249: Please Take Care of Me!

Following their official introduction, she found that both the girl with the blonde hair, who looked as cute as a princess, and the girl with black hair, who resembled a model, were behaving kindly toward her.

She did not sense any hostility and felt welcomed by their friendly greetings.

This was completely different from the results she had seen when she secretly used her phone to search for "third party and original wife meeting" during her free time in the afternoon.

Scenes of fighting—punching and kicking, spitting, pulling hair, and scratching faces with fingernails—showed no signs of what had happened. 

There was not even the slightest indication that such chaos occurred.

They were willing to live in harmony with themselves and allow themselves to regard this place as their own home.

What a considerate and kind-hearted person she is! She is no different from everyone in the group.

Sure enough, the people who can be recognized by Chisato are all gentle and kind-hearted!

Well… except for me…

Hitori's cruel and dark thoughts did not last long before they were interrupted by Chisato.

"Stop standing around and talking. Come on, let's sit down and talk. Just sit next to me."

"Ah... yeah."

Hitori took off her schoolbag and placed it next to the sofa. 

Following Chisato's instructions, she obediently sat beside her, unaware of the sharpened gaze of Utaha that returned to normal in an instant.

Hitori placed her hands on her knees. After sitting down, her upper body leaned slightly forward, just as it had when she was standing.

After all, the environment was too unfamiliar, and she unconsciously did this to make herself feel more at ease—a habit she developed from sitting in a cupboard at home.

But it didn't hurt, and it didn't affect the rest of the conversation.

"Eriri, how long will the soup being cooked in the kitchen take to be ready?"

"There are still more than twenty minutes left."

"That's just right. Let's take advantage of this time to let Hitori tell you about the things between us."

Without any hesitation, Chisato directly brought up the most important topic of the night.

Utaha and Eriri also tensed up.

Before Hitori could formally speak, Chisato stood up.

"By the way, there are drinks in the refrigerator. If you want anything, I'll get it for you."

"No, I'm not thirsty at all."

It would feel quite uneasy for her to leave Chisato's side. While Hitori shook her head vigorously to express her rejection, she subconsciously pinched the corner of her clothes.

Such a pitiful gesture made Utaha's eyes sharpen, showing an offensive posture like a cat arching its back and raising its fur when it is angry.

Eriri maintained a false and perfunctory smile, her eyes half-closed and lips curved, while she watched and listened attentively.

Like a skilled samurai's sword, she quickly poked Utaha's waist with her elbow before immediately pulling it back.

This poke was like hitting an acupuncture point, effectively reminding Utaha to put away her expression that looked ready to speak sarcastically.

Utaha took a deep breath to calm down. 

At the same time, she deceived herself using a trick of self-encouragement, imagining Hitori as a large pink starfish in her mind, which did indeed help a little.

Chisato sat down again, and Hitori felt safe next to the person she liked.

Nothing else could interfere with the current situation. The relevant parties were already seated and ready; it was indeed time to officially get down to business.

"Don't be nervous; just speak boldly and with confidence."

Chisato gently comforted Hitori, who was still a little nervous, and touched her head along her hair to convey strength.

With this encouragement, Hitori finally sighed lightly, clenched her fists on her knees, and slowly raised her trembling eyes to meet the gaze of Utaha and Eriri.

"Ei... Eriri-san, Kasumi... Miss Utaha, I... I have always been afraid of meeting you, but... I understand that we will meet sooner or later, and there is no way to escape. A day like this will eventually come..."

When Hitori first spoke, she seemed to stutter a little, unsure where to direct her gaze.

But as the conversation unfolded, her situation improved significantly; her speech became smoother, and she was able to look them in the eye.

Utaha smiled lightly at her words, her expression unreadable, and began to relax her posture, crossing her arms.

She felt she could probably guess what the other person would say next.

It was likely nothing more than an attempt to evoke sympathy from her and Eriri by pretending to be pitiful or showing weakness, hoping they would allow her to continue spending time with Chisato.

But unfortunately, this was not possible.

Utaha had no habit of sharing, except with Eriri.

After hearing Hitori's initial words, she quickly thought of a way to refuse, but this did not prevent her from letting the other person finish speaking.

After all, this was basic courtesy in front of Chisato.

As for Eriri, she did not exhibit an obvious physical reaction like Utaha.

She behaved like a good girl, looking into Hitori's eyes very politely and seriously as she listened to her speech.

But in fact, her heart was shrouded in dark clouds, unsure when the thunder would strike.

She hated this uneasy feeling of being out of control and of unknown origin.

Given time, she might follow some clues and discover the source of her unease.

But unfortunately, Hitori's words continued without giving her a moment to gather her thoughts.

"...I have always felt scared and extremely uneasy because my initial thoughts about you two were negative." 

"I imagined that you might be confident, beautiful, and courageous women with your own opinions, but that you would find it difficult to accept my existence and would instill such thoughts in Chisato..."

Hmm—don't waste your efforts, Miss Pink Starfish. Even if you praise us, the situation will not change at all.

Utaha crossed her legs and began to shake slightly.

On the other hand, Eriri's mood became increasingly heavy.

Something's wrong… something's wrong…

The wind began to howl in her heart, and the waves gradually grew more violent, lapping at the shore with increasing ferocity—this was the beginning of a heavy rainstorm.

"But after meeting you, I found that my initial idea was wrong, or at least half wrong." 

"You are indeed confident and beautiful, but at the same time, you are also gentle and kind, possessing many beautiful qualities."

"I now understand why Chisato falls in love with you. Excellent people attract each other…"

"Regardless of whether this is right or wrong…"

"It's just a helpless matter..."

Eriri's typically friendly expression changed slightly at this moment.

Utaha, who was as slow to react as she was, also stopped her fidgeting.

She sensed something was off from those words.

At that moment, Hitori, who had taken a deep breath, made the boldest move she had attempted since entering this apartment.

She stood up and faced the two women, who looked much more glamorous than her.

Though still a little timid, she no longer hesitated.

She approached Utaha and Eriri, met their eyes, and mustered the courage to hold their hands.

Though she smiled, the corners of her slightly narrowed eyes revealed bitterness.

Hitori spoke with a helpless tone, her voice slightly trembling as if she were defeated by some irreversible fact, unable to change the situation, and finally resigned to accepting a harsh reality.

"...Miss Utaha, Eriri-san, you are both kind people…"

"Therefore, I don't blame you and am willing to accept your existence…"

"From now on, I ask you to take good care of me when we are together with Chisato..."

The light in the center of the room shone directly on Hitori's face.

Tears rolled quietly down her cheeks, dripping to the ground through her chin.

The crystal teardrops broke and shattered one by one.

Chisato lowered his head slightly.

His dark bangs cast shadows on his face, obscuring his eyes.

The jet-black wing of the air conditioner nearby stretched out its bird head and looked toward this side.

The scene was harmonious and quiet, yet an undeniable sense of helpless compromise and delicate sadness flowed beneath the surface of this tranquility.

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(12/22)

50+ advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta

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