Chapter 509: Chapter 501: Treatment for Jerks vs. Treatment for Boyfriends
"You are not allowed to go!"
"Why!"
"Because... because today is Christmas, and our family needs to be together..."
"Yeah right, I’ve never heard of this arrangement before... Dad, don’t block my way..."
Asano Fūsei, tears welling up in his fierce eyes, gritted his teeth and said, "No way! I can’t just watch you fall into the clutches of that Shirakawa Sawahei kid!"
Asano Nazuki: "???"
"Grandpa... my dad won’t let me see you... sob sob..."
"That’s nonsense, Dad, don’t listen to Nazuki’s nonsense..." The middle-aged Long Aotian was startled, quickly released the little Lolita and turned around to explain. Black Hearted Lolita seized the opportunity, made a few quick maneuvers to break through the defense line, and fled, leaving Asano Fūsei standing there in chaos.
It’s over... it’s all over... where’s my knife... the knife Hayakawa Shinsuke used to chop me???!
...
Shirakawa Sawahei felt none of Asano Fūsei’s resentment as he made his way directly to visit Tsukimi Sakurazawa’s home. Tsukimi Yamadori politely received him and stated that Tsukimi was indeed at home.
This was still his first time visiting the Tsukimi Family while Tsukimi was home. In the classical Japanese-style courtyard, each item was arranged with great taste, with just a glance, one could feel the owner’s unique touch. He sat there properly waiting for a while, and soon enough, Tsukimi Sakurazawa came rushing over in a kimono from another courtyard.
"Shi-Shirakawa..." The girl was visibly a bit embarrassed, tugging at her clothes, surprised, "Why are you here... I... I..."
"It’s not illegal to visit my girlfriend, right." Shirakawa Sawahei laughed lightly, "And I’m here to pay a visit."
"Ptui, I’m not your girlfriend, you jerk..." Tsukimi Sakurazawa blushed, a little hesitant, "Um... Shirakawa... I..."
"I’ve visited Mrs. Tsukimi before when you weren’t here, so today I decided to come by myself... why are you wearing a kimono? It looks quite nice."
"I was just practicing flower arrangement..."
The classical beauty paused for a moment, glared at him, "You actually snuck to my house without telling me to gather intelligence... Thank goodness I didn’t really want such a boyfriend."
"Aren’t you feeling well? Shouldn’t you rest a bit?"
"Who do you think I didn’t sleep well for last night!" the classical beauty in a kimono glared at him again.
"Alright then." Shirakawa Sawahei’s attitude in admitting his wrong was well-composed: "To make up for keeping you up last night, let me treat you to a meal today."
"Hmph, I said I’d dump you, agreeing so easily to go out with you makes me lose face."
"Please, let’s go on a date together!"
Shirakawa Sawahei bent at a straight ninety-degree angle, looking very much like a scene from a TV drama. Tsukimi Sakurazawa giggled for a while, then sighed regretfully, "I suppose I’m too easy to persuade... Shirakawa... just this once."
"Okay, next time I’ll let you dump me."
"Hmph... I’ll go ask Mother for permission first..."
"Okay, I’ll wait for you outside."
Shirakawa Sawahei didn’t wait outside for long. Soon enough, Tsukimi Sakurazawa came out in a beautiful and elegant casual outfit, walking towards Shirakawa Sawahei.
Compared to the classical kimono earlier, Tsukimi Sakurazawa now had a more lively aura, her gentle, serene temperament entirely inward, looking both sly and cute. She stood next to Shirakawa Sawahei and said seriously, "If you were my boyfriend, I’d come up and wrap my arm around yours right now, and sweetly ask: Have you been waiting long?"
"But as for now... humph, I’m not going to be considerate about how long a jerk has to wait."
"Is this to let me experience the difference between the boyfriend version and the jerk version, just to make me regret?"
"As long as you get it... Shirakawa, there will be many more such differences in the future... let’s see when you lose your composure!"
"Hmm... is that so." Shirakawa Sawahei pondered as he walked, "Then the hand-holding perk from yesterday when you dumped me..."
"You’re going to die..." Tsukimi Sakurazawa gave him a side-eye: "Mother is probably still watching you not far away... if you’ve really made up your mind, allowing you to hold hands is no big deal."
"..."
"Then let’s wait till we are further away to hold hands."
"Hmm~" Tsukimi Sakurazawa glanced at him sideways: "Seems like someone took a loss from my mother when you came to gather intelligence at my house before."
"It wasn’t really a loss, just needed some preparation, after all, it’s my future mother-in-law, coming empty-handed always feels odd."
"Are you already considering my bride price?" Tsukimi Sakurazawa blinked, "Did you know..."
"The Tsukimi Family, right, honestly it’s a bit challenging, but I’m not considering giving up."
"When did you discover the Tsukimi Family’s... did my mother tell you?"
"Of course not."
"Eh... and to think I always interacted with you as if I was an ordinary person... if I knew you’d react so indifferently, I should have just kept you in my pocket back in my first year of high school... that would’ve avoided so much trouble."
"You can still keep me in your pocket now, I promise not to resist."
"Ew... you’re so sleazy, Shirakawa... no more holding hands with you."
"Then how about wrapping arms?"
"No way, that’s an exclusive boyfriend-only action."
"... But you used to wrap your arm around mine quite often..."
"Shirakawa, you’re so slow, walk faster, will you..." Tsukimi Sakurazawa angrily quickened her pace: "If you keep dawdling, I’ll lose the mood for shopping and eating."
"Alright."
Shirakawa Sawahei smiled, shook his head, and caught up with her.
The date itinerary needs little detailing—dining, shopping, watching a movie, visiting the game center, grabbing toys. For them now, even just casually holding hands and taking a stroll was endlessly enjoyable.
It’s strange, even though he’d been to the game center with Tsukimi Sakurazawa before, dined together, even pretended to be a couple to capitalize on store promotions, Shirakawa Sawahei felt the feeling now was completely different than before. The girl before him was as beautifully outlined and flower-like as ever, her gentle look in her eyes unchanged. Yet the feelings of excitement she stirred in him were stronger and more pronounced than at any other time before.
"Hey, Shirakawa, this is good... try it~"
"Shirakawa Shirakawa, I want to play that one..."
"Shirakawa~ Let’s go play over there, okay~"
"Hold on." Shirakawa Sawahei, holding a pile of toys he’d grabbed and several snack bags in hand, helplessly stopped a playfully excited long-legged cute girl, "At least consider your boyfriend, OK? If I knew, I would have pretended to only grab one."
"Eh~ really, is that so..." Tsukimi Sakurazawa feigned surprise, "Sorry, that’s just how inconsiderate I am to jerks... only as a boyfriend would you get a rest."
"If you’re tired of being a jerk, you can tell me anytime."