He had come to see her.
Rei Ao greeted her with a smile:
"Good evening, Ms. Mafuyu."
"Oh, evening."
"Is now a good time? I'd like to discuss those two problem students of yours from earlier."
"Er"
She had been about to say she was busy and wanted to shut the door, but hearing it was about Furuhashi and Ogata, she swallowed her words. After her expression changed and she bit her lip like she'd summoned all her courage, she replied:
"Fine. C-come in."
That embarrassed reluctance gave Rei Ao a guess. Changing into the slippers she offered, he entered her apartment.
""
As he took it all in, it was exactly the same chaos as the first time he'd visited.
"Ugh!"
Mafuyu wanted to dig a hole and hide. In her mortification, she tried explaining:
"A-as you know, I really have no skill at housekeeping. I'm completelyuseless."
Admitting that nearly drove her to tears. Rei Ao shook his head, sighing softly:
"Ms. Mafuyu, if this goes on, I fear you'll never get married."
"Huh?! Is it that extreme?"
Mafuyu started to sweat bullets. Even Rei Ao said sowas she really doomed to remain single?
"Mm, it's highly likely," Rei Ao replied, not just scaring her. In an actual marriage, a total inability to handle household tasks was rough. Maybe men would marry her for her beauty, but living day to day, conflicts might ariseleading to divorce, or so he reasoned.
""
Mafuyu felt her whole outlook dim. Then Rei Ao unexpectedly said:
"I do know a guy who wouldn't mind your flaws. Should I introduce him?"
"Eh?"
She blinked, not expecting thathe was offering to set her up? She'd just been told she'd never marry; part of her was anxious. But for a teacher's dignity, she tried to remain indifferent.
"I, well, I don't have any interest in that sort of thing right now."
"Right? That's too bad."
"???"
She'd thought he would persist or at least keep talking, but he just dropped it. Rei Ao took in the clutter around him, apparently done with that topic.
Mafuyu bit her lip, coughing slightly.
"Ahem. If you insist, you could give me his contact info."
Rei Ao looked back, narrowing his eyes.
"Didn't you say you didn't need it?"
"U-um, I just didn't want to waste your kind offer," Mafuyu stuttered, unable to admit she'd really grown desperate for a possible marriage candidate.
Noting her flustered heart, Rei Ao didn't call her out. He gave her the contact. Mafuyu, who feigned indifference, recorded it quite seriously. Seeing that, Rei Ao smiled.
Yes, the man he was recommending indeed wouldn't mind her. But he was also sure to shock her.
~~~
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Chapter 227: Klutz, Fan service
"Ms. Mafuyu, could we tidy up the room before we talk? The mess makes it hard to focus."
Because he really couldn't find anywhere to sit, Rei Ao made that suggestion.
"This... all right."
Kirisu Mafuyu also realized they couldn't have a proper conversation in such a disorderly state, so she got ready to clean up.
Who would have thought that just as she lifted her foot
"Hyaaa!!!"
Her expression turned horrified.
She had stepped on a silk undergarment she had just taken off not long ago, lost her balance, and pitched forward
Right in front of her was Rei Ao, who'd been standing there the whole time.
"Ugh!"
Afraid of colliding with Rei Ao, Kirisu Mafuyu tried to change the angle of her fall, but that only made things worse. She ended up toppling over in a kneeling, half-prostrate position.
Fortunately, Rei Ao grabbed her arms, preventing her knees from hitting the floor. But Kirisu Mafuyu's head ended up buried right in Rei Ao's crotch.
"..."
A brief silence
"Eek!!!"
Realizing exactly what soft shape her cheek was pressed againstseparated only by clothingKirisu Mafuyu shrieked and scrambled backward.
"Ms. Mafuyu, don't yell so loudly. It was just an accident, or else you'll make me out to be a criminal."
Rei Ao said helplessly.
Kirisu Mafuyu's pretty face was bright red. She stopped screaming but was too embarrassed to meet Rei Ao's gaze.
"Ugh... I-I'll just clean up now."
Unwilling to mention that humiliating scene just now, she resumed fumbling around in a panic.
Since he was the one who'd almost "taken damage," Rei Ao didn't say much and simply started helping.
However
Kirisu Mafuyu was truly the ultimate "klutz at housekeeping," also delivering "fanservice galore!" She managed to display every variety of comedic, anime-like mishap:
Tripping one moment, accidentally revealing far too much.
"Oh no!" the next moment, adopting some bizarre pose.
Even plopping onto Rei Ao's face with a "whoops!"
Utterly champion-level klutz, while simultaneously providing Rei Ao with bountiful "benefits."
