Ever since he returned to Earth, Kousuke had been thinking of a safe way to make money. He didn't want to work a normal office job—that ship had long sailed the moment he was summoned to the Other World. Coming up with ideas wasn't hard, especially with his powers. The real challenge was getting the business up and running.
He was still a teenager. No one would take him seriously. So he needed someone to handle everything—someone he could trust, and who had the skills to keep the business from going under.
There was a time he considered asking Rias. After all, her familiar looks identical to human, appearance wise. Maybe he could borrow her or something. But that could only be temporary solution.
"Sigh... Isn't there anyone out there desperate for a job and willing to sign an NDA?" Kousuke muttered while staring at the scribbles in his notebook. He tapped his finger rhythmically against the desk—a habit he'd picked up whenever he was deep in thought.
Knock! Knock!
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. He shut the notebook and turned as the door creaked open. His mother poked her head in.
"My friend's here with her daughter. Come downstairs and greet them," she said, using that unmistakable Mom-tone that allowed no refusal.
He sighed and got up, following her down the stairs. Even as they descended, his mind wandered. Maybe I should just ask Rias...
"Oh my, your son's all grown up now!"
In front of him stood a woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties. Long, elegant purple hair framed a strikingly beautiful face—he couldn't believe she was the same age as his mom. She was easily on par with Yasaka in terms of allure. Apparently, she was a full-time housewife, while her husband managed a tech company overseas.
"If only you were a few years older," she said, shaking her head dramatically.
Kousuke raised an eyebrow. He followed her gaze to her daughter—Amano Mei, a young woman in her early twenties. She had inherited her mother's beauty, but a deep frown currently marred her face.
"You're not implying what I think you're implying... right?" Mei muttered. Her mother looked away and whistled innocently, clearly guilty as charged. Mei sighed, then turned to Kousuke and gave a polite bow.
"Sorry if she came off as rude. My mom can be... persistent and nosy when it comes to me," she said with an apologetic smile. "I'm Amano Mei. You can call me Sis Mei if you want."
"I wouldn't be so persistent if you already had a boyfriend. But you're just as single as your employment status," her mother added with a mock pout, her tone just as sharp.
Mei flinched slightly at the jab, her smile cracking, though she remained calm and took a slow breath.
"Haven't I told you a hundred times that I won't work under someone who can't stop ogling me? I'm there to work, not becomes a zoo animal for people to gawk at."
"That's a normal reaction, dear. You are my daughter. Of course they'll stare," her mother replied, then turned to Kousuke and winked. "Surely this young man agrees with my thought, aren't you?"
Kousuke glanced at Mei, who shifted uncomfortably, then gave a small appreciation nod before shaking his head. "Well yes," he admitted. "But I also agreed with Sis Mei," he said with a faint smirk. "I'd be angry too if someone ogled my girlfriend in public."
Mei blinked at him, surprised by the unexpected support. But his next words made her cheeks faintly pink, she couldn't believe someone so young to utter such a bold line!
"After all... it's only my right to do that."
"My, you sure know how to talk~" her mother laughed. Then, without missing a beat, she grabbed Mei by the shoulders and said, "Why not just make my daughter your girlfriend? She can wait a few years until you're old enough for marriage."
"M-Mom!!" Mei shouted, her face completely flushed. Whether from embarrassment or something else—only the gods knew.
"I'd gladly say yes if the circumstances were more favorable," Kousuke replied with a wry smile, he can feels his back sweating at the thought of Tsubaki, Yasaka, and Akeno. "But I already have enough on my plate."
Enough on his plate? Mei frowned slightly, a weird thought crossed her mind. That sounds like he has more than one girlfriend…
She hadn't expected to feel a small sting from being turned down—especially not when it had been her mother doing all the pushing.
"As expected. Unlike my unfilial daughter, you're doing well on your own. It must be your mother's good influence," the woman said, steering the conversation over to Kousuke's mom, who looked strangely proud.
Kousuke took that chance to quietly excuse himself—he'd fulfilled his greeting duty, so there was no need to stay.
Or so he thought.
"Wait a moment."
He turned and saw Mei approaching him at the hallway.
"I wanted to apologize again about my mom. She's been a little more… uh… loose since my dad's been away. He hasn't come home in months so her mood is a bit..."
"It's fine," Kousuke said. "She seems to care about you a lot."
"I just wish her love was less burdensome," Mei sighed. "Now she keeps nagging me to find a job... But it's not my fault! Every company I apply to rejects me, saying I'm overqualified! Can you believe it?"
Kousuke's ears perked up at that. It felt like fate had just handed him an opportunity.
"What kind of jobs were you applying for?" he asked, curious.
"Nothing too fancy. Just something well-paying, nothing too physical since I have low stamina. Preferably in an office or similar work environment. Oh, and I don't want to be bossed around. Too many times they wouldn't listen to me because apparently, I don't know what I'm talking about. If that were true, I wouldn't be working there in the first place!"
Kousuke gave her a look. "So… basically, a manager's position? Double. But you don't have much working experience, do you?"
Mei blinked. "How'd you know?"
"It's the most logical reason for them to keep turning you down, the same old excuses."
"Sigh… I knew it. It's always about experience, but I don't want to go through all that hardship," she muttered, especially when they tends to gawk at her body.
Snap!
Kousuke suddenly snapped his fingers, catching her attention.
"Then how about this?" he said with a confident grin. "Let's open a business together."
Mei stared at him, her jaw dropped at the sudden bombshell.
"…Huh?"