Chapter 73: Three Women and One Man, Perfect for Mahjong
Yuta wasn't sure how to complete this task. As he mulled it over, he realized it might not be too difficult after all.
Spending the night...
Three women and one man, just casually spending time in a room with no one else around, drinking tea, chatting, and then safely making it through the night.
Hmm…
Is that even possible?
Whether it was or wasn't, he had to try!
"Kaoruko, since your research has hit a standstill anyway, why don't you and Aoi come over to my place tonight and we can talk?" Yuta suggested to Kaoruko.
"Talk?" Kaoruko gave Yuta a scornful smile. A man inviting three women over to 'talk'?
As Kaoruko stared at him with a mocking look, Yuta felt at a loss. His suggestion really did seem suspicious, and even Yuta wasn't entirely sure if he only wanted to talk.
Kaoruko, with a hint of sarcasm, said, "Seems I underestimated you. I thought agreeing to hang out with Aoi and me was bold enough, but your ambition is even bigger than I expected."
Though her tone was mocking, she smiled after saying it. "But I don't dislike it, nor do I mind."
Kaoruko had always tried to spark Yuta's interest in women—particularly in herself. So, naturally, she wouldn't be upset about this situation.
Her goal wasn't to stop Yuta from liking other women, but rather to make him pursue other women while still being interested in her. That was her true aim.
Seeing Kaoruko's smile annoyed Yuta. "I really don't like the way you think, and I like even less how you treat me as some kind of research project!"
Kaoruko snorted, unfazed, and looked at Yuta with amusement. "Are you really from this country? It seems like you don't appreciate the classic literature at all."
Yuta didn't care much for that anyway, so when Kaoruko accused him of not valuing the country's literary classics, he admitted it without hesitation.
"That's right. I don't like it, don't care about it, and have no interest in reading it."
Feeling the pressure of the task assigned by the system, Yuta didn't want things to escalate into something inappropriate. But being stared down by Kaoruko's calm gaze was enough to ignite his anger.
"If I can complete it, I will. If not, so be it. Without the system, am I really going to become useless?"
Yuta had confidence in himself, so he wasn't afraid of anything now. He would just give it his all. Walking this path, the first priority was staying true to himself!
If he didn't want to tolerate it, he wouldn't.
Yuta had put up with Kaoruko for long enough. With a cold expression, he said, "If you don't want to come, then forget it. We don't need to stay in touch anymore."
Kaoruko stared at Yuta, confused about how she had provoked him.
"I'll come. Save that attitude for Aoi; I think she might actually like this strong side of you."
Kaoruko decided not to push Yuta for now. She had to admit, seeing the usually mild-mannered Yuta so angry created a strong contrast that made it hard to argue against him.
Since Kaoruko had agreed without pushing back or arguing further, Yuta didn't bother saying anything harsher.
"I'm leaving. I'll have Aoi pick you up tonight."
After saying that, Yuta left, still puzzled as to why Kaoruko had suddenly become so compliant.
Once Yuta was gone, Kaoruko frowned. She was the scheming type, not the kind to handle direct confrontation.
Though Yuta looked physically unimposing, she vividly remembered their first encounter when he had effortlessly grabbed her by the collar and lifted her off the ground.
"Maybe I should start working out too?" Kaoruko glanced at her arms and figure before reluctantly dismissing the idea. "Maybe if I was fifteen years younger..."
Yuta then went to find Aoi. Just as Kaoruko had predicted, Aoi's usual strong-willed, icy demeanor melted in the face of Yuta's assertiveness, transforming her into a bashful, submissive girl.
Aoi Kiriyama was... well, complicated.
When you treated her nicely, she was a distant queen, unhesitatingly issuing orders in a commanding tone. But if you didn't treat her well, she became an obedient servant, following your every word.
This dynamic had only intensified as their relationship grew. Aoi, in Yuta's presence, even started calling him "Daddy."
Aoi's support was unwavering, and she readily agreed to Yuta's request this time too.
Once he returned home, Yuta sighed.
"My relationship with Aoi is probably the best. We're at a point where we could take things further at any time, but something just feels... off. It doesn't feel like we're a normal couple."
"Kaoruko's no different. In fact, dealing with her feels even more troublesome than Aoi."
"Both of them are beautiful, clean, and respectable women. So why can't I see either of them as the main heroine in my life?"
When Sasha returned from grocery shopping, she saw Yuta sitting in the living room with a troubled expression. She sat down next to him, leaning against him with a smile. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Yeah, two friends are coming over tonight to stay the night. I was wondering if you'd like to join us for a chat? Are you free?"
Unlike the other two women who had their own psychological issues, Yuta this time asked Sasha for her opinion.
"Two friends? I don't have anything planned for tomorrow. But who are they? Are they related to Hina?" Sasha asked, confused about who he was referring to.
"One is a businesswoman I know, and the other is a professor from our school. I invited them over to... well, to play mahjong. Do you know how to play? We'll be four people, and I don't want the kids to know. I really don't want you all to get hooked on mahjong."
Yuta thought about what the four of them could do together overnight. Although certain ideas crossed his mind, he decided playing mahjong to pass the time was the best option.
Hearing Yuta ramble, Sasha laughed. "You know, I'm eight years older than you, yet when you talk to me, you sound just like a dad!"
Though Sasha was joking, there was some truth to her words. The way Yuta talked to her did feel like the way he talked to Hina.
Yuta stared at Sasha in shock, worried that she might start calling him "dad" too.
But Sasha clearly had no such intention. Seeing his reaction, she burst into laughter. "You look so cute right now!"
Looking at the childlike joy on Sasha's face, Yuta felt a bit lost.
Was it that all the women in this world had a youthful heart, or did he just naturally have a fatherly aura?
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