I Started a Lover-for-Hire Service, And For Some Reason, Only Beautiful Girls Are Requesting Me - Chapter 85: Hazuki's Lover-For-Hire ③

Swoosh, swoosh.

That was the sound of the waves crashing against the shore as Ryoma and Hazuki arrived at the seawall, equipped with safety railings. They gazed at the vast ocean, illuminated by the moonlight.

“Please don’t fall into the sea, Hazuki-san. I can’t swim, so I wouldn’t be able to save you.”

“Even before you could try, the survival rate would be zero if someone fell from here. It’s winter, so the cold shock would set in, and you’d only have about five minutes.”

“Please don’t say such specific things… It’s making me nervous.”

“Fufu, but don’t you think people always end up talking about ‘what if’ scenarios when they come to the sea?”

As the sea breeze blew, Hazuki tucked her light brown hair behind her well-shaped ear.

“…”

Men were simple creatures.

That one casual gesture from Hazuki made Ryoma’s heart race.

But he couldn’t let himself dwell on it.

He still had a job to do—supporting Hazuki emotionally.

He had to avoid being swallowed up by the Veteran Killer Queen.

For the woman who had genuinely listened to his worries, Ryoma wanted to be the one to lead her forward.

“The sea is terrifying… but in equal measure, it’s beautiful.”

“…Well, Hazuki-san, you’re just as beautiful.”

“Oh? Making a move already? But a simple compliment like that won’t make me waver.”

Hazuki gave him a sidelong glance, speaking confidently.

She truly wasn’t shaken in the slightest.

“I was hoping to break through at least a little… but I guess it won’t be that easy.”

“If you had added a little something extra to your ‘just as beautiful’ line, I might have wavered.”

“Something extra…?”

“Yes. If you’d like, I can demonstrate.”

Ryoma tilted his head in curiosity.

Seeing this, Hazuki made an unexpected yet generous offer.

“Alright, please do.”

“It’s a bit tricky to compare a man to something ‘beautiful’… so, can I use an example where we’re a couple?”

“I don’t mind.”

And so, Hazuki’s impromptu lesson began.

Not a trace of playfulness was on Ryoma’s face.

His expression was completely serious.

Letting a lecture from the Veteran Killer Queen slip away would be like throwing away a winning lottery ticket.

“So, let’s say we’re on a date at an amusement park.”

“Nice setting.”

“Right? But are you trying to derail the conversation, Shiba-kun?”

“S-Sorry! That wasn’t my intention. Please continue.”

“Alright then…”

Hazuki cleared her throat lightly before continuing.

“Picture this: we’re at the amusement park. Surrounded by many handsome men. And then, I lean in and whisper to you…”

After a brief pause, Hazuki spoke.

“‘Shiba-kun, you’re not losing to them at all. You’re my proud boyfriend…’”

She added an extra touch to her words, praising Ryoma with a gentle, affectionate gaze—just as she would if the situation were real.

“See? Doesn’t it sound completely different this way?”

“……”

Ryoma couldn’t respond.

“……”

“…………”

“…If you don’t react, I’m going to feel embarrassed… Jeez, just forget I ever said that.”

“S-Sorry…”

It was too convincing.

Ryoma had momentarily lost himself in that imaginary scenario, his heart pounding.

“S-Shiba-kun, you can be mean sometimes, you know… You reacted the same way when I pretended to be a ghost before… You shouldn’t brush people off like that.”

“Haa… That’s not it. It’s just… I got jealous.”

“J-Jealous? What do you mean…?”

Hazuki seemed flustered, caught off guard.

This time, Ryoma didn’t retreat into defense.

“I mean, being praised like that by someone as beautiful as you… No man wouldn’t be happy.”

Ryoma decided to take a gamble.

He acted immediately while the moment was still fresh—adding his own plus alpha to his words.

“W-What’s with you all of a sudden…?”

“Isn’t this what you meant by adding something extra?”

“Hey, don’t just use me as your test subject… That actually made my heart skip a beat…”

“You’re not a test subject. That was my genuine feeling.”

