Downstairs, Suiren, who had just finished washing up, walked out of the bathroom.
Just now in the bathroom, she had scrubbed her sticky hands hard until they were clean.
After all, earlier in the woods, in order to help Hikari, she had ended up with her hands covered in it.
And then there were places like the hem of her skirt, her thighs, and even her cheeks that were a bit sticky as well. Suiren carefully washed each of them clean one by one.
However, not long after she finished washing up, Suiren saw her younger sister Aoi hurriedly come downstairs and head straight for the bathroom.
"Aoi?", Seeing Aoi rushing downstairs, Suiren asked out of curiosity.
But in response to her sister's question, Aoi did not answer.
Because she had eaten too many snacks out of sheer greed, her mouth was clearly swollen and aching.
So, afraid of being found out, Aoi went straight into the toilet and busied herself for a while.
She thoroughly brushed her teeth, mouth, and tongue, rinsed several times, and even washed her face.
Only after that did Aoi return to the living room.
"Nee-san, did you call me just now? What's up?"
At this moment, Aoi looked normal enough. Aside from her eyes and lips still being a bit red and swollen, she smiled as she asked Suiren.
"N-no… nothing really. I just saw you rushing around and thought I'd ask," Suiren shook her head.
"Oh, I choked a bit while eating earlier. My throat felt uncomfortable, so I went to rinse my mouth," Aoi said calmly.
"I see… your lips look kind of swollen. What did you eat?", Suiren asked.
"I ate… ate some spicy strips. There was a bit too much chili, so they got a little swollen…", Faced with Suiren's question, Aoi still answered without changing her expression.
"I see… you probably weren't paying attention while eating. It looks like you got some on your hair," Suiren nodded and raised her hand to point at Aoi's sideburns.
Hearing that, Aoi subconsciously lifted her hand and touched the hair by her ear. The sticky sensation instantly made her heart jump.
"Eh! It really is a bit dirty. Thanks for telling me, Nee-san!"
After saying that, Aoi hurried back into the bathroom again.
Seeing Aoi's hurried, restless manner, Suiren shook her head helplessly.
———
Back in the bathroom, facing the mirror, Aoi discovered that there really was a bit of white, sticky residue on the hair by her ear.
It was probably from when Hikari pulled out and shook it, accidentally flinging some over. Feeling a bit speechless, Aoi quickly raised her hand and carefully washed it off.
.
.
.
A few minutes later, Aoi finally finished cleaning and walked out of the bathroom again.
And Hikari, already properly dressed, came downstairs as well.
The moment they saw Hikari, the sisters Aoi and Suiren both blushed at the same time.
The look in Suiren's beautiful eyes was mostly shyness. She even dared not meet Hikari's gaze.
As for Aoi, it was mainly embarrassment and annoyance, mixed with a bit of unwillingness, as she stared straight at Hikari.
Facing the sisters, each with her own expression, Hikari said, "I've got something to take care of this afternoon, so I'll head back first."
Hearing that, Suiren quickly nodded and said, "Alright. If you've got things to do, go take care of them first, Hikari."
Aoi, however, looked a bit reluctant. Perhaps still harboring the desire to compete, she said to Hikari, "Hikari, come back to our place for dinner tonight. I still want to 'eat' some more delicious things with you."
Seeing Aoi's slightly teeth-gritting expression, Hikari immediately recalled the scene earlier when she had been force-fed milk and nearly thrown up.
Looking at the way Aoi's usually flat lower belly was now slightly bulging beneath her sailor uniform, Hikari smiled and nodded, "Alright. If I've got time, I'll come."
After that, Hikari left the Asakawa house.
———
He first went home to change clothes. After all, whether it was Suiren's help or feeding Aoi, it was hard not to get some traces on him.
So only after washing up and changing at home did Hikari set off again for Ino Shrine to meet up with Jinno Sumire.
.
.
.
As soon as he arrived at Ino Shrine, the shrine maiden guarding the entrance recognized Hikari and quickly ushered him inside.
Perhaps because they knew Hikari had a close relationship with the shrine maiden Jinno Sumire, these shrine maidens treated him with considerable enthusiasm. They not only brought him to a side hall with comfortable seating to wait, but also served him various teas and snacks.
