After breakfast, Mary-san and I cleaned up and relaxed until around 8:30 AM. It was around that time when I got on my phone and messaged Risa-san.

[Is 10 AM a good time to come over, Risa-san?]

I set my phone down to look at a few articles of clothing. I was planning to wear the same outfit I had on yesterday because it was already set out for me, but I've always loved to just browse through what I had. Since the closet was so big too, it was like walking into a clothing store without the harassment of the people trying to give you something to buy.

“Hm?”

I heard my phone explode with a bunch of texts at once. It was screaming on my bed as I walked over to the mini earthquake. I was a bit afraid to see what was on it as I picked it up.

[YES! Please come over right away!]

That was the first message.

[Saya, Madoka is coming! Come to my room to make sure this skirt doesn’t look too childish on me.]

That was her second message. She seemed to have messaged me when trying to get to her sister, to her dismay.

[Don’t look at that, Madoka! LOL]

Her third.

[I seriously screwed up!]

Was her fourth message.

[Whatever, does this skirt make me look too childish? Does it make my butt look bigger than it is too?!]

 

 

The following message was a picture of an ocean blue skirt that wrapped its fabric around Risa-san’s fine butt. The angle was perfect, and the selfie looked too professional to be taken at the spur of the moment. I… stared at it for a moment. It took me a bit to realize I had my mouth open.

“Ah, what am I supposed to say to this?”

I could feel my body tense up as it began to heat up like an iron. I wasn't sure if steam was flooding out of my ears yet as I looked at the racy picture before me. I had to give Risa-san a message back. She'd probably wouldn't let me hear of the end of it when I got to her house today. She would tease me to no end because I couldn't come up with a reply. So, I responded with…

[It’s cute.]

As vague as it was… that's all my mind could process to say. My phone popped up as Risa-san replied again.

[The skirt or my butt?]

“Eh?!”

 

 

I threw my phone on my bed and screamed at the top of my lungs. I began rolling around on my bed as the embarrassment took me by storm. It was like I was in a blender as my head began to spin. The blood was rushing to my face at an alarming rate. Risa-san… was assaulting me, and I wasn't ready for it yet. It was too early in the day for this.

"I bet she did this on purpose… She's screwing with me, and I'm letting her get away with it."

I was flustered. So, I began pacing around my room to cool off my head. My feet slapped against the carpet as I went from one side to the other.

“My face is still hot!”

This wasn't working. It was actually making me feel hotter because of the sudden workout. So, I calmed my mind by taking a deep breath. Thinking about this situation more clearly, maybe it wasn't a mistake that Risa-san sent that second message. As I thought about it more, it was likely she… sent that to me, "acting like" it was for Saya-san. I was 1000000% sure that she did this only to send me that butt picture and mess with my head.

“The Saitous are dangerous if that’s true.”

It was something a mastermind would do. If this was Risa-san’s goal, then I fell into her clutches like a crab caught into a fishing net.

“She won this battle.”

Flustered, I sat back down and scrolled through my picture gallery. There I found the image of that bright hot red Risa-san in the bed, gazing at me with her seductive eyes. Next to that one was her butt picture. With a sigh, I locked it away in a secret folder I made… for when Risa-san gets feisty like this.

“I wonder what people would think if they found that folder?”

I curled in a ball, trying my best to escape from the world full of embarrassment. I set myself up for this when I agreed to come to her place today. Apparently, she wouldn't just have cooking in mind but had every intention to draw me into her lair and eat me…

“Hm?”

I thought about Hana-chan’s words of wisdom before I left for Mary-san’s house. She told me something about wolves eating me, and it was too late. As I pondered what she was trying to say, it faded away as I ultimately forgot it.

“Risa-san… won't do anything I'm uncomfortable with. She understands the problems I'm having right now."

I felt guilty thinking like this… but there wasn’t anything I really could do. Slowly, I had to get away from my first love and try my best to open my heart to others. Saya-san mentioned that yesterday, and it's been weighing on my heart from that moment on.

“Saya-san… is right. I should be more open to others.”

I looked at the ceiling, thinking about all my friends I've made in these past few months. Reconnecting with Mae-chan first came to mind. Finding out her feelings and how depressed she was. I… should open my heart to her and show her how special she is to me soon. Mae-chan… should never feel so down and worthless when she’s done more than one can ask by being a friend to a selfish girl like me.

“So-chan.”

Then I have Sophia-san, who is in a similar place to me. She's having relationship problems, and I'm sure she'll have a lot to talk to me about soon. After getting to know her and seeing the softer sides to her, I can't help but want to see her not struggle… and be a high school girl like the rest of us. I… wanted her to enjoy her life and not feel tied down by her choices in the past.

I turned to the side, thinking about Yuko-chan.

“Yuko-chan… is one of the most adorable people I’ve met since I woke up.”

I giggled.