“Eh…?”

“I meant it… By the way, that was the second time.”

“W-Wait… I didn’t need to know that…”

Hazuki leaned against the railing, deliberately turning her face away.

Even at night, the seawall was illuminated by streetlights.

There was no way Ryoma couldn’t see her expression.

“It got to you a little, didn’t it?”

“I-It did… Y-Your timing is so unfair…”

“Sorry about that.”

“It’s not something you need to apologize for, but… ugh, it’s so hot here…”

“Yeah. Maybe so.”

Hazuki flapped her hands, trying to cool her face.

The temperature was below 5°C.

There was no way it could be hot.

She was simply flustered, her body temperature rising from Ryoma’s words.

“…T-That smug look on your face, Shiba-kun—I’d love to rip it right off you this instant.”

“You sure say some bold things. Wanna give it a try? I don’t plan on letting it come off so easily, though.”

“Oh my, you’ve got quite the nerve to challenge me like that.”

“Well, I have the advantage here. Might as well make good use of it.”

Ryoma remained composed, while Hazuki had already admitted that his words had gotten to her.

It was clear which of them had the upper hand.

Feeling overly confident, Ryoma believed he could handle anything she threw at him.

That was his mistake.

“You may be right, but… Shiba-kun, don’t you know about ‘physical attacks’?”

“P-Physical…?”

“Like this.”

“—Eh!?”

In the next instant, Hazuki moved with swift, decisive precision.

Ryoma let out a sound resembling a hiccup, his eyes blinking rapidly in shock as he stared at her.

“Fufu, now do you understand?”

“T-This is completely unfa—mmpf!”

Hazuki had grabbed Ryoma’s cheek between her slender fingers and was pulling on it.

“It may be a bit crude, but if I pull hard enough, don’t you think I could rip that smug look right off?”

“N-No, you can’t do that!”

With pressure applied to his cheek, Ryoma’s speech became distorted.

Adding to that, the freezing sea breeze only amplified the sensation.

His face was already cold, and the tugging made it even more painful.

“Nngh!”

“…!?”

Ryoma instinctively reacted in self-defense.

He cupped Hazuki’s fingers between both of his hands, gripping them firmly to stop her from pulling any further.

At that moment, he still hadn’t fully processed what he had just done.

“…”

“…”

“S-Shiba-kun… T-This is…?”

“…Ah.”

Hazuki was the first to realize the situation.

Ryoma had effectively taken control of her fingers, pressing them against his own cheek.

Now, instead of pinching him, her fingertips were resting gently against his skin.

The coldness of her fingers and their smooth texture registered clearly against his cheek.

“S-Sorry…!”

Finally grasping the full extent of what had just happened, Ryoma quickly let go and took a step back.

But the awkward atmosphere settled in almost immediately.

“M-My, how bold of you… Shiba-kun.”

“N-No! That’s not it! It was because you did that first! That’s… that’s against the rules!”

“…No, Shiba-kun, you bear some responsibility as well. If you hadn’t provoked me, none of this would have happened.”

“T-That’s… I-I can’t argue with that… S-Sorry…”

“I appreciate your honesty. Then, shall we call it even and make up?”

Hazuki extended her hand toward Ryoma—a clear sign of reconciliation.

“Y-Yeah… That would really help, actually.”

As soon as Ryoma took her cool hand in his—squeeze.

“Alright, let’s sit on that bench over there.”

“Eh? W-Wait, what!?”

This was no longer just a handshake. Their hands were completely intertwined now.

“Your hand was warm, Shiba-kun, so I thought I’d borrow some of that heat. Besides, this isn’t breaking the rules, right?”

“W-Well… no, I suppose not…”

“N-Now hurry up and grip my hand properly… If you don’t, it might slip away…”

This was a bold move for Hazuki as well.

Both of them were undeniably awkward, but without even realizing it, Hazuki had taken the upper hand.

With an upturned gaze, she sealed her advantage.