"Maids..."
However, admiration was the furthest thing from understanding. Thus, Sogo Doma privately believed that if Rumi Tsurumi's drastic change in personality had truly been caused by Katsura Kotaro's influence, then she must have held some inexplicable admiration for him. But humans were the most complex creatures in the world. If she found out that the Katsura she admired actually liked maids—
She would definitely become confused, just like she was now, murmuring under her breath, "Mr. Katsura..."
"What?" Seeing this, Sogo Doma had no intention of letting up. Instead, he continued, "Don't tell me you knew nothing about any of this?"
But to his surprise, faced with his relentless questioning, Rumi Tsurumi said, "Of course I knew!"
"You..." Seeing that she did not appear to be faking it, Sogo Doma hesitated. "You're sure?"
"Mr. Katsura never deliberately hid those things..."
"..." Sogo Doma suddenly realized he had miscalculated somewhat. Thinking about it carefully, given how naturally airheaded Katsura was, how could he possibly care whether going to maid cafés would have some strange influence on ordinary children? Still—
"Since it's not that you didn't know, then why did you just make that kind of..." expression like you were questioning your entire life?
Before he could finish, however, Rumi Tsurumi said, "What's that got to do with you?"
"True..." Sogo Doma did not refute her. "But I'm curious..."
"Then put away your curiosity!"
"Don't be like that..." Unfortunately, Sogo Doma's curiosity was clearly not so easily brushed aside. "After all, I was the one who recommended Katsura to you..."
Yet before he could finish again, Rumi Tsurumi stressed as though out of reflex, "Not Katsura—it's Mr. Katsura!"
"Phew..." After that reflexive outburst, Rumi Tsurumi took a deep breath. "It's true that I'm very grateful to you for recommending Mr. Katsura