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"Hayasaka Ai?"
Fujiwara Michio looked at Hayasaka Ai, who had appeared before him, with surprise.
At this moment, Hayasaka Ai was not wearing maid attire, nor was she wearing a ladies' suit. She appeared strict and solemn.
Hayasaka Ai's golden hair was now fanned out. She wore a small skirt in the style of Shuchiin Academy, and her beautiful legs, plump below the hem, were perfectly framed by black stockings. Her overall demeanor was that of a youthful, vibrant high school girl.
It had to be said, Hayasaka Ai's temperament was truly changeable, making Fujiwara Michio feel that she shouldn't be a maid, but rather go study with Yukinoshita Haruno or Vermouth, becoming an actress would be more suitable.
Hayasaka Ai now found herself in an awkward predicament, regretting that she had actually encountered Fujiwara Michio at the newly opened aquarium. If she had known this, she wouldn't have come to the aquarium. Wouldn't it have been better to go somewhere else?
It wasn't that Hayasaka Ai disliked Fujiwara Michio; on the contrary, she had a very good impression of him, even a hint of admiration. It was just that she had finally managed to get one day off from the Shinomiya family, allowing her to experience a day of living her own high school girl life.
But encountering Fujiwara Michio meant her day off might be ruined.
If Fujiwara Michio were to ask her to continue being a maid, Hayasaka Ai would be unable to refuse.
Just as various thoughts welled up in Hayasaka Ai's heart, Fujiwara Michio asked, "Hayasaka, why aren't you with Kaguya-hime? Or did Kaguya-hime also come to the aquarium?"
Saying this, Fujiwara Michio looked around.
Hayasaka Ai hastily said, "I asked for a day off from Lady Kaguya today. I didn't expect to meet Young Master Fujiwara and Miss Ai here."
She hoped that this sentence would make Fujiwara Michio understand: Please, please don't give her work! She's really exhausted!
Whether Hayasaka Ai's prayer succeeded or not, Fujiwara Michio chuckled. "So you're off today. It's fate that we met. How about we accompany me and Ai to play together?"
Hayasaka Ai wanted to refuse. She preferred to play alone to release stress. But faced with Fujiwara Michio's request, she just opened her mouth and could only say, "Then I'll trouble Young Master Fujiwara."
"Hayasaka, you don't need to be so reserved. When you're not working, you can completely treat me as a friend."
"I apologize, Young Master Fujiwara. I'm afraid that if I get used to this, it will be difficult for me to return to work. I think it's better for me to maintain some respect for you."
"Suit yourself. I'll cover your expenses at the aquarium today. Hayasaka, what do you want to buy?"
"No need to spend money, Young Master Fujiwara. I still have some income."
Hayasaka Ai's monthly income was about 500,000 Japanese Yen, and her annual income was around 6 million Japanese Yen. Plus, she usually received an annual bonus of 4 million Yen.
In other words, Hayasaka Ai's annual income reached 10 million Japanese Yen.
This high income placed her among the high-income group in the country, belonging to the middle class, and even higher than the income of ordinary lawyers and doctors.
From another perspective, her job made many people envious. How many people wanted to go and be a maid for the Shinomiya family, just to get a glimpse of the Shinomiya Group's true power.
"Haha, Hayasaka, don't be so polite. I heard that your work at the Shinomiya family is tough, and although I don't particularly understand Kaguya, I can tell she's someone with many problems in her life."
"You've been taking care of her all this time, so it must be tiring. Consider this my welfare for you, or rather, do you think this welfare isn't enough?"
Hayasaka Ai at this moment wished she could cry out loud.
It wasn't that Fujiwara Michio's welfare was so good; she truly didn't lack that bit of money. What moved her was that someone could finally understand the meaning and pressure of her work. Fujiwara Michio understood her!
However, although her heart was moved, Hayasaka Ai's mouth uttered the opposite: "I might have misunderstood the young lady. Lady Kaguya is actually very worry-free in her life." As a Shinomiya family maid, she had to speak well of the young lady!
Fujiwara Michio only truly believed her words after thinking it over. Then he said, "Last time in the Imperial Capital, Hayasaka, you took care of me as a maid, and you did very well."
"Both by reason and by sentiment, I should reward you."
"Young Master Fujiwara, there's really no need..."
"Your work is so tiring. Just taking one day off is too little. You should take more days off."
"Fuji..."
Hayasaka Ai's words of refusal were hard to utter.
She could actually get two days off! This was simply unimaginable in the past!
Her heart thumped wildly, yet Hayasaka Ai still spoke, "I signed a contract with Lord Kōka. I'm an employee of the Shinomiya family."
"You might not be happy if I say this, Young Master Fujiwara, but even if you wanted to give me a holiday, even Lady Kaguya, she has no right to give me a holiday."
"Yes, she had already demonstrated this to Shinomiya Kōka before taking her own holiday."
As for Kaguya, she merely said it in passing, because she knew Kaguya would definitely agree.
The current head of the Shinomiya family was in poor health. Nowadays, the true manager of the Shinomiya zaibatsu was Shinomiya Kōka. He was the one who held the power of life and death over the Shinomiya family.
"Shinomiya Kōka?"
