While their early lunch ended, Nufuji and Fuji continued to talk, as it had probably been a while for her to talk with someone, and he also didn't mind talking with her.
Her experience was also quite instructive, as she was a well-known author.
Yet, even if she had made some money, there were many things that she was still worried about, especially as she wasn't sure whether she could support herself.
"Is it good to become a salaryman?"
After all, by working under others, one could get a stable income without worrying about many things.
"It isn't as good as you think."
Yet, Nifuji thought differently.
"Is it?"
"The economy is different from the previous generation, and as I am only an employee, we can only succumb to the wishes of the superior, as our lives and deaths are decided by their decision."
Even a country could go bankrupt, so how could a company be better?
Nifuji hoped that there was a truly way for one to achieve a peaceful and stable life, yet he knew well that it was impossible. Moreover, as he had become the largest shareholder, he knew that he had to make the decision within the company, and because of that, it was quite troublesome, as making a decision was something that he would love to avoid.
Going along with the flow was the best, but he knew that he couldn't do that.
Still—
"Let's stop thinking about this." Nifuji let out a helpless sigh. "It's my holiday, yet I can't help but continue to talk about work."
How depressing his life is?!
"You are right."
Fuji also laughed helplessly since, as a writer, she felt like she had no holiday as she had to work every day.
Yet, this was the life of the self-employed, as whether they wanted to or not, they had to work every day, as they had no one they could rely on.
Still, with how Fuji was, Nifuji knew that it was impossible for her to make another topic, so he knew he had to be the one who took the initiative. "But, is it okay for you to stay at my place like this?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Well..." Nifuji looked at Fuji's confused expression helplessly and asked, "Won't your lover or husband be jealous if he knows that you stay at my place?"
"O-Oh...!" Fuji was startled, but her face was a little red, yet also conflicted, before she let out a helpless sigh, "I am single."
"Really?"
"Really." Fuji looked at Nifuji and asked, "Is that a problem?"
"No, I am just wondering why there are so many fools who can let such a wonderful woman like you go till now."
"..." 2x
Nifuji and Fuji stared at each other, but as his eyes met hers, her face reddened as she looked away shyly.
"....." Nifuji.
"S-So, it's okay for you to stay?"
"Y-Yes, you don't have to worry."
Nifuji was glad that the tanuki had fallen asleep on the sofa. "That's good, then. I am afraid someone might come to beat me up."
"That won't happen. You will be fine."
"Really?"
"Yup."
"Then, it's good."
Yet, as he said those words softly, Fuji was shy once again as she looked away shyly and subconsiously played with her short hair.
"...."
Nifuji was silent, hoping she wouldn't be so easy to read, which made him feel helpless.
Then again, as he met various women, somehow, he could easily read them, understanding how they felt toward him from all the clues that they had shown him, such as their ways to show their nervousness toward him when they met his gaze, playing with their hair, or just mimicked how he acted, like how Fuji leaned on the sofa lazily like him as they talked.
Yet, was there really no one who approached her?
Fuji, despite her steadfast and cool demeanor, was a beautiful, elegant woman with short hair and a feminine body that easily tempted any man, especially with those round hips and buttocks clearly displayed from the silhouette of her tight jeans.
She might not have a bombastic body like Mayuri, Hina, or even Chizuru, yet her charm is never lower than theirs.
As Nifuji thought so, he thought of flowers.
In this world, there are over 400,000 species of flowering plants, or angiosperms, and among them, can they truly say that roses, dandelions, or those beautiful flowers are better than others?
Everyone had their own charms and naturally their imperfections, yet wasn't that what made them fascinating?
Still, Sato thought that Fuji would appear more beautiful with long hair, or was it his taste?
"W-What's wrong?" Fuji asked shyly as his gaze was over her.
"No, I just think that you might look better with long hair."
"...is it?"
"Why did you cut your hair short?"
"....." Fuji was silent for a moment and said as she touched her hair, "Because it's gotten in the way?"
"....." Nifuji.
"You're right. It's troublesome to keep long hair."
There were probably other reasons, but Nifuji didn't think that they were close enough to tell everything about their lives.
Only—
"But... does it look better if I have long hair?" Fuji asked curiously.
"Yes." Nifuji nodded and asked, "Have you had long hair before?"
"I do."
"Really?"
"Do you want to see?"
"Is that okay?"
"Wait a moment." As she said so, Fuji took her smartphone and showed her a photo in which she still had long hair.
"Oh..."
"W-What is it?"
"No, the short hair is good, but it's just my personal opinion; I like your long hair better."
Yet, while there was a photo of Fuji with long hair, she wasn't alone, as there were two women by her side, who should be her friends, which made him sigh.
Why did he sigh?
It was because, like a Stand User would attract another Stand User, a beautiful woman would attract another beautiful woman.
While Sato didn't think that it was wrong for two people with different levels of appearance to stay together, the women were different from men, since men usually stayed with someone with the same profession, or the same level of economic level, since as they grew older, their time became limited, and they usually stayed with those they were close enough instead of to be with someone, who would cause them a trouble since those with a lower economic level might ask them for a money in a every turn, but on the other hand, the women usually stayed with similar level of appearance as those with a lower appearance would feel an intense jealousy toward the better one, especially when the man that the woman had a lower appearance fell for the woman with a better appearance.
Still, this wasn't absolute as anything could happen, but as he thought so, Fuji suddenly asked, "I have forgotten to ask you this before."
"Yes?"
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
As her question fell, Nifuji thought for a moment, wondering how to answer this question, but he decided to ask first, "What do you think?"
"Well, you do?"
"Yup, I do."
"..." Fuji.
Instead of lying, Nifuji felt that it was better to be truthful, as he knew well that hiding away everything would just hurt Fuji when the truth was revealed.
Then again, he thought that it was a shame for their relationship to just end since he could imagine that she would put distance between them after knowing that he had a girlfriend.
"I see..."
As expected, Nifuji thought, especially when he saw Fuji, who lowered her head, hiding away her expression with her long bangs, but—
"Can... I ask you what you did with your girlfriend?"
"..." Nifuji.
As he faced her curiosity, Nifuji wondered where this development between them would lead.