What kind of feeling would it be if, one day, the child you thought needed your care suddenly pulled out an enormous fortune—more than you could probably save in your entire life—and offered to support your entrepreneurial venture?
Asu Mei felt her soul burning.
Takayanagi Yuki's pristine collar trembled.
The moment Hoshino Jun's bank balance appeared, clearly visible, before the two 'aunties,' the world seemed to stop spinning.
Utter silence.
Two beautiful faces instinctively looked up, eyes wide, staring at Hoshino Jun.
Their breathing grew heavy.
Clearly, they were stunned by Hoshino Jun, and Hoshino Jun, in turn, was quite satisfied with their reaction.
Hadn't he worked so hard just to show off in front of the 'aunties'?
Mere Asu Mei, mere Takayanagi Yuki.
I, Hoshino Jun,
Will take care of everything!
Now hurry up and come massage my legs.
Hoshino Jun wore a gentle smile, waiting for the two 'aunties' to praise him.
However, at that moment, Asu Mei suddenly pulled out her phone and started dialing: "Hello, is this the police? Come to my house quickly, there's a robber in my house!"
"Robber my foot!" Hoshino Jun suddenly stood up, snatched Asu Mei's phone, and chopped her on the head.
Always calling the police, who are you trying to scare to death?!
"Ow, ow, ow, ow~!" Asu Mei clutched her head, lie on the table, and gasped: "Hiss, it hurts so much, so it seems I'm not dreaming."
My Jun-chan,
Really has over 20 million yen.
This is just too exaggerated!
"Jun-chan, tell me honestly, did you really do something shady?" Asu Mei asked worriedly.
Takayanagi Yuki also looked at Hoshino Jun with a worried expression, her hands clasped nervously in front of her chest, her prominent collar pressed inwards by her arms.
Because the indentation was so large, it immediately drew Hoshino Jun's gaze away from Asu Mei's face, staring openly.
"What are you looking at? I'm asking you a question, where did you get your money?" Asu Mei pouted and kicked Hoshino Jun's calf again.
Unexpectedly, instead of praise, he got a kick.
Hoshino Jun glared back at Asu Mei, as if to say, 'I'm giving you some face because Yuki-auntie is here; wait until she leaves, and see if I don't give you a good chop.'
Asu Mei quickly pulled her leg back, timidly leaning towards Takayanagi Yuki.
"Yuki, save me! This fierce big idiot glared at me, he wants to kill me!"
Watching Asu Mei's playful plea for help, Takayanagi Yuki lowered her head helplessly.
If even Asu Mei couldn't handle Hoshino Jun, then she had even less of a chance. She feared that if she dared to help, Asu Mei would be dragged away by Hoshino Jun to have her elementary school education checked the moment she left.
Fortunately, Hoshino Jun didn't truly disrespect Asu Mei, just as Asu Mei didn't actually call the police to arrest the suddenly rich Hoshino Jun.
"Didn't I explain it before? I'm already an employee of a big corporation now. My boss gave me another raise, I might earn tens of millions a year, and the money I have now is for my living expenses before I graduate."
A very fantastical explanation.
But besides that, there really didn't seem to be a more reasonable explanation.
"What you said, is it all true?" Asu Mei wrinkled her nose, blinking her eyes like a confused little girl.
"Otherwise? Am I really a robber? If you don't believe me, I can take you to ask our Chairwoman." Hoshino Jun brought up Chairwoman Yamada again.
They say a night of intimacy fosters a hundred days of kindness. Hoshino Jun believed that for a small favor like helping him lie,
Yamada Ran would definitely help.
"Jun-kun is amazing!" Takayanagi Yuki's eyes sparkled, and she happily clasped her hands, changing her angle to continue squeezing the 'meat patty.'
"Of course." Hoshino Jun proudly lifted his chin, looking like a young man full of smug self-satisfaction.
Seeing him like this, Asu Mei reluctantly believed him a bit, but still had doubts.
It should be true, right?
Jun-chan wouldn't lie to me.
Should I go to his school another day and ask that so-called Chairwoman?
Pushing her suspicions to the back of her mind, the topic at the dinner table shifted from finding a job to whether or not to open a store. Being one's own boss and opening a store was certainly good.
But Asu Mei was also afraid of losing all of Hoshino Jun's money.
She always felt that finding a job would be more stable.
Takayanagi Yuki's thoughts followed the two of them; sometimes she thought Mei was right, other times she thought Hoshino Jun's views were good.
