A Generous Proposal
I handed over the beverages that had been delivered for the hounds and the construction crew.
"Thank you! Boss!"
"Man, the young boss has great taste."
"It's hot out, so please drink while you work."
On the way over I had also bought some snacks and a few extra drinks, which I slipped into a bag. I stopped in front of the flower shop.
"No wonder business is dead."
The shabby, gloomy exterior made it obvious why there were no customers. Through the glass I could see two women inside.
Oh. They look even better in person.
Ayame and Erika came into view.
"She's supposed to be twenty-two? She gives off serious married-woman energy."
I didn't mean she looked old. But the hardships she'd endured had given her a mature aura, and those large breasts made her seem like a total MILF. Her clothes were a bit worn, yet the way they revealed her cleavage suggested that if this place were any other kind of shop, it would be packed with male customers. As for Erika...
Oh. Classic delinquent-girl vibes.
Just like the photo Veronica had shown me, she had a sharp, prickly look. Those narrowed eyes made her seem completely different in personality from her sister. Still, I'd been told she was an idiot, so maybe it was just the image. Erika wore a training jacket on top; the counter hid her lower half.
"All right. Let's do this."
I straightened my clothes one last time and opened the shop door.
Tinkle!
The bell above the door rang, and both women's eyes snapped to me.
"Whoa."
Flinch!!!
"Eh?"
Erika's mouth fell open, her sharp features instantly melting into a dumbstruck expression. Ayame, meanwhile, froze like a herbivore staring down a predator, body rigid as she gaped at me. I put on my most friendly smile and greeted them.
"Hello."
Even after my greeting, neither of them reacted. A brief silence filled the shop.
"Ah, yes! Welcome in!"
"...Holy crap."
The two women finally responded. Ayame stepped out from behind the counter and approached me, while Erika's eyes sparkled as she stared. I waved lightly at Ayame as she drew near.
"I'm not a customer. I'm the owner of the new shop moving into the third floor."
She stopped dead.
"Ah."
Ayame's body froze at my words. Her face gradually drained of color. Erika's eyes widened like saucers. These two really had the best reaction faces. I sneered inwardly and continued.
"I've been busy handling other matters, so I only managed to stop by now. I brought some snacks and drinks—please help yourselves."
"Huh?"
When I offered the bag, Ayame hesitated. Erika, on the other hand...
Dash!
Grab!!
"For real? Wow! Thank you, Oppa!"
"Ah!"
She bolted from the counter and snatched the bag from my hand, then opened it right in front of me and began rummaging through the contents.
"Whoa! Pocky and mochi sandwiches! Shining Pudding too!!"
I'd swept up only the desserts the clerk swore high-school girls went crazy for, and Erika's eyes were literally sparkling. Seeing her like that, Ayame started to protest.
"E-Erika! That's so rude!"
"What's the big deal? He brought them for us to eat. Oh, there's Starbucks Mocha Chino too!"
Ayame kept glancing at me, trying to rein her sister in, but she lacked any real force. There was clearly a mountain of guilt toward her little sister, yet I could tell she was far more conscious of me than necessary. I gave the awkward-looking Ayame an understanding smile, then casually surveyed the shop. Behind me came the sounds of Erika tearing into the snacks and Ayame sucking in deep, steadying breaths.
I examined the flowers. Using the simple inspection method Veronica had taught me the day before, I pretended to check them over before speaking with a grave expression.
"There's a drainage problem here."
"Pardon?"
"The leaves are already starting to show chlorosis, too."
"How did you..."
This time her face filled with genuine astonishment. I smiled and explained.
"I keep a few potted plants at home myself. I had a barrier installed to keep construction dust out, yet it's come to this. I'm truly sorry."
"Ah..."
My apology produced a strange shift in Ayame's expression—a mixture of surprise at how I could possibly know and a deep, buried sorrow. Soon a subdued voice slipped from her lips.
"N-no, these things happen during construction..."
"I'm sorry."
I was about to make my real offer when Erika, who had been happily munching away, cut in.
"Munch! Oppa! We've barely slept because of all the construction noise and it's killing us. Shouldn't you at least give us some compensation?"
"ERIKA!!!!"
"S-Sis?"
A volume I'd never heard from her before exploded out of Ayame. Erika stared back in utter shock. Ayame spoke slowly, each word deliberate.
"Your sister has something to discuss with the boss, so go wait in the back room."
"Sis, what's gotten into you..."
"Just listen to me!!"
I'd been planning to separate the sisters myself, but she was doing the work for me.
At Ayame's second outburst, Erika stood frozen for a second before snorting.
