"Sougo..." After bidding Mai Sakurajima farewell, Sogo Doma finally got back to the day's business with Utaha Kasumigaoka. But as they walked, Utaha suddenly spoke with a suspiciously kind smile. "How did your chat with that beautiful subordinate of yours go?"
"Ah..." For some reason, Sogo felt a little guilty. "It was just work-related..."
"Did work-related matters require you to use your feet?"
"Huh!?"
"The shoeprint!"
"Wasn't that from you stepping on me?" Sogo was quick-witted.
"I only stepped on your left foot..." Utaha Kasumigaoka was no fool either. "And the shoeprints are completely different, okay..."
"So..." Before he could finish, Sogo forcibly changed the subject. "Shouldn't we find somewhere to clean our shoes?"
"Don't dodge the question!" Utaha Kasumigaoka refused to fall for it. "Come to think of it, it makes sense. She's the renowned Mai Sakurajima, a national idol. Unlike me, just some gloomy light novelist..."
"Shouldn't you be a genius beautiful young writer?"
"..." Utaha Kasumigaoka, who had been complaining just moments ago, felt the corner of her eye twitch. "Sougo, flattering me now won't work..."
"Um, didn't I already say it? Mai and I are completely innocent..." Seeing the stubborn look on her face, Sogo surrendered.
"But the way she looked at you was very strange!" That was Utaha Kasumigaoka's feminine intuition.
"The way most guys look at you is pretty strange too..." Sogo countered.
"Hey..."
"Of course..." Well, the counterattack had only been meant to help him evade the issue. Utaha had barely opened her mouth when Sogo interrupted, "I attribute that to humanity's pursuit of beautiful things. Handsome guys and beautiful women like us actually have it pretty tough..."
"Pfft..." Utaha Kasumigaoka couldn't hold it in, but then she remembered this was supposed to be serious and put on a stern face again. "Shameless..."