Chapter 34: The Counterattack!

With the three rules agreed upon between Yukio and Haruno, the banquet time gradually approached.

Tonight was the banquet's introductory reception, and Haruno needed to arrive before the dinner began.

After lunch, she had to pack her luggage and prepare to leave.

This trip would last two days and two nights. Despite the agreed-upon rules, Haruno couldn't shake her unease about leaving those two alone.

But what could she do?

Her mother's health prevented her from attending the banquet, and Roland, not being a member of the Yukino Family, hadn't received an invitation. Haruno couldn't possibly bring him along.

She couldn't introduce Roland as her boyfriend, could she?

Let's not forget that one of Haruno's main reasons for attending the banquet was to handle the troublesome arranged marriage proposals on behalf of her younger sister. If she brought a boyfriend, what was the point of dealing with those proposals? Why would you even consider an arranged marriage when you already have a boyfriend?

If she did that, she could kiss goodbye to ever helping her sister with future marriage negotiations.

So Haruno had to keep her marriage a secret. Despite her anxiety, she had no choice but to leave those two at home and attend the banquet alone.

"Well, I'm off," Haruno said, slinging a shoulder bag over her shoulder as she walked out the door. Before closing it, she turned back for one last look at the two inside.

"Go now, and be careful on the way," Yukio said simply with a smile in her face.

"You're the ones who should be careful," Haruno retorted, clearly detecting the eagerness in her mother's tone to see her gone. "Don't forget our agreement."

Why was her mother so eager to see her leave?

It was obvious: she wanted to go wild with Roland once Haruno was gone.

Although Haruno had agreed to allow a certain level of intimacy, could they truly restrain themselves without supervision?

Haruno doubted it.

"A promise made by your mother will naturally be kept," Yukio said calmly. "Go with peace of mind."

"Hmph, let's hope so," Haruno scoffed, slamming the door behind her. After all, she had no choice but to hope.

The loud bang echoed through the house, betraying Haruno's simmering anger.

Meanwhile, the two left behind were too preoccupied with their own excitement to care about Haruno's feelings. With her gone, they had two days and two nights of uninterrupted bliss ahead of them.

No sooner had Haruno stepped out the door than Roland slipped behind Yukio and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

Roland had overheard the entire agreement between Yukio and Haruno. As long as they didn't cross that line, Roland essentially had free rein to interact with Yukio.

So don't go saying he cheated on his wife the moment she left—his dear wife herself had granted him this permission!

"Aunt Yukio~!" Roland pressed his face against hers, and the two began rubbing their cheeks together without a care for appearances.

"You're still so impatient," Yukio sighed, but she didn't stop Roland's antics. Instead, she gently rubbed her cheek against his as well.

"That just shows how deeply I love Aunt Yukio~."

"Honestly, I can't handle you. Today, I'll just let you have your way."

Yukio was equally eager for Roland's eagerness, yearning to see what would unfold over the next two days between both of them.

That's why she boldly granted.

Well, since it's already within the "permitted range," even as a mother, there's no harm in letting loose and having some fun, right?

With that thought, Yukio's hand actively caressed Roland's cheek—or rather, firmly pressed his face against hers, as if desperate to close the gap between them.

The two of them didn't even bother to move from the entryway, shamelessly indulging in their intimacy as if no one else existed. They couldn't even be bothered to pretend anymore.

After all, Haruno had already left. What was the point of putting on a show?

Who would they be performing for?

Laughable! A performance for an empty house!

Yet...

Haruno thought, Who said I'd left for good?

Just as Roland and Aunt Yukio were enjoying their cozy moment, a click suddenly echoed from outside the door. Haruno had unexpectedly returned!

As Haruno pushed open the door, the first sight that greeted her wasn't exactly shocking—it was exactly what she'd expected!

Truth be told, Haruno had already guessed that the two would start getting intimate shortly after she left.

Still, Haruno hadn't anticipated how much she had underestimated her mother. What did "not long" even mean?

Her mother didn't even want to wait "not long." She started right there in the entryway, shamelessly.

And she dared to swear she wouldn't break their agreement. Did anyone really believe that?

Haruno crossed her arms, glaring at the pair with a furious expression.

"Haruno? Why are you back? Did you forget something?" Yukio paused visibly at the sudden appearance of her daughter.

But she quickly shrugged it off. After all, she had already laid her cards on the table with Haruno. Her current actions weren't crossing the line, so why should she care? She resumed stroking Roland's cheek, deliberately enjoying the moment in front of her daughter.

"Nothing. I just wanted to remind you: if you cross that line, you can forget about ever seeing your little Roland again!" Haruno gritted her teeth, speechless in the face of her mother's brazenness.

After all, even though her mother had abandoned all shame, this cheek-touching behavior hadn't technically crossed the line. And their agreement stipulated that anything short of crossing the line was acceptable.

What choice did Haruno have but to accept?

"You should trust your mother," Yukio said, urging her daughter to believe while inching closer.

"Yes, yes, yes. What else can a daughter do but trust?" Haruno snapped, her voice dripping with displeasure. Where does this woman get the nerve to say such things?

Does she even realize how ridiculous this whole situation is?

"Enough. It's getting late. If you don't leave now, you'll be too late," Yukio said, cutting off the conversation. She didn't care what her daughter thought anymore.

All she wanted was to get Haruno out of the way so she could continue her "good time" uninterrupted.

"Hmph, you'll regret this!" Haruno hissed, slamming the door behind her.

This time, she had no intention of turning back. What was the point? Her mother would probably just continue her shameless flirtation with Roland right in front of her. It was too much to bear.

Out of sight, out of mind. Since she couldn't stop her mother's disgusting behavior, she'd rather not witness it. Watching would only give her a heart attack from anger.

So Haruno truly left this time.

Yukio, however, had no intention of lingering in the doorway. Why stand awkwardly when she could lounge on the sofa and enjoy herself?

With a blissful expression, she turned in Roland's arms, facing him as they embraced. Savoring the softness of his embrace and smelling his masculine body scent, she slowly shuffled toward the sofa in a deliberately awkward manner.