"...."
Tobe nodded subconsiously. "Yup."
Anyway, there was nothing to hide, and everything had happened. He also knew that he could trust Akiko, as she definitely wouldn't tell anyone else, so he decided to tell the truth. In that way, he would have no need to hide anymore, and having someone that he could trust would help many things.
Only, his easy and relaxed answer was received differently by Akiko.
"Is that okay? Is she even a widow? What about her husband? Did she seduce you?"
Akiko kept questioning him like a machine gun, and her worry was endless as she couldn't help but worry about him, considering how his relationship with the mother of his classmate.
"Moreover... can you be responsible for her?"
While she was worried about many things about Tobe, what she was worried about was also his attitude toward his mother, as she could clearly feel how much Yuki-san felt toward him. Probably, she should have told him that Yuki-san shouldn't have been with him, and shouldn't have accepted that emotion between them, but she also knew that a feeling was something that one couldn't hardly control, no matter how old they were.
Unlike Tobe, who probably didn't understand how hard it was for Yuki-san to accept him, especially when she had decided to sacrifice many things, or... was Yuki-san such a licentious woman?
Akiko didn't know, but for one, if two people wanted to be together, as a man, Tobe should have a certain preparation to be willing to stay by Yuki-san's side.
Still, Tobe was speechless by Akiko's questions, wondering whether he had touched a sensitive subject in her life. He knew that she was a single mother and had divorced her husband, then took care of Ayase Saki from elementary school till today alone, without the help of anyone.
Even with her limited capability, considering how Akiko only had a high school diploma, the choice of jobs that she could take on was extremely limited. Unless she decided to throw away her dignity and use her body for money, it was extremely hard for her to get a lot of money since not everyone was suited for business.
It might be a hard truth to swallow, since while some people wanted to become their own boss, as they faced the struggles by themselves, as no one would give them a guarantee for their lives, being able to accept that being an employee was a good choice, as it gave stability, was fine.
Nevertheless, what he wanted to talk about was Akiko's life and how she became a single mother, bearing everything on her own, alone, without anyone's help, and letting her daughter grow up.
Yet, he had to say, whether it was Akiko or Saki Ayase, Akiko's daughter, they had an awkward personality.
While Akiko might appear amicable and gentle, it was easy to tell that everything was just a mask. As an adult, how could one show their emotions like a child, right?
Still, somehow, probably, Akiko was jealous as Yuki-san had him, and she had no one by her side.
If it was before, Tobe might not have hesitated to make a move on Akiko, but now?
Taking a deep breath, he faced Akiko, who seemed to stare at him intensely, then said, "Are you sure you want to interrogate your boss like this?"
"..."
"I-I am sorry!"
Akiko quickly apologized and bowed her head!
As she realized how rude her question was, especially when the hierarchy in the work in this country was extremely important, the follower had to be submissive toward the superior, and for her to ask such a question, even if she might be right, was extremely wrong.
After all, if she was fired because of such a question, was it worth it?
Having a good place to work, a good salary, and a nice place to stay, if she lost all of that...
As her face turned pale, Tobe chuckled. "I was just joking."
"....." Akiko.
Still, Akiko didn't dare to question him again, as she knew that she was too presumptuous.
After all, even if Tobe dared the mother of his classmate, as long as they were happy, why did she have to involve herself in it?
Wasn't it better to just leave them as they were and turn a blind eye to a certain mistake that he had made?
"But you are right. My relationship with her can't be called right, but if she wishes to, I am prepared to take responsibility for her." Then, Tobe let out a long sigh after he said those words. "Though I can imagine that she will try to bear everything on her own."
After all, no matter what, he wasn't an adult yet in the eyes of many, despite having an income by himself and being able to be independent, but Yuki-san was already in her early 40s. She knew her age and her status well, yet she still let herself fall for him, which was wrong, yet she couldn't stop.
If she were impregnated by him, she would just quietly take care of it by herself.
"...don't you have a girlfriend, too?"
"I will take care of all of them!"
"...." Akiko.
Scumbag, she thought, yet she knew well that even if he was a scumbag, many women would still let themselves fall for him like moths that were attracted by fire.
Still, as she thought of his relationship with Yuki-san, she couldn't help but tease him by moving closer to him, like a coquettish woman. "But, you are interested in a woman of that age, huh? What do you think of me? Am I attractive in your eyes?" Only her words stopped when their eyes met; their breath was felt by each other as their skin almost touched.
His eyes were faltering, his heart was beating, and a certain impulse was almost taking him away as he gazed over her soft, pink lips, yet he decided to calm himself, as he nodded calmly with a gentle smile. "You are a beautiful woman, Akiko-san. The man who will get your heart must be happy that she can make a woman as wonderful as you fall in love with you."
Still, even if he tried not to do anything, her gentle, womanly scent lingered on his body, making him helpless and vexed as it was so hard for him to control his body's reaction.
"....."
Akiko wasn't sure how her expression was, but her face was so hot!
Still, like him, she also quickly calmed herself as she patted his chest like it was a joke. "Geez, you sure are good at praising someone. Now, I understand why there are so many women who fall for you."
"...don't make it sound like I am a Playboy."
That answer made Akiko speechless. "Boss, you are a playboy."
"Then, can you blame me? Even if I do nothing, they will be tempted."
"Hmph~! So narcissistic~!"
Yet, Akiko knew well that Tobe was correct, and she was afraid, as he did more than doing nothing, and even gave her a hope, as she thought about how he was attracted to a woman of her age, it gave her an ugly, presumptuous, yet hopeful desire.
However—
'I shouldn't be.'
After all, Akiko was clear about how her daughter's feelings toward Tobe were, but could a scumbag like him take care of his daughter?
'Well, I have a lot of time.'
She worked under him, so she had a lot of time to observe him.
"Then, I am going to leave first. Can you take care of the rest by yourselves?"
"Please leave it to me, Boss~!"
"Thanks, Akiko-san."
Tobe nodded with a smile, then walked out, but unexpectedly, he got a text from Akiko's daughter, Saki Ayase.
"Saki?"