The Heroines All Regretted It

"This is third prize, not first, sir."

The staff running the machine maintained a professional smile.

"What's the third prize?"

Yoru didn't show any disappointment. The odds of winning were low to begin with.

A third prize was already pretty good.

"It's a three-day, two-night group tour for two in Kanagawa Prefecture. It must be used within a month."

The staff explained and turned to retrieve the prize.

About ten seconds later, Yoru was handed a blue-and-white travel voucher. He examined it.

"The back has the usage details. Please check it carefully. If you have any questions, contact the travel agency listed."

The staff smiled and turned to the next eager customer in line.

"Thank you."

Yoru glanced at the ticket, which had images of blue skies, clouds, the ocean, and several famous Kanagawa landmarks as watermarks, then stuffed it into his pocket.

He walked out of the department store, left the plaza, and headed to the street to cross.

A black Mercedes S-Class caught his eye.

More accurately, it was the woman getting into the back seat—Sawamura Sayuri.

That's what really caught Yoru's attention.

She looked a bit taller than Eriri, had long purple twin tails, and her side profile looked somewhat similar to Eriri's. She radiated energy and youth.

"So it really is her..."

Yoru hadn't mistaken her. When he planned his revenge against Eriri, one of the most basic things he did was research her.

Online, with just a bit of effort, anyone could find photos and news of Eriri's parents attending events together.

"Heh~"

Thinking of Eriri, Yoru let out a faint chuckle.

Just then…

The crosswalk countdown ended, and Yoru crossed the street.

It was still early.

He wasn't in a rush to go home and instead went to Akihabara by bus.

He didn't plan to buy anything—he'd already spent enough today.

He went straight to the police station at 1-Chome and confirmed his identity to retrieve his lost item.

It was a canvas shoulder bag containing a high-end artbook, a Suica transit card, some tissues, and random small items.

To others, it was just junk.

He found a nearby bench, sat down, and took out the thick artbook from the bag.

Weighing it in his hands, he flipped open a random page.

A sketch of a female character—ruined. No identifiable features.

He turned another page—it was just a leg sketch.

The artbook was as thick as a dictionary. It could probably be used for a long time.

After flipping through it for a few minutes, Yoru put it away.

Most of the characters inside were fanart, rough drafts of adult content, with a unique art style.

"Maybe, if I'm patient, I can match the art style and find the original artist."

"That must be the original owner."

Yoru smiled and packed the artbook into the canvas bag and slung it over his shoulder.

As for the contents, he was certain—he'd never seen that art style before. No memory of it.

Everyone has their own taste. Totally normal.

If he listed it on a secondhand website or an otaku forum, it could probably fetch some money.

Thinking this, Yoru headed to the station to go home.

Not to his apartment.

With the buff that gave him tenfold returns on effort, he was slimming down way too fast—even he was shocked.

This joy—he had to share it with his parents.

And to avoid any confusion after not seeing them for a while.

If he suddenly appeared as a slim guy after being overweight for years, they'd probably be startled.

He got home around 5 PM.

Yoru remembered the Kanagawa travel ticket, pulled it out for a glance, then slipped it into the canvas bag.

Who could he go with?

Gabriel? Probably back home.

Nanami was working and might not want to go on a trip with him.

A three-day, two-night trip for two? It screamed romantic getaway.

It was easy to get the wrong idea.

He used to be a fat loser. Even slimmed down, would any girl actually like him?

Besides, which girl at school hadn't secretly called him a disgusting fat otaku behind his back?

The students at Shuchiin were all arrogant as hell!

Today, Yoru's parents came home early—from work, and together.

The moment they saw his back, both thought someone had broken in.

The weight Yoru had lost was roughly equivalent to a whole Eriri!

How could that not be shocking?

His parents greeted him.

His mom, Megumi, immediately pulled his dad, Toyotani, into their bedroom.

"Have you been secretly..."

Megumi gripped her husband's hand, staring him down.

"No! I was worried about you!"

"You've always wanted this!"

Before she could finish, Toyotani cut her off.

He had always been the most against their son taking hormone pills or undergoing gastric surgery!