Finally,
After Hoshino Jun's repeated insistence, it was successfully decided: the three would invest 30 million yen together to open a convenience store.
Hoshino Jun contributed the most money and didn't have to do anything, just be a hands-off boss.
Takayanagi Yuki contributed the least money and had to do everything; whatever the boss told her to do, she had to do.
As for Asu Mei, according to her, she was the boss's mother, or in short, the 'boss lady.'
--- 8 PM.
The two women who decided to start a business were still meticulously researching the various tasks involved in opening a store.
Meanwhile, Hoshino Jun, who had handed over the majority of his net worth, carried the dishes and chopsticks to be washed into the kitchen.
Before starting to wash, he checked his remaining balance: 1.47 million yen. Previously, he had lost a full 25 million yen.
After working so hard on so many tasks, he was suddenly left with so little, giving him a feeling of returning to square one overnight.
His heart ached, making it hard to breathe.
"Becoming a rich person is still unachieved; earning money still requires effort!"
"I still can't be lazy!"
Murmuring softly, Hoshino Jun quietly logged into LINE, which he now dared not look at at home.
As expected, besides Yamada Kaoru's daily ramblings, Kato Nana's daily 'tribute' photo also appeared in the messages.
Moreover, the frequency with which Kato Nana sent selfies to Hoshino Jun was trending upwards.
Even though Hoshino Jun hadn't said a word, she silently sent him three rather revealing photos.
The photos were taken in front of a full-length mirror, all three in the same pose, only the outfits differed.
The first was a regular sailor uniform, which Hoshino Jun had seen today. The girl wore it, kneeling devoutly before the mirror, as if worshiping someone.
The second photo showed the sailor uniform gone, and Kato Nana's bulky pink bra was especially prominent. It restrained the pristine mountains, accentuating the beautiful, deep valley between them.
In the third photo, the pink underwear and panties were also gone. Most captivating were the white stockings that left indentations on her thighs.
And,
Without a mask, her slightly parted, pink lips seemed to be watering, as if she was craving something.
What surprised Hoshino Jun the most was that the name "Hoshino Jun" was written on the skin just above the girl's delicate pink lips.
"Gulp—!"
After seeing the photos, Hoshino Jun couldn't help but feel elated, yet at the same time, deeply worried.
Kato Nana's development had truly exceeded his imagination; this girl was much crazier than he had initially anticipated.
Even though Hoshino Jun hadn't said or done anything, she had already started doing things even crazier than he had imagined.
She truly was a perverted girl.
At the bottom of the three photos, there was a caption, sent once daily:
"Today's protection fee, please check, Hoshino-sama."
Pure slander.
Hoshino Jun had never asked Kato Nana for protection money.
To avoid potentially getting into a difficult situation in the future, Hoshino Jun righteously replied: "You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. I'm not a yakuza member, so where would I collect protection fees? Kato-san, please act with more self-respect!"
The other party didn't reply immediately, which Hoshino Jun could understand; after all, not everyone could stare at their phone twenty-four hours a day.
Everyone had their own things to do.
However, he didn't have to wait long. Just as Hoshino Jun had finished washing and putting away the dishes and chopsticks, and picked up his phone again, he saw Kato Nana's reply.
"Did Nana do something wrong, Hoshino-sama? Please don't be angry."
Kato Nana's timidity was too obvious in her words. Hoshino Jun could almost see a delicate, weak, timid, and frightened girl facing a great demon king.
He really wanted to save the girl.
But Hoshino Jun was probably the devil from the girl's perspective.
"I already said, Kato-san, don't talk nonsense. I've never bullied Kato-san."
"Nana understands, so please, Hoshino-kun, don't be angry, and especially don't block Nana on Monday and drag her into a dark room to torture her."
Hmph.
Nana-chan's imagination is quite vivid.
Hoshino Jun wouldn't reward her like that.
"Kato-san, if you insist on continuing to talk nonsense, then I'll have no choice but to visit your parents tomorrow and show them these chat records of you harassing me."
Creak—!
The Kato House!
Kato Nana's parents looked at her, suddenly standing up, with puzzled expressions.
"Nana, what's wrong?" Kato Nana's mother asked.
Looking at the message on her phone screen, Kato Nana's legs were trembling. She first smiled at her parents and said she was fine, then quickly ran back to her room.
