บท 968: Harem Routes
Years Later.
In a noble villa in the Minato District of Tokyo.
The morning sun illuminated the windows from floor to ceiling, connecting light and shadow to the large round table in the dining room.
The bustling sounds from the kitchen mixed with the news broadcast coming from the TV mounted on the wall, and the newspaper delivery person outside rang the bell of their bicycle. Although the living room was empty, there was no sense of loneliness in the large space.
Shinichi yawned, rubbed his stomach, and descended the marble stairs.
"Morning... Yawn~."
As he sat on the sofa, a woman emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate and replied:
"Good morning, has anyone else woken up?"
"I just went to check, not yet."
Shinichi lifted his head, sniffed the woman placing the plate, approached her, and touched her cheek.
"Don't you want to sleep longer? You shouldn't be the one cooking today."
Before the other party could respond, a second woman emerged from the kitchen, saying helplessly:
"I also told Ai that I could come alone for breakfast today, but she insisted on helping me, saying it's a maid's duty... It's been so long since she's been a maid, and she doesn't want to think about pregnancy. It's really annoying being here!"
Hayasaka Ai, with a neat ponytail and dressed casually, smiled thinly, played with Shinichi's hair with her fingers, and said casually:
"It's only been three months. You worry too much. Sitting idle will cause my body functions to decline."
"But because Nino said so, I'll rest and watch TV with you... I'll leave the kitchen to you."
After saying this, she smiled lightly and walked around the sofa to sit next to Shinichi.
Nino's lips moved slightly, and she glared at her angrily: "For the sake of you being pregnant, I'll forgive you. When it's my turn, I'll do whatever I want with you without any ceremony."
"We're always waiting." Hayasaka pinched Shinichi's cheek, her cold voice full of meaning, "So, if he can let all five of you 'win the lottery' at the same time, I can unlock 'keeping five twins at the same time.' Quite an achievement for a pregnant woman... I'm a little excited just thinking about it."
"You..." Nino blushed, changing her embarrassed reaction into action, and stepped forward to mess up Shinichi's hair.
"How can there be coincidences like that! I won't let this person do it with all five of us at the same time...ahhhh, you pervert, go to hell!"
Shinichi let her mess up his hair with an innocent face. He glanced at Hayasaka beside him and only received a pair of calm eyes.
After officially becoming a maid, occasionally causing trouble for someone might have become a daily routine for this "Asada household manager."
After venting her embarrassment and anger, Nino didn't forget that the fire in the kitchen was still on; she prepared to return to the kitchen to continue preparing breakfast.
This time, Shinichi took the initiative to reach for her palm.
"Nino, which one is normal?"
"I thought you forgot." Nino snorted coldly, but obediently lowered her head and brought her cheek closer to him.
After Shinichi finished kissing her, Nino showed a happy smile. As she was about to lift her head, her eyes rolled, and she suddenly grabbed his chin and kissed his lips directly.
Under the gaze of someone slowly losing their smile, she savored it, her voice clear and sharp.
Although they had been living together for about a year, Nino didn't lose her shyness, especially sleeping together; she rarely acted too intimate with him in front of others.
Or maybe she was afraid of being aroused to compare with each other, and she would rush to be close to each other and act too far, what should she do?
It's too cheap for Shinichi!
This person's physical strength is even more exaggerated than Yotsuba's, and Nino will definitely suffer in the end, so she has made many private agreements to take care of each other, balance, and maintain a tumultuous yet harmonious daily life.
Take, for example, a good morning kiss, the most that can be done is kissing the cheek or touching the nose; if daring to kiss in front of everyone, everyone will give them "tickling punishment" at night.
If Shinichi takes the initiative, he won't be able to touch someone's lips for three days.
—Liking will just be uncontrollable, but love will be restrained.
To prove his love to everyone, Shinichi didn't mind those rules and dared not refuse.
There are a total of 23 similar family rules, and weekly family meetings are held to decide whether to add or change new rules. This also serves as a guarantee for everyone to live in harmony.
Although not a big family with strict rules like the Shinomiya family, the Asada family is still a "big family." With so many people living under one roof, relationships alone cannot last long.
In fact, there have been many conflicts during this year, and it can be said that Shinichi is used to living outside if they disagree. He always worries about facing emotional disputes, and it's almost difficult to maintain his career at the same time.
