Takanashi Mirai felt something was off.
Seeing Kuroha Akira's delighted expression—that gleam in his eyes, that barely suppressed smile—she couldn't help but feel that he might be after her mother for entirely different reasons than she'd first assumed.
Does this guy have a thing for married women? she wondered suspiciously. Does he want to be my dad?
The reason she thought this was because Takanashi Mirai also felt that her mother was still in her prime. Not a single wrinkle marred her face, and her skin was still smooth and radiant. She looked nothing like a mature married woman with such a grown-up daughter after many years of marriage. Instead, she looked more like a newlywed who'd just walked down the aisle.
However, because Takanashi Akiko's motherly aura was simply too strong—that warm, nurturing presence that filled any room—when the two went out together, they wouldn't be mistaken for sisters. They would still be seen as mother and daughter.
But Takanashi Mirai knew that was mainly because her mother's hairstyle and attire were too old-fashioned. If she dressed a bit younger, she could definitely regain her youth and turn heads.
Also, her mother, unlike herself, was very broad-minded… and by that, she meant physically broad and wide in all the right places. And men always paid special attention to that particular area. Just now, Kuroha Akira couldn't help but glance at it too, didn't he?
So, it wasn't strange for Kuroha Akira to be interested in her mother. Some men just liked older women, and some even had a full-blown mother complex. Perhaps Kuroha Akira had such a hidden attribute lurking beneath that easygoing exterior.
But a classmate becoming her father was simply a plotline found only in late-night anime—the kind of absurd premise that made you laugh and cringe at the same time. However, since she wasn't planning on going to school anymore, it didn't really matter…
Besides, having a dad who could play games with her every day seemed pretty good? The main thing was being able to play games together, which was a huge plus for Takanashi Mirai. She really lacked a close playmate—someone who shared her passion and didn't judge her for it. The loneliness had been eating at her.
Thinking of this, Takanashi Mirai felt that Kuroha Akira becoming her father wasn't entirely unacceptable. Although calling him 'Dad' might be difficult—she'd probably gag on the word—if it was just about giving him a legitimate reason to live in the house and play games with her, she felt she could give him a chance to be a father figure.
Speaking of which, if her mother really remarried him, would she have to change her surname to Kuroha? Then her name would become Kuroha Mirai. Her surname turning dark felt pretty cool… Takanashi Mirai's dormant chuunibyou soul was also burning brightly at the thought.
In any case, Takanashi Mirai unilaterally decided that Kuroha Akira wanted to be her father. And since she was quite satisfied with him in all aspects—good at games, not annoying, and genuinely kind—she decided to help him out. She might as well be a supportive daughter.
Then she revealed some of her mother's weaknesses and hidden secrets that she had noticed over the years—things like how Akiko got emotional during certain movies, how she couldn't resist certain foods, and how she always fell for heartfelt pleas.
Kuroha Akira took note of all this important information. To win over the wife, he had to do his homework thoroughly. This was like preparing for a final exam where the subject was "How to Manipulate a Mother's Heart."
However, as they chatted, Takanashi Mirai became incredibly sleepy. Her eyelids drooped like lead curtains, her words became slurred, and her pronunciation all jumbled together into an incoherent mumble.
After all, it was past two in the morning when Kuroha Akira had entered her room, and they had chatted for quite a while afterward. By then, it was almost morning—the sky outside was still dark, making it feel like it was still night, but the clock told a different story.
It was only because October was already a time of shorter days and longer nights that the darkness held on so stubbornly, refusing to yield to dawn.
Kuroha Akira couldn't really sleep there—that would be crossing a line even he wouldn't dare—so he told Takanashi Mirai that they would stop for the day and could continue their conversation tomorrow. He then told her to get some proper rest, while he himself exited the room.
...
Stepping out of the room, Kuroha Akira felt very fulfilled. He had gained a lot; it was a worthwhile trip. The pieces were falling into place.
