Hoshimi watched as Yukinoshita changed into slippers and asked, "Do you have any spare slippers?"
"There are disposable slippers in the shoe cabinet. Help yourself," Yukinoshita said, then supported herself against the wall as she walked towards the living room.
With her permission, Hoshimi found a pair of disposable slippers in the shoe cabinet. As he put them on, he said, "Yukinoshita, I remember you live alone, right? Why would you need disposable slippers? Do you have friends visiting?"
Yukinoshita turned her head and gave Hoshimi a cold look, "My sister comes over occasionally. They're for her."
"Really?" Hoshimi, now wearing the slippers, caught up with Yukinoshita and said with a strange expression, "You prepare disposable slippers for your sister? Are you two really sisters?"
"Are you annoying, Hoshimi?"
Everything is an issue with him. If it weren't for her sprained ankle, Yukinoshita would have kicked Hoshimi to make him understand the consequences of his annoying behavior.
"Okay, okay, don't get mad. I was just asking," Hoshimi circled to her right side, ready to support her.
"No need, I can manage on my own." Yukinoshita pushed Hoshimi's hand away, feeling irritated.
Even now, this jerk still wants to take advantage. He's so shameless!
"Fine, you walk on your own then. I'll look around your place." Rejected, Hoshimi didn't mind and walked ahead to the living room to explore.
Wow, what a minimalist living room.
The entire living room had only a sofa set, a coffee table, a standing air conditioner, and a water dispenser.
Other than that, there was nothing else, making the living room appear very empty.
Especially with the large floor-to-ceiling windows providing an expansive view, the empty living room seemed even more desolate.
Moreover, Yukinoshita had kept the living room so clean that it lacked any sign of being lived in.
Honestly, it was somewhat like the small apartment he lived in when he had just started working in his previous life.
But he had it worse than Yukinoshita—no floor-to-ceiling windows, no air conditioner, just a single sofa, no coffee table, only a simple wooden table.
"Yukinoshita, mind if I check out other areas?" Hoshimi turned to ask Yukinoshita, who had just entered the living room.
"I do mind, but would you listen to me?" Yukinoshita sat down on the sofa with effort and said coldly, "You can look around, except for my bedroom."
"Fine. Which one is your bedroom?" Hoshimi asked.
"There." Yukinoshita pointed to the main bedroom with the door closed.
Hoshimi stood there, surprised. "Three bedrooms and one living room?"
"Yes..." Yukinoshita replied subconsciously.
At this moment, she was considering whether to prepare some tea for Hoshimi. After all, Hoshimi was a guest, and he should receive proper treatment.
Hoshimi clicked his tongue, "Living alone in a three-bedroom apartment is quite luxurious."
"..." Yukinoshita glanced at Hoshimi. You jerk, do you have the right to say that?
You live alone in a duplex mansion! Together, the two floors add up to over a thousand square meters, right?!
And you call me luxurious!
Forget about the tea!
"Fine, I won't go into your bedroom. I'll check the other rooms."
Without wasting time, Hoshimi, full of action, headed to the second bedroom next to Yukinoshita's.
"Click--"
Upon opening the door, he saw the second bedroom had been converted into a study.
But this so-called study only had a bookshelf with a desk and a wall-mounted air conditioner. There was nothing else.
Hoshimi stepped out and turned to look at the other second bedroom.
There was a bed and two bedside tables, along with a wall-mounted air conditioner. And that was it.
He stepped out again and checked the bathroom and kitchen.
These two places showed some signs of life.
The bathroom had numerous bottles and jars, and a stack of various towels. The bathtub was quite large too.
The kitchen was very clean, but the slight oil stains on the corner of the range hood indicated that Yukinoshita probably cooked at home.
The fully stocked fridge also confirmed his thought.
"Yukinoshita, where are the cups? I want to have some barley tea."
In the kitchen, feeling a bit thirsty, Hoshimi called out loudly.
"No extra cups. Use a bowl. The bowls are in the third cabinet from the entrance."
"The lower or upper cabinet?"
"Lower."
Following her instructions, Hoshimi opened the cabinet and found a small number of tableware. He grabbed the nearest small porcelain bowl to use as a cup.
Soon, Hoshimi returned to the living room with the bowl, sitting next to Yukinoshita.
"Do you want some?" Hoshimi asked while sipping the barley tea.
"..." Yukinoshita shook her head slightly, her eyebrows furrowed.
Hoshimi was using her usual eating bowl...
"Your parents are still alive, right?"
"Hm?"
Hearing Hoshimi's question, Yukinoshita's frown deepened. She coldly replied, "Yes, they are."
Hoshimi sipped the cool barley tea and continued, "If your parents are still alive, why did they let you live alone?"
Mentioning her parents made Yukinoshita's expression even more scarce. She lifted her leg, half-lying on the sofa, and said, "Aren't you also living alone? Why did your parents allow it?"
Hoshimi smiled and didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Yukinoshita, can you tell me why you live alone?"
"No..."
"Don't refuse so quickly. There are benefits. If you tell me, I won't do much in the dream tonight."
Yukinoshita hesitated.
After a while, rubbing her temples and feeling a bit tired, she said, "On the first day of high school, our driver hit someone on the way to Sobu High. It seemed to be a student from Sobu High."
"My father suggested that I move out temporarily to avoid trouble."
"I also wanted some independence, so I moved out. After that, my parents never suggested I move back, and I didn't want to, so I stayed here."
"And what about you, Hoshimi? Why do you live alone?"
Hoshimi rubbed his chin and asked back, "Information requires payment. What can you offer?"
"Tch, forget it then."
With nothing to offer in return, Yukinoshita glared at Hoshimi in frustration.
"Interesting, you hit a student from Sobu High?" Hoshimi sipped his tea thoughtfully.
"Hm? What are you thinking?" Yukinoshita poked Hoshimi's leg with her uninjured left foot.
"Did you try to find the student from Sobu High afterward?" Hoshimi put down his tea and grabbed Yukinoshita's cold foot.
Yukinoshita tried to pull her foot away, but Hoshimi held it tightly, and she couldn't free it.
Annoyed, she kicked Hoshimi's side and gave up struggling. "No!"
"Really? I thought someone like you would definitely try to find them," Hoshimi said, looking at Yukinoshita in surprise.
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