Akimoto Yoichi and Nishida Yuki returned to the Suzuran Family home.
They opened the front door, took off their shoes, and changed into the slippers that had been prepared for them.
Suzuran Ayano and Kuroo Maya were sorting the ingredients for the meal. When they saw the two of them dawdling, they looked over curiously.
"Akimoto-kun, where did you go? Why were you outside?"
It was a perfectly reasonable question.
Suzuran Ayano had first gone looking for her mother, only to hear Akimoto Yoichi's voice.
By the time she finally found her mother, Akimoto Yoichi had disappeared again.
If Kuroo Maya hadn't told Suzuran Ayano she'd run into Akimoto Yoichi at the entrance when she came in, Ayano would have started worrying that something strange and supernatural was happening in her house.
"Oh, I went downstairs while you weren't looking," Akimoto Yoichi replied casually.
The less he explained, the better.
Ayano had no idea what had happened, so there was no need to go to any effort to explain it.
Ayano really didn't give it another thought.
"I see. But your feet are dirty again. I'm so sorry—Mom took your shoes. There's a hose in the garden you can use to rinse them off. Remember to put on your shoes this time."
"Hahahaha! Akimoto-kun's like an elementary schooler, walking barefoot on the grass!" Kuroo Maya, the ditzy twin-tailed girl, unwittingly came to his rescue.
Nishida Yuki, who had sat down on the sofa, gave a couple of quiet snorts. Then she curled her lips into a faint smile and gave Akimoto Yoichi a strange look.
"Okay." Akimoto Yoichi glared at Nishida Yuki, whose expression was still odd.
Of course he knew what that look meant. He'd almost stolen Ayano's "home," and Ayano knew nothing about it, while Nishida Yuki did.
But Nishida Yuki had nothing to worry about. He wasn't the sort to do something so boring.
Exposing the "home-stealing" business now wouldn't be any fun. Akimoto Yoichi and Mrs. Suzuran hadn't gotten that far, and Nishida Yuki had already gotten the conditions she wanted.
But as Akimoto Yoichi followed Ayano's instructions and headed for the garden's sliding door to wash his feet, he saw the reflection of Fukayama Natsuki standing not far away, looking "angry."
How strange. Why was the little girl angry? Had he done something to upset her?
Even if she'd seen him interacting with Nishida Yuki earlier, that was no reason to get mad.
Akimoto Yoichi was at a loss. He opened the sliding door.
It was only after stepping into the garden that he realized he'd forgotten to change into the outdoor slippers by the door.
Just as he turned back to get them, Akimoto Yoichi heard Fukayama Natsuki and Suzuran Ayano talking through the still-open sliding door.
"Ayano-nee! Why don't you understand?! That blondie really is a bad person!"
"Natsuki, I understand how you feel, but you've misunderstood Akimoto-kun."
"That's right, that's right. I was pretty scared of Akimoto-kun at first, too. But who would've thought he could cook? And all the dishes he mentioned sound delicious!"
"No, that's not it! Ayano-nee, Maya-nee, why don't you understand? Then you must know, right, miss? That blondie's a bad person! I saw him pin you against the wall and take your phone! And, and he kissed you! He must have threatened you, right?!"
"Hm? No, he didn't. I gave Akimoto-kun my phone willingly. Actually, I like it when someone takes charge."
"...Y-you all!"
Apparently, all of Fukayama Midori's intelligence had gone to his little sister, Fukayama Natsuki.
Not everything Natsuki said was right, but some of it was.
More importantly, Akimoto Yoichi could tell that Natsuki had clearly figured something out.
Had she noticed him and Mrs. Suzuran together? Maybe she'd held back because Kuroo Maya and Nishida Yuki were there.
He wasn't sure, but Akimoto Yoichi was impressed by Fukayama Natsuki.
A heroine with the Learning Ability buff really did have an exceptional aptitude. Otherwise, she couldn't have produced such a powerful effect. And she was still young—at the perfect age to nurture that potential.
