Stealing Spree

Upon returning to the building, I didn’t look for Juri anymore. Instead, I started making my way back to Yua. I sent a message though, telling her that everything was fine and I’d be returning to my companion.

As if she was waiting for an update from me, the girl replied instantly with an ‘Okay’ followed by words of gratitude, saying she was now in my debt.

Well, that’s a favor so there’s no need to reject it.

In the end, after exchanging a few more messages, the girl then ended it with, ‘Let me handle the situation from here on out’.

Yeah. Not knowing that I already asked someone from up high for a favor, she probably found her resolve to stop involving me anymore. Our act of being a couple had come to an end.

If I’m not wrong, Juri was expecting to be scolded by the agency or worse, punished for what she did. That’s why instead of troubling someone she only asked to act as her boyfriend, she was willing to suffer on it alone without telling me anything.

I guess I could applaud her for that accountability and sense of responsibility. Truly a wonderful woman.

In any case, with the Patriarch of the Kaneko Family doing me a favor, she would be fine. No one, not even the big boss of their agency, would be able to touch her.

That’s a done deal.

I mean, from what I noticed from my conversation with the old man, he found the favor I asked as something trivial. Even though I haven’t named that bastard, someone close to the old man – possibly Hitomi’s father, managed to pinpoint who I was talking about in a matter of minutes.

That’s how powerful he is. Or rather, the magazine company was a subsidiary of their business empire. That’s why they’re aware of almost everything that’s happening there. The good and the bad.

Obviously, the favor wasn’t free. It’s the advance payment for that thing I was supposed to do for him in the future. That one where he specifically told me not to tell Otoha.

The good thing is… it probably won’t happen so soon. Maybe a few weeks or a month in the future.

Was that a waste of a favor from someone of his stature? Perhaps. However, I’m not regretting it at all.

In my eyes, it’s just me helping a good friend out. Besides, I wouldn’t tell her that I did that, otherwise, she’d just feel more indebted.

Rather than that, I’d accept whatever she decided to give or do for me in the future as a repayment for the favor.

“See you next week, Koizumi-san. Have a safe trip.”

With that as my last message to her for the day, I put everything that happened between us behind me.

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When I returned to the dressing room and was finally allowed entry, I was faced with Mashiro-san raising a suggestion.

As for what kind of suggestion…

Is there a need to guess?

Yes… It’s about modeling.

Apparently, I caught the interest of the director in charge of taking Yua’s photos earlier. And when she saw me carrying Yua out of that room, an idea came to her mind.

Hiring the two of us for a certain type of magazine that was centered around couples.

The idea was tempting. There’s even a mock-wedding photoshoot. But because of how sudden it was, I naturally turned it down right away.

Mashiro-san was persistent though.

“Onoda-kun, won’t you change your mind? It’s that magazine! Male models will always get a boost of popularity whenever they appear in it!”

“Really? Too bad, I’m not a model.”

“You have every characteristic of a model! You’re handsome. Your gait and posture. Even that expression of yours! Oh, don’t get me started with that cold yet very affectionate personality when it comes to those important to you. You’ll be more than just a model!”

At every word, the woman’s voice gradually grew louder until she almost screamed all of that. Everyone in the room shook their heads at her display but none of them stepped forward to stop her.

9 out of 10, they’re probably thinking the same thing. Especially my Yua.

Unfortunately, I’m still unmoved by it. Or more like, I don’t want to decide about this today.

“Alright. Now that’s an exaggeration. And for the last time, Mashiro-san, I don’t think I’m ready for it.” I answered without any noticeable change in my voice.

A second later, almost everyone exhaled disappointedly. Even the ones unrelated to me like Sayo-san, the other model as well as the makeup artists and other staff affiliated with their agency.

As for Yua and Auntie Misora, both of them had a wry smile on their lips. They expected my answer but at the same time, they were also hoping for a different answer.

When Mashiro-san recovered from it, all her excitement drained from her face as she managed to grasp the small opening that I left open.

“Not ready, then will there be a chance for you to be ready in the future?”

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“Maybe? Only time will tell.”

“Geez. I failed to predict that you’ll be this difficult to persuade. Yua-chan, won’t you say anything?”

“Nope. I won’t be influencing Ruki’s decision. If he says he’s not ready, then that’s just that. I’m also hoping to pose with him in front of a camera though.”

Accepting that she wouldn’t get a positive answer from me anymore, Mashiro-san turned to Yua. Unfortunately for her, my girl had no intention to persuade me in their stead.

“Haa… Alright. I give up. I’ll tell the director your answer. In the meantime, good work for today. I’ll be contacting you again in a few days.”

Upon saying that, Mashiro-san left the room right away. With this, everyone started to leave the room one by one to go home.

While some of them threw me a glance, subtly expressing their disappointment with my answer, I paid no heed to it. For sure, they’re just hoping to see me posing as a model, right? I should be flattered instead.

But that’s that. There’s no point dwelling on that anymore.

A while later, the three of us made our way to the parking lot.

The photoshoot ended as a success and while there’s that encounter with Juri. Only Yua and I were aware of it.

Since there would be at least two hours to drive back to our city, Auntie Misora decided to stop by a restaurant to get our dinner.

Following that, Yua, who was exhausted from everything that happened today, quickly fell asleep on the backseat for the rest of our trip back home.

As for me, I conversed with Auntie Misora while checking on every message I received from my girls earlier.

Except for Yae and Edel, everyone already went home. Yeah. Haruko decided to leave Edel behind or it’s the other way around.

Anyway, what I predicted happened. Hana visited earlier and every girl in the house today met her.

As for the details of what exactly happened or how they reacted to her and vice versa, the girls never detailed it. They’re leaving the narration to the three girls left at home.

I guess that's something to look forward to hearing later.

Ah. Right. I also checked my unread messages from Hana to check how it went on her end.

She sent a lot. And somehow it ranged from ‘where are you’ to ‘this is fun. But I need help getting out of here’.

I focused on her most recent message though.

“Ruki, I seem to have underestimated everyone. I wonder how they will react when they see me standing next to you. It will definitely be fun, no?”

Yeah. I could somehow imagine how she became like a drenched chick in the middle of those girls earlier. Her mind also sent her into a fantasy world where she won against us.

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