Fortunately, everyone is willing to sit down and talk heart-to-heart, and now they are gradually getting used to each other's presence, and they feel more like a "family."
"Hmph, then I'll go back and cook~"
After the kiss, Nino smiled proudly, her cheeks blushing, and quickly walked back to the kitchen.
Because she wasn't in front of everyone, she wasn't afraid of being punished at night.
"..."
Shinichi lowered his head and looked at the blonde woman beside him with a smile on her face but cold eyes.
—Okay, how do I handle this situation?
For Shinichi, who had experienced hundreds of shuraba, there was no need to hesitate at all; the answer was already familiar to him.
He embraced her shoulders and let her rest her head on his chest. He gently stroked her soft hair with his chin while watching TV.
Like an ordinary couple watching ordinary TV in an ordinary living room, the usual warmth made Hayasaka helplessly smile.
Her hand with a bright silver ring encircled his waist, and she leaned her head on the warm and reliable man's chest next to her, watching the news on TV with him.
Hayasaka wanted to enjoy the rare world between the two of them. Thinking about this, she couldn't help but touch her stomach, which seemed unchanged, and her face showed maternal tenderness.
If she included the unborn daughter, it would be a world of three people.
After the others woke up, the living room would return to normal, and then everyone would go to work and sleep, and it wouldn't be alive until nightfall.
This is one of the reasons why she insists on getting up early to help with cooking.
"Shinichi."
She whispered his name.
"Hm?"
"Good morning, I love you."
"Ah, what sweet words."
"???"
△
"Now I'm bringing you the report:
"Known as the [Heart of the Japanese Economy]– the famous conglomerate Shinomiya Group, news of civil disputes and splits finally surfaced yesterday."
"After six years of trade wars, the 'New Kanto Economic Alliance' led by the Shijo Group has eroded most of the Shinomiya Group's market share. Not only has the remaining industry been forced to shrink to Kansai, but there are also rumors of property disputes..."
"That building will collapse, and its former glory will be no more. Perhaps, we will witness the fall of an era..."
Watching the financial news on TV, Shinichi touched his chin while thinking, lowered his head, and asked Hayasaka, who was obediently curled up in his arms:
"What's the specific situation?"
"I don't really understand, besides, we've completely cut ties with them." She sighed softly, and Hayasaka raised her eyes again, giving him a charming look.
"And you should know more about these things than I do."
"The Director of the 'New Kanto Economic Alliance'?"
Her eyes seemed to say: "I'm just a housewife. Can you ask that consciously?"
"Then what..."
Shinichi scratched his cheek in embarrassment.
"After ensuring that Kaguya-senpai has autonomy to marry, I handed this matter over to Kei and the others, and I only have a partial understanding of the situation there."
"Besides, my goal was just to get you married at home. If it weren't for helping Kaguya-senpai, I wouldn't care about the life or death of the Shinomiya family five years ago."
Hayasaka stared at his profile for a few seconds, her eyes filled with indescribable tenderness, and a gentle smile on her lips.
She lowered her gaze, looking at the TV that started airing commercials, and said emotionally:
"I really didn't expect you to quietly follow me to Kyoto and do something like that during the graduation trip attended by all the seniors..."
(The plot requires Kaguya and the others' graduation trip to be moved to January in their third year.)
"Ahem, it's just youthful impulse."
"I think impulses like that are quite good."
"In that case, I'll pass it on. Being in your twenties is considered young."
"But looking back now, I still feel a little naive. You don't have the charm of an adult man."
"Being young is not an excuse to be naive. For example, I'm much more mature than before."
"A fickle man!"
Hayasaka lightly punched his chest twice and smiled happily.
After chatting for a while, they talked about Kaguya and Shirogane.
After both graduated from Stanford, before returning to Japan and settling down, they immediately got married for the same reason as Hayasaka now.
It wasn't too lavish, and only relatives and friends were invited to participate. Although Kaguya said it was enough, Shirogane still decided to make up for it with a more grand event after earning enough wedding money!
Of course, it might take two or three more years to achieve this...
Well, even though Kaguya gave birth to three children with her first child, she's still pregnant with the second child, but three more children have already been detected.
Needless to say, the expenses are justifiable, milk... ahem, kids these days are already grown up on powdered milk, so don't worry.
