Chapter 74.

Chapter 74. Executing Operation, Codename: Date, Night. (2/3)

“Your sister is with me, but nobody kidnapped her. She’s been hanging out at her girlfriend’s place all day.”

“Ran! Is that you?” The sound of the phone being snatched up and a worried woman’s voice rang through.

“Yes… it is me. Sorry for not calling sooner. Alicia’s with me at Rosa’s place right now. The three of us ended up engrossed in reading a book and before we knew it, it was already this time.”

“She’s safe and not hurt? She’s not hungry or stranded outside buried in snow? She hasn’t been abducted by strange men? She has been violated? She’s really safe?”

Hearing her rapid-fire string of questions all in one go it was obvious how worried Irene had been about her daughter’s safety.

“Yes, she’s safe. Where is that girl! Why didn’t she answer any texts and turn her phone off!”

“Sorry, her phone died at some point. She’d forgotten her charger at home. She said she was in a rush to meet her friends this morning after waking up late.”

“This girl! Why is she so irresponsible! Making her mother worry to death all night! I drove around aimlessly for hours trying to find her. I even called the police.”

“It’s entirely my fault, I should have kept a better eye on the time. Seeing Alicia having so much fun with Rosa I ended up completely forgetting about everything else. I was careless.”

“You said you’re at Rosa’s with my daughter, just to make sure can you send me a picture?”

“Why not just talk to her?”

“I want to see her safe with my own eyes.”

“Uh… sure.” A normal mother would want to hear her daughter’s voice first thing, but as I’d expected, Irene was someone I viewed as an anomaly. She knew I was the type to be deceitful about certain matters. 

She likely wanted to verify her daughter was really together with the two of us rather than just me alone. She also wanted to confirm whether we were in fact at Rosa’s, my place, or somewhere else altogether. She’d easily seen through my words that implied we’d been at Rosa’s place the entire time. It had been a good thing I went to the extra effort to return here first.

Such a simple exchange with Irene would always turn into an unseen battle of wits. If I let my guard down my lies would be seen through in an instant. This was one of the reasons I both liked her and disliked her. 

While standing up, I held my phone up with my back to the two girls on the couch. I made sure to capture them and the books, covers up, on top of the table beside the bag from the store to provide proof of my claim that we’d been reading the entire time. Rosa held out a peace sign with her fingers while Alicia had a nervous look on her face.

She was obviously thinking about how much she’d be chewed out by her mother.

I sent the picture over via text to Irene on the other end.

“Haaaaah, it does appear she is safe… but… what if this is a picture you took in advance to deceive me about my daughter’s current location? Can you accept this video call?” Having calmed down after seeing her daughter safe in the photo, she suddenly asked that.

Yes, this was another one of my concerns. I’d initially considered using Rosa’s laptop to photoshop Alicia into a photo with me and Rosa together at her place, however, there was still the chance Irene’s mother wouldn’t be satisfied with just a picture.

If a picture was worth a thousand words, then a video would be worth millions.

“What’s wrong? You can’t agree to a video call?”

“No, it’s not that. I was just a bit surprised by how little you trust my words. I can feel hurt too you know.”

“Shut up and accept it before I get mad, okay~”

Not willing to play such games with me, she said that playfully. It sounded playful, but to me, it sounded closer to a threat.

“I’m really not good with video calls, but if it’s you asking, I have no choice. You’re the first video call I’ve ever accepted just for the record, I always decline them.” I pressed the button to accept her video call.

“Oh, it looks like I’m a rather sinful woman for taking your first time. I hope your girlfriend doesn’t get jealous~”

Rosa's lips twitched when she heard Irene’s words. She likely thought, ‘Is this old lady trying to pick a fight with me?’

On the other extreme was Alicia, who had buried her face in her hands out of shame. ‘Why does my mother have to act so flirtatious with him?’ She probably thought something along those lines.

