Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
With a sudden screech of brakes, a small pink scooter slid to a halt in front of the grand gates of the Yukinoshita family estate. Perched on the garishly colored vehicle were Shiro Sakamaki and Haruno Yukinoshita, freshly arrived from Tokyo.
Haruno, once the picture of calm elegance, now looked thoroughly shaken. Her face had turned a ghostly white, her cheeks drained of all color. Her eyes remained shut, and her arms clung tightly around Shiro's waist, as though afraid she'd still be flung from the bike.
After a blistering start, Shiro had cranked the throttle to its max, bypassing the normal realm and entering the phase space. Haruno, unprepared for the shift, had nearly been thrown off. Only the protective spiritual aura from Shiro prevented her from injury.
Their journey, which should have taken over two hours, lasted barely twenty minutes. The invisibility charm Shiro had prepped in advance spared them any unnecessary attention from the mundane world.
"Alright, Senpai. We're here. Time to disembark," Shiro said calmly.
Haruno slowly cracked her eyes open and, seeing the familiar gates of her family estate, relaxed slightly. Her knees buckled the moment she tried to stand, and Shiro reflexively caught her in a bridal carry, sparing her the embarrassment of a fall.
As she regained her composure, she muttered, "Shiro-kun, your speed is..."
"I did warn you," Shiro replied, nonchalantly.
"I..." Haruno trailed off. She had indeed underestimated the scooter's supernatural capabilities. Any lingering doubt about Shiro had been erased on that ride.
"Enough chit-chat. Let's get to business," she said, finally composed, leading him toward the house.
The entrance was cluttered with shoes, a sign that many had gathered within. As they stepped into the living room, over a dozen well-dressed individuals sat in tense silence. Most ignored Haruno's arrival, a few nodding politely at best.
Unfazed, Haruno led Shiro straight to a back bedroom.
Inside, lying on the bed, was the Head of the Yukinoshita family, her face pale and features taut with suffering. Yukino and their father stood solemnly nearby, watching as a shrine maiden conducted a futile ritual.
Unlike traditional households, the true head of the Yukinoshita family was not the father but the mother—a formidable woman in both politics and business. Her collapse had left the family vulnerable.
Mr. Yukinoshita's eyes lit up with hope when he saw his daughter enter, but that hope instantly dimmed upon seeing the boy in a school uniform beside her.
"This is who you brought? Haruno, don't gamble with your mother's life!"
"I'm not," Haruno answered calmly. "I may disagree with her, but I'd never joke about something like this. Besides, what choice do we have now?"
Mr. Yukinoshita gritted his teeth. "After you left, her condition worsened. Her stomach began swelling as if... as if something's growing inside."
"That fast?" Shiro raised a brow.
Yukino, arms crossed, stared coldly at Shiro. She didn't believe in mysticism and had nothing but disdain for all the so-called spiritualists who'd failed them.
Still, the sight was undeniable. Their mother's belly had swelled grotesquely, her skin mottled with blue-black patches. She had no temperature and barely breathed, yet still lived—a paradox that defied science.
Haruno looked at Shiro, hope flickering in her eyes. "Can you see what's wrong?"
Shiro snorted. "Saw it the moment I walked in. There's a curse fetus inside her, feeding on her life force. It won't be long before it tries to be born."
Yukino's glare sharpened. "You're just like the others. Making it sound serious to charge more."
Shiro ignored her and turned to Haruno. "100 million yen. I'll fix it. For 150 million, I guarantee no side effects. Deal?"
Silence fell.
The room stood frozen between disbelief and desperation. For the Yukinoshita family, the clock was ticking.
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