Chapter 3: The Useless "Mom" and the Homebody "Sister"
After handing the dachshund over to Yui Yuigahama, Shunsuke had intended to chat with her for a bit longer, but the next moment, he collapsed onto the ground.
...
"An unfamiliar ceiling."
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself staring at a strange ceiling and uttered a line he had always wanted to say.
"I was a little worried, but it's great to see that you're still so spirited, Shun-kun! You scared your mama half to death earlier!"
Beside the hospital bed, a woman with dangerously styled white hair rushed towards him, her voice tinged with concern.
"Mrs. Izumi, what are you doing here?"
Shunsuke's real mother had passed away long ago. This woman was merely someone who had insisted on taking him as her godson since he was a child because she found him adorable. Mrs. Izumi was also a well-known figure in the industry as an Eromanga-sensei.
"Of course, I was worried because I heard Shun-kun got into a car accident and was brought to the hospital!" Mrs. Izumi pouted. "And didn't we agree that you'd call me 'mama'? You're being very naughty!"
"That is indeed a very tempting proposition, but no thanks."
Feeling Mrs. Izumi's well-endowed form pressing down on him, Shunsuke firmly declined.
"Hey, hey, hey! Why are you saying that? I don't want that!"
Mrs. Izumi doubled down, playfully pouting and gushing over him from the bed.
"Cough, cough, cough. Anyway, could you please get off me for a moment?"
Although he was lying on the hospital bed, Shunsuke felt that his body was actually in very good condition—possibly even too good.
[This is a normal phenomenon after the natural awakening of your Stand. The host need not worry.]
Sensing Shunsuke's confusion, the system proactively explained.
"So, my improved spirit and memory are all because of this?"
[Absolutely. Additionally, your fainting was due to overexertion right after awakening your Stand, which temporarily destabilized your spirit. There are no other adverse effects on your body, so please rest easy.]
"That's good to know."
Shunsuke felt relieved and finally helped Mrs. Izumi off him, who had been clinging to him and pouting.
This woman was clearly already in her thirties, yet her behavior was surprisingly childish. It was likely due to her tendency to stay at home drawing lewd art, limiting her interactions with others. On top of that, Shunsuke had taken care of her far too well since he was a child.
It was true; while Shunsuke's father had always appreciated Izumi for looking after their son, the reality was quite the opposite.
This homebody had little semblance of adulthood aside from drawing and teaching others to draw, making her completely unreliable!
"By the way, how's Hanabi doing?"
Unable to handle the childish antics of Mrs. Izumi any longer, Shunsuke decisively changed the subject.
"I sent that child to the opening ceremony. Since Mr. Fujii couldn't leave, I voluntarily took on this task!"
Mrs. Izumi assumed a look that seemed to say, "Come on, praise me!"
"Oh, and there's another child who has been waiting outside. No matter how much I try to convince her to leave, she won't budge. It's making me a bit embarrassed, so I'll call her in now."
Could it be Yui who wouldn't leave? It seemed his favorability rating with the crowd was quite high this time.
As Shunsuke drifted into his nonsensical thoughts, a blonde girl dressed like a maid entered the room.
Shunsuke was taken aback.
"Hello, Mr. Fujii. My name is Ai Hayasaka. It brings me great joy to see you well," Ai said earnestly. "I sincerely apologize for the trouble this incident has caused you on behalf of my master. If you are experiencing any discomfort, please feel free to let us know, and we will cover all related expenses."
"Of course, after this, I hope you won't dwell on the matter, as that would only cause us both further trouble, and I'm sure neither of us wants that."
"So, Miss Hayasaka, you were in that car?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Then, Miss Hayasaka, you are being far too courteous. May I ask who your master is? I would love to come by and express my gratitude properly another day."
Althoug Hayasaka's tone and words were not particularly polite, carrying an air of "throwing money to solve problems," Shunsuke was not dissatisfied.
After all, the situation was clearly his fault for suddenly dashing into the road; even if he had been hit and killed, at most he would only be entitled to humanitarian compensation.
Now, they were willing to cover his medical and examination expenses, which he thought was quite generous.
Moreover, since this encounter was with Kaguya, Shunsuke wanted to take the opportunity to get to know her better.
"I appreciate your kindness, but there's really no need."
However, true to form, Hayasaka directly declined.
"Then how about I treat you to a meal, Miss Hayasaka?"
"Thank you, but I must decline."
"How about adding each other on LINE?"
"Please allow me to refuse."
...
"This is a compensation for your trouble; please accept it, Mr. Fujii."
Even though Shunsuke had used persuasion like "roof lifting" and "window opening," nothing seemed to work on Hayasaka.
After a few polite exchanges, she simply left a sealed envelope containing 1 million yen and walked away, clearly unwilling to engage further.
Watching the coldly distant Hayasaka leave, Shunsuke wondered if he should call after her with a dramatic line, "I don't want your dirty money!"
"Shun-kun, while Ai is indeed quite cute, you better not let Sagiri fall for someone else, or I'll be very upset!"
Mrs. Izumi poked Shunsuke's cheek with her index finger, almost as if she was teasing him.
"Sagiri is only 13! Are you, a so-called Eromanga artist, really just filled with thoughts about Eromanga?"
"Shun-kun, how could you be so mean!"
Mrs. Izumi began to fuss and chatter once again, and after a good while, she finally remembered to have Shunsuke let his family know he was okay.
She also prompted him to video call his daughter. "Sagiri is really worried about you; she must be anxious at home right now."
The phone rang only once before it was answered. A cute girl with white hair appeared on the screen. "Onii-chan, are you alright?!"
—If she's so worried about me, she could have just come along.
Shunsuke thought helplessly to himself, realizing that his sister had been a homebody for too long and was beyond saving now.
But it was fine since Sagiri was so cute.
Shunsuke smiled and said what was on his mind: "It's completely okay because Sagiri is so cute."
"You're an idiot, Onii-chan!"
With her face flushed, Sagiri immediately hung up the call.
"Hey, what about me, Mom? Doesn't Sagiri have anything to say to me?" Mrs. Izumi looked visibly hurt.
Shunsuke smiled at the scene, feeling a sense of family from Mrs. Izumi and Sagiri that he lacked with his father, who had been too busy with work when they were young to communicate much.
—But why could I suddenly awaken a Stand? Could it be that the Fujii family has a lineage of Stand users?
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