There was no helping it—Yoru had lost weight too quickly. Anyone who didn't know the full story would just assume he had a different physique, nothing unusual.

But Toyotani and Megumi knew better.

"Are you sure the health check report from before showed nothing wrong?"

The couple discussed things seriously.

"No problems. Back then, I took hormone tests—testosterone in the blood and urine samples showed completely normal."

"Besides, those hormone drugs are expensive. Our son couldn't afford them, and they're hard to get."

Toyotani nodded without hesitation.

"Then what's going on?"

Megumi relaxed a little.

"I don't know. As long as there's nothing wrong with his health, isn't it a good thing?"

Toyotani hesitated, then shook his head.

"Next time, try to trick him into getting another checkup. Tell him the company needs health reports from the whole family for employee care—it's for the family insurance."

Megumi, still graceful and beautiful, exhaled.

"You're so clever."

Toyotani paused, then hugged her.

Meanwhile, in the living room…

Yoru was eating fruit, completely unaware that he was about to be tricked again.

A while later…

Toyotani came down to give him a bit of allowance and casually observed him. Just by looking, their son seemed perfectly healthy.

Megumi, on the other hand, went out to the yard to dig up a few flowers to deliver to a friend.

"Mom, why don't you just use a delivery service instead of going yourself?"

Yoru helped refill the soil and couldn't help but ask.

"It's for a friend of mine. It's better if I deliver them personally."

"Then how about you do it for me?"

Megumi packed up the flowers.

"Sure."

Yoru didn't refuse his mom's request.

He just didn't know that the destination was Eriri's house.

...

Yoru once again arrived at the familiar luxury villa neighborhood.

Wide asphalt roads, barely any pedestrians—it felt like the air itself was fresher.

Last time he came here, he was full of hatred and impulsive thoughts.

This time, he hesitated.

A few hundred meters away from Eriri's house, Yoru stopped under a utility pole.

In his hand, he carried a transparent latex bag with a layer of soil inside. The flowers were temporarily planted in it.

On his back was the canvas shoulder bag carrying the expensive artbook.

Yoru hadn't planned to eat at home, so he brought the bag along. He intended to go straight back to the apartment after delivering the flowers.

What he didn't expect was that the address his mom gave him was Eriri's house.

Eriri's mother, Sawamura Sayuri—the same woman he had just seen earlier that afternoon.

She was one of Megumi's regular flower shop customers and friends.

His mom even told him to say hello to Sayuri for her.

Yoru was completely dumbfounded.

He stood there without moving.

He was sure Eriri wouldn't dare make things openly hostile with him. He'd confirmed this multiple times.

But he didn't know if she'd behave strangely and let her parents notice something was off.

Maybe Eriri could hold it in herself, but under the guidance of her parents, she might suddenly come to her senses?

"No, no, no..."

"I'm overthinking it. I'm just here to deliver flowers."

Yoru shook his head repeatedly to chase away the messy thoughts in his mind.

It wasn't Eriri he was afraid of.

What's there to fear in a cute, petite girl like her?

It'd make more sense if Eriri was afraid of him.

It was Sayuri who was scary!

What he was feeling wasn't fear of Eriri, but the anxiety of having done something bad to her and now having to face her parents.

"Whatever. What's there to be scared of? Sayuri's not going to eat me."

Clenching his teeth as the sun began to set, Yoru strode forward.

He arrived at the familiar tall iron gate.

Yoru took a deep breath, glanced at the security cameras and the luxurious house inside, and pressed the intercom.

Inside the villa...

Eriri was carefully wiping the cream off strawberries, eating them one by one.

Now, whenever she saw white food, she lost her appetite.

If it was milk, she'd instinctively start gagging.

Suddenly, the intercom chimed.

It meant someone was at the front gate.

"Coming."

Eriri knew her mother's friend was coming by to deliver flowers.

Sayuri had told her earlier, then went to take a bath.

So Eriri had to answer the gate.

After washing her hands, she pushed the door open and walked toward the gate.

If she had checked the camera and seen that it was Yoru outside, she absolutely wouldn't have gone.

"So hot..."

Wearing a light short-sleeved top and slippers, Eriri stepped outside.

When she passed through the garden and glanced toward the gate, she saw Yoru.

The distance was a bit far, and Eriri was nearsighted. Without her glasses, she couldn't recognize who it was.

She didn't expect Yoru to have lost weight so fast. He was still chubby, but his figure was clearly different.

"Eriri?"

Yoru saw her cute face clearly and muttered softly, his expression unchanged.

He was just here to deliver flowers—he'd leave right after. No need to linger.

As he got closer to the iron gate, about ten meters away...

Eriri stared at him, stopped in her tracks, parted her lips slightly, and squinted her eyes.

Why did he look so familiar?

A nearsighted world is a blurry one.

"Eriri, it's me."

Yoru called her by name directly.

In Japan, only close people call each other by name like this.

He and Eriri were obviously very close.

"It's... you!"

Eriri reacted like a golden retriever whose favorite bone had just been stolen—completely triggered!

The voice was familiar—it matched the one from her nightly nightmares of being pinned down by a gross, fat creep!

Her pupils shrank into slits, and she finally recognized who it was.

Instinct took over—Eriri turned and bolted.

Yoru was stunned.

A few steps later, Eriri came to her senses and let out a sigh of relief.

Right. The gate was locked. Yoru couldn't get in.

"Besides, Mom's really home. What am I scared of?"

Eriri told herself this and turned around, but her face still showed wariness and tension.

There was still a bit of fear.

"Eriri, come on already."

Yoru called to her helplessly, like someone summoning a little dog.

Why was Eriri the one answering the door?

He just wanted to drop off the flowers and go home.

"You bastard, why are you at my house again?"

"Here to bully me again? Go to hell, you disgusting stray mutt!"

"My mom's really home, so get lost!"

Eriri reached the iron gate and looked Yoru up and down, then burst into angry shouting.

Slimmed down?

Still a fat pig. Gross!

She muttered in her mind, remembering the suffocating feeling of being pinned under that disgusting creature.

A cold shiver ran down her back.

"I'm here to deliver flowers to your mom."

Yoru ignored her insults and got straight to the point.

"You? Deliver flowers?"

Eriri tilted her head and saw the latex bag in his hand.

"What? You thought I came here to threaten you again? Bully you more?"

Yoru didn't need mind reading to know what she was thinking.

"Hmph, you wouldn't dare!"

Eriri snorted.

Sure enough, dogs bark the loudest when they're behind a fence.

"I really don't dare. You take the flowers inside—I'll be going now."

Yoru tried to push the latex bag with flowers through the gap in the gate.

At that moment—

Sawamura Sayuri had just finished her bath. Not seeing Eriri around, she stepped outside.

Yoru tried several times but still couldn't fit the bag through the gap.

"Leave it at the gate. I'll come out and get it after you leave."

Eriri kept a close eye on Yoru, grinding her teeth in anger.

Last time, she'd let her guard down, and it had led to a disaster.

She still hadn't recovered.

And she had to pretend like nothing had happened at school and at home.

Every night, she would hide under the covers and cry.

Yoru didn't say a word. He gently placed the bag down and walked over to grab the canvas bag.

The artbook inside was thick and heavy.

"Wait!"

Eriri suddenly furrowed her brow, remembering something important.

"Mom said… her friend would be dropping off flowers…"

"How come…"

Eriri's eyes went wide, shouting in surprise.

"How come it's you?!"

"Because my mom is friends with your mom."

"She was busy, so I came instead."

Yoru winced internally and turned to look at Eriri, who was clearly shocked.

It was hard to believe, but… just a coincidence.

"You? What did you just say?"

Eriri froze completely.

"That's right. Don't be so shocked."

"And you clarified things with Kasumigaoka Utaha…"

Yoru said casually and brought up the main issue with Eriri.

But he didn't get to finish his sentence.

Sawamura Sayuri came running from the garden.

"Mom!"

Eriri turned around and was startled. Her whole body tensed up.

She stood frozen, unable to move, watching Sayuri run over.

Her heart suddenly clenched with fear.

"Ah, sorry, I'm late."

"You're Megumi's son, right?"

Sayuri jogged up and stopped next to Eriri.

"Yes, Auntie Sayuri. My name is Yoru."

Yoru greeted her politely, showing no signs of panic. His expression didn't change at all.

"Nice to meet you. Your mom has told me about you."

Sayuri glanced at Eriri and assumed she was just shy. She gave Yoru a warm smile.

He wasn't all that fat.

Megumi had told her her son was really fat.

"Well then, Auntie, I'll be heading off."

Yoru didn't want to stick around any longer.

"In a hurry?"

"You came all the way to deliver flowers. Want to come in and sit for a while?"

"Auntie's about to make dinner—why not stay and eat?"

Sayuri extended the invitation warmly, not out of politeness.

This was her friend's son—of course she had to treat him well.

"No need, Auntie. My house is a bit far."

Yoru smiled politely and waved his hand.

"Alright then. I won't keep you. Be safe on the way back."

Sayuri opened the gate.

Clack—the sound made Eriri shiver.

"Oh right, this is my daughter, Sawamura Eriri. You're a student at Shuchiin too, right?"

Sayuri had planned to step outside but turned back and pulled Eriri forward.

"Um… Mom…"

Eriri reluctantly looked at her mother.

"Yes, I've already said hello to… Sawamura-san before."

Yoru nearly lost control of his expression.

Auntie Sayuri.

If you knew what I did to your precious daughter, you'd probably want to kill me, wouldn't you?

"Say hi properly."

Sayuri smiled.

Eriri opened her mouth to refuse but was afraid Sayuri would notice something.

So she reluctantly greeted him.

Yoru responded with a fake smile, deliberately avoiding her gaze.

He walked to the side and picked up the canvas bag that Eriri had lost, slinging it over his shoulder.

To others, the name Kashiwagi Eiri might just bring to mind a famous doujinshi artist.

But Yoru, who had mind-reading abilities, could easily verify it if he wanted.

"That bag!"

Sayuri stepped out to check the flowers inside the latex bag. Eriri quickly covered her mouth, staring dead at Yoru as he walked away carrying her canvas bag.

Once the disgusting fat creep had left, Eriri rushed back to her room and threw herself on the bed.

"That bag I lost when I went to Akihabara with Aki… it had my artbook inside. How did it end up with him?"

"There's no mistake, even the details match…"

She remembered a spot where she had accidentally spilled paint on the bag—that's how she was sure.

"If he finds out I'm Kashiwagi Eiri, will he use it to threaten me?"

"No no no, he definitely knows that artbook is mine. He'll definitely suspect me—I'm the ace of the art club."

Eriri rolled on the bed in distress, flopping spread-eagle as she stared at the ceiling.

Yoru now had leverage over her.

But it was different from the Kashiwagi Eiri identity!

The leverage Yoru held could cause mutual destruction. If he exposed it, she'd be implicated too.

But if Eriri's secret identity as Kashiwagi Eiri got out, it wouldn't affect Yoru at all.

She was a student at Shuchiin Academy, yet secretly a famous erotic doujin artist!

And her father was a diplomat!

A massive scandal.

It wouldn't just affect her—it would also damage her diplomat father.

"What do I do… what do I do…"

Eriri muttered anxiously.

She knew she was probably overthinking.

But no matter how she looked at it, if Yoru found out she was Kashiwagi Eiri, things would only get worse for her.

She really was scared.

Even if she didn't consider all that, the artbook itself was incredibly important to her.

It held half the creative output she'd accumulated over the years.

"He must've picked it up… It's all Aki's fault…"

Eriri suddenly thought of Aki Tomoya, and then Kasumigaoka Utaha.

She still hadn't figured out how to clarify things to Utaha.

Should she go and explain it to Utaha directly?

But Eriri was afraid that Utaha would tell Tomoya. Actually, she was sure Utaha would.

Then what would her childhood friend Tomoya think of her?

Disappointment? Shock? Disgust?

She had committed a crime…

Done something childish and ridiculous, letting Yoru take the blame.

