"Mr. Shirakawa, can you stay for dinner?"

Shirakawa Sawahei let out a heavy sigh and slowly nodded his head. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

As long as it wasn’t that question... As long as it wasn’t that question...

"But I promised Nazuki I’d go see her... Can I come back with her later?"

"Of course, feel free to. By the way, do you have any dietary restrictions, Mr. Shirakawa?"

"No dietary restrictions."

"Alright, I understand."

"Mom, are you going to cook? Can I help you?"

"Then I’ll lend a hand too."

Shirakawa Sawahei nodded and then stood up to leave.

A few minutes later, a little girl rushed over.

"Grandpa~ Where’s little Shirakawa?"

Hayakawa Shinsuke and Hayakawa Miyawa exchanged glances, each seeing the helplessness in the other’s eyes.

"He went to find your sister, he said he had an appointment..."

Black Hearted Lolita: "???"

Shocked, she clutched her flat chest, took two steps back, and stared blankly at her familiar grandparents and Aunt Sawayā...

No wonder that black-hearted woman compromised in the end... She was just teasing me!

No!!!

(Snowflakes flutter ~ Northern winds whimper ~)

After leaving Hayakawa Shinsuke’s harmonious home, Shirakawa Sawahei took a car to Little Arrogant’s place. The homes were about a ten-minute drive apart. He originally wanted to walk, but the driver insisted he must get in due to some supposed mission, pleading earnestly. From the looks of it, the driver seemed to be helping Shirakawa Sawahei make a getaway; many would probably believe it.

With no choice, Shirakawa Sawahei got on the car and sped away. Meanwhile, an enraged little girl raced out only to grab at thin air, angrily blocking and unblocking Shirakawa Sawahei and Hayakawa Kashi’s LINE contacts a hundred times on the spot.

Truly a case of impotent rage.

...

"Shirakawa, it’s like your first time visiting my house?" Miss Kaori observed him with a cup of tea in hand, speaking softly, "The last time was the piano recital for Nazuki."

"You’ve got a good memory." Shirakawa Sawahei remarked in a grumpy tone, "I’m a guest, shouldn’t Hayakawa offer me a cup of tea?"

"Didn’t you already have enough just now?"

"True." Shirakawa Sawahei thought for a moment, "But it doesn’t make up for your rudeness."

"Let me rephrase." Evil Little Arrogant stated leisurely, "My tea isn’t good enough to serve you, sorry about that."

"..."

To prevent this hostile conversation from escalating, Shirakawa Sawahei decisively changed the subject.

"Hmm...? It’s odd, Hayakawa, your casual wear today is really nice."

"Only today?"

"I didn’t say that. You said it yourself." Shirakawa Sawahei walked over to where Little Arrogant had just been sitting, poured himself a cup of tea, and said, "The winter break has started, Hayakawa, any plans?"

"That depends on how many people’s plans we’re talking about."

"A solo plan?"

"A solo plan isn’t a plan; I just do it if I want to." Evil Little Arrogant tilted her head, inquiring, "Plans involving more than one person require discussion, right?"

"Hayakawa, are you hinting at something?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Very obvious."

"Then I’ll be direct, Shirakawa, you haven’t forgotten our Christmas plan, have you?"

"I haven’t... you’re not planning on skiing again, are you? Or maybe skydiving?"

"Skiing takes too much time, and it makes your legs numb."

"..."

"The previous knee pillow wasn’t intentional, alright? Hayakawa, can’t you be reasonable?"

"It’s a girl’s privilege to choose when to be reasonable." Little Arrogant raised an eyebrow, "Does Shirakawa have an issue with that?"

"Never heard of such a privilege..."

"Well, now you have. Make sure you remember it."

"...Okay, but Hayakawa, do you have anything else you want to do over the Christmas break? Like scuba diving?"

Miss Kaori naturally replied, "No, even I occasionally want to do normal things."

"Such as?"

"Such as going shopping to buy gifts for family."

"So you’re suggesting we shop together on Christmas Eve?" The seasoned flirt had a peculiar expression, doing internal calculations. Christmas usually stretches from Christmas Eve to Christmas day... The lazy girl has already booked Christmas night, giving Little Arrogant Christmas Eve leaves only morning and afternoon for Tsukimi and the others.

If necessary, I’ll ditch Black Hearted Lolita, anyway, I’ve been wary of her lately. If she suddenly makes a move again, Shirakawa Sawahei wouldn’t know whether to accept or not...

Mastering advanced time management, starting with evading Asano Nazuki!

"Alright, we’ll shop for gifts together then."

Little Arrogant nodded, suddenly asking, "How many are you planning to buy?"

"I plan to..."

Shirakawa Sawahei was about to casually reveal his plan but caught himself, almost breaking out in a cold sweat.

Darn, is Little Arrogant fishing for information? Do girls really care so much about comparing their gifts to others’? The lazy girl is like that, Miss Kaori’s like this too...

I must never let them know what gifts I’m giving each one! Never!

"I plan to keep it a secret until I reveal the gifts."

"Hmm, like that, I won’t ask then." Evil Little Arrogant replied obediently, "If Shirakawa doesn’t want to say, I won’t force you."

"The plan’s settled, right?" Shirakawa Sawahei confirmed, "There won’t be a switch from Christmas Eve to Christmas night last minute, right?"

"There won’t."

"Then I’m relieved." Shirakawa Sawahei took a sip of tea and asked, "Since I rarely visit your house, Hayakawa, how do you plan to arrange my stay?"

"Roughly just dinner, then I’ll send you home?"

"It’s early for dinner, and your grandmother asked me to stay for a meal."

"Then I can’t help it." Miss Kaori shrugged, "We don’t have game consoles at home, Shirakawa, want to play Go with me?"

"I don’t know how."

"Neither do I."

"I guess being talented and virtuous applies to us both then."

Miss Kaori chuckled, indicating her inability to understand Shirakawa Sawahei’s joke. She thought for a moment and asked, "Shogi?"

"I dare not."

"Ludo."

"Is it really okay for us to play such childish games?"

Evil Little Arrogant glanced at the time and said regrettably, "I originally wanted to play chess, but now it seems there’s no time."

"Gonna see Nazuki?"

Shirakawa Sawahei’s face changed drastically, shaking his head fiercely, "Now is not a good time to see her."

Kidding, I came to her house without informing her, and meeting with Hayakawa Kashi as well, it’s practically a death sentence in Black Hearted Lolita’s book. Meeting her now means who knows what reckless thing she might do in front of Little Arrogant...

Once things reach that stage, it won’t just be the Hayakawa family taking turns to ask if I prefer Kashi or Nazuki...

First cut a slice, and ask the questions during the slicing!

Oh confused old flirt, do you want to marry Nazuki first, or get chopped by Kashi first? Or a mix of both?

A terrifying branch of the timeline to be immediately severed! So, Shirakawa Sawahei decisively chose to avoid Black Hearted Lolita.