"Hoshino-kun, is he coming to my house?"
"And he's going to tell Mom and Dad everything about Nana and him?"
If Mom and Dad find out, Nana-chan won't be able to get married in the future, and will only be Hoshino-kun's slave for the rest of her life.
How can this be? Hoshino-kun is truly despicable, coming up with such a method to try and control Nana-chan's life. Nana-chan will never surrender to the evil Hoshino-kun.
Kato Nana's eyes were misty, becoming hazy, and an unusual blush appeared on her face as she lay weakly on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
After much thought, Kato Nana sent a message to Hoshino Jun:
"Hoshino-kun, please, please don't come to Nana-chan's house tomorrow. No one will be home at Nana-chan's tomorrow, and Nana-chan is very afraid Hoshino-kun will come to bully her."
"Please!"
"Please, don't come to hit Nana-chan tomorrow."
Did the girl mean for Hoshino Jun to go, or not?
Hoshino Jun understood that this was actually an invitation.
The words expressed 'no,' but the meaning between the lines was all a notification to Hoshino Jun that he absolutely had to go to her house tomorrow.
She even revealed information like 'no one will be home.'
Without replying to the girl, Hoshino Jun logged out of LINE and put away his phone.
"Tomorrow is Sunday. I'll go see Nana-chan and coincidentally meet Takasaki-kun's mom.
Takasaki Tamako.
I wonder if you like meeting me again and again."
Facing the evening breeze from the window, the boy bent down, washed his hands clean, and walked out of the kitchen with a smile.
The two beautiful aunts in the living room were still discussing where to rent a storefront and where to source goods. Most of the time, Asu Mei spoke, and Takayanagi Yuki listened.
Occasionally, Takayanagi Yuki would interject a word or two.
Hoshino Jun had never worked in this kind of industry, so he chose to remain silent the entire time.
They had worked in supermarkets for several years, especially Asu Mei, who had far more relevant knowledge and experience than Hoshino Jun. The only thing Hoshino Jun could do was provide funds and not interfere with the professionals' plans.
They chatted exceptionally late that night, so late that Takayanagi Yuki didn't go home and chose to sleep with Asu Mei.
It was so late that Jo became worried.
He sent a message asking Hoshino Jun: "Where's my mom? Why isn't she home yet?"
If she hadn't been held back by Aunt Mei, Jo's mom would probably be under Hoshino Jun right now.
What a pity.
Today, Hoshino Jun's woman, Jo's mom, was snatched away by Asu Mei.
Hoshino Jun couldn't be bothered with the ungrateful Jo, only replying with a "Hehe" before putting down his phone, pulling up the covers, and falling asleep.
--- The next morning.
The warm sunlight shone through the glass onto Hoshino Jun's eyes, successfully waking him up.
"Mmm."
He lazily stretched, rolled out of bed, casually grabbed a pair of boxers and a white T-shirt to put on, and left the bedroom with messy hair.
The living room was empty, no doubt Asu Mei was still sleeping in.
Just as Hoshino Jun was about to go wash up, he noticed an unusual sound coming from the kitchen—the sound of stir-frying, something he had never heard when he woke up before.
'Is it Aunt Yuki?'
'It must be her. How could that lazy Asu Mei be awake now?'
'But why is she up so early?'
He pulled open the kitchen door to investigate, and the dazzling sunlight almost blinded Hoshino Jun.
Warm morning sunbeams, like threads, streamed into the kitchen from outside the window. Takayanagi Yuki's delicate, fair skin was slightly flushed by the morning sun.
It also made her joyful smile exceptionally clear. The beautiful woman worked deftly, her wok tumbling, golden rice grains mixing with chopped green onions, rising into the air and falling back into the pan.
Along with the rice grains and green onions, large, pristine white tangyuan also swayed, looking as if they were about to break free and escape with the beautiful woman's stir-frying motions.
"Jun-kun, good morning!" Takayanagi Yuki saw Hoshino Jun out of the corner of her eye, turned her head, and gently curved her brows with a smile.
The next second, she noticed the boy's intense gaze, fixed on her.
On her fullest, most elastic spot.
Takayanagi Yuki's face instantly flushed, and she instinctively stopped stir-frying, shyly and bashfully turning her back.
"Cough, cough!" Hoshino Jun cleared his throat twice: "I'm sorry, Aunt Yuki, I didn't mean to look."
The kitchen window was open.
