After a long moment their lips parted.
Hayashi Maki stroked Shiina Mashiro's hair. "Alright, we can save the rest for later—it'll be dinnertime soon."
"Okay."
The girl nodded obediently. Basically, as long as it was Hayashi Maki speaking, Mashiro would agree. Of course, if it involved forbidding her Baumkuchen or making her do something troublesome, she'd protest.
Mashiro defined herself as a "pet." And a pet's job was simply to make the handler happy, and in return be cared for—nothing more. That firm belief ran through Mashiro's life. She'd decided to "go with the flow": only do what she wanted, and leave the hassles to the handler.
He eased her soft body off his lap so she sat properly. Hayashi Maki was about to go check how Mahiru was doing in the kitchen when Mashiro tugged his hem and suddenly said:
"Hayashi Maki, Rita's coming."
"Rita? Your roommate back in England?"
"Mm."
"Then let her come. This whole house is mine anyway, and we've got spare rooms—plenty of space."
Hayashi Maki nodded with a smile and patted her head to reassure her. Only then did Mashiro release his hem and return to her drawing.
Hayashi Maki, for his part, was in a good mood. The fact she'd mentioned Rita specifically to him meant Mashiro wasn't a completely oblivious "pet" after all.
At least she knew to give him, the handler, a heads-up about an incoming "sister figure," so he could arrange a room. That alone showed she was growing. She might seem dreamy and airheaded most of the time, but that didn't mean she'd be clueless forever. In a way, her progress gave him a sense of "raising" someone.
In the kitchen, Shiina Mahiru—apron on and hair in a high ponytail—was cooking. Hayashi Maki stepped forward and gently hugged her from behind.
"Mahiru, I'm back."
She shivered lightly, then turned and gave him a sweet smile. "Welcome home, Maki-kun. Dinner needs a little more time—just a bit longer."
"No problem. I'll look forward to it."
He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then let her go. "By the way, Mashiro just said Rita's coming."
He explained what Mashiro had told him.
"Rita?" Mahiru frowned at the name, then huffed. "The one who raised Mashiro-nee into someone with zero life skills?"
"That's her."
"Hmph. I'd like to see what kind of person treats her roommate like a pet."
Hayashi Maki couldn't help laughing at Mahiru's indignation. "Sounds like you're feeling the pressure of looking after Mashiro?"
"Pressure? A little," Mahiru sighed, then couldn't help venting: "I do like housework, but Mashiro-nee turns her room into a disaster every time—panties tossed everywhere, and no idea which pair to put on."
"It does add to my load, but I've been practicing the mana training you mentioned; I can even use some useful spells now. So Mashiro-nee's mess is manageable."
After all, caring for Mashiro was her current task—the condition for severing ties with Shiina Asahi. She wasn't going to complain. She just resented Rita a bit.
Hayashi Maki patted Mahiru's head and sighed. "Mashiro's condition has a lot to do with her family; you can't blame Rita entirely. Without their tacit approval, would Rita have dared to raise Mashiro that way?"
"My guess is the family wanted to preserve the 'genius painter's' output, so they created an environment free of disturbances. Mashiro's work is only increasing in value; a single piece might fetch a sky-high price later."
Mahiru grew thoughtful. "But then they're just profiting off her art. What, keep Mashiro-nee painting her entire life? What kind of life would that be?"
Hayashi Maki's lips quirked. "And didn't Rita send her over here—to draw manga?"
Mahiru's eyes cleared. She'd jumped to conclusions. From what Maki-kun said, Rita might actually be a gentle girl.
After leaving the kitchen, Hayashi Maki idly scrolled on his phone. Mashiro soon emerged and said, "Rita's already at the front door."
"Oh? That fast?"
He hadn't expected the girl to arrive so quickly. But since she was here, they should welcome her properly. Hayashi Maki took Mahiru and Mashiro downstairs to greet the beauty from Britain.
At the entrance stood a curvy beauty with golden wavy hair and a bright smile.
"Rita!"
Mashiro dashed forward and hugged the golden-haired beauty tight. Rita hugged her back, smiling. "Mashiro—long time no see."
"Mashiro missed you."
"I missed you too."
As the two reunited in a warm embrace, Hayashi Maki practically imagined a citrusy sweetness wafting in the air—he almost wondered if Rita was a lily (yuri) girl.
After their hug, Rita let go and looked to Hayashi Maki and Mahiru. "Hello. I'm Rita Ainsworth, Mashiro's former roommate in the U.K. Pleased to meet you."
"I'm Hayashi Maki. Rita-san, please take care of us," he replied.
"I'm Shiina Mahiru, Mashiro's cousin. Rita-san, welcome to Japan."
Introductions done, they all went upstairs and into the apartment.
"Rita-san, perfect timing—Mahiru just finished cooking. If you don't mind, would you join us for dinner?" Hayashi Maki invited the blonde beauty with a smile.
"Sure—what a coincidence. I'll happily accept."
Rita answered breezily with an easy smile—masking her bias against Hayashi Maki. In her eyes he might be handsome, but he was the "liar" who'd coaxed Mashiro into calling him her fiancé—and the enemy who'd "stolen" her closest friend.
Still, she would observe before judging; since Mashiro recognized this fiancé, that wouldn't be easy to change. Best to see how things really were.
What she didn't know: now that she'd come all this way, a certain wicked demon had no intention of letting her leave un-"embraced."