As night approached in Tokyo, the city's dazzling lights were captivating, blending with the soft glow of sunset and moonrise, and the gradually appearing stars, making it even more enchanting.
"Meow~"
A stray calico cat, with light steps, lay down by a flower bed not far away, squinting its proud eyes at Hoshino Jun, then gracefully lifted a hind leg to scratch its ear.
It seemed to be saying:
"Human, I've already rewarded you, now hurry up and flatter me with food."
"Idiot, if you want to get food long-term, you should try to please people."
Hoshino Jun pulled out a small sausage, tore open the packaging, tossed it to the calico cat, and didn't look at it again.
Sometimes, Hoshino Jun felt like a kitten himself, but the kind Asu Mei hadn't let him wander.
"Why are you just standing stupid at the bus stop?"
A message came in on LINE. Hoshino Jun glanced at it, then looked up. The bus, scheduled to arrive at 7:23 PM, arrived a minute early.
Asu Mei rolled down the car window and stuck her head out, her rosy lips forming a silent "Idiot."
Hoshino Jun rolled his eyes in return, mouthing "Old Auntie."
"Pfft~!" Asu Mei suddenly broke into a radiant smile, her bright eyes sparkling with joy.
He wondered what she found so funny.
After the bus came to a steady stop, Asu Mei stood up, pressing down her skirt, ensuring she wouldn't expose herself with her smooth movements.
Her long, black-stockinged legs moved quickly and gracefully as she stepped off the bus. The first thing she did was rush over and bump into Hoshino Jun.
"System, she bumped me, and it was a 'ball-handling' bump."
"Give me a debt quickly."
"[...]."
"?"
What does ignoring me mean? Trying to act cool, huh!
You and I have a Host and System relationship; are you still playing hard to get?
Seeing Hoshino Jun spacing out, Asu Mei frowned in displeasure, pinching Hoshino Jun's ear with two fingers.
"Idiot Jun-chan, fess up, what are you doing here?"
What else could he be doing?
Of course, he was waiting to collect Mrs. Takayanagi's debt.
And waiting for a certain auntie.
He was already having his ear pinched, but no debt was triggered. Hoshino Jun sighed helplessly.
Hearing Hoshino Jun's sigh, Asu Mei couldn't help but smile, curving her lips as she said, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. I know you came to wait for me."
In the past, Hoshino Jun always liked to come to this spot to wait for Asu Mei to get off work and come home.
It was only after he started high school that he wasn't so clingy anymore.
The first time Hoshino Jun didn't wait for Asu Mei to come home from work, she was sad about it for quite a while.
Experiencing the joy of the past again today, Asu Mei happily patted Hoshino Jun's head, then habitually linked her arm with his as they walked home together.
"Auntie is happy today, tell me what reward you want."
Reward?
Hearing that word, Hoshino Jun's gaze involuntarily dropped. Although not as exaggerated as Mrs. Takayanagi, Auntie's figure was actually quite good.
Curvy, with a tight-fitting, narrow pencil skirt that was smooth and round like a large peach.
Through the translucent black stockings, one could vaguely see the fair skin.
At 28 years old, her skin was still so smooth and firm, just like when she was a young girl ten years ago, when she first brought Hoshino Jun home.
The fire that Takayanagi Yuki had ignited earlier, but not extinguished, now had fuel added, causing the flames to rise again.
Hoshino Jun wanted to bite Auntie.
Asu Mei seemed to notice Hoshino Jun's burning gaze, frowned, and reached out to pinch Hoshino Jun's waist hard.
"Where are you looking, you rascal."
The fire was extinguished.
Hoshino Jun righteously declared, "Didn't you say you wanted to give me a reward? Besides looking at you, where else can I look?"
Perhaps Hoshino Jun's expression and tone were too serious, which instead made Asu Mei feel a bit guilty.
"Could it be that Jun-chan wasn't looking around, and I just thought wrong?"
"Who knows what you're thinking?"
"You just pinched me, apologize to me."
"Jun-chan, hurry up and tell me what reward you want."
Asu Mei stuck out her tongue and pouted, saying, "If you don't tell me, I won't know how to satisfy you."
Playing the same old trick again.
When she realized she was in the wrong, she'd just change the subject.
Anyway, apologizing was out of the question.
Hoshino Jun was momentarily annoyed. Since Asu Mei insisted on giving him a reward, he decided to use this reward to severely punish Asu Mei.
"Will you agree to whatever reward I ask for, no matter what it is?"
"Hmm?"
Why does that tone feel a bit off?
Could it be that Jun-chan is going to make an unreasonable request?
Asu Mei thought of this, and her heart inexplicably fluttered a bit. A little sweat seeped into the palm of her hand gripping Hoshino Jun's sleeve.
"You tell me first, and I'll keep my word."
Asu Mei decided to test him. After all, she was the boss at home, and she could go back on her word anytime she wanted.
Mere Jun-chan was not worth worrying about.
"Good, you said it, alright."
Hoshino Jun smiled, a very mischievous smile.
Looking at his smile, Asu Mei felt a small drum beating in her heart, "thump-thump-thump."
"No way, is Jun-chan really going to make such an excessive request?"
Just as Asu Mei was thinking about how to teach Hoshino Jun a lesson later, Hoshino Jun suddenly said faintly,
"Stop working overtime. I want you to come home early every day."
Below the apartment.
The dim streetlights cast their glow on the young man's handsome face. He raised his clear eyes, looking at the single white hair near Asu Mei's temple, which had appeared due to recent overwork.
He said nothing more, only felt heartache.
The cicadas of summer were extra noisy, and a mosquito hovered nearby, also eyeing Asu Mei.
Hoshino Jun waved his hand, shooing it away, then pulled his bank card from his pocket.
He couldn't wait for three million anymore.
"There's six hundred thousand in here, which is enough for my first year of university tuition. After that, I can also work part-time to earn money and support myself."
"You've lost so much weight recently. Come home early, and I can make dinner for you."
The evening breeze blew through her hair, accompanied by the young man's gentle voice. Asu Mei's heart felt as if it had been squeezed.
"Who allowed you to work part-time? You know that's very tiring, don't you?" She tilted her head, not letting the young man see her slightly reddened eyes.
Hoshino Jun said, "Then who allowed you to work overtime every day? Did you ask for my opinion?"
Cars whizzed by, "shua-shua-shua." Asu Mei paused for a long time without speaking, gripping Hoshino Jun's hand and intertwining their fingers.
The feel was very nice, the idiom "soft as boneless" suited Auntie perfectly.
"You rascal, don't worry about me."
"Let's go, hurry home and make dinner. I didn't eat enough at the company."
Asu Mei turned her back, sniffled, and pulled Hoshino Jun along the path home.
Auntie didn't say she agreed to the no-overtime suggestion.
Hoshino Jun followed her up the stairs, looking at her plump, wide, slightly Warp buttocks, and sighed faintly.
He still had to work harder to earn more money.
Without money, he couldn't persuade Auntie at all.