Kyousuke's memory was remarkably hazy. He remembered being knocked out (again) at the end and waking up outside, propped up sitting at a street corner. Kyousuke got up and recognized the street corner as the one right next to his house. He stumbled in groggily and limped up to his room. He looked at his clock and realized he had spent two hours at Ayase's. He called Kuroneko and began to apologize profusely for missing their date.
"Why didn't you make it? And why couldn't you call beforehand?" demanded Kuroneko.
"I'm sorry. I—"
"Dinner!" called out Kyousuke's mother from downstairs.
"It's really complicated. I'll explain to you tomorrow, I promise!" pleaded Kyousuke.
...
"I see."
Kuroneko mixed her bubble tea slowly with her straw. They were in a café near home this time. The story was so bizarre Kyousuke could only recount it in person, with Kuroneko right in front of him.
"I promise, that happened. It sounds a bit weird, but…"
"I believe you. You seem genuinely shaken. After all, you are a male rape victim now."
"This isn't a joke!"
"I didn't say it was. I don't think it's a joke."
"I tried telling her I don't have a thing for Kirino."
"You don't, do you?"
"Of course not! She wouldn't listen. Should I tell her about you?"
"To tell the truth, I don't think that will help. She's deluded. She probably needs help. I would suggest just staying away from her as much as possible while we figure out a course of action."
"Of course, then. Should we bring Kirino into this?"
"I don't think she could help, even if she wanted to," said Kuroneko. "It would be best to try to keep everything secret and try not to let Kirino find out. Remember what happened last time?"
The last time Kyousuke tried to meet with Ayase in private, Kirino had found them together. Kyousuke ended up having to salvage Kirino's friendship with Ayase by pretending to have a crush on his own sister, which caused this whole fiasco in the first place.
"Actually, do you want me to go along when you confront her?" asked Kuroneko. "You know, as proof that you're a relatively normal person with a relatively normal date."
"Isn't that stretching the definition of 'normal'? Or 'relatively'? Thanks, but I want to make this as little a deal as possible."
Kuroneko shrugged, and Kyousuke put down several crumpled bills for both their drinks. They split near his house, and Kyousuke opened up the doors.
"I'm home," he said without expecting an answer. He walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of iced tea. Kyousuke finished up the glass and placed it in the sink, then walked into the living room and began browsing through the first magazine he could find, not noticing the figure creeping up on him from behind.