Chapter 357

'...'

Instead of feeling delighted to meet such a wealthy and handsome man, she felt uneasy about another extraordinary beast entering her life.

Her F-rank combat power trembled along with her trembling body, and her eyes turned into uneasy fried eggs.

"But why didn't Mr. Talent accept True Wei's confession? Does he already have someone he likes?"

Senna Ajisai nodded curiously.

"Perhaps there are reasons behind it all; not everyone is interested in True Wei."

Koto Satsuki replied casually.

"I didn't quite understand it before, but now I think I understand it a little better..."

Amo Reiko was hunched over, utterly exhausted.

"Mr. Talent lives here too. Could it be that Satsuki met him because of this?"

She was referring to her job there.

"No, it was True Wei who brought me here in the first place... but she also had other ulterior motives."

Thinking about her friend's thoughts at the time, she now feels extremely conflicted.

Well, it's good that she knows a lot of things, but... there's no way to tell her.

Not to mention supporting her love life, even their friendship is on the verge of exploding with long-accumulated dissatisfaction and resentment because of this incident.

From childhood to adulthood, I've always been outdone by her in everything; that's just because she's less skilled.

But that arrogant, conceited, and utterly shameless woman always made her the first to back down and compromise whenever there was a conflict, and she had long been harboring a lot of resentment towards her.

Previously, on Koto Satsuki's list of things she absolutely had to do in her life, the number one thing was to trample her underfoot in a certain matter, make her kneel before her while crying, and laugh wildly!

"Green tea is fine? Also, these are some snacks I made myself; please try them if you don't mind."

Not long after, Sakurakoji Talent returned carrying a cup of clear, Green tea and distributed the cups to them.

Then he went back to the refrigerator, took out some snacks, put them on a plate, and came back to sit down.

"Thanks!"

X N.

"You're welcome."

He picked up his teacup and took a sip of the now-cold tea.

Even after being left for a long time, the tea soup remains clear and vibrant green.

This wasn't because the tea was particularly good, but simply because he used filtered, Purified water to brew it.

Many people believe that Green tea turns yellow or red quickly after brewing because of low-quality tea leaves or excessive brewing time, but that's a misconception.

It's just that the iron ions in ordinary tap water weren't filtered out completely, causing it to oxidize upon contact with air and turn red.

Some people who pursue elegance choose Spring water or Mineral water, but they will also encounter the same problem unless they take special treatment steps.

Although he enjoys drinking tea, he doesn't go to the point of pursuing the art of tea ceremony. At most, he might control the water temperature and steeping time, and decide whether to add a few condiments.

"I'm sorry, I made Satsuki insist on bringing you up here because I wanted to see what kind of lovely people she and True Wei's friends are. Did I cause you any trouble?"

"No! Not at all! Rather, we're quite curious about who you are!"

"Yeah, yeah! We're also curious to see what the handsome guy who dumped True Wei looks like!"

"Kaho! You can't say this, can you?!"

"Haha, saying you're going to dump me is a bit too arrogant..."

He softened his voice, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry! She meant no harm!"

Amo Reiko stepped in to smooth things over, bowing and apologizing, her heart pounding with nervousness.

'If they fly into a rage and kick them all out... Upon hearing this, True Wei, for the sake of love, severs ties with them, and the Cliques disbands!'

'For Hydrangea Kazusa Satsuki, they might be able to form a new Cliques very quickly, but not me!'

As she thought about it, her eyes welled up with tears again, and she looked pitiful.

Please don't do that, I'm not angry.

Really?

"Yes, really."

"Mr. Talent is so gentle~ Ah, so delicious~"

Senna Ajisai, after taking a bite of a small bread roll, rubbed her cheek and praised happily, "I also like making sweets, but Mr. Talent's skills are much better than mine!"

"Ah~ I'm so happy~"

"Wow... this is so delicious!"

Amo Reiko slightly widened her eyelids, covered her red lips with her hand, and whispered.

What a surprise! She can be quite girlish even at times like this! Sakurakoji Talent was secretly observing her, slightly widened his eyes.

For some reason, he never really saw her as a girl.

Regardless, she's a beautiful young woman in the prime of her youth, although she doesn't quite resemble the others... I'm sorry for having preconceived notions!

He silently clasped his hands together in apology.

"Mmm! It tastes even better than the cakes from the bakery!"

Koyanagi Kaho exclaimed excitedly in a sweet voice.

"Thank you for your compliments,"

He responded with a polite smile, then looked at Senna Ajisai: "Hydrangea... I call True Wei Kazusa Satsuki by their first names, so may I call you by your first names?"

"Hmm~ Sure~"

"Of course! Please feel free!"

