Kiyoharu returned to his private room. It came with a bathroom, and he usually bathed there. The large bathroom at home was reserved exclusively for Airi.
Watching his back disappear around the corner of the corridor, a faintly bewildered haze clouded Airi's eyes.
Recently, she had been experiencing strange emotions more and more often whenever she faced Kiyoharu, making Airi wonder whether something might be wrong with her.
Fortunately, she had more important matters to consider. Her confusion was fleeting, and she quickly began the painstaking process of choosing an outfit for going out.
Even by the time Kiyoharu returned from his bath, Airi still had not settled on the clothes she wanted.
"I think someone as easygoing as Ayano probably won't care too much about what you wear," Kiyoharu suggested as gently as possible.
Generally speaking, friends of the same gender did not care what their friends wore. Even if girls occasionally envied their best friends' looks, that was not an issue for Airi and Ayano. After all, both were flawless beauties.
But Airi shook her head. "No... rather than caring, that girl has always looked down on my fashion sense."
"Huh?"
"Ayano is fundamentally a very proud person, and she is extremely confident in her own taste. In her eyes, I probably just pile luxury goods onto myself."
As she spoke, Airi let out a scornful laugh. She was not furious enough to grind her teeth, but it was clear that the two best friends could hardly be said to have no friction between them.
It seemed some unpleasant things had happened between them.
Kiyoharu immediately reassured her. "I think it's fine. The Young Lady might not know much about fashion, but you can definitely manage elegance and propriety."
"Elegance and propriety." Airi repeated it mockingly. "That is the absolute bare minimum."
"Besides, the Young Lady is busy with work every day. How could you have the leisure to follow developments in the fashion world? Only students or girls with unimportant, idle jobs would especially care about that sort of thing... Everyone has different ambitions, so it is perfectly normal to see things differently."
"Tch."
Airi noncommittally fiddled with the dazzling array of luxurious outfits on the rack the stylist had brought over. It felt as though her mood had received a massage, slowly easing open.
"If the Young Lady is having trouble deciding, I can help choose."
"You?" Airi shot him a surprised glance. "Go on."
She certainly did not think Kiyoharu knew anything about women's fashion.
Kiyoharu had never given her advice in that regard.
But in truth, it was only because Airi had always been dominant in daily life, and Kiyoharu had refrained from butting in out of consideration for her feelings.
What does what the boss wears have to do with an employee like me?
But now that the boss was unsure what to wear, a subordinate had to know how to share her burden.
Drawing on the experience he had gained from numerous ex-girlfriends in his previous life, Kiyoharu cleared his throat. "First of all, it has to be black stockings."
"Tch. You men really seem to have a particular preference for stockings."
"But they really suit the Young Lady. They're beautiful, and they give you a noble sense of distance."
High emotional intelligence: a noble sense of distance. Low emotional intelligence: she looked fierce and unapproachable.
Kiyoharu then walked over to the clothing rack and picked out a strapless fitted dress, along with a cropped camisole layer.
"It adds more depth to the upper half while making your aura feel more casual and lively. It suits going out with friends."
It actually sounded rather convincing.
Airi jerked her chin at Kiyoharu, and he wisely turned his back.
She needed to change. Since she needed Kiyoharu's guidance, she could not exactly send him away and call him back afterward. That would be too deliberate.
Even so, the stylist revealed a knowing smile as she watched the two interact.
The Young Lady and sir had been engaged for three years, yet they were still as shy as a couple newly in love.
Soon, Airi had changed into the outfit Kiyoharu recommended. When she stepped before the mirror, her eyes immediately lit up.
It was entirely unlike her usual flamboyant, formal-leaning style. Even her cold, stern face seemed to have softened slightly. For a moment, Airi wondered whether the person in the mirror was really her.
Kiyoharu-kun, you've got some skill.
Airi could not help looking toward him, only to find that Kiyoharu was still honestly facing away.
"What are you spacing out for?"
"Oh, I was waiting for you to order me to turn around... Hmm, not bad. The result is even better than I expected. It would be even better with a small accessory."
Kiyoharu rummaged through the stylist's collection again and found a polka-dot bow hair clip, which he fastened onto Airi's hair.