Although Kaguya is diligent and thrifty in managing the household and making a lot of money through online trading despite being a housewife, Shirogane still worries about the financial situation at home every day. Every time he goes to work, he seems to be struggling for his life. The circles under his eyes haven't disappeared since high school.
Thinking about this, Shinichi could only sigh.
If Shirogane didn't just want to work hard to prove that he's worthy of being Kaguya's partner, Shinichi would have already arranged for him a position in a relaxed company, where he could learn something and where the salary is high, so he wouldn't need to be a social creature at a young age?
Like him, relying on relationships, connections, and all available resources, he did everything he could based on morality, and eventually became the mastermind behind a listed company before graduating from college.
After all, in reality, it's better to wait until he's in his thirties or forties to get a position like chairman and president, which depends not only on age but also on strength, otherwise, it will easily lead to disaster.
His goal was only money and power, so pushing around fully controllable puppets was better than standing on shaky ground and waiting to be stabbed.
Of course, Shinichi still had to work and handle some more important official tasks.
He gave himself the ordinary position of "administrative consultant" and assigned her as a trusted personal secretary. When he was tired of working, he would roam around the company with a cup of tea in hand, chatting and laughing with his male colleagues.
The first because it was a ritual in life, the second to better control the company's operations, and the third because...
Everyone had their own business. If only he and Hayasaka were left at home, World War III might start earlier – that's the importance of time management.
The fact that Hayasaka was pregnant for the first time caused a cold war in the family for about a month, and it took a lot of effort to calm down.
If Shinichi didn't allocate his time well and keep their spirits up, let alone opening a harem, just wait until he was divided into a dozen equal parts in his sleep!
His harem was long and far-reaching, and he would explore it from top to bottom. Even if he could afford their material life, Shinichi still lived a very cautious life.
He dared not wave, truly dared not wave.
After discussing Shirogane and the others, they talked about the current situation of Ishigami and the others.
According to Shinichi's understanding, Ishigami didn't attend Shuchi'in University, so he skipped college and immediately took over the family business branch. Meanwhile, Iino graduated from Shuchi'in University with the highest grades, firmly rejecting offers from several foreign companies and government departments, and entering the branch where Ishigami worked.
She planned to start as a junior employee, and her goal was to "move up to his position as quickly as possible, and then proudly reveal their relationship to all colleagues."
In this regard, Ishigami complained like this: "Do you think you're the main character in a vulgar novel? It's really boring to go through so much drama without being a good young lady."
As a result, Ishigami won the sofa bed experience card for three days.
Overall, they were now playing "The Young Master's Secret Lover" in their respective companies, and with the addition of children, they didn't know when they would get married.
"By the way, I'm going out today. I'm going to Kaguya's place to share my fertility experience and see if I can help her breastfeed."
As they chatted, Hayasaka suddenly said something with a calm expression that made Shinichi's mouth move slightly.
He couldn't help but look down, then withdraw his gaze gently and nod.
"Go ahead, but try not to upset her... It's not easy for someone to have six children."
Hayasaka frowned discontentedly, "Kaguya is my friend, do you think I would do something like that?"
"The question isn't whether you would do it or not, but whether she would think so!"
"...Forget it, I'd better keep an eye on her."
Hayasaka covered her forehead and sighed.
At this moment, footsteps were heard from the stairs, and shortly after, Yotsuba came down with Miku still a little sleepy.
"Good morning, everyone~"
"Good morning..."
Shinichi and Hayasaka also left the sofa and pulled up chairs at the dining table to sit.
"Good morning, where's Ichika and the others?"
"Ichika said she's too tired from filming yesterday and has no work today, so she plans to sleep until night."
As Yotsuba said this, a TV series advertisement was being broadcast.
Ichika with longer hair than in high school and a more mature and beautiful appearance, was wearing professional attire. She slapped the old Mediterranean man to the ground and lectured him with a cold expression. She looked at everyone standing in front of her like a queen.
This is a workplace drama starring Ichika, and it's also the current highest-rated program. As the undisputed heroine, Nakano Ichika is naturally popular and has surpassed her dream of becoming a famous actress.
