Shortly after that, Marika led me to a small room beneath the stairs. Well, it’s more of a small space to store things than a proper room. No light, cramped space, and no fresh air.

Even though we somehow managed to fit ourselves in – by being as close as possible in a corner – the room and our body temperature quickly went up and beads of sweat started to form on our foreheads.

Nonetheless, instead of being uncomfortable with it, the ringlet girl who was practically clinging to me giggled at our situation. She enjoyed it a lot. It’s the first time for her to act sneakily like this, after all.

For her, it’s a new experience. On top of that, she’s experiencing it with me.

Anyway, while we were there, Ichihara Jun’s loud grumbling continued to echo. Given that the guard wasn’t even letting him get past the front hall, he’s throwing a hissy fit like the spoiled brat that he is.

Thankfully, that didn’t last for long because a minute later, Marika and I heard a set of footsteps coming down the stairs. Given that we’re below it, we couldn’t miss that.

And sure enough, it was the other man in suit that was escorting and guarding her.

Like she had guessed, one of them was upstairs. If we went up there, we’d surely be caught and considering I had already been warned, they wouldn’t take it lightly, no matter how much Marika favored me.

For those two, I’m an inconsequential individual. They’re here to watch over and protect Marika. If my presence and influence would endanger her, then they had every right to deal with me.

And that would be the same as what was happening to Jun at the moment.

Even if he’s supposed to be her fiancée, they just couldn’t let him pass given how he’s behaving.

Besides, it seems to me that Ichihara Jun didn’t bring anyone with him. He barged in here alone to throw his weight around.

“Shall we go, senpai?” Amidst the still-loud exchange at the front hall even with the addition of the other guard, I asked the ringlet girl who was lost in her own world.

She looked up at me and blinked her beautiful eyes, refocusing her mind to the present.

“Is it safe now?” She asked. Naturally, she could also hear them.

At the moment, Ichihara Jun was still trying to force his way in while the two were telling him that she was not here.

The guard that was just upstairs even presented him with the note that Marika left. When he read it, the spoiled idiot became even more furious.

“Huh? You mean to say she went out without your knowledge?! Then why the hell are you two still here?! Do your job properly!”

Alright. Somehow, I could agree with Ichihara Jun on that part even if the result became favorable for me. However, given the situation, I could also understand why they found out too late.

I mean, they’re definitely forbidden to just check on Marika in her room. They probably had a routine schedule to do that and it just so happened that the girl slipped out way before that.

It could get them in trouble but knowing this girl and her tendency to own up the responsibility for her actions, they would be fine.

Anyway, after Ichihara Jun’s maddened shout, the situation there lulled a bit as the two guards calmly responded to him, assuring him that they were going to do their jobs.

“Yes. They’ll be leaving soon so this is our chance. We still have to be careful though.”

“I understand, Junior-kun.”

With her eyes filled with trust in me, Marika nodded as she stood up and followed me out of the cramped space.

I kept a tight hold on her hand as we cautiously moved to the stairs. Ascending it with light footsteps, we successfully arrived there just in time before the door from the front hall opened and the two guards along with Ichihara Jun emerged from it.

Naturally, I didn’t stay there to check on them from upstairs but I listened to the sound of their footsteps as they went to the area we entered from.

At this point, Marika’s chest was thumping loudly from nervousness. One mistake and we’d be caught.

That’s why when I confirmed that none of them were going up the stairs, I pulled the girl close to me again to calm her down.

After that, we moved inside her room and locked it just to be sure.

As soon as that happened, the tension in Marika’s body was immediately released, making her body relaxed.

She stood up straight once again and squeezed my cheeks in between her palms while showing off a silly grin. Yeah. She even looked proud that we successfully arrived at her room without being caught.

Her initial plan was to escape outside again but if we did that, we would have nowhere to run or hide and it would be even more difficult for her to return. Or rather, I would also be hard-pressed to leave her alone to fend off for herself.

In this way, we arrived at a place of comfort where we both could relax and think of our next move.

“Hehe, Junior-kun, this is exciting.”

“I’m impressed you didn’t turn into a nervous wreck, senpai. But we’re not off the hook yet.” I pinched her nose before carrying her in my arms.

And while she was still trying to process what was happening, I brought us to her bed.

Even though I didn’t have the time to fully observe this room yet, I had already seen this during our video calls. It’s already a little familiar to me; especially this bed.

“Junior-kun...” Marika called out to me but not in a voice of protest, instead, it sounded so sweet and without any signs of rejection. She clung to me as she sneakily stole glances behind her. A second later, she closed her eyes, anticipating the plunge down her bed.

Yep. Even if I push her down at this moment, this ringlet girl would not resist.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to do that, we still have a pressing matter to discuss. Carrying and bringing her to bed was just my way to have her relax.

Uh no. It’s also my own selfish reason to lie down with her in what could be considered as her most private space.

“What is it, senpai?” I asked her at the same time as I lowered us down to the bed.

With her arms remaining wrapped around me, I had no other choice but to climb up on it with her. But at the last moment, I slipped to her side and laid us down side by side.

“You’re being such a tease, Junior-kun. I thought you were going to...”

She didn’t finish her sentence but with the way she blushed once again, it’s already understandable. And considering the mood between us, she’s not wrong to think that way.

Once again, it’s just me overthinking a lot. But for a valid reason.

“Well, I’m close to doing that, senpai. But you see... we have to deal with our situation first. You understand, right?”

“I do...” Marika bit her lips, preventing the ‘but’ to come out. “Uhm, tell me your thoughts, Junior-kun.”

“Well, we don’t have that many options. Let’s see. The safest option is for me to wait until they leave the house before I make my exit. Like I said, they’re going to look for you soon. We can only hope that they don’t check here again.”

I said the safest but not the best. And sure enough, Marika quickly understood what I was trying to say.

“... That means you’ll leave right away.”

“Mhm. But only if we go with that route.”

If we picked that, as soon as I confirmed that no one was around, I could exit through the front and leave. Marika would remain in her room and when her guards returned, she could just act like she was already going to sleep without explaining where she went at all. She’d also reject Ichihara Jun from bringing her to the mansion.

“Do you have any other ideas?”

“I do. But senpai, let me hear your thoughts first. You understand them better than me. I believe you can think of a better plan. One where we will both like.”

Surely, she didn’t like that safest option. Because it means our time would end right away.

And so, while I kept a part of my focus, feeling things outside the room, I waited for her to come up with something.

A minute later, Marika’s brilliant eyes shone once again as she excitedly climbed up on top of me to deliver her idea.

“I got it, Junior-kun... I thought of a method to keep them out of the house for at least half an hour.”

“Hmm? That’s better than I expected. Then let me hear it, senpai.”

“It’s this.” Upon saying that, Marika dropped a kiss on my lips before sliding back down to my side.

She pulled her phone out and started tapping on it. With the way she held it, she was intentionally letting me see what she was doing.

And what I saw from it was kind of hilariously simple. A message to Ichihara Jun saying she went out to eat something other than dinner at their mansion. Additionally, she attached photos. Photos of the street foods she snapped yesterday.

No doubt. That would immediately send the idiot to look for her outside their compound rather than inside.