Meanwhile, upon hearing Hisako's words, Hayashi's expression immediately shifted to "Huh? There's such a good thing?" He then turned an expectant gaze toward Erina, his eyes sweeping over her legs.
"!"
Noticing Hayashi's gaze, Erina instinctively shivered before turning to him with a mix of embarrassment and anger, exclaiming, "What kind of look is that!? Where are you staring!? No lewd thoughts allowed!"
"I, Huang, swear to the heavens—I shall never coexist with drugs or gambling in this lifetime!" Hayashi raised three fingers toward the sky and two toward the ground, declaring his vow with utmost solemnity.
"So you're just going to ignore the 'lewd' part entirely?"
"I did mention it—Huang, remember?"
"?"
Erina pressed a hand to her forehead, then turned to Sabrina beside her. "Sabrina, I apologize for this unsightly display."
"Hahaha, no, it's fine—" Sabrina was already doubled over with laughter. "I just never knew you two could be this entertaining!"
"Hmph, I'm a treasure trove of surprises! Since childhood, I've mastered the art of excising useless bodily tissues and separating peripheral body parts!"
Sabrina looked utterly bewildered, her eyes darting toward Erina for help.
Erina twitched her lips and explained, "He means cutting nails and hair."
"!"
Hayashi gasped dramatically, staring at Erina. "Erina dear, you actually followed my train of thought!? Damn, I never expected you to evolve to this level—truly terrifying!"
Erina covered her face in despair. "Believe me, I'm just as horrified that I instantly understood you."
She really didn't want to grasp Hayashi's nonsense so quickly. Did this mean her thought patterns were gradually aligning with his? No, no, no! She refused to become as ridiculous as him!
"Pfft—hahaha!"
Sabrina burst into laughter again, clutching her stomach as she crouched on the floor, struggling to catch her breath. "Y-you two… if you ever… hah… debuted as a comedy duo… you'd be a hit, hahaha!"
"No way! If we did comedy, Erina dear wouldn't have time to make me three loving meals a day!"
"Three meals, yes. But no 'love' involved."
"What!?" Hayashi gasped in exaggerated shock. "You mean no heart-shaped pink rice or octopus sausages like in romance manga!?"
"I can make octopus sausages. Those are easy enough."
"Ooh! Then I want some tonight!"
Somehow, the conversation had veered into strange territory again—just another day in the life of Hayashi and Erina.
'Huh? When did we start talking about octopus sausages?' Hisako blinked in confusion. Her mind was still stuck on "Erina's swimsuit appearance." How had things gotten so off-track?
"Alright, if everything's fine, I'm heading to the pool." Hayashi pushed himself up from the chair with his hands on his knees, then beckoned to Eevee. "Eevee, let's go! Time for a swim!"
"Eevee!"
Realizing her meal ticket was unharmed, Eevee leaped onto Hayashi's shoulder, wagging her tail cheerfully. Meanwhile, Gengar dissolved into a shadow and vanished into the room, slipping back into Hayashi's own shadow.
As for the Poké Ball?
Pfft, not even a dog would go in there!
(Milcery: Who are you calling a dog?!)
"Wait a second!"
Hisako immediately cried out, her eyes wide as she stared at Hayashi. "You're still planning to go see those gaudy swimsuits out there? Erina is right here! Why aren't you inviting her?! Is Erina not as good as those people outside?!"
"Hisakoooooo!!"
Erina, her face burning red, grabbed Hisako's hand. "What are you even saying?!"
Though Erina tried to stop her, Hisako continued struggling as she shouted at Hayashi, "Don't you want to see Erina in a swimsuit?! Don't you want to see her snow-white skin accentuated by a black bikini, looking like a succubus?!"
"Hisakoooooo—!!"
Erina shrieked in mortification. She desperately wanted to ask if Hisako had lost her mind—otherwise, why would she say something like that?! What were you even thinking?!
Unlike Erina, who was nearly paralyzed with embarrassment, Hayashi wore a thoughtful expression—mainly because Hisako's behavior was just too strange, too out of character!
"There must be something fishy going on..." Hayashi rubbed his chin, then eyed Hisako suspiciously before testing the waters. "Hisako, I was just thinking... you wouldn't happen to be..."
He paused for a few seconds, observing her reaction. When he noticed her stiffen for a split second, it all clicked.
"...You just want to see Erina in a swimsuit yourself, but you're too embarrassed to say it outright, so you're pushing me to do it instead, aren't you?"
