After getting off the train, Chisato didn't head straight home but instead went to a nearby supermarket.
He needed to buy some groceries to prepare dinner for tonight and store it in the fridge, so he wouldn't have to cook in the morning.
Generally speaking, it's better to shop in the morning because the vegetables that have just been delivered and stocked are fresher.
However, shopping in the evening, like Chisato was doing, had another advantage: unsold perishable items are usually marked down with discount labels.
Trading a little bit of freshness for a 30%, 50%, or even 70% discount seemed like a great deal to him.
A pack of carrots and potatoes was only 120 yen! Maybe he'd grab some chicken thighs and make a simple curry.
While wandering through the supermarket with his basket, Chisato received a phone call—it was Utaha.
It wasn't too surprising, as she had been calling him more and more frequently lately.
After answering, her elegant voice, laced with a smile, came through.
"Have you finished work?"
"Yeah, I just got off not long ago."
"I think I can hear people talking around you."
"It's the supermarket staff promoting sausages."
"Is that so…"
Her soft, lazy tone caused Chisato to involuntarily imagine her lying on her bed, legs crossed and swinging back and forth, while she twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers.
"I'm out as well."
"Oh?"
Chisato picked up a pack of onions, checked them, and then tossed them into his basket.
"I've been chatting with my editor at a café, and we just finished."
"Ah, the life of a popular light novel author, huh? Always so busy."
"Only once a month. Usually, after school, I just head straight home. Hardly what you'd call busy."
Utaha was hinting at something, but Chisato just smiled lightly without responding.
"Are you heading home after your grocery shopping?"
"Yeah, I'll make my lunch for tomorrow, read a bit, and then go to bed."
"Living alone must be tough."
"I've gotten used to it; it's not so bad."
"…"
There was a brief silence before Utaha abruptly shifted the conversation.
"Where do you live?"
'You already know that—you even followed me to my doorstep.'
Chisato truthfully gave her his address.
"Wow, what a coincidence."
Her tone held a hint of surprise, but if Chisato hadn't already known the truth, he wouldn't have realized she was faking it. Her acting was flawless.
He found it amusing and decided to play along.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm nearby. How about returning the favor for the meal you had at my place last time? Why not invite me over for a drink?"
Ever since Chisato had visited her house that one time, he hadn't made any further advances.
Whether it was through LINE messages or phone calls, it was always Utaha who initiated contact.
This wasn't how she had expected things to go.
She thought that, since Chisato had brought a peach-flavored treat with him when he visited her, he must be interested in her.
She had imagined that, after that day, he would make more moves to try and get closer to her.
But the reality was different. After that visit, he didn't make any advances at all, which only made Utaha more and more anxious with each passing day.
Fine, if he won't take the initiative, I'll do it myself.
With that clear intention in mind, Utaha made her suggestion.
"Right now?"
Chisato glanced at his phone. It was already 9:40 PM.
From a normal perspective, it was getting late.
"Is it inconvenient?"
"Not really. I'll finish shopping and send you the address of a nearby place."
"No need for that. Let's just go to your place. I've never been to a guy's apartment before, and it'll be good material for my writing."
Utaha had slowly laid out her plan, and now her true purpose was revealed.
Alone, late at night, with a beautiful girl who clearly had feelings for him—just thinking about that made Chisato's heart race.
Having played through life simulations before, Chisato knew just how flexible Utaha's body could be.
He could easily lift her legs and slowly push them forward until her toes touched the bed. Even in that position, she would still have plenty of flexibility.
Chisato took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
He reminded himself: She'll be yours eventually. Don't mess this up. Keep your cool.
"Alright," he said.
"I'll pick up some drinks. What do you want?"
"Anything is fine. I'll be there soon."
After Utaha hung up, she jumped out of bed, tossed off her pajamas, and began searching her wardrobe for the right outfit.
She hadn't planned to be so forward, but the moment she heard his voice on the phone, she felt an uncontrollable urge to press her legs together.
Her "Chisato energy" was running low, and she needed to meet him, feel his touch, and breathe in his scent to replenish her energy and ease the restlessness inside her.
She gave her mom a simple excuse, saying she was heading to the nearby library to gather materials, and then left the house, hailing a taxi.
On the way, she called Eriri.
"Wha...what's up?"
Eriri answered the phone, slightly out of breath, as she was at home hula-hooping.
Hearing her panting, Utaha frowned slightly, then sighed helplessly.
"Next time you're, uh, 'generating electricity' by yourself, maybe don't pick up the phone. Don't you think that's a little weird? What if I had you on speaker?"
"Huh?"
Eriri paused her exercise and glanced at her rapidly rising and falling chest. After three seconds, she realized what Utaha was implying.
"What are you talking about?! I wasn't doing that! Do you think I'm you? Just tell me what's going on!"
"I'm going to see Chisato."
"What?"
"I'll be at his place in about twenty minutes."
"Whaaat?!"
Eriri couldn't believe it.
"Wait a second, you shameless woman! Didn't we agree to wait until I lost some weight around my waist and you adjusted your routine to make yourself look healthier?"
"We were supposed to meet him this weekend in our best form!"
"That was the plan, but when I talked to him on the phone just now, I don't know why, but I ended up suggesting we meet."
"Suggesting?! Are you really going to seduce him into doing that kind of thing?!"
"I wasn't planning to, but now that you mention it, maybe I should. Anyway, I just called to let you know ahead of time, so you don't complain later. That's all."
"Wait, you—"
Beep, beep, beep.
Eriri stood there, staring blankly at her phone for a few seconds before running over to her wardrobe.
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