"Jun-chan, it's time to eat."
Wearing heat-resistant gloves, Yūki carried a pot of soup out from the kitchen. The meatballs in the pot bounced with her movements, looking cute as can be.
The meatball soup contained a small amount of vegetable oil. The meatballs were lightly coated in oil, their slight yellow sheen particularly noticeable.
"You can eat now. Please try my cooking."
Yūki took off her heat-resistant gloves, bent down, sat on the small stool, and clasped her hands together. "Itadakimasu" (I humbly receive this meal.)
The movement wasn't large, but for Hoshino Jun, who was sitting across from Mrs. Takayanagi, it was certainly significant.
He mentally noted another good Japanese custom: clasping your hands together before eating.
"Jun-chan, aren't you going to eat?"
As if sensing that Hoshino Jun's attention was fixed on her body and recalling the earlier incident, Takayanagi Yūki awkwardly bent her legs.
Her summer denim shorts were probably too small, struggling to contain her plump, fair legs and leaving distinct indentations on her thighs.
Above were the shorts; below were her legs.
"I usually eat quite slowly; it's a habit."
"Oh, all right."
Hearing this, Takayanagi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
She thought to herself that she had indeed misunderstood. Jun-chan had only wanted a hug earlier, so why was he staring at her now?
Her charming, beautiful face with smiling, curved eyes looked even more like the fox spirits often found in myths.
Mrs. Takayanagi is a bit of a fool, isn't she?
She doesn't seem to realize that the more she makes that expression, the more alluring she becomes.
The last rays of the setting sun filtered through gaps in the clouds. The twilight glow passed through the window, elongating the shadows of the young man and beautiful woman.
The evening breeze gently stirred the young man's dark hair. While Hoshino Jun was eating, Yūki took the opportunity to sneak glances at his face.
He's really good-looking.
When it came to looks, it must be said that Jo wasn't ugly, but he paled in comparison to Jun.
They didn't speak, as if time had frozen at a certain moment.
"Jun-chan, have you and Jo-chan had a fight?"
Finally noticed, huh?
It's been a year and a half with no contact, and only now do you realize that your son and Hoshino Jun had a falling out?
Suddenly, the sound of a key turning in the lock came from the door. A slight smile touched Jun's lips as he admitted frankly,
"Yes, it's because the girl Jo-kun liked confessed her feelings to me. I rejected her because of Jo-kun, but he still ended up hating me for it."
Since they were already enemies, they might as well let the storm rage even more fiercely.
Hearing this, Yūki slightly bowed her head, her glossy toes curling in shame.
The Takayanagis' coffee table was made of transparent glass, and Hoshino Jun could see the entire "scene" as he lowered his head to eat.
"How could he do that?"
"Is Jo-chan an idiot?" Yūki asked. "How could he hate his friend over a girl who doesn't even like him?"
Suddenly, the front door opened and Takayanagi Jo happened to hear his mother's conversation with Hoshino Jun; his face instantly darkened.
"Hoshino Jun, you're so despicable! You actually told my mom about our personal grudge!"
"Heh." Jun let out a light laugh but didn't speak. Someone would naturally deal with him.
"Takayanagi Jo!"
Yūki scolded him, her face showing displeasure.
Her willow-like eyebrows furrowed. The beautiful woman stood up from the small stool and walked over to Takayanagi Jo, moving her plump, long legs.
Takayanagi Jo panicked at that moment. He wanted to explain, but Hoshino Jun had already played the evidence of today's false accusation for Takayanagi Yūki.
She didn't want to hear Jo's explanation. She reached out and grabbed his face, pinching hard. "I work hard to earn money to put you through school, and this is how you repay me?"
"Jun-chan has been so good to you! He rejected a girl's confession because of you, and you hold a grudge against him for it!"
"You even learned to frame Jun-chan for stealing money today, making me..."
Yūki's words abruptly halted. She had almost blurted out that she had hugged Hoshino Jun for fifteen minutes. She pinched Takayanagi Jo's face even harder.
Jo cried out in pain. He failed to notice the oddity in his mother's words and only stared at Hoshino Jun with resentful eyes.
"Mom, I was wrong. Stop pinching."
Raised in a single-parent household, Takayanagi Jo still had some sense of filial piety.
Even though his mother was scolding him in front of a stranger, he didn't think about resisting.
After pinching him for a long time, until his face was nearly swollen, Yūki finally released him, pointing at him and saying,
"Go apologize to Jun-chan right now."
The soft and gentle Yūki from earlier now displayed a surprisingly high level of maternal authority when dealing with her son. Her commands were like imperial decrees to Takayanagi Jo.
Although unwilling, Jo obediently lowered his head, hiding his gloomy eyes.
"I'm sorry!"
"All right, I accept Jo-kun's apology."
Jun felt it was enough. He stood up and walked over to Jo, who was a few centimeters shorter, raising his left hand to rest on his shoulder.
'Even a rabbit will bite if it's cornered. You can't push prey too hard to avoid extreme acts of desperation. You have to control the degree appropriately.'
Hoshino Jun wanted a money-making machine, not to face a madman with nothing to lose.
"Tch," Takayanagi Jo muttered under his breath. "Who wants you to accept it, you snitch who only tells teachers and parents?"
Today, he had to write a two-thousand-word reflection in the office, and his mom pinched his face until it was swollen. The more Jo thought about it, the angrier he got.
He couldn't help but whisper a threat: "Hoshino, I won't forget what happened today. You just wait."
[Ding!]
[Threatening remarks detected from Takayanagi Jo!]
[Option: Do not pursue the matter. Will incur a Grade D favor debt.]
Do not pursue.
[Judgment: Takayanagi Jo is unable to repay this favor debt. The debt has been automatically transferred to his mother, Takayanagi Yūki."
[Note: Please promptly collect the favor debt from this person. You will receive a reward upon successful collection.]
"Hm, I'll be waiting."
And waiting for Mrs. Takayanagi, too.
Hoshino Jun smiled, stepped around Takayanagi Jo, walked up to Takayanagi Yūki, and extended his hand.
Now wasn't the time for collection. He'd do that when they met alone.
"Aunt Yūki, I've finished eating. I should head home now."
"All right, Jun-chan. Rest early when you get back." Yūki nodded and took Hoshino Jun's hand.
Suddenly, the young man lightly scratched her palm. Her cheeks instantly flushed pink.
'Jun-chan...what is he doing?'
He's making Aunt Yūki feel all tingly.
Releasing Yūki's hand, Jun glanced back at Jo, who was oblivious, a slight smile playing on his lips.
A youthful, handsome young man won't forgive a foolish, pigheaded friend.
'Stupid Takayanagi Jo. Hate me to your heart's content and then launch your ugly retaliation against me.'