Once the youngsters were gone, Shiro Suzuki rubbed his hands together and gave a submissive smile. "Ayako, I was thinking of going fishing. What do you think...?"
"Go on. Don't be late for dinner."
"Yes, yes! I'll just fish in the pond here at the estate." Shiro went off happily to get his gear.
Looking at her husband, who looked like a typical old man, Ayako sighed softly. Serena's "lustfulness" was clearly hereditary; Ayako was a bit of a "face-con" herself, though not as extreme. Even in his youth, Shiro had never been as handsome as Yuu. Thinking of this, Ayako felt a bit better.
I really envy Serena. If only Hoshimiya-kun had been born ten years earlier...
Ayako's heart skipped a beat. Having such thoughts about her future son-in-law wasn't good. She quickly adjusted her mindset and headed to the study to work. It seemed powerful women all had the habit of using work to numb... or rather, to cool themselves down.
Only this time, Ayako found it didn't work very well. The upper-class social circles were incredibly decadent. She often heard stories of wealthy wives keeping "young pups" as pets, or even more scandalous rumors involving in-laws. She used to look down on such things with disdain, but now she found herself thinking: If others can do it, why can't I? Is the Suzuki family inferior? Am I, Ayako Suzuki, inferior to them?
Conflicting thoughts swirled in her head, causing her productivity to plummet. By the time a servant came to call her for dinner, she hadn't even finished half of her usual workload.
Sigh—
Ayako put down her fountain pen and massaged her temples with her well-manicured hands. It looked like she'd have to work late tonight. As the Chairperson, her work wasn't exactly "easy," though it wasn't back-breaking either. With a conglomerate as massive as the Suzuki Group, she couldn't handle every detail, but she had to steer the overall direction. On a typical day without social obligations, three or four hours of work was enough. She had taken the morning off, thinking she'd finish everything in the afternoon. She hadn't expected that spending an hour with Yuu would leave her head so full of him.
Ayako was both angry and annoyed. Angry at Shiro's uselessness, leaving her "empty" ever since she got pregnant with Serena. Annoyed at her own lack of self-control, filling her head with "erotic trash" about her daughter's boyfriend.
To avoid losing her composure during dinner, Ayako retreated to her bedroom. She used the fingers she hadn't put to good use in the study to work on herself and her "lower half."
By 6:30 PM, the sky had grown dark, and the trio returned to the living room. The Suzuki estate was large, but there weren't that many places worth touring. The walk didn't take long; most of the time was spent chatting. Tomoko had eventually taken the lead, and Yuu spent the better part of the afternoon talking to the gentle, squinty-eyed beauty. The two of them, initially strangers, were now quite familiar.
Tomoko was two years older than Yuu, but she was still a university student. University ages in Japan covered a wide range. There were people like Yuu who went straight through and graduated at 22, but many others spent years as "ronin" to get into their dream schools. Tomoko hadn't struggled with exams; a standard degree just wasn't enough for a Suzuki heiress, so she had chosen to pursue graduate studies.
The two got along very well. Tomoko's gentle Yamato Nadeshiko persona was something any man would appreciate. If she hadn't been a "squinty-eyed" character, Yuu might have truly fallen for her. Her appearance didn't diminish her charm; it was just that the phrase "the squinty-eyed are all monsters" always kept him on his guard, which inadvertently increased his resistance to her beauty.
During their walk, Yuu made sure not to neglect Serena. Surprisingly, Serena actually encouraged him to talk more with Tomoko, her reason being that he should "build a good relationship with his future sister-in-law." Seeing Serena's fox-like grin, Yuu felt something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He eventually stopped worrying and immersed himself in the conversation. Being catered to by a traditional beauty who occasionally looked at him with admiration was very satisfying, even if he knew she was doing it on purpose.
During their talk, Yuu learned the reason for Tomoko's visit. Ayako had reached an agreement with the Tomizawa family; Tomoko's arranged fiancé was confirmed to be the youngest son of the Tomizawa Group, Yuzo Tomizawa. This matched Yuu's memories. However, the two hadn't met yet, and the engagement ceremony hadn't been held. Tomoko's return was partly to be notified of the arrangement and to set a date for the ceremony. Because of Yuu's arrival, that discussion had been delayed.
Naturally, that became the main topic at dinner. Faced with Ayako's arrangements, Tomoko behaved as usual—obedient and submissive. Looking at her gentle, well-behaved eldest daughter, Ayako felt a twinge of guilt, but this had been decided long ago. Even emperors were sometimes bound by duty; as the head of the Suzuki Group, there were things Ayako simply couldn't change. For the wealthy—especially those like the Suzukis—the only real worry was time; everything else could be solved.
The family dinner went smoothly. Eventually, Tomoko's engagement was set for the middle of next month. Serena and Yuu's relationship would be announced at Tomoko's engagement banquet, with their own ceremony set for the beginning of next year. Serena was still young—she'd only be a high school senior early next year—and engagements usually lasted months to a year before the wedding. Getting married before finishing high school was a bit too early. If they got engaged too soon, the gap would be too long. Early next year seemed the most appropriate time.
Yuu didn't bother memorizing specific dates; trying to keep track of time in this world was an exercise in frustration. Every morning he woke up, his body automatically adapted to the chaotic timeline; there was no reason to let his brain get involved. Besides, even if he remembered, it wouldn't matter. To reach "early next year" in actual time might take twenty years or more.
Suddenly, Yuu had a flash of inspiration. Everyone in this world seemed to have their growth and development frozen in time. What about a fertilized egg? A zygote was a living organism; surely it would be subject to the same rules. The mother's body stops aging, so the embryo shouldn't be affected either. If the development of a fetus were also infinitely extended... did that mean he never had to worry about his "harem" getting pregnant? Even if they conceived, it would take an eternity to even show, and the actual birth would be far in the future.
At this thought, he felt a surge of excitement in his "little brother." Taking birth control long-term wasn't great for the women's health, and he had considered using protection, but he and Megumi had tried it once and the experience didn't compare to going raw. Additionally, "Little Yuu" was of such a size that finding comfortable protection was difficult; even if he found a fit, it was tight and dampened the sensation. But he wasn't a scumbag who only cared about his own pleasure; he'd use it if he had to.
Realizing this "loophole" was more exciting than drawing a top-tier talent. High-quality talents might or might not be useful, but this discovery was immediately applicable—daily, even. Yuu couldn't wait to test this theory personally.
Sensing his mood, and seeing that they were finished with dinner, Serena pulled him to his feet. "Mom, Hoshimiya-sensei is staying over tonight!"
Ayako gave Serena a sidelong glance. "Staying over is fine. There are plenty of guest rooms. Have someone prepare one."
"Mom, you know that's not what I mean!" Serena stomped her foot, her face flushing. Even in front of her parents, she was a bit shy about stating her desire for sex out loud.
Ayako knew exactly what Serena was thinking. Serena was seventeen; it wasn't as if she couldn't experience it, especially since Yuu was officially joining the family. But thinking about what she'd done in the study that afternoon made Ayako feel a bit complicated, so she feigned ignorance. She looked at Shiro, signaling him to control his daughter.
Shiro continued drinking his tea calmly, completely ignoring Ayako's hints. Seeing him act as if it were none of his business, Ayako rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Fine, fine. Do as you wish. Just don't let any 'accidents' happen—you're still in school."