"I wonder if I was too harsh just now… But I didn't lie.
Chisato really was exhausted last night, cramming everything about setting up an agency. He's catching up on sleep now—no way I'd let someone wake him up."
Eriri murmured to herself after closing the door, then returned to the kitchen, tying on her apron to prepare the high-quality pork ribs she had bought from the supermarket earlier that morning.
When the doorbell rang just now, Eriri had rushed to answer it, worried that the sound might wake Chisato, who was sleeping.
And standing at the door was Iroha.
That polished, radiant smile on Iroha's face had faltered for just a split second when she saw Eriri.
Then she quickly stated her reason for coming, claiming she wanted to ask Chisato for help with her studies.
Eriri gave Iroha a quick once-over.
Light makeup.
A pleasant perfume.
Hair meticulously styled and cared for.
Her skirt, excessively short—as if just bending over or sitting down would reveal something.
And despite claiming to need academic help, she hadn't brought a single book.
This overly "prepared" battle-ready state made Eriri instantly aware of what Iroha was thinking and her true purpose for coming here.
So, she had simply smiled and told Iroha that Chisato was sleeping and that she had no intention of waking him up.
The message was clear—Iroha should just go home.
Throughout their conversation, both girls had maintained polite smiles, keeping up an appearance of civility and harmony.
The true nature of their subtle battle of wits? Only they would understand.
…
Later, around one in the afternoon, Chisato was roused by the rich aroma of his favorite corn and pork rib soup.
After washing up, he sat at the dining table, eating while listening to Eriri—whose aura of a housewife had grown stronger—talk as she served him food.
"Isshiki Iroha came by this morning. Had you arranged to meet with her?"
"Isshiki Iroha? No. Did she say what it was about?"
I knew it. If they'd planned it, she wouldn't have left so easily.
"She said she wanted to ask you for help with studying. You were sleeping so soundly that I didn't wake you and told her to go home."
Eriri watched Chisato's handsome side profile, sighing inwardly.
Having a good-looking partner was a double-edged sword.
Sure, it was nice—any arguments or frustrations could be eased just by looking at his face. And, of course, it meant their future kids would have great genes, too.
But sometimes, it was just a hassle. Even if Chisato wasn't actively trying to attract women, he naturally drew them in just by being himself.
And that was… troubling.
At present, there were already four of them. If she didn't keep a close eye on him, who knew how many more would come flocking?
Utaha wasn't around today, so coming over had turned out to be the right decision.
"She seems to be at the neighbor's house across the street right now. Do you want to go over and say hi?"
Eriri asked with an innocent smile, as if she was simply being considerate.
Chisato suddenly chuckled and reached out to tap her nose.
Eriri had a feeling her little scheme had been seen through but still feigned ignorance.
"What was that for?"
Chisato didn't call her out on it and simply said,
"No need to greet her. I'll just give her a call later when I have time.
With how convenient video calls are now, if she has any questions about her studies, I can just tutor her online.
There's no need for her to come all the way here."
"Mm."
Eriri got the answer she wanted.
Though she kept her expression neutral, the slight curve at the corner of her lips betrayed her satisfaction as she picked up her bowl of rice again.
…
The streets on Sunday evening were bustling with life.
Starting from the afternoon, Chisato had been able to hear a series of loud "boom boom boom" explosions from somewhere nearby.
It wasn't an accident or anything unexpected. He figured it was probably fireworks being tested somewhere in the area.
With summer approaching and the weather growing warmer, more and more of these kinds of events were popping up.
Walking down the street at this hour, he could fully experience the lively and passionate atmosphere of summer.
More and more girls were wearing crop tops and short skirts, providing quite a feast for the eyes of many men.
Supposedly, this was also the season when groping incidents on trains were at their peak.
As a man, Chisato naturally didn't have to worry about such things, but after boarding the train, he found himself approached by multiple groups of women instead.
What might have been an unexpected blessing for others was just a source of trouble for him.
Fortunately, it didn't last too long. Chisato made a mental note to brag to Kazusa about how "troublesome" it was to be too popular once they met later.
Following the flow of the crowd, he exited the station and arrived at Kazusa's house at the agreed time.
After ringing the doorbell, it wasn't Kazusa who answered but instead the voice of her caretaker, Aunt Ohara.
"Chisato, come on in."
"Ah… sure."
Slightly surprised, but not thinking much of it, Chisato pushed open the door and stepped inside, taking off his shoes before entering the living room.
Then, his eyes slowly widened as he took in the scene before him—Aunt Ohara smiling warmly, and Kazusa lowering her gaze, her expression shy.
She was wearing a light blue yukata adorned with delicate flowers, with a striking red obi wrapped around her waist.
The long hair she usually let flow freely over her shoulders was now neatly tied up, giving her a refined elegance that was completely different from her usual cool and carefree aura.
She looked stunning.
"Well then, my job here is done. You two enjoy yourselves."
As she passed by Chisato, Aunt Ohara chuckled and said,
"There will be a lot of people at the fireworks festival. Make sure to hold Kazusa's hand so you don't lose each other."
Snapping out of his daze, Chisato gave her a slightly embarrassed nod.
"Don't worry, I will."
After Aunt Ohara left, Kazusa lowered her head and gripped the fabric of her yukata tightly.
It was clear that this was her first time wearing something like this. She looked uncomfortable, self-conscious, and hesitant.
"This was something my mom ordered to be custom-made without asking me…
Aunt Ohara picked it up and forced me to wear it before going out with you today…
It's too much, isn't it? Maybe I should just go change back into regular clothes…"
Blushing furiously, Kazusa took a step toward the stairs, but Chisato grabbed her wrist.
"No need."
"But—"
"Your mom did a great job. Kazusa, you look just like a princess tonight."
"Ugh…"
"Honestly, I don't even feel like going to the fireworks festival anymore. I just want to take you away, hold you in my arms, and never let you go."
"W-What are you saying?!"
Kazusa wrenched her hand free and still headed toward the second floor.
Chisato panicked.
"Kazusa, I'm serious! You don't need to change!"
"Idiot! I'm going to get my wallet!"
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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