Ignoring the roast meat on the floor, Haruka let the fat cat play in the corner on its own.
Holding a book, he walked to the living room.
Only Misaki Saki was on the sofa in the living room. .net
There were no other people in sight.
Strange...
"Hey, where's Sister Reiko?"
Haruka Yuzan asked curiously, looking at the petite girl.
"And what on earth are you doing that's so bizarre?"
Misaki Saki was on her knees on the sofa, with her hands clasped in prayer, a pious expression on her usually comical and adorable face... a seriously faux-serious look.
It seemed that the sound of the boy's movements roused her, as the girl opened one eye and glanced over,
"Sister Reiko is cooking in the kitchen!"
"Then what are you doing now? Praying?"
At that moment, Roast Meat executed a fat cat triple jump from the floor straight to the top of the sofa back and settled above the praying girl, sitting down contentedly.
"What do you know, I'm praying to the great gods, hoping to have braised hairtail for dinner tonight!"
Misaki Saki pouted her lips, remembering when Reiko Onodera had come back earlier carrying a large variety of groceries.
Without asking what they would eat, she had hurriedly prayed to the guardian deity, hoping for braised hairtail for dinner.
Hearing the girl's words, Haruka Yuzan instantly lost interest, casually seating himself on the sofa,
"Pray for what? We were going to have braised hairtail tonight anyway."
Thinking of Misaki Saki's wish list, Haruka couldn't help shaking his head. Was there any difference from Roast Meat?
Every day it was nothing but eating and eating...
The only difference might be that the fat cat only knew to eat canned cat food and cat treats, while the girl's cravings changed daily.
"Yes!"
Upon getting the confirmation, Misaki Saki excitedly waved her little fists as if she had won a victory, "I knew we'd have hairtail tonight! The great deity is so amazing, always providing what I want to eat!!!"
Noticing the movement at the door, Reiko Onodera greeted her with a smile.
"Yeah."
Chiba Shimizu nodded, looking at the madam's sweat-dampened hair, wanting to say something.
But before she could speak, Reiko Onodera cheerfully said,
"We're having braised hairtail for dinner tonight; please have a seat in the living room for a while. There's fresh fruit I bought in the fridge; have some of that first, and dinner will be ready soon."
As she spoke, her chopsticks kept stirring, preparing the sauce.
Observing the madam's movements, Chiba Shimizu took a step forward, wanting to help, but... this was the young lady's first time in the kitchen, and everything was unfamiliar to her...
She thought to say thanks for today's lunch, but then Haruka Yuzan arrived,
And the words she meant to speak were swallowed upon seeing the boy...
...
"Shimizu probably came to see what we were having for dinner tonight."
Reiko Onodera didn't know Miss Chiba's thoughts and simply voiced her own assumption.
Thinking of the Miss Chiba's embarrassed appearance from earlier, Haruka Yuzan found it amusing.
It seemed he arrived at the wrong moment; otherwise, the wish list might have already been fulfilled.
The kind madam was the one who truly cared for Chiba Shimizu without any ulterior motives.
No doubt, Miss Chiba herself was aware of this as well, otherwise she wouldn't have shown such a demeanor in the kitchen.
With this realization, things became much simpler.
With that thought, Haruka Yuzan's gaze returned to Reiko Onodera.
In her denim shorts, white tank top, and her toned figure embellished with the light yellow apron, he didn't hesitate, instinctively moving closer to her.
He wrapped his arms around the madam from behind.
His hand moved towards the rent money,
"Haruka... Haruka..." the madam's cheeks flushed with a swooning red, as if slightly inebriated.
"Sister Reiko, it's so good to have you..."
Kind, considerate, understanding...