As he advanced through the streets, Reiji plunged into reflections about the meeting he had just had. The idea, which at first seemed indifferent to him, took on new contours after deeper analysis. He concluded that if he decided to embark on this new journey, his preference would be to act as a freelance model. This choice would guarantee him the freedom to choose his projects and ensure compensation for each job performed.

Immersed in his thoughts, Reiji used his smartphone to explore the world of fashion freelancing while walking. He discovered that, even as a newcomer, the possibilities for remuneration were tempting. Payments for work could vary between 20,000 and 100,000 yen, fluctuating according to the size and complexity of the project. It's worth noting that these figures were gross, and a fee ranging from 10% to 20%, or even more, depending on the terms agreed with the modeling agency, would need to be deducted.

With this information in mind, Reiji put away his phone and, from the same pocket, took out his wallet. With a thoughtful gesture, he placed Ayaka's business card in a specific compartment before returning the wallet to its place.

///

It was 8:15 PM when Reiji arrived at the entrance of the Uehara building.

As he climbed the stairs, he reached the floor where his apartment was located, stopping in front of the door. He used the spare key to unlock it. With a soft click, the lock gave way, and upon opening the door, he was greeted by the warm presence of Nene and Kanade, both wearing aprons and sporting welcoming smiles, though with distinct nuances in their expressions. The welcome words, though similar, revealed subtle differences in their feelings.

"Welcome back, Reiji-kun." – "Reiji-senpai - Desu~"

"Desu?" Reiji echoed the unusual term, turning his gaze to Nene.

Under the focus of his gaze, Nene wondered if she had made another linguistic mistake. 'Did I err again? Ah, how complicated...' However, she maintained her composure, opting to ignore his repetition as if she hadn't noticed the oddity of her last words.

Reiji's demeanor softened, abandoning any sign of perplexity. He calmly replied: "I'm back."

Seizing the moment Reiji finished changing his shoes, Nene grabbed his arm, saying enthusiastically: "Let's go, Reiji-senpai, dinner is ready~"

He let himself be led without hesitation, especially captivated by the melody in her voice, which was extremely pleasant to the ears.

Kanade added with expectation: "It's delicious, I'm sure you'll like it." And, with an almost inaudible whisper, she added: "At least the part that I prepared..."

"Ah?" Nene's expression turned dark as she faced her: "What did you say?"

"Nothing, nothing at all~" Kanade responded with a theatrical hiss.

"Tsk, that's so funny~" Nene replied, imbuing her voice with sarcasm.

"Pfft-haha!" Reiji couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"Moo! Why are you laughing, Reiji-senpai?" Nene puffed her cheeks, now flushed.

"It's just that you two are too charming." Trying to contain his laughter, Reiji's voice trembled slightly: "I couldn't help myself..."

Nene puffed her cheeks even more.

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Reiji then pinched her cheek, laughing: "Haha, if you keep this up, you'll look like a blowfish. But it would be a very cute blowfish."

Nene's expression faltered, and she couldn't keep her cheeks puffed for long. A laugh escaped her lips as she murmured a 'Moo', now with a smile.

Observing their interaction, Kanade placed her hand on her chest, her expression laden with jealousy and pouting. She felt, in some way, at a disadvantage compared to Nene.

After spending an entire afternoon with Nene, she proved to be irresistibly charming. To top it off, she had in her arsenal two undeniably powerful 'weapons'. Kanade couldn't help but think that Nene was playing with an advantage at this moment!

Meanwhile, Reiji, oblivious to Kanade's dilemmas, was already seated at the table filled with delicacies.

'Why did they prepare so much food?' he wondered, mixing satisfaction with slight concern. After all, even with all of them eating together, he doubted they could consume more than a quarter of the feast in front of them.

"Please help yourself," Nene said.

Nene's voice brought him back to the moment. Skillfully holding the chopsticks, Reiji tasted the beef stew, bringing a portion to his mouth.

"Mm, it's excellent," he commented softly.

"I made that~" Kanade, seizing her chance to shine, smiled radiantly.

"Ah, I see, you cook very well, Kanade-chan. Congratulations!" He responded with a nod of approval.

Nene, determined not to be outdone, quickly picked up a meatball. "Try this, Reiji-senpai." With the chopsticks, she imitated an airplane. "Here, open your mouth, ahhh~"

Calmly, Reiji complied, opening his mouth to taste.