Unfortunately, Fukayama Natsuki failed to understand one thing: Akimoto Yoichi's character had already taken shape in Suzuran Ayano's mind.
Suzuran Ayano completely believed that Akimoto Yoichi was a good student who'd sincerely turned over a new leaf, devoted himself to studying, wanted to get into Todai, and was highly motivated.
Naturally, there was no way a few words from Fukayama Natsuki could make Suzuran Ayano doubt Akimoto Yoichi.
Seeing Fukayama Natsuki still floundering as she tried to prove he was a bad person, Akimoto Yoichi decided he'd heard enough.
"Sorry, I almost forgot to put on my slippers again." Akimoto Yoichi smiled as he slid the door open.
Seeing him appear so soon, Fukayama Natsuki jumped in surprise.
Watching her startle like a frightened fawn only made Akimoto Yoichi want to tease her more.
"I thought I heard you saying my name. Don't tell me you were talking about me behind my back?"
"No, Akimoto-kun. Natsuki just doesn't know you very well yet," Ayano said, stepping in to smooth things over.
At Ayano's words, Fukayama Natsuki fumed.
She watched Akimoto Yoichi as he changed his slippers, but in the end, she didn't argue.
Through the sliding door's window, Akimoto Yoichi saw the conflicted look on Fukayama Natsuki's face and had to grin.
"That's fine. Natsuki just needs to spend more time with me, right? I hope we can get to know each other better."
Akimoto Yoichi gave Fukayama Natsuki a meaningful look. She hurriedly took half a step back.
That gave Akimoto Yoichi a taste of the satisfaction of being a "villain."
"Of course! Akimoto-kun, don't misunderstand Natsuki. She's a good girl. Why don't you join us in making dinner, Natsuki? Then we can all get to know each other!"
Ayano tried to ease the tension between Natsuki and Akimoto Yoichi, not paying much attention to Natsuki's reaction.
On one side was a family who had been friends with her parents for generations—her neighbors, and the younger sister of her childhood friend.
On the other was a friend she'd made herself, a classmate who sat beside her and a partner she worked hard alongside.
From Suzuran Ayano's perspective, naturally, she didn't want there to be any conflict between Akimoto Yoichi and Fukayama Natsuki.
"Sure. I'm looking forward to that wonderful day," Akimoto Yoichi readily agreed.
He gave Fukayama Natsuki, whose face clearly showed her fear, one last look, then opened the sliding door and stepped into the garden again.
Fukayama Natsuki was useful. A little boost from her Learning Ability buff would make Akimoto Yoichi's efforts twice as effective.
Natsuki was resisting for now, but she was still teachable.
"Phew..." Watching Akimoto Yoichi leave, Fukayama Natsuki let out a long breath.
She became even more certain that her guess was right.
Akimoto Yoichi was exactly the villain he looked like!
The way he'd glared at her just now had been downright lecherous, like he wanted to devour her.
"Aren't you overreacting, Natsuki? You don't have to be so wary of Akimoto-kun," Suzuran Ayano said, seeing how relieved Fukayama Natsuki looked.
"I'm the one who doesn't understand! Why aren't you wary of that blondie at all, Ayano-nee?!"
Fukayama Natsuki protested.
"Because Akimoto-kun hasn't done anything wrong. We've all been watching him, and we have no reason to be wary of him," Suzuran Ayano said, giving Fukayama Natsuki a mildly reproachful look.
"Besides, weren't you the one who spilled curry on Akimoto-kun this morning?"
"But Akimoto-kun didn't complain or say a single bad thing about you."
"Now you're being so wary of him just because of how he looks. That's judging someone by appearances, and it isn't right. The Natsuki I know wouldn't do something like that."
As Ayano scolded her, Fukayama Natsuki paced around like an ant on a hot pan.
She wished she could tell Ayano the truth right then and there:
That nice blondie you're talking about touched your mom!
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