The idea of studying had already been implanted in Eli and Nifuji, or rather, Eli had already collected all the information for their postgraduate study at Hitotsubashi University.
As for Fuji, somehow, she wasn't sure, as frankly, her work was writing, so would it help much to study?
"Hmm... if you don't think Hitotsubashi is suitable, you can try Waseda, as it is famous for those who work in the media, but I am not forcing you, though."
"Okay, I will just work as usual."
"Sure."
"Eh? Really? Your reaction is so low."
"What can I do? That's your decision, and frankly, I feel lazy sometimes as I still have a lot of work to do."
"That's right." Fuji nodded, then asked, "Can you do it? How do you balance your life with university, work, and also love?"
"If it others, it might be impossible, but not me, and..." Nifuji sipped the lukewarm coffee, which had been prepared by Fuji in the morning, thinking of the future, then said softly, "It might be enough time for me to decide about many things."
"What did you say?"
"No, I am just wondering whether I really can do it or not." Nifuji shook his head and decided not to say what he wanted to say.
"Right?"
When Fuji heard that Nifuji had invited her to work, she realized it would be hard. She couldn't imagine it was possible, especially when she thought about how she would manage her job as a writer, take care of the tanuki, and be with Nifuji all the time.
Yes, if there was a reason why she decided not to take the chance, it was because she was comfortable with the current situation. It definitely didn't mean she didn't have a desire to improve, since as Nifuji came into her life, the way she lived also changed, and instead of writing, she thought of him more preciously.
She might not have said it herself, but she knew her life was empty, with nothing else, and that was why she chose a book: she had nothing else.
It was nothing but because she didn't know what to do except for books, as she had been reading them from childhood, and when she grew older, as there were too many books that she had read, within her mind, she thought, what if she just wrote books, so that way, she could read something that she wanted to.
Fortunately, everything went well: she got the publisher to sign her book, and she could live with it. Still, sometimes she had to admit she lacked confidence, wondering whether she could continue, yet at this moment, she had time to relax, as she had him by her side.
"So, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's just I feel like you have something to say to me before."
"No, I am fine. Why did you think that way?"
"Is that so?" Nifuji tried to look at Fuji, trying to read whether she had told the truth, but, as she had said, in the end,d he didn't do anything and just kept going out.
Regardless, as he had rested enough, he decided to go to work because there were some things he had to manage. But, frankly, while he was a bit lazy, when he was at the office, he entered the zone, where he fully focused and ignored everything.
If others saw him, they would think that he was in the middle of something known as the deep work, a state where one would forget about everything.
Still, as he finished his work, he rested in his office, leaning back in his chair. Naturally, he didn't have Narumi or Hanako Koyanagi under his desk, as he was seriously at work, unlike the time when he was at his previous office, where all of his jobs were just to scold others, which was a waste of time, and frankly, except for having sex, there was nothing he would do, as everything had been taken care of by all of his followers, and the job of the superior on such a company was nothing but just to be taken care of, like how the feudal lord of the past expected the peasants to work under him.
It was crazy, he thought, but he knew well that such a practice was about to be over, and sooner or later, this country would have a demise, especially when many investors from foreign countries had already put their capital into many of the companies in this country, waiting for the internal to make a blunder before they took everything.
Frankly, being a businessman was tiring, as he had to take care of everything on his own. If the company failed, it would be his own fault, unlike the employees, who just worked, waited for their income monthly, and thought about nothing except the work given to them.
Some employees might complain to him that the work was too hard, but he would tell them to quit their jobs and become businessmen, the ones who wouldn't get paid unless they put in their own effort.
Even if he didn't say anything to them, he knew well that they would realize how difficult it was.
Regardless, let's forget about that since, as his mind was in a daze, he couldn't help but reach for his pocket, but stopped himself. He had decided to stop smoking, as he knew well that it was bad despite how much he was addicted to it in the past.
The "Good Scent" ability, which he acquired in the past, might make him able to live without worry despite having a cigarette smell, but his insides were a different matter.
Was this a good change?
Probably, but he also felt that he had tried to change somehow, becoming someone that he had never thought he would be.
"Why am I rambling on and on?"
It felt like he kept talking, trying to avoid his thought of a certain possibility that came from the conversation that he shared with everyone, but as he thought so, suddenly, he received a call from someone, who had always brought him to a far troublesome place, and as expected—
"Onii-chan, let's go on a trip!"
"...." Nifuji.