"Hmph! Why are you freaking out all of a sudden?"
Step. Step.
Bang!!!!
Snack bag in hand, she stormed into the living quarters at the back of the shop where the sisters stayed. Ayame watched her sister's retreating back for a moment, then turned to me with trembling eyes. She bowed deeply at the waist.
"I'm so sorry, sir. My sister was incredibly rude, wasn't she?"
"Oh, not at all. Please, straighten up, ma'am."
I pretended to panic and lightly touched her waist and back.
Flinch!!!
She reacted violently to my touch and snapped upright again. Damn, those tits up close. They looked even better than in the animation. The sight of Ayame's pale, full breasts made my cock twitch. I fought down my erection, quickly removed my hand, and spoke in a rush.
"Ah, I'm sorry. Seeing you bow like that startled me and I just... I apologize for touching you inappropriately."
"N-no, i-it's fine."
A faint blush colored Ayame's face. Even nervous, that look was delicious. I spoke to her with renewed politeness.
"Your sister is right. May I offer a suggestion?"
"A... suggestion?"
To her confused expression I continued.
"The construction will take at least another week, possibly two, to finish."
"Ah..."
Her complexion darkened instantly. Watching her lower her head and tremble, I sneered inside and pressed on.
"So we'd like to purchase every flower currently in your store."
"What?"
Her head jerked up, eyes round. I replaced my inner sneer with a warm smile and extended my hand.
"After all, we're all in the same building—like family. I feel terrible about causing you this unintended loss, so please accept this offer."
"......"
Ayame stared silently at my outstretched hand. Her hesitation stretched longer and longer.
Ayame stared at the man's hand extended before her eyes. The first impression of the third-floor tenant who had opened the shop door moments ago was simple.
Handsome. And his attitude was...
Polite.
Well-mannered.
Yet something in Ayame's instincts kept sending out warnings that there was more to him. Before she could even register what her instincts were screaming, the man—who had been looking around the shop—spoke.
"There's a drainage problem here."
"Pardon?"
"The leaves are already starting to show chlorosis, too."
It was astonishing.
Someone who truly understood flowers.
And it made her happy.
If he could spot drainage issues and chlorosis at a glance, he must have noticed other problems too. Yet he hadn't pointed them out. It felt like praise—that she was doing well in every other aspect except those two. And finally came the outrageous offer to buy every last flower in the shop, accompanied by one word.
Family.
For the past ten years, the only family she'd had was her little sister. The same sister she felt endless guilt toward—for following her to this city, for spending most of the inheritance their parents left behind, for forcing them into a life of constant financial struggle. Still, having her sister had kept her going somehow. Now this stranger was calling them family. It was probably just empty politeness. But the warmth that single word carried drowned out every warning her instincts tried to give her.
Grab—!
"R-really? Thank you so much."
She seized the man's hand without thinking.
"R-really? Thank you so much."
Perfect.
I didn't know what mental process had led her there, but the look in her eyes and the emotion on her face as she held my hand were filled with positive feelings. It was a shame I couldn't absorb the negative emotions that had been pouring off her during the argument with her sister, but this much of a harvest was profitable even without it. I smiled and kept holding her hand. Only then did she seem to realize she was still gripping it.
"Hya!"
She yanked her hand back in a panic. Her pure, maidenly reaction made me chuckle. I reached into my jacket and pulled out a crisp bundle of cash. Five hundred thousand yen.
Based on Veronica's memories and Ryuji's report, the total value of every flower on display couldn't possibly exceed a hundred thousand yen. I'd calculated the amount assuming they placed small, frequent orders because customers were so rare. Ayame's pupils shook violently at the thick stack of bills.
"This is five hundred thousand yen. I included generous compensation for the inconvenience and enough for you to rest comfortably until construction is finished."
"Uh... ah..."
She seemed to short-circuit at the sight of the thick bundle. I smiled gently and pressed the money into her hand.
"Please don't think of this as mere financial compensation. Looking at the state of these flowers, it's obvious how much you love them. You must have been heartbroken watching them wither. Give your sister some spending money and take her somewhere nice."
Her eyes grew moist at my words. After a long internal struggle she finally accepted the cash, looking as if her soul had left her body. I bowed politely and turned to leave when...
"U-um!"
"Yes?"
"W-what is your name, if I may ask?"
Come to think of it, we hadn't exchanged names.
"Ah, right. I'm Theo."
"Ah... I'm Hanazawa Ayame."
"Understood. Please rest well, Hanazawa."
Tinkle—
The first meeting with Ayame had fastened the first button perfectly. Next up was Erika. My steps back to the building felt surprisingly light.