When I Picked Up A Stunningly Gorgeous Downer-Type Beauty In Front Of The Entrance. - Chapter 54: Parental love and money.

Parental love and money.

It was my best attempt at making a suggestion.

I couldn’t even muster a polite smile. I shut my mouth soon after opening it to speak.

I waited for a response from Sajou-san’s mother, gritting my teeth and staring intently into her dark eyes.

Then, Sajou-san’s mother relaxed a bit, her expression softening.

“Thank you,”

Her cheeks tinted slightly red, and she seemed genuinely pleased.

But what followed were words of denial.

“But, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it, Hiyori-san. I know it’s not my place to say, but… if Hitori is happy, that’s all that matters. So, please don’t worry about it too much, okay?”

With a finger raised to her lips, Sajou-san’s mother continued, and I could only respond with a hesitant “I see.”

If I were honest…

I should have said more. Perhaps I should have pushed her to agree or forced a meeting, appealing to the sense of justice that mother and daughter should be close. But I didn’t have the courage, and as a result, I didn’t want Sajou-san to dislike me.

I’d rather say nothing and avoid getting hurt. It’s a cowardly and pathetic way of thinking.

So, I ended up saying something half-hearted, raising expectations. And that’s it.

It’s an excuse for consideration and self-satisfaction. At the same time, there’s regret for saying too much and an unpleasant bitterness lingering in my mouth.

Really. When it comes to relationships, it’s all like this when you get serious. It’s frustrating.

I wonder what expression I’m wearing right now.

Sajou-san’s mother smiles at me, seeming puzzled, and retrieves a small purse from the basket under the table.

“How’s Hitori?”

“Um, well. She’s fine enough to try to get a job.”

“A job?”

Sajou-san’s mother’s eyes widened.

Her repeated blinking gives her a somewhat childish appearance, making her seem younger than Sajou-san.

Despite being mother and daughter, there should be a considerable age gap between them. Is she too much of a femme fatale?

“That daughter of mine is taking the initiative to do something for the first time. Yes, I’m relieved.”

If that’s the case, this may not be necessary, but she hands me the purse she’s holding.

What?

I look down at the purse in her hand, puzzled, then raise my gaze to silently ask, “What is this?”

Sajou-san’s mother continues to hold it out without saying a word.

I guess she just wants me to take it for now.

Confused yet compliant, I accepted the purse.

As I unzipped it, feeling the silent pressure from Sajou-san’s mother, I glimpsed inside and couldn’t help but grimace.

“This is a bit…”

When I looked up, her expression tightened as if she had anticipated my reaction.

Intense. Or rather, I felt overwhelmed by the sadness in her eyes.

“Take it.”

“Even if you say that…”

It’s troubling.

She’s just pushing it on me without saying anything. And what’s inside is nothing but troublesome.

Money.

The purse was filled with banknotes.

And not just one bill. Just by looking at it, there were tens of thousands of yen, if not more.

What am I supposed to do with this? It would be rude to accept it.

The reason is obvious. She just wants to vent her frustrations; there’s no meaning in her words.

I just want to convey to the person who gave me this that I’d be troubled if I accepted it.

“Use it for living expenses.”

With the reason so obvious, I struggled to respond.

It’s even more troublesome when there’s legitimacy behind it. It’s hard to refuse.

Come to think of it, until now, food expenses were split with Sajou-san.

Since Sajou-san wasn’t working, it was clear that the money came from her mother.

Why didn’t I think of that? I regret my oversight now.

But then again, I wouldn’t normally pry into someone else’s financial situation. It couldn’t be helped.

Such excuses may not matter in this situation, but I couldn’t help but think of them.

Maybe this is why Sajou-san is trying to start a part-time job.

I finally understand her motivation for wanting to work.

Having chosen to leave her parents’ home, even though it’s next door, Sajou-san probably doesn’t want to rely on her mother anymore.

Just the allowance from my family wouldn’t be enough for both of us to live on.

But then again, was it wrong of me to assume? Although technically, it was my sister’s doing. Am I at fault here?

I tried to plead innocent in my mind, but by not refusing, I felt like the judge had already banged the hammer and declared me guilty.

In the first place, Sajou-san would be considerate too.

That’s the reason for her part-time job. And…

“Please.”

Is this the responsibility of a parent?