"I'm sorry, Mira."
Blushing furiously, Mahiru forcefully broke free from Mira Tsubakihara's embrace, her expression unnatural as she said:
"About this matter... I must refuse!"
"Refuse what?" Mira looked genuinely confused before appearing deeply hurt. "Mahiru, don't you want to live together anymore? How could this happen when we just agreed yesterday?"
"I'm sorry, but this kind of thing is really..."
Mahiru, who had been about to say she couldn't accept sisters sharing a husband, suddenly faltered. After a stiff pause, she looked strangely at Mira Tsubakihara:
"Mira, were you just talking about being neighbours in the same apartment building?"
"Of course." Mira blinked, her dimples showing. "What did Mahiru think I meant?"
"But Luo Shu..." Mahiru instinctively glanced towards Luo Shu.
At this, Mira asked in confusion:
"Isn't Luo Shu living in the same apartment building as us? Didn't he mention it to you?"
'Well, he might have mentioned it, but now I suspect you're messing with me, though I have no proof...' Mahiru puffed up her cheeks angrily, but her exquisitely delicate features failed to convey any sense of anger, instead making her look rather adorable.
Mahiru strongly felt Mira had been teasing her – whether it was that talk about tacitly accepting Luo Shu dating multiple women, or wanting her to join in – it was all nonsense.
The reality was probably just that they were neighbours in the same apartment building.
While living in the same building with acquaintances certainly had its benefits, couldn't Mira have explained things more clearly?
Did you do that on purpose?
Thinking this, Mahiru glared at Mira Tsubakihara with an expression that seemed to say 'I'll stare you to death'.
Facing the angry hamster before her, Mira cheerfully raised her hand to pinch Mahiru's puffed cheeks, laughing:
"Now we're truly even!"
Hearing this, Mahiru immediately understood that the earlier teasing had been Mira's revenge for her revealing those girlish secrets.
Even though she knew it was payback, Mahiru Shiina was still furious:
"Mira-nee~!"
"Hmm, I'm here!"
"From now on, please don't hug me randomly. Also, if possible, please always maintain a distance of three steps from me."
"Sure!"
Hearing this "sure", Mahiru Shiina froze.
At that moment, Mira Tsubakihara smiled sweetly as she released Mahiru, took a few steps back, descended the stairs, and leaned against the Mercedes' body:
"I have a boyfriend now, Mahiru. So, isn't it normal to hug my own boyfriend from now on?"
Dragged into this mess, Luo Shu looked at Mira Tsubakihara with helpless amusement. This minx was telling the truth as if it were a lie, completely leading Mahiru astray.
This move was truly one of a kind.
Meanwhile, hearing such blatant boasting, Mahiru froze for a moment before exclaiming indignantly:
"I know you're in love, Mira-nee, but there's no need to emphasise it!!"
Mira Tsubakihara looked utterly disappointed: "But isn't it such a waste if I can't brag about this?"
Mahiru Shiina was torn between laughter and tears: "Please go brag to someone else."
Just then, Luo Shu, who had been silent until now, seeing that Mahiru was genuinely close to losing her temper, quickly interjected:
"Speaking of which, could you first tell me where the car park is?"
"If we park by the roadside, the traffic police will fine us."
"Ah, my apologies." Mahiru immediately apologised and pointed to the right side of the road: "Turn left there, and you'll see the sign for the underground garage."
Meanwhile, Mira Tsubakihara said calmly, "By the way, Mahiru's flat number is 606. Don't get it wrong."
"Got it."
Luo Shu gave Mira a look that said 'behave yourself' before driving towards the garage.
Mira waved as she watched Luo Shu leave. Once the car was out of sight, she immediately turned and grabbed Mahiru's hand:
"Alright, time to get down to business."
Mahiru Shiina tried to shake off Mira's grip but, finding it impossible, could only endure:
"I know."
"Next time, could you please stop teasing me like this?"
"Let's get to work!" Mira cheerfully pulled Mahiru along as they entered the apartment building.
After the two entered the apartment...
Suddenly, a cawing sound rang out as a flock of crows landed on the telephone wires, tilting their heads to observe the apartment entrance below.
The elevator dinged open.
Luo Shu stepped out and immediately saw flat 606.
This apartment building had multiple elevators, each opening onto only one flat per floor, so Luo Shu wasn't worried about getting lost. He went straight up and rang the doorbell.
With the chime, Luo Shu could clearly hear footsteps approaching.
Then the door opened, revealing Mahiru Shiina in beige loungewear:
"Ah, you're here already? Please come in."
Mahiru opened the door wider and turned to walk inside:
"~The slippers are ready, and there's some honeydew on the dining table. Luo Shu-kun can have some while you wait. I'll finish packing soon."
Hearing this, Luo Shu closed the door, slipped on the men's slippers Mahiru had prepared, glanced at the women's high heels and men's leather shoes on the shoe rack to his right, then entered the room. Taking in the expensive furnishings around him, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow:
"Do you live with your family, Mahiru?"
Mahiru Shiina, who had gone to fetch water, paused in lifting the teapot before replying:
"Yes, my father and mother come back to stay occasionally."
Luo Shu didn't press further upon hearing the word "occasionally," instead asking:
"The moving company hasn't arrived yet, has it?"
Mahiru Shiina poured Luo Shu a cup of green tea and explained:
"That won't be necessary. My few belongings don't warrant calling a moving company."
"Not necessary?" Luo Shu looked at Mahiru Shiina in surprise.
Seeing his reaction, Mahiru scratched her cheek with her index finger and forced a smile:
'After all... I can only take what belongs to me.'
At that moment, Mahiru Shiina looked at the tea and sliced melon on the table and suddenly remembered something:
"Ah, how careless... I think melon turns bitter when paired with tea..."
"Melon does taste bitter with water," Luo Shu responded before walking towards the sofa and casually asking, "Roughly how long do we need to wait?"
"Mira-nee is helping with the packing right now. With two people, it should take about 10 minutes."
Mahiru Shiina calculated the time before apologising to Luo Shu: "Um, could you wait a little longer?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu nodded: "Sure, you two go ahead with your tasks. I'll just sit here."
"Then I'll go help now." Mahiru smiled apologetically before heading towards her bedroom.
Meanwhile, Luo Shu, seated on the sofa, gazed out through the large floor-to-ceiling window at the crows circling over the neighbouring street, narrowing his eyes slightly.
'Now this is interesting.'