Chapter 462

He was immediately rendered speechless.

I'm sorry, Father, Mother, I've brought shame upon the Sakurakoji Family...

"But,"

Halfway through her sentence, a hint of confusion flickered in her eyes. She took a sip of her fragrant tea and said, "I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I feel like my aunt and uncle's gazes towards me are a little subtle and strange..."

"What's strange about it?"

"I always felt that their gaze towards me contained a mix of helplessness, relief, admiration, apology, satisfaction, and annoyance... Are the emotions of industry leaders always so hard to understand? It's different from my mother's."

"... It must be your imagination."

"That's good. I hope they won't have a bad first impression of me. If there's anything I did wrong, I'm willing to apologize immediately—by the way, Talent, have you heard what they said?"

"No, you should be... quite satisfied, right?"

He looked away and started making things up.

Judging from the fact that they even forgot to tell him about her visit, the two of them have probably gotten used to it and don't intend to interfere in his private life or offer any further advice...

"..."

Half an hour later, having seen through Ouka Mai's trick of stalling for time, he forcibly pulled her up, who hadn't even finished a third of her tea, and pushed her out of the room.

He slammed the door shut, stretched, relaxed for a moment, and then prepared to continue arranging the evening's activities.

But a short while later, an unexpected visitor rang his doorbell again.

"Um?"

He frowned, thinking it was Ouka Mai hadn't left yet.

Is she going to use that old-fashioned excuse of "forgot something"? He's seen with his own eyes that she put her phone in her pocket and there's nothing else left on the sofa.

Having made up his mind not to let her in, he forcefully turned the doorknob open!

"What is it now...!"

He stopped mid-sentence upon seeing who it was, and asked, "What brings you here again?"

Sakurakoji Talent carried a hint of helplessness; was this some kind of must-visit spot after school?

"You guys coordinated really well; she just left and you came right away."

"Because a colleague at the front desk contacted me and told me her whereabouts."

Koto Satsuki revealed the secret to her ability to accurately grasp time.

"Is it convenient to come in? If not, you can talk here."

After hearing her explanation, Sakurakoji Talent suddenly realized and said, "Oh, I see."

In other words, she already knew Ouka Mai was coming when she first arrived?

But they still haven't shown any reaction, which suggests that their resentment has indeed accumulated quite a bit.

Come in.

He stepped aside to let her, who was neither wearing a school uniform nor Maid Outfit, into the entrance hall.

I don't know if it's because she wasn't scheduled to work today, or because she had already finished her shift like him.

"Thanks."

After thanking her in a cool, emotionless voice, she didn't stand on ceremony and entered the mansion, which she had probably visited Ouka Mai.

Despite the fact that his room seems to be frequently visited, he doesn't live with Ashiri because he prefers peace and quiet.

So although Koto Satsuki was also a maid he personally recruited, she did not yet enjoy the same treatment as Aoyama Nanami —having a key to his room and being able to come and go as she pleased.

The only reason Aoyama Nanami has a key is because her room needs cleaning.

I feel more at ease entrusting it to her than to anyone else.

Although there aren't many special or private things inside, it's a matter of mood.

"The tea has gone cold, but it's perfect to drink now."

He poured her a cup of tea using the teapot he had just brewed, and then sat down again.

Koto Satsuki didn't say anything in a flustered manner, like it was her job, but simply accepted it with a light thank you.

After she took a couple of sips, and the atmosphere had built up enough, he thoughtfully posed his question, "So? Satsuki, what's the purpose of your visit to me today?"

Koto Satsuki put down her cup, sat up straight, her aloof posture seeming even more cold and distant, and looked at him thoughtfully through her dark red amber eyes. "Before that, may I ask a question?"

"Please speak."

Are we friends?

A rare silence fell over the living room, broken only by the breathing of two figures, one black and one white.

"..."

After a long silence, Sakurakoji Talent pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on.

What are these children thinking about all day long?

"... maybe before, but it's uncertain now."

He lowered his eyelids and stared at her. "What do you want to do? In my experience, this is something you only say when you want to use someone."

"It's nothing, just a mutually beneficial thing between friends."

"Please look me in the eye when you speak!"

"..."

"Ha~ So that's why you came in casual clothes today... Never mind, tell me what's up?"

He had previously said that we could speak to each other in our normal capacity in private, but I didn't expect her to adapt so quickly. Is it because of Ouka Mai?

"It's nothing serious..."

Koto Satsuki's eyebrows were delicately arched, and a hint of shyness and slight bashfulness appeared on her usually impeccable face. "If I remember correctly, you don't have a lover yet, right?"

No, you're mistaken.

Looking pitifully at the girl who had gotten the premises wrong from the very beginning, a deep sense of pity welled up in his eyes.

There was no way around it; so much had happened recently, and the pace of it was even beyond his own expectations. It was understandable that she couldn't keep up.

But wanting to hear her purpose, he patiently tried to guide her. "If that's the case, what do you plan to do?"

"It's nothing, I just want to confess my feelings to you and become your girlfriend."

"I see, I see! You want to be mine..."

