Chapter 67: Chapter 26

Seijirou reached the front door of his house and immediately took out his key to open the door to his house, but his hand froze just inches from the lock.

He realized with a sudden spike of caution that the door wasn’t locked; it was slightly ajar, barely enough to let in a sliver of darkness.

He pushed the door open slowly, cautiously, his body instantly tensing into a ready stance.

He stepped inside, the air in the small hallway smelling faintly of soap and something savory, like fresh herbs, which caused him to frown.

Someone was still here.

He immediately noticed the soft clinking of dishes in the kitchen and a gentle, almost meditative humming sound of a woman.

Then, he closed the door silently, ensuring the latch didn’t click, and moved with a stealthy grace honed from years of avoiding detection.

After all, he was great at sneaking around the house of some MILF’s he was having an affair with to avoid getting found out by their husbands.

He walked slowly down the short hall, careful not to let his weight shift the floorboards.

When he reached the archway leading into the kitchen, he saw the back of a woman intently focused on the sink, her movements precise as she washed the dishes.

"Retsu?" Seijirou called out, his voice loud and confused.

The woman, startled by the unexpected voice, let out a small gasp and immediately spun around, a damp dishcloth clutched in her hand.

Her striking blue eyes widened in shock, and the pair of glasses perched precariously on her nose slipped, threatening to fall.

"S-Seiji... you scared me," Retsu breathed a sigh of relief, placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

This was Shirohara Retsu, the school nurse at his high school, and also the meticulous, highly-paid retainer hired by his parents to oversee his health, nutrition, and general well-being outside of their political spotlight.

Despite being a clinic nurse in the school, she was actually a high profile doctor whose fame resounded throughout the country.

The only reason she satys in the school was because Seijirou was there.

Seijirou took a moment to observe her. Her usually pristine, white hair was currently tied back into a slightly messy bun, with a few soft strands escaping around her temples.

She was dressed casually but elegantly in a tight, black long-sleeved turtleneck that showed off the curvaceous, mature figure often hidden by her starched uniform, paired with form-fitting black leggings.

The outfit was domestic yet undeniably alluring.

Seijirou let out a slow sigh, the tension finally easing from his shoulders. "What are you doing here, Retsu? I thought you were only scheduled for a check-up next week."

Retsu walked over to the small kitchen table, wiping her hands on the dishcloth before patting one of the wooden chairs.

"Your mother called me earlier this afternoon. She asked me to conduct an immediate, unscheduled check-up, especially after the public incident with Basuta. She wanted to ensure your physical condition hadn’t been negatively impacted by the stress and the exertion..." she paused delicately, "Come, sit."

Seijirou did as he was told, sinking into the chair.

He barely had time to relax before Retsu, moving with the practiced efficiency of a medical professional, was standing behind him.

She immediately began to knead and massage his shoulders, her fingers strong and surprisingly therapeutic, finding the tight knots of muscle.

"So, tell me honestly," she murmured, her breath warm near his ear. "Are you hurt? Did that Vice Principal or the police rough you up?"

Seijirou leaned back into the pressure of her hands. "No. I’m fine, Retsu. Just... exhausted. It was a long day, and night."

Retsu didn’t believe the simple denial.

She moved her hands down his back, then began to press strategically into various muscle groups—his biceps, triceps, his hard-earned abs, and his chest—testing for lingering inflammation or bruising.

Each press was firm and probing, as if trying to prove that he was lying.

Seijirou couldn’t help a sharp hiss as Retsu pressed a particularly tender spot near his ribcage, a lingering ache from his intense night not only from the fight but with back to back passionate ’spar’ with the Korukawa Mother and Daughter pair.

Retsu stopped instantly, sensing the pain.

"Ah, there it is," she noted softly, her voice switching to her professional, soothing tone. "Muscular fatigue, likely coupled with minor strain. I need to get proper heat on that and work out the deep knots."

She patted his head gently. "Go lie down on the sofa, Seiji. Take off your clothes so the muscles are completely exposed. I will begin relieving that pain the moment I finish washing these few dishes. It won’t take a minute."

Seijirou nodded, appreciating the immediate, sensual promise of relief. He stood up, walked towards the living room sofa, and with smooth, unhurried movements, began to strip off his shirt and slacks, leaving him only in his boxers, already positioning himself face down on the cushions.

Meanwhile, Retsu turned back to the kitchen sink, her face betraying nothing as she focused on the remaining dishes, but her mind was already calculating the most effective, and intimate, massage techniques to apply to her young charge.