Or maybe Utaha would threaten her, demand she stay away from Tomoya, and then order her around using that leverage.

There was another option—go straight to the school and confess everything.

Use her status to ask the school for confidentiality, clear Yoru's name. But that was risky.

Kasumigaoka Utaha would definitely stir up trouble…

Her fate would be in the school's hands, and she'd have to rely on her father's influence and social capital.

Both ways of clearing things up had pros and cons.

Eriri had no idea which to choose.

In fact, she didn't want to choose at all. She didn't want to face it. She just wanted to run away from everything.

But Yoru was weighing her down—on her cute, petite body—rendering her completely helpless.

"If only there were a third option…"

Eriri stared blankly, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

...…

The next morning, after returning from her run—

In front of the apartment, the supermarket delivery guy had been waiting for a while.

Everything Yoru ordered—an air fryer, oven, and other kitchen appliances—had arrived.

He moved all the kitchen appliances into the kitchen, plugged them in, and made sure they worked fine.

Yoru signed for the delivery and couldn't wait to try them out.

He took out a tray of chicken wings he had prepped in advance from the fridge.

Yoru tore off the plastic wrap, drained the blood, and placed the marinated and seasoned mid-joint wings onto a piece of paper designed for air frying. He sprayed a little oil and loaded them in.

Set to ten minutes.

Once that was done, Yoru waited quietly.

He took a quick shower, and by the time he returned to flip the wings, the aroma had already hit him full force.

He'd already had breakfast, so he wasn't very hungry, but his mouth was watering like crazy.

After playing with San-san for a bit, Yoru took out the finished wings. The surface had evenly turned a beautiful golden brown, the kind Michelin chefs would love.

The rich aroma wafted out and slowly spread through the room.

Gabriel, who'd been going wild for more than half a month, had decided to go home today.

She was on the balcony, using a clothes hanger to collect her panties, when the amazing smell hit her.

"So good~"

"Where's that coming from~?"

Gabriel's stomach growled loudly, and her body naturally followed the scent.

Knock knock knock—

Yoru was holding a chicken wing dripping with juice, just about to turn on the TV and enjoy his feast, when he went to answer the door.

"Gabriel? Weren't you going home?"

Yoru looked at her in surprise.

"I'm going back today. That smells amazing~"

Gabriel replied casually, scrunching up her nose like a puppy sniffing the air.

"Then come in and have some."

"By the way, ever since that day, you've just been home playing games, haven't you?"

Yoru stepped aside to let Gabriel in.

"It's summer break. What's wrong with playing games?"

"I mean, you can play them at home too. Might as well get your fill."

As she answered, Gabriel slipped off her shoes and walked in like she owned the place.

On the small table in the living room, Sansan stood to the side, curiously eyeing the chicken wings.

To humans, those wings—deeply marinated with all kinds of spices—were irresistible.

But for a cat, the smell wasn't that great.

Yoru followed behind and stripped the meat from a wing in one bite, pulling out two bare bones.

"Wash your hands first."

He reminded Gabriel as she walked over.

"That smells way too good~ I can't take it~"

Gabriel had been living on bland instant food lately.

At first, it was okay.

But too much of it was unbearable.

Now, smelling the aroma of Yoru's secret recipe wings, she was salivating uncontrollably.

Yoru took out two bottles of juice and handed her one.

"By the way, I might be staying home for a month. Probably won't be back until school starts."

Gabriel grabbed a wing with her soft, fair hand and brought it to her mouth.

"Got it."

Yoru nodded.

The Gabriel in front of him was so "unrestrained."

He closed his eyes, remembering the moment they first met.

The Gabriel from back then... wasn't coming back.

"So good!"

Gabriel, unable to hold back, had her sleepy, lifeless eyes light up into stars.

It was just too delicious!

She felt like moving in with Yoru, just to eat his food every day.

Yoru would cook, she'd eat, then go game...

Hehehe...

Hearing someone enjoy his cooking like this, Yoru couldn't help but feel a bit happy.

There weren't many wings.

