Nakano First Hospital, Room 501.
Sitting on the hospital bed, an elderly woman with silver hair and kind features gently placed her hand over Chizuru's and said to the gray-brown-haired elderly lady, "Kazuha, let me introduce you—this is my granddaughter, Chizuru."
"Chizuru, this is my friend whom I met here at the hospital, Kazuha."
Chizuru instantly sensed trouble the moment she laid eyes on Kinoshita Kazuha.
Kinoshita Kazuha was the grandmother of a recent client of hers—Kinoshita Kazuya.
Due to certain circumstances, they had met before, and Chizuru had even acknowledged herself as Kazuya's girlfriend.
At the time, she figured if she dressed more low-key for future hospital visits, everything would be fine—so she hadn't taken it seriously.
What she hadn't expected was that Kazuha turned out to be her grandmother's friend.
"Chizuru?"
When Kinoshita Kazuha saw Chizuru, a clear look of surprise appeared on her face. But it quickly turned into delight. "Sayuri, Chizuru is actually your granddaughter?"
"Yes, that's right. Why?" Ichinose Sayuri looked puzzled as she turned to her hospital friend.
"Chizuru is currently dating my grandson, Kazuya."
Ichinose Sayuri looked at Chizuru with delight. "Chizuru, so the boyfriend you mentioned is Kazuha's grandson?"
"Uh... that... well..."
Chizuru realized she'd dug herself into a hole, and now she was stuck.
She didn't know whether to admit the truth or not.
"Kazuya, you little rascal—get over to the hospital right now!"
Before Chizuru could even react, Kinoshita Kazuha had already called Kazuya. Chizuru didn't even get a chance to stop her.
What should I do...?
Chizuru began to panic.
To fool her own grandmother, she had specifically asked Takashi to pretend to be her boyfriend.
And now Kinoshita Kazuha has called Kinoshita Kazuya over.
What was she supposed to do when the two of them met?
…
"Yo. Didn't expect to be back so soon."
At 8:30 PM, Takashi stood at the front entrance of Nakano First Hospital, holding an umbrella as he greeted the building.
He had a strange feeling.
That he'd be visiting this hospital often in the future.
Finding the inpatient ward, Takashi placed his umbrella in the stand and stepped into the elevator.
"Wait!"
Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a decently handsome but awkward-looking man rushed in.
Takashi gave him a quick once-over and immediately guessed he was the type who, let's say, often sought "self-forgiveness" with Five Sisters.
The guys on the anti-lust forums all knew—long-term self-pleasure ruins your looks and posture, gives off a weird stench, twists your personality into something sensitive and selfish, and even makes you afraid to meet people's eyes.
Lust is the root of all evil—and that was why Takashi never messed around.
He could mess around. But he didn't want to burn out his body before his time.
The elevator rose slowly. Ding—they reached the fifth floor.
Takashi and Kinoshita Kazuya stepped out and walked in the same direction, both stopping in front of Room 501—then stared at each other in surprise.
Luckily, at that moment, the door opened from the inside.
It was a nurse coming in to change dressings.
Through the open door, Takashi saw Chizuru sitting beside two elderly women.
"Grandma!"
Kazuya called out to his grandmother sitting in the chair and quickly walked in, taking the seat right next to Chizuru.
Chizuru, however, jumped up as if shocked by electricity and looked at Takashi as if wanting to speak but holding back.
Takashi raised an eyebrow. Why did this feel like the start of a cliché love triangle from a girl's manga?
Was this guy her future boyfriend? Or someone she had feelings for?
'System Eye, activate!'
A translucent blue panel appeared, displaying the girl's info:
[Target: Ichinose Chizuru]
[Age: 19]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Charm: 8]
[Stamina: 5]
[Source: Rent-A-Girlfriend]
[Future Boyfriend: Kinoshita Kazuya]
[Currently single, not in a relationship, available for dating.]
Takashi tapped on Kinoshita Kazuya's photo—an exact match.
But… seriously? Takashi really couldn't figure out what Chizuru saw in him.
Chizuru had the looks, the figure, and even money. What could she possibly like about him?
Was it his so-called kindness?
Takashi didn't get it. He could only offer his blessings… and completely lock it down in his heart.
"Kazuya, listen. Chizuru is Sayuri's granddaughter."
"Don't you think that's a wild coincidence?"
"Maybe it's fate—you two are clearly made for each other!"
Kinoshita Kazuha walked over and threw an arm around both Chizuru and Kazuya as she spoke loudly.
Is that directed at me...?
Takashi got the sense the old lady was purposely saying all this for his benefit.
She probably saw him as a romantic rival to her grandson.
Ichinose Sayuri didn't respond to Kazuha but instead turned to Takashi. "Young man, who are you?"
A living, breathing person standing right there—it was impossible not to notice him.
And Sayuri had observed that ever since Takashi showed up, Chizuru had been panicking, like a girlfriend caught cheating.
Takashi glanced at the guarded Kazuha and her grandson, then smiled faintly. "Sorry, I must've come to the wrong room."
Under Chizuru's gaze, Takashi turned and left.
It was like he'd made up his mind—he didn't look back even once.
"Takashi!"
Chizuru couldn't sit still any longer. She brushed off Kazuya's hand from her shoulder and quickly ran after him.
Kazuya followed instinctively. He had no idea why, but something told him—
If he didn't chase her now, she'd run off with that guy.
"Takashi!"
Just as Takashi reached the elevator, Chizuru caught up to him.
"Chizuru, shouldn't you be with your grandma?" Takashi asked, confused why she was chasing him.
Chizuru took a breath and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Let me explain. I have nothing going on with him."
Takashi glanced again at the system window.
Heh. If it weren't for Brother System tipping him off, these women would've fooled him completely.
Pretty women are the best liars.
Not just Chizuru—even Eriri was the same.
Back then, Eriri had made it look like she was totally into him. But one peek at the system? Her real crush was still freaking Tomoya.
Women—all of them were damn actors.
"Chizuru, honestly, you don't need to explain anything. We're just friends."
Takashi truly didn't care about Chizuru's relationship with Kazuya.
She wasn't his girlfriend—so whoever she liked, it was none of his business.
Takashi had the same mindset toward every target girl—no expectations.
That cold, rational detachment was the only reason he could handle this job.
It's why he felt nothing when Utaha ghosted him and chose to dateTomoya instead—he could still strategize how to get more out of her.
It's why when Yotsuba couldn't decide between him and Fuutarou, he could just watch quietly and calculate how to extract the greatest benefit from her.
A tactician, as long as they never step onto the battlefield, will always be the wise man behind the curtain.
"Just friends..."
A sea breeze blew in through the open window, tossing the girl's hair.
And vanishing into the night wind along with it, was her soft, nearly inaudible whisper:
"What if I said—I'm not willing to be just friends?"
___
???
Wtf sis, I thought you're not into him??
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