253: Aftermath

Chisato walked through the apartment door and into the living room.

Utaha was leaning on the sofa and he did not see Eriri.

The TV was on, showing a conversational evening variety show that wives like to watch. The program featured interviews with specific groups of people discussing the day's topics.

Unfortunately, the topic of today's conversation was somewhat sensitive—what to do if your husband cheats.

When Utaha saw Chisato returning, she didn't say anything. She merely closed her jade feet that were resting on the sofa and reached out to pat the space beside her.

Chisato understood what she meant, walked over, and sat down.

Utaha had obviously just taken a shower. The ends of her hair were slightly damp, and a strong scent of shower gel wafted from her.

After Chisato sat down, Utaha unceremoniously placed her slender legs on his lap.

Seeing that he didn't react, she lifted the hem of his shirt, slipped one foot in, and rubbed her toes against his belly.

It was hard to tell whether this was a punishment or a reward, but Chisato finally responded.

He removed Utaha's troublesome foot from under his shirt and placed it back on his lap.

To prevent her from engaging in any unpredictable behavior again, such as untying his pants with her toes, he placed his hands on her ankles to stop her movements.

"Where's Eriri?"

Chisato spoke first, his tone plain, displaying his typical thick-skinned demeanor.

Utaha, on the other hand, snorted coldly, wearing a yandere-like smile.

"After sending the other girls off, you came back to see me and sat next to me. The first thing you ask is about the whereabouts of the others. Are you disrespecting me, Mr. Suzumiya?"

This was Utaha's signature remark when she was angry.

Normally, Chisato would exchange a few words with her, but today he felt guilty about his actions and lacked the confidence to engage in banter.

"I'm sorry. I should have informed you and Eriri about the situation between Hitori and me earlier."

Chisato's words hung in the air, echoing in Utaha's mind.

She continued to stare at him intently, her eyes showing no sign of relaxation, and her pursed lips trembled slightly.

This was not the response she had expected; what she wanted was not an apology.

Moreover, such an apology felt insincere, as he emphasized the "fact" that Hitori had mentioned before.

It was just like what Eriri had said: even the referee who is supposed to maintain fairness can't keep fairness as the top priority.

"You... you're serious about that girl, right?"

"..."

Chisato nodded.

The last hope in Utaha's heart faded, and she desperately pulled her feet away from his lap.

Her slender fingers held her forehead, her burgundy eyes dull, and her expression was one of clear annoyance and reluctance.

An atmosphere of silence spread between them.

Finally, unable to bear the tension, Utaha stood up.

"... Eriri is in the room. She just called home and will be staying here tonight. You can go to her directly. I'm very tired and going to bed first. If you have nothing to discuss, don't disturb me."

Her mood was confused, and her thoughts were scattered. Continuing the conversation made little sense.

Not only that, but she also risked losing something in such a stiff, cold situation.

Therefore, the wisest course of action was to end the conversation, allowing each of them to cool off before discussing anything later.

"Good night, Utaha."

As Utaha opened the door, Chisato's voice came from behind.

She silently bit her soft lower lip, forcing herself to respond as calmly as possible.

"Well, you too. Good night."

Utaha walked into the room and closed the door.

This situation cannot be considered an effective solution to the problem at all.

The disagreement and tension were things Chisato had anticipated.

He had told himself not to rush, but he still felt a pang of disappointment seeing Utaha's sad expression.

But now was not the time for such feelings. While Utaha's situation had barely come to a close, another person still needed his attention.

After all, avoiding the issue would never resolve it.

After taking a moment to adjust his mood, Chisato turned off the TV, gently knocked on Eriri's door, and walked in after receiving a response.

Eriri was leaning against the bedside when she saw Chisato enter and put down her phone.

She wore a light cyan camisole and loose shorts, exposing her long, shapely legs.

Compared to Utaha's slightly voluptuous and graceful curves, Eriri's legs appeared more youthful and energetic at first glance.

Moreover, when she crossed her legs, it exuded a certain strength.

No... what am I thinking...

Chisato shifted his gaze, bringing his thoughts back on track.

As he sat on the edge of the bed, Eriri approached him on her hands and knees like a cat.

Chisato turned to look at her.

Eriri quickly turned her face away.

The light in the room was dim, but Chisato could clearly see the girl's red eyes and the traces of tears on her cheeks.

He sighed softly and spoke calmly.

"I'm sorry, Eriri. There are some things I didn't explain to you earlier."

He was determined to stick to his plan. If Hitori wasn't put in a favorable position from the start, he couldn't imagine what reasons he would have to keep her by his side in the future.

"Now that things have happened, this matter isn't actually that important."

Eriri's attitude was different from Utaha's; no obvious dissatisfaction was apparent.

"I heard Utaha mention that, besides Hitori, there's actually a fourth girl around you, right?"

"...Yes, her name is Kazusa, the daughter of the famous pianist, Ms. Touma Youko."

"Does Touma-san know about our existence and about Goto-san?"

Chisato shook his head.

"...That's true."

Eriri's voice became slightly bitter, and she smiled self-deprecatingly.

"I can understand this: since Utaha and I are more important to you, you thought to confess this situation to us first, right?"

The girl's increasingly nasal voice tugged at Chisato's heart.

He gently held her hand.