The somewhat childish hair clip happened to soften Chihaya Airi's sharp aura just enough.
They were going shopping, after all. The atmosphere should be a little more relaxed. If she looked as cold and glamorous as she did at the company, it would be a bit too out of place.
Kiyoharu was quite skilled at dressing girls up. In his previous life, he had often personally dressed a certain girlfriend in her bedroom, giving the girl a satisfied feeling. Then, beneath her love-filled gaze, those clothes would swiftly drift down to the floor one piece at a time.
Of course, there would be no later stage like that with Airi.
Kiyoharu simply wanted today's Airi to astonish Ayano.
Based on the muttering Ayano had done during stopped time, Airi's opinion of her was completely correct. Ayano truly held Airi's taste in contempt.
However, Ayano would likely be disappointed this time. The Young Lady, dressed by Kiyoharu, was no longer a vase piled high with luxury brands!
Kiyoharu would not pass up a chance to make that arrogant woman suffer a setback.
Kiyoharu quickly finished choosing his own outfit. He had his own dressing habits.
Airi had kept her lips pressed together, annoyance smoldering in her eyes. Only after the stylist and wardrobe assistant had left did she coldly ask, "Who gave you permission to put that hair clip on me?"
"Sorry. But I paid special attention. I didn't touch you."
"That is why I am only warning you. Don't act on your own in the future."
"Understood."
When Kiyoharu stood close before her and put the hair clip on her, his face had been full of gentle calm. There had not been a trace of desire clouding his clear eyes. He had looked like a gardener carefully tending a flower bed.
At that moment, Airi's strange emotion returned, even stronger than before.
It was so irritating!
"Kiyoharu-kun~"
"What can I do for you?"
Uncle Tsuchiya drove the luxury sedan smoothly and steadily. In the backseat, Airi suddenly hooked her arm around Kiyoharu's with a sly smile. "When we're with my friends today, you are not allowed to let your eyes wander."
"Got it."
"If you behave well, there will be a reward tonight."
Her long legs, wrapped in black stockings, crossed together. The tip of the foot nearest Kiyoharu lightly tapped his knee twice.
A hint of seduction entered Airi's eyes as she ran her tongue over her lips.
The sight was a little hard for Kiyoharu to endure, but he ultimately held firm. After all, he had emptied the magazine last night.
Thanks, Mira. Thanks, Shimaura Hitomi... Well, perhaps there was no need to thank Shimaura Hitomi. Dreams were subjective things for Kiyoharu, and seeing Shimaura Hitomi while recalling the absurd events from last night's dream instead made him feel a little guilty.
Any normal man would feel somewhat guilty about having that kind of dream with a pure female friend beside him as its protagonist.
Shimaura Hitomi felt much the same way, and her gaze could not help but dodge. However, she had always been timid and shy, so it did not seem strange.
"Huh? Did Airi's stylist change? It feels like today's style is completely different from before."
Just as expected, Ayano voiced her admiration.
"On a whim today, I asked Kiyoharu-kun to design the outfit... Kiyoharu-kun, who never accomplishes anything, can occasionally shine too," Airi said lightly, discreetly watching Ayano's reaction.
But the other woman merely clapped approvingly. "Amazing, Kiyoharu-kun! Boys who understand fashion this well are so rare these days. Since that's the case, I can ask Mr. Chihaya for advice in the future whenever I need it."
The moment she finished speaking, Airi shot Kiyoharu a sharp glare. He hurriedly stated his position. "You flatter me. Miss Kitahara is a professional artist, so I'd better not show off my meager skills before an expert."
Satisfied, Airi withdrew her gaze.
Kiyoharu sighed inwardly. As the saying went, serving a ruler was like living beside a tiger. The Red-Eyed Devil had not even officially become the financial conglomerate's successor yet, but she already had the air of someone in power.
Ayano was even more formidable. Her seemingly ordinary words concealed a full-fledged ambition to poach someone else's man. She was a complete Cao Cao.
Their Shimaura Hitomi was still the obedient, adorable one, harmless to man and beast.
Just as Kiyoharu was thinking this, Shimaura Hitomi was considering what she should steal from him today as a catalyst for the Dream Wanderer.
Before you continue