He slowly opened his large, bright eyes, which had been closed as if listening intently. Now, there was neither brilliance nor emotion within them, only nameless silence.

"... What did you say?"

"I told you I would confess my feelings to you, and if you have no objections, we can become lovers."

Koto Satsuki explained slowly and deliberately, her beautiful, flawless face showing no trace of shyness or trepidation.

"I see, that's how it is."

He instantly guessed the whole story and decided to tease her first, "So, what do you like about me?"

"Well..."

Koto Satsuki rested her fingers on her chin, a thoughtful look on her face, and quickly came to an answer, "Because you are flawless in appearance, very capable, kind in personality, excellent in both career and studies, with impeccable character and manners, and needless to say, your family background is outstanding... You are someone even that woman would admire."

"Although you can be a bit cunning at times, often cross-dress, and your fetishes aren't necessarily normal... overall, I think you're a very attractive person of the opposite sex. Is that enough?"

"... That's enough, thank you for your praise and feedback."

Sakurakoji Talent suddenly felt a bit thirsty, so he tactfully picked up his water glass and took a sip.

This answer is different from what I expected.

Damn it, where's your casual reply about the Scummy Pink-haired Girl?!

That's true. To say there's a difference between him and the Scummy Pink-haired Girl is like saying there's a difference between an ordinary girl and the Scummy Pink-haired Girl —they really can't be compared... Sigh~ I'm just too good for myself.

He rubbed his temples twice, losing all interest in joking around, and cut to the chase, exposing her true intentions. "Alright, even though what you said makes a lot of sense, I'm sorry, you can't fool me!"

"You only pretended to confess to me to hurt True Wei, right?"

His tone was certain, his eyes bright and sharp, as if he had seen through everything and understood the only truth!

Koto Satsuki blinked her beautiful eyes, showing no embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, she shook her head without hesitation. "No, it's because I genuinely like you, so much so that I can't help myself, to the point where I can't live without you—that's why I'm confessing to you (in a flat, monotone tone)."

"Could your confession be any less heartfelt? Seriously..."

Chapter 425 The Birth of a Contractual Lover.

"You really are stubborn,"

Koto Satsuki frowned, her eyes looking at a mischievous and difficult child, her clear voice revealing helplessness, "But never mind, I never thought I could fool you so easily."

"You just... said 'lie,' right?"

No, that's just your imagination.

"Then swear on your aunt!"

"..."

"Hmph, Koto Satsuki, do you have anything else to say?"

Koto Satsuki cleared her smooth, white throat, then glanced away, continuing without a trace of embarrassment, "I have nothing more to say. More than this..."

"So you're already changing the subject?!"

"You're so annoying~"

Koto Satsuki's eyes revealed a hint of disdain, and a few black lines appeared on her forehead. "Boys who are too clingy won't be liked by girls, you know?"

"You don't need to worry about that."

Sakurakoji Talent stood tall with her hands on her hips and chest puffed out, radiating confidence that even the thickest dress couldn't conceal. "The girls and boys in the world who would like me could line up from here in Aoyama all the way to the Champs-Élysées in Paris on the other side of the world!"

"No, that's not right... it should be said that it's enough to make several round trips to the moon!"

If all the people in the world were lined up, even if each person only occupied half a meter, that would still be more than four million kilometers, enough to circle the Earth a hundred times!

The distance from Earth to the Moon is only 380,000 kilometers, and even if you double that, it's only 760,000 kilometers.

Even with the most conservative estimate, it should be fine to run it two or three times.

Given his family background, appearance, personality, talent, skills, knowledge, temperament, age... unless the other person has an incurable fetish for other people, regardless of gender or age, everyone can find something they like about him.

Whether you prefer an innocent and upright character or a cunning and wicked one; whether you like a gentle neighbor or a domineering CEO who spoils his wife; whether you like a serious and handsome working man or a lazy and irresponsible playboy; whether you like a sadist or... well, never mind.

Even if he's some eccentric high school girl named Shinjin who's only interested in Otherworlder, Esper, aliens, Future Person... he'd at least fit two of those criteria. What are you going to do about that?

Ya Lei, Ya Lei~ I'm really at my wit's end~

Oh ho ho ho~!!!

If it weren't for the fact that most of the people he was trying to woo were just a small group of "appearance-obsessed unofficial members (people who appreciate beauty but aren't obsessed with it)," he would only need to show his face each time.

"Tsk!"

"... You just smacked your lips, didn't you?"

Sakurakoji Talent cast a sharp glance his way.

"It's probably just your imagination."

Koto Satsuki denied it in a lukewarm manner.

Unfortunately, even though she wanted to deny his arrogant words, reason told her that it was very likely true.

The question arises: can stating something that is actually correct still be considered arrogance?

After thinking for a while without any results, she could only offer this assessment. "Lately, you've Ouka Mai more and more—equally arrogant and annoying."

His expression froze, his spirits deflated. "... This is truly the greatest insult I've heard all day."

"It's quite rare to see you so devastated..."

Ouka Mai, who liked to sit close to him, Koto Satsuki, sitting on the other side of the sofa, raised her eyebrows in surprise.