Because she didn't want to be too far from her family and boyfriend, she passed up the opportunity to star in foreign films and focused on pursuing her acting career in Japan. In her last year of high school, she immediately became famous with her acting. Her first leading role in a film. She secured her top position as a young actress, and with the help of others, she also managed her studies and graduated successfully.
In the following years, while consolidating her reputation, she worked with Shinichi to build his own media company. The process would be very difficult if not for Shinichi's great connections and someone who escaped back to a parallel time and space. The wealth of resources left behind by this person, and Ichika's speed in making a lot of money from the start, would take at least thirty years to complete her "new dream."
As a result, this is currently the most popular TV series.
The entire team comes from their family, which allows Ichika to fully unleash her acting abilities, and also has the ability to promote it. With the help of professionals, her acting ability is several times better than in high school, and she has become a top female star as well.
However, Ichika is not satisfied and continues to work hard to realize her dream.
It's not uncommon for them to release energy on stage, only to turn into a pool of laziness offstage, and it's not uncommon for them to sleep all day after a day of shooting.
So, no one was surprised, only Nino, who came out of the kitchen, uttered a few words, but there was no intention to go upstairs to wake them up.
"Yotsuba, who else is upstairs now? If they don't come down, we won't wait for them, and we'll start breakfast soon?"
While pulling Miku, who was lying on Shinichi's lap, onto a chair, Nino, who was combing her twin ponytails and looked like a virtuous wife, turned to Yotsuba and asked.
"Okay, let me count..."
The headband tied into a neat single ponytail behind her back, energetic and agile Yotsuba's cheeks puffed up like a child's, and she began to think seriously.
"Fumino and Rizu spent half the night stargazing yesterday. Since they didn't do anything at the research institute this morning, they don't plan to get up early..."
"Kei, Rui, and Moeha followed Chika-chan to the National Assembly, and they're still checking in and taking pictures at the nearest high-class hotel..."
So Hayasaka took the remote control and changed the channel. A member of Congress happened to appear on the morning news.
"Our appeal is very simple, to let the people of this country live better lives!"
The spirited shouts spread throughout the empty living room.
"This is not empty talk! I, Fujiwara Chika, can guarantee that as long as you follow my steps and support my policies, a bright future awaits you!"
Her face flushed with excitement, but the petite woman with long curly pink hair exuded an aura of majesty. Her bright eyes captivated everyone in front of the screen.
"Want to know why? Because I'm here! Because I'm Fujiwara Chika, breaking long-standing history, the youngest female member of the Japanese Congress!"
"So, cast aside all doubts, stop unnecessary thoughts, and follow me—foolishly!"
She raised her hand high, gazing into the sky, and pointed her chin at the crowd below.
"Our journey is the sea of stars!"
A roar was heard from the ground, followed by cheers and loud cheers.
"Hail Chika-sama—!!!"
Chika closed her eyes and suddenly extended her index finger and pointed at herself.
As promised earlier, everyone below fell silent, and the atmosphere became quiet.
The next moment, her eyes widened, she smiled proudly, and moved her index finger downward vertically.
"YES, CORRECT!"
"Squeee--!"
The crowd below cheered even louder.
"...That's just a form of harmony."
Watching the news frenzy, Nino complained inwardly.
Yotsuba scratched her head and smiled bitterly, "Ah haha~ Although it looks similar, Chika-chan is really amazing to be able to do something like that..."
"True." Hayasaka nodded calmly.
"Even if she comes from a political family, it's not easy for a woman to take a seat in the Japanese Parliament. However, she gradually expanded her influence while maintaining her position as a member, igniting the vitality of her youth. Her chaotic way of thinking also made a group of middle-aged and elderly men unable to guess her every move, and they were forced to take over."
"As time goes on, it's not surprising if one day she becomes prime minister."
Smiling admirably, Hayasaka turned to Shinichi, "Just like the polygamy bill she promoted, no one thought it would succeed at first, but now..."
Shinichi also felt a bit helpless.
"That person is a chaos factor. She has been preparing for it for seven years without telling anyone. If she hadn't taken the initiative to say it because she was surprised, no one would have known that she became a member of Congress out of the blue, that I could openly and openly marry polygamy."
The initial idea was very simple, which was to change his citizenship to a place that allowed polygamy, then return to continue his own life after getting married. However, being rich means being determined, and the large family in Japan had gone further. Small things could be solved by working harder and finding connections.
