Saaki Funamoto and Saori Funamoto led Kotomi Izumi and the others toward the Japanese-style luxury guest room, introducing the various facilities of Harugamo Inn along the way.
Of course, most of the explanations came from Saaki. Saori, meanwhile, seized every possible opportunity to gossip, asking Kotomi when she and Shizuka Hiratsuka had started dating, how far their relationship had progressed, when they planned to get married, and how many children they intended to have.
Kotomi could only keep a polite smile on her face and say nothing. The reason she stayed silent was not because she had not yet begun pretending to be Shizuka Hiratsuka's girlfriend and therefore did not know what to say.
If Yui Yuigahama and Yukino Yukinoshita had not been by her side, then even if she had not officially started the act yet, Kotomi was confident she could fabricate everything vividly and convincingly.
It was just like writing a novel—first you built the setting.
Anyway, once she officially began pretending to be Shizuka's girlfriend, the two of them would need to sit down and construct the backstory of this "virtual romance" together. If she made it up now, it would save Shizuka the headache later.
Although Shizuka's mother was the chief editor of a light novel imprint and highly skilled at writing, Shizuka herself had not inherited even a trace of that talent. When she used to write work reports, she would sit in front of the computer for a full minute before barely managing to squeeze out a single line. If she could write a whole paragraph smoothly, that counted as an extraordinary performance.
That was precisely why, when Shizuka Hiratsuka worked as a Japanese teacher at Sobu High School, she rarely assigned essays as homework.
As the saying went, put yourself in someone else's shoes. Even though she had graduated from university many years ago, the mere sight of the word "essay" still made Shizuka's heart skip in dread.
Not to mention middle or high school assignments—when she was in elementary school, if her homework included an essay, a reflection, or a reading response, she could drag it out from the end of the school day until ten at night. Forget inventing a title—she would not even have taken out the composition paper.
Because she understood how miserable writing essays could be, Shizuka rarely assigned them.
Kotomi did not have to worry about writing essays, but as for homework—naturally, the easier the better.
She only hoped that after Shizuka resigned, whoever replaced her as the Japanese teacher of Class 1-F would also be someone who did not assign essays as homework.
That aside, when Shizuka was a teacher, even writing a work report was torture. Asking her to fabricate a detailed "virtual romance" like plotting a novel… leaving aside what she might come up with, Kotomi felt she should first worry about whether Shizuka would burn out her brain from overexertion.
So Kotomi had already decided—she would handle all the settings for this "virtual romance" herself.
If she did it alone, it would take less than an hour.
If Shizuka helped, it might not be finished in a week.
For example, just now, the moment Saori asked, Kotomi could already construct the corresponding backstory in her mind and deliver it with feeling.
Of course, that was only under the premise that Yui and Yukino were not present.
Now that both of them were here, Kotomi could only play dumb and keep silent. At the same time, she viciously thought to herself, If I had a needle and thread right now, I'd stitch Saori Funamoto's mouth shut!
At last, they arrived at the Japanese-style luxury guest room.
Saori finally quieted down. If she had kept talking any longer, Yukino and Yui's gazes might have pierced straight through Kotomi's face.
They pushed the door open and stepped inside. The warm yet refined Japanese décor and the spacious, brightly lit room made it instantly clear why the Japanese-style luxury rooms were so expensive.
"Just looking at it makes you feel like it'll be incredibly comfortable to stay in. Choosing the Japanese-style luxury room was definitely the right decision. Shizuka really has good taste… mm."
Before Kotomi could finish speaking, she felt two sharp gazes land on her cheeks. She instinctively shrank her neck and, trembling slightly, glanced to her left and right.
Sure enough, they came from Yui and Yukino.
Kotomi almost wanted to slap her own mouth. Ever since learning that Shizuka was resigning from Sobu High School, the way she addressed her had gradually shifted from "Shizuka-sensei" to "Shizuka."
Under normal circumstances, if she called her that, even if Yui and Yukino heard it, at most they would simply feel curious about why she addressed Shizuka that way.
But now, after hearing everything Saori had said, and then hearing Kotomi call her "Shizuka" in such an intimate tone, what stirred in their hearts was no longer mere curiosity.
Yukino Yukinoshita might still try to conceal it. Originally, under Kotomi's persistent advances, Yukino's pretty face had gradually begun to resemble a snow mountain slowly melting.
