Episode 4 – Ryoko’s Control

—Her influence grows deeper and deeper.

The next morning, Shota showed up to work, but his mind was foggy.

(What… happened last night again?)

He remembered going out for drinks with Ryoko—

But after that?

His memories were hazy, except for one vivid image:

Ryoko smiling gently, whispering:

“Think about me more… okay?”

The moment he remembered those words, his heart skipped a beat.

(No matter how hard I try not to think about her… I can't help it.)

He glanced at the clock. Still a little time before work started.

Then his phone buzzed with a new message from Ryoko.

“Good morning, Shota-kun ♡ Did you wake up okay?”

Even though it was just text on a screen, he could hear her voice clearly in his mind.

If he closed his eyes, he could picture her eyes, her gestures from the night before, in perfect clarity.

(…This is bad. I'm totally under her spell.)

There’s no way he could focus at this rate. He tried to switch gears, but—

“Hey, Shota. You've been zoning out all morning.”

It was Tanaka, his coworker at the next desk, looking at him curiously.

“Huh? Oh, uh… no, I’m fine.”

“You tired? Or maybe…”

Tanaka gave a teasing grin.

“…Don’t tell me you got yourself a girlfriend?”

Shota’s heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

“W-What?!”

“You’ve been acting kinda weird lately. Could it be someone in the office?”

“N-No, I mean—”

Before he could finish, his phone buzzed again.

Another message from Ryoko.

“Let’s have lunch together?”

(Aahh… seriously…)

Just those few words, and he was already grinning like an idiot.

His thoughts were completely taken over by her.

Tanaka narrowed his eyes.

“You’re acting super weird, man. Don’t tell me it’s actually—”

“I-It’s nothing like that!”

Shota rushed to deny it, but his heart was already being drawn to Ryoko.

—Even at the office, Ryoko’s control crept in, little by little.

During lunch break, Shota headed to the office café where he’d agreed to meet Ryoko.

(I think I’ve been thinking about her nonstop since morning…)

Just seeing a message from her made his chest tighten.

Even while working, her smile would pop into his mind.

(This has got to be her influence, right…?)

He stepped into the café, and there she was in the back, waving at him.

“Shota-kun, over here ♡”

Today again, she was breathtaking.

Her outfit was just simple office casual, and yet she radiated an aura that made heads turn.

“Sorry, did I keep you waiting?”

“Nope, I just got here. But…”

Ryoko leaned in and stared into his face.

“You’ve been thinking about me all morning, haven’t you?”

“Wh-What?!”

Shota’s heart jumped.

Ryoko giggled, reaching out to trace his cheek with her finger.

“Hehe, thought so ♡”

(Crap…)

His face was burning. He was too flustered and embarrassed to say anything back.

“You still remember last night, don’t you?”

Ryoko gave him a knowing smile.

(Last night…?)

He tried to recall. On the way home from their drinks, there had been a moment—

A soft whisper in his ear.

“Think about me more… more… even more…”

That moment had left him feeling like his heart was being slowly, gently overtaken.

And even now, the feeling hadn’t gone away.

(I’m falling… deeper and deeper into her…)

“Shota-kun, spacing out again?”

“Huh? Oh… sorry.”

“Hmm… Then I’ll give you a reward, okay?”

She lifted a spoonful of stew with elegant grace and held it out to him.

“Say ahh~ ♡”

“W-Wait, we’re in public—someone from work might see—”

“It’s fine, come on.”

Her sweet, teasing eyes looked right into his. He couldn’t resist.

He opened his mouth.

“…Ahh.”

Warm stew filled his mouth. It was rich and comforting, with just a faint sweetness—he could almost imagine her scent in it.

(This is bad.)

“Is it good?”

“Y-Yeah…”

“I’m glad ♡ I hope you’ll keep thinking about me… always.”

As she said that, Ryoko gently held his hand and slowly ran her fingers along his.

(Huh? My body’s… getting hot…)

A flush of heat spread through him.

His heart began to pound—far too fast.

“Hehe… Fall for me even more, okay?”

At those sweet words, Shota’s mind was filled with nothing but Ryoko.

There was no escape now.