I Started a Lover-for-Hire Service, And For Some Reason, Only Beautiful Girls Are Requesting Me - Chapter 84: Hazuki's Lover-For-Hire ②

Inside the GT-R, heading toward the ocean—

Ryoma sipped his green tea from the vending machine, chatting idly with Hazuki.

But that casual atmosphere didn’t last long.

“Shiba-kun. There’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while now. May I say it?”

Suddenly, Hazuki’s tone shifted.

The air around them grew serious.

“You’ve been thinking about it for a while? What is it?”

“It might sound strange to bring up now, but… Shiba-kun, you’ve been carrying a burden, haven’t you?”

“…Huh?”

Ryoma couldn’t process her words immediately.

A slight delay—then he denied it.

…Hiding the truth.

“You seem a little off, you know?”

“N-No way. I think I’m acting the same as always.”

“I serve as a counselor to my colleagues, so I’ve developed a sense for these things. Especially when I’m alone with someone. Shiba-kun, you’re putting on a front, aren’t you?”

“…”

She kept her eyes on the road—yet her confidence in her words was unshakable.

Her ability to sense things was so sharp, Ryoma had to do a double take.

“Don’t worry. I won’t report anything to the agency. Right now, let’s just talk like friends.”

Ryoma let out a small sigh of defeat.

“…You really are incredible, Hazuki-san. You’re right.”

“Fufu, I knew it.”

“But, Hazuki-san… you’re the same, aren’t you? You’re putting on a front too.”

Ryoma spoke with confidence.

After all, he had insider information from the agency.

—『For this request, we would like you to prioritize the client’s emotional well-being. We understand this to be a selfish request, but we’d appreciate your cooperation.』—

“Emotional well-being.”

A phrase reserved for people dealing with worries, anxiety, or stress.

There was no other way to interpret it.

“…That’s not true.”

“Can you say that while looking me in the eye?”

“Oh my, what a naughty boy. Are you trying to cause an accident? I am driving, you know?”

“Ah, sorry… That wasn’t my intention.”

Silence briefly filled the car.

If not for the Western music playing through the speakers, the GT-R’s engine would have dominated the space.

“…You’re right, Shiba-kun. I’ve been putting on a front, too.”

Hazuki spoke just as she turned the steering wheel to the right.

“Something unpleasant happened today, so I asked for you.”

“But… how did you figure it out? I take pride in hiding these things, you know?”

“I am a stand-in, after all.”

—Truthfully, he hadn’t noticed at all. But that was a secret. There was no need to tell Hazuki about the agency’s email.

“Fufu. I’ll give you credit—you’re far from just ‘a stand-in’. You managed to see through me, after all.”

“Thank you.”

“Since we’ve both been honest with each other, I have a suggestion. Shiba-kun, why don’t you tell me what’s troubling you?”

“W-Well… I am a stand-in. I can’t trouble you with my problems, Hazuki-san.”

Talking about worries—it sounded simple on paper.

But in reality, it was anything but.

There were counselors for a reason. Certifications, training programs—because listening was an art.

A single wrong word could offend or hurt someone.

One had to carefully draw boundaries, be precise, and mindful.

Ryoma couldn’t let Hazuki take on such a heavy task.

“Honestly? I want to do this.”

“W-Why go so far…?”

“Because I want you to comfort me with your full strength, Shiba-kun. Right now, you can’t, can you? I’m not asking for an equal exchange. I’m saying this for my sake.”

“…”

The way she spoke—it made her seem effortlessly competent.

She understood exactly how her words shaped the atmosphere and influenced emotions.

“…You’re very good at persuasion, Hazuki-san. I can see you using this on your subordinates.”

“Fufu, correct. So, will you talk? I’ve already said this much—if you don’t, I’ll be quite troubled.”

“W-Well… after all that, I guess I don’t have a choice. I feel like I just got completely guided into this…”

At this point, denying her would just be stubbornness.

The worst thing he could do was disregard Hazuki’s kindness entirely.

Ryoma hesitated.

“Um… where do I even start…?”

“Today stays between us. No secrets, alright?”

“Thank you… Alright, then… I’ll say it.”

His worry—it was something that made him feel unworthy as a stand-in.

Still, he didn’t hold back.

He admitted that he was acting solely to make clients happy for money.

That deep down, his actions weren’t always sincere.

And that, in the end, he felt like he was deceiving people to earn a living.

Ryoma wasn’t stupid.

He knew that if this job didn’t suit him, he should quit.

But he had no choice—he needed the money for tuition.

“Fufu, you really are fearless, Shiba-kun. Normally, you wouldn’t confess something like that to a client.”

“Sorry. No secrets, right?”

“You’re so seriously honest it’s almost amusing. It’s admirable, really.”

“I-Is that so…?”

“Yes. But you should try thinking a little more flexibly. If you do, your worries might not even be worries anymore.”

Hazuki spoke like she was weaving magic.

Her words, soft yet firm, carried straight into his heart.

“If a client told you, ‘I wasn’t satisfied at all,’ then I’d understand your concern. But that’s not the case, is it?”

It was a question—but she left no room for disagreement.

“In fact, haven’t some clients been so happy that they paid you more than the standard rate? Even I feel that way, so I must be right.”

“W-Well… I guess so.”

“Nobody is completely honest, Shiba-kun. People tell white lies just to avoid hurting others, don’t they?”

Hazuki’s example was strikingly clear.

“If we take your ‘everything must be sincere’ argument and add money into the mix… it’d be like someone standing in an office, shouting, ‘I don’t feel like working! I want to slack off!’ while still doing their job. That’d be ridiculous, wouldn’t it?”

There was nothing wrong with her logic.

Ryoma wondered when she had thought of such an analogy.

Her abilities as a young career woman were on full display.

“See? It’s not just you. Everyone’s the same, just in different ways. We all suppress our feelings, deceive others to some extent, and keep moving forward.”

“What matters is whether even just a little bit of what you do is sincere for the sake of others.”

“Even if it’s just one small piece—that piece becomes the driving force to help people. The power to make someone smile. Don’t see it as a negative thing. You should take pride in it instead.”

“…”

Hazuki, in her own way, had lifted Ryoma up.

It was as if his long-standing concerns had melted away.

Like his worries had been laughable to begin with.

“Fufufu, you’re fine now.”

Hazuki smiled.

Ryoma must have looked relieved.

“Seriously, after something this perfect… how am I supposed to comfort you now?”

“I wouldn’t mind if you held me gently, you know? The beach is empty at night.”

“That’s against the rules…”

“Well, I am feeling a little down. If you can’t think of another way to comfort me, that might be the only option.”

“A-Are you serious?!”

“Fufu, who knows?”

Teasing him, Hazuki lightly pressed the accelerator.

And soon, they arrived at their destination—the ocean.