Netori: I Shall Steal All Of My Enemies' Women For Revenge!

"Ah, this is my friend Akane," Haruto said, gesturing toward Haruka.

Then, turning to Akane, he added, "Akane, this is my sister, Haruka."

Both women froze momentarily at his words, their reactions slightly stiff.

Haruto wasn't lying—Akane was technically just a friend, even though she was technically his target. But their relationship wasn't yet to that point.

Similarly, Haruka was his sister, despite the deeper bond they shared.

Haruto noticed their hesitation and felt a pang of unease.

'Did I mess up by letting them meet each other this way?' he thought, glancing between them.

It wasn't like introducing Chiyo, Asuka, or Mari—this situation was different. Neither Akane nor Haruka had been labeled or categorized clearly in his life yet.

'Did I screw this up?'

After a brief pause, both women exchanged polite introductions, their smiles forced but courteous.

Haruto sighed inwardly at their strained civility, sensing the hidden tension beneath their cheerful facades.

Watching them struggle to maintain a light conversation, Haruto decided to intervene.

"So, Akane, are you here alone? Where are your parents?" he asked, standing to give her his seat.

Akane shrugged casually. "My mom's here, but, you know... walking with her is kinda boring, so I just wandered off." She rubbed the back of her neck and let out a sheepish laugh.

Haruto frowned. "You shouldn't do that. It's dangerous to wander alone in a crowded place like this."

"Relax," Akane said, waving dismissively. Then her eyes brightened. "Why don't the three of us explore together instead?" She reached out to grab Haruto's hand, her enthusiasm evident.

Haruto hesitated, glancing at Haruka, who was clearly displeased, her lips pressed into a tight pout.

He had promised her this day would be just for the two of them.

With a sigh, Haruto pulled his hand back. "Actually, we were just heading back to the hotel. Haruka's feet are hurting from wearing geta all day," he said, using the situation as an excuse.

Though it was just a waste to let Akane go as they could have a romantic date here, he knew best not to disappoint his sister and broke their promise.

Promise was expensive, the price to fulfill it was trust.

Akane's gaze dropped to Haruka's reddened feet and the broken strap of her geta. "Oh, that must hurt!" Akane said, crouching down to inspect them.

"It's fine, really," Haruka muttered, looking away, embarrassed because of her childishness she become like this.

"Alright then," Akane said with a grin, standing back up. "We'll have another date soon!"

Haruto sighed, crossing his arms. "Sure, but for now, let's find your mom. She must be worried about you."

He didn't know why, but for some reason he could see Akane walking around without finding her Mother and ended up being kidnapped because of her cheerfulness that couldn't differentiate between good and bad people.

"Eh? That's not necessary!" Akane protested, stepping backward. "I'll just go find her on my own."

Before she could dart away, Haruto caught the back of her shirt, holding her in place. "Nope. We're finding her together," he said firmly.

He turned to Haruka, his expression softening. "You'll be okay here, right? I promise I won't take long."

Haruka bit her lip, torn between wanting to go with them and knowing she'd only slow them down because of her injured foot. Reluctantly, she nodded.

"Alright, but don't take too long, okay?"

Haruto leaned in and pinched her cheeks playfully. "Don't give me that pout. I'll be back soon."

"I know," Haruka murmured, her disappointment evident as she watched the two walk off together.

Her gaze lingered on their retreating figures, side by side. 'They look good together,' she thought, her chest tightening.

She let out a heavy sigh, lowering her eyes to the bottle of water in her hands.

"How many women does my brother plan to have?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

"What a playboy…"

Another sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back against the bench, letting the cool breeze and drifting momiji soothe her conflicted heart.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Haruka placed the bottle aside, reaching for her phone and slipping her earphones in.

She opened an app she had secretly installed on Haruto's phone, one that let her tap into his conversations.

As she scrolled through the feed, Akane's voice emerged from her earphones, clear and tinged with confusion.

"Haruto… so, we're just friends? Even after you kissed me?"

Haruka's fingers froze mid-scroll, her ears perking up as Haruto's voice followed shortly after.

"Ah… well, I'm not sure about our relationship, you know? So, I don't want to label it just yet," Haruto replied casually.