The cold morning breeze brushed Hoshino Jun's face, clearing his head.
That's not right!
Why apologize?
Seemingly realizing her reaction was a bit too strong, Takayanagi Yuki turned back to continue stir-frying:
"Jun-kun, you don't need to apologize. I'm making breakfast now. You go wait outside, and you can try my egg fried rice later."
Looking at the fragrant, colorful, and delicious egg fried rice in the pan, Hoshino Jun fell into memories. Asu Mei used to make egg fried rice for Hoshino Jun in the mornings too.
But...
The rice was always hard, burnt, and salty.
And she always woke up very late to make it, often causing Hoshino Jun to be late for school after eating.
Now, suddenly having a beautiful mature woman who woke up early and cooked delicious food prepare breakfast for Hoshino Jun, it was, to be honest, a bit unaccustomed.
"Do you usually wake up that early to make breakfast?" Hoshino Jun slowly walked towards the beautiful woman, his gaze wandering over her body.
Takayanagi Yuki was still wearing the same white dress from yesterday, her shoulders exposed, and beneath them, delicate white collarbones and a neckline pushed high by her round, firm 'tangyuan.'
She was wearing Asu Mei's slippers, and her long hair, probably not braided into pigtails in time, was simply tied into a bun at the back of her head with a hair tie.
"Yes, I do." Takayanagi Yuki turned down the heat and added the chopped red chilies to the pan: "Because I usually have to wake up early to make breakfast for Jo."
Staring intently at the plump, luscious white cleavage, Hoshino Jun stood behind Takayanagi Yuki, reached out to embrace her slender, soft waist, and lowered his head to greedily inhale the mature woman's alluring scent.
"Jo is truly enviable."
"Yuki, you make breakfast for Jo every day."
"I'm jealous of Jo. What do you think I should do?"
Feeling the firm body that suddenly embraced her, and the boy's furnace-like warmth.
Then, with Hoshino Jun's gentle whispers and breath lightly caressing her neck, Takayanagi Yuki's cheeks flushed, her mind became dizzy, and she felt as if she were melting.
"Jun..."
"Jun-kun."
"You go out and wait to eat. I'm busy stir-frying now."
Hoshino Jun completely ignored Takayanagi Yuki's words, as if he was already immersed in the mature woman's scent. He grumbled and refused to let go of Takayanagi Yuki, like a clingy child, pressing tightly against her back.
His palm hooked the thin strap of her triangular mask, and with a gentle tug, he pulled the mask down.
"Yuki, why are you still wearing a mask at home? Aren't you afraid of the heat?"
Takayanagi Yuki's face was flushed. She wanted to grab Hoshino Jun's mischievous hand, but she also worried the egg fried rice would burn, so she could only speak up and try to persuade him.
"Mei is at home. Don't be like this, let go of me quickly."
Hoshino Jun watched the blush on the beautiful neighbor's fair face, his palm already caressing the skin of her stomach, which was damp with a few beads of sweat.
He perked up his ears, listening to the sounds outside the kitchen, and whispered softly:
"It's fine. Aunt Mei won't get up at this hour, so don't worry about her."
"Besides, I just want to help you, Aunt Yuki. How can I let you stir-fry alone?"
"Such tiring work, of course, two people should do it together."
His fingertips traced her skin, gently outlining it. Takayanagi Yuki's brows furrowed, and her red lips slightly parted, exhaling hot breaths.
"Jun-kun, it's just egg fried rice. I can do it by myself."
Hoshino Jun shook his head.
"I don't care what you think, I care what I think. Let's stir-fry together."
--- "Why isn't Mom home yet?"
In apartment 403, Jo was preparing his own breakfast in the kitchen. He looked at the several messages he had sent to his mom on his phone screen and felt like his head was going to explode.
Why was he always so impulsive?
He wanted to take care of his mom, but he always ended up making her angry.
He sighed repeatedly, looking up at the sky.
The wind was quiet.
Suddenly, Jo heard a strange sound, seemingly coming from apartment 404 next door.
"Damn, Hoshino Jun, that idiot, how disgusting."
"Playing with the window open a few nights ago was one thing, but today he's even worse, directly playing with a 'Fiji cup' in the kitchen, huh?"
"He's so perverted. This afternoon, when Aunt Mei gets home from work, I'm definitely going to report Hoshino Jun."
Even now, Jo was unaware that both his mom and Hoshino Jun's aunt had lost their jobs.