"Thanks for the treat, Rita-san."
Releasing the blushing Rita, Hayashi Maki licked his lips and, smugly satisfied, headed further inside.
Rita clenched her small fists and shook them at his back, silently cursing him for being shameless.
How could someone like that exist?
Having tried and failed to tease him, only to end up giving him the advantage, Rita glared at him in a mix of shame and anger—then could only swallow it and pretend nothing had happened.
She had no choice.
Both Mashiro and Mahiru were on that scoundrel Hayashi Maki's side.
Rita had just arrived from overseas and was, frankly, freeloading.
Living under someone else's roof, even if she felt wronged, she could only choke it down. She still wanted to keep staying here—she couldn't afford to make Hayashi Maki angry. In this house, Hayashi Maki's word carried the most weight.
Touching her lips, Rita bit down, gave a cold snort, and darted into Hayashi Maki's room. Feeling a little dejected, she decided not to come out again until it was time to eat.
Seeing her hogging his bed—burrowed into his blanket—Hayashi Maki just shook his head and didn't make a fuss. He opened his laptop and logged into a game.
As soon as he went online, "Ako-wife" messaged him:
"Tenshi-hubby, you're finally on! Uuu—come carry me!"
Which, of course, he did.
…
After another dinner, Hayashi Maki patted his full belly and sprawled on the sofa like a salted fish to rest. For him, eating a bit more wasn't an issue. He was a demon by nature; whatever he ate was automatically converted into mana reserves—he wouldn't put on weight. Mahiru's dream of feeding him into a chubby boy was nearly impossible. He would only get fat if he wanted to.
As he rested, Mashiro came and sat on his lap, nestling sweetly into his arms. Hayashi Maki stroked her hair and didn't mind. Having a soft, fragrant girl choose to be close to him was undeniably pleasant.
There was just one downside.
It tended to… stoke the fire.
"Mm…"
Mashiro felt the change as well. She stared steadily at him but didn't pull away—instead she looped her pale arms around his neck.
"Hayashi Maki, what color do you want to be?"
Baffled, Mashiro asked out of nowhere.
In a husky voice, Hayashi Maki said, "I used to want to be black, to swallow every other color. But now… I want to be yellow."
Mashiro tilted her head. "Why?"
"Because Mashiro is too cute."
He lowered his head and kissed her lips. Sliding an arm under her knees, he picked her up and carried her to her room. Mashiro didn't refuse. For a "pet," after all, enjoying life was the most important thing.
…
Rita waited and waited, but Hayashi Maki never came back. She stepped out of the room. Seeing Mashiro's door tightly shut, she instinctively pressed her ear against it.
"Rita-san, what are you doing?"
Mahiru asked, looking at her strangely.
Rita's cheeks flushed. "N-nothing… I was just curious what Mashiro is doing. And Hayashi Maki isn't here…"
Mahiru sighed and took her hand. "Rita-san, let's talk."
"Alright."
…
Sitting on the sofa, Rita took a small sip of black tea. So did Mahiru. After a sip, Mahiru set her cup down and got straight to the point:
"Rita-san, what do you think of Maki-kun?"
"…"
Rita fell silent. In front of Mahiru—if she badmouthed Hayashi Maki, would she be kicked out?
Mahiru smiled gently, teasing a little. "What's wrong, hard to say?"
"How about I say it, then."
"Maki-kun is shameless and thick-skinned, a flirt and a philanderer—a super scumbag!"
Hearing that, Rita couldn't help blurting out what was on her mind. "If you know he's a scumbag, Mahiru-san, why stay with him? And he's in there right now, taking advantage of an innocent Mashiro, isn't he? We could call the police and have him arrested!"
Mahiru only shrugged helplessly. "I can't help it—I can't bear to part with him."
"Rita-san, to me, Maki-kun is my only family. And Mashiro-nee is already part of this family, too."
"I don't want to break this home's harmony. So if you can't accept Maki-kun, please leave quietly."
Rita: "…"
After a silence, Rita sighed deeply. "Mahiru-san, I won't leave—for now. I'm taking Mashiro back with me."
"You consider that man and Mashiro your family—fine. But as the one who's looked after Mashiro since she was small, I don't want her to keep wasting her talent."
"Her hands should be creating miracles—painting better works. Not drawing manga. And certainly not… serving that pervert!"
At that, her cheeks flushed—clearly recalling certain… images.
Mahiru blinked, then rolled her eyes. "Rita-san, you're the one hogging my boyfriend's room and his bed, and you have the nerve to say that?"
Rita's face went crimson. In Mahiru's eyes, she must look like a sneaky cat. But what else could she have done?
Mahiru rolled her eyes again and went on: "Besides, it was Mashiro-nee who crawled into Maki-kun's bed. He didn't force her. Please get that straight. In this house, continuing to draw manga is Mashiro-nee's own decision."
"She's wasting her talent! She'll regret not pursuing fine art!" Rita shot back.
"And you, Rita-san? After all those years by Mashiro-nee's side—how's your painting?"
"I…"
Rita bit her lip and fell silent again. Painting takes talent. She'd been crushed by Mashiro's genius, so much so she'd given up on becoming an artist herself. Mahiru's words hit a raw nerve.
Just as anger rose, Mahiru gently pulled her into a hug.
"It's okay, Rita-san. You know this, don't you? The most important thing in life is to be happy—to fulfill yourself."
"If you're still lost, then stay here with us for a while. Live together with us. One day, you'll find your own goal."
"Don't lay your expectations on Mashiro alone."
"Precisely because continuing with fine art left her empty, Mashiro-nee chose manga—because it brings smiles."
"Mashiro-nee wants to bring you a smile. Yet you talk about taking her back—you're betraying her hopes."