"Slurp."
Misaki Saki subconsciously took a sip, but then she realized,
"Where's any drool?"
"All right, hurry up and go to sleep; I have to go to school tomorrow."
Haruka Yuzan yawned and then began to shoo her away.
"No way, just tell me. I'm curious!"
Misaki Saki took off her shoes and plopped down right next to Haruka,
"Ay, we've known each other for a year now, how could I not know what kind of girl you like?"
Her slender, firm little legs pressed together, distinct from Mrs. Onodera's voluptuous long legs, Misaki Saki's short legs dangled in front of him,
Haruka Yuzan turned his head and saw the little bottom wrapped in a white T-shirt sitting in front of his eyes.
Looking up further, Misaki Saki was smiling cheekily at him.
"I just like one thing—good-looking ones."
"Hehe, really just that? I actually have a tiny request," Misaki Saki whispered,
"Next time when you're doing that thing, could you let me sneak a peek from the side? I'll just watch for a bit."
"Holy shit, are you a pervert or what? Don't even think about it, go to sleep."
With those words, he turned his body away, his back facing the girl, and closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep.
Showering would have to wait until the next day, and indeed Haruka Yuzan was feeling rather sleepy; it was better to go to bed early.
The faint moonlight shone on the large bed, the handsome youth's face peaceful and serene,
"Hmph!"
Misaki Saki huffed dissatisfied but seeing that the boy was truly going to sleep, she didn't feel right disturbing him anymore. She could only shift her little bottom, dragging her feet as she got out of bed...
The night passed without further words.
......
The morning sun slowly rose; Haruka Yuzan yawned for a while, sat up in his bed,
and felt a bit uncomfortable.
He turned off the alarm clock he had set and then headed to the bathroom to shower.
"Good morning, Sister Reiko."
Coming out of his room, he happened to bump into Reiko Onodera; Mrs. Onodera wasn't wearing her nightdress but had switched into a tank top and shorts.
It got dirty last night, and she probably hadn't had the chance to wash it yet.
"Good morning, Haruka." Seeing the arrival of the young man, Reiko Onodera's face turned red with shyness, her head bowed, unwilling to look at Haruka,
"You should be going to school today, right?"
Yesterday,
Reiko Onodera, after taking her bath and lying in bed ready to sleep,
time ticked by, but she couldn't fall asleep no matter how much she tossed and turned; the thought of not paying rent left her feeling empty and uneasy.
The newly arrived tenant, young, cute, and paying daily...
On the other hand, she already had a child and relied on Haruka for food and shelter; even the nightdress she was wearing had been bought by the landlord.
When compared like this, she felt she had nothing...
What if... Haruka Yuzan suddenly decided to kick her out of the villa, what would she do then?
Without a penny to her name, not to mention an environment like this, she probably wouldn't even have a place to stay...
The panic and insecurity of not paying rent took over her heart for the moment.
As she thought, she also recalled the things she had done with Haruka Yuzan these past days; inexplicably, her legs, tightly wrapped in the sheets, squeezed a bit harder.
[4. Wishes for a joyful day on her birthday!]
[Throughout the year, there are numerous holidays, but this one alone has a memorial significance for oneself. Although one won't get a day off for it, nor overtime pay, its existence carries meaning—to celebrate for oneself, to be happy for oneself.]
[Even for Reiko Onodera, there's a deep yearning to experience an adult birthday and to receive happiness, flowers, and love on that day.]
[The mission will be settled at midnight on May 18th]
[Mission Reward: Birthday Gift Pack]
[Each task completed will grant a gift pack; players are advised to complete them as they deem fit]
Looking at the suddenly refreshed panel, Haruka Yuzan sat at the dining table, perplexed. A birthday wish list?
A birthday?
Wish list one and three can certainly be completed, meaning that Haruka Yuzan is guaranteed at least two gift packs at the minimum.
The real challenge is number two, but that might very well be what truly makes madam happy.
Whether it's the regular wish lists or this special one, the daughter's presence is omnipresent.
Even going to Tokyo to work was for the sake of her daughter.
Madam's Achilles' heel...
He sighed softly,
At that moment, Reiko Onodera came out of the kitchen, holding an insulated box.
"This is the lunchbox I prepared for you; from now on, you don't have to eat those instant meals at school anymore."
Seeing the red insulated box in front of her, Haruka Yuzan was stunned. Prepared for me?
"When you left this morning, I forgot to ask what you wanted to eat, so I made one based on what you usually like. See if you like it? If not, I can make a new one now."
Reiko Onodera paused, then continued,
"Your school allows bringing lunch from home, right... I'm not too familiar with elite schools."
"Yes, it's allowed..."
Haruka Yuzan stared at the red box for a while before slowly speaking,
Looking up, she saw the warm smile on Mrs. Onodera's face, as comforting as a spring breeze, warming the heart,
"Then that's fine. It's okay if there are other classmates who bring lunchboxes."
Reiko Onodera said with a smile, concerned that the elite school Haruka attended might have some unusual rules, like, for instance, very upscale school cafeterias?
She didn't know, but she felt she should prepare a lunchbox for Haruka, even if it ended up not being needed. She could also take it to the convenience store for her own lunch, so it wouldn't go to waste.
"Open it and see if it suits your taste."
"Okay, sure."
Haruka Yuzan suddenly felt touched, with a sweet and warm feeling in her heart,
In her class, the notion of bringing lunch from home isn't rare—it's the norm.
Everyone comes with love-packed lunchboxes from home,
She had tried it once or twice before, but later found it too troublesome and simply started going to the cafeteria with her classmate Heisuke Yonchu.
That guy's loyalty was remarkable. Once he started joining Haruka for meals in the cafeteria, he stopped bringing lunchboxes from home.
Then Otome Yumeko would show up, and if the young lady was at the school, she would surely go and bother Haruka on time.
They thought about eating out, but the boys always refused.
Upon opening the lunchbox, the aroma of the food and the steam wafted out.
The double-layered box had on the first layer two fried chicken legs, a small bowl of pickles, a few chunks of natural beef cubes, and rice that was soft and sticky, sprinkled with crushed seaweed.
The second layer was simple: a winter melon and pork rib soup, with golden fat floating on the surface, and two pieces of pork ribs settled inside.
A balanced mix of meat and vegetables, nutritionally complete, clearly showing the care and effort put in by madam.
A lunchbox filled with love.
It was something Haruka had never enjoyed since coming to Tokyo.