It happened to be Saturday, so Kuroha Akira wasn't in a hurry to flirt with Aunt Akiko. Instead, he prepared to catch up on sleep, as he had played games all day and then fully enjoyed imagining his future empire. After the initial excitement in his brain subsided, he was feeling a bit tired now. His eyelids were heavy, and his thoughts were starting to blur.
Takanashi Akiko was sensitive to sounds. Upon hearing Kuroha Akira's footsteps on the stairs, she proactively came out to greet him. Her pajamas were modest, her hair slightly tousled from sleep, but her eyes were alert and warm.
Although she was very curious about what he and her daughter had talked about in the room—and whether they had done anything inappropriate—she still chose to first care for Kuroha Akira's physical condition, urging him to rest early. A good mother always prioritized the guest's comfort.
"Kuroha-kun, your room is over here. I've already made up your futon." She gestured down the hallway. "You must be very tired, right? Please get some good rest first."
"Oh, thank you…" Kuroha Akira smiled gratefully.
"Not at all, don't be polite with Auntie." Akiko waved her hand. "After all, thanks to you, Mirai was willing to come out of her room… So, how is that child doing now?"
Kuroha Akira put on a regretful expression, spread his hands, and shook his head, indicating that he too was helpless. A perfect performance of a concerned but defeated advisor.
This was something he had thought of beforehand. To keep Aunt Akiko in a state of 'scheming for her daughter,' it was necessary for her to believe that the progress of persuading Takanashi Mirai was difficult. The harder it seemed, the more grateful she would be for his efforts.
This would make her subconsciously believe that he was on her side, using the pretext of helping her daughter to get her to cooperate with him. Kuroha Akira became the intermediary between the mother and daughter—a human bridge across the gap. As a conveyor of information, he could manipulate the emotions of this mother-daughter duo at will through information asymmetry.
It was a powerful position to hold.
Sure enough, Takanashi Akiko fell for it completely. Because she understood her daughter well and knew that Takanashi Mirai had a stubborn temper and was not easily persuaded, she felt that it was normal for things not to progress. Instead of being disappointed, she comforted Kuroha Akira kindly.
"Is that so… It's alright, Kuroha-kun. You've already done very well. Progress takes time."
"Well, it wasn't a complete loss though." Kuroha Akira offered a mysterious smile. "I still have some good news. How about I report it to you after I wake up?"
"Ah… Mm!" Takanashi Akiko also showed a very pleased expression upon hearing this. Her eyes crinkled at the corners with genuine warmth.
She was very happy that Kuroha Akira cared so much about her daughter. Perhaps he might even become her future son-in-law… After all, if he wasn't interested in her daughter, he wouldn't put in this much effort. It could only be said that, in terms of thought processes, the Takanashi mother and daughter were very much in sync.
The mother and daughter thought alike, both believing that Kuroha Akira was interested in the other, and then both felt that he could become a member of their family. The only difference was that the daughter thought of him as a father, while the mother thought of him as a son-in-law—their roles completely reversed like a comedy of errors.
....
Arriving at the room where he would stay today, Kuroha Akira lay down on the brand new futon. The sheets smelled freshly laundered, with a hint of floral softener.
Before falling asleep, Kuroha Akira checked his phone and found many unread text messages and several missed calls, all from Aka-nee's number. The text messages were all asking Kuroha Akira when he would return home, ranging from mildly curious to slightly frantic.
The message Kuroha Akira had sent to Aka-nee earlier only contained simple words like 'Will be back late, please tell Shion for me.' So, these were mostly messages sent by Shion after borrowing Tashiro Kurenai's phone, wanting to confirm what 'late' actually meant in practical terms.
She wouldn't still be awake, waiting for me, would she?
Although he felt it was unlikely, to be safe, Kuroha Akira still sent a text message to Aka-nee, stating that he would return tomorrow night. Because he was going to have an in-depth conversation with Aunt Akiko tomorrow during the day. He needed that time.
....