"...No one can replace you and Utaha in my heart. That's undeniable."

Eriri held his hand back and smiled reluctantly.

"What... such a cunning statement..."

"I'm sorry..."

Chisato turned to her, stroked her cheek with his palm, and lowered his head to kiss the moist corners of her eyes.

He craved more, even though he already had it. His infidelity was undeniable, and all he could do was apologize.

"There's no need to apologize, Chisato... If what you say is true, then Utaha and I should be the ones apologizing."

Eriri said this meaningfully.

She didn't want Chisato to respond to her statement; she just wanted to express her thoughts, which was a subtle way of communicating her feelings.

After he spoke, she quickly continued, "Actually, I feel very satisfied hearing you say that no one can replace me in your heart."

Chisato wasn't sure if that statement was true, but Eriri's attitude certainly lightened the slightly melancholic atmosphere.

"Thanks."

Since he entered her room, Chisato's words had been brief, which was uncharacteristic of his usual eloquence.

Eriri sighed softly; this was not the reaction she had expected.

No matter what happened, she couldn't let it affect her previous relationship with him.

This was a lesson Eriri had learned from her mother about how to navigate relationships, and it had become a guiding principle in her life.

Also...

During their intimate moments, things felt a little too comfortable...

"I'm going to rest," Eriri suddenly announced.

"Well, good night."

Chisato placed a kiss on her forehead, stood up, and began to leave the room.

He assumed this was Eriri's way of evicting him, but to his surprise, she quickly grabbed his wrist.

Chisato turned around, puzzled. Eriri switched off the bedside light.

The room was suddenly enveloped in darkness. As their eyes adjusted to the dimness, they could barely see a sliver of moonlight filtering through the curtains.

In that faint light, he could vaguely make out Eriri, who was kneeling on the bed. She got off the bed, walked barefoot to the door, and locked it with a soft click.

After doing all this, she slowly returned to the bed and took his hand.

"Actually... I'm not wearing anything underneath my pajamas after taking a shower," she said in a deliberately soft voice.

Chisato swallowed.

He wanted to say that he knew, given how thick Eriri's pajamas were, but he felt it would be inappropriate to mention it now. So, he leaned back as she continued to approach him.

"Eriri, I thought you'd be angry with me."

"I am angry, but anger is just anger. I don't want anything else to affect our relationship."

Through the dim light from the curtains, Chisato could vaguely see Eriri's figure.

Something fell to the floor.

"...Besides, you haven't hugged me for a long time."

If just a few days could be considered a long time, then tonight certainly felt overdue.

Only...

"Eriri, Utaha will be next door tonight."

"Wouldn't that be better?"

"?"

"Huh?"

"And... if this can change her mood and stop her from thinking about her classmates, it would actually be a good thing..."

Although Chisato didn't fully understand Eriri's perspective at that moment, he appreciated her proactive attitude.

He decided to set aside all the trivial matters for now and responded to her sincerely.

…

The next morning, around seven o'clock, a haggard-looking Utaha appeared in the living room just as Eriri was coming out of the kitchen with breakfast. 

She couldn't help but greet her cheerfully.

"Yo~ Good morning!"

Comparing their expressions, it was clear they were worlds apart.

"..."

Utaha glanced at Eriri's smile, then turned her head away, uninterested in engaging as she walked into the bathroom at a leisurely pace.

After finishing her wash and sitting at the dining table, she still didn't see Chisato.

Sensing her curiosity, Eriri took a sip of milk and answered, "Chisato went out for a morning jog. Let's eat first without waiting for him."

"..."

Seeing Eriri speak so calmly, Utaha's long-simmering anger finally erupted.

She coldly replied with disgust, "You seemed very happy last night. As soon as Hitori left, you were eager to pull Chisato into something like that. What were you thinking? You were so impatient! We agreed to do this. Have you forgotten our strategy of showing resistance so Chisato would notice?"

"Being so aggressive so early in the morning is really annoying."

In contrast to Utaha's agitation, Eriri remained calm.

"Honestly, there's no direct conflict between what you said and what I did last night. You know that kind of intimacy... it really helps bring us closer together and adjusts our moods. It's a big help, isn't it?"

"Stop making excuses for your behavior. You're just acting on impulse, driven by your carnal instincts."

Utaha laughed scornfully.

"Say what you want."

Eriri calmly tore off a small piece of toast and took a bite.

Utaha bit into her breakfast sausage with such ferocity it was as if she were biting into someone.

"Actually, if you looked at it differently, you wouldn't be angry. Someone has to confront Chisato... right? It's better for me to do it than for anyone else."

"...right, right."

"..."

Eriri sighed helplessly.

At that moment, Chisato walked into the house, panting. After a brief greeting to the two at the dining table, he headed straight into the bathroom.

Eriri spoke up again, "After school today, I plan to visit the place where Chisato works. Will you join me?"

"Go by yourself."

Utaha showed little interest.

Seeing this, Eriri added some information she had gathered. "Hitori seems to visit there often."

"How do you know?"

"You'll understand once you check her personal homepage."

"..."

"How should I put it?"

"I'll go."

Utaha changed her mind.

Understanding the enemy is essential. This knowledge would be crucial in how they interacted in the future, and there was no reason not to pursue it.

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(16/22)

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

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