Mrs. Kasahara changed the topic: "I’ve been supervising her practice every night this past month."
"He’s always been very diligent." Mrs. Hoshimi smiled, watching the young man.
Indeed, you’ve been very diligent... Mrs. Kasahara rested her chin on Mrs. Hoshimi’s shoulder, also watching him with a sweet smile: "Young master, you’ve greeted Chairman Hoshimi, but aren’t you going to greet Director Kasahara?"
"Hello, Director!" Fujiwara Reya bowed respectfully.
"No, no, no, that’s not the right way, it’s too formal." Mrs. Kasahara’s chin remained on her friend’s shoulder, "You can do that with Miss Yako, but you should be more intimate with me."
"What do you mean by more intimate?"
"Of course, a hug, my sweet young master."
With that, Mrs. Kasahara released her friend and opened her arms towards him in an adorable "I want a hug" pose.
"Aren’t you a bit too old to be acting cute?" Mrs. Hoshimi teased her.
However, in the next second, Fujiwara Reya extended his hand.
He gave Mrs. Kasahara a light hug, feeling her slender and soft body through the delicate blouse, and then asked helplessly, "Is this okay?"
Mrs. Hoshimi’s eyes widened.
"Did you see that?" Mrs. Kasahara looked at her friend with a proud expression, "My dear Miss Yako, without realizing it, you’ve lost way too much."
"What’s going on?" Mrs. Hoshimi collected her surprise and looked gently at Fujiwara Reya, as if a goddess of mercy ready to hear a believer’s confession.
"Aunt Himeko was acting!" Fujiwara Reya calmly said. Get full chapters from novel~fire~net
"Denying it, are you?" Mrs. Kasahara challenged in a sulky tone.
"What is there to deny?"
"Don’t deny it, I know you inside out."
"How long are you two planning to hug?" Mrs. Hoshimi glared at them with arctic clarity and suspicion.
Only then did Mrs. Kasahara release her grip on Fujiwara Reya.
Under the unusually serious gaze from her friend, she casually tidied up the hair by her ear, then awkwardly attempted to place her hands in her pockets.
Unfortunately, she wore a blouse without pockets.
Realizing this, Mrs. Kasahara shifted to crossing her arms.
Her elegant and enchanting face tilted upwards, gazing through the gaps of the golden ginkgo leaves at the autumn sky.
"You’re...blushing?" Mrs. Hoshimi felt as if her entire worldview had crumbled.
Mrs. Kasahara whistled softly.
Indeed, her face was somewhat flushed, and with her pretended calm whistling, she was adorably sheepish.
"I can’t understand what happened between you two..." Mrs. Hoshimi said with exasperation.
"She and I are family now, so of course, we’re close." Fujiwara Reya explained proactively.
Mrs. Hoshimi’s sharp intellect quickly deduced the reason, and she sighed with some regret: "So Xiangxiang won, huh."
About this statement, for a moment, both Fujiwara Reya and Kasahara Hikari silently mourned in their hearts: Alas, my poor Xiangxiang...
"Oh well, let you young folks handle your own matters." Mrs. Hoshimi remarked, turning towards the buildings of Kamakura Hachimangu, "I’ll take Mr. Fujiwara around before the meeting starts. When Rinko arrives, talk to her, alright?"
"Understood." Fujiwara Reya stepped forward and bowed.
At the same time, as Mrs. Hoshimi bent slightly, preparing to lift her skirt, her slender fingers accidentally brushed against the back of his hand. As she turned her face to the side, she met Fujiwara Reya’s bright and obedient smile, as he said, "Of course, I’ll help you with that."
Mrs. Hoshimi smiled faintly.
With a wafting scent of enchanting fragrance, she turned, walking gracefully down the golden ginkgo alley.
Her hair was glossy black, elegantly coiled at the back of her head, yet a few strands fell intentionally down her cheeks, draping across her full, fair neck and delicate shoulders, reaching the subtly outlined chest. Her posture was dignified, her steps steady, and Fujiwara Reya, holding her skirt, could barely feel any movement from her body.
The skirt seemed to be scented with a classic musk perfume.
Even Fujiwara Reya’s unusually sharp sense of smell almost could not distinguish whether it was her natural scent or an added perfume. Watching her fair and dazzling fingertips walking in the sunlight, his eyes were dazzled for a moment, causing him to stumble slightly and inadvertently tug backwards on the skirt he was holding.
Mrs. Hoshimi looked back slightly and smiled affectionately: "You should come more often, you won’t trip over the paths here once you’re familiar."
That half a face slightly turned, a few locks of hair dancing lightly in the breeze, and her long eyes sparkled with a flame-like brightness. Her nose was as elegant as a school senpai’s, but as it presented at an angle to Fujiwara Reya, he seemed to glimpse a rainbow.