Author's Note:
Sorry for the delay earlier! My Wi-Fi wasn't working, but the connection is fixed now, so I can upload the chapter.
Thanks for waiting and for your support!
---
"Please come in."
Izumi Chihiro pulled open the door and put on a smile.
"So this is your home, Izumi. It's a bit more modest than I imagined. This must be your parents' place, right? I thought with your current income, you'd be living in a big house, after all, young people nowadays always have trouble controlling their desires."
Oono Ashley stepped inside, expressing her approval of the young man.
"This is my room."
Izumi Chihiro led her into his room.
"Hm? So many books, mostly light novels, and some manga... By the way, is this all of it?"
Oono Ashley casually flipped through them, finding nothing worth commenting on.
"That's plenty."
He said without thinking.
"Alright then."
Oono Ashley sighed, a little disappointed.
She had originally hoped to find something more exciting, and use it to tease the young man.
It seemed he was completely watertight!
Having collected the data, Oono Ashley didn't linger and prepared to leave.
As she reached the living room, she happened to meet Sagiri coming down from the second floor.
Oono Ashley eyed Sagiri, then lifted her gaze and looked back, saying, "Imprisoned girl?"
"?"
Izumi Chihiro made a big question mark.
"Ni-san, who is this person?"
Sagiri asked suspiciously.
"An excellent tax accountant. She's here to help me get more tax refunds."
Izumi Chihiro replied.
Sagiri understood instantly.
"I see... so she's your sister."
Oono Ashley's face showed no embarrassment whatsoever from 'misunderstanding someone'.
"See you next year."
Oono Ashley waved goodbye, her interest waning.
"Didn't a really bad word just come out of that person's mouth?"
Sagiri realized belatedly.
"Don't worry about it."
He smiled.
...
The next day, Izumi Chihiro received a phone call.
"Chihiro-chan, please come over, I need to talk to you about something in person~"
"Okay, I understand."
He hung up the phone, a little embarrassed.
She was still teasing him with that 'cute' tone.
He really wanted to retort,
"How old are you, Auntie?"
But considering the consequences of offending Aunt Sayuri, he suppressed the urge.
In the living room.
By the time he arrived, Sawamura Sayuri had already prepared two cups of black tea.
"Aunt Sayuri, is there something important to discuss this time?"
Izumi Chihiro asked as soon as he sat down.
If it was just a small matter, it could have been explained over the phone.
"You child, why are you in such a hurry? Have a sip of tea first, and rest for a bit."
Sawamura Sayuri flicked her wrist, pointing her folding fan at the teacup.
Izumi Chihiro wasn't rebellious and took a sip.
It was mellow and rich, and besides the high quality of the black tea, the tea-making skill was also quite exquisite.
"Aunt Sayuri's skill is still so good."
He couldn't help but praise her.
"I accept your compliment, Chihiro-chan."
Sawamura Sayuri nodded contentedly, then continued, "Chihiro-chan, do you remember? You owed me a favor before."
"Of course, I remember."
Izumi Chihiro's gaze became serious.
It was precisely because of this favor that he was able to help Nayuta without any reservations.
"Could it be…?"
"That's right. Today, I want to use this favor and ask Chihiro-chan for a favor. However, considering the request might be a bit too much, you can choose to refuse."
Sawamura Sayuri slowly said, tapping her palm with a folding fan.
"Please, tell me."
Izumi Chihiro said generously.
"I hope Chihiro-chan can take good care of a child. Of course, you're familiar with this child. She is… the one from the Shiina."
Sawamura Sayuri pondered for a moment, a hint of a charmingly wicked curve appearing at the corner of her lips.
"Uh."
Izumi Chihiro's pupils contracted.
"For some reason, that child wanted to return to the country and insisted for a long time. Eventually, she got the old man's approval. However, that child is a bit special and can't take good care of herself, so she needs someone to look after her… Coincidentally, Chihiro-chan is the best candidate, and back in the art studio, you were the closest to that child, right?"
Sawamura Sayuri swayed the folding fan in her hand, her tone playful.
"So, are you going to refuse?"
"Aunt Sayuri, this isn't a multiple-choice question at all!"
Izumi Chihiro sighed with a helpless expression.
Before asking, Sawamura Sayuri was already quite certain.
Because, with his personality, how could he choose to refuse?
After all, that child was indeed someone he couldn't help but worry about, and furthermore, their relationship, to some extent, was no less intimate than anyone else's.
"Who told Chihiro-chan to be so kind-hearted?"
Sawamura Sayuri's tone carried an inexplicable meaning.
"Honestly, my Eriri doesn't have such good fortune."
"Eriri wouldn't try to experience living under someone else's roof, would she?"
Izumi Chihiro's expression remained unchanged.
"By the way, does Eriri know about this?"
He changed the subject.
"Of course she knows."
Sawamura Sayuri replied, "Since she's coming over, they're bound to meet eventually. Rather than being affected then, it's better to be mentally prepared in advance and let Eriri get used to it."
"Hmm…"
Izumi Chihiro's eyes flickered, his mind lost in thought.
…
In a room on the second floor.
Eriri was on the balcony, painting on her canvas, but the moment she gripped the brush, she felt a fog before her eyes, unsure where to begin.
The golden hair that usually shone like a work of art seemed to have lost its luster, and the few strands that curled up looked even more disheveled.
Just like her chaotic mood at the moment.
Anxiety, bewilderment, unease… all sorts of thoughts rooted themselves in her mind.
With a 'clatter'.
The paintbrush in her hand fell to the ground.
Eriri reached down to pick up the brush, looking at her palm, only to realize it was trembling, as if by instinct.
"Damn it…!"
She clenched her fingers, gripping the paintbrush tightly, and refocused her attention on the canvas.
"Paint, damn it…!"
The girl let out a low growl, but only managed to make a few crooked strokes on it.
She had no choice but to stop.
Because her heart couldn't calm down.
Because she couldn't paint.
Because the hand she used for painting was trembling.
Suddenly, with a rumble.
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and the first rain of spring began to fall.
The dark clouds blocked the sunlight, obscuring her forehead, her eyes.
Half-shrouded in shadow, Eriri silently lowered her head, her expression unreadable.
After a long while, she squatted down.
"She's coming, she's coming, she's coming…!"
The girl hugged her knees, muttering repeatedly.
---
💯 PS = 2 bonus chapter