Fujiwara Michio furrowed his brow slightly. He directly pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
Under Hayasaka Ai's astonished gaze, Fujiwara Michio said, "Mr. Kōka."
"Michio-kun, is there anything wrong calling me so early?" Shinomiya Kōka's voice was very gentle.
"I happened to see Mr. Kōka taking a break. I just felt like having a chat."
"Hahaha, Michio-kun is too polite. Please speak directly. There's nothing you can't ask."
"It's like this: I came to the aquarium to play today and happened to meet Hayasaka Ai, a maid from the Shinomiya family. She takes care of people quite well. I hope Mr. Kōka can give her two more days off so she can accompany me to play in Tokyo for two days."
"Oh, I thought it was something big. So it's that girl Hayasaka. Michio-kun, she's your favorite. Don't even mention giving her more days off; it's no problem even if you want that girl to be your maid."
Fujiwara Michio had his phone on speaker, and Hayasaka Ai also heard these words.
Her heart fluttered. She even had a real impulse to leave the Shinomiya family and follow Fujiwara Michio.
This Young Master Fujiwara was not like Lady Kaguya, who understood nothing. He understood the four temperaments and five elements clearly. Being his maid would surely be much easier.
However, this thought quickly extinguished in Hayasaka Ai's mind. If she really went to be Fujiwara Michio's maid, she would also become an "informant."
Shinomiya Kōka would definitely demand that she monitor Fujiwara Michio, which was something she was unwilling to do.
It was just that Hayasaka Ai was helpless against Shinomiya Kōka. Besides his identity, her parents were also controlled by the Shinomiya family, plus the Shinomiya family's past debts. She could only obey.
After exchanging a few more words with Shinomiya Kōka, Fujiwara Michio hung up the phone.
"Hayasaka, Shinomiya Kōka has agreed now. You can play with peace of mind."
"For my sake, you even had to call Lord Kōka..."
"It's fine, you don't need to be so cautious. Since we're playing, let's play happily."
"...Okay."
Haibara Ai, standing by the side with her arms crossed, shook her head. This Fujiwara fellow really wanted to make the girl happy.
Watching Hayasaka Ai's touched expression.
On the other side, the Shinomiya family main residence in Tokyo.
Shinomiya Kōka put down the phone and fell into thought.
Does Michio-kun seem to be interested in Hayasaka Ai?
Recalling the information he knew about Fujiwara Michio, and his many affections for Mizutani, Shinomiya Kōka felt that he had grasped Fujiwara Michio's weakness.
"Likes women? It's good that he likes women. If you don't like anything, then you're hard to control."
"Since he's interested in Hayasaka Ai, then I'll have Hayasaka Ai go to bed with him. That woman wouldn't dare refuse either."
Shinomiya Kōka was quite satisfied with Fujiwara Michio now.
Not long ago, Fujiwara Michio approached him, directly tempting him with the plot of land next to the Yanagiya family.
His original calculation for the Yanagiya family was based on the premise that those few financial groups he was jealous of and the Shinomiya family had no relation.
Although Shinomiya Kōka was envious, he had never found a way to get his hands on it.
He never expected that as soon as Fujiwara Michio appeared, the old Yanagiya fellow would personally offer to sell the land. Although the Shinomiya family could only get 20% of the land, it was still equivalent to hundreds of millions of dollars obtained for free. After the 377 plot was developed, he could earn another 300 million.
The Shinomiya family indeed had money, but land worth 2 billion dollars could not be ignored, even by the Shinomiya family.
...
"Your Matcha Kakigori, Blueberry Kakigori, and Honeybush Kakigori."
"Thank you!"
Fujiwara Michio took the Kakigori, then handed two to Hayasaka Ai and Ai.
Hayasaka Ai said "Oh," then extended her small tongue, gently licking the Matcha Kakigori. She asked curiously, "Young Master Fujiwara, do you like Honeybush?"
"Hmm, if I'm eating Kakigori, I'll choose this one if there's Honeybush."
Hayasaka Ai secretly memorized Fujiwara Michio's preference.
Just then, Fujiwara Michio looked towards the long bench in front.
Hayasaka Ai and Ai followed his gaze and saw a person with silver-white hair, Kuraso, sitting there.
The woman's body was filthy, looking as if she had rolled in mud, and many small wounds were visible on her exposed skin. At this moment, a group of small children surrounded her, chattering and asking about her well-being.
Haibara Ai, who was eating Blueberry Kakigori, paused. She recognized Kuraso among the group of children.
Immediately, her expression changed, and she whispered to Fujiwara Michio, "Is that her, Kuraso?"
Their main purpose for coming to the aquarium this time was to find Kuraso.
However, what puzzled Haibara Ai was that, with her special perception of members of the Black Organization, she didn't sense any organizational presence on Kuraso.
Most importantly, if she was really Kuraso, why was she playing with a bunch of children? Did she intend to use those children as hostages?
Just as Haibara Ai was deep in thought, Fujiwara Michio had already walked towards the other party.
Kogoro Mouri, who was currently studying Kuraso's phone, saw Fujiwara Michio first and his face lit up with joy.
But then he saw Haibara Ai, who was following behind Fujiwara Michio, and his face instantly turned green.
Damn it, why did this wicked woman come here too? Is she also here for Kuraso?
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