Doma, Plan Complete, Sougo

After tucking away the money, Sogo Doma grinned like a fox that had just stolen a chicken.

Although the Doma Family was wealthy and powerful, that was the Doma Family's money; what did it have to do with him, Sogo Doma?

Though he didn't think that way when he was spending the Doma Family's money—his old man was so good at making money, if he didn't spend a bit more, how would the economy circulate, right?

Besides, in an environment like Japan where pocket money is fixed, he was able to spend—ahem, consume—based on his own ability to ask for it, so who was he offending?

However.

An unexpected windfall like today's really brought about an indescribable feeling—turns out, earning this kind of unconscionable... pfft, this kind of hard-earned money, well, it was refreshing, truly refreshing.

Moreover, wasn't Ryunosuke Akasaka enjoying it too? He had fainted from happiness; what a lucky guy. After fidgeting in the changing room for so long, he encountered such an exciting event the moment he came out. Truly, having a kind-hearted boss who also cared for his subordinates made life so delightful.

About twenty minutes ago.

"Work?" Looking at the crowded beach, the corner of Ryunosuke Akasaka's mouth, who had been dragged into the car early in the morning, twitched. Was he being scammed?

May I ask, is there any boss who comes to your house early in the morning saying, "Hurry, it'll be too late if we wait any longer, they've already reached the final stages over there," and so on? Usually, this is what they call overtime work, right?

Fine, overtime is overtime. Since he had decided to work hard, he would give it a...

Before he could finish his thought, he had already been whisked away by Sogo Doma and shoved into the car.

He's really in a rush! Ryunosuke Akasaka thought to himself, watching his boss give directions the whole way.

Then...

The car drove onto the beach.

Ryunosuke Akasaka: @_@.

So, what about the work?

"Who told you we were going to work?" Sogo Doma looked back.

Uh, indeed, no one did, but—Ryunosuke Akasaka felt like committing a crime. He really wanted this guy to die!

Come on, let him sort this out: "Hurry, it'll be too late, they've already reached the final stages over there" refers to?

"The vacation, of course. The final stage of summer break is almost here," Sogo Doma said as if it were only natural.

I see—Ryunosuke Akasaka suddenly felt very stupid, and then, clatter clatter.

He quickly typed on his phone: "Boring, I'm going back."

After sending the message, just as he was about to turn and leave, Sogo Doma smiled again.

"Akasaka, haven't you noticed something missing?"

"??" Ryunosuke Akasaka was completely confused. He patted himself up and down, and—damn it, where was his wallet?

"I remember seeing someone's wallet lying on the table when we left," Sogo Doma said, pointing a finger at the sky. "However, it's not far from where you live, but if you walk, it might, possibly, take ten or so hours to get back."

Ryunosuke Akasaka felt like he had been played.

"Besides, you can also treat this as work."

Ryunosuke Akasaka rolled his eyes. Work? What kind of work, accompanying a reliable guy like you to stroll on the beach? And why him? Why did he have to pick him?? It was his rare day off!

"Don't disbelieve it." Sogo Doma gave an example: "The great President Pei once said, an employee who doesn't know how to enjoy a holiday is not a good employee..."

No! I know how to enjoy myself very well, Akasaka wanted to say.

"An employee without a good physique is also not a good employee. Look at you, you don't even have an ounce of muscle on your body. Bringing you to the beach to play is for your own good!"

Ryunosuke Akasaka, a shut-in, had no rebuttal for this!

"With a body like yours, if you were under President Pei, you'd definitely have a private fitness coach training you separately, and you'd only be allowed to eat nutritional meals..."

Ryunosuke Akasaka shivered. Who was this President Pei? It felt... terrifying.

"You're reluctant to even come to the beach. If it were President Pei, he'd give you a month of vacation, make you travel everywhere, and take photos of mountain climbing or something. Then you'd know what 'harsh' really is!"

A month of vacation to travel everywhere? At this, Ryunosuke Akasaka finally rolled his eyes: "Who is this President Pei you're talking about?"

"The richest man in the world!" Sogo Doma raised his hand to answer.

Ryunosuke Akasaka felt that Sogo Doma was lying to him. He was well-read and not easily fooled. Should he expose him? By the way:

"Isn't the richest man Gatsby?"

"That's because President Pei hasn't exerted his full power yet. Once he does, Gatsby won't be worth a damn," Sogo Doma said very sincerely. After all, he wasn't lying; it was a rare moment of truth.

"Heh..." Clearly not believing it.

Sogo Doma felt deeply helpless about this. Why did no one believe him when he told the truth these days? President Pei would definitely be the world's richest man in the future, although, only in another dimension.

"Let's not talk about President Pei for now. Since you're already here, just relax and give your eyes a break. Staring at the computer all day is bad for your health."

Hm? Ryunosuke Akasaka was a bit surprised. Was this concern from his boss?

Little did he know how Sogo Doma had been muttering to himself that morning.

"That stupid little sister Umaru, actually ditching her respectable Onii-chan to go on a beach trip. And saying things like, 'I feel like introducing Onii-chan to those friends would be dangerous'? Heh, pfft, what is she thinking? What kind of danger could I possibly..."

As if thinking of something, a flash of inspiration struck Sogo Doma.

"Wait, could Umaru's friends all be muscular amazons? Or female mercenaries retired from Middle Eastern battlefields? Or perhaps female assassins trained by some dark organization..."

"This is the 2D world where common sense doesn't apply. Even though it's been slice-of-life so far, it's not impossible for those kinds of people to exist. Besides, slice-of-life settings are where the real big shots hide..."

"That elementary school detective who hasn't aged in over a thousand episodes, isn't that also slice-of-life? And there's a Black Organization in there. Oh, NO, it can't be, right? Could Umaru's friends actually be..."

The more he thought about it, the more he trembled. His little sister had made a bunch of assassin friends. Posting online, help, it's urgent?

If a certain dango were here, she would definitely be like: "(￣△￣)"

He had completely misunderstood. Umaru's original intention was likely that if Sogo Doma introduced her friends to him, her friends would be in danger. Doma, skilled at teasing others—Sogo, how could he be anything but infamous?

If they stayed together, those timid friends of hers would explode. They would blush until they exploded, right?

On this side, Sogo Doma, having smoothed out the unease in his heart, suddenly looked up.

"No, it's too dangerous for Umaru to be with those guys. Even if there is danger, as her big brother, I must protect her! It's just..."

"It's too dangerous to go alone; I need to find some cannon fodder. Who should I pick?"

"Taihei Doma?" A person flashed through his mind, but Sogo Doma immediately vetoed it. "No, no, if this guy goes along, who gets the credit for the big brother's heroics?"

"Hijikata... No, absolutely not. Being with him will lead to death by mayonnaise poisoning."

Hmm!

"Ryunosuke Akasaka..." A certain timid girl with long black hair suddenly occupied Sogo's mind. "Right, there's him! This guy looks like a timid bottom; even if I push him out as cannon fodder, those female mercenaries wouldn't have the heart to lay a hand on him, right? I really am a genius!"

"This guy, he's actually not that bad." Watching Sogo Doma turn and walk toward the beach, Ryunosuke Akasaka seemed to change his opinion of Sogo Doma slightly.

It's just a pity he doesn't know if he would still think that way if he understood the full context of the situation.