Shiginomiya Shion lowered her head, letting her neat bangs hide her expression in an attempt to mask her embarrassment.
Honestly, she had already anticipated the misunderstanding. A teenage boy bringing home a girl his age—it was bound to look like they were dating.
What she hadn't expected was for Mika to be so blunt—just flat-out assuming Akira had brought her home for that reason… and even handing over money, as if to say she approved?!
What does he think about all this…?
Kuroba Akira, meanwhile, was internally screaming—but outwardly, his face remained perfectly composed, thanks to the new S-ranked talent he'd just acquired in acting.
Of course, to Shion, that composed look read as something else entirely—like he was a seasoned pro at this. Someone used to bringing girls home. A total player.
Wait… don't tell me I've been tricked?!
The thought came crashing in far too late.
Fortunately, Akira stepped in just in time to defuse the trust crisis that had nearly derailed their freshly forged partnership.
"Kobayashi-obaasan, it's not what you think. I brought her home because she's connected to Blacktail."
"Oh? Her too?"
That one sentence immediately changed Mika's demeanor. She'd been treating Shion as just another pretty face—attached to Akira and nothing more—but now she looked at her differently.
Sure, Shion was beautiful, but that kind of charm worked better on men. Women tended to respond more with envy or jealousy than admiration.
The kind of beauty that could turn straight girls into lesbians—that was pure fiction.
Especially with someone like Mika. Back in her prime, she'd been quite the stunner herself—probably a solid 8.5 out of 10. Bold fashion sense, too—the kind of woman who could say "Back in my day, my cheongsam slit went up to the shoulders" and mean it. So a pretty girl like Shion didn't exactly faze her.
It was the first time Shion had been met with such a non-reaction. Normally, people either complimented her face outright or couldn't stop staring. To be treated like a normal person… was strangely refreshing.
Wait… was she more interested in Blacktail?
Shion recalled Akira calling Mika an old witch. Could Blacktail actually be her familiar? A witch and her cat—it did sound like a perfect match!
Her imagination was already running wild.
Whether it was Akira or Mika, both were shrouded in too much mystery for a girl her age to resist. Her curiosity burned brighter by the second.
"I was wondering how a punk like you managed to snag such a pretty girl. Guess I gave you too much credit."
Then Mika let out a kind, grandmotherly chuckle—befitting her age—and took Shion's hand.
"So, where are you from?"
"…?"
But the question came out in Chinese.
It sounded friendly enough, but it was really a test—to see her reaction.
Shion blinked, completely lost. Mika had just spoken in a language she didn't understand. Judging by the pronunciation, it must've been that popular foreign language everyone was talking about lately.
Akira had said something like that earlier too… Was this some new kind of greeting?
Meanwhile, Akira, who had already run this same test earlier, averted his eyes and started whistling. He knew full well they weren't getting away with this one.
"You little brat. You lied to me?"
Mika's face darkened immediately. She shot Akira a withering glare.
"I didn't! I swear I didn't! Blacktail really brought me to her. She even let her rub her belly!"
"..."
Mika fell silent for a long moment, then let out a weary sigh.
"Fine. I suppose it's not impossible. Nobody really knows what Blacktail is thinking anyway…"
But when she looked at Shion again, the warmth was gone—replaced by cold finality.
"Still, you don't meet the requirements. So I'm not obligated to take you in."
"…Ah."
She's kicking me out…?
The thought stung. Shion's heart sank—but Akira didn't so much as flinch. Instead, he leaned in casually.
"Aw, come on, Kobayashi-obaasan. You've already taken in three of us. What's one more?"
Mika shot him a look of pure exasperation.
"You think I'm some soft-hearted old woman who takes in every stray that crosses my path? Just because I'm a senior doesn't mean I'm lonely!"
"In fact, if I hadn't let you mooch off me, I'd probably be living better. No meals to cook, no mouths to feed—way simpler!"
"If it weren't for my husband's last words, I would've booted your sorry butt ages ago."
And with that, she made a move to literally kick him.
Akira had been clinging to her every day to practice his spoken language skills, annoying her to no end. At this point, just seeing his face made her want to smack him.
What a savage old lady…
Akira couldn't help but imagine her younger days—probably some rebellious biker girl tearing up the streets before falling for Kobayashi Tokumasa, the only man who could tame her.
His mind was already drafting the plot of My Future Wife Was a Delinquent Queenpin.
"Anyway, rules are rules. I'm not giving her a room of her own."
"Oh? So if she doesn't get her own room, she can stay?"
Mika didn't answer directly. Instead, she waved it off with a huff.
"Whether she's your girlfriend or just some poor girl with nowhere else to go—it's none of my business. The moment I hand over the keys, what my guests do is their problem, not mine."
Her message was crystal clear.
She wouldn't be taking Shion in—but if Akira wanted to let her stay in his room, she wasn't going to stop him.
Still, to spare the rest of the household from unwanted noise, she threw in one more warning.
"But you two better keep the volume down. This place is old—the soundproofing's not great."
"I won't hear anything from downstairs, but your neighbor next door, Mr. Hijikata, is under a lot of stress. His wife is… well. Let's just say if things get noisy, he's the one who might snap."
"I don't mediate disputes between tenants. But if you cause too much of a ruckus, I will throw you both out. Got it?"
After that lecture, Akira let out a deadpan sigh.
"Relax. There won't be any noise. It's not like I'm actually gonna do anything to her."
Mentally, he was in his thirties. Not the kind of guy to lose control over some impulse.
He understood perfectly well—keeping Shion "pure" was what preserved her maximum value. He wasn't about to kill the golden goose just to eat one egg.
"…Now I'm just gonna assume there's something wrong with you."
"..."
"Anyway, let's eat."
With that, MIka returned to the open kitchen in the living room and began dishing out dinner.
Shion, still catching up mentally, blinked in confusion. A second ago she thought she was getting kicked out—but now it seemed like… she wasn't?
She stared at Akira, who was already seated at the dining table, and asked in a small voice:
"Um… Akira-kun? So… does this mean I can stay?"
"Yeah. Kobayashi-obaasan said she won't take you in—but she's fine with me taking you in. Which means…"
He pointed at her.
Then he pointed upstairs, toward his room.
"You. Tonight. Sleep in my room."
That meant—
W-We're sleeping together?!
We only just met… and now we're sleeping in the same room?!
Is this how adults date…? Is this what they call a one-night stand…?!
But I haven't showered in two days… I probably smell…
Wait no—I'm not even mentally prepared…!
What do I do, what do I do…
"I'm sleeping in the living room."
…Right. She was overthinking it.
I'm an idiot…
And Akira—
Was an even bigger idiot!!!