I Started a Lover-for-Hire Service, And For Some Reason, Only Beautiful Girls Are Requesting Me - Chapter 14: Ryoma Learns Aira's True Feelings

“S-So… I want you to be my big brother… I’ll pay you, so please do it.”

Aira held down her scarf with her left hand, keeping the lower half of her face hidden, but her clear jade-green eyes remained fixed on Ryoma.

This was a plea born from courage. Ryoma couldn’t even imagine how much her lips were trembling as she spoke.

“Are you crazy?”

“Even if you ask that… I’m dead serious…”

“…No, listen. You need to calm down. You realize how weird this sounds, right? Especially since you’re smart enough to know better.”

“…Then why are you trying to stop me? This is a good deal for you too, isn’t it? All you have to do is act like my big brother, and you’ll get that money you love so much.”

“It’s… not that simple.”

She hadn’t mentioned a specific amount yet, but as the daughter of a company president, Aira’s offer would undoubtedly be substantial. And the conditions she was proposing were similar to his current side job as a rental boyfriend.

However, Aira was still a high school student, and Ryoma, at twenty, was already a legal adult in university.

There was an unspoken sense of responsibility—something that told him he had to draw a line.

And there was also his pride.

Unlike his official part-time job, there was no company acting as a mediator this time.

If anything went wrong, he’d have to take full responsibility.

And if Aira’s parents ever found out, the consequences could be severe.

Ryoma definitely wanted as much money as possible, but he had only just started his job as a rental boyfriend. Over time, the number of requests would gradually increase.

Considering the risks involved, there was no need to rush. The only option was to refuse.

“I’ve already made up my mind. You’re going to be my big brother, Senpai.”

“You do realize you’re saying something absolutely insane right now, right, Aira?”

“I can’t help it. No matter how I phrase it, it’s going to sound like this… But I expected this. I knew you wouldn’t agree so easily. You’re the kind of person who ‘changes their expression in a good way.’”

That was just Aira’s personal take on him, but the fact that she was spot-on was impressive.

“That’s why I actually put some thought into this. A strategy to make you say yes.”

She spoke as she opened her school bag. It seemed she had a secret weapon inside.

“Look, today’s conversation is just a joke. I’m completely refusing, no matte—”

“—Even if you see this?”

“…What?”

Ryoma’s brain completely failed to process what was happening in front of him.

Aira had opened her school bag and, the next moment, spread out multiple ten-thousand-yen bills in both hands, fanned out like a deck of cards.

At a quick glance, there were over ten of them. That was a ridiculous amount of money.

“Consider it a hassle fee and everything else included. One-month contract, 150K. I still have plenty of savings, and if you accept, I’ll make sure you get the proper compensation.”

“…”

150K.

150,000 yen.

That was about two months’ worth of Ryoma’s part-time wages.

“Aira’s big brother. Will you be one for me with this?”

“Hey, there’s no way a high schooler should be carrying around this much money… 150,000 yen?”

“Don’t change the subject. If this isn’t enough, I can withdraw more from a convenience store. I’ve got my card.”

“W-Wait, wait. This is more than enough.”

150,000 yen. Anyone who thought this wasn’t sufficient had completely lost their sense of money.

“So, will you do it?”

“N-No, that’s not the point… With this kind of money, you could go out, buy manga, get games—do whatever you want, right? Why are you so fixated on… having a big brother?”

With that much money, she could go anywhere, buy as many manga as she wanted without worrying about the price. Even the latest game console was under 50,000 yen. She could buy dozens of games.

Yet, instead of spending it on herself, she was using this money to get a pretend big brother. There had to be a reason.

“…”

“…”

She slowly lowered the money in her hands and fell silent for the first time that night. No… This was the first time she had ever gone quiet since Ryoma had known her.

“…………”

“…………”

In the bleak, freezing atmosphere, the cold seeped into their skin.

After what felt like a long thirty seconds,

“If you laugh… I’ll kick your weak spot and kill you.”

