Chapter 131: The Kindhearted Sagami Sagiri

In the afternoon, walking down the bustling commercial street, bathed in the brilliant glow of neon advertisements, An He couldn't help but feel a touch of nostalgia. The last time he had gone out shopping was a month ago, just after he had first met Sagiri Amamiya. Back then, it was just the two of them, but looking at things now, the scene was quite different.

On his right, Sagiri Amamiya clung to his arm, while on his left, Eri Tachibana held his hand. Not far ahead were Saori Amamiya and Chie Hoshino, whom Saori was pulling along by the arm. Under the sun, the girl skipped along, her blonde twin-tails bouncing with every step. With Saori wearing a white off-the-shoulder t-shirt and denim shorts, she drew frequent sidelong glances from passersby. Of course, looking was all they could do.

An He squeezed Sagiri’s hand triumphantly. She looked up at him with a puzzled expression, but before he could speak, his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out, saw it was Nadeshiko Kurai, and answered.

"Hello, hello? An He-kun, we’ve arrived at the commercial street. Where are you guys?"

"Already?" An He was slightly surprised, but he quickly told her their location near a landmark building. Since they were finally out for a stroll, he certainly wouldn't forget Nadeshiko and the Serizawa sisters. He had actually invited Nobue Ito as well, but unfortunately, she was already serving as a shrine maiden in Yamanashi Prefecture.

"I should find time to go visit her," he thought. As he did, a few familiar figures appeared in his field of vision—it was Nadeshiko and her group. He waved, and they spotted him immediately.

"An He-gege!" Saki Kurai cheered. Seeing him from afar, she broke free from Nadeshiko’s hand and sprinted toward him on her short legs. Before she even reached him, she opened her arms, intending to leap onto him. An He braced himself, half-crouching and opening his arms to catch the little girl. To his surprise, however, Saki rushed right past him and instead threw her arms around the bewildered Eri Tachibana.

"Waaaah, Eri-chan, I’ve missed you so much!" Saki cried, rubbing her chubby cheeks against Eri’s face. Eri tried to push her away, but being much weaker, it was futile. She could only pull a face of utter disgust and say, "Let go of me! You’re getting your drool all over my face."

"No!" Saki stubbornly insisted, hugging her even tighter.

Nearby, Nadeshiko walked up to An He, who was still frozen in his half-crouched position. She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle and remarked, "An He-kun, you really are pitiful~"

"Truly pitiful~" echoed Reina Serizawa, who was following closely behind, her face filled with schadenfreude.

Seeing them tease him like this, An He was about to retort when a figure suddenly appeared before him. The next moment, a soft, slender body pressed against him. An He went rigid, and Nadeshiko and Reina were equally stunned. Only Yui Serizawa, who was embracing him, spoke softly: "Good afternoon, An He-senpai."

As she spoke, she voluntarily pulled away, stepped back with her hands behind her back, and though her face was flushed, she forced a composed expression and smiled at him. The faint scent of lavender lingered on the tip of his nose.

An He regained his composure. While surprised that she would be so affectionate in front of others, he greeted her with a smile. "Good afternoon, Yui."

He then looked at Reina, who was still staring at her sister in disbelief. He reached out and ruffled her hair, putting on a menacing expression. "And you, you seemed to be enjoying that quite a bit."

"I was not!" Reina immediately countered, darting behind Nadeshiko in a flash.

An He let her be and turned to Nadeshiko with a light laugh. "Good afternoon, Nadeshiko-san."

Nadeshiko nodded gently, a warm smile on her face, though her eyes flickered back and forth between An He and Yui with subtle curiosity.

"Alright," An He said, clapping his hands to gather everyone’s attention. He pulled Chie Hoshino forward and introduced her. "This is Chie Hoshino. She is currently living with me and Sagiri."

The others turned their gaze toward Chie. Sensing their attention, she bowed and explained, "Due to certain circumstances, I am temporarily staying at An He-kun's home. I look forward to getting to know all of you."

"Hello, I am Nadeshiko Kurai, and that is my daughter, Saki," Nadeshiko said, being the eldest of the group, as she extended a hand with a gentle smile. Reina, though clearly unhappy, bowed and introduced herself, followed by Yui.

Once everyone had been introduced, An He suggested, "Why don't we start shopping? I know a mall nearby that has some great clothes."

"That sounds good," Nadeshiko agreed, and the others followed suit.

An He took the lead, with Yui and Reina now walking by his side instead of Eri and Sagiri. As for Nadeshiko, she quietly pulled Sagiri aside, and under the latter’s confused gaze, they lagged behind the rest of the group.

"Is something wrong?" Sagiri asked, curious.

Nadeshiko gestured with her chin toward Chie, who was being surrounded by Saori and the two little girls ahead of them. "What’s the story with that girl?"

"Chie, you mean?" Sagiri’s expression softened. She watched Chie’s radiant smile for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh. "She’s a very pitiful girl..."

Sagiri briefly explained Chie’s situation, leaving Nadeshiko silent for a long moment. Finally, sensing the heavy atmosphere, Nadeshiko decided to change the subject. She draped an arm over Sagiri’s shoulder and asked teasingly, "Did you and that guy do it again last night?"

"Huh?" Sagiri blinked, then realized what she meant. Her face turned bright red, and she retorted in a fluster, "What are you talking about? We’re still on the street!"

"Oh, look who’s getting flustered," Nadeshiko giggled. She reached out to stroke Sagiri’s cheek, her fingertips tracing the skin as she sighed wistfully. "I’m so envious. You’re so young and beautiful, and you have such a great figure. I bet that guy is very 'diligent' with you every night..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the implication was clear. Sagiri’s face burned, and she couldn't find a way to argue, as Nadeshiko’s words were, in fact, true. Seeing her reaction, Nadeshiko knew she had guessed correctly. A pang of sadness hit her, and she muttered to herself, "If only I were younger, and had met him in my prime, instead of now, when I’m past my best. Look at you all—you’ve moved in together, but he hasn't come to look for me once. I suppose in another two years, when I’m truly old, he’ll have forgotten me entirely."

Hearing this, and seeing the sorrow on Nadeshiko’s face, Sagiri felt a wave of pity. She wanted to offer comfort but didn't know what to say. In her heart, she knew that compared to herself, Nadeshiko was older, less pretty, had shorter legs, paler skin, and was less gentle—and she was certain her performance in bed was...

Sagiri shook her head violently to banish the dangerous thought. Looking back at Nadeshiko, she noticed the woman’s eyes were glistening with tears. Her heart softened, and after a moment of hesitation, she tentatively suggested, "How about... Nadeshiko-san, come stay at our place tonight? I’ll squeeze in with Saori."

"Hook, line, and sinker," Nadeshiko thought, a subtle smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She feigned modesty, initially declining, but Sagiri, having already made the offer, insisted.

As the two women engaged in their delicate dance, An He, walking in front, suddenly heard a voice in his mind.

[The foolish Sagiri Amamiya, in her laughable kindness, has invited the wolf in sheep's clothing into her home. Little does she know, this plays perfectly into your hands. Why not get Sagiri drunk tonight, then indulge in a night of passion with both her and Nadeshiko, before forcing your will upon her once more when she wakes? A perfect chance for a 'two phoenixes playing with the dragon pearl'?]