Chapter 267
"You guys need to be quicker!"
After finally getting rid of them, he returned to his room.
Seriously, when girls get sexy, guys don't stand a chance.
Do these girls think they can say and do anything just because they're dressed as innocent virgins?
Hmph, if it's like this now, it's hard to imagine what it will become when it matures!
Unlike him, even after losing his virginity, he was still able to maintain boundaries and uphold the same moral values as before!
Next...
He mentally reviewed the timeline and began searching for familiar figures, wondering if they were on the top floor or helping out down below.
I searched the room, but as expected, I couldn't find them.
But it's alright, it's almost evening anyway, and she probably won't be working very late tonight, right?
After sending her a message saying "I'm waiting for you," he went downstairs to the costume studio and began making Kitagawa Marin's Cosplay Costume.
His time is very tight, so he should think twice before taking action. (IV) When it comes to teaching, he should take more action.
Spring days are longer than winter days, but as the clock ticks away, the sunlight falling on the floor of the studio with the curtains wide open gradually changes color and slants westward, radiating the glow of the night.
After an unknown amount of time, when he had almost finished drawing the paper pattern based on Kitagawa Marin's body measurements, the screen of his phone on the table lit up.
He glanced at it and saw Koto Satsuki's reply: I'm done...
That's right, the person he's going on a date with tonight is Koto Satsuki, who discovered his secret the night before last.
To put his mind at ease, Koto Satsuki reluctantly agreed to tell him a secret of her own.
He smiled slightly, put down the tools he was using to cut fabric, clapped his hands, and went to the bathroom to wash his hands.
After getting off the tram, walking from the station to her home, Koto Satsuki kept her head down, lost in thought.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Sakurakoji Talent, standing beside her, complained.
"..."
Koto Satsuki glanced at him, her expression dark and helpless. "Is this why you didn't accept True Wei's confession?"
If that's the case, it's not surprising that he rejected Ouka Mai; after all, their genders are different...
"Although I don't know what you're thinking, my gut feeling is very uneasy. Please stop having those kinds of thoughts."
He hugged his arms, feeling a chill.
"There was a reason and a hardship behind what you saw me do the night before last."
"The reason? In other words, you don't usually act like that?"
Koto Satsuki a slight sigh of relief.
"No, I've liked wearing women's clothes since I was a child. It's my personal interest, or rather, my pursuit of aesthetics."
He immediately answered no.
"Of course, I like men's clothing just as much. After all, it makes up half of the world, so there's no question of preferring the other half."
"..."
Koto Satsuki remained silent. The other person was even more perverted than she had imagined... Ouka Mai, what kind of person have you fallen for?
"Ha..."
Thinking of this, Sakurakoji Talent sighed, "It's just that when I was little, the people around me could accept this, and even found it more endearing."
"But as you get older, the prejudice against it from those around you only intensifies—don't you think that's sad?"
"... Even if you utter something that sounds like a righteous argument, I have no way to answer you."
"That's true. I have the freedom to like this kind of freedom, and others have the freedom to dislike it. That's perfectly understandable."
He even nodded.
"After all, there are very few people like me in the world, and not everyone can maintain their integrity and remain unaffected by it."
"To maintain the normal functioning of human society, doing so is indeed necessary—oh, by the way, let me tell you in advance, my orientation is normal."
"But since I have these advantages, there's no need for me to deliberately cater to other people's opinions. Apart from my family, other people's opinions are not important to me."
"I'm very lucky that my family members are all quite free-spirited and gentle people. Although they were a bit difficult to deal with at first, they eventually agreed to go along with me when they saw that we were a good match."
"... I see."
The incomprehensible questions in Koto Satsuki's mind intensified once again: just who exactly were his family members?
"And what about your friend?"
"I used to stay at home all the time and didn't have any friends. Now... I still don't have any friends I can truly open up to."
At the very least, he has no friends with whom he can truly confide his physical ailments and lifestyle.
At most, they're just using the guise of friendship; in reality, they just want to take advantage of the other person's relationship.
Thinking of this, a trace of loneliness flashed in his eyes. Someone like him, wouldn't he get his comeuppance sooner or later?
Oh, right, Hoshino Ai and Shiina Mahiru don't count, because they've already gone from friends to family.
No friends? Not a single one?
"Well, if we're talking about people I can confide in, then there really isn't a single one. But you don't need to feel sorry for me, because I have a lot of family."
"..."
Koto Satsuki slightly opened her eyes, which were even bloodshot redder than his, in disbelief.
Even he and Ouka Mai each had at least one close friend from the other, and they had many more casual acquaintances... But looking at it this way, it only means that they each only had one close friend, just slightly better than him...
"I see, that explains it," she thought to herself, resting her delicate chin on her hand.
"But what do you mean by saying you used to stay at home all the time? Does that mean you never went out or went to school?"
Her stunningly beautiful appearance, as if she were tilted to the side, raised another question.
"Yes, that's right. For some reason, I haven't gone to school or gone out much until this year."
"..."
Are there Ouka Mai... At least when she was little, she was still quite... cough cough!
