Akira woke up slowly, his body still buzzing pleasantly from the intense night with Mei. The air smelled strongly of Mei's perfume, mixed with something more intimate and warm.

He glanced at the clock on the nightstand: 5:03 AM.

Mei lay snuggled against him. Her naked body felt warm and soft, and one of her legs was draped over his in a possessive way. Her breathing was slow and steady, peaceful in a way he hardly ever saw when she was awake.

A system notification flickered into his vision.

[MISSION COMPLETE: THE MIDNIGHT HOUR]

[CHOICE A SELECTED: Go to Mei's place]

[REWARD: +200 PP]

[CHOICE B SELECTED: Stay with Mia]

[REWARD: +50 PP, Mia Loyalty +5.]

[BONUS REWARD: Successfully managed dual routes without discovery: +500 PP]

[TOTAL PP GAINED: +750 PP]

[PP: 35 → 785]

[MEI AFFINITY: 90 → 100/100 - MAXED]

[NEW PERK UNLOCKED: "LANDLORD'S SANCTUARY"]

[Effect: Mei's apartment becomes a safe zone where essence signature is completely masked. Passive PP generation +5 per hour while inside.]

Akira processed the information quietly. Seven hundred and fifty PP from one night, plus a safe house that masked his supernatural signature from the SPIU? That was worth the risk.

Mei stirred beside him, her eyes fluttering open. When she saw him awake, a lazy, satisfied smile spread across her face.

"Morning," she purred, immediately pressing closer and kissing him deeply. Her hand began to wander down his chest with clear intent. "Are you planning to leave already?"

"Yes, Mei-san."

"Stay a little longer, Akira-kun," she said, her hand moving down to his cock. "Just one more time before you go..."

Akira caught her hand gently but firmly. "I can't, Mei-san. I need to get back before anyone wakes up."

She pouted, looking genuinely disappointed. "Already? But we have time..."

"No, we don't," he said, sitting up carefully. "Mia's a light sleeper, and Ayaka barely sleeps. "I don't think we want any of them to see me walking out of here early in the morning…"

Mei's expression changed from playful to understanding, but she still looked a little bit reluctant. "I know, I know. But you have to promise you'll come back soon. I won't wait another week for you, Akira-kun."

"I promise," he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Soon."

He stood and headed toward her bathroom, feeling her eyes on him the entire way. The shower was running hot within seconds, and he'd barely stepped under the spray when the door opened.

"I should help you wash," Mei announced, already stepping in behind him. "You worked so hard last night. Let me take care of you."

"Mei-san…"

"Just washing," she insisted with a mischievous smile, reaching for the soap. "I promise to be good."

She wasn't entirely good.

Her hands stayed on his cock longer than they should have; her touches were clearly meant to tease as she washed his back and chest with soap. Then she moved lower with a clear intention.

"Mei-san," Akira warned, catching her wrist before she could go further. "I really do need to leave."

She sighed dramatically but obeyed, finishing the washing with exaggerated innocence. "Fine, fine. But next time, we're taking our time in here, too."

"Next time," he agreed, mostly to get her to stop.

After the shower, Akira felt the Iron Glucose Recovery perk kick in fully. Despite having essentially zero sleep, his body felt completely refreshed… energised even, as if he'd just woken from eight hours of perfect rest.

"Told you it was worth the investment, darling," Ai commented smugly. "You could go days without sleep now if you needed to."

Mei watched him get dressed. She opened her wardrobe and grabbed a silk robe that did little to cover her curves, and her eyes were full of longing. "You really do look different now, Akira-kun. Not just your body... everything about you. The way you walk, the way you look at others. It's... powerful."

"People change," he said simply, pulling on his shirt.

"They do," she agreed, walking him to the door. "Just remember that this place is yours whenever you need it. Day or night. For... whatever you need."

He kissed her one last time before slipping out into the hallway.

—

The apartment building was silent as Akira made his way back.

He reached the shared apartment door at 5:47 AM, carefully unlocking it and slipping inside. The living room was dark and empty, exactly as he'd left it. His enhanced Perception scanned for any signs of life, but nothing. Everyone was still asleep.

His own bedroom door was still closed. He turned the handle slowly, wincing at every tiny sound, and peered inside.

Mia was still there, sprawled across his bed in peaceful sleep. She'd kicked off most of the blanket during the night, her hair fanned out across the pillow, a small, content smile on her face.

Akira felt a brief pang of something: guilt, maybe, or conscience as he looked at her innocent sleeping expression. She had no idea where he'd been, what he'd done, or who he'd been with.

"No regrets, darling," Ai's voice cut through his thoughts. "You're building an empire, not a fairytale. She gets the version of you she needs. Mei gets the version she needs. That's how power works."

"Is it?" Akira thought back.

"It is. And you're getting very good at it."

He carefully slid into bed beside Mia, moving as slowly as possible to avoid waking her. But the moment he settled in, she unconsciously shifted, curling against him and draping an arm across his chest.

"Mmm... Akira," she mumbled in her sleep, her voice soft and vulnerable. "Don't leave..."

"I won't," he whispered, though he wasn't sure if she could hear him.

She settled deeper into sleep, her breathing evening out again, completely unaware of where he'd actually been.

Akira stared at the ceiling for a long moment, processing everything. The basketball game, Sakura's approach, Mei's surrender, Mia's obsession, the growing web of relationships he was spinning.

"You should sleep," Ai suggested. "At least an hour or two. The Iron Glucose Recovery will keep you functional, but actual rest will help consolidate everything."

"Yeah," Akira agreed, closing his eyes.

But sleep didn't come easily. His mind kept replaying the night, analysing every choice, every risk, every reward. The system had given him power, but wielding it required constant calculation.

One wrong move, one mistake, and everything could collapse.

But for now, he'd survived another night.

And tomorrow… today, really, he'd wake up as Akira Kanzaki: basketball star, rising social force, and master of a growing harem that none of its members fully understood.

"Sleep, darling," Ai whispered one last time. "Tomorrow, the real game begins."

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