"What's this, a measly thousand yen? You're really underestimating this great artist,"
With a disdainful expression on her cute little face, Saki Misaki reached into her pocket with a small hand, pinching out three folded thousand yen bills and holding them between the two, she smirked contemptuously,
"Here, this'll cover three days' rent. Plus... I'll give you a little extra, consider it a tip for helping me with my luggage."
"There's a tip?" Haruka Yuzan's eyes lit up at the mention. It hadn't seemed like it, but this person was actually a little rich girl?
Indeed, grey-market traders make good money.
Under the expectant gaze of the boy,
Saki Misaki pinched a one-hundred-yen coin from her pocket to join the bills. With such flair, an onlooker who didn't know any better might think she was doling out thirty million yen,
"Here's your tip, don't be too grateful. After all, someone as kind and beautiful as me isn't common."
As she spoke, the girl's expression turned sly and funny, ending with a resigned sigh,
"Ah, it can't be helped, I'm just too excellent... Alright, that's that. I'm going upstairs to check out the room."
After stuffing the money into Haruka's hand, Saki Misaki flopped off the sofa, humming an otaku anthem, her twin golden braids swinging as she bounced up to the second floor.
Halfway there, she ran into Roast Meat, who had just lumbered downstairs. Seeing the fat cat's plump body, she revealed a wickedly sly smile, scooped it up, and carried it to the second floor.
Such a lazy fat cat really needed more exercise; no creature lazier than her was allowed in this house.
"Meow?"
Roast Meat struggled in the little girl's arms; the cat had just come down, having already visited once in the morning. Again in the afternoon?
The bean-sized black eyes showed bewilderment and dullness.
Haruka Yuzan, meanwhile, sat on the sofa, zoning out with three thousand one hundred yen in his hands.
Should he kick this person out?
"Right, I forgot to bring up my suitcase when I came up. Do me a favor and fetch it for me, Haruka."
Standing at the second-floor railing, Saki Misaki poked her head out and called down. Her small figure was partially hidden behind the banister, leaving only her neck and head visible,
The cute little face managed to look anything but apologetic. The grin on her lips was harder to suppress than an AK.
Forgot? More like on purpose!!!
Maybe it wasn't too late to send her back?
Haruka could only sigh and begrudgingly hauled the suitcase up to the second floor.
He couldn't fathom what was inside; it was quite heavy. Such a small person using such a large suitcase.
"Thanks a lot!"
As he spoke, Haruka Yuzan let out a sigh.
He had made a simple plan in his mind beforehand,
The owner of this bedroom should be a quiet and leisurely girl, able to sit by the window and enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms.
Put on a kimono, and she would become a cherry blossom beauty.
Anyway, he definitely hadn't thought of giving it to a manga artist.
"What the heck! You could be nicer with your words!" Misaki Saki immediately protested.
She ran into the bedroom, pulled open the curtains, and pink petals fluttered down,
Misaki Saki wiggled her little bottom, sat on the desk, one leg in knee-high socks crooked up, her thighs fair and firm, flirtatiously flicking her blonde hair.
"How about now?"
The beautiful girl sitting on the desk was truly... nothing special.
She was cute, and her legs were perfect, the oversized T-shirt with "shut-in" printed on it added a touch of style to her look.
Although she was pretty, her plain bust and the faces she made were uninteresting.
"Mediocre."
Haruka Yuzan quickly gave his verdict.
With that one word, Misaki Saki dropped her head as if she had retreated into herself, the fair little leg that had been resting on the desk now dropped down and tucked together, head bowed, small hands resting meekly on her thighs.
Seeing Misaki Saki in this state, Haruka Yuzan was taken aback. Was she hurt?
Suddenly, a feeling of guilt surged in his heart. After all, she was only 18, just an adult, her mind not yet mature, and she had come to Tokyo alone.
"Um... actually, it's quite..."
"Is it really just mediocre?"
Misaki Saki raised her head, her bright eyes waterlogged, the accumulation of tears, her youthful and cute face was full of grievance, a sniffle of her little nose made her even more pitiable,
with cherry blossoms falling behind her, for a moment, Haruka Yuzan felt his heart miss two beats.
"Is it really, really just mediocre?"
The girl's voice was choked with sobs.
"No, no, it's very pretty," Haruka Yuzan suddenly became somewhat embarrassed, his gaze shifting away.
Only to see Misaki Saki lower her head again, and finally,
"Hehehe..."