"Harano-kun saved me once before! On the street... when I was being harassed by someone, he acted the part of the hero and saved me."
Nozomi looked at her searchingly upon hearing this. She noticed the blonde beauty had a coy look in her eyes and was blushing slightly.
"That’s why I… feel gratitude towards Harano-kun, and I know that he’s a really strong boy. I’ll feel very safe being by his side."
Seiji had no idea what to say to all this.
Nozomi covered her mouth to suppress a smile as the curiosity in her eyes changed into a look of understanding. She looked back and forth between Kaede and Seiji.
"I see. I understand now; this... is just like my daughter’s situation."
‘Hehehe, Haruta-kun, you’re such a...’
All of Seiji’s hairs stood on edge as he saw the landlord’s smile, which was filled with such deep meaning!
Mrs. Uehara, just what exactly does that expression of yours mean!?
I’m still inexperienced and can’t understand it!
"Oh my, the same as your daughter?" Kaede blinked innocently and displayed an enigmatic smile. "Your daughter... was also saved by Harano-kun in the past?"
"Yep, Harano-kun is a wonderful boy... My daughter currently has an excellent relationship with him."
Nozomi and Kaede exchanged glances as their smiles remained unfaltering, but it seemed like something beneath the surface had imperceptibly changed.
Oh ho ho ho...
Seiji felt that the scene of these two beauties smiling subtly at each other was horrifying. It seemed too perfect on the surface!
Perfect to the point where he found it difficult to tolerate; he really wanted to escape from here!
"Is that so? I’d really like to meet your daughter, then. I think... I’ll definitely have some common interests to discuss with her." Kaede’s smile remained plastered on her face.
"I sent Mika out on a shopping errand, and there are many things on her shopping list, so she’ll be away for quite some time." Nozomi smiled as she looked back at Seiji again. "By the way, Harano-kun, if you’re currently free, could you go give Mika some assistance?"
"Of course!" Seiji instantly agreed.
He normally wouldn’t have refused such a request anyways. But for some reason, he had an ominous premonition that something frightening would happen if he refused this request.
Nozomi’s smile seemed quite joyous.
"Thank you. I knew Harano-kun would be reliable... Juumonji-san, as you just witnessed, if you wish to have a conversation with Harano-kun, you’ll have to wait for next time. My apologies."
Kaede’s smile seemed to change slightly.
"It’s not a problem. I have plenty of time... but instead of waiting for next time, I’d prefer to go together with Harano-kun, with the added convenience of being able to meet your daughter."
"Oh?" Nozomi’s eyes flashed with a strange light as she looked at Kaede. "You want to go together with Harano-kun? You barely just moved in; don’t you need to organize your room?"
"I can organize my room later," Kaede stated.
"No, you should take care of such a thing immediately. If you delay organizing your room, you’ll leave it until really late, which means that you won’t have a good rest tonight." Nozomi clasped her hands. "You’re a young missus, so living in such an apartment must be challenging for you. If you just leave your room in a messy state, not only will you feel uncomfortable, it’ll also seem... unsightly, don’t you agree?"
The landlord showed off what it really meant to be a landlord!
Seiji felt as if he had been enlightened after witnessing such pressure being emitted by Nozomi’s seemingly gentle words! He had witnessed a new, unfamiliar side to Mika’s mother.
Kaede’s expression changed slightly as she took a deep look at the handsome boy.
"O... Okay, you’re right. I should properly organize my things." Kaede’s smile seemed a little forced now.
"Then let’s go do that right now." Nozomi was still smiling enigmatically as she turned her gaze towards Seiji, using her eyes to indicate he should go.
"I’ll go and find Mika right away!" Seiji exclaimed.
Even though he wasn’t really sure what just happened, he knew that he should just go and do what he was supposed to do.
And thus he left his apartment even though he had just arrived home.
‘The mafia missus became my neighbor... why does it make me feel like I’m in a romance television drama? Have I seen such a situation before?’ Seiji was thinking random things as he walked.
Fine, he simply wanted to run away from the situation.
But now that it happened, he had to face it!
Seiji sighed as he called a number on his cell phone.
"Hey, Seigo, what’s up?"
When Seiji made an agreement with Hisashi last night about creating a game together, they started addressing each other by their first names.
"What’s up? That’s what I want to ask, Hisashi! Why is your younger sister living next door to me?" Seiji inquired.
"What? My younger sister? Kaede, she..." There was a pause on the other side of the phone. "Oh, right... I think she said something about that, and I was going to tell you, but I accidentally forgot. Hahaha."
"Why the hell are you laughing!? You shouldn’t forget such a thing!" Seiji forcefully commented.
"That’s because I didn’t feel like it was anything important..." Hisashi faked a coughing fit. "Okay, my bad; it was my mistake," Hisashi apologized. "Did Kaede inconvenience you by doing such a thing?"
"It wasn’t much of an inconvenience. I only received a huge shock! I don’t know why she’s..."
"You really don’t understand, Seigo!?" Hisashi interrupted Seiji before he could finish. "My younger sister’s motives should be totally obvious, Seigo! You should be able to figure it out."
Seiji remained silent for a moment before sighing.
"Fine... cough, your sister, Kaede Juumonji, is a nice girl, but..."
"I don’t need to know your feelings towards my younger sister! That’s something she needs to know. She likes you and wants to go out with you; that’s why she went to the trouble of living next door to you. That’s all there is to it!" Hisashi went with the direct approach.
Seiji was rendered speechless.
"Kaede fell in love with you at first sight, Seigo... Seiji Haruta!" Hisashi continued. "As her older brother, I can definitely tell you that this is the first time I’ve ever seen her fall so deeply in love! In fact you’re basically her first love!!
"She wants to be together with you, and like my father, I’m happy to let her do so. Her method and actions are her business. Of course, if Kaede asks me, I’ll give her my advice, but I won’t needlessly interfere with anything. The same applies for my father.
"You can think of it as more complicated than it really is, or simpler; it’s all up to you. How you respond to her feelings is also up to you."
Seiji clutched his forehead wordlessly.
"Perhaps now you’re feeling inconvenienced, but that’s what you get for being so handsome and strong! Just take responsibility like a man! Hahahaha— eh, why is my face getting wet?
"Fine, I admit it—I’m actually a little angry! Seigo... no, Seiji, I’m jealous of you, you overly popular handsome person! You can obtain a girl’s wholehearted love with ease, and it’s even my sister’s!!
"I’m already at this age, and I’ve never received such deep love! Even though 2-D girls are my true love, I still have a few expectations from the 3-D world. I want to be loved by a real beauty as well!!!"
Seiji hung up the call without saying anything.
A few moments later, his cell phone started ringing again.
He took the call.
"Wahh... take good care of my sister, damn it! Also... go explode and die somewhere, you popular and handsome winner of life!!" frenzied shouting which felt like it came from Hisashi’s soul could be heard from the cell phone.
Seiji hung up wordlessly once more as he gazed off into the distance.
Ah, the setting sun... How beautiful it was...