Now, however, it was as cold as a snow peak trapped in a raging blizzard.
As for Yui Yuigahama—naïve and straightforward—how could she possibly hide it? The adorable expression on her face gave the impression that the vinegar jar in her heart was so full it might explode at any second.
Naturally, Kotomi noticed the cute little expression on Yui's face. Unable to suppress a laugh, a thought arose in her mind—if she were to kiss Yukino on the cheek right now, right in front of Yui, would Yui's little jar of jealousy explode instantly, her envy surging like a tidal wave?
Although she knew that doing such a thing would definitely make Yui jealous, definitely make her unhappy, and quite possibly cause her to spiral into overthinking—or even cry—there was still a restless impulse inside Kotomi that wanted to try.
Hiss—!
For some reason, Kotomi suddenly felt a chill spread simultaneously across her limbs and neck. In that fleeting instant, an icy dread seized her, as if she had plunged into the abyss of death.
Though the chill came quickly and vanished just as fast, it still left her feeling unsettled. All she wanted now was to hurry over and hug Yui, to feel some warmth.
As for the earlier idea—kissing Yukino in front of a jealous Yui—it was temporarily tossed to the back of her mind.
While Saaki introduced the features of the Japanese-style luxury room to Kotomi and the others, Saori, for once, refrained from further gossip.
Yet Kotomi was hardly interested in Saaki's explanations. She appeared to be listening, but in truth, her thoughts had already drifted far away.
Her mind was entirely occupied by that brief moment earlier—the simultaneous icy sensation on her limbs and neck.
It felt as though a butcher, gripping a brutal cleaver, had marked five spots on his prey before raising the blade—signaling that those marked parts would soon be carved away.
While Saaki Funamoto introduced the Japanese-style luxury guest room to Kotomi Izumi, she deliberately kept her explanation under a minute so as not to disturb their rest.
Most of what she described centered on the private hot spring bath included in the room.
The reason the Japanese-style luxury room was more expensive than a standard luxury room was precisely because it came with a private hot spring bath, allowing guests to enjoy the springs at any time.
The floor-to-ceiling window before them was more like a sliding glass door. Once pushed open, it led into a spacious bathing area. At the center lay a hot spring pool that occupied two-thirds of the space.
In front of the pool stood a vintage wooden window. If one wished to soak while admiring the scenery, all that was required was to open that large wooden window.
Because of the private hot spring, both the front and rear courtyards outside this Japanese-style luxury room were completely enclosed, accessible only to the guests staying here.
The courtyards were expansive, and the landscaping was exquisitely designed. If they were not reserved for private use, they might well have become one of Kyoto's famous scenic attractions.
If sleep did not come at night, one could simply slip on a yukata and take a leisurely stroll through the courtyard.
After finishing her introduction, Saaki did not linger. She shot Saori a look, then slowly stepped back toward the guest room door and bowed deeply.
"Young Lady Izumi, we will take our leave. Once again, thank you for choosing to stay at Harugamo Inn. If you or your friends require anything, please call me at any time. During the next few days, I will be on call twenty-four hours a day exclusively for you. If I am fortunate enough, you may regard me as your personal butler."
Saori merely bowed. As for Saaki, it would be more accurate to say she knelt entirely, almost pressing herself flat against the floor.
Kotomi did not stop her. She simply nodded lightly and replied in an even tone,
"Mm. We'll be troubling you for the next few days."
Her father had once taught her that when outside the home, one might show modesty in response to others' deference—but one must not refuse it. Even when being modest, one's presence had to remain above the other party.
The reasoning was simple. When out in the world, you alone represented the entire Izumi family. You carried its authority and status.
If you bore that responsibility, then you had to uphold it.
Thus, when faced with Saaki's reverence, Kotomi expressed polite humility and said it was unnecessary—but only verbally. She would not truly stop her. At most, she would make a small gesture of protest, merely for form's sake.
From the moment they met, Kotomi had maintained the quiet pride of the Izumi family's young lady like an invisible aura surrounding her. She kept just the right sense of distance—slightly aloof, yet not unpleasant.
"No, this is the honor and duty of both Harugamo Inn and the Funamoto family. Even if the Funamoto family were to serve as slaves for generations, it would still not be enough to repay the kindness the Izumi family once showed us."
Saaki lowered her head even further, speaking with utmost sincerity.