After finishing them together, Gabriel downed her juice in one go and collapsed onto the couch, completely unbothered by appearances.

While Yoru wiped his mouth with a napkin, Gabriel even gave him a look, silently asking him to help.

That kind of behavior was unusually intimate—even new couples wouldn't do that.

Gabriel didn't care, and Yoru just wiped her mouth clean without complaint.

After tossing out the chicken bones and used parchment, cleanup was done.

Yoru sat back on the couch, very close to Gabriel.

They chatted for a while, and then Gabriel left.

Back home.

Gabriel, having packed up her luggage, stared longingly at her laptop.

She had just pulled a gacha and wasn't finished playing yet.

Then it happened.

A golden halo slowly appeared above her head, and a pair of adorable, pure little wings emerged from behind her.

Holy light flashed.

In a blink, Gabriel and her luggage vanished from the room without a trace.

Too bad Yoru didn't know Gabriel was an angel—one who could easily destroy the world.

With a friend like her, what did he have to worry about?

"Ahh~"

After Gabriel left, Yoru sighed and fell into another wave of loneliness and boredom.

It was still early.

He studied in his room for two hours. When he came out, it still wasn't noon.

He browsed some recipes and practiced a few new low-fat dishes for lunch.

That made him feel a little more productive, but he had nothing to do again in the afternoon.

Empty... bored to the point of frustration...

"Maybe I should go get a job."

"Make some money, buy some gifts, and feel more fulfilled."

When Yoru had been in the hospital, he felt like time wasn't worth much and there wasn't enough of it.

Now, it was the exact opposite.

Without expecting much, Yoru grabbed his phone, threw on a baseball cap, and headed out.

It wasn't like he had to find a job. It was more about killing time.

He walked aimlessly.

Before he realized it, Yoru had arrived at Shuchiin's business street.

Desolate.

Looking around, there were barely more than ten people on the whole street.

This area wasn't a commercial district—it only flourished because of Shuchiin Academy.

"So many shops are closed."

Yoru walked quietly in the direction of the school.

A while later.

He spotted a café on the opposite side of the street. It had no sign, its glass doors were wide open, and it clearly hadn't been fully renovated.

It was the same one Yui had gone into before.

There was a notice board hanging out front.

Yoru glanced down the road. A Honda sedan was coming from far away.

He quickened his pace and walked up to the café.

Inside was a mess. No one seemed to be around.

Yoru peeked inside a few times before walking over to the notice board.

Notice board:

Hiring a short-term worker. Male only.

Must be strong. Work hours: 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. every afternoon.

Job description: Help me... do...

...

...

Yoru thought about it. This job was exactly what he was looking for.

Short-term, light hours in the afternoon, decent pay, and barely anyone around...

...

The mature yet youthful air radiated perfectly from Yuigahama Yae.

At this moment, she was in the café's staff break room.

Sitting on the small bed, her face was flushed red, chest heaving, and her smooth forehead glistened with sweat. A few strands of hair clung to it, highlighting the charm of this seemingly young madam.

"Ahh~"

Yuigahama Yae slowly parted her full, enticing lips and exhaled a sweet, almost poisonous sigh.

Her fair and delicate fingers held a phone, which had just finished playing a video.

Just from those hands, no one would guess she was nearly forty—old enough to be Yoru's mother.

Don't get the wrong idea. Yuigahama Yae was just using her break to watch My Love Mix-Up! She wasn't doing anything weird...

"That's it? That wasn't nearly enough~"

"Ahh~"

Putting her phone away, a hint of loneliness surfaced on Yae's mature yet youthful face.

Watching dramas daily was one of her few ways to pass the time.

Mrs. Yuigahama liked to watch romance shows about young people.

"Sumimasen~ Anyone here?"

Yoru stepped into the café, glanced around, and shouted loudly.

The sudden voice snapped Yae out of her thoughts. Her body froze, and she accidentally dropped her phone.

She quickly bent down to pick it up and stepped out to check what was going on.

In that moment of bending, her mature and voluptuous figure was on full display.

Yet she looked so young...

"Hello... there's someone here..."

