When I Picked Up A Stunningly Gorgeous Downer-Type Beauty In Front Of The Entrance. - Chapter 22: The reason why intimate acts are a no-go, but using breasts as a pillow is okay.

The reason why intimate acts are a no-go, but using breasts as a pillow is okay.

“The kind of work they call… the nighttime job, I guess.”

Ah, that makes sense.

There was something I could understand.

With a voice so sweet it stirs up a man’s desires, and a sensual body. Her face was beautiful, and even now, without a stitch of makeup, it’s burned into my memory, unforgettable.

Once you touch her, it lingers on your body like a burn, and you can’t forget her, no matter how hard you try.

…In fact, it’s not just a burn, I worry if she might have thrown some men off balance.

There’s not only her appearance and vibe, but also the slippery gaze exchanged with the young man I saw in front of the house.

If you think about the reasons why Sajou-san doesn’t want to be home, can you guess what it might be… Well, I’ve been unconsciously gathering information and imagining the answer in the back of my mind.

“Even that guy you saw the other day is a customer. He’s not my husband.”

Maybe she sensed it from my expression, or maybe she laughed in self-mockery, Sajou-san’s mother says.

Is she able to read my mind from my face because of her job, where you have to gauge people’s reactions?

Or is it because I’m just too easy to read?

Thinking about how Sajou-san always kicks me under the table even when I haven’t said anything, I might lean towards the latter, but it pisses me off to think I’m being told that I’m easy to read. Too many people around me are too good at guessing.

“Ah… I see. …ahh ok?”

Although I asked, I didn’t know how to respond after my imagination was confirmed. I can’t just ask eagerly about which shop it is, how much it costs, or what the options are.

In that case, all I could do was respond with a vague, ambiguous acknowledgment that could be interpreted in any way.

Hmm. I see.

Pretending not to be interested, or perhaps seeing me acting suspicious, Sajou-san’s mother continues the conversation, now directing it towards me like she’s pouring water.

“I’ve always been stupid, so I couldn’t do anything. Normal jobs never worked out for me, and before I knew it… you know?”

The ice in Sajou-san’s mother’s glass clinks against the sides as she speaks.

Her ‘usual’ is milk tea, which sits in front of her, untouched throughout our conversation, with a layer of water on top.

But is this something I should be asking about?

I’m interested in Sajou-san’s mother’s life story, but I’m starting to get more and more anxious.

An indescribable sense of unease builds up in my stomach, like I’m slipping on stairs without realizing it.

But my worry comes too late, as Sajou-san’s mother’s thin lips never stop moving.

“I talk to customers and have fun, and… I end up in that kind of relationship and get paid for it. It’s not like I dislike it, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”

But my daughter hates that kind of thing, so she says with a sad look, her eyes similar to her mother’s, cast down.

I suppose so, I think to myself.

It’s not like Sajou-san dislikes men, but she shows an unusually strong aversion to anything sexual.

Even when she shattered my prized DVD, she did so mercilessly, like crushing each fly one by one.

…Honestly, it was terrifying. Yeah.

Even now, just thinking about it makes my body tremble. Shaking like a leaf.

Despite having a bit of a cleanliness habit, she craves human contact more than anyone, rubbing against me like a cat.

As a result, I end up being hugged, probably even in a dreamlike state with my head resting on her chest.

For me, it’s both happiness and frustration. That’s why my DVD collection was the only outlet…!

I must defend my Faza account to the death.

She refuses anything erotic, yet she’s such a cruel woman for wanting physical contact. That’s what I think again.

But even so, I don’t have the courage to push away her outstretched hand or to push her down.

When I think about being disliked, I can’t help but hesitate.

And really, even though there are no feelings involved, doing erotic things just because I like her face and body… It feels like failing as a rational human being, even if it’s biologically correct.

The lower body may have instincts, but it’s the head that thinks and acts.

“I know I shouldn’t have invited him home, but when pressured, I’m weak… So I ended up making things even worse for her.”

Her dark eyes glisten with the dew of night.

Sajou-san’s mother looks down, as if holding back her tears. It’s only a matter of time before they spill over from her moist eyes.

It’s almost like a confession.

She feels bad but can’t fix it.

Her relationship with her daughter, whom she loves, is a mess.

No matter how hard she tries to fix it, her daughter just keeps drifting away.

There’s nothing she can do about it.

In that context, appearing before her, someone whom her daughter seems to trust at least a little, I might be her salvation.

It’s probably both right and wrong.

What Sajou-san and I share is stagnation; nothing has changed.

The cracked glass remains cracked. It won’t fix itself.

“That’s why—”

And as Sajou-san’s mother begins to speak again, her words need no interruption.

So I, with a loud creak, stand up abruptly from my chair.

Sajou-san’s mother, startled by the sound, lifted her face as if surprised.

Her eyes were red, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

To her frightened and bewildered expression, I said, “I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but…”

“I choose to be with Sajou-san of my own free will, as does she. There’s no need for thanks or requests.”

So, I silently conveyed, That’s why… That’s why… don’t say anything more.

It felt unnecessary.

It felt intrusive.

There was a sense of disgust, as if something unwanted was being thrust into our comfortable relationship.

Even if it was an act of kindness, there was a simmering frustration, akin to anger toward anyone who dared to touch a treasure.

I didn’t accurately grasp those immature, childlike emotions.

Because I myself cannot fully understand the rough shape of my emotions.

However, even though it’s not perfect, there are things that can be conveyed.

“…I see,” she said sadly, retracting her words with a face like a lost child.

The expression on her face tightens with a sense of guilt squeezing her chest.

However, there’s no intention to flip the words back, nor any desire to apologize.

Ultimately, the only result of the conversation with Sajou-san’s mother is carrying back heavy emotions, with no impact on the relationship with Sajou-san whatsoever.

“Here, I’ll pay,” Sajou-san’s mother says. 

I shake my head.

Living alone on parental support.

Though it was a grateful offer, even for just a cup of coffee, I declined it clearly, not out of politeness.

“I’m fine, but… Well, actually, I would’ve liked you to treat me, to be honest,” excessive attachment crept in, but leaving that aside,

“Sajou-san wouldn’t like it, right?”

To my question, Sajou-san’s mother, with a hint of loneliness, replied, “Yes.”

Furthermore,

(I should have accepted her treat without being stubborn!)

That was when I checked my e-money balance at the register and found it was less than 1,000 yen.