If an outsider had witnessed this, they would surely have been shocked and confused. The Funamoto family, founders and long-time operators of Harugamo Inn, had survived turbulent commercial battlegrounds and expanded far beyond the inn itself. Their industries now covered much of Kyoto's dining and medical sectors.
Within Kyoto, the Funamoto family was undoubtedly one to be treated as honored guests.
Saaki herself had played a significant role in bringing the family to its current scale.
And yet this formidable businesswoman—once adept at maneuvering among competing forces—was kneeling before a young girl like a servant.
Without knowing Kotomi's identity, anyone would have been stunned. Had reporters captured the scene, it would likely have made the front page the next day.
But if one knew who Kotomi was, there would be nothing strange about it at all. Even if photographed, neither reporters nor newspapers would dare publish it—unless they wished to be "invited" to Maizuru Port late at night to clear their heads and test how long a human could hold their breath underwater.
Kotomi Izumi was the eldest daughter of Japan's foremost financial conglomerate—the Izumi family. That title alone was enough to require Saaki to kneel.
Not to mention the debt of gratitude from years past.
In truth, it was not merely gratitude. The Izumi family's approach toward the Funamoto family had always been a combination of benevolence and authority.
During an economic crisis years ago, the Izumi family had extended a helping hand, allowing the Funamoto family and Harugamo Inn to survive and rise from the ashes.
The weight of that favor was immeasurable. Even if the Funamoto family offered their lives in repayment, it would never be enough.
And overwhelming gratitude could easily turn into resentment. When a favor was as vast as heaven and earth, how was one supposed to repay it?
The twenty-sixth head of the Funamoto family had been a formidable woman in her own right. She rose from gaining favor through her son to gradually claiming the position of family head. At the time, she had believed that the Izumi family's favor was too great to ever repay.
Coincidentally, during that period, the Izumi family and the Sakayanagi family were locked in a fierce struggle over a six-hundred-million-dollar deal, with the Hishinaga family fanning the flames and escalating the competition.
The Izumi family had appeared to show slight weakness.
The twenty-sixth head of the Funamoto family believed an opportunity had come. She began distancing herself from the Izumi family, even planning to strike at a critical moment.
Yet just as she prepared to act, the Izumi and Sakayanagi families abruptly ceased hostilities. In the morning they had fought until blood nearly spilled. By afternoon, they hosted a banquet together.
At that banquet, Yakken Izumi—newly appointed head of the Izumi family—and Shoujin Sakayanagi—newly appointed head of the Sakayanagi family—stood shoulder to shoulder, arms slung around each other as they raised their glasses like brothers.
That very night, the twenty-sixth head of the Funamoto family vanished—along with her most cherished son, the designated twenty-seventh head.
Two days later, the Funamoto family received a large box. Inside were the corpses of the twenty-sixth head and her son.
That was the Izumi family's first warning.
Who had killed them? Some elders within the Funamoto family knew perfectly well. Yet in their public statement, they declared that both had died in a traffic accident.
Soon after, every key industry of the Funamoto family was forcibly acquired overnight by various unknown companies—newly established, yet inexplicably wealthy.
That was the Izumi family's second warning.
When the twenty-seventh head took the position, the Funamoto family chose complete submission. On the surface, the two families appeared to cooperate.
In reality, the Funamoto family had become a dog raised by the Izumi family.
Yet beginning with the twenty-seventh head—and all those who followed—the Funamoto family found that being the Izumi family's dog was not so bad. So long as they obeyed, they could conduct business in Kyoto peacefully and never worry about lacking investment.
So for Saaki to kneel before Kotomi was nothing remarkable.
If Kotomi demanded that Saori lie on the ground and serve as her chair, Saori would have to comply.
However, Kotomi had little interest in such matters at the moment. She had something far more important to deal with.
After the Funamoto mother and daughter left,
Only Kotomi Izumi, Yui Yuigahama, and Yukino Yukinoshita remained in the Japanese-style luxury guest room.
The atmosphere, already resembling a battlefield of jealousy, solidified further.
Kotomi took a slow breath and walked to the low table, sitting down. Tea leaves and a tea set had already been prepared.
With practiced movements, she handled the utensils and brewed a pot of tea, then placed three cups before her and poured them full.
After pouring, she glanced at Yukino and Yui—just as their gazes met hers.
Kotomi smiled faintly and said,
"Why are you two just standing there like idiots? Come here and massage my shoulders. Yukino, you take the left. Yui, you take the right."
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