Chapter 337: A Call to the Chairman, A Witch's Panic
Ichihara Yuuko was finally beginning to understand the old saying: there truly is no place like home.
The moment she stepped back into the shop, a peculiar sensation washed over her—a feeling she could only describe as belonging. After setting her things aside, she sank into her favorite chair. With a practiced ease born of long habit, she leaned back against the rest, her hand instinctively fumbling for the space beside her.
Her fingers met only empty air. She clicked her tongue, a soft sound of disappointment, and let out a quiet sigh. If only her kiseru pipe were here now. A single, leisurely puff would be the very definition of life's simple pleasures.
Watching her from across the room, Ren couldn't help but smile. He silently gave Clow Reed a thumbs-up in his mind. That man, just as Yuuko had always said, was a true schemer, managing to get in one last playful jab at her even at the very end.
Indeed, the first sentence in Clow Reed's notes had been telling: "Ren~ I've wanted to call you that for a long time~ I confidently entrust Miss Yuuko, and her future, to you. I believe you will take good care of her. Miss Yuuko still lacks a sense of security, you see. She is, after all, someone who likes to take a puff of smoke to pass the time~"
The note was layered with implications, but the most crucial point was the phrase 'take a puff of smoke,' which Clow had deliberately written in a darker, heavier ink. He was clearly making sure Ren wouldn't miss it.
A playful glint entered Ren's eyes. "Yuko," he began, his voice smooth. "What were you looking for just now with that little movement?"
Ichihara Yuuko's heart gave a sudden, sharp lurch. Her composure, usually unshakeable, wavered for a fraction of a second. She met Ren's gaze, her lips curving into a serene smile. "Oh, nothing at all," she said, her tone light. "I was just thinking that back in my… my old home, I would probably be leaning by the door right about now, smoking… taking my time to drink tea and watch the sunset."
Ren's own smile widened, becoming distinctly more meaningful. "Hmm, I see. Well, there's no doorway for you to lean against here, but you're more than welcome to sit on the windowsill and watch the sunset."
"Hmm, I understand," Yuuko murmured, though her mind was now a whirlwind of frantic thoughts.
Two possibilities swirled in her head. The first was that Ren's knowing expression meant he was fully aware of her smoking habit. The second, and far more troubling, was the ambiguity of his last statement. Was his mention of the sunset a subtle permission slip, suggesting she could smoke in her room? Or was it a clever way of emphasizing that he knew her secret, a gentle warning disguised as a suggestion?
For the first time in a long while, Ichihara Yuuko, the Dimension Witch, was completely and utterly flustered.
A flicker of amusement crossed Ren's face, so subtle it was almost imperceptible. 'Interesting,'he thought.'It seems teasing Ichihara Yuuko is quite entertaining.'
"Brother Ren," Sora's soft voice cut through the quiet tension. "Kirari-nee asked you to make a call earlier. Who were you planning on calling?"
The question pulled Yuuko back from her internal panic. She, too, was intensely curious about the answer. Her current understanding of Ren was a collection of keywords: his cooking was divine, he was considerate, handsome, and gentle, yet also a carnivorous playboy and a schemer. That was the extent of it.
Whether she was to be his loyal servant who would never betray him, a member of his family, or even just a perpetually single woman rooming with a heartbreaker, she needed to understand him. She needed to know him inside and out, perhaps even better than a lover would.
Ren let out a soft sigh, retrieving his phone from his pocket. "I have to call two old men…"
"Old men?" four voices echoed in unison.
Sonoko sighed dramatically. "It's Chairman Katahara and Old Man Wu, isn't it?"
When Ren nodded, Lucifer tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "Hm? Sonoko, you know them?"
"Of course I do," Sonoko replied, waving a dismissive hand. "Putting aside the fact that Karura, Fusui, Auntie Yaksha, and Raian are already so close to Brother Ren, the Suzuki Zaibatsu has business dealings with the Kure Clan. I even used to play with Karura when we were little."
Lucifer nodded in understanding before asking, "Then who is this Chairman Katahara? How do you know him?"
"Honestly, if you're doing any sort of major business in Japan, it's almost impossible not to know who he is," Sonoko explained.
Courage's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Wait, you don't mean Katahara Metsudo?! The owner of the biggest bank in Japan?!"
"That's the one," Sonoko confirmed with a nod. "And he and Brother Ren get along famously. That includes his son, Retsudo, and his secretary, Sayaka—they're all on great terms with Brother Ren. Oh, and by the way, I have a pretty good relationship with him, too."
As Sonoko spoke, Ren located the two contacts in his phone. Just as his thumb hovered over the dial button, Lucifer spoke up, a charming smile on her face. "Ren, would you mind if we listened in?"
Ren simply shook his head and tapped the screen, activating the speakerphone.
The call connected almost instantly. A strange moment of silence hung in the air before Ren's voice, tinged with a weary resignation, broke it. "Old Man Katahara, surely you know why I'm calling."
The moment he finished, a powerful, hearty laugh boomed from the phone's speaker, filling the room. "Hahaha! I knew it! I knew a boy like you, who dotes on his women so much, would definitely throw his hat in the ring for this tournament!"
Ren sighed. "To be honest, I don't particularly want to keep fighting. I do have my own profession, you know? It feels like every time I get dragged into one of these matches, I'm just being manipulated."
"Hahaha! You really are an unexpected contradiction, boy!" the old man roared. "You're a demon in the ring, but a gentle sheep outside of it. And as for your profession, this old man has already changed chefs several times! Your cooking skills are just as monstrous as your strength!"
"I think having higher cooking skills is a much better deal," Ren retorted dryly.
"It's the same offer as always, boy, so come on over! You don't even have to be my Fang; just come be my chef! The moment you agree, I'll give you Sayaka! That girl's all grown up now and has ideas of her own, anyway!"
Ren sighed again, a bit more heavily this time. "I wonder what Takakaze Sayaka would think if she heard you say that. I'm calling to tell you that this time, I'll be representing Hyakkaou Private Academy, and we don't wish to participate in the free-for-all."
"Kirari's school, eh? So, she's entering under the academy's name and her own. But what about you, boy? What name will you be using to skip The Doom's Ferry?"
"White Butler."
"Good! A man determined to fight for his woman's interests! That Kirari girl has excellent taste!" Katahara declared with satisfaction. "Alright! You can head directly to the Kengan Ship! This old man looks forward to seeing you there!"
"Thank you."
With that, Ren ended the call. Sonoko giggled. "Sister Sayaka is as interesting as ever, but isn't Chairman Katahara a little too excited? Though I suppose his threshold for laughter has always been pretty low."
Ren rubbed his temples. "Old Man Katahara is one thing, but this next call to Old Man Wu… what a headache. How did those two even become friends? It's utterly ridiculous."
"Maybe it's because they're both equally bold," Sonoko mused. "I wonder if I'll get to see you beat up Raian this time, Brother Ren. Now that would be interesting."
(Somewhere in the Kure Village, Kure Raian sneezed. 'I finally understand how that Atobe brat feels…')
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