While Seijirou waited, lying face down on the sofa with his mind slowly drifting, his phone vibrated beside him.

He reached out and picked it up, noticing a new message from his friend, Sakai.

The text read: "Dude, you won’t believe this. Renji’s officially discharged from the hospital. Said even the doctors were scratching their heads at how fast he recovered. He’s fine, just a lot of bruises."

Seijirou felt a wave of genuine relief wash over him.

Renji had been brutally beaten by the hunters and it was honestly good news that he’s now fully healed.

He quickly texted back a simple "Good. Tell him to rest up."

It was indeed good news; in a world that occasionally threw supernatural dangers at them, having allies like Renji in good health was crucial.

Just as he set the phone down, Retsu emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a clean towel.

"All done," she announced cheerfully.

Then, she glanced at his large frame stretched across the relatively short sofa. "You know, Seiji, we should probably do this on your bed. The sofa looks terribly uncomfortable for a deep-tissue massage."

Seijirou nodded readily, already feeling the need for better support.

"Agreed."

He stood up, retrieving his shirt from the sofa arm, but leaving it draped over his shoulder, and they headed upstairs toward his room.

Upon arriving, Seijirou tossed his shirt aside and immediately lay prone on his wide, large bed, settling onto his stomach.

The cool sheets against his skin felt immediately better than the rough sofa cushions.

’Ohh, high thread count. I love you.’

Retsu paused briefly at the foot of the bed, her blue eyes sweeping over the room.

There was a flicker of a complicated, unreadable expression on her face, before she shook her head slightly, dismissing whatever thought had crossed her mind.

She climbed onto the bed and, with surprising balance, straddled Seijirou’s lower back, settling her weight lightly on his hips, a position that gave her maximum leverage and control over his back muscles.

"Now, relax completely," she instructed, her voice soft but firm. "I’ve been studying something new. I learned acupuncture techniques from my grandfather recently. He insisted it’s very effective in relieving deep fatigue and chronic muscle pains."

Seijirou twisted his head to look back at her over his shoulder, a skeptical look on his face. "Acupuncture? Isn’t that just an old wives’ tale, Retsu? I thought it was generally considered a scam with no proven medical benefits."

Retsu looked genuinely offended, drawing herself up slightly.

"Seijirou! My grandfather is legit! He’s a master of ki manipulation," she insisted vehemently. "I once saw him knock down an entire cow by targeting its specific pressure points with a single needle! And another time, he rejuvenated an exhausted and dying cow just by using acupuncture to restore its energy flow."

Seijirou’s rebuttal—that she was likely tricked by a stage magician or a charlatan—died in his throat.

He paused, remembering the hidden reality of the world they lived in: the existence of people with extraordinary, even supernatural, powers.

If Karyoku and power-users were real, then a master acupuncturist capable of manipulating energy flow in animals might not be a ridiculous fantasy after all.

He decided to remain silent on the matter.

Hmm? If what Retsu said was true, then can’t he just ask her grandfather to teach him ki? Isn’t that what he’s been looking?

After all, it’s incredibly unfair that his opponents can use supernatural powers while he was just, well, him.

Retsu took his silence as acquiescence. She reached into the pocket of her leggings and pulled out a small, exquisite mahogany case containing several rows of gleaming, hair-thin acupuncture needles.

She opened the case, the metallic scent faint in the air, and dipped her head in focus.

"Good. Now, you’ll feel a tiny prick, but it won’t hurt," she warned gently.

Seijirou snorted in amusement, and decided to say, "Be gentle. It’s my first time."

"Don’t worry." Retsu nodded, not getting the joke, or if she did, she didn’t voice it.

Her skilled fingers quickly located a key point on his upper back, near the shoulder blade.

With a quick, practiced motion, she inserted the first needle. Seijirou felt a sudden, strange sensation—not pain, but a deep, vibrant zing that radiated through his muscle.

Retsu continued, her movements precise and quick, placing a series of needles along the rigid lines of his spine and across his broad shoulders, meticulously following the meridian lines she had learned.

The metal shafts quivered slightly as they found their mark, and a strange, profound sense of warmth began to spread through his back, replacing the chronic tightness with a dull, heavy relaxation.

"Let the ki flow, Seiji," she whispered, her hands hovering above his back, seemingly guiding the energy. "Just breathe."

Seijirou took a deep breath, immediately feeling a soothing and cool sensation washing over him.