Murakami Yuu returned home holding an umbrella. The instant he opened the door, two little creatures ran toward him with their tails raised high, making friendly meowing sounds.
They truly had a healing effect on people's hearts. His gloomy mood from rushing back in the rain instantly improved considerably.
"I'm home."
Murakami Yuu bent down to pat the two little furballs' heads, put away the umbrella Eriri had given him and placed it by the shelf at the entrance, prepared cat food for the two little ones, then picked up his change of clothes and walked into the bathroom.
Warm water flowed down, washing away the accumulated fatigue on his body.
Today was over.
Murakami Yuu let out a heavy sigh.
However, even though he hadn't done much, he felt this substantial sense of exhaustion. His initial steps were indeed a bit too big.
He didn't know if today's approach was correct or not. It was quite possible the process wouldn't develop as he hoped, leading to results that ran contrary to his expectations.
But compared to that tasteless approach of covering one's eyes, not facing it, not making a choice, just deliberately playing dumb under the guise of friendship and dreams while enjoying being surrounded by multiple women and feeling happy - this was probably the optimal solution among optimal solutions.
Murakami Yuu scrubbed his body with body wash.
Come to think of it, Eriri was still in that doujin game club. He had thought it didn't matter before, but thinking about it now, he felt somewhat uncomfortable inside.
Considering Eriri's personality and her current relationship with him, forcefully ordering her to quit the club wasn't impossible, but it would likely leave a knot in her heart.
This knot wouldn't be related to Aki Tomoya, but rather concern promises - the guilty feeling of agreeing to do something but then breaking that promise.
Murakami Yuu didn't want Eriri to be someone who broke faith, but he also didn't want her to continue staying in that club, so he needed to think carefully about a compromise.
He already had an idea in mind, but some details might need more consideration. He'd try to settle it within these one or two weeks.
Then there was Kiso Yukina...
Murakami Yuu's heart clenched - that feeling of guilt and heartache.
Regarding his almost explicit actions, not only did she not show any expression that would make him uncomfortable, she acted as if she knew nothing, as if nothing had happened, complying with his wishes, lowering her eyes obediently like a maid serving a king, with no dignity or face to speak of.
But it was precisely this unconcerned gentle attitude that was the greatest lethal weapon against men.
For her understanding and tolerance, Murakami Yuu only hoped to urgently do something as compensation. He didn't expect to completely eliminate his own anxiety, only hoping to alleviate it slightly.
He wanted to make her happy. She really was a good girl.
A sound outside the bathroom door interrupted Murakami Yuu's train of thought - the sound of claws sliding across the metal frame. He opened a crack slightly. It was Hedgehog, curiously peering inside.
"A lady shouldn't peek at a gentleman bathing. Go play with Pigeon for a bit. I'll be done soon."
Although he said this, Hedgehog still looked like she wanted to come in and wander around. Her paws continued scratching and making sounds.
Murakami Yuu sighed and sped up. After dressing, he scooped up Hedgehog trying to run into the bathroom and carried her to the living room. The first thing he saw was cat food scattered around the food bowl.
"You two really eat messily."
Murakami Yuu was somewhat helpless. He patted Hedgehog's head and put her on the floor, then turned to get a broom.
Hopefully tonight they would obediently return to their cat beds to sleep.
...
Eriri's parents returned home late at night.
The first thing her mother, Sawamura Sayuri, did upon arriving home was rush straight to her daughter's room and directly hug Eriri who was drawing at her desk.
"Eriri, Mama's home~"
"Ah, if you're home then go rest. What's with pouncing on me?"
Eriri pushed away the unreliable elder and held out her hand to refuse contact.
"Tch, stubborn as always. You're clearly happy that Mama's home."
Sawamura Sayuri drawled, spreading her hands and lying on the bed beside her. Without any image, she let out a long sigh, her tone becoming weary and dragging.
"I'm exhausted, absolutely exhausted. Next time I definitely won't go on a business trip with Papa. He said he'd take me shopping, feed pigeons together in the square, but after work ended he just stayed in the hotel. Even for meals we ordered room service."
Her tone gradually became more animated as she pulled out the blanket to cover her face.
"Liar! Papa is a liar!"
Eriri was caught off guard by this display.
"I don't care about this kind of thing, so you don't need to tell me. Go back to your room and sleep!"
But Sawamura Sayuri urgently sought validation.
"Tell me, isn't Papa being too much?"
Eriri perfunctorily hummed a few times in agreement.
Considering that Eriri had school tomorrow, Sawamura Sayuri stopped making a fuss and stood up.
"I'll make you something delicious tomorrow. Don't stay up too late."
"Mm."
"Well then, I'll just... hm?"
Sawamura Sayuri's gaze was attracted to the beautifully wrapped package on the desk.
Eriri's face reddened. She quickly grabbed it and stuffed it into a drawer.
"Has my Eriri finally become honest? Come to think of it, Papa's birthday is coming up soon. Is this a gift for him?"
Sawamura Sayuri covered her mouth teasingly.
"It is not."
Eriri's face was cold.
"Such a decisive answer - Papa would be very sad to hear it. But who told him to be so excessive? He deserves it."
After thinking, she teased again:
"Then, is it for Tomoya-kun?"
"Ha, why would I give him anything?"
Eriri's cold face became several degrees colder.
Now Sawamura Sayuri was genuinely surprised.
She had just seen the pattern on the gift box - it was the trademark of a company specializing in men's watches. So the recipient was naturally male. But she knew her own daughter - aside from that Aki Tomoya, she hadn't had any male friends since childhood.
So, has Eriri become enlightened?
After careful consideration, Sawamura Sayuri suddenly said without any warning:
"He's very handsome, right?"
"Mm... Mm!?"
Eriri answered reflexively, but after half a syllable escaped her mouth, she realized something and quickly shut it.
Like when an opponent made a move and she habitually chose to dodge, only to discover mid-way that it was just a feint to lure her into exposing her weakness. She had noticed but it was already too late - she had exposed too much. The result was self-evident.
Sawamura Sayuri got the answer she wanted and immediately perked up.
"Who is he? Same school? Do you have a photo?"
"It's not what you think!"
The barrage of questions made the blush on Eriri's face spread to her neck and behind her ears. Finally unable to bear it, she pushed Sawamura Sayuri out the door.
Her heart, which had originally calmed down, became chaotic again because of Sawamura Sayuri's words. Thinking about the recent physical contact between them, her whole body heated up as she imagined the plot developments she hoped for.
She grabbed the pillow from the bed and pressed it hard against her face, the corners of her mouth rising wildly.
She probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
...