Her cheeks paled slightly, and she pursed her lips. "That's the reason you rejected her?"
"That's true, but I'm sorry, I don't plan to tell anyone other than my family and partner about this, and..."
Sakurakoji Talent sighed, "Why should I accept her just because she confessed to me?"
"Judging by conditions alone, I'm clearly much better than her, in every aspect."
Koto Satsuki pondered for a moment, resting her chin on her hand. "That might be true, but because I've played with her since I was little and have never seen anyone more outstanding than her, I subconsciously always felt that she was very high and mighty—I apologize to you."
Then she smiled again, her smile as beautiful as a snow lotus, "But putting aside all that, in reality, she's just a clumsy and arrogant fellow."
"You two have a really good relationship,"
He watched this scene silently, "But where are we going now?"
"I don't deny it, but it's just that we've known each other for a long time, nothing special... Now, you're going to my house."
Tsundere! So tsundere! She clearly likes him a lot... If Ouka Mai changed her way of speaking and her criteria for choosing a partner, and instead tried to be a "bad girl," maybe she would have won him over long ago?
However, even if it weren't for Ouka Mai, winning her over might not be too difficult?
He almost forgot that although she looked very aloof and cold, with stunning looks and an indifferent attitude, she seemed like someone who was very difficult to deal with.
But in reality, Koto Satsuki is just a rare gem of a girl who has a bit of a mother complex, values relationships highly, and has a very traditional personality.
For example, if she truly falls in love with someone, even if that person gambles away all her hard-earned meager wages on pachinko, she probably wouldn't say anything—if it doesn't happen too often.
If he were to steal her first kiss, would she get angry and break up with him, then go and tell Ouka Mai Makoto, or would she forgive him after her anger, and then gradually fall for him...? I'm so curious.
"Your home?"
"Um..."
Koto Satsuki felt a little awkward, her usually cool voice trembling slightly, "Didn't you say you also wanted to know my secret?"
"Although I'm not sure if it can be considered a secret, after thinking about it, this is the only information that can be considered relevant."
"Hmm~ I see. I'm quite curious. Then I'll trouble you!"
Sakurakoji Talent responded with a smile.
"..."
After that, Koto Satsuki stopped talking and simply led the way.
After walking along a main road for a while, they turned into a residential alley with a cement road. After passing many houses surrounded by walls, a patch of barren land appeared by the roadside. Koto Satsuki left the road and turned into it.
This is it.
Standing in front of the building's open space, Koto Satsuki spoke to him.
Sakurakoji Talent looked closely and saw that it was an old two-story apartment building with three rooms on each floor, connected by an external staircase.
Although it's called an apartment, it naturally can't be compared to modern apartments like Ten no Yashiro. Just looking at its age, it's hard to tell how many decades ago it is.
If we're talking about the impression it gives, the fact that "the fences, pillars, and external staircases are all made of metal and have a lot of rust due to the years" alone can create a strong sense of déjà vu in people's minds.
Aside from the fact that the materials are cheap, prefabrication is simple, installation is convenient, and construction is fast, this type of old-fashioned housing has virtually no advantages.
It offers poor sound insulation and has questionable thermal insulation properties; the sound of neighbors walking in the hallway and on the stairs is extremely jarring at night, and the interior space is also worrisome...
Chapter 312 Mother or Sister?
What are your thoughts?
Koto Satsuki glanced at him and asked in a clear voice.
"Um?"
"Don't hold back, just say it."
"Um..."
Sakurakoji Talent's expression didn't change much; he was just a little curious to see this in real life—he even wanted to walk around it to take a closer look.
"There's nothing strange about it, is there? Everyone's family situation is different. Even if I was born this way, I wouldn't think that the whole world is like that."
Moreover, his situation in his previous life was far worse than hers, yet he didn't make any fuss about dying back then.
"Is that so... Well, never mind."
Although she didn't know if he was still considering her feelings when he said that, she didn't care about such things.
Koto Satsuki looked at the small building in front of her again. "A normal person, knowing that I am Ouka Mai's friend, and given my usual aloof and indifferent demeanor, would assume that my family must be very wealthy."
"But this is actually a misunderstanding. I come from a single-parent family. My mother was the only one in my family when I was very young, and we lived in poverty."
"Ah, but that doesn't mean I have any complaints about it. After all, she loves me very much and has done her best to raise me, so I'm very grateful for that."
Her voice was calm, and you could tell she wasn't lying.
"Don't you find it ridiculous that she and I are friends?"
"Why did Yueyi Liuyi V11 Yierba Z say that?"
His gaze towards her revealed admiration; these days, there aren't many children with such character.
"Putting aside the True Wei is arrogant and self-centered, she's not the type to judge others with prejudice. As long as we get along, I don't think she'd care about such things."
"And similarly, I'm not that kind of person. While I wouldn't force myself to live that way, I also wouldn't look down on others because of it."
"Finally, I feel that you, Satsuki, who grew up in such an environment and still managed to maintain your noble character, are fully qualified to stand next to her, no less than her in the slightest."
"You can be more confident, because this is my assessment of you, Sakurakoji Talent."
"..."