At last, amid her panicked shrieking and frantic movements, the room was finally straightened up. Kirisu Mafuyu ended up sitting on the sofa in a tight little ball, quiet as a childno face left to show the world.
She dearly wished for a hole in the ground to crawl into. Probably she'd never again be able to act dignified around Rei Ao.
"Ms. Mafuyu, don't keep hiding there. Let's discuss the main matter."
Enjoying all that "fanservice," Rei Ao seemed in excellent spirits.
Hearing that, Kirisu Mafuyu glared at him angrily:
"You promised you'd forget everything that just happened!"
"All right, all right, I'll 'format' my memory. Especially the part where Ms. Mafuyu was wearing black underwearI'll delete that."
Rei Ao's teasing was like a dagger to her heart.
"Youyouyou!!!"
Kirisu Mafuyu trembled even more violently. He remembered everythingshe was so embarrassed she wanted to die.
Just as she was about to explode, Rei Ao slipped into a serious look:
"About Furuhashi Fumino and Ogata Rizu wanting to learn from me: actually, there might be a workable method."
"Hm?"
Kirisu Mafuyu, her mind full of shame, paused. Her flushed eyes held some doubt.
"You mean you're willing to tutor them?"
"No, I'm not."
"Huh?"
Rei Ao's outright refusal left Kirisu Mafuyu dumbfounded.
Was he making a fool of her?
But Rei Ao continued:
"However, I do have a better way to fulfill their wishes."
"A better way?"
"At my place, I have a younger sister who's extremely knowledgeable and very good at teaching. I can let her give it a try."
"Huh?"
Upon hearing that, Kirisu Mafuyu severely suspected Rei Ao was joking with her. That younger sister must be a student as well, right? How could she surpass Rei Aowho's top in the entire grade?
Seeing her evident skepticism, Rei Ao calmly said:
"Specifically, Ms. Mafuyu, you can experience it personally."
"Experience?"
A short while later, Rei Ao brought Ilia to Kirisu Mafuyu's apartment, letting Mafuyu try a "sample lesson." Just thirty minutes left her stunned:
Ilia not only showed a deep mastery of various subjects and their practical applications; she used crystal-clear logic to dissect them for Mafuyu's benefit. Even more astonishing, Kirisu Mafuyu never lost focus once and listened wholeheartedly to Ilia's explanations. Although it was material Mafuyu had prepared countless times as a teacher, she found herself quickly learning something new.
That was due to Ilia's "tranquil mind" supportive magic, which thoroughly enhances concentration. It hadn't worked so well on Sora, but on ordinary humans, it was 100% effective.
"She's your sister?!"
Kirisu Mafuyu gawked at the small, refined, ladylike girl standing beside Rei Ao. The lesson just now made her feel less like she was talking to a young teen and more like some highly experienced professor locked in a child's body.
"Yes, she's my younger sister."
(Though a "little sister magic-book spirit," she still counts as a sister.)
"..."
Kirisu Mafuyu remained unsettled, asking:
"Which school does your sister attend?"
A genius like that couldn't be unknown, presumably?
"She doesn't go to school."
"Huh? Not in school?!"
Kirisu Mafuyu was even more shocked. Before Rei Ao could say more, Ilia spoke up:
"I don't need to attend school, as long as I can stay by Onii-sama's side."
"But..."
Kirisu Mafuyu felt it a dreadful waste and wanted to dissuade her, but Rei Ao cut in:
"We're not short on money, Ms. Mafuyu. Ilia can do whatever she pleases, so it's all fine."
"..."
Under such circumstances, she had nothing to say. Nonetheless, she was amazed by Ilia's "genius."
"Your sister is indeed a genius."
Rei Ao smiled slightly:
"So, Ms. Mafuyu, how about letting her teach Furuhashi and Ogata? Is that enough to satisfy you?"
Kirisu Mafuyu answered earnestly:
"Ilia's ability is remarkable, very professionalfar beyond me. I think she can more than handle them.
"But... those two are quite special. Even if Ilia can't make them progress, she shouldn't lose confidence."
She worried that if Ilia also failed, she might feel discouraged. That concern was misplaced: Ilia only cared about her "brother's" opinion. Given Rei Ao's instructions, she would do her best.
"Rei Ao-kun, let's discuss tutoring fees and the method. After all..."
Kirisu Mafuyu wasn't the type to skip financial issues just because they were her students. She chose to negotiate. They came up with an arrangement that Rei Ao could minimally accept, which she'd present to Furuhashi and Ogata, letting them decide on their own.
~~~
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Chapter 228: Dating Experience...
