Recipe For a Ruthless Delinquent

Chapter 14 Interrogation

I couldn’t believe it. I actually had a girlfriend.

My hands were still shaking. My brain kept replaying her red face and the way she couldn’t meet my eyes. Was my romantic life finally taking off? The thought made my stomach flip so hard I had to move.

At home I dropped straight into push-ups, sit-ups, planks—anything to burn the jittery fire under my skin. “Ugh… ugh…”

Sweaty and breathless, I climbed onto Kota’s bunk bed and stared at the ceiling. “That’s it,” I whispered. “Your brother actually did it.”

But how?

I took a quick shower, hoping the cold water would calm me down, then collapsed onto my own bed. “Come on, sleep. You’re gonna need every bit of energy tomorrow.”

Her words from earlier kept echoing. Her cheeks had been burning when she mumbled, “T-tomorrow… I want you to come to my house.” “To your house?” I’d echoed, heart already racing. “Y-you need my family’s approval… so prepare yourself! And behave!”

Then she spun around and bolted like a villain who’d just dropped her final line and didn’t dare look back.

It was Saturday.

I dressed… kind of nicely, I guess—just jeans and a black dress shirt. When my mom saw me, her eyebrows actually shot up in surprise, but she didn’t say a word.

“Have a nice day, Iryoku,” she called out.

Now I stood in front of the address Alice had given me. A small house in a quiet neighborhood, only one station away from home.

My palms were sweaty. My breathing sounded way too loud in my own ears.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I looked around and forced myself to take a slow breath. This is happening. Just do it.

I knocked on the door.

Then I glanced down at my empty hands.

“Flowers… a gift… Why the hell didn’t I think of that?”

I spun in place like a chicken with its head cut off, seriously considering bolting to the nearest store. Showing up with nothing felt—

The lock clicked.

I snapped upright immediately.

The door opened, and a familiar cute face appeared.

She was smaller than I remembered. Back then she’d seemed taller. Now I was clearly the bigger one.

“So this is the guy,” she said bluntly, eyes scanning me head to toe. “You look like a delinquent.”

“Hi, Yui Fushigi-Oneesan,” I managed, trying to sound normal. “It’s been a while… How have you been?”

She gave me a confused frown.

“Don’t you remember me? It’s Iryoku—the boy you helped when those bullies attacked me behind the convenience store.”

Her eyes widened. “The creepy kid?”

She stepped closer, openly circling me as she looked me up and down.

“Well, now you’re the creepy guy.”

Yui poked my arm, then tilted her head, inspecting me like meat at the market.

“Huh… you’ve actually got some muscle now.”

I sighed. “Please stop calling me creepy…”

Her smirk vanished in an instant. She stepped right into my personal space, voice dropping to a cold whisper.

“I hope you don’t even think about hurting Alice.”

I almost flinched, but I forced myself to meet her eyes.

“I would never.”

Just like that, the smile snapped back on her face, bright and dangerous.

“Come in. The matriarch and the rest of the lionesses are waiting for you, boy.”

The second I stepped into the living room, my brain short-circuited.

They were all family.

Alice sat stiffly in the middle chair, face flushed bright red like a tomato that had been left in the sun too long. The moment our eyes met she whipped her head away, cheeks somehow burning even hotter.

On either side of her were the two women I remembered from that day. The one with the wide, swaying hips crossed her legs slowly. The other—the one who’d been pushing the stroller with those heavy, milk-filled breasts—now cradled a small boy in her arms. Same kid, no doubt.

For one dangerous second my gaze locked onto their curves. Stop. These are your girlfriend’s family. You cannot be thinking like this right now.

But the old fantasy slammed into me full force: Yui, plus these two, all of them as my personal harem… me drowning in soft bodies and warm skin. I felt myself twitch, half-hard already. Shit—down boy, not the time!

I tore my eyes away and stole one guilty glance at Yui. She was still slim and delicate compared to the other two—no huge butt or overflowing chest—but that youthful face and those big sparkling eyes were straight-up lethal.

Does this mean… I’m finally getting my wish?

Fuck. Think of something else… an old lady, a grandma, anything!

But the moment my eyes landed on the last woman, that plan exploded in my face.

