Late at night, the master bedroom of the Shinomiya mansion.
Just finished bathing, Shinomiya Kaguya, dressed in thin, soft pajamas, waited for Hayasaka Ai to finish drying her hair and asked, "How was it spending time with him today?"
Hayasaka Ai naturally knew who Kaguya was referring to. After thinking for a moment, she said, "It felt pretty good. He's a little different from what I imagined."
"A parasite who would die without a woman supporting him, what's so different about him?"
Flipping through The Flower of Hell, Shinomiya Kaguya said casually.
"Miss Kaguya, please don't say that about him,"
Hayasaka Ai felt a little uncomfortable hearing Kaguya's words.
"He's not the kind of person you think he is."
Kaguya: "?"
"Miss Kaguya, do you know how difficult it is for a helpless high schooler to survive in a big city like Tokyo?"
If she hadn't tried to understand Takashi, maybe she would have shared the same opinion as Kaguya.
But knowing Takashi's experiences, Hayasaka Ai couldn't see him through the same eyes as before.
Hayasaka Ai felt a bit sorry for this big boy.
They're both high schoolers, but while other kids are still enjoying the happy life funded by their parents, he has already started fighting against life.
When people think of Tokyo, they first imagine bright lights, nightlife, and luxury.
But beneath the dazzling lights and prosperity lies suffocating pressure.
Ordinary people have to use all their strength just to survive in Tokyo, let alone Takashi, who balances making money and studying at the same time.
Hayasaka Ai couldn't understand how he managed to keep going.
If it were her, she probably—no, definitely—wouldn't be able to hold on.
Although the Shinomiya family has many rules, they also provide a lot.
Relying only on part-time jobs without parents' support, it's almost impossible for a high school student to live in Tokyo.
Now it made sense why Takashi might be a kept man for the heiresses—perhaps it's even his only way out.
"Hayasaka, you're my person, yet you're defending that Kitahara Takashi? Whose side are you on?"
Seeing Hayasaka Ai defending Takashi, Kaguya grew displeased.
What? You're even protecting him?
You've only spent less than a day with Takashi, and you're already on his side?
If you stayed with him a few more days, wouldn't you end up stabbing yourself in the back like a certain someone?
Shinomiya Kaguya couldn't understand what kind of magic Takashi had to make you willingly spend money supporting him and still defend him.
"I'm on your side. I just believe you shouldn't judge a person by appearances. Please don't jump to conclusions before you really know someone."
Hayasaka Ai's tone was neither humble nor arrogant.
"That's enough."
After being offended by Takashi today and warned by Hitomi, Kaguya was already very unhappy.
Now even Hayasaka Ai was speaking up for him.
You can imagine how bad Kaguya's mood was.
"You can go now, I'm going to sleep."
"Yes, Miss Kaguya."
Hayasaka Ai knew words alone wouldn't help. Only if Kaguya interacted with Takashi personally would she know what kind of person he really was.
"Good night, Miss Kaguya."
Hayasaka Ai quietly closed the door, walked down the quiet, neat, spotless corridor, and returned to her own room.
Locking the door, Hayasaka Ai did not relax from being back in her own room—in fact, she felt worse.
Because she had to report every word and action of Kaguya in detail to the main family.
"Oh? So you're now in contact with Takashi?"
The glowing voice of Shinomiya Oko came from the other end of the phone.
"Yes."
Hayasaka Ai's voice carried not a hint of emotion.
"Should I continue making contact with him?"
There was a long, long silence on the other end of the line—so long that Hayasaka Ai thought the call had been disconnected—before Shionomiya Oko finally spoke: "Continue."
"I understand. But if I continue interacting with Takashi, then Miss Kaguya will—"
"Prioritize contact with Takashi."
Hayasaka Ai understood what Shionomiya Koko meant.
Monitoring Kaguya could be relaxed for now—sometimes, she didn't even need to report in.
That was exactly what Hayasaka Ai had hoped to hear.
For more than a decade, she had worked as Kaguya's personal maid, and every single day, she had to report Kaguya's activities to Shionomiya Oko.
The guilt had nearly driven her to the brink of collapse.
Now, Hayasaka Ai was like someone who had nearly drowned, finally breaking the surface for a breath of air.
"Yes."
Beep...
With the busy signal still ringing in her ears, Hayasaka Ai's hectic day finally came to an end.
She took off her maid uniform and slipped straight into bed.
Bathing? That could wait until tomorrow.
She honestly didn't have the strength to move anymore.
Just as she was about to fall asleep to her usual videos of hydraulic presses flattening random objects, a message popped up on her phone.
Takashi:
[Our school has a game this week. I'll be playing. Can I invite Miss Smithy to come cheer me on?]
Hayasaka Ai:
[Sure.]
Right as she was about to switch back, another message arrived:
Takashi:
[Eh? It's this late and you're still up?]
Hayasaka Ai:
[Can't sleep.]
Takashi:
[Insomnia?]
[Not exactly, it's just...]
At this point, Hayasaka Ai paused her typing.
After a moment's hesitation, she continued:
[Too much stress.]
Hayasaka Ai:
[What do you usually do when you're feeling overwhelmed?]
Takashi had to deal with various demanding rich girls on a daily basis and still maintain his top student status—he must be under tremendous pressure.
She was very curious how he managed to unwind.
Takashi:
[Watch murder case documentaries, container unboxings, donkey hoof trimming, carpet cleaning, knife-forging competitions, and Odebiola bananas.]
Hayasaka Ai froze.
What on earth?
Donkey hoof trimming?
You'd have an easier time convincing me you're into borderline risqué idol dance videos.
Hayasaka Ai:
[You find that relaxing?]
Without another word, Takashi sent over a video.
Curious and confused, Hayasaka Ai opened one.
In the video, a black donkey jumped out of a truck and immediately collapsed to the ground. It walked with a pronounced limp.
As the camera zoomed in, Hayasaka Ai saw that the hooves were abnormally thick and caked with dirt. It looked… gross.
She didn't get the appeal at all, but she kept watching.
Then, a hoof trimmer pulled out a large blade and sliced right into the long hoof.
Hayasaka Ai's pupils dilated suddenly. For some reason, her previous sleepiness vanished instantly. Her eyes lit up.
There was nothing particularly special about the video—just repetitive trimming, cutting, shaving, grinding—but it had some strange kind of magic.
Before she realized it, she had watched the whole thing.
And she wanted more.
Hayasaka Ai:
[Got more?]
Takashi:
[Yep.]
Several videos were sent her way.
Hayasaka Ai clicked into them eagerly.
That night, she felt as though a whole new world had opened up to her—a spiritual evolution of sorts.
As a result, she almost didn't wake up the next morning.
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