"I heard Mr. Haruka is looking for a roommate. May I...?"
His voice, now thick enough to be spun into threads, rose from beside him, but the urban beauty before him had already moved closer without him noticing.
Her fingers, manicured in a bright red, inadvertently grazed Haruka Yuzan twice, tickling him pleasantly.
Such a siren! Like fruit soaked in juice that, with a slight squeeze, could yield a cup of fresh, delicious juice out of thin air.
Savoring the sweet scent that lingered in his mouth, he wanted nothing more than to say,
"Let's go next door and have another juicing session!"
"That will be all, Miss Takezawa. We've already looked over everything, and there are no other issues,"
a cool voice rang from behind, like mountain springs that bathed one in nature's lush greenery. Mmm... it added a purifying buff to Haruka Yuzan directly.
In just a brief moment, he sobered up.
Then, the girl's aloof silhouette appeared beside him, and when she looked toward Mami Takezawa, her icy face showed not a trace of emotion.
Like... a tsundere penguin guarding its meal?
She swooped in to give a peck, leaving behind nothing but a sense of prideful beauty unworthy of praise!
"Well, there are some personal matters I still need to discuss with Mr. Haruka," said the seasoned urban beauty, Mami Takezawa, who, despite being faced with the oncoming Chiba-san, did not wear her emotions on her sleeve,
but continued to smile benevolently at the girl,
"Chiba-san, may I have a word with Mr. Haruka in private?"
In her polite inquiry was an undercurrent of unusual aggression. In response, Chiba Shimizu didn't answer but instead turned her gaze toward Haruka Yuzan.
Her eyes carried a hint of cute stubbornness as if to say,
If you dare agree, I'll... I'll...
She wanted to refuse so badly herself... Shimizu!!
No matter how he responded, it would make him unhappy, so rather than that, why not let himself play the villain?
Chiba-san, you scheming little thing! To think you'd plot against me !
"Well... Let's talk about it some other time, sure? It's getting late today, Miss Takezawa, have you eaten yet?"
Okay, okay. The jealousy of the young lady was just too adorable, and he found it impossible to refuse her.
Left with no choice between the city beauty and the frosty young lady, he chose to subtly reject Mami Takezawa's invitation.
Of course, should there be another opportunity later on, that would be a different story.
"No problem, but..." After being rejected by Haruka Yuzan, Mami Takezawa didn't get angry. Her seductive little face still kept a faint smile,
"But does Mr. Haruka intend to invite me to share a meal together?"
When did he say that?
Haruka Yuzan widened his eyes at the beautiful lady before him, his gaze filled with bewilderment, while Chiba Shimizu beside him gave off a faintly dangerous signal, her clear eyes now even colder. Latest content publıshed on novel~fire~net
Mami Takezawa, seemingly oblivious, remained smiling,
"What's the matter? Wasn't that what you meant, Mr. Haruka?"
A potentially dangerous person indeed—if she were to move into the villa, the scene would certainly be a lively one...
"We're going to eat at home, aren't you going back, Miss Takezawa?" Before Haruka could reply, Chiba Shimizu stood up and spoke out chillingly.
In an instant, Haruka Yuzan suddenly felt as if Otome wasn't around, and Chiba was in charge.
Hey, how could he think that?
Normally, at this point, Mami Takezawa would utter a few polite words before declining.
"I would be honored to accept the invitation..."
"Hey, what are you guys talking about?"
Nighttime, the villa, the living room.
Bright lights filled every corner of the parlor.
Three women and one man sat at the dining table, no one speaking, unmoved by the array of exquisite dishes.
The atmosphere was strange, with Arisugawa Hoshina glancing subtly at the delicate girl beside her, then at Mami Takezawa on the other side, still smiling.
She had gone to the coffee shop in the afternoon to hand over the renovation work, and then she brought back a stunning beauty?
Was this the legendary reward for completing a task? The Golden Legend?
She glanced at the theme's perfect figure and the enchanting and alluring aura—mm, the legendary reward for a mission of large waves.
Darn, is Haruka Yuzan the main character?
And why does the atmosphere feel so off? Shimizu... seems to be unhappy, doesn't she?
"Braised pomfret, coming right up!"
A childish voice echoed through the living room,
as a tiny figure sped by, carrying a large platter, the smell of food teasing everyone's tastebuds.
Misaki Saki placed the platter on the dining table, then huffed and puffed as she took a seat next to Haruka, swallowing saliva while eyeing the feast on the table, her eyes shining like gold,
"Finally, time to eat, I'm starving."
The dinner was lavish, mainly prepared by the madam, Chiba, and... Mami Takezawa.
The braised pomfret was the last dish served. When Reiko Onodera went to fetch it, Misaki Saki eagerly took on the role of helper, quickly following after the madam, making it her resolve to be involved.