Unexpectedly, Chika found the cruelest solution with little difficulty.
Promote the polygamy bill.
And it has reached the final stage, and is preparing to pass the trial soon, allowing them to become the first "family" qualified for polygamy.
It coincided with the time when Shinichi had to prepare for his marriage first because Hayasaka was pregnant.
Although there were many restrictions and had to accept evaluations from many public institutions, if passed, the Asada family would become the first openly polygamous family in Japan, solving the biggest problem that truly could not be avoided in the real world, having a harem.
Upon reflection like this, Chika could be considered a hero to them all, especially Shinichi.
"That person said she wouldn't lose, so maybe that's included too..."
His mouth twitched, Shinichi couldn't help but remember the proud expression on her face when she said this, and his mood was very delicate.
"Forget it, let her have fun... I hope Rui and the others aren't misled by her."
Shinichi asked Hayasaka to turn around, not wanting to see that arrogant figure stand on stage again.
"Where are Itsuki and Mafuyu-chan?"
"Both of them..."
Before Yotsuba could finish speaking, two hurried footsteps climbed the stairs, and soon they reached the first floor.
"In a rush. Itsuki, have you brought all your information? Where's your qualification certificate? Do you want to bring more food? Candy for the students. If you go buy them now..."
"That's unnecessary! I teach high school students, not kindergarteners!"
"Right... How about the mental preparation? Have you read the 'Friendly Communication with Students' and 'Teacher Joke Collection' that I gave you before? But new teachers are usually teased by their students, so you should seriously express yourself and give them authority... But not too serious, or you'll end up like me..."
"Ah, okay, okay! Mafuyu-sensei, you really worry too much... I was a little nervous at first, but when you do this, I don't even know what to say."
"Be careful! Internship is a prerequisite for full-time employment. If you don't treat it carefully, you'll end up like me. It takes a few years before you can interact with students normally."
"I think such an experience is quite good... Only through your setbacks can you better understand the ups and downs of the teaching profession."
"Um, that's a good point. Wait, Itsuki, please turn your head. Your hair here is a bit split, so you can't give a bad first impression to the students..."
"Sensei, I... huh."
Itsuki could only let Mafuyu, who followed behind her, earnestly tidy her hair.
Time passed, and their appearances were slightly different from the past.
Itsuki's long curly hair cascaded down to her waist, and she still wore a twin star hair accessory on her temples. The ahoge hair on her head proudly ignored everyone except Shinichi.
The square-framed dark red glasses had become standard equipment, radiating a mature and wise aura.
Her fluctuating weight, always on the edge of danger, made people doubt her health, and she was the heaviest among the quintuplets.
As a highly qualified full-time teacher, the eldest woman present was thirty years old and unmarried, but she looked exactly the same as the twenty-year-old Mafuyu. Compared to Itsuki, the trainee teacher, she looked even more unstable.
Even though she had cut her hair short, no longer had a tense expression, and her temperament gradually became more cheerful, people felt that she was getting younger as she aged. Some people believed that she was Itsuki's younger sister.
The most complicated one is Mafuyu's friend, Hiratsuka Shizuka, known as the Iron-Handed Teacher, who is still unmarried but has reached the age of a mature woman.
When she attended Hikigaya Hachiman and Yukinoshita's Yukino wedding, she was the one who cried the most after drinking, and she had to be comforted by Yuigahama Yui and Isshiki Iroha. It's quite sad, every time she's with Mafuyu. When she goes out, she'll receive merciless time punches from others, and she realizes the fact that "people can't generalize others."
It just makes those who hear it sad and those who listen to it cry.
The happiest person, of course, was Shinichi, although he wouldn't hate anyone, young or old, even the older Mafuyu.
But, who wouldn't like a beautiful girl who's always seventeen?
The same goes for a beautiful woman who's always twenty-five.
"Itsuki, Mafuyu-sensei, I'm waiting for you."
Nino helped them pull their chairs and urged, "Eat quickly. I'll take you to school before opening the store. I'm afraid of traffic jams."
She's now the manager of a coffee shop. Because she wasn't interested in making money, she decided on the decor, menu, and opening hours herself.
Nevertheless, many senior food lovers are still fascinated by her skills, even though they have to wait for hours to enjoy the delicious food.