Yae picked up her phone and rushed out of the simple staff break room.

Outside the café, she saw a slightly chubby boy, probably around the same age as her daughter.

"Ah, hello..."

"I'm here to app... apply for the job..."

Yoru turned his neck and locked eyes with Yae. For a moment, he thought she was Yuigahama Yui.

But after a second look, he knew that wasn't it.

Yuigahama was a bit shorter. Among girls her age, she had an excellent figure, but still couldn't compare to the mature yet youthful charm of the woman before him. It was impossible to tell her real age.

Her beauty and aura far surpassed Yui's.

"And you are?"

Yae stepped in front of Yoru and examined him carefully.

"My name's Kitakami Yoru. I saw the notice outside and wanted to apply for the job."

Facing this unbelievably mature woman, Yoru stood stiffly, extremely self-conscious.

"Is that so?"

"Let me explain then."

Standing about two meters apart, Yae smiled gently and began to speak slowly.

In the dust-scented café, Yoru just stood there, nodding dumbly while taking in the job description.

Every so often, his nose would pick up a subtle, comforting fragrance that gradually put him at ease.

He knew clearly—it was her scent.

A few minutes later, Yae finished explaining.

"Alright, no problem. I can start right away."

Yoru nodded, confirming the details.

His job was to show up daily at the café at the scheduled time. He didn't need to be busy all the time.

The place was still under renovation, and professional workers were handling most of it.

He just needed to help Yae with physical tasks occasionally. When there wasn't anything, he could rest freely.

"That's great. Just call me Manager Yuigahama."

Yae smiled kindly.

Seeing that, Yoru's heart suddenly started pounding faster.

He got flustered!

Thump, thump, thump—

His chest throbbed violently.

The last time he felt this was at Eriri's house.

"U-Um..."

"What is it, Yoru-kun?"

Yae's voice was gentle. In her eyes, this boy was the same age as her daughter.

To her, he was just a boy.

"May I ask... are you Yuigahama Yui's sister?"

As soon as Yoru heard the name Yuigahama, he already had a guess.

"Huh? Ah?"

Yae was stunned, blinking with surprise. Her orange eyes widened.

"You're not?"

Yoru frowned slightly.

"Yoru-kun, are you one of Yui's classmates?"

Realizing the situation, Yae's face stayed calm, but deep down, she was a little happy.

What the heck~

I'm this old...

And yet...

My daughter's classmate mistook me for her sister...

"Yes, we're classmates. We're kind of in the same club too."

Yoru stepped back a bit, rubbing the back of his head shyly.

Since he went to the Service Club every day, that wasn't a lie.

"Really?"

"So you're Yui's classmate? Hehe~"

Finally, Yae couldn't help but lightly cover her mouth and let out a soft chuckle.

"Uh..."

Yoru lowered his head, a little embarrassed.

Then Yae winked playfully and teased him, "Actually, Yoru-kun..."

She drew out the end of her sentence.

Yoru looked up with innocent eyes.

"I'm Yui's mother~"

Those words hit like thunder!

It was like a war had just broken out in his ears. Echoes of what she said kept repeating in his head...

"Surprised?"

"I didn't know I looked so young myself... hehe..."

Now that Yae knew Yoru was in the same class and club as her daughter, she became even more friendly.

Happily, she patted her collagen-rich cheeks—looking both adorable and captivating.

Yoru nervously gulped, unsure how to respond. He even wanted to flee.

Facing the mother of his classmate, he felt extremely restrained. The age gap was just too real...

He and Yuigahama Yui were the same age, so naturally, her mom could be his mom too...

No no no...

What the hell kind of logic is that?

His mind was a mess, but on the surface, he kept up a respectful appearance, which Yae noticed. She gently called him over.

Since she was so easygoing, Yoru soon pushed aside the complex emotions and settled down.

He began to get familiar with the café, which was still under renovation.

Following Yae around, Yoru didn't even dare look directly at her from behind—that perfectly shaped, curvy figure...

Just thinking about spending time alone with Yae in the café made Yoru extra cautious.

This was someone older than him.

Not just any adult, but his classmate's mother!