Chapter 434

"Are you sure it's okay? The tolls must have been expensive."

"I told you, it's fine."

"Alright, then. Thanks for all your hard work today. Take care."

"Yes."

"Get home safe."

Leaving those parting words, Renka got out of the car and opened the Main Gate to her house right in front of her.

Her steps held no hesitation. Proof that she hadn't been neglected nearly long enough yet.

I thought she was finally reaching her breaking point... Is she trying to play tug-of-war with me?

A battle of nerves with a pathetic slave was a piece of cake.

I was destined to be the only winner.

Returning home after putting my body to work for the first time in a while, I filled the tub with hot water.

Afterward, while thawing out in the steaming open-air bath, I imagined what it would be like for the three of us to get in together after a wild session with Renka and Chinami.

It would be absolutely perfect.

My heart pounded at the high probability that I could actually make it happen, rather than just imagining it.

Now that I thought of it, I should give her a call.

With that in mind, I grabbed the Cell Phone I'd left outside the bathroom, got back into the tub, and called Chinami.

"Hello."

Chinami mumbled something on the other end.

Certain she was eating a peach without my even having to look, I spoke up.

"Hello, Master. I called to see what you were up to."

"I'm eating a peach. A new medical drama came out recently, so I'm watching that, too."

"A medical drama?"

"Yes. It's a drama about what goes on in an emergency room."

Suddenly picturing Chinami as a doctor, it seemed both unfitting and yet perfectly fitting...

It was a contradictory feeling.

I wasn't sure about other departments, but pediatrics would definitely be her true calling.

"That sounds interesting. What's the title?"

"It's A Surgeon's Emergency Room Diary."

What a straightforward title.

If it was about a surgeon, the nature of the drama meant patients with severe injuries would be coming in. Did they show the wounds unfiltered?

If so, the drama might have a rather gory rating.

"I'll give it a watch, too. We can talk about it together."

"Sounds good."

"But are you watching the broadcast live?"

"The latest episode is the eighth, but I've only seen up to the second, so I'm watching the replays."

"Then should we just watch it together?"

"Where?"

"At my place."

"What?!"

Her answer was accompanied by a slurp... a sound like she was sucking in some kind of liquid.

It seemed a startled Chinami had nearly spilled the peach juice leaking from her mouth and hurriedly sucked it back in.

"Let's watch it together at my place. I'll come pick you up right now."

"R-right now?"

"Why? Is that a problem?"

"No, it's not that... It's just... I'd need to take a shower... And what should I tell my mother...?"

"Just be honest and tell her you're going out to hang out. It's not like you're staying the night."

"Oh, I'm not staying the night. That's fine, then."

She recovered from her flustered rambling incredibly quickly.

Chuckling in disbelief, I promised to see her in thirty minutes and finished my shower.

Chinami was waiting for me in front of her apartment building in casual clothes.

I pulled the car up. The way she trotted over was cute, and her cheeks looked especially chubby today.

"Hello, Junior."

She opened the passenger door, bowed her head, and climbed in.

She was always so polite. I didn't expect that level of etiquette from my slave, but I definitely needed to train her to at least show respect to her master.

"Hello. We'll head out right away."

"Okay."

Just like that, I brought Chinami to my house for the first time.

A neat front gate, and a spacious yard paved with a stone path inside.

Even a cozy flowerbed... Letting out an awed gasp every time she noticed these details, Chinami shared her impressions.

"Your house is very spacious. It gives off a different, more traditional vibe compared to Renka's place."

"Does it?"

"Yes. The yard is pretty, too."

"Miyuki takes good care of it."

"Junior Hanazawa must visit often?"

"Right. And from now on, Master will be visiting often, too."

"Aha... Is that so?"

"Yes. That's how it is. Come on in. It'll be cool inside since I left the AC on."

"Pardon the intrusion, then."

Modestly slipping off her small white sneakers, Chinami stepped inside through the open screen door.

A cool breeze from the AC blew gently through the tatami living room.

Her eyes widened as she took in the space.