Just as Kuroha Akira was about to turn off his phone to sleep, he saw a notification that he had received a reply.
The text message was very short, only saying 'I know, goodnight,' followed by a red lip emoji, which probably represented a goodnight kiss.
By the way, he mused, I have not yet taken Shion's lips.
At most, he would kiss her forehead and cheeks, as well as her neck, collarbone, and so on. He hadn't yet put Shion-chan in his mouth.
As for why he didn't kiss her on the mouth? Mainly, Kuroha Akira was worried about going too far. After all, oral mucosal contact also promoted a large secretion of dopamine—and it was very likely to progress to the next step, all the way to the final boss stage. After all, most of the time, foreplay starts with mouth-to-mouth contact. That was just basic physics.
Then there was a buzzing vibration, and the next message read: 'Can we talk on the phone now? I want to hear your voice as I fall asleep.'
Kuroha Akira felt like he had a very possessive girlfriend. Did it become like this after just one night away from home…?
It seemed he'd have to specify the time as much as possible in the future and not let her wait idly. Otherwise, she'd just worry herself into a state.
Kuroha Akira replied with a "Yes," and then the call came through immediately—like she'd been waiting with her finger hovering over the button.
"Akira-kun…"
"Hmm, I'm here. Shion, you're still awake? Get some rest early. Don't stay up waiting for me anymore."
"Mm…"
Shion's voice came from the other end of the phone—very faint, barely above a whisper, but full of tenderness. She didn't say anything else, just occasionally called Kuroha Akira's name, followed by soft, hot panting sounds that carried through the speaker.
Kuroha Akira placed his phone by the pillow and fell asleep listening to Shion's voice, spending a night at the Takanashi household—warm, comfortable, and completely at peace.
Going back a little earlier: just as Kuroha Akira arrived at Takanashi and began playing games with the mother and daughter, another mother-daughter pair from the Asato family was about to begin a long-awaited face-to-face conversation.
At the Asato family, it was a family rule for everyone to sit together and eat—no exceptions. However, Asato Hitomi's father was very busy and often traveled across the country for business trips, which meant she rarely saw him at home.
Usually, her mother ruled the roost, so even if the mother and daughter had a strained relationship, they would still sit together for dinner. But because of Hitomi's presence, the atmosphere wouldn't be particularly stiff—just quietly tense.
Walking through the garden and entering the main house, before even changing her shoes, Asato Hitomi heard a series of hurried footsteps, followed immediately by a voice welcoming her home.
"Nee-san! Welcome back!"
Amidst the cute and tender voice, the childish lisp had not completely faded. It was the sound of pure, unconditional love.
She was the youngest member of the Asato family—Asato Akira, Asato Hitomi's younger sister, who had just started elementary school this year. Her hair was still in pigtails, and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Asato Hitomi showed her most natural smile—the one she reserved only for her sister—and replied,
"Yes, I'm back, Akira-chan."
It's worth mentioning that the name Akira was pronounced Akira—the exact same pronunciation as Kuroha Akira's given name. If Akira-kun knew that he shared a name with her younger sister, what would his reaction be…?
But Asato Hitomi could guess that he'd probably think it didn't matter. He'd probably just say something like, "What a coincidence," and then not take it to heart. It wasn't worth caring about at all.
However, having to call her 'Akira-chan' at home and 'Akira-kun' at school felt very strange—like her tongue was tripping over itself. Moreover, because she was supervising the sister-themed light novel Kuroha Akira was writing, her perception of her younger sister had also changed somewhat. Before, she only thought of her sister as an important family member, nothing more. But recently, she had increasingly felt that her sister was a haven for her soul.
If Kuroha Akira had such a cute younger sister, she thought, he would definitely become the ultimate siscon, and all other women would have to stand aside, right?
Asato Akira directly pounced on her sister and whined, wrapping her small arms around Hitomi's waist.
"Nee-san, Nee-san, after dinner, let's play games together, okay?"
"Maybe not today."