After all, Nino graduated with flying colors as a Ten Elite of Totsuki Academy, and soon became a culinary consultant for the Totsuki Group and an honorary lecturer at the high school department of Totsuki Academy. She enjoys a good reputation among both the bright and dark sides of cooking.
Thousands of people clamored for the miso soup she made, but the only man who could enjoy it for free for a lifetime was Shinichi.
Every time he thought about this, he felt very happy and could drink two more bowls of miso soup.
"No need to bother, I'll just take Itsuki there." Mafuyu said.
Nino was very insistent: "No, it's too dangerous for Sensei to drive! And don't just talk about Itsuki, you're going to Shuchi'in Academy later too, right? Look, your collar isn't buttoned."
Assisted by a student to fasten her collar, Mafuyu blushed.
"...Ignore it. It'll trouble you."
Nino sat back and showed a teasing smile:
"We've been living together for a few years and we're still very polite. Sensei is quite candid."
Not wanting to be outdone, Mafuyu smiled with a smile on her face:
"Isn't it the same for you? You graduated a few years ago and you still call me Sensei."
"Besides, I'm used to it. Are you too?"
"Um, I can't change my words."
"Ahaha~ There's nothing wrong with calling me Sensei, right? Besides, it won't affect our relationship!"
"The feeling of being both Sensei and friend is also very good. I think there's no need for a change."
"It doesn't matter if I want to change it or not, but Sensei's voice is softer."
Some teenage girls just agreed with each other, and only Shinichi raised his hand and weakly said:
"Mafuyu-chan."
But no one paid attention to him.
There were a total of seven people sitting at the dining table today: Shinichi, Hayasaka, Mafuyu, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki.
Usually there are thirteen people, and when everyone gathers, eating is like a feast, so noisy, like a big family, everyone is family to each other.
However, even with only seven people, the liveliness will never be inferior.
Their drinks mixed and their aroma overflowed.
Casual conversations complemented the hustle and bustle of the event.
Morning.
The Asada family is still so peaceful.
△
Shinichi works with Miku.
Because they often walk arm in arm and intimately without hiding it, most of their coworkers know that they are a passionate couple in a relationship.
Many speculate if they have someone above them who has an immoral romantic relationship in the office?
After all, no one can guess if he's the "top" mentioned, so Shinichi has no intention of refuting the rumors; when asked, he just brushes them off and only focuses on work.
Miku is his secretary, not a coworker as others may think.
She fulfills her dream and stands by his side with her own abilities to help his career.
She takes off her headphones and wears a delicate scarf with her long hair, although half of her face is still covered, her temperament has changed from gloomy and fearful to calm and mysterious.
Even her long black stockings look a bit different because of her high-heeled shoes. She looks more mature and confident like a professional woman.
From an outsider's perspective, Miku's change may be the greatest.
Moreover, as a secretary, although no one knows her true identity, she doesn't want Shinichi to lose face.
Therefore, to be able to stand by his side, Miku has worked hard up to now, and will continue to do so in the future.
This is her determination, the purest love she has.
From start to finish, it never changes.
And when they are alone together, or there is no one else around, she will revert to how she used to be, clingy, behaving like a baby, liking to hug him from the side, and kissing his shoulder like a cat.
If it weren't for the purpose of declaring sovereignty, Miku actually didn't intend to show affection in front of outsiders... But after showing off, she became accustomed to it, even becoming a bit addicted.
Of course, if Shinichi didn't have a harem, he would definitely do naughty things to his secretary in his private office every day.
After all, two people are falling in love, and Miku isn't waiting for gameplay like this. Before she became a secretary, she fantasized about this plot over and over again, and even thought about how to say the dialogue.
It's a pity that the other party has known about this for a long time and has responded to it before certain family rules were established.
"Good morning to you both, would you like a cup of coffee?"
In Shinichi's private office, the beautiful short-haired woman sitting on the sofa placed her palm on her soft face, gracefully took the coffee cup with her other hand, and blew a few cold breaths to disperse the white smoke on the brown liquid.
Kashima-san... who can be said to be Manager Kashima now, looked at them with a smile, and after a slight nod, took a sip of coffee.
"Mmm~ It tastes good."
She sighed satisfied and licked her red lips.
Miku stared at her expressionlessly.