Turning her small head this way and that to examine the living room, Chinami looked back at me.

"Even though it's spacious, it still feels cozy."

Chinami would fit right in on one of those home-remodeling TV shows.

Her genuine sincerity really came through in her impressions.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Do you not use a bed?"

"I don't. It's more comfortable sleeping on a futon."

"You sleep in the living room?"

"That's right."

"I see. It's quite atmospheric. I bet the mood gets even better when it rains."

It was the same for Miyuki, and Hiyori was getting there, too...

Chinami was no different. It seemed everyone who visited my house ended up loving the rain.

"The attic has an even better atmosphere than down here. I'll show you around."

After giving Chinami, whose eyes were sparkling, a brief tour of the house, I handed her a 500ml water bottle and laid out a futon on the tatami right beneath the wardrobe.

Then, sitting down with my back against the wardrobe, I gestured for Chinami—who was standing there blankly—to come over.

"Have a seat. Let's watch the drama."

"Okay."

She trotted over and sat down right next to me.

Flashing a fatherly smile at her as she pulled her knees to her chest, I worked the remote and asked.

"Is it alright if we watch from the first episode?"

"Of course. Oh, right, I forgot to bring the peaches."

"You can give them to me next time."

"Understood. I'll bring a delicious variety."

Were there any other ordinary consumers out there, besides Chinami and Momoka, who bought such a wide variety of peaches?

I suddenly found myself wondering.

Turning on the drama Chinami had mentioned, I stretched my legs out comfortably.

Then I patted the space between them and looked at Chinami.

A signal to sit right there.

Catching on, Chinami's pink eyes darted around.

"Are we really just watching the drama...?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... Pardon me, then..."

She could have just stepped over one leg, but she made a point of carefully slipping in between them.

Finding this modest side of Chinami incredibly endearing, I wrapped my arms around her waist as she settled between my legs and pulled her into my embrace.

"Junior... You said we were just going to watch the drama..."

"We're going to watch it like this."

"Aha..."

"My hands are full, so could you grab the blanket for me?"

At those words, Chinami pulled the blanket over with her tiny hands.

I slid Chinami's body further down until only her head and neck peeked out of the blanket, then gently rested my chin on top of her head.

Then, turning my eyes to the TV, I stroked her stomach with my hand.

"Mngh..."

Did she like the warm body heat she started feeling on her stomach, protected by only a single T-shirt?

Her signature gasp tumbled from her lips.

Seeing the tension steadily leaving her body, it seemed she was getting cozy. I wanted to fondle her all over, but I decided to behave and just watch the drama today.

The heart-pounding massage could wait for later... I would start that when Chinami actually came over to spend the night.

"Junior... You went to work with Renka today, right?"

Chinami asked, wriggling as she placed her hands over the back of mine.

I replied while pressing gently around her solar plexus, subtly brushing against her underboob.

"That's right. Did you hear from the President?"

"Yes... She called me today."

Did it come up while they were having a casual chat?

"Does Master know the President's uncles, too?"

"The octopus uncles...? I've only met them once, but yes, I know them."

"Octopus uncles?"

"They told me to call them that..."

"Oh... Because they're bald?"

"I think so."

It was an incredibly fitting nickname.

I wondered if I should call them that the next time I saw them.

"Did the President say anything else?"

"Like what?"

"Like badmouthing me."

"N-no, she didn't."

Hearing Chinami's overtly guilty tone, it was easy to tell that Renka had been talking trash about me.

Of course, she hadn't insulted me maliciously; it was just one of Renka's clumsy ways of expressing affection. Still, to dare talk behind her master's back...

What a feisty bitch. You're seriously dead meat.

"Alright. You have to head back before it gets too late today, so should we just watch up to episode four?"

"Sounds good... But um... I want to adjust my posture..."

"Are you uncomfortable?"

"Not that, but I feel like I'm putting too much of my weight on you, Junior... Could you let me go for just a moment...?"

"No. If you're not uncomfortable, let's just stay like this."

"Ah, okay..."

