The three of them got on the train and returned to Sajuna's house. Sajuna stood at the door and pulled out the key to open it from her pocket.
"Click."
The door opened with a click, and Akira naturally reached out his arm to pull it open.
"Oh, Sajuna, Shinju, you're back?"
Sayouye's mom, who had been waiting at home, heard the front door open and walked towards it, asking as she went.
"Did Akira-kun come back with you?"
Sayouye's mom craned her neck to look towards the door and, as expected, saw a helpless Akira, with Sajuna holding his arm, looking at her with an annoyed expression.
"Oh, Akira-kun really did come. Come on in."
"Mom!"
Sajuna looked at her mom, who was only focused on greeting her boyfriend, and felt a slight strangeness in her heart. She and Shinju were standing right there.
It hadn't even been two months since she met Aki-Kun, but it felt like her mom's affection for him had surpassed her and Shinju's.
"Shinju, come in quickly, Sajuna too."
Sayouye's mom quickly grabbed Shinju and Sajuna's arms, pulling them in from outside.
Akira took off his outdoor shoes at the entrance and put on the slippers Sajuna had prepared for him.
"He's Sajuna's boyfriend, doesn't Sajuna want her mom to like him more?"
Sayouye's mom tapped Sajuna's forehead. Sajuna rubbed the spot that had been tapped and argued,
"But, it's too intimate! Mom wasn't even this intimate with me before."
"Since he's the boy Sajuna likes, it's normal for him to be more popular than Sajuna, isn't it?"
"Huh, what kind of reason is that?"
Sajuna's eyes widened, as if she had heard something unbelievable.
"But, but, it seems Aki-Kun is indeed quite popular…"
As Sajuna spoke, her confidence wavered slightly.
"Stop worrying about your boyfriend being more liked by Mom than you. Go change your shoes."
"Oh, oh."
Only then did Sajuna notice that Shinju and Aki-Kun had already changed into their slippers and were waiting for her.
She lifted her leg, reached out her arm to take off her small leather shoes, and her foot, clad in black over-the-knee socks, landed with a thud on the floor. Then she took off the other small leather shoe, walked a few steps on the floor in her socks, and reached for her slippers.
She glanced at her boyfriend, and sure enough, as she expected, Aki-Kun was indeed staring at her foot on the ground with a gentle gaze.
Just by looking at his eyes, there was no way to connect Aki-Kun's actions with a gentle and handsome image!
Especially after just discussing with her mom who was more liked by her mom, Sajuna looked at Akira and suddenly had the urge to kick Aki-Kun.
"Aki-Kun!"
"Huh?"
Akira looked puzzled, then saw Sajuna's foot, which had been in her slipper, suddenly pull out and kick towards him.
Looking at the foot that was getting bigger and bigger in front of him, Akira directly reached out and grabbed it, looking at Sajuna with a serious expression.
"Sajuna."
"Can you two lovebirds do this when Mom isn't around?"
Sayouye's mom looked very helpless, covering her eyes, her tone also weary.
But Mom, can you stop twitching your lips!
Sajuna looked at her mom's constantly twitching lips and couldn't help but want to complain. Mom, you're clearly smiling!
"Mom won't get in the way of you two deepening your relationship!"
Sayouye's mom said this, then pushed Shinju towards the living room, leaving Sajuna and Akira standing in the entryway.
"Aki-Kun, let go."
Sajuna whined.
"No."
Akira shook his head.
"Sajuna needs to explain why she kicked me."
Akira said, looking into Sajuna's eyes. Although he had already guessed, he still needed Sajuna to say it herself for him to feel a little better.
"Aki-Kun, let go."
"My leg is getting sore too."
Sajuna wailed, "And, and Aki-Kun must be tired from bending over."
"But I want to know the reason Sajuna kicked me."
Akira shook his head, not changing his mind.
"It's, it's because Mom is too intimate with Aki-Kun."
Sajuna said, her cheeks flushed, "And Aki-Kun was staring at my socks, so I suddenly wanted to kick Aki-Kun."
"Does Aki-Kun not like it?"
Sajuna couldn't help but cover her face, observing her boyfriend's reaction through her fingers.
Akira couldn't help but feel a little speechless. He just liked Sajuna's feet a little; he wasn't a masochist, he didn't have any masochistic tendencies.
And Sajuna's timing wasn't very good either…
Akira released the foot he was holding and explained to Sajuna with a helpless expression.
"I'm just loving you for your sake, Sajuna. Don't overthink it."
"Oh."
Sajuna only felt that her right foot, which had been held in Aki-Kun's hand, was still a little numb. Her toes slowly tapped a few times on the floor, making the sound of socks rubbing against the floor.
Seeing Akira's gaze once again drawn, Sajuna felt the credibility of Aki-Kun's words instantly drop. It clearly wasn't loving her for her sake!
Watching Sajuna clearly adjusting to her withdrawn right leg, Akira patiently waited for Sajuna for a while, then walked into the living room with Sajuna. Sayouye's mom's gaze drifted over, making Sajuna directly push Akira into the bathroom.
"Huh, what's wrong, Sajuna?"
Akira asked, looking at Sajuna's flushed face.
"Aki-Kun, wash your hands quickly! You just grabbed my socks."
"If you don't wash them, I won't let you touch my face and hair."
Akira did have the idea of washing his hands immediately, but he wasn't as urgent as Sajuna, so he asked Sajuna again.
"Is there no other reason?"
Sajuna opened her mouth, then finally shook her head.
Of course she wouldn't say she was afraid Aki-Kun would smell the hand that had grabbed her socks!
She would definitely be severely punished by Aki-Kun then.
Sajuna still had a will to live…
After Akira washed his hands, Sajuna pulled Shinju and started editing the photos taken that day. Akira watched the two sisters discussing intently from the side.
Shinju skillfully used post-processing software to adjust the color and lighting of the photos, making the captured effects look better.
"They look really good."
Akira couldn't help but praise.
"Shinju's post-processing is also amazing."
"Although the lighting wasn't great when we took the photos, they look pretty good now, and the atmosphere of the environment perfectly matches the outfits."
Shinju said, operating the software.
"That's certainly true. They look even better after Shinju's processing."
Sajuna commented, looking at the finished photos, then couldn't help but lean closer to the computer screen.
"Hey, big sister."
Shinju reminded, looking at her sister who had suddenly leaned in.
"Is there something wrong with the photo?"
"No, nothing at all. It's just because Shinju's cosplay is so amazing, and it's a character I could absolutely never cosplay, so I'm a little envious and couldn't help but want to look closer."
Sajuna said faintly, then felt her palm enveloped by warmth. She turned her head and, as always, saw the gentle Aki-Kun.
Anytime she could see Aki-Kun, it really was a stroke of luck.