"!"
Hisako shuddered, then guiltily averted her gaze. "W-w-w-what? I have no idea what you're talking about~ Hisako doesn't know anything~"
Your reaction just gave you away completely.
Hayashi stared at her with a complicated look. He never expected this seemingly upright girl to try using him as a shield while she sneaked a peek at Erina's swimsuit—how devious! I should give her a nasty nickname, like... like...
Hands-on-hips Hisako!
"Hisako, you..."
Erina wasn't a fool either. After seeing Hisako's reaction, she immediately understood.
"Erina, it's not like that, I didn't—don't believe him!" Hisako hurriedly defended herself. "I-I-I would never covet your pure and flawless body! I don't want to see your graceful figure in a swimsuit at all!"
Hisako, this isn't just a slip-up—it's a full-blown self-detonation.
"Hisako, you..." Erina's expression was incredibly complicated—she had never been on guard around her secretary before. Normally, she'd just wrap herself in a towel after bathing and appear before Hisako without hesitation! If Hisako had invited her swimming, she probably wouldn't have refused...
So why was Hisako being so secretive about it!?
"Waaah, Erina-sama, you have to believe me—" Hisako looked at Erina with tearful eyes, while Erina could only sigh helplessly, rubbing the bridge of her nose and tilting her head back.
In that very instant, Hisako swiftly turned toward Hayashi and mouthed something at him, then immediately turned back to continue gazing tearfully at Erina.
Hayashi rubbed his eyes. If he hadn't misread it, what Hisako had just mouthed at him, translated into simple terms, would roughly be—
"Bro, lend me a hand here, save me!"
Hilarious!
Hayashi nearly gave in to the urge to stir up trouble for Hisako just for fun, but what little conscience he had stopped him.
"Ahem—"
Hayashi cleared his throat, then picked up the teacup on the table with utmost seriousness, taking a sip before addressing Erina. "Erina, how about we go to the pool together?"
"..."
Erina froze, her violet eyes widening in shock as she stared at Hayashi—she truly hadn't expected him to invite her to the pool of all places!?
'W-wait, does that mean... he wants to see me in a swimsuit!?'
Flustered and nervous, Erina averted her gaze, stammering, "I-I-I need to... think about it."
'What's there to think about—' Hayashi blinked, then nodded. "Alright, take your time. I'll head over first, then?"
Swimsuit-clad beauties were waiting for him, after all!
'Idiot! Moron! Blockhead!' Hisako glared at Hayashi with sheer frustration, her expression so twisted it looked like she was about to shoot heat vision and slice a plane in half. 'Why are you going to the pool now!? Push harder and keep inviting her! Can't you see she's wavering!?'
Hisako was practically fuming. If she were in Hayashi's place, she'd already be bathing Erina with her tongue by now! Yet Hayashi hadn't even managed to see Erina in a swimsuit yet!
Pathetic, absolutely pathetic! No, she had to give Erina a nudge—otherwise, there'd be no swimsuit sighting today!
"You! Erina-sama is willing to show you her swimsuit, and you're still thinking about other women!?" Hisako's brows furrowed in anger as she snapped, "Are you saying Erina-sama's figure and beauty can't compare to some random strangers!?"
'Hisako, why are you starting this again aaaaaah—' Erina desperately wanted to cover Hisako's mouth, but Hisako had already thrown caution to the wind, declaring loudly, "Tell me straight—do you want to see Erina-sama in a swimsuit, or some random woman outside!?"
As she spoke, Hisako kept shooting meaningful looks at Hayashi, her heart wailing in despair: 'Please, you have to understand my good intentions here!'
Her thoughts, conveyed through that fiery gaze (to the point where veins were popping out), reached Hayashi's brain!
Thus, Hayashi understood!
He straightened his back, righteous and unyielding, declaring with conviction: "I want to see Erina in a swimsuit! A bikini, to be precise!"
Hisako turned around excitedly and said to Erina, "Miss Erina, did you hear Mr. Hayashi's wish!?"
What else could Erina say?
She could only stomp her foot in frustration, her face flushed red as she shouted, "Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! I get it, I get it, okay!? I'll wear it, I'll just wear it!!"
"Woo-hoo—"
The next moment, Hayashi and Hisako simultaneously let out strange cheers, almost high-fiving each other in celebration.
Erina's fists clenched.
Sabrina's abs were already laughing into eighty pieces.
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