"Eh~ Why?" Asato Akira pouted, showing an unhappy expression that could melt anyone's heart.
"Because Nee-san has something to discuss with Mother today."
"Ah…"
Even though Asato Akira was still young, having been born into the Asato family, she was already very adept at reading people. She had long since realized that her older sister and mother were at odds with each other. After all, even when the two of them ate together, they wouldn't exchange a single word—only conversing with her, the youngest, as if she were the only bridge between them.
This put a lot of pressure on Asato, who needed to talk to both her mother and her sister simultaneously, sometimes even neglecting her meal just to keep the conversation flowing. But today, her sister actually took the initiative to say she wanted to talk to their mother, which greatly surprised her.
"Oh, welcome back, Hitomi."
At this moment, Asato Megumi—the mother of the family—also came out to welcome her daughter home, which was also unprecedented. Mainly, she knew that her daughter already disliked her, so she wouldn't bother to offer a warm reception where it wasn't wanted. But today was different.
"Yes, I'm back, Mother."
"Mm~ Dinner is ready. Let's eat first." Asato Megumi's voice was measured, calm. "Do you want to talk during dinner? Or after dinner?"
"Let's talk after dinner."
Asato Hitomi wasn't very keen on discussing her troubles in front of Asato, so she decided to have a private conversation with her mother after the meal.
Therefore, the atmosphere at dinner in the Asato family tonight was much more harmonious than usual. With the father absent, the relationship between the mother and the eldest daughter had eased, which was truly rare—like a temporary ceasefire in a long-standing war.
...
After dinner, the mother and daughter went to the tea room. Asato Megumi brewed tea while listening to Asato Hitomi recount her inner confusion. The scent of green tea filled the room.
Asato Hitomi spoke artfully—without mentioning Kuroha Akira by name, and without using the clumsy excuse of 'I have a friend.' Instead, she focused more on describing her own feelings: how she treated a friend as her own possession, but because the other person didn't belong to her, she felt pain whenever she saw him interacting with others.
In response, Asato Megumi's answer was surprisingly simple and direct—like a blade cutting through fog.
"Since that's the case, Hitomi, why don't you just make him your own possession?"
Asato Hitomi frowned and instinctively replied,
"If only I could…"
Then Asato Megumi interrupted her, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.
"Why can't you? We, the Asato family, are not short on money. You can completely buy him."
"…"
Buy Akira-kun?
It wasn't that Asato Hitomi hadn't thought of such a thing. Rather, she knew that Kuroha Akira was only interested in money—it was his only weakness. So, perhaps bribing him with money was indeed the correct approach.
But… was that really it? Didn't they say that money couldn't buy feelings?
Perhaps sensing her daughter's confusion, Asato Megumi revealed a meaningful smile and asked,
"Hehe, Hitomi, what do you think money is for?"
"Transactions."
"Exactly." Asato Megumi nodded slowly, her eyes glinting with experience. "The value of money is primarily reflected in its function as a medium of exchange and a measure of value, so money can be used to measure most things in this world… including people, of course."
She pushed the freshly brewed tea towards Asato Hitomi. Influenced by her husband, she was now brewing green tea, not matcha—a small but significant change.
"Of course, we are in a society governed by law now. When I say 'buying people,' I don't mean buying slaves or anything like that. Rather…"
"Winning people over." Asato Hitomi spoke the answer first, recognizing her mother's specialty. "Your specialty."
"Exactly." Asato Megumi's smile widened. "From this perspective, money can still be used to 'buy' people, and it's much more clever than coercing obedience through contracts. Contracts can be broken. Loyalty earned through genuine favor lasts longer."
"Is that how you deal with the other directors?" Hitomi asked, her tone carefully neutral.
"Hehe, you could say that." Asato Megumi took a sip of her tea. "However, loyalty bought with money is very unreliable. If it's not combined with leverage, it can easily lead to betrayal. The key is still the 'timing of entry.'"
