NOVEL NEXT Chapter 282: Seeing the Sisters Twice!
Lunch was over.
While washing dishes in the kitchen, Mariko Akiyama glanced at Reiko Onodera beside her and quietly asked,
"Reiko, do you know if anyone likes Mr. Haruka?"
Reiko Onodera was taken aback and, after some thought, slowly began to speak,
"There should be, Mr. Haruka is so handsome, there must be many young girls at school who like him."
After considering for a moment, Mariko Akiyama felt that her daughter's words made a lot of sense, but she still quietly reminded her,
"Reiko, compared to those girls, you don't have an advantage of your own. Sometimes you can think about problems from a different angle, it doesn't have to be..."
The madam's words were very subtle, and it was something she had contemplated for a long time before deciding to discuss it with her daughter.
Setting aside whether Haruka Yuzan was willing, even as Reiko Onodera's mother, she felt that the chances of her daughter eventually marrying Haruka Yuzan were almost zero.
It wasn't that the young man's character was bad. In fact, she could feel that he was sincere towards Reiko, at least it seemed that way for now, very considerate.
But... would Mr. Haruka's parents agree?
Although she did not know their family situation, but... owning a villa in Tokyo at such a young age and recently opening his own café and appearing on TV, how could a family with such capabilities agree to let Reiko, who already had a daughter, marry into it...
The tug-of-war of interests between those wealthy families was even more troublesome, and she was afraid it might affect Reiko in the end...
Just now, at lunch, when she saw that Arisugawa Hoshina also had a fondness for Haruka Yuzan, she decided to subtly persuade Reiko Onodera today. Some things should be let go when it's time...
Otherwise, in the end, the only one who would be hurt was herself...especially with something as useless as social status, the current Reiko Onodera had no competitiveness at all. Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire
These were the madam's most genuine thoughts.
Haruka was a good person, but he couldn't give Reiko everything...
Understanding the unspoken message from her mother, Reiko Onodera showed a warm smile,
"Mother, I know all that. I've never had extravagant hopes for any status. As long as I can stay by Mr. Haruka's side and not bother him, that's good enough..."
The madam showed a trace of a bitter smile, as she always had a clear understanding of her own position and had never overstepped her bounds.
For example, when Yumeko moved into the villa, she also made an effort to remember the other's preferences and culinary tastes, treating everyone equally.
"Yes, it's me who has let you down..."
Mariko Akiyama hugged Reiko into her arms, her heart aching a little.
"No, mother, I am very happy."
......
Unaware of the touching mother-daughter scene in the kitchen, Haruka Yuzan was now sitting in the living room playing video games with Misaki Saki!
Rika Onodera beside them kept exclaiming with astonishment, her eyes filled with intense curiosity towards the impressive moves on the screen.
It's just... Misaki's character kept getting beaten up.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!! Dead!!"
Haruka Yuzan's combo easily knocked Misaki Saki's Kirby off the arena, his relaxed demeanor as if he were bullying a child.
A sense of accomplishment... slightly less satisfying.
"No! Unacceptable, I won't accept this. Let's go again, watch me thrash you!!"
Misaki Saki puffed up her cheeks, insisting on another round to prove herself, [○･｀Д´･○]
Just as Haruka Yuzan was about to defeat the infuriating Little She-Devil with one hand, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a graceful girl walking out towards the yard.
Hm? Where is Chiba-san going?
After hesitating for a moment, Haruka Yuzan placed the game controller into the hands of the little one beside him,
"Rika, why don't you play games with your Misaki sister? I find it too uninteresting to pick on her."
"Haruka Yuzan!!"
Feeling her authority challenged, Misaki Saki raised her little fists, ready to charge at Haruka Yuzan to teach him a lesson.
"Ah? Should I play?"
Rika Onodera looked down at the game controller in her hands, her watery eyes filled with curiosity and nervousness.
She really wanted to play, originally Misaki Saki had brought it out to play with her.
But since it was her first time, Rika Onodera had subconsciously declined, saying she was happy just watching them play.
Haruka Yuzan reached out and ruffled the little one's head, smiling,
"Don't be nervous, didn't you just watch me play? It's the same, why don't you give it a try?"
Feeling the warmth from his hand, Rika Onodera nodded obediently, indicating that she understood.
"Then, alright,"
Misaki sister was just getting beat up, I don't know how to play and will probably get beat up too. That should be fine, right...
"Yes, such a good girl,"
After instructing Misaki Saki, Haruka Yuzan left the room, and following Chiba Shimizu's departing figure, he stepped outside the house as well.
"Chiba-san, where are you going?"