Hikari sipped tea as he waited for Jinno Sumire to appear.
He was not in a hurry, but what surprised him was that Jinno Sumire, who was usually very punctual, was actually late today.
After about seven or eight minutes past the agreed time, Jinno Sumire, dressed in her shrine maiden uniform, finally arrived.
"Hikari, I had something to deal with just now, so I'm late. Sorry!", As soon as she reached the side hall where Hikari was, Jinno Sumire apologized to him right away.
"It's fine. I didn't wait that long," Hikari waved his hand, not making a big deal out of a few minutes.
But as he slightly raised his head, he suddenly noticed that Jinno Sumire's expression seemed a bit off, her complexion perhaps a little too flushed.
Hikari immediately asked, "Aunt Sumire, are you not feeling well?"
"N-no… I'm fine," When she caught Hikari's gaze, Jinno Sumire immediately felt rather uncomfortable. A faint blush even appeared on her pretty face as she shook her head repeatedly.
"By the way, let's hurry over. My father is probably already waiting for us at home," Without giving Hikari a chance to speak, Jinno Sumire said directly.
The reason she did not want to chat with Hikari any longer was because the reason she was late just now was indeed a bit hard to talk about.
She could not exactly tell Hikari that she had just been in the side hall next door, using him as spellcasting material and casting spells hard several times, with the effects being so good that she ended up late, could she?
To avoid embarrassment, Jinno Sumire simply changed the subject.
Seeing that Jinno Sumire did not elaborate, Hikari did not ask further either. He just responded, "Alright, then let's go."
Although his sharp senses could detect a slightly strong, enticing scent coming from Jinno Sumire, for someone of her age, such a smell seemed normal enough.
In any case, this was personal privacy. Hikari was not about to ask her about it directly. All he could do was show respect and offer silent goodwill.
Just like the first time he went to the Jinno house to meet Jinno Takashi, Hikari followed Jinno Sumire into the car.
The driver soon drove steadily to the Jinno residence.
———
After getting out of the car first, Hikari stood by the car and slightly extended his hand.
Jinno Sumire, just as they had agreed before, reached out and took Hikari's hand directly.
Even though this was not the first time they had held hands, and they had even specifically practiced it before.
Yet for some reason, the moment she grasped Hikari's hand and felt the warmth in his palm, Jinno Sumire's heart trembled.
'Is it because I used Hikari as a fantasy object not long ago, so I'm feeling guilty?'
Feeling nervous, Jinno Sumire's mind naturally surfaced with the guilty things she had done earlier.
But thinking about how she would soon have to face her father Jinno Takashi, Jinno Sumire quickly cast aside those random thoughts, put on an extremely affectionate act with Hikari, and walked into the house, beginning this round of performance.
And Hikari, following Jinno Sumire, once again came before Jinno Takashi, this bargain father-in-law, and cooperated with Jinno Sumire in showing off their affection.
The "husband and wife" occasionally kissed, occasionally hugged, looking extremely loving. The rest of the time was spent with Hikari and Jinno Takashi chatting.
As he accompanied Jinno Takashi in conversation, what entered Hikari's ears was still one part eating and drinking, two parts casual chat, and ninety-six parts urging them to have children.
Listening to Jinno Takashi's anxious talk about wanting grandchildren, Hikari could not help but sigh inwardly.
'This is even worse than the nagging from all those aunts and uncles in my previous life. Why the rush to have kids? Do you have an inheritance that needs someone to take over or something?'
'Actually, you kind of do.'
Thinking about the Jinno family's almost local-tyrant-like status in Ino Village, Hikari could understand Jinno Takashi's eagerness to have grandchildren.
'But would it not be fine to just let his granddaughter Ai inherit everything directly?'
'When the time comes, I can marry Jinno Ai and help take care of the Jinno family, right?'
'With me helping my mother-in-law Sumire manage things, the Jinno family would definitely continue to prosper.'
All of these thoughts were just Hikari idly letting his mind wander while dealing with Jinno Takashi's child-urging chatter.