"Kashima-san, someone just called you out, can you be back in thirty minutes?"
"That's impossible~" Kashima said with a slight smile, "Five or ten minutes is fine, but half an hour is too long. I don't want Fumino to complain."
"Half an hour is not long at all. Shinichi usually spends two hours..."
"What dirty information are you conveying?"
Her graceful demeanor immediately crumbled, Kashima set the coffee cup down with a flushed face, and turned to look at Shinichi.
Shinichi: "???"
(I haven't said anything, why are you staring at me? Is being diligent wrong? Is it wrong if I can do push-ups for two hours?)
(Hmph, dirty adult!)
"Mhm..."
As Shinichi stared back, Kashima bit her lip, grabbed the coffee cup again in panic, lowered her red face, and took a few sips to calm herself down.
Then she stopped staring at him and said to Miku:
"Miku-san, all the documents that need to be processed today are on the table. If you finish them early, you have about fifteen minutes to be alone."
"Alright..."
Miku replied reluctantly.
Although she had long been accustomed to it, she still felt disappointed every time she heard about such a short time alone.
Just like a released prisoner, Shinichi was her captive, she was a family member, and the hateful manager, Kashima was the prison guard.
But at least that was much better than the alternative. After all, he had plenty of time. No matter how Shinichi divided his time, there would always be more people and fewer people, some would be close and some would be distant.
If Miku couldn't understand each other, they would end up arguing and no one would be happy.
So, if the one who has more people gives in, it's a small price to pay for happiness.
"I really hope Kashima-san gets a boyfriend soon."
Hearing Miku's complaint, Kashima, who was not easily angered and kind to others, instantly turned gloomy.
"You think I don't want to? If it weren't for the evil capitalists wasting my youth and wasting my years, how could I be busy with my career since high school and still single in my twenties?!"
This was also different from when she was in high school; once she got angry, the temperament and tone of Ojou-sama would become very rough, no matter what her image was. The culprit, of course, was Shinichi.
Kashima always had high blood pressure now, just because she was afraid that one day Shinichi would be so angry that she would have physical problems.
If the time comes, there's no point in Fumino pleading for mercy. She'll definitely hold him accountable!
Of course, no one knew about this petty thought, and she hid it well.
This hatred is clearly not wrong, moreover, she's gritting her teeth and staring at Shinichi right now.
Miku looked at him accusingly:
"Shinichi, I think this is too much..."
So, help her introduce some outstanding young men, let her get out of singlehood as soon as possible, go home and have kids, and stop controlling our time!
As Miku was about to say this, Shinichi's phone rang first.
He seized the opportunity and immediately retreated outside while holding his phone.
"I'll take the call, you guys carry on!"
Immediately, Shinichi escaped the two sharp gazes and disappeared down the hallway.
"..."
The two promising teenage girls looked at each other, twitched their mouths twice in amusement, and sighed together.
"Oh... let's get to work."
△
The call Shinichi received was from Fuutarou.
He wanted to ask about specific procedures and precautions in wedding planning.
"Finally? How many years have you and that guy been dating? Clearly both parties are not lacking in money, but it's still postponed until now."
Shinichi teased.
Fuutarou clicked his tongue loudly.
"So noisy. Is marriage about money? It's about the right time, auspicious day, parental arrangements, and my own psychological preparation. How can you just get married because you're married?"
"Sounds reasonable. Raiha-chan should be very careful when getting married in the future."
"Ah? Who dares to court Raiha? Are you trying to die?"
"Hahahaha, you're really double standards in siscon as usual~"
"You don't understand that feeling if you don't have a little sister... Wait, you've attacked your cousin. Hahaha, when it comes to siscon, I want to call you the strongest!"
Fuutarou sneered a few times, but this time Shinichi couldn't say anything.
"Let's have dinner together sometime. Don't worry, I won't hit you behind your back."
"Who's afraid of whom? When the time comes, I'll strip you naked and throw you on the street. I'll call your girlfriend to pick you up and take you home!"
The two grown men teased each other like children, talking trash like middle school students. After five minutes of useless banter, they finally returned to the topic.
"Shinichi, have you been planning a wedding recently?"
"Yes, it's halfway done. The wedding invitations might be sent to your house soon."
"You're still quick to get things done. You deserve to be the head of the student council..." Fuutarou paused, then whispered concernedly, "Have you convinced all their parents?"