Haruka frowned, her lips curving into a pout. "Tch, what a playboy," she muttered under her breath.

"You're lucky I'm selfish, brother. If I wasn't…"

Her thoughts trailed off as countless possibilities flashed through her mind. There were so many things she could do to ensure Haruto was hers and hers alone.

But Haruka was a patient girl. She wouldn't do anything that might hurt him—not yet, anyway.

Even during Haruto's turbulent days in a gang, even when his actions indirectly led to a friend's death, Haruka's love for him never wavered.

To her, Haruto was still the most precious person in her life.

Though, his sudden change in behavior remained a mystery to her.

Her musings were interrupted as Akane's voice surfaced again in her earphones.

"Hm… Can we become, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Haruka's grip on her phone tightened as she held her breath, waiting for Haruto's response.

But before he could answer, another voice cut in sharply.

"Akane! My lord, I've been searching for you!"

The audio became garbled, the signal faltering, and Haruka groaned in frustration as static replaced the conversation.

"This stupid thing… Why does the signal always go bad at the worst time?!" she grumbled, tugging the earphones out of her ears and tossing them aside.

She slouched back on the bench but froze when she noticed someone sitting beside her—a man with mid-length blonde hair and piercing dark eyes, staring straight ahead.

His sudden presence irritated Haruka further, and she stood, deciding she'd rather stalk Haruto and Akane than deal with some stranger.

But just as she turned to leave, the man looked at her, his lips curling into a sly grin.

"You're leaving already? That's rude. Why don't we be friends?" His voice carried a mocking edge, and Haruka's eyes widened in recognition.

She knew that voice. She'd heard it before—on her phone, in one of Haruto's tapped conversations.

The man leaned back, his grin widening. "I'm Daiki Yamada. And you are?"

***

"Akane! My lord, I've been searching for you!"

Both Akane and Haruto turned toward the voice. A stunning woman in a dark blue kimono adorned with intricate floral patterns approached them.

Her appearance was captivating, her white hair flowing down her back like silk, and her dark eyes, once frantic with worry, lit up as they landed on her daughter.

But that relief was fleeting, replaced by a stern frown as quickly as cherry blossoms scatter in the wind.

She closed the distance with graceful yet determined steps, her voice sharp as she scolded Akane.

"Where have you been all this time? Geesh!"

Akane flushed, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as Haruto stood beside her.

"Ugh… I told you, I'm grown up now! I can go wherever I want!" she retorted, her voice rising slightly.

"Don't be ridiculous! You're still a child!" the woman snapped, her worry evident despite her firm tone.

"Don't ever wander off like that again!"

It wasn't until her daughter's protest trailed off that the woman seemed to notice Haruto standing quietly.

Her gaze shifted to him, and for a moment, her eyes widened ever so slightly before narrowing in thought.

Haruto, on the other hand, froze. His mind raced, his heart skipping a beat as recognition hit him like a thunderclap.

He knew this woman. Knew her far more intimately than anyone else here would suspect.

'Shiruko.'

The name echoed in his mind, and a chill ran down his spine.

'Holy shit. She's Akane's mother? Don't tell me… She's also Daiki's mother, right?!' Your next read is at empire

His widening eyes must have caught Shiruko's attention, but before he could gather himself, Akane wrapped her arms around his and pouted.

"Ugh! Don't act like that in front of my boyfriend! It's embarrassing!"

"Boyfriend?"

Shiruko murmured softly, her voice unreadable as her sharp eyes darted back to Haruto.

For the first time, her calm mask seemed to slip, but only for a fleeting second.

Then, just as quickly, her expression smoothed into a composed smile.

"Mrs. Yamada, I was just bringing Akane back to you. I found her wandering alone, and I was worried," Haruto said, forcing a polite smile as he gently eased Akane's grip and nudged her toward her mother.

"I'm sorry if she caused you any trouble. I had no other intention."

Akane frowned, crossing her arms in frustration, but Shiruko merely smiled, bowing slightly in gratitude.

"Thank you for looking after this naughty child," she said softly, her tone warm yet enigmatic.

As she placed a hand on Akane's shoulder, she added, "We'll return to our villa now. Why don't you join us as a thank-you?"