I reluctantly pressed the button to accept the video footage. Depicted on the screen was a lovely woman, truly charming. The light orange tint to her hair was complemented by her greenish-blue tranquil eyes. Her expression had already settled from its previous worry, she looked at the screen calmly and verified we were truly where we said we were.

Her petite lips parted as she let out a small sigh and said, “Haaah. Well, it appears you didn’t lie about where you are… right now.”

When she said that a small mischievous smile formed on her face as if she’d cornered me. I couldn’t help but feel nervous when I saw the look on her face. It was one that made my heart skip a beat. 

She opened her mouth and asked, “Do you mind showing me around a bit so I can see the place my daughter is staying at a bit better?”

“Uh… sure.”

I spun the camera around and pointed it at the balcony. With that, she’d confirm it wasn’t my place based upon what was outside. She knew what the area surrounding my place looked like after all. She was truly meticulous, but I couldn’t figure out why she was so confident I was cornered with my back against the wall?

It was as if she had me in check, but I couldn’t see the move that turned it into checkmate.

“Oh, can I also see the other rooms?”

“Uh, sure.” I entered the washroom and kitchen. I then showed her inside Rosa’s room. 

She suddenly said, “The place looks pretty nice. It also looks quite warm and cozy, with the way the windows are fogged up, the heater must be quite good.” She suddenly made such a bizarre out-of-place comment.

When I turned around and the phone passed over the front entrance where our shoes were, I’d been especially careful. I made sure to angle the camera high up enough that she specifically couldn’t see the ground that was wet with remnants of snow. She could only see the front door, that was all.

If she’d seen the ground that was still wet, it would become pretty clear we’d been outside up until not too long ago. I suppose that had been what she was confirming with her comment. She’d be able to determine how fast snow would melt and the liquid would dry out inside here by making some approximations. You really couldn’t let your guard down around her at all. She’d eat you up and chew you out if you gave her an opening.

“Hey, what kind of doormat does your girlfriend have? I saw the front door when you turned the camera just now, but I couldn’t see it when you turned the phone around.”

“Why would you want to know something pointless like that?”

“A doormat says a lot about a person. I’m just curious what type of person your girlfriend is. So how about you let me see it?”

“You…” she wasn’t even willing to give me this. She was truly a woman who knew not of the word mercy. It finally dawned on me why she’d been so confident the instant I accepted the video call.

“Just kidding~ I don’t even need to see it, your reaction is more than enough to figure things out. The way you turned the camera was good and quite natural even, but it was enough to tell it was to intentionally avoid something. You’ve been out doing naughty things with my daughter and your girlfriend, haven’t you?”

“Mom! What do you mean he’s been doing naughty things with sis!”

I’d discreetly lowered the volume on the phone while I’d given Irene a tour thinking she might say some more weird things, so they hadn’t heard what she’d said since I was a good enough distance away from them at the moment. However, as Irene’s son was with her, he naturally heard everything.

“Son, you’ll understand when you’re older~” she teased and followed up, “Son, it’s late, you should go to your room now. Your sister is safe.”

“But mom-”

“No buts, go to sleep now. It’s way past your bedtime. I’ll return your phone after I’m done talking.”

“Ugh… fine… I understand.” They had a little back and forth before her son finally conceded and returned to his room to sleep.

Once he was gone she said, “But really now, a boy and two girls out together on a cold winter night only a few days before Christmas. Ahhh~, it must be nice to be young and in love~ I’m a bit jealous~ I’m already so old and past my prime. There’s no one who’d want a used woman like me.”

“I think you’d be mistaken if you made that assumption.”

“Oh? Would you want an old woman like me?”

“Old? Are you trying to make fun of truly old people? You’re quite young, and no doubt, just as much of a beauty as your daughter in my eyes.” Definitely in my strike zone since I was mentally older than her. Since I couldn’t beat her with a lie, I’d shower her with compliments to try and keep her happy.

“Well, aren’t you a sweet talker? What will you do if I fall for you~ it would surely be troubling to have an older woman with two children making a move on a boy younger than her own daughter, wouldn’t it?”