"Can!"

"I understand, thank you."

He continued, "Hydrangea also like to be used in desserts?"

"Hmm, but it's far inferior to Mr. Talent's..."

Her face flushed slightly, and she shyly shrank her neck.

"No, it's just something I do out of interest. Maybe we can discuss cooking together sometime?"

He uttered this unusually natural, almost polite remark, and then quickly glanced around.

Sure enough, no one doubted him.

Hmph~ True masters often hide their intentions in seemingly ordinary corners, waiting for the right moment to strike!

"Is that alright? I'd love to!"

Being gentle and without any ill intentions, she readily agreed.

Next, Sakurakoji Talent fully utilized his social skills as Normie diplomat, quickly becoming one of the group.

Even his sister, Ashiri, is an outstanding leader and a skilled businesswoman when she's out in the world, so he certainly can't be any less capable than her!

It's just that he doesn't usually enjoy these social interactions.

However, if needed, he can also use different conversation techniques and topics based on the personality of different people.

"Hey~ Hydrangea has two much younger brothers at home, and she has to take care of them in place of her parents? That must be a bit tough..."

"But with your gentle personality, Hydrangea, I feel you'd be perfect for these kinds of things; you'd definitely do a great job."

"Oh no, I don't have a younger brother, but I do have a younger sister who is a year younger than me."

"Reiko's family is like that too? What a coincidence! Satsuki and True Wei are both only children. I thought you were too. That's great! It feels like I've found someone like you!"

"What are Kaho's hobbies? By the way, my hobbies are music, reading, games, cooking, designing and making costumes, and occasionally making some cosplay outfits... Do you know cosplay? It's more related to anime."

"Would you be more than happy to have more private conversations with me?"

"..."

To make it easier to start a conversation, he even chose hobbies that were things that each of them liked.

This was especially irresistible to the already cheerful group of people.

Standing alone outside the group, the quiet Koto Satsuki simply raised the corner of her eye, happily munching on Donut while watching this scene with a hint of doubt.

She felt something was off, especially his personality... Was he like this before?

However, humans are inherently very different in private than in public, so this cannot be used as evidence.

Moreover, the desserts were so delicious that they made her mind melt, making it impossible for her to think about these things carefully... After a few seconds, she was focused on enjoying another dessert, occasionally taking a sip of tea.

Let alone such top-tier desserts, she rarely had the opportunity to eat even ordinary bakery sweets in the past.

Well, when it comes to choosing the best snacks from a convenience store with only 100 yen, she's confident she can beat anyone!

[Grocery store: a general store that sells everything, or a small rural snack shop like those in anime]

After a conversation, it gradually came to noon. After they finished eating the lunch they had prepared, the group got up to say goodbye.

Sakurakoji Talent led her to have Koto Satsuki escort them downstairs. They'd already obtained their contact information, and there was little they could do with so many people...

Senna Ajisai and Koyanagi Kaho Amo Reiko, perhaps pressured by the fact that the others had all handed theirs over, could only reluctantly agree.

It was another fruitful day!

He held up his phone, staring at the now-filled contact list, and felt a warm glow in his heart.

After saying goodbye to Koto Satsuki in the lobby on the first floor of the apartment, the three of them left together.

"Mr. Talent is so gentle~ No wonder True Wei likes him! He's so outstanding! Right, Reina-chan, Kaho- chan?"

Senna Ajisai softly inquired of the other two.

"Hmm! If it's about Talent, then I guess I'll just have to give up... Waaaaaah!!"

Koyanagi Kaho threw herself into her arms and burst into tears.

"Yoshi~ Yoshi~ Don't cry, don't cry~"

She gently touched the back of her head and comforted her in a soothing voice.

"Well..."

Amo Reiko stared blankly at the scene, her mind a bit lapsed. She glanced away, scratched her head, and said, "Seriously, what are we even here for? It feels like we haven't done anything..."

"Eh? It's not to make Satsuki- chan and True Wei reconcile..."

Senna Ajisai noticed this too, closed her eyes, stuck out her tongue, and said, "I forgot~!"

So cute!!

Amo Reiko stared blankly at her unintentionally cute appearance, feeling as if her whole body had been purified.

"If it's about Hydrangea, I want to be your friend for life~"

She spoke her true thoughts with a relaxed expression.

"Eh~ If it were Rena-chan, I'd be willing too?"

Senna Ajisai loosened her embrace of Koyanagi Kaho, and smiled gracefully.

"What about me? What about me?!"

"Of course Kaho would too..."

"Very good!"

"..."

The group chatted as they walked further and further away from the apartment.

After walking a distance, Amo Reiko looked back at the still towering rooftop of the apartment building.