Глава 16

Цуку Акиям потерла лоб, стиснув зубы, и сказала: — У этого парня определенно есть намерения по отношению к моей сестре; он точно не замышляет ничего хорошего.

— Хм... — Госпожа Акиям наклонила голову, моргнула, затем посмотрела на младшую дочь и casually сказала: — Ан-чан нравится Тиба-кун? Если да, то все в порядке.

Ан Акиям потерла покрасневшие щеки и blankly покачала головой: — Не знаю. Я голодна и хочу есть.

Госпожа Акиям согласилась: — Верно. Уже полдень; давайте сначала поедим.

Цуку Акиям почувствовала twitch в виске и truly despairing of the two of them. — ...Мама не беспокоится, что сестру будут bullied? Как папа, такой smart person, мог быть заинтересован в маме? Разве он не был не очень popular в школе?

Услышав комментарий дочери, Госпожа Акиям не только не расстроилась, но и почувствовала себя quite proud. Она даже коснулась своего flushed face и reminisced: — Да, тогда за ним бегало много девушек, но в итоге победила я~

У Цуку Акиям twitch at the corners of her lips и couldn't help but ask: — Как вы победили?

Лицо Госпожи Акиям было full of pride, когда она ответила: — Потому что я глупая. Твой папа всегда беспокоился и couldn't rest easy, afraid that I might be deceived if he wasn't around, so he chose me.

Глаза Цуку Акиям widened in disbelief. That actually worked?

— Вау, мама, вы amazing, — сказала Ан Акиям с sparkling eyes.

Госпожа Акиям patted her younger daughter on the head и said: — Ан-чан definitely сможет это сделать тоже~

Цуку Акиям тяжело вздохнула, чувствуя себя mentally exhausted. Затем она patted her face, trying to get herself together. — Forget about it. I'll handle it. Где он сейчас?

Госпожа Акиям thought for a moment, her finger on her lips. — He should be out to eat. Но управляющий офис right next door, so Тиба-кун should be back soon.

— Я пойду wait next door. Вы двое stay put и don't wander off.

Цуку Акиям turned and walked away quickly, her steps showing a sense of urgency. Seeing this, Госпожа Акиям smiled gently. — Цуку-чан really is a worrywart, just like her father.

— Мама, папа когда-нибудь обманом заманивал тебя в свою спальню и делал всякие weird things back then? — Ан Акиям suddenly asked with curiosity.

Лицо Госпожи Акиям lit up with excitement and nostalgia. — Yes, he did. I was really startled at the time. I didn't expect him to have that kind of interest.

— What kind of interest? I'm really curious.

Ан Акиям clung to her mother's arm, pressing for more details. — You can't be told such things~

Госпожа Акиям tapped Ан's perky nose. — Let's go eat first. Aren't you hungry? I'll bring some back for your sister later.

....

After making the Ёсиноя manager feel thoroughly uncomfortable, Сюити Тиба finally let him off the hook и returned to the management office. As soon as he entered, he saw a girl with a high ponytail, a stern expression, and an outstanding appearance standing there with her arms crossed. Her features resembled Ан Акиям's to some extent, but with added sharpness and intensity. Unlike Ан's cultivated aloofness, this girl gave off a genuinely unapproachable vibe.

Seeing the newcomer, Цуку Акиям gave him a thorough once-over и slightly lifted her chin. — You must be Тиба?

— That's quite an impolite way to address me, isn't it, Президент? — Сюити Тиба replied with a hint of playful sarcasm.

Выражение лица Цуку Акиям remained impassive. — Can the contract be terminated?

— Of course not, — Сюити Тиба immediately rejected the request. Are you kidding? This is a 300 000 иен monthly salary. And such an outstanding manager who quickly develops a Чувство Принадлежности — where else can you find one? If you encounter someone like this, you have to hold on to them firmly.

Цуку Акиям wasn't particularly surprised by the response. She took a deep breath, as if she had already mentally prepared for this, and said resolutely: — I understand. How about I take my sister's place?

Сюити Тиба looked puzzled, momentarily forgetting about the previous discussion. — Take her place in what?

Цуку Акиям snorted coldly: — Don't pretend as if you know nothing, weren't you just hitting on my sister's idea by giving this kind of favor? I'll fulfill your perverted desires for her, my looks aren't any worse than my sister's, right?

Сюити Тиба hastily reached out to interrupt: — Wait, what perverted desires? Speak in detail.

Цуку Акиям gave him a sidelong glance: — Why are you still pretending when it's come to this? Luring young girls, locking them up in the bedroom, and doing all sorts of strange things, isn't that what you want? Бондаж, S&M, Ролевые игры, etc., am I right?

Лицо Сюити Тибы darkened with frustration. 'What's going on in your head? Did you like Риона? Does a normal person think of these things?'

Цуку Акиям looked at him with a knowing expression. — Aren't all men like this? Especially rich men like you. Feel free to use whatever methods you want; I won't give in.

— Э? — Сюити Тиба was puzzled. Not giving in and using whatever methods? Isn't that a bit contradictory?

But Цуку Акиям continued as if she hadn't said anything. — Stop hiding it. It's useless against me. I know exactly what kind of person you are. Come on, I'm ready. How far are you planning to go on your first try?

Сюити Тиба stared at her for two seconds, then stepped closer, gripping her pointed chin and meeting her gaze. — Do you think too highly of yourself? Honestly, I have no interest in disciplining you or anything like that.

He'd rather spend his time teasing the lady next door...

Feeling her chin being held, Цуку Акиям's heart skipped a beat, and a glimmer of excitement flashed in her eyes, as if to say: This is exactly it.

On the surface, Цуку Акиям lifted her slender, pale neck and said with a cool, aloof tone: — Is this a Пикап tactic? You're trying to undermine me by belittling me, making me doubt myself, and then get me to think I'm utterly worthless so that I'll obey any of your commands, right?

Сюити Тиба was completely speechless and, uninterested in continuing the conversation, headed upstairs.

Цуку Акиям, feeling a bit disappointed and unwilling to give up, followed him upstairs, continuing her chatter from behind. — Changing tactics now? Is this a Игра в игнорирование?

Сюити Тиба turned on the stairs and looked down at her with a sense of superiority, thinking to himself, 'Is this person crazy? Are both sisters a bit off?' While Ан Акиям's natural cluelessness was somewhat endearing, Цуку Акиям's self-importance was a bit irritating... Wait a minute. Something seems off. Why is her face so flushed? And why does her gaze look like it's a bit eager? Could it be...

Сюити Тиба's mind was stirred, and a rather outlandish thought crossed his mind. Could the Президент студенческого совета, the cool and aloof goddess in everyone's eyes, actually like Риона?

He found himself momentarily lost in thought.

Цуку Акиям, feeling his gaze fixed on her, pursed her rosy lips and said: — Is this a Игра взглядов? It's quite rare. You seem to know a lot about these things.

— No, not as much as you think, — Сюити Тиба muttered, still absorbed in his contemplation.

Сюити Тиба mentally grumbled, 'Even with all my experience from two lifetimes, I might not know as much as you do.'

Though the youthful energy of the girl was quite appealing, Сюити Тиба felt that it could be a bit of a hassle. Married women understand how problematic marriage can be and don't have excessive illusions or constraints. They mutually fulfill each other's needs, provide comfort, and bring joy to one another. Isn't that nice?

But young girls are different...

S3