Holding Chinami tightly like a bamboo wife felt incredibly nice.

She was soft and warm, making her perfect for summer when the AC was running, and she'd likely be just as great in winter.

This was something I'd wanted for a long time, and I was finally achieving it today.

I'd have to cuddle her to sleep next time.

I watched the drama glued to Chinami until nearly midnight, and I closed my eyes as soon as I got back from walking her home.

Sprawled out like that until nearly noon the next day, I washed up after getting a text from Hiyori saying she was coming over to exercise.

There really wasn't a single day of rest.

Not that I was complaining, but I was afraid I might end up dying of exhaustion at this rate.

Moreover, once I married all four of them, I'd be having steamy relations every single day. Was I going to wither away and die in the saddle?

While I was thinking about this and that, the doorbell rang at the front gate.

I went out and opened the door to find Hiyori raising a hand with a bright, energetic smile.

"Hey, hey."

"You don't even use honorifics anymore."

"Do we really need formalities between us?"

"We do."

"So petty. You can't nag me today, can you?"

Resting her fists on her hips, Hiyori stood tall with a confident expression.

Seeing her oversized T-shirt and pants that barely covered her ankles, I let out a weak smile and nodded.

"I guess not. Good job."

"Why the dissatisfied look?"

"Me?"

"Yes. It looks like you're disappointed you couldn't find an excuse to hit me."

"Stop making up conspiracy theories and just get in here."

"Aren't we working out right away?"

"We'll rest for a bit first. We need to stretch, too."

"Got iiiiit."

Stepping inside without a hint of hesitation, as if it were her own home, Hiyori comfortably took a seat on the futon.

While I was gathering my workout clothes, a confused exclamation suddenly popped out of her mouth as she yawned and fiddled with her Cell Phone.

"Huh?"

"What is it?"

"What's this?"

She held out her index finger toward me.

Wondering what it was, I stepped closer and saw a single strand of pink hair pinched between her fingers.

It was Chinami's. She had an eagle eye to spot that.

"That belongs to my Master."

"Your Master? Who's that?"

"Nanase Chinami, the Kendo Club manager."

"Ah...! That cute-looking girl...!"

"Right."

Blinking her deer-like eyes at my bold answer, Hiyori asked in disbelief.

"But why are you so proud to say that?"

"Should I not be?"

"No... Isn't it normal to show at least a little guilt?"

"I'm a greedy man, so I can do whatever I want."

At that, Hiyori let out a scoffing exhale, sat cross-legged, and crossed her arms.

Her posture and expression made her look like she was interrogating a cheating boyfriend.

Despite staring me down intensely like that, she suddenly scurried to the corner with wide rabbit eyes when I started striding toward her—likely recalling the steamy incident we'd had before.

Acting all tough when she was just going to chicken out like this.

Looking down at Hiyori with a gaze of amused disbelief, I spoke.

"Get up. Let's stretch."

"You're an absolute womanizer."

"What was that, punk?"

"I just stated a fact, why are you getting mad?"

"Because it came out of nowhere."

"You're not denying it?"

"Do I have to?"

"Wow... You're unbelievable. You're going to get punished eventually."

'Isn't it the same for you?'

Swallowing those words, I slowly shook my head and approached Hiyori.

Flinching, she lay on her side, curled up tightly, and pulled the blanket over herself.

She seemed to be trying to protect herself... I didn't know if she realized that doing so made it very easy to smack her butt.

"If you don't get up right now, I'm going to do what I did last time."

"...You're going to hit me?"

"Stay like that if you're curious to find out."

"No... I'm going to get up, but you're seriously so mean..."

"This is the only way you listen. You don't listen to a single word when I talk nicely."

"I listen when a good person talks nicely."

"So I'm a bad person?"

"Yes."

I couldn't argue with that, since she was right.

In that case, it was only fitting that I act like one.

Snorting at Hiyori's pathetic rebellion, I reached a hand toward her buttocks as she rubbed her body against the futon, as if trying to leave her scent on it.

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