While he knew that he was quite selfish and individualistic, Mizuto knew how to watch the mood, atmosphere, and also the expression of others. While Yume might not notice anything, he noticed something strange about Akatsuki and Reina.
Akatsuki aside, as she was good at masking her emotions, Reina was so obvious, which made him wonder what was happening when he had gone out earlier.
Yume might not realize it, but Mizuto, who was keen on reading the emotions of others and learned psychology due to his protection against Akatsuki's attacks, could tell that there was something wrong with Reina.
Reina's expression was complex and difficult to express, yet Mizuto could see shyness, reproachfulness, guilt, and curiosity. Those emotions shouldn't appear at the same time, yet they appeared on her face.
Frankly, Mizuto didn't understand why she could feel like that, and he was also sure that she didn't understand her current feelings either.
Yet, he could tell that whatever happened when he left earlier was harmless.
As for why he could tell, it was all because of Akatsuki.
Yes, Akatsuki might be crazy, but for one thing, she wished to give the best for the one she loved. According to her story, her fetish was to lock him up inside her room and then take care of his needs 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
In other words, Akatsuki wanted to give her everything to the one that she loved.
If something harmful happened to her loved one, she might not hesitate to erase this harmful factor.
Yes, it was scary.
Yet, Mizuto felt like he had a secret bodyguard.
Moreover, he could tell that whatever was happening was complicated, and he was too lazy to find out about those things, especially when his body was slightly stiff due to his journey with Yuu to Lake Biwa. His motorcycle was cool and all, but as expected, the comfort was slightly off. He felt like he should get more comfortable with a new motorcycle later.
Still, he had to say that by telling his family about his jobs, many things became convenient, and he didn't need to do something so sneaky.
As for the problem with Reina?
Mizuto recalled a saying, "Let the sleeping dog lie." If there was no problem, there was no need for him to cause even more problems. However, if this problem was impossible to ignore, he was sure that Akatsuki would tell him about that problem.
Still, he had to say Reina appeared so alluring. Her flushed cheeks showed shyness and also an eagerness to learn something that she didn't know. At this moment, he was afraid that he might do something sorry to Reina, so he decided to change the subject so his lust wouldn't dominate him.
"Is it okay for you to stay late like this? Have you prepared for the trip tomorrow?"
His words brought a sigh of relief to Akatsuki and Reina since they knew that with those words, their trip to the Ise-Shima tomorrow was confirmed. Still, they decided to stay for a while to have dinner together before they went home. After all, he had bought an Omi Beef for dinner.
Who didn't like beef?
Whether it was Yume, Akatsuki, or Reina, the three of them loved them.
"Where did you get this?"
"From my work," Mizuto said without blinking.
"But Omi Beef, huh?" Yume somehow almost drooled, and she thought about the Kobe Beef, which she had eaten with Mizuto in Osaka. Omi Beef, which he bought, had the same status as Kobe Beef, so she couldn't wait to taste it.
Akatsuki and Reina were also excited.
With this beef as the main, the four had an extravagant dinner and cooked sukiyaki, a dish consisting of meat that is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin.
"I thought that you would make something special."
This beef was expensive, so Reina thought that they should make something special instead of sukiyaki.
"Such as?"
"Er...." When Mizuto asked this question, Reina wasn't sure how to answer.
"Still, isn't sukiyaki a special dish? It is mostly eaten on special occasions, after all."
"If you say it like that it seems you are right..."
Hearing his words, they felt like sukiyaki might be the most appropriate way to cook this A5 Wagyu Omi Beef. Still, as it was easy to cook the sukiyaki, they told him to rest and waited in the living room as they were going to prepare the rest.
While feeling worried, Mizuto knew that Akatsuki was quite good at cooking, so he felt reassured and just rested since he hadn't taken a break. Yet, his smartphone vibrated again, and he saw that he had gotten a call from Sonoko once again.
"Hello?"
"Hey..." Sonoko apologized for calling him so suddenly again and quickly told him about the female author, who wished to get his contact information.
"..."
Mizuto was speechless before he said, "In that case, wait until the "Golden Week" is over. I don't think I have time to talk about this." He didn't mind helping Sonoko, but if this female author got ahead of herself, thinking that he would skip his holiday just because Sonoko asked him for help, then it was better for this female author to forget about his help.
Mizuto didn't have any obligations to help this female author after all, and if this female author didn't understand the meaning behind his words and urged him to help her, then he might as well not help.
Moreover, his time was precious as he was thinking about his future business kingdom.
Lastly, this female author was nothing but a stranger to him.
Even if the female author was beautiful, did he lack a beautiful woman now?
Frankly, Mizuto felt like he should reject this request in the beginning as it was bothersome.
His time was precious; why should he spend it to help to make the novel of others?
"Okay," Sonoko said softly, then apologized, "Sorry for bothering you. I will tell her that." She also knew that Mizuto didn't have time. His book was nothing but just a way to pass his time, and helping Utaha with her novel was because she asked him for a request. If she didn't ask him, would he even bother to think about Utaha's novel?
Even if they only spent a few days together, she also learned a lot of things about him.
Yet, she also knew that what she saw was nothing but the tip of the iceberg, and it was also why she felt quite guilty when she thought that she had bothered him.
They talked for a while before they finished their call.
Sonoko looked at her smartphone for a while, then looked at Utaha, who was waiting, then said, "You should have heard it, right?" She might wish to help Utaha as she treated Utaha like a little sister, but for her, Mizuto was more important, and she definitely didn't want to trouble him.
"...."
Utaha was at a loss, and she also felt quite a resentment. She knew that her feelings were quite unreasonable as Mizuto didn't have an obligation to help her, but due to her beauty, even if her personality was bad and she always acted cold, the number of her suitors couldn't be counted with hands. Even if she treated them coldly, they would come to her, favor her, try to please her like the most precious treasure, and even be willing to be used by her.
Fortunately, she wasn't a bad woman who would use those men as playthings and wallets.
So, this experience of being rejected and even ignored was the first time for her.
After all, Mizuto was different from the harem protagonist, with whom Utaha was close, as he wasn't a simple boy who used everything to help the beautiful women around him.
'This guy...'
There was this feeling that annoyed her, but she knew that she couldn't cause trouble to the others.
Yet, this feeling of rejection was so uncomfortable.
"Thank you. I will wait until the end of the "Golden Week," Machida-san."
There was nothing she could do except hold on.
"I will talk to him after that time." Sonoko nodded.
"Thank you." Utaha thanked Sonoko once again, but then she thought about their conversation, which said that Mizuto would come to Tokyo two weeks after the "Golden Week."
His time in Tokyo might be limited, but Utaha was going to use that time for revenge. How did she get this revenge? It was to make him fall for her. When he fell for her, she would dump him away, letting him feel the feeling of a broken heart.
That's how a woman gives her revenge on a man.
Nevertheless, as she thought of such an evil plan, her mood became better.
'Hehehe... just wait.'
Utaha anticipated her future meeting with Mizuto.
Nevertheless, Mizuto didn't know that, and even if he knew, he would laugh since he didn't care much since he was ready to take this challenge.