She was middle-aged, yet somehow even more stunning than the rest. Her years had only added this exotic, mature allure that hit a guy my age like a truck. Her figure was more balanced than the two curvy sisters, but she still had bigger assets than both Yui and Alice combined—Alice ranking dead last, bless her childish, innocent beauty. The family resemblance was unmistakable; every single one of them looked like they’d stepped out of the same gorgeous gene pool.

I immediately bowed deep, using the angle to desperately hide the full-blown boner now straining against my jeans.

“My name is Iryoku Taiyou,” I said, voice cracking a little.

The matriarch stood up slowly, face dead serious, and pointed straight at the empty chair in the center of the room.

“Sit there.”

Heart hammering, I dropped into the seat instantly, sweat already beading on my forehead. Good… this should hide it. Please God, let it hide it.

I risked one quick glance at Alice. Our eyes met for half a second before she slapped both hands over her burning cheeks and whipped her face away.

The rest of the women watched in heavy silence.

Then the matriarch stepped closer and leaned down, voice sharp as a blade.

“Now tell me, boy—what exactly are your intentions with our little Alice? Are you after her body? Just trying to get under her skirt? Answer me right now.”

My eyes shot wide.

“No, I—”

The woman with the large chest cut in before I could even finish.

“We all helped raise Alice to be a good, righteous girl. So what makes you think you’re qualified to even stand next to her?”

I opened my mouth again, but the words died in my throat as another voice cut through the air.

The woman with the wide, swaying hips crossed her arms under her chest and gave me a long, unimpressed stare.

“Honestly speaking, you look like a dangerous guy. Not someone I’d ever imagine mingling with our Alice.”

But Yui-oneesan jumped in immediately, waving a hand like she was settling a debate.

“He might look like that now, but… you two have already met him before. About three years ago, remember? Right after the three of us went to the store. Little Haruto had just been born, and this boy offered to carry all our bags.”

The two women blinked, thinking hard.

“I don’t remember,” said the one with the huge chest—Mio-Oneesan, apparently.

“Me neither,” added the wide-hipped one—Reina-Oneesan.

Yui shrugged with a playful grin.

“Yeah, well, he was really small back then. Looked more like a creepy little kid.” She laughed openly, clearly enjoying teasing me again. “Either way, answer the question, boy.”

The matriarch leaned in closer, eyes still sharp. “We’re waiting.”

I hesitated. I did like Alice… but I wasn’t completely sure if it was that kind of like yet. Still, my gut told me this could work.

“I only want to protect her,” I said quietly.

They kept staring, four pairs of eyes judging every breath I took.

Suddenly Alice rushed forward.

“Stop it already! Oka-San! Reina-Oneesan! Mio-Oneesan! Yui-Oneesan!”

She planted herself right in front of me like a tiny shield, arms spread wide as if she could physically block all of them.

Seeing her small body standing there, trying so hard to protect me… something warm twisted inside my chest. It felt like an old page in my mind—Ale’s face—was slowly being overwritten, letter by letter, until only Alice remained.

I looked down for a moment, heart strangely steady.

Yeah… this is the right way.

Alice suddenly shouted, voice cracking with pure determination.

“Don’t badmouth him! He’s a good guy! He might look like a delinquent, but he protects me! He treats me well! He encourages me every day! He says I’m pretty! He’s super intelligent, and—and… I was the one who confessed to him!”

The lionesses stared at her, completely dumbfounded.

Yui blinked twice, then broke into a surprised grin.

“Really? You asked him out? I thought he kept pestering you until you finally gave in, since you two already knew each other from before.”

She turned toward me with that same playful, curious smile.

“Iryoku-boy… just what kind of charm did you use on our Alice?”

Alice glared at her sister, cheeks still blazing, then spun around and threw her arms around me without warning.

“Ah—”

This time I was the one who turned bright red. My brain exploded. We were standing right in front of her entire family, yet my arms moved on their own.

I hugged her back gently, my larger frame almost swallowing her small body completely. She felt warm and trembling against my chest.

“Everything’s okay, Alice,” I whispered, voice steady even though my heart was hammering. “I’m here with you.”