instinctively straightened his back, listening attentively to what Kirari had to say.

"You saved me. According to the Momobami family tradition, I must help you unconditionally."

Her gaze grew playful as she stretched out her index finger and gently tapped the side of Hikigaya's face:

"The first path—be my dog. Then, you can do whatever you want to Mibuomi."

Her finger trailed from his cheek down to his chin, to his throat, then slowly down over Hikigaya's collarbone, until it reached his beating heart.

"From then on, you'll be my dog. You will never betray me for life. You can have anything you desire—your life from this point onward will belong to me."

Her fingertip pressed in with a bit more force, the sharp edge of her nail slowly piercing into his skin.

"Your education, your wife, your job—everything will follow my arrangements."

"Are you willing?"

Am I willing…?

Hikigaya Hachiman fell into silence. This path seemed to align perfectly with his desires.

Fame, power, money, pleasure—he could obtain them all with ease.

With the Momobami family's media influence promoting him as a novelist, that would be fame—he'd be celebrated worldwide.

Under Kirari's guidance into Japanese politics, that would be power—his rise would be smooth and unstoppable.

He'd have free access to the Momobami family's wealth—that was money—he could buy anything he wanted.

An arranged marriage with another elite would mean pleasure—the children of Japan's most powerful would undoubtedly be extraordinarily beautiful.

From that moment on, it would be a guaranteed win, a one-way ticket to the peak of life.

Hikigaya Hachiman's heart trembled.

Momobami Kirari didn't rush him. She simply rested her chin on her hand, calmly admiring the look of internal struggle playing across Hikigaya's face.

No one could ignore the allure of becoming her "dog"—of that, Kirari was absolutely certain.

Just look at the Hundred Devouring Families. Their influence stretched across all of Japan, forming an invisible web that covered the nation. And yet, even they submitted under the rule of the Momobami family, going to any lengths to curry Kirari's favor.

Ever since her childhood, when she inherited the Momobami leadership, they had done everything possible to win her over, to gain a piece of everything that belonged to her.

That was the power of the Momobami family.

And being her dog could take many forms.

A simple name change to "Momobami Hachiman" was one. Marrying into the Momobami family was another—like having Hikigaya marry her sister, Ririka... As for which route to take, Kirari needed to continue observing Hikigaya to truly decide.

In any case, becoming her dog meant gaining everything.

Momobami Kirari's deep blue eyes were like an abyss of endless desire—pulling people in, making it impossible not to sink into them.

To watch the human heart struggle against desire—there was no finer delicacy.

'What will you choose, Hikigaya-kun?'