"And then, how is it?" Nene asked, full of expectation.

After chewing carefully, Reiji closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them with an expression of approval. "Yes, it's wonderful. You made this, didn't you? Great job, Nene-chan."

She, unable to contain her joy, let out a cheerful laugh and, in a mischievous gesture, stuck her tongue out at Kanade.

'How childish!' Kanade criticized in her thoughts, though she felt slightly affected by this attitude.

During dinner, Reiji was gently "coerced" to taste a variety of dishes prepared by the two, and although he was not obliged to completely finish each dish, they made sure he tasted a bit of everything.

'I think I ended up eating more than I should have.' He massaged his stomach, feeling a slight pain, and sighed in hope of finding some relief.

On the other hand, Nene and Kanade, who had eaten much less, seemed to be the most satisfied. Their smiles were truly contagious.

Reiji even captured this moment with a photo of the two smiling, using his system's capture feature.

"I don't want to leave yet..." murmured Nene, visibly disheartened.

Kanade's expression was neutral, but her gaze clearly conveyed her desire to stay. However, as the night advanced and, despite her independence, she knew that going home at this hour could be dangerous.

Reiji, for his part, had already decided to accompany both to their residences. After the kindness they had shown by cooking for him, he would not let them go back alone, especially late at night. Their safety was his priority.

"Don't be sad, you can always visit me. Next time, let's choose a day when I have a day off," Reiji proposed, smiling as he ran his hand through their hair. "That way, we can enjoy ourselves even more."

"It's a promise!" With her hands, Nene enthusiastically held his hand on her head, looking up to meet his eyes. Her amber eyes shone, seeking confirmation of his words in him.

"Yes, I promise," Reiji confirmed with a smile.

Nene let out a light and bright laugh.

Kanade followed with a smile in her eyes.

That night, the temperature wasn't extremely low, but there was a freshness in the air.

As they left the place, both began to warm themselves by rubbing their arms.

"It's a bit chilly out here..." murmured Kanade.

Then, Nene had a spark of inspiration and hugged Reiji around the waist. "This way, I warm myself up and also pass some warmth to Reiji-senpai~"

Kanade opted for a more subtle, yet equally effective approach, embracing him from the other side: "Really, it's much cozier."

Reflecting for a moment, Reiji decided not to remain idle and raised his arms, wrapping each of the girls in a hug.

Surprised by the initiative, Nene and Kanade initially jolted, but soon, though blushing, felt their hearts race upon receiving such a caring hug.

"Really, this way is much better," confirmed Reiji.

Nene and Kanade found themselves face to face due to the unexpected closeness brought by Reiji's hug. For a moment, their gazes crossed, but almost immediately, both averted their eyes, embarrassed. Deep down, what they really wished for was to continue being enveloped in Reiji's warm embrace...

'It would be perfect if I were the only one receiving this hug!' was the thought that simultaneously arose in both of their minds.

"Reiji-kun, you know, it would be more logical to go to Nene-chan's house first," Kanade suggested, illuminated by a sudden idea. "My house is in the opposite direction to the train station. It makes more sense to go straight to catch the train that leads to Nene-chan's house. Afterward, you can accompany me home. What do you think?"

Nene gave Kanade a surprised look. She was ready to savor the relief of 'getting rid of' the extra company, but Kanade's words seemed to make sense, although internally she was opposed to the idea.

"No! It would be better to start by dropping you off, Kanade-senpai!" Nene countered with conviction. "Even if it seems like a detour, it's a short distance and it won't be too late after dropping you off. I'm right about this."

"Oh no, Nene-chan, you're not seeing the whole picture," Kanade responded with an explanatory sigh. "Even if we lose just 10 minutes to drop me off first, it would be too much time. You might end up missing the train and getting home even later. Maybe even facing consequences for getting home past curfew."

Pondering the potential reaction of her mother, Nene hesitated. She wanted to contest, but the words failed her.

What if Kanade-senpai was right and they missed the ten o'clock train?

Checking the time on her smartphone, it was 21:29. There were 31 minutes left, but unforeseen events are always a possibility.

With an internal sigh, Nene conceded: "Okay, maybe that really is the best choice. What's your opinion, Reiji-senpai?"

"I agree," Reiji confirmed, accepting the logic behind the suggestion.

'I did it!' Kanade celebrated inwardly.

||- Note -||

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