Chapter 25: If my brother wants to date other girls, he has to get my permission first!

In front of a high-end apartment building.

Fujiwara Aoi stopped here, pointing upstairs with a hint of shyness.

"My home... is just up there."

Natsume Chikage looked at the grand apartment building, thinking it was no wonder Fujiwara Aoi could easily afford a sports watch starting at 60,000 yen.

How could someone living in a place like this be short of money!

However, he really hadn't expected that Fujiwara Aoi's home would be on his way; it was completely on the route.

It was a bit strange that they hadn't run into each other before.

"It really is very close to the coffee shop," Natsume Chikage remarked sincerely.

Compared to the tiny three-mat room he lived in now, this place was simply too close to the subway station.

It only took a few steps to get there.

And it took him about ten minutes to walk from his home to this subway station every day.

Never underestimate this ten-minute journey.

Accumulated over a year, the time was quite significant.

Plus, walking ten minutes less every day meant ten minutes more of sleep.

Only those who have experienced the bitterness of commuting understand how precious an extra ten minutes of sleep is!

Fujiwara Aoi pointed curiously at the road ahead.

"Natsume-kun, is your home straight ahead in that direction?"

"That's right, it's about a ten-minute walk straight ahead," Natsume Chikage nodded, then glanced at the time. "It's getting late, so I'll head back now. See you."

Fujiwara Aoi waved and smiled in farewell: "Yes, see you. Please be careful on your way."

Natsume Chikage waved back and turned to leave.

Fujiwara Aoi stood where she was, watching his figure drift further and further away until he disappeared into the night, before turning to walk into the gate of the high-end apartment.

While taking the elevator upstairs.

Her face was overflowing with irrepressible joy; if she weren't in the elevator, she would have almost jumped for joy!

After all, a major breakthrough had been made today—Natsume-kun had personally walked her home!

Even if it was just on his way, they had walked back together, hadn't they?

If it happened enough times, perhaps feelings would grow over time?

And most importantly, she now knew that Natsume-kun's home was near hers, only a ten-minute walk away.

This meant that if there was an opportunity in the future, she could find an excuse to visit his home?

The door was pushed open gently.

"I'm home."

Natsume Chikage walked into the room.

What met his eyes was still that cramped three-mat room.

Natsume Ruri was sitting at the small table, studying while drowsy.

Hearing the sound of her brother returning, she immediately perked up, stood up, and greeted him with a smile:

"Brother, welcome home!"

"Are you hungry? Do you want Ruri to make you a late-night snack?"

Natsume Chikage shook his head:

"I had a staff meal at the coffee shop, I'm not hungry."

"Ruri, why didn't you go to sleep first?"

Natsume Ruri smiled happily:

"If Brother isn't back, Ruri can't sleep soundly alone."

"So I thought I'd wait until Brother returned before sleeping."

Natsume Chikage felt a warmth in his heart, ruffled her hair, and urged:

"You don't have to wait for me specifically. If you're sleepy, go to sleep first, you know?"

Natsume Ruri nodded with a smile:

"Yes, I'll sleep if I'm sleepy."

"But it's really late now, Brother, you should go take a bath quickly."

Natsume Chikage didn't say more, picked up his change of clothes, and went to wash up.

When he came out after his bath.

Natsume Ruri, sitting at the small table, patted the spot beside her.

"Brother, come sit over here."

Natsume Chikage sat down as told and asked suspiciously:

"What's wrong?"

Ruri muttered in a low voice:

"Nothing, just curious about how Brother's day at school went. Nothing special happened, right?"

Chikage recalled for a moment:

"No, everything was fine."

Ruri continued to mutter:

"That's good."

"But I was watching TV just now, and it said that many high school girls nowadays are very bad and will lead boys around by the nose!"

"So Brother, you must be careful and not date girls casually."

"If a girl really confesses to you, you absolutely cannot agree casually. You must tell me first, and only if I think it's okay can you go and date that girl!"

Natsume Chikage was amused:

"I have to get your permission to date other girls?"

Natsume Ruri pouted with a straight face:

"Of course!"

"Ruri only has Brother now. If you get cheated by a bad woman, Ruri will be ve-ve-very troubled!!"

Chikage smiled and pinched her cheeks:

"You're overthinking it."

"And I don't have any plans to date anyone right now."

Ruri was stunned, and a brilliant smile slowly bloomed on her face:

"Really?"

Chikage nodded affirmatively:

"Really."

"With the situation at home right now, where would I get the money, time, and energy to find a girlfriend?"

Ruri laughed happily:

"That's true!"

Chikage remembered something and asked:

"Did you lack money for school today? If you need money, tell me. I don't spend much money usually, so if you're in a hurry, you can take it and use it first."

Ruri shook her head:

"No need, I don't spend much money either."

"Instead, Brother, you're in high school now, so keep the money for yourself, so you won't be broke when you go out to play with friends."

"By the way, isn't today the first day of school for you, Brother?"

"Did you meet any old classmates at school?"

Natsume Chikage nodded:

"Actually, there was one."

"There's someone in our class named Saionji Nanase."

Natsume Ruri remembered the name and said in surprise:

"Saionji Nanase? Could it be that young lady from the Saionji family?"

Chikage asked suspiciously:

"What Saionji family?"

Ruri pouted and said huffily:

"Brother, don't you remember?"

"We went to Saionji Nanase's home before."

Chikage was confused:

"Did that happen?"

Ruri had no choice but to explain: