"Is this pressure okay?"
"Mm, yes~"
Large, firm, and warm; this was Kyouka felt about the hands kneading her waist.
Fuyumi's massage technique was not very skilled, at least not as skilled as the professional masseuses she and Reika visited at the spa, but the strength in his hands, slightly heavier than just right, was something those female masseuses couldn't maintain for long.
This mix of comfort and slight pain was exactly what she needed after long periods of sitting.
Looking at the mature beauty hum softly, like a little piglet being cuddled, Sasaki maintained the pressure as he knelt over her.
Estimating that the time was about right, he asked casually:
"How much does Aunt Kyouka know about my hometown?"
"Hometown?"
"About my grandfather and where he lived."
"Hmm, I did visit there for a while when your mother was pregnant with you. I only met your grandfather a few times."
"Aunt Kyouka, have my father or mother ever mentioned anything about our family's traditional marriage agreements?"
The muscles in her back stiffened at the mention.
Suppressing the urge to turn around, Tachibana Kyouka asked in surprise:
"You… Have the Miyajima family approached you?"
Realizing that she knew about the marriage arrangement, Sasaki explained:
"I have a classmate whose mother has a good relationship with the head of Miyajima Dojo. We once ran into each other at the school gate."
"Later, she asked me to visit their home, and they told me about the relationship between the two families."
"So… what do you think about this marriage arrangement?"
Allowing her tensed muscles to relax like kneading dough, Sasaki honestly said:
"I'm not sure about the details, so I haven't agreed or declined yet. The old Mr. Miyajima suggested that we should get to know each other more, but…"
"But Mr. Miyajima… doesn't mind his granddaughter being a mistress."
"I see…"
Hearing this, Tachibana Kyoka was somewhat surprised, but not overly so.
After all, she was aware of the past actions of the Miyajima family.
If the Sasaki family had made a big fuss about it at the time, the Miyajima family's reputation in the kendo community would have been utterly ruined.
They would have become despised by everyone.
Then, not to mention participating in competitions, even attracting new students would have become extremely difficult.
Thus, it was normal for the Miyajima family to feel indebted and want to make amends.
After knowing what the Miyajima family meant, Kyouka asked curiously:
"What does Mr. Miyajima's granddaughter look like?"
"She's very pretty and well-behaved. So far, I haven't seen any faults."
"You're already seeing beauty in the eyes of your lover so soon, huh?"
"Our interactions haven't been long... just being honest~"
"Then be honest with your auntie..."
After hesitating for a moment, Tachibana Kyouka, lying on the bed, fidgeted with the pillow and asked hesitantly:
"If you had to choose between Mr. Miyajima's granddaughter, your sisters Koharu, Yuuka, and Otome, who would you choose?"
...
After a moment of silence, not sure what she meant by this, Sasaki responded jokingly:
"Only children would find it too much to handle, adults would definitely choose to have it all!"
Tachibana Kyouka, amused by his response, teased him:
"Do you even count as an adult?"
Men hate being looked down upon by others the most, especially by those who they liked.
Sasaki was no exception.
Hearing her teasing words, he paused the pressure of his hands massaging her waist, then slowly leaned forward, his chest pressing against her shoulder.
Feeling the sudden increase of pressure on her back and the masculine warmth crashing down like a collapsing mountain, Tachibana Kyouka's eyes widened in panic as she called out:
"Fuyumi?"
Resting his chin on her soft, narrow shoulders, with his face pressed against her fragrant hair.
Sasaki's voice was a bit deep, carrying a mix of grievance and helplessness:
"Aunt Kyouka, you always treat me like a child. I'm not little anymore, I can help you."
"My parents are gone, and you're the closest person to me now. I want to help you; you can rely on me more."
"I might not be able to assist with company decisions."
"But for things like social gatherings, you can take me with you. I can handle drinks for you."
Knowing that perhaps her coming home smelling of alcohol when he was a child had left a deep impression on him.
Tachibana Kyouka let the warmth in her heart soften her tensed body, and she spoke softly:
"You know, with my current status, I rarely attend... huh!?"
Before she could finish her words, Sasaki, who was lying on her shoulder, tilted his head and gently bit her soft earlobe.
After giving her a small punishment, he said dissatisfiedly:
"You just need to tell me whether or not to bring me along when those events occur."
"You're still growing... Hey! Fuyumi, let go~"
"Do I still need to grow?"
"No, no more."
"Then will you bring me?"
"Yes~"
His breath hot against her ear, made her dizzy as Tachibana Kyouka lay on the pillow, her voice weak:
"Fuyumi, aren't you massaging anymore?"
Knowing this was her cue for him to leave.
Sasaki straightened up, resumed pressing on her waist, and said:
"Aunt Kyouka, you have to keep your word. Adults who break their promises need to be punished!"
"Uh-huh~ Uh-huh!"
Her response was blurry.
Gradually coming to her senses, Kyouka slowly frowned her soft brows.
Her previous idea was to test Fuyumi's feelings for Yuuka Koharu to determine if his affection for her was pure.
But his recent comments about wanting 'all' and his overly intimate behavior... How should she interpret that?
Does he truly like Yuuka, Koharu?
Or is he also coveting her...
His statement about wanting 'all'... Could it possibly mean...
As a company CEO, Tachibana Kyoka was well aware of how extravagantly those big bosses played in private.
Thinking of that terrible possibility, she shrank her toes, small as sugar beans.
No, it couldn't be. Fuyumi, such a well-behaved child... How could he think that way?
He must be feeling lonely because of his parents' death; that's why he's acting like this.
Yes! That must be it!
As long as Fuyumi focuses on Yuuka and Koharu, appreciating their good qualities, he will gradually forget about her, an old woman...
Though the thought was somewhat sad.
But it also served as an impeccable excuse.
Tachibana Kyouka quickly adjusted her mindset, regaining her composure.
She and Kurashiki Reika have been working together in Tokyo for many years, and she had a very pragmatic view of men keeping several lovers or close female friends.
Thus, she wasn't particularly disturbed by Fuyumi's declaration of wanting 'everything.'
Of course, her acceptance of the 'everything' scenario came with certain unspoken conditions.
Clearing her mind of any improper thoughts and refocusing on his recent comments, Tachibana Kyouka hinted:
"Since our young adult wants it all, you'll have to work doubly hard."
"Yep, I'll work on strengthening my body even more!"
Gradually revealing his ambitious side, Sasaki chuckled with a hint of mischief.
Due to lying on the bed, Kyouka couldn't easily turn around to scold him, so instead, she lifted her heel and gently tapped his back.
Feeling, she shouldn't discuss such suggestive topics with Fuyumi, she changed the subject casually.
"You haven't visited your hometown much, have you?"
He really had no memories of his hometown; he didn't even know where it was.
His earliest memories were of attending kindergarten in Yokohama.
Afterward, he was brought to Tokyo by his parents, where he met Otome, Rinka, and then through his mother's contact with Aunt Kyouka, he got to know Sisters Yuuka and Koharu.
"Hmm, they never mentioned anything about it."
He nodded, responding to her statement.
Remembering his time in kindergarten, Sasaki inadvertently thought of a teacher he had made a promise with back then.
It was somewhat embarrassing to recall how clueless he had been, making a confession of love as a child...
He shook his head, dismissing these 'old memories' from his mind.
Tachibana Kyouka then spoke:
"If you want to visit your hometown to pay respects, I can take you there when I have some time."
Curious about his family's background, Sasaki replied softly.
"Alright."
"By the way, Aunt Kyouka, did my parents have any conflicts with my grandfather? Why didn't they ever tell me about my hometown?"
"That... I'm not really sure."
"If you want to know more, we can ask around when we visit your old home. People in the village might know something."
To be honest, with his relatives gone, Sasaki wasn't too interested in their buried past; he had only asked out of sudden curiosity.
But he couldn't say that in front of her.
So, even though it didn't matter much to him, he nodded earnestly, agreeing to follow through.
The conversation between them shifted to school matters and small campus stories.
But Sasaki could tell that she was somewhat distracted.
Her hesitance, as if she wanted to say something but was unsure, was very apparent.
Rubbing his hands, pressing more firmly on the sides of her waist, Sasaki asked:
"Auut Kyouka, is there something you want to tell me?"
Seemingly caught off guard by his direct question, she paused for a moment.
Tachibana Kyuoka, lying on the pillow, lightly bit her soft lip and said with a resigned smile:
"You caught on, huh? Yes... there's something I've been wanting to discuss with you."
"Do you still remember your Aunt Reika?"