Rei Ao stroked his chin thoughtfully. "As for the fee, let's just go with the standard rate for a private tutor. We're not short on money."
"And about the tutoring arrangement: Ilia doesn't want to go out, so they can come to my home if they have time. If Ms. Mafuyu isn't at ease, you can come supervise."
"How's that?"
"Hmthat works." Kirisu Mafuyu felt it was acceptable. She herself lived nearby, so she could show up to supervise. Having her there would also give those two peace of mind.
"All right, I'll tell them about this. Sorry to bother you with the request."
"My house is already lively enough. Having a few more folks doesn't make much difference."
Thinking about how things were at home, enough people were there to start a party. So having a couple more didn't matter.
"Then that's settled."
After Rei Ao and Ilia left, Kirisu Mafuyu gazed at the suddenly neat and quiet living room, her feelings complicated. A sense of loneliness and solitude gently rose in her.
"I'll go take a hot bath."
She had indeed worked up a sweat while cleaning up.
She undressed. Just as her fingers hooked the black lingerie, her mind couldn't help flashing back to that mortifying scene not long ago. At that time, how exactly had she stumbled in a way that ended up with her face in Rei Ao's?
"Ugh!"
A fierce wave of embarrassment surged up all over her again. This time her entire body went red.
"How embarrassing!"
She pressed both hands to her face. A bigger surge of shame filled every inch of her body.
"Where's Futaba*?"
Back at home, there was no sign of Futaba.
Putting away some folded chairs, Mai glanced toward the bathroom.
"She's taking a bath."
"Oh."
Rei Ao's eyes flickered. Mai instantly caught that look and scolded,
"Don't tell me you're thinking something indecent again?"
"What's indecent? Didn't you feel loosened up each time it's over? And Mai, your skin and complexion look wonderful lately."
Mai's cheeks flushed, annoyed. "What's skin got to do with that?!"
"Heh, it absolutely matters. Mine contains certain energy, so on you, it nourishes the skinan effective beauty treatment."
"Tsk!"
Mai clicked her tongue at him. He alone could bring himself to say such shameless things.
After a brief everyday bit of flirting with Mai, Rei Ao sat down on the couch and closed his eyes, letting her gently massage his shoulders to help him relax. Moments later
Splash!
Wearing just a towel, Futaba came out of the bathroom. Spotting Rei Ao on the couch, she stiffened up in alarm. But Rei Ao's eyes were closed. Mai put a finger to her lips, signaling Futaba not to make a sound.
"Mm"
Futaba nodded gently and tiptoed away into the guest room.
"I wasn't asleep, you know."
When the guest-room door clicked shut, Rei Ao opened his eyes.
"Hmph, were you hoping to peek?" Mai's hands pressed more firmly, reflecting the jealousy in her heart.
"Heh heh."
He needed no "peeking." If he wanted to see, that was easy enough. Tonight he planned to take the time to fully get to know Futaba better
Ding-Dong!
The sudden phone ringtone interrupted his train of thought.
Checking his screen, his eyebrows rose, and a grin formedthe expression of seeing something amusing.
It was Kirisu Mafuyu requesting to chat.
"..."
Taking a bath under the bright overhead, Kirisu Mafuyu sat on her sofa, wrestling with a dilemma: Should she give dating a try after all?
The phone screen displayed the contact info Rei Ao had left hersupposedly for a man "who won't mind her clumsy housekeeping."
Recalling the times Rei Ao had calmly helped her tidy the place, how reassuring and easy it felt, plus the unexpected closenessher mind was in turmoil.
"Am I really at that age now?"
She'd once devoted herself entirely to her work as a teacher, never worrying about romance. But ever since she got to know Rei Ao, emotional ripples had begun.
"No, no! Rei Ao and I can't possibly be anything. Our positions differ, plus there's Mai!"
Nibbling her lip, she hovered anxiously over the "Add Contact" button. Finally, she pressed it. Right after doing so, she regretted it
"Argh, what am I even doing?"
She wanted to retract, but the other side had already accepted.
"What do I do?"
Nervous, she could hardly move. She had never in her life conversed with a man in a romantic context.
Unknown: "Mafuyu, hello."
Unknown again. Kirisu Mafuyu frozehe knew her name?
Mafuyu: "How do you know my name?"
Unknown: "Because I'm Rei Ao."
"???"
Kirisu Mafuyu's mind thundered.
Mafuyu: "You're Rei Ao?!"
Rei Ao: "Yes, that contact I gave you is actually mine."
Mafuyu: "..."
A powerful shock made her breathing ragged.
Mafuyu: "Are you just messing with me? Trying to fool me?!"