The young girl paused at the doorstep, turned her head, and caught sight of Haruka Yuzan.
"Hmm? What are you doing here?"
"Isn't this concern for you? Did someone come looking for you?"
"Yes, Chiba Seiryo came by."
"I see, then shall I accompany you?"
"Suit yourself."
Chiba Shimizu's voice was cold, clearly exasperated by Chiba Seiryo's repeated visits. When she had run away from home, there was no concern, and now that she was living a happy and fulfilling life, why did she come to disturb her time and again?
Walking beside the girl, Haruka Yuzan hesitated for a moment before speaking up:
"Perhaps, your sister also wants to reconcile with you?"
Every time Chiba Seiryo was mentioned, he could not help but picture that beautiful woman who resembled Shimizu in three parts: the same indifference, the same rationality, and...that obvious sister-complex with a touch of tsundere.
Ever since they had dined at the hotel that night, Haruka Yuzan had added Hanai Ishishū to his contacts and talked a lot with the little secretary that very evening.
Through her, he had learned about some issues between the sisters.
When they were children, and their mother was still alive, the Chiba sisters had a very good relationship, even describable as very close.
However, following Madame Chiba's death, Chiba Seiryo, at the same age Chiba Shimizu is now, directly joined the Chiba Group. Like Yumeko, she was thrust into the cutthroat business battles at an age meant for romance and innocence.
As time passed, the elder sister became more and more busy, and with her growing abilities, a strong desire for control emerged.
It wasn't just towards the group, but even more so towards Chiba Shimizu.
She strictly controlled every aspect of her younger sister's schedule. According to Hanai Ishishū, she even planned out several backup life plans for Chiba-san's future!
Waiting for the right moment to present what she considered the perfect life plan, she wanted Chiba-san to step by step execute the path to happiness as she saw it.
But the busy corporate affairs left the elder sister with no time to talk to her own sibling.
The long-standing oppression slowly made Chiba Shimizu indifferent, as if uninterested in all worldly affairs, like a robot; disciplined, self-regulating, following the rules set by her elder sister.
Until one day, Chiba-san ran away from home, ripping up all of Chiba Seiryo's planned documents.
In the end, Hanai Ishishū even pleaded with Haruka Yuzan to try to persuade their junior miss—if she couldn't move back home, at the very least...
To remove Chiba Seiryo from the LINE blacklist.
"That's what she thinks, but it doesn't represent me."
Chiba Shimizu's response was always devoid of warmth.
Haruka Yuzan shrugged his shoulders and kept silent; one couldn't offer advice without understanding another's suffering.
Without knowing the full story or comprehending Chiba-san's true desires, he wouldn't say more.
However, Haruka Yuzan guessed that Chiba-san probably did want to reconcile. After all, the intention was so strong that the System had listed it as a special wish.
It was clear to see that both sisters were tsundere.
One with a sister-complex refusing to admit it, the other adoring her sister but unable to bear her oppression.
It really was headache-inducing!
But there was plenty of time; there would be chances to understand more in the future.
In the summer afternoon, the sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees and spilled onto the path, creating a mottled play of light and shadow, while the unceasing cicada songs were like nature's symphony, bringing forth the thick atmosphere of summer.
The two quickly arrived at the edge of the village and immediately saw the black Honda.
Hanai Ishishū stood at the car door, gazing continuously in the direction of the village entrance. Upon seeing the two approaching, her eyes showed a hint of surprise.
"Miss, Mr. Haruka, you've arrived."
"Hello, Ishishū-san," Haruka Yuzan said with a smile as he greeted her.
"Hmm."
Chiba Shimizu nodded curtly and got straight to the point: "Where is she?"
At the mention of Chiba Seiryo, Hanai Ishishū couldn't help but frown, an expression as if something unpleasant was about to happen:
"The elder miss..."
After hesitating for a while, as if making a difficult decision, she finally spoke slowly:
"The elder miss fell ill, just last night. She has a fever, a severe one, and is now resting in the villa. She, she, said she wants to see you."
The secretary's voice was somber, suggesting that Chiba Seiryo's condition was rather serious.
Haruka Yuzan watched the girl's expression closely and after noticing a fleeting moment of worry in her eyes, he grew thoughtful.
However, Chiba Shimizu's concern vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Her beautiful eyes examined the secretary in front of her briefly before she spoke nonchalantly:
"She should be in the car right now, no? Ask her to come out then..."
"Oh, what?"
Hanai Ishishū was clearly flustered for a moment, and despite her professional composure lending her great acting ability, she seemed to have everything laid bare before her own miss.