"Very good. Now leave the maid outfit, and mail the rest to this address."
With that, Uchiha Ryo left the address of the Shinomiya Kaguya residence and had all the clothes in his hands, except for the maid outfit, packaged and sent over.
Hayasaka Ai looked at the uniforms being packed up, thinking to herself that Uchiha Ryo probably... wouldn't make her wear them, right? It was one thing to make her wear a maid outfit, since she was a maid, but what was with all the other uniforms?
After paying with his card, Uchiha Ryo turned to look at Hayasaka Ai.
"You're the one who said it. If I bought it, you'd dare to wear it. I'll be borrowing a room at the Shinomiya residence tonight, so you can slowly try them on for me to evaluate~"
Hayasaka Ai's pupils trembled, and then she forced a smile.
"Of course. If it's something Ryo-kun bought, I'll wear it... but let's go browse another store."
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "Alright. This store's selection is a bit incomplete. Let's switch. Are you in need of a swimsuit, Hayasaka? I'll reluctantly help you pick one out."
Hayasaka Ai waved her hands repeatedly, then pulled Uchiha Ryo out of the women's clothing store.
"I don't need a swimsuit. I already have enough clothes.... Hmm, enough about me. You've been buying clothes for me this whole time. What about you? Is there anything you want?"
Uchiha Ryo gazed into the distance, seemingly not hearing what Hayasaka Ai had said, but muttered.
"A child...."
The voice wasn't loud, but how could Hayasaka Ai, who was leaning right next to Uchiha Ryo, not hear it?
Did he say... a child? Where am I supposed to get him one of those!
Hayasaka Ai was startled. Even as an all-purpose maid, her experience in love was, like Lady Kaguya's, purely theoretical.
But now Uchiha Ryo was bringing out the big guns, saying he wanted a child. Hayasaka Ai took a deep breath, then followed Uchiha Ryo's gaze.
Uchiha Ryo: "A child... is she lost?"
"Eh?"
Not far away, a little girl who looked to be no more than ten years old was standing in front of a claw machine, showing no intention of leaving. There was no adult with her. In the Ginza commercial building, where foot traffic was at its peak on a weekend, getting lost was very dangerous.
Uchiha Ryo: "That little kid seems to be lost. Let's go check it out."
Hayasaka Ai: "Whew— so that's what you meant."
Uchiha Ryo looked at her in confusion. "What else? What did you think I was talking about?"
Hayasaka Ai gave an awkward laugh. "Uh... hahaha, by the way, that little kid is so cute. She's even wearing a flower hair accessory. Let's hurry over and see!"
A flower hair accessory! If Hayasaka Ai hadn't mentioned it, Uchiha Ryo almost wouldn't have recognized her. Wasn't this Hana-chan? Why was she shopping alone in the Ginza commercial district?
In front of the claw machine, Uchiha Ryo first saw the dejected-looking Shirosaki Hana, and then he noticed the Myaa-nee keychain inside the machine.
"Hana-chan, are you out here by yourself?"
Hearing the voice, Shirosaki Hana turned her head nervously. Her mother had told her to be careful of others in crowded places, not to talk to strangers, and not to go with them.
"Ah, it's Ryo-oniichan!"
It was the big brother who had given her a plushie last time and had also met her mom at the STARRY bar. So he wasn't a stranger.
Uchiha Ryo rubbed Shirosaki Hana's head, while Hayasaka Ai looked at the two curiously.
"Ryo-kun.... you know this cute little kid?"
Uchiha Ryo turned his head and looked at Hayasaka Ai in confusion. "You don't know? She's Haruka-san's daughter. The maid from last time."
Hayasaka Ai clapped her hands. "Oh, now I remember. Well.... I knew her information, but I'd never seen a picture."
Speaking of Shirosaki Haruka, Hayasaka Ai remembered that this maid had been working particularly hard lately, and her housework was also perfect. As expected, she hadn't believed that dropping the tray was an accident.
Uchiha Ryo: "Hana-chan, do you want the keychain in the claw machine?"
Shirosaki Hana turned to look at the Myaa-nee keychain. "I almost got it out just now. What a pity...."
Almost, huh. Uchiha Ryo also saw that right at the edge of the prize slot inside the machine, there was indeed a box that was just on the verge of falling out.
Uchiha Ryo: "Alright then, leave it to me, Hana-chan! Hayasaka, be my lookout."
Hayasaka Ai: "Lookout??"
"Just help me see if anyone is nearby, and also check if there are any security cameras. If there are, tell me to stop."
Hayasaka Ai was stunned. Aren't you just getting a prize from a claw machine? What on earth are you planning to do!
But as a professional maid, she immediately spotted and informed Uchiha Ryo that the claw machine was in a surveillance blind spot, and there was no one paying attention to them.
Afterward, Uchiha Ryo came to the side of the claw machine. Whew— I should probably use a little less force. It would be bad if the claw machine fell over.
"Wind Style: Gale Palm"
The two-meter-tall claw machine tilted in an instant, and the keychain prize that was on the verge of falling into the slot fell right in.
He stopped his chakra output and straightened the claw machine. Uchiha Ryo clapped his hands.
"All set. Hana-chan, are you not out with Haruka-san today?"
Picking up the keychain prize that had fallen out of the claw machine, Hana-chan looked at Uchiha Ryo with adoration. "Mmm... I came out by myself. It's boring at home, and Mom has to work today."
Hayasaka Ai nodded. "Because the workload for the maids at the Shinomiya residence is very heavy, we hired eight maids who rotate in two groups of four every three days."
"I see. In that case, do you want to come with us, Hana-chan?"
Shirosaki Hana looked at Uchiha Ryo, then at the unfamiliar big sister next to him.
"Um... Mom told me not to run around outside. I'm going to my friend's house later."
Uchiha Ryo thought for a moment. "What a coincidence, we haven't eaten yet. Let's go to the food street for a bit, and then find a dessert shop."
Shirosaki Hana's eyes lit up in an instant.
"Mhm!"
Hayasaka Ai looked at Shirosaki Hana helplessly. "Your name is Hana-chan, right? If you meet someone you don't know, you can't follow them, even if they offer you good food."
On the first-floor food street, Hana-chan looked at the dazzling array of snacks, and her stomach unconsciously let out a growl.
"Apple candy, cotton candy, chocolate-covered bananas, they're all desserts. And over there, there are grilled sausages and takoyaki... What do you guys want to eat? My treat!"
Hayasaka Ai shook her head. "I'm not very hungry right now. Maybe later this afternoon."
After hearing that Uchiha Ryo was treating, Shirosaki Hana shyly tugged on his sleeve.
"Can I order?"
Uchiha Ryo: "Of course. Don't be shy. I'll buy you whatever you want to eat."
What moving words. Tears of gratitude streamed from the corners of Shirosaki Hana's mouth. "Then I'll have an apple candy first."