137: The One Playing Both Sides Is You.

Handkerchief... handkerchief... got it!

Takashi suddenly had a bright idea.

His voice suddenly became low and dull as he said, "Eriri, are you sure the handkerchief you gave me is the same one?"

'Isn't this the one?'

Originally, Eriri was sure that the handkerchief she had in her hand was the same one she gave to Watanabe Takashi.

But when she heard his deep voice and him directly calling her "Eriri," she started to doubt.

Eriri started examining the handkerchief carefully.

'Plan worked.'

On the other end of the phone, Takashi grinned slyly, pleased with himself.

He had guessed that Eriri wouldn't remember the details of the handkerchief.

This handkerchief was different from Utaha's scarf. Her scarf was never given to him.

But Eriri's handkerchief was something she bought and gave to him.

However!

Takashi's handkerchief was different from the pink lamp scenario.

This kind of gift was like chocolate on White Day.

Some people receive chocolate made by hand from their loved one, while others get store-bought, obligatory chocolate.

Takashi's handkerchief was the latter.

It was something that was bought casually and given to him.

She hadn't put much thought into the gift, and after so much time, she might remember the color of the handkerchief, but not the details or patterns.

The fact that she recognized it was because she had already assumed that Watanabe Takashi had betrayed her and concluded that this was the handkerchief he gave her.

Takashi deliberately waited for a while, then exaggeratedly sniffed, purposely making sure Eriri and Maki could hear, before saying in a hoarse voice, "Eriri, how could you mistake a gift you gave me?"

His voice was light and slow, but it conveyed an indescribable sadness and discomfort.

"Is it because it was meant for me that you never really cared?"

"It's not like that, I..."

Eriri instinctively wanted to argue but stopped halfway.

She suddenly remembered that this handkerchief might have been something she bought while shopping with her mother.

"You remember every gift you gave to Aki Tomoya, even remembering the dates, but you can't even recognize the handkerchief you gave me."

"Actually, love and not loving are clear. You've already shown it clearly, haven't you?"

Takashi didn't bother to give Eriri any philosophical talk.

Because he knew, it didn't work with women.

Men speak reason, women speak emotions.

Well, since no reason was being discussed, he could go all out.

"Eriri, you keep accusing me of playing both sides, of betraying you."

"But have you ever thought, from the beginning to the end, we were never together, and we have no relationship."

"If there's no relationship, then what's there to betray?"

"Even if I were with another girl, you have no right to blame me."

"Moreover, the one playing both sides is you, not me."

Takashi ended the call.

Eriri still held the phone, unmoving, seemingly unaware that the call had been hung up.

"Ugh, trashy woman."

Maki, having listened to everything from start to finish, gave her a disdainful glance and walked away.

She might have been playing both sides, but how could she have the audacity to turn it around on him?

Maki walked towards the banquet hall, typing a message on her phone as she went: [Takashi, let me tell you, today I met a shrimp-headed girl...]

Takashi looked at the message on his phone and smirked.

The rest of what he said was not just for Eriri's ears; it was also intentionally for Maki to hear.

He believed that after this incident, no matter what Eriri said, Maki would no longer believe her lies.

Even if Eriri later presented all the collected evidence in front of her, Maki would suspect that it was all forged.

Of course, it was best if it didn't come to that.

'I must speed up the process of winning over the Nakano sisters.'

Takashi silently thought to himself.

He didn't want to go through this kind of thing a second time.

He had to figure out a way to extract himself quickly.

But even if he had to leave, he needed to do it at the right time, with a reason to exit gracefully.

Just like how he parted with Utaha this time — breaking up was fine, but the blame couldn't fall on him.

Meeting such a condition was difficult, but it was easy for Takashi.

Because the person to break the deadlock was already in the field.

"Tomoya brother, don't let me down!"

Takashi cheered on Aki Tomoya, as he carried a full bowl of stewed pork rib corn soup to the dining table.

"Too slow!"

At the table, wearing a white dress, Hitomi slid her fingers across the tablet, not even looking up as she spoke.

"Sorry, I took a call."

"Whose?"

Hitomi asked, as naturally as a girlfriend checking up on her boyfriend.

"A friend of mine."

Friend?

This guy really thought he could fool her.

Hitomi sneered inwardly when she heard Takashi's explanation but didn't say anything else.

Once she had him in her grasp, she would slowly make him pay for everything — both physically and mentally.

But no need to rush now.

She would first trick him into coming closer, then strike.

"Come, try it! See if my cooking has gotten worse."

Takashi proactively served her a bowl.

Hitomi didn't take it, instead silently staring at him.

"I didn't put anything in it."

To prove that the soup was safe, Takashi drank a sip.

"Do you have the guts?"

Hitomi sized Takashi up with a dismissive look.

If this man had the guts to drug someone, he probably already had Narii-chan pregnant with a second child.

"Speak, what do you want from me?"

"Wait, your thinking is strange! Why do you think I need something from you?"

Hitomi didn't waste time on small talk, directly saying: "Miss this chance, I won't give you another."

Takashi hesitated for a few seconds before he finally took out his phone and said, "Well, can you get me this color handkerchief?"

The situation wasn't completely finished yet.

Takashi planned to take a video of the handkerchief later and send it to Eriri, maybe she'd feel guilty and send him more coins.

Hitomi glanced at the phone and said: "I can, but why would I help you?"

"I always pay the rent on time."

Hitomi crossed her fingers and placed her graceful chin on her hands, smiling: "Try not paying and see what happens."

Takashi shuddered like a human being stared down by a southern cockroach. "Excuse me, what will happen if I don't pay?"

"You'll be drained dry by me."

"Landlady, you sure know how to joke."

Takashi chuckled awkwardly.

Hitomi didn't speak but just smiled at him.

As she smiled, Takashi stopped laughing. Her expression didn't look like she was joking at all.

"Miss Landlady, just tell me what you want."

"You said last time you'd bow to me, right?"

"Yeah."

Slap!

With the sound of a slipper falling, Hitomi pointed to her right leg, which was covered in white socks, and said, 

"How about this, kneel down and lick my foot, and I'll get the handkerchief for you."

Takashi looked down at her foot. 

The elegant arch, smooth and pink without obvious creases, about a size 36-38, perfectly proportioned toes, rounded heels without dead skin, and a big toe that didn't have any outward angle — comprehensive score: 98, evaluation: exquisite jade feet!

Takashi lifted his head. "That's the good part, what's the bad part?"

Hitomi: "?"

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