"Eh? Why's he looking this way?"
Koyasu Tsubame had been sneakily watching Takashi, but when his gaze shifted toward her, she immediately lowered her head and silently chanted in her heart: "You can't see me, you can't see me..."
"Sigh, looks like I'm not getting my affection points back..."
Takashi could tell just by how Koyasu Tsubame avoided eye contact that he was done for.
Actually, when he broke down the door earlier, the system panel had already popped up.
But at the time, he wasn't in the right mindset to think about it.
It was only now that he noticed—she was actually one of his targets.
[Target: Koyasu Tsubame]
[Age: 18]
[Intelligence: 7]
[Charm: 8]
[Stamina: 6]
[From: Kaguya-sama: Love is War]
[Crush: None]
[No boyfriend, available for dating]
Honestly, it was his first time encountering an 18-year-old girl with no crush and no boyfriend.
He didn't refrain from dating girls because he was a saint—it was because 18 was his moral bottom line.
Takashi knew that in Japan, high school students having sex was actually pretty common.
But he couldn't bring himself to cross that line.
It was like liking lolis in anime—online, people would joke around and say "Same here!"
But if you actually laid a hand on a girl under 18 in real life, you'd get doxxed and destroyed instantly.
That's why Takashi had remained pure for so long.
At the very least, they had to be 18.
Now, after finally meeting someone like that, he'd scared her off—he could only regretfully slap his thigh.
Sure, he said he wouldn't go after targets.
But couldn't he lower his standards just a little?
He figured some of the targets were still decent people—like Kato Megumi, Kato Megumi... and uh, Kato Megumi.
Wait, why is it all Megumi?
Crap, is he surrounded by Megumis?
Takashi realized he knew quite a few quality women, but when it came to someone he could really fall in love with—or even imagine a future with—it seemed Megumi was the only one.
Well, Hiratsuka Shizuka was great too.
But Shizuka-san's age... sigh.
Every time Takashi remembered that she was eight years older than him, he felt down.
He truly liked Shizuka's personality, but when he imagined himself at 25 and her already 33...
Even if she had money, took care of herself, and aged well—given her personality, could she really bear it if people said, "Those two look like mother and son standing together"?
Takashi was lost in thought when suddenly, someone gripped his arm tightly, making him grimace in pain.
"What are you doing?" Takashi snapped.
Sure, the adrenaline rush was great...
But once it wore off, he'd always crash into weakness—it was impossible for him to maintain a normal state.
To put it bluntly, right now he was so weak that even a guy who just had a peach smoothie could beat him up.
"Manager! I lost my job because of you! Don't you think you owe me some compensation?" Nanami stood before him, hands on her hips, demanding compensation.
"I didn't report you for working overtime—that's already me being merciful, and you still want compensation? You must be out of your mind."
Takashi flicked her forehead with his finger.
"Ow!"
Nanami immediately covered her forehead with a pitiful look.
"Can't you just offer a little something...?"
Takashi smiled kindly. "Nanami, do you want to know what it feels like to lose two jobs in one day?"
Nanami immediately zipped her lips and silently cursed in her heart: "Takashi the Skinflint!"
So what if you're the manager? You think you're all that?
Just wait—one day she'd have him under her heel!!!
Of course!
That was just a thought Nanami didn't dare to say out loud.
Becoming a voice actress? That dream she could still chase.
But stepping on Takashi? That would require becoming some kind of... dominatrix.
"Watanabe, I've already sorted things out for you."
At that moment, Nagisa walked over holding a few contracts.
To prevent any of the part-timers from trying to blackmail them later, she'd called her family lawyer over.
Only after they signed the documents did she let Takashi transfer the money to them.
"Thanks," Takashi said sincerely.
This time, he meant it.
Honestly, Nagisa was a pretty easy person to get along with—if she didn't have a crush on him.
Takashi couldn't understand what she saw in him.
He couldn't tell if she was serious or joking about liking him.
And he wasn't sure—was she only showing interest in him because Maki had gotten close to him?
Logically, if she liked Maki, she should be warning him to stay away.
So why say she liked him?
Takashi didn't get it.
"Don't thank me. I caused this too," Nagisa replied, sensing that his gratitude was genuine. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
She hadn't expected Takashi to lose control like that.
After a moment's hesitation, she said, "Actually, I can compensate you for the losses this time."
Takashi raised a hand to stop her. "Then I'd really be the Kashiwagi family's live-in son-in-law."
Even though bleeding money like this made his head ache—
At least, he was still free.
If he really accepted help from the Kashiwagi family, he'd probably have to change his name to Kashiwagi Takashi.
"You're a greedy guy who serves those high-maintenance women with a smile—but when it comes to taking money from us, why won't you?
Do you think our money is dirty?" Nagisa just couldn't figure him out.
He was so clearly money-hungry, yet always kept her at a distance.
Takashi shook his head. "It's not the same."
The money from Utaha and Eriri was earned through his own efforts.
Every train fare to Chiba, every hour spent picking restaurants a week in advance, every time he supported them emotionally when they were down, even when he voluntarily stepped back from the guys they liked—didn't all of that count as labor?
He knew he was just a stand-in. He never dared cross the line or even hope they'd fall for him.
He always knew his place.
"You really are stubborn," Nagisa said with a wry smile.
"Then... Can I buy you?"
Takashi chuckled. "Guests are always welcome—but I won't date someone who already has a boyfriend."
He hadn't even accepted Kotonoha—there was no way he'd accept Nagisa.
"What if I break up with Tanuma Tsubasa?" Nagisa suddenly asked.
"..."
Takashi was stunned.
He hadn't expected her to say that.
"He's a good guy! I don't want you two breaking up because of me—it's not worth it."
Takashi stood up from his chair.
"I'm going to redo my makeup."
As he walked away, Nagisa's face remained calm—so calm it was impossible to tell what she was really thinking beneath the surface.
Not far away, having overheard part of their conversation, Koyasu Tsubame glanced over with gossip-loving eyes.
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