Shinichi shrugged as he picked up his phone.
"It's still halfway done, and the other half is still a work in progress... Even if polygamy could be implemented, it's still difficult to change their long-term concept."
Fuutarou chuckled as if mocking, "Isn't that normal? Parents don't read harem comics, how could they let their daughters become someone else's harem?"
Shinichi leaned against the fence and laughed.
"Yeah, so until now, I haven't stopped learning."
Learning how to be accepted by others, learning how to change others...
It's an endless path, we can only keep moving forward without seeing the end.
Learning doesn't mean success, but failure means less learning.
So, we have to move forward again.
"Aren't you afraid?"
Fuutarou asked, and Shinichi answered easily.
"Don't be afraid, they're still here."
"..."
He paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
"As expected of you... Second Rank, I'll gladly lose."
"Hey, don't talk about things from high school. You're too old-fashioned."
Shinichi didn't even mention that First place, and she's very pretty.
"Well, by the way, I envy your mentality... Don't talk about parents. Just for the wedding, you have to hold it for more than a dozen people at once, right?"
Fuutarou admired, "Just one is enough to make me dizzy. You... Thinking about it makes me tired. And I always feel like there will be fights on and off stage, and you'll definitely be the target of public criticism."
"Friend, I hope I can see you live and get married, hahahaha!"
After saying that, he couldn't help but laugh evilly.
"Don't bring it up! I deliberately refrain from thinking about that scene."
Shinichi, who had a bitter expression, tightened his neck, forced a smile, and said flatly:
"Anyway, everything will be fine... I believe that."
"In that case, good luck."
Fuutarou slowly stopped laughing and sighed softly, "I have to work harder for my own happiness..."
"So, let's encourage each other."
"Um."
They both laughed together.
Just when Shinichi thought Fuutarou was about to hang up, he suddenly said:
"By the way, Shinichi."
"What is it?"
"Have you ever regretted it?"
"..."
Shinichi knew what he was asking.
Ask himself, has he ever regretted meeting them, falling in love with them, promising them, and letting that chain bind them together?
If he hadn't met them, would he be living a freer life now?
No need to worry about time management, no need to accept criticism from others, and no need to fight against morality and the law.
If he hadn't met them, would this life be more suitable for him?
[This is a lie.]
[ The first one had said that he would never be able to win such a happy ending.]
[Countless Shinichis have proven that he will never get a perfect relationship like that.]
[Maybe there's another route that could be chosen, or maybe he hasn't found it yet.]
[But for Asada Shinichi, "I want it all" is the happiest and most perfect ending]
[And this is also a lie.]
He fell silent for a moment, then smiled and said:
"There's no such thing as perfection. I'm just trying my best and not giving up."
His ears slightly itched and he turned around, to where a young girl was staring at him.
Not standing in the company corridor.
She's not wearing mature professional attire either.
She just stood in front of the grass and beside the cherry blossom tree.
There are still a few leaves on her uniform, and she appeared before him with a shy but obedient attitude.
She seemed to dislike speaking. She looked quiet and had an unclear expression, so it was unclear what she was thinking.
She just stared at him calmly, her fingers gently tracing the bangs covering half of her face, and resting on the blue Audio-Technica headphones.
The world became silent, as if waiting for him to speak.
Suddenly, he slightly curved the corner of his mouth and smiled gently.
In the scene of the spring dancing cherry blossoms, he spoke softly and said something to her.
"..."
It's like a painting.
A painting born from her smile.
After blinking, the girl slowly disappeared and looked at Nakano Miku who appeared in front of the corridor and walked towards him while holding a brown paper bag.
Shinichi slowly closed his eyes, with the corner of his mouth still curved, and said to Fuutarou on the phone:
"Uesugi, it seems like I haven't made any progress at all."
"Until today, he's still stubborn and foolish. He's so naive that he can't even learn the simplest regret, which brings trouble to everyone."
Saying this, he didn't feel regret at all, instead he smiled.
"So, even though Asada Shinichi is foolish, he never regrets it for a second!"
"Even if time passes and many difficulties arise—"
"It's better than never meeting them."
The call ended.
Shinichi put down phone, took the stack of brown paper bags, and walked towards the conference room while holding Miku's hand.
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