In short, after accompanying Jinno Takashi for about an hour of afternoon tea, Jinno Sumire found an excuse and said she would take Hikari away.
Jinno Sumire did not want to stay too long, lest something seem off.
Hikari was naturally happy to go along with it. After putting on a somewhat regretful act and declining Jinno Takashi's invitation to stay for dinner, he followed Jinno Sumire out of the Jinno residence.
"Aunt Sumire, I'll be heading off then," After finishing the act and returning to the shrine, Hikari released Jinno Sumire's hand and turned to leave.
"Alright. Thanks for your hard work today too, Hikari," Jinno Sumire smiled gently at him, her tone full of gratitude.
Watching Hikari's departing figure, Jinno Sumire lightly rubbed her fingertips. The hand that had just been interlaced with Hikari's still retained the scorching warmth of his body.
This was the hand she had just held with Hikari, and also the hand she usually used to comfort herself.
She did not know when it had started, but Jinno Sumire had noticed that she was gradually becoming accustomed to all kinds of physical contact with Hikari.
Perhaps it was because of the practice before playing husband and wife, and the need to act as convincingly affectionate as possible in front of Jinno Takashi.
Jinno Sumire's personality was actually one that strongly disliked physical contact with any other man. So even though she had been widowed for many years, and certain needs were quite strong, she had never considered remarrying.
But after this physical contact with Hikari for the sake of acting, Jinno Sumire realized that she did not feel uncomfortable at all.
On the contrary, when their skin touched, she even felt a faint sense of comfort.
Otherwise, she would not have used Hikari as spellcasting material this afternoon and gone at it hard five or six times in the shrine's side hall...
'Peh! Peh! Peh! That was just because the weather was too hot this afternoon!'
Thinking of those shameful things, Jinno Sumire immediately shook her head, throwing those stray thoughts out of her mind.
Even though she did not want to think about those awkward ideas.
No matter what, Jinno Sumire had to admit that her impression of Hikari now, even her feelings toward him, seemed a bit different.
Her original impression of Hikari had been that of a blond delinquent toad lusting after her daughter's swan flesh. Later, it changed to that of an outstanding junior. And now, she even somewhat treated him as a close peer, or even a friend.
After all, when playing husband and wife, they had to be very intimate and understanding, so she had also told Hikari quite a lot about herself.
And then last night, they had even slept together. That had been her first time sharing a bed with a man.
She had even bitten Hikari once. Thinking about it now, it still felt a bit unreal.
'If things keep going like this, will we end up letting the act become real, with Hikari actually becoming my husband?'
At that thought, Jinno Sumire's heart suddenly skipped a beat, her fingers pressing hard into her palm.
"No! No! No! That won't happen!", Jinno Sumire shook her head forcefully, immediately denying the possibility.
Hikari's age was right there. He was a whole generation younger than her.
Although he always acted very mature, completely lacking the rashness and awkwardness of youth, at the end of the day he was still just a high school student.
No matter how mature a high school student seemed, inside they were still inexperienced, unable to shoulder responsibility, and lacking in capability.
And besides, no matter how outstanding Hikari was, he was still her daughter's childhood friend.
In the future, he was very likely to marry Jinno Ai and become her son-in-law.
The reason the two of them were maintaining this somewhat ambiguous relationship now was entirely because she had entrusted him with playing the role of a fake husband, to deceive Jinno Takashi.
Once she successfully took control of the Jinno family, this relationship would end immediately.
Her and Hikari's identities would return to that of elder and junior, or even mother-in-law and son-in-law.
At that point, Hikari would even have to use honorific language with her as an elder, and she would also have to keep a proper distance from him.
"Yes, nothing will happen between us. Once the act is over, our relationship will definitely go back to how it was at the beginning."
Jinno Sumire clenched her fist and murmured to herself.
———
After leaving Ino Shrine, Hikari returned once more to the Asakawa house.
"My mom isn't coming back for dinner tonight. Hikari, eat with us," he was invited by Aoi and Suiren as soon as he arrived.
"Alright," Hikari agreed.
Suiren happily went into the kitchen to prepare the ingredients and start cooking.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.