Chapter 12: I Can't Take It Anymore!

Roland would never have agreed to the deal of trading a lap pillow for sharing a room.

Haruno's icy glare had shot straight at him, a clear warning to think carefully about what he should and shouldn't do.

That was her mother! Just seeing her appear in the living room wrapped only in a bath towel was embarrassing enough for Haruno.

If Roland actually took the lap pillow, what if Roland "accidentally" caught a glimpse beneath the towel? How could she, as her daughter, possibly face him?

She absolutely couldn't allow it!

To express her vehement opposition, Haruno stormed back to her room in a huff.

Her glaring attempt to dissuade Roland from agreeing had quickly drawn Yukio's displeasure. Yukio returned an equally icy glare, her eyes warning Haruno to think carefully about what matters were her business and what weren't.

Does my daughter think she has the right to criticize her own mother's actions?

"Hurry back to your room and figure out how you're going to win over Little Roland tonight!"

Just as Roland wouldn't dare offend Haruno for no reason, Haruno herself wouldn't dare defy her mother's will.

Under her mother's command—"Go back to your room and think about what you need to do tonight"—Haruno had no choice but to go back to her room and think about it, no matter how reluctant she was.

Moreover, Haruno could easily sense her mother hidden meaning behind the order.

Her mother wouldn't let Roland share a room with her for no reason. Since she was willing to offer her lap as a pillow to make it happen, it could only mean her mother was aiming for an even greater reward from him.

In other words, when her mother told her to "think about what you need to do tonight," she was telling her to take advantage of Roland in the bedroom! Good grief, her mother had repeatedly assured Roland she wouldn't pressure him into marriage or children before graduation, earning his trust.

Yet the moment she turned around, she was sending her own daughter to force herself on him, making her daughter bear the image of the villain, while she'll just enjoy the results.

What could Haruno do but grit her teeth and mutter, "Good grief," with this scheme where her mother reaped the benefits while shifting the blame onto her own daughter?

What a cunning plan, Mother!

Roland silently watched Haruno's resentful figure retreat, unable to help but sigh inwardly, "Truly, every creature has its counter." He was powerless against Haruno, who in turn feared Aunt Yukio, yet Yukio couldn't resist his affectionate coaxing. They formed a perfect, self-balancing cycle of mutual restraint.

Of course, none of that mattered now. The most important thing was that the obstacle had finally left. Would he now accept Yukio's lap pillow?

First, sharing a room with Haruno seemed unavoidable. Aunt Yukio hadn't been discussing it with him; she had demanded it, leaving him no room for objection.

To be fair, Roland had finally glimpsed the kind of mother Haruno feared. Though he had only seen the tip of the iceberg, her utterly non-negotiable tone was undeniably domineering. No wonder Yuki wanted to move out.

The only difference was that Yukio's orders to her daughter were absolute, with no room for discussion. But when dealing with Roland, she offered a small consolation: the so-called legendary milf-lap pillow.

If Roland didn't accept this lap pillow, it would be a complete waste.

So he had to accept it—purely to recoup his losses, absolutely not for any academic research.

No, definitely not!

Roland glanced at Yukio's sexy, pale soft legs and couldn't help but secretly swallow hard, thinking to himself.

"Hurry up and come lie down so Aunt Yukio can get a good look at you. What are you daydreaming about?" Yukio patted her beautiful legs, her mood lifting as she watched Roland's expression—wanting him but too embarrassed to admit it.

Good, he wants me, she thought. That's exactly what I want—to make Little Roland fall completely for me, to make him never want to leave me. Yukio admitted that ever since she realized Roland harbored other feelings for her, she could no longer feel simple affection for him.

She was willing to accept this new dynamic of their previous relationship, yet also unable to fully embrace it.

That might sound contradictory, but what Yukio meant was that she could tolerate a certain level of Roland's flirtatious and affectionate behavior, indulging his desire to possess her to some extent.

But that was the limit. Roland was, after all, her daughter's man, and there were certain lines she couldn't cross. She had to carefully manage their interactions, least she inadvertently cross that forbidden line and do an irreversible mistake.

In other words, as long as she stayed within certain boundaries and doesn't cross the line, Yukio could justify her actions as simply being overly indulgent toward Roland. She couldn't bear to see him denied the woman he desired even if it's herself, so she resolved to satisfy him as much as her position allowed.

Yes, this was merely a way for an elder to dote on a younger one certainly. It wasn't yet outright betrayal against her daughter, and she still firmly maintained her dignity as a mother.

She still forbade what must remain forbidden, but she had to loosened her grip on what could be tolerated with him. "Aunt Yukio, I'm coming~," Roland declared to her, having made his decision in the face of her temptation.

Since Yukio had agreed to let him rest his head on her lap—since she didn't mind him taking advantage of the situation—what reason did he have to hesitate as a man with a mission? Such an opportunity might never come again, so Roland must seized the moment and acted swiftly and decisively.

He first returned to his seat, then reached out to touch Yukio's palm and bring it to his hands.

As if anticipating his move, Yukio's hand trembled slightly before she turned her palm over and grasped his hand. Their hands fumbled for a moment, their fingers intertwining perfectly until their ten fingers were interlocked with each other's. They gripped each other tightly, as if declaring their fervent taboo desire to be together.

Well~, since she's already willing to give me a lap pillow, what's the harm in this final touch?

While a lap pillow could be seen as an act of affection, interlocked fingers were undeniably an expression of romantic love.

Yukio's gesture felt like an acceptance of Roland's special feelings, a gesture that stirred more shame and... butterflies in her stomach than the lap pillow had.

Ohh well, Haruno isn't here anyway. As long as we're not discovered, it should be fine,.. right?

Yukio's heart fluttered with these thoughts, and she could no longer contain herself. She actively pulled Roland into her embrace and whispered tenderly in his ear, "Why aren't you lying down yet? How much longer must Aunt Yukio wait? Hurry~."

"Okay, Aunt Yukio~ I'll lie down right now."

Roland, equally stirred by Yukio's affectionate gaze, could no longer resist his greedy desires. He boldly wrapped his other arm around her soft waist, buried his face deeply in her chest, and slid down until he settled into a knee pillow position.

This intimate and possessive behavior brought looks of utter contentment to both Yukio and Roland.

But such forbidden indulgence came at a price. Let's not forget that Yukio was only wrapped in a bath towel, which, unlike proper clothing, wasn't securely fastened. After Roland's greedy embrace, the towel finally gave way and slipped off her body.

There she stood, completely exposed before Roland...

Roland: "....ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ...."

Mother Yukio: ?~