Soon, Eri returned to her bedroom, though her face still carried a lingering sense of satisfaction.
Akashi remained in his room, his thoughts lighthearted as he thought of what happened in the bathroom.
As he glanced at his accumulated Yin energy, now totaling 3,812, a grin spread across his face.
"Just a little more effort, and I'll hit 10,000. Then, all these skills will finally come in handy!"
Before long, Eri re-entered Akashi's room, now fresh from her bath and dressed in lavender tulle pajamas. The soft fabric accentuated her figure, revealing a hint of her fair legs. Her freshly washed and blow-dried brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, enhancing her natural beauty and exuding a mature, captivating charm.
---
Akashi couldn't help but blurt out:
"Auntie Eri, do you think the foggy dog will come back tonight?"
Eri, her cheeks slightly flushed from the wine, looked momentarily flustered. She quickly composed herself and replied with feigned seriousness:
"Of course! Foggy dogs love to capture children. But don't worry, Auntie is here to protect you!"
Akashi glanced at her skeptically, a hint of disdain flickering across his expression.
But Eri, still tipsy, paid no mind to his reaction. She climbed onto the bed, wrapping her arms around the young boy in a protective embrace.
"Hold on to Auntie tightly, Akashi. Otherwise, the foggy dog might take you away!"
Though overwhelmed, Akashi felt powerless to object. The sheer presence of her tulle nightgown and her warm embrace left him utterly speechless.
As the lights dimmed, Eri whispered gently:
"Goodnight, Akashi."
"Goodnight, Auntie… bad Auntie!" he muttered playfully.
"Huh? Why bad?" Eri tried to probe further, but Akashi didn't respond. Instead, he nestled into her embrace, finding solace in her warmth as sleep gradually overtook him.
---
The next morning arrived, and with it, Saturday.
Ran opened her eyes groggily, staring at the ceiling in a daze.
"That dream… what was that?" she muttered to herself.
Her mind replayed fragmented images of the dream: falling repeatedly, coaxing a young boy into the bath, and participating in utterly absurd scenarios.
"Ridiculous!" Ran said aloud, shaking her head.
"How could I dream about something so outrageous?"
She remembered how in the dream, she had obediently complied with every request—lifting her legs, stepping into the tub, even letting herself be coaxed like a child. It was absurd.
Turning over, she hugged a pillow between her legs, intending to take another nap. But something felt… off.
Sitting up suddenly, she noticed her blue pajamas—the very ones she'd worn in her dream.
Her heart raced.
"Wait, this… isn't just a dream, is it?"
A cold wave of realization washed over her as the memories of the previous night flooded back. Her drunken stupor, the playful moments with Akashi—everything was true.
Ran froze, her entire body stiffening.
"No… Akashi… he mustn't think I'm some kind of perverted sister!"
She clutched her head, her mind replaying Akashi's innocent, childlike face. The thought of how he might now view her made her stomach churn with regret.
Desperation overtook her, and she began banging her head against her bed in frustration.
"Why? Why did I let this happen?"
Her heart was filled with regret and shame, her mind tormented by the lingering consequences of her actions.
---
"No! I have to explain everything to Akashi!"
Determined, Ran quickly regained her composure. She leapt out of bed and, after a brief search for her slippers, gave up and dashed barefoot toward Akashi's room.
The door creaked open, and the sight before her made her freeze in her tracks.
"Ha?"
Her expression shifted into a mix of confusion and irritation. The energetic high school girl crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. She hugged herself tightly, tapping her arm as her narrowed eyes darted between the two occupants of the room.
"Why is Mom here… in Akashi's room?"
Her annoyance bubbled to the surface. "Mom is even more shameless than I am!"
Steeling herself, Ran stepped forward and reached for the young boy, sliding her hands under his arms to lift him effortlessly.
Akashi, still caught in a dream of delicious treats, murmured groggily, "Bun... my bun..." His small hands reached out aimlessly.
As Ran pulled him into her arms, he stirred awake. Slowly, his drowsy eyes blinked open. Upon seeing her, his milky voice greeted her warmly:
"Good morning, Sister Ran!"
The sight of his sleepy, angelic face made Ran's heart melt on the spot. Any lingering frustration she felt from last night seemed to dissipate.
"He really is just a little angel!" she thought, feeling a pang of guilt for her behavior the previous evening.
Her arms tightened around Akashi as she turned her gaze to her mother, her tone now sharp and demanding.
"Mom, why are you in Akashi's room? I need a reasonable explanation!"
Eri, who had just finished adjusting her clothes, looked unfazed despite her daughter's pointed question. Her calm demeanor suggested she had only just woken up.
In a steady voice, Eri replied, "Akashi told me he was afraid of ghosts and couldn't sleep alone. So, I stayed to keep him company."
Ran's eyes narrowed further. She wasn't buying it.
---
Meanwhile, Akashi, now fully awake, widened his eyes in disbelief. His thoughts raced.
"Afraid of ghosts? Me? That's a complete lie! She's the one who scared me with ghost stories and climbed into my bed!"
He opened his mouth to protest, but Eri's sharp phoenix-like eyes bore into him, carrying a silent yet clear threat.
Ran looked down at him, her tone softening. "Is that true, Akashi?"
Faced with the combined pressure of mother and daughter, Akashi had no choice but to surrender. He nodded hesitantly, muttering, "Y-Yes, that's right."
Eri's expression instantly softened, and she leaned forward to pat Akashi's head. "Akashi, you're such a good boy!"
Turning to her daughter, Eri added with a smile, "He reminds me so much of you when you were little. You were also afraid of ghosts~"
Hearing this, Ran laughed, her irritation melting away. She couldn't resist rubbing her cheek against Akashi's, his porcelain-like skin as soft as she'd imagined.
"Yes, we must be soulmates or something!" she said cheerfully.
Akashi sighed inwardly. "Guess I have no choice but to accept my new 'fear of ghosts.'"
---
Just then, Ran's phone buzzed. She pulled it from her pocket and answered.
Kogoro's unmistakable roar echoed through the speaker:
"Ran! Do you know where the old bankbook is? I need it to deposit a check at Yotsubishi Bank, but I can't find it anywhere!"
Ran let out a small sigh. "It's in the closet in your room, Dad. Second compartment on the right. Honestly, you're so careless. If you still can't find it, I'll come back and get it for you later."
Hearing "Yotsubishi Bank," Akashi's eyes sharpened. His thoughts turned serious.
He knew that bank. It was the very same one where Miyano Akemi's ill-fated heist for one billion yen would unfold.
"Gin and Vodka will be there. The plot is progressing too quickly!"
Without hesitation, Akashi spoke up, his tone earnest.
"Sister Ran, I want to go with you later!"