I am that male friend in the harem story

"The cafe won't be opened soon since it needs time to be renovated, so you can use that time to master the knowledge that I will teach you."

"Y-Yes."

Noticing her hesitation, Tobe asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ayase shook her head softly and showed her gentle smile as usual. "Please teach me everything, Boss."

Yet, Tobe once again noticed that her smile was quite forced. "What's wrong?"

"There is nothing, Boss. Please don't worry, since I will work hard to learn."

"No." Tobe stopped and asked, "You aren't focused. Just tell me. I am going to leave you with many things. If there is no trust between us, then I can't hire you."

"I..." Akiko hesitated, but when she heard his last words, she knew that she had to be truthful, and because of that, she bowed her head and asked, "Can I ask for my salary to be paid immediately?"

Why did she hesitate?

It was because she needed money. Many things had to be paid immediately, especially her daughter's school tuition. If it were before, she might not have had a worry, especially when she had a good position as a good barista, but after that problem, she had no income, and she had been using her savings.

It might be possible for her to get a loan, but she knew how dangerous a loan was.

What would happen if she couldn't pay?

Depending on the situation, she might become a prostitute, but then again, with her condition, she might become an adult video actress, especially when MILF type was popular among people.

Still, if possible, she didn't want to do such a job, as it was something that she couldn't accept.

Yet, considering her daughter's future, she knew that she had to—

"Oh." Tobe nodded as he understood her worry, and because of that, he didn't think too much, so he opened his wallet and saw that there was enough money to pay her salary, which they had discussed previously. "Here."

"...." Akiko.

"What's wrong? Take it."

"I-Is it really okay?"

"Yes." Tobe nodded. "Let's say that it is a test to see whether I can trust you or not."

"Thank you! I will work hard."

Akiko bowed her head again, as she vowed to work hard!

Then again, she told him everything, about her place, her status as a single mother, and also her daughter, to show him that she didn't lie. No, she was even about to give her driving license to him, to make sure that he would trust him so much.

"No, no. It's fine. You don't have to do that."

"No, please take it! Or else, I won't be relieved."

"...okay, then."

Tobe was speechless, but he took her driver's license, staring at her picture on it, and compared it to the real one. He knew that it was wrong, but somehow, it reminded him of a lewd story where one would take a picture of the real one and the driver's license together, for a certain purpose.

"I will definitely work hard! Please leave it to me, Boss!"

Akiko clenched her fists, appeared to be pumped up, and seemed ready to receive any Spartan training!

She might be about to become 40, but even so, she was still charming, and despite her childish nature, she was kind of cute.

'But, mid-30s, huh?'

Tobe had to say Akiko was quite young, especially when her daughter was in high school. No, she should have married earlier, and because of that, she was only in her mid-30s.

"But... your daughter is studying at the Sobu High School? Isn't that amazing?"

"Yes!" Akiko was proud when she introduced her daughter. "Unlike me, she is smart and mature." Yet, her smile was a little lonely since, as a mother, she wished for her daughter to be childish, to be a child instead of being mature early due to their situation.

However, unlike Akiko's expression, Tobe's expression was also quite unnatural as he thought of Akiko's daughter's name. "Wait, your daughter's name... is Saki Ayase, right?"

"Yes." Akiko nodded and asked with doubt, "Is there something wrong?"

"...is it this girl?" Tobe showed his picture with Saki and Maaya, having lunch together at school. Unlike before, when he just didn't care about his stepmother's daughter and was unprepared when he met Hina previously, this time, he decided to ask, since any strange coincidences could happen in his life.

"...."

Akiko widened her eyes as she looked at Tobe, who was in a high school uniform. "B-Boss, are you my daughter's classmate?"

As expected, Tobe thought. Still, while he sighed inwardly, he didn't lie.

"We're in the same school, but we're not from the same class."

"...." Akiko.

Now, what should she do?

Her boss was her daughter's classmate.

Or, even a friend!

Still, watching the gentle smile on Ayase, Akiko hesitated for a moment and asked softly, "B-Boss, can I ask something?"

"Yes?"

"...are you dating my daughter?"

"..."

Blinking his eyes, Tobe shook his head and said, "Unfortunately, no."

"... Do you want to date my daughter?"

Tobe looked blankly at Akiko, who asked him that question solemnly, feeling an intense headache, as he let out a helpless sigh and wanted to say that he loved a mature woman more.

"I have a girlfriend already."

"Ah, oh..." Akiko was blank, but then Tobe asked, "Do you want to continue to study or not? If not, then I will leave."

"Wait! Wait! I will study!"

Yet, at that moment, Akiko had lost her chance to ask many questions, especially about Tobe's identity and everything else. She was curious, but she couldn't ask as she had to focus on becoming a proper barista as soon as possible.

Fortunately, Tobe's abilities made Akiko able to learn faster, and with her experience as a bartender, she was able to learn quite a lot. Naturally, the barista's knowledge wasn't everything, and he told her what she needed to do.

"Okay, that's it."

"Ah, we're not learning more?"

Akiko was at a loss as she had fun learning the knowledge.

"I have something to do after this. This cafe isn't my main project, after all, so help me to take care of it."

"Y-Yes."

Akiko knew that Tobe's purpose in making this cafe was for something else, probably money laundering, as many of the bars and the people that worked there that she knew, were more or less, told her that many restaurants, cafes, or those that didn't make money were used to clean up the dirty money.

Still, was it his purpose?

Yet, she couldn't ask since, as an employee, what she had to do was to be obedient and listen to his orders.

However, without a doubt, tonight, she couldn't get him out of her head.

Meanwhile, Tobe's mind was no longer on Akiko anymore. Instead, he went to the ATM at the convenience store, bought some ingredients, and then went to the home of one of his lovers.

Then, as expected, as he pressed the bell and waited for a while, the door was opened as he was pulled by a powerful force that clung to his body as softness were felt on his lips and his entire body.

With his hand, he closed the door, but continued the kiss, which quickly turned into a lewd and vulgar kiss that they even drank each other's saliva till they couldn't breathe.

"You tasted like a coffee." Hiratsuka wiped her fleshy lips that were wet from Tobe's saliva.

"...did you just drink a beer?"

"I-It's fine, isn't it? I have nothing to do but wait for you!"

Hiratsuka seriously cried, showing her miserable state as she had nothing to do during her Golden Week, spending her time in a daze, drowning herself in alcohol.

"..."

Tobe should have apologized, but he knew that was the wrong answer. Instead, he embraced her softly and whispered, "I miss you."

"...me too."

At that moment, Hiratsuka was as good as delicious, meaty sashimi that was presented before him tonight~!