Chapter Forty-One: The Deal Is Sealed

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It was midday in a certain restaurant.

Watching Ito Nobue sitting opposite, gently feeding little Sakuri bite by bite, Anhe couldn’t help but find her expression a bit odd.

After all, this woman had always given him an impression of being strong-willed, fierce, and unreasonable. To see her so gentle today was a first for Anhe.

“Brother Anhe, isn’t your teacher usually kind of scary?” came a low whisper from Nanbara Eijuu beside him, perhaps out of fear that Nobue across from them might overhear.

At that, Anhe glanced at Nobue’s chest and nodded seriously. “She really is scary.”

“Doesn’t look like it to me...” Nanbara Eijuu scratched his head in confusion, unable to understand.

Soon, after Sakuri had another big bite of the custard tart Nobue offered, she waved her little hand, leaned back in her chair, and lay there, rubbing her round belly and shaking her head, mumbling, “I can’t eat anymore, really can’t.”

Seeing her little cheeks puffed out with food, Nobue set down the piece of fruit salad she’d just picked up, then gently took a napkin and wiped the crumbs from Sakuri’s mouth.

Sakuri obediently lifted her chin and stopped chewing until Nobue had finished wiping her, then continued munching.

“Good girl~” Nobue said, affectionately rubbing Sakuri’s cheek.

Across from them, Anhe couldn’t help but feel that these two were more like mother and daughter.

He shook his head to clear the thought, then pushed a plate of sashimi toward Nobue as a reminder. “Don’t just focus on feeding Sakuri—eat something yourself.”

Hearing this, Nobue felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at the sashimi Anhe had pushed to her.

At least the boy has a conscience.

Murmuring to herself, Nobue picked up her chopsticks again and began to eat.

Watching her take small, delicate bites, Anhe remembered her earlier suggestion and decided to ask out of curiosity, “Are you really planning to sell me your car, Miss Ito?”

“Of course,” Nobue nodded, swallowing her food before she spoke. “My place isn’t far from the school, so whether I have a car or not doesn’t make much difference. Besides...”

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At this, Nobue glanced softly at Sakuri, who was gazing up at her with wide, shining eyes. “Besides, this little one can’t possibly go hungry with me, can she?”

“Thank you for all your trouble, Miss Ito,” Anhe said, then took a card from his pocket and handed it to Nobue. When she looked at him in confusion, he explained, “This is from Mrs. Kurorai—Sakuri’s mother. There’s a hundred thousand yen on it; consider it a living allowance for Sakuri’s stay at your place.”

He’d been given the card that morning when he’d dropped off some things at Kurorai Nadeshiko’s house that he’d taken the night before. He’d originally planned to hand it to Nobue at school on Monday, but hadn’t expected to run into her today.

“I see.” Accepting this explanation, Nobue nodded and took the card without fuss.

With her funds cut off and a month to go until her teacher’s salary came in, Nobue liked Sakuri very much but wasn’t about to pretend to be well-off.

“The PIN is on the back,” Anhe reminded her, and once Nobue nodded, he continued, “So, can you tell me your asking price for the car? I need to know if I can actually afford it.”

She wants me to name a price?

Nobue fell silent.

She’d bought the car on a whim when she first arrived in Tokyo, spending over five hundred thousand yen. Though only a short time had passed, the used car dealers insisted on offering no more than two hundred thousand, with all the usual talk about how a secondhand car was a secondhand car. The experience had left Nobue so furious that she’d stormed out, pushing the car herself.

But as soon as she stepped outside, she’d calmed down—after all, she was already penniless.

Even two hundred thousand yen would be enough to keep her going for a while.

With this in mind, Nobue met Anhe’s gaze and tentatively asked, “Three... three hundred thousand yen?”

When selling something, you always ask for more.

Nobue had planned to add a hundred thousand to the price, only willing to accept if Anhe offered at least what the dealers had. But to her surprise, Anhe agreed without hesitation as soon as the words left her mouth.

“Deal!”

Just like that?

Nobue was a bit taken aback, looking at the card Anhe handed her, unsure whether she’d made a profit or a loss.

After their meal, Anhe accompanied Nobue to handle the paperwork for the vehicle transfer.

By the time everything was finished, it was already two in the afternoon.

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Seeing that it was still early, Anhe offered to give Nobue and Sakuri a ride home, but Nobue declined, saying Sakuri was too young and the motorcycle could only carry one person.

Watching as the taxi carrying Nobue and Sakuri disappeared from view, Anhe finally withdrew his gaze.

His plan to find out Nobue’s address had failed, which was a bit of a disappointment. Still, it didn’t matter, because soon it would be time for Teacher Kuroko’s autograph session. There, he would witness the greatest art in the world!!

He shot a speechless look at Nanbara Eijuu, who was muttering beside him. If it weren’t for the different narration echoing in his own mind, Anhe might have thought this guy was some kind of stray narrator logged in from a distance.

He glanced at the time; there was still an hour before the event Nanbara Eijuu had mentioned.

Patting Eijuu on the shoulder, Anhe said, “Alright, first take me to a nearby gift shop. I need to buy something.”

“For Miss Ito?” Eijuu’s eyes sparkled with gossip.

“No,” Anhe replied flatly, tugging at the corner of his mouth. “It’s for my girlfriend.”

Eijuu froze for two seconds, then suddenly exclaimed, “You two-timer!!”

His voice rang out loud, drawing curious and judgmental looks from people on the street.

Feeling the stares—some envious, some disdainful—even Anhe, thick-skinned as he was, felt a bit embarrassed and hurried Eijuu along.

When Eijuu tried to say more, Anhe simply clamped a hand over his throat, reducing him to muffled grunts.

A few minutes later, the two arrived at a nearby gift shop.

Anhe bought some daily cosmetics and a bouquet of flowers for Sawu Amemiya.

With that, all his savings were gone, except for a bit set aside for groceries.

Leaving the shop, Anhe looked at his empty pockets and thought about the money he still owed Nadeshiko Kurorai. He could only sigh helplessly.

“Looks like I’ll have to find a way to earn money again...”

P.S.: I worked overtime today and by the time everything was done, it was already ten thirty. I tried my best, but only finished one chapter. I hope everyone will understand. I’ll work through the night and try to have two fresh chapters ready for you all by morning!