Opening my heart more showed me that. Yuko-chan has a lot on her plate, too, with her grandmother's inheritance hanging over her. I wanted to be there to help her cope when things feel as though it's too much. She's been more open, and I love to see her express herself more. I had been wanting to hold her more when I saw her. I couldn't remember much about Yuko-chan in the past, but the present Mihara Yuko has captivated me.

“Hehe… I have a lot of people I want to get closer with. Saya-san is right. I need to push forward and show the people I care about that I want to support them even more."

I sat up on my bed and looked at my phone. It was time to be brave and strike while the iron was hot.

[I’m going to teach you a lesson!]

I replied to Risa-san. I don't think she would be expecting such a forward reply, but as skillfully as the Saitous are, she replied.

[I’m waiting to pounce on you.]

Suddenly, a new image showed her in a cute blouse and a blue skirt. It was taken in the kitchen. Risa-san bit her pinky, only adding to how seductive she looked within it. She even had the lighting just right as the sun fell through the window. Everything about this image screamed, "single and looking for you, Madoka-san."

“You win.”

I complained jokingly. I knew when to accept defeat. Risa-san has far more experience than I did at these games. However, there was one place she wouldn't be able to beat me in, and that was cooking.

After getting dressed in the same outfit as yesterday, I walked out of the room. Mary-san came out of her room simultaneously as if we'd been in sync since our cooking session this morning.

“Are you ready to go?”

She asked.

“Yeah, after you.”

She walked down the steps first, and I followed her. We put on our shoes at the bottom of the steps and walked out into the cold outside. Yesterday was far warmer, but today felt like the dead of winter. As we began to freeze, we hurriedly made our way into the car. Once we got inside, the first thing she did was get the heat going.

“Chilly today.”

Mary-san said as she fired up the heat. It was ice cold at first, but gradually, the temperature rose. We sat there for a moment as we let the heat warm up the car.

“Thankfully, Saitou-san doesn’t live that far away. It’s around 5 minutes from here. I’ll show you just in case you want to walk back, Madoka-san.”

With that, we were off onto the road. The lukewarm car was the best we were getting as we made our way on the road. For a minute, I sat there in silence as she slowly made her way through the neighborhood streets.

“You mentioned that you met Saitou-san when Uncle Ryuji would visit her for business, Mary-san?”

Mary-san nodded as she turned the corner.

“Yeah. You would not believe how those two are around each other, Madoka-san. It’s like watching two siblings in a turf war.”

Mary-san chuckled. It seemed she imagined a past interaction. Her eyes lowered, and she blew hot air from her lips.

“What do you mean, Mary-san?”

Curiously, I asked. I wasn't sure of how Uncle Ryuji was when dealing with work, and this would be an excellent time to get an insight into how he is. I was curious because I had never heard any stories of them together either. Risa-san didn’t talk at all about work with me.

“Ryuji always wants to be the smartest in the room. When he’s with Saitou-san, though, it's apparent who has higher intelligence."

Mary-san confessed. It was like she took a knife and jabbed it through Uncle as she continued.

"Don't get me wrong, your uncle is smart. He wouldn't be in the place he was if he wasn't… but…."

I thought about the Saitous. I knew what she was saying, they were a clever pair, and it would be hard for anyone to outwit them, I’ve come to realize.

“Yeah, Saitou Risa-san is very smart, Mary-san. I can see my uncle having a hard time controlling her.”

Mary-san’s hair bounced up and down as she agreed with me.

"Yep. If I remember right, Saitou-san has a photographic memory. So, she'd always challenge Ryuji on certain events when he gets too high-minded. After their little matches, he'd complain in the car ride home about her."

“Do they… not like each other?”

"No, I think they get along fine. I just doubt Ryuji and Saitou-san would like to share a drink together if someone asked them to. Business partners are the extent of their relationship."

I thought about my uncle as I looked out my window. Uncle had always been a little proud, and I can see Risa-san challenging him. They are on the same level when it comes to their company. Neither of them is each other's boss, so I'm sure all kinds of battles happen between them when they disagree on things.

"Alright, we're almost here, Madoka-san.”

I looked up and saw a large home. It was… massive and took me by surprise. There was a wonderful fountain that was huge right outside their gates. It felt as though we drove into a different world as the neighboring houses all exuded this same fantastic, rich men's lifestyle.

“Wow.”

"Yeah, my place doesn't hold a candle to theirs. However, Ryuji talked about buying a new place after we get married."

Mary-san sounded a bit dejected when she said this, causing me to look at her. Her expression was somber as she rode up to the house and stopped at the staircase.

“Uncle wants a bigger house for just the two of you?”

Mary-san shrugged.

"Yeah… something like that. But that's in the future, so let's not think about that right now. I'm going to come inside with you. I want to speak with Saitou-san before I go.”

“Oh, sure.”

 

Together we stepped out and approached the door. After ringing the doorbell, Saya-san poked her head out.

“Madoka-san! Auburn-san! Hello!”

Saya-san opened her door to us. Excitedly, Risa-san raced down the steps only to be stopped by Mary-san there to greet her.

“Madoka-san, Auburn-san, Welcome!”