"You've already taught me that." Hitomi recited the lesson like a student answering a test question. "Seize the opponent's weak point."
"Exactly. Only when the other party is in distress—when they have nowhere else to turn—and you provide them with 'lifesaving money,' can they truly owe you a favor. When the favors accumulate to an unpayable extent, the other party will become completely obedient to you."
If Kuroha Akira had heard this, he would surely have exclaimed in admiration, recognizing that it aligned perfectly with his own philosophy of strategic relationships.
"Of course, the only problem here might be that, Hitomi, you currently don't have 'startup capital.' And you probably don't want to use the Asato family's money—my money—to buy the person you want, correct?"
"…"
Asato Hitomi nodded silently. This was also the main reason she had never paid Kuroha Akira with money. She didn't yet have her own independent property—everything she had came from the family she resented. Accepting their money felt like admitting defeat.
"Actually, you do have some, you know." Asato Megumi's voice softened slightly. "Money that you can genuinely own."
"Money I can own… New Year's money?" Hitomi's brow furrowed.
"New Year's money isn't enough." Her mother shook her head. "The money I'm talking about is meant to help you establish your own family after you get married. In other words, this is your 'dowry.'"
"…But, that's still the family's money, isn't it?"
"I know, Hitomi, that you've always been dissatisfied with being born into the Asato family." Asato Megumi's gaze turned piercing. "But the Asato family doesn't just restrict your freedom—it also brings you corresponding wealth. You can't have one without the other."
"…"
"I can give you this money in advance." Asato Megumi leaned forward slightly. "You can use it to buy anything or anyone you want, and I won't ask any questions."
"Huh?"
Asato Hitomi was a little stunned. Did her mother mean to give her dowry to her in advance—allowing her to spend it before marriage? That was unheard of.
Asato Megumi nodded, then put away her smile. Her expression became serious, her gaze earnest and unyielding.
"However, if you spend all this money in advance—or lose it, or are swindled out of it—that's your own problem. The family will not give you one more yen. If you can accept that condition, I can give you this money now."
This was the stern mother she remembered. The one who had raised her with discipline and expectation, not warmth. She was serious. It was as if she was saying: 'I'm giving you this money, so don't expect to ask the family for any more money in the future. This is your one chance.'
Asato Hitomi didn't mind. She didn't want to rely on the Asato family anyway. The thought of being free from their financial grip was almost intoxicating.
It was just that she was very hesitant now—because she didn't know if money could truly buy the person she wanted. Could a relationship built on financial dependence ever become something real?
"Money can buy favors, but it can't buy feelings, can it…?" Hitomi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Hehe, Hitomi, I'm glad you still retain a naive side." Asato Megumi's tone was soft, but there was a hint of amusement underneath—like a teacher watching a student struggle with an obvious lesson.
"However, Hitomi, I must tell you that the pure feelings you desire are not 'feelings that exist from the beginning,' nor can they appear out of thin air. They must be cultivated, like a garden."
Many people misunderstood, thinking that pure feelings were those that arose naturally without interference. But feelings could not arise naturally without doing anything to nurture them.
"No one will inexplicably develop pure feelings for another person." Asato Megumi set down her teacup. "Unless these two people were originally family—or perhaps knew each other in a past life, ha ha ha…"
The latter half was a joke, but the former half was the truth she wanted to impart to her daughter—a truth she had realized only after experiencing it herself.
"Only after becoming family will pure feelings slowly emerge—thinking wholeheartedly for the other person, putting their needs above your own." Her mother's eyes locked onto hers. "And as long as they are not family, they are all 'outsiders.' Whether friends or lovers, none compare to a wife. Because only a wife belongs to the family."
So, if you wanted to gain pure feelings from the other person, you must first become their family.
Then the only way to go from outsider to family was marriage.
In other words, Asato Hitomi realized, only a wife can truly win his heart—and make the other person her own possession.
This was the lesson her mother wanted to teach her daughter.