Aira suddenly broke the silence.

“In that case, do whatever you want. There’s no way I could laugh in this kind of atmosphere.”

Even someone with the shallowest sense of humor would answer like Ryoma did. That was how heavy the air felt—like a courtroom in session.

“Aira…”

“Mm?”

“I’ve been holding it in. For so long… But I just can’t anymore…”

“…”

Before Ryoma could ask, “What can’t you hold in?” Aira, looking down, continued speaking.

“In the morning, when I go to school, I’m alone… When I come home, I’m alone… Even when I go buy food, even when I eat, I’m always alone.”

“…”

“Even if I get a good test score, even if I do something bad, no one says anything… Is there any other high schooler like this? Of course it’s lonely…”

“…Aira.”

For the first time, Ryoma truly understood her feelings.

Why did she always come to the shop on the days he was working? Why did she always get in his way? Why did she brag about her test scores every time? Why did she seem so happy exchanging playful insults with him?

It was because, just like how her parents used to be, Ryoma was the only one who paid attention to her.

“I’m already in high school… I can’t tell my dad or mom, or even my school friends, that I feel lonely… I don’t want to be seen as pathetic. I don’t want them to look at me like that…”

“…I see.”

Not wanting to be seen as lonely—that might be why Aira dressed the way she did, like a gyaru.

And the desire not to be pitied—Ryoma understood that feeling all too well. The fact that he had never spoken about his own family situation was proof of that.

The decisive difference between Ryoma and Aira was whether or not they had siblings.

Ryoma had an older sister, Kaya. Someone to talk to, someone who cared about him. He was rarely alone at home.

Aira, on the other hand, was an only child. She had no one to confide in, no one to pay attention to her. Whenever she returned home, she was completely alone.

She was still only a second-year high school student. At an age where she couldn’t yet live without her parents’ support.

“Hah…”

(This isn’t even about risk anymore…)

Now that Ryoma had learned Aira’s true feelings, if anyone could still reject her after this, he’d want to learn from their mental fortitude.

“Just so you know, even after hearing that, I’m not going to pity you.”

“…If you did, I’d kill you…”

“But I have changed my mind.”

“—!”

With a sharp snap, Ryoma snatched the 150,000 yen from Aira’s hands. Taking the bills from her weak grip was easy.

“…Thinking about it, 150,000 yen a month is an insane deal. Anyone who turns this down would be out of their mind.”

He stuffed the money into his pocket.

“…Don’t lie. Don’t pity me…”

“I’m not.”

“You’re making a kind face…”

“By that logic, that means I usually have a scary one.”

Ryoma really wasn’t pitying her. He knew better than anyone how unbearable pity could be.

“You know, if I was pitying you, I wouldn’t have taken that kind of money. I only accepted this because it benefits me. Don’t get that twisted.”

“The way you say it… is so annoying…”

“—Wait, it’s almost 10:50? Aira, go home already. You’re gonna get picked up by the cops.”

Ryoma checked his phone again. The screen displayed 22:45.

“Then… walk me home.”

“Why the hell would I do that? I just wanna get home as soon as possible.”

“The moment you took the money, the contract started. If you refuse, I’ll tell my dad you scammed me.”

“…You little schemer.”

From the way she put it, Ryoma had no way to win this argument.
Her wording was blunt, but she wasn’t exactly wrong. This was the tricky part of dealing with someone sharp.

“Fine, let’s go.”

“Mm…”

Ryoma stood up first, and Aira followed.
That heavy atmosphere from earlier had already vanished.

＊＊＊

“…Hey, Onii-chan. If I told you that whole speech just now—my so-called ‘true feelings’—was actually part of my plan to win you over… would you get mad?”

“The moment I saw you on the verge of tears, I knew that wasn’t possible.”

As they walked side by side, Ryoma gave Aira a light, playful knock on the head. He didn’t even seem to mind the way she had started calling him Onii-chan.