Perhaps it was the change in environment, but Takashi woke up earlier than usual.
He checked the time—only 4:30 a.m.
Sitting up in bed, Takashi looked around at the guest room, which was larger than his entire house.
Another day of crying over his poverty.
Beep.
He turned off the air conditioner, grabbed a PET bottle from the nightstand, took a few sips, and walked out of the room without even bothering to tidy up.
Downstairs, he found a maid. "Excuse me, is there a pool here? If not, a gym would be fine too."
The maid froze, staring at him blankly without responding.
"What's wrong?"
Thinking maybe he wasn't properly dressed, Takashi checked his clothes.
"Who are you?"
Having worked at the Sawamura house for several years, the maid was sure—Takashi was not part of the household staff.
He was way too good-looking. She would've remembered him.
'Could he be... the lady of the house's secret boy toy? Oh my god, she even brought him home! Isn't she afraid of the master finding out?'
The maid's mind spiraled into wild imagination.
No wonder she had wild thoughts—who told Takashi to have such a face that looked like he lived off women?
"Takashi, why are you up so early?"
Takashi turned his head and saw Mr. Spencer coming down from upstairs.
"Still not used to the new environment. What about you, Uncle? Why are you up so early?"
"Getting old—sleep's a luxury for me these days."
"But you clearly look so young. If someone saw us standing together, they'd think you were my brother."
"Hahaha, you brat!"
Mr. Spencer pointed at Takashi and laughed. "Now I get it. No wonder my daughter's all smiley around you."
"Your sweet mouth is like it's coated in honey."
Takashi: "…"
Was that a compliment?
"Why'd you come out without any makeup on?"
Mr. Spencer walked up to him and studied him closely.
The boy had sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, handsome and well-proportioned.
His face had natural features—not the typical Japanese pretty boy look, but more like a handsome guy from China.
"No makeup? Aren't you afraid Eriri will wake up and see you like this?"
Mr. Spencer teased.
"She usually wakes up at 7:30 on holidays. We were video-calling until 1 a.m. last night—she's not waking up this early."
When Takashi accurately stated his daughter's routine, a flicker of surprise crossed Mr. Spencer's eyes.
He'd watched Tomoya and Eriri grow up together for ten years, and even he didn't know that.
Yet Takashi had been around his daughter for less than half a year and already had her habits down.
This kid suits Eriri.
Compared to Tomoya, Eriri's father actually preferred Takashi.
The young man was tall and handsome, had excellent grades, spoke well, never got insecure about his background, and didn't act arrogant about his academic performance.
If the two got married, he would have no worries handing the family over to Takashi.
But clearly, Takashi had no such intentions.
"Besides, I'm planning to hit the pool or the gym."
No need for makeup to swim.
Even less for the gym—sweat would ruin it all anyway.
"Swimming, huh? I was thinking the same. Want to go together?"
"Sure."
The two of them walked off, leaving behind a maid questioning her life.
Now she understood—Takashi was the boy her young lady brought home.
Even so, she still couldn't associate the two.
Other than gender and height, they had nothing in common.
Was makeup really that terrifying?
Could it change a face entirely?
…
They took the elevator down.
Just a few steps out and a pool the size of a soccer field came into view.
Lounge chairs, spa rooms, a bar, TVs—everything was there.
Even though it was underground, it still had natural lighting.
In the locker room, Mr. Spencer undressed and said, "This pool and the gym over there—I usually use them alone. Eriri and Sayuri don't like exercising."
"No wonder you're in such great shape, Uncle."
Takashi smiled as he stripped.
Mr. Spencer was just about to say something when he glanced down, and his smile suddenly froze.
Halfway through taking off his pants, he pulled them back up and casually asked, "How's your stamina?"
"Pretty good."
Takashi quickly changed into swim trunks and started putting on a swim cap.
Unwilling to give up, Eriri's father pressed, "How good, exactly?"
Takashi thought for a moment. "If it's soccer, I can play a full match as long as it's not too physical."
"I see~"
Eriri's father suddenly fell into a mild depression.
"Uncle, aren't you going to change?"
"I'll go later. You go ahead."
"Oh."
Takashi didn't think much of it and left.
Only after he left did Eriri's father start taking off his pants.
While doing so, he muttered to himself, "Would Eriri even be able to handle him?"
If those two really got together, his daughter would probably be reduced to tears every day.
…
An hour after Eriri's father got up, Sawamura Sayuri also woke.
Just as Takashi predicted, Eriri didn't wake up until after nine.
Wearing a beige long dress, her long hair tied into twin tails, and contacts in, Eriri stepped out of her room and made her way slowly to Takashi's door.
It was wide open, with a maid tidying up inside.
After a glance, she walked downstairs and found Takashi and Mr. Spencer sitting in separate single armchairs in front of the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows, with a chessboard between them.
Next to her dad, her mom was also pointing things out every now and then.
The three of them looked so harmonious—like a real family. Eriri couldn't help but smile.
A wealthy, comfortable home, understanding parents, and a handsome, gentle boyfriend—Eriri wondered if she'd been given the script of a main heroine.
It felt like a romance fantasy.
She crept quietly toward Watanabe Takashi.
Sayuri spotted her and was about to greet her, but Eriri quickly made a shushing gesture.
Sayuri understood immediately and pretended not to see.
When Eriri reached Watanabe Takashi, she suddenly hugged him from behind around the neck.
"Ah!"
Watanabe Takashi shuddered in surprise, but when he saw it was Eriri, he gently scraped her nose with a finger, then resumed playing chess with her father.
"Are you winning?"
Eriri leaned against him, her face close to his.
"Absolutely. Your dad's terrible at chess."
Takashi didn't even need AI to beat Eriri's dad—he could do it blindfolded.
Eriri giggled, eyes curved into crescents, and lightly patted him.
Her dad glared at the two lovebirds across from him.
Watanabe Takashi was one thing, but even his own daughter was laughing?
How could she laugh at a time like this?
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