42: Conversation

"I feel like you're much more relaxed, Saya" - Saeko said as she saw how the pink-haired girl had returned with a smile - "Where's Cloud?"

"Talking with my mother" - Saya replied as she shrugged her shoulders.

Rei frowned slightly as it seemed that her friend's words had a different meaning than the one she was conveying.

Saeko raised an eyebrow, more so when she noticed how calm the pink-haired girl was, so she quickly grabbed her hand and guided her out of the room.

Rei again frowned as she debated whether she should follow them or not, though after a few seconds she decided to do so, mostly because the curiosity was too great.

* * * * *

"Did you find out the truth?" - Saeko asked as she watched the girl's expression change to one of surprise.

"You knew?" - Saya asked as she frowned as she watched the purple haired woman nod - "Why you didn't tell me?"

"Why should I?" - Saeko asked as she cocked - "My loyalty is with Cloud, not the whole group, the moment he leaves, I'll follow him, even if I'm the only one accompanying him."

Saya frowned slightly before shaking her head - "Yes, I know, I faced Cloud, and he acknowledged it."

"Oh, I see, I guess you have to feel weird about Cloud sleeping with your mother" - Saeko said as she shook her head - "Although if I'm honest, this was obvious, it's just that we've been so busy that we had been overlooking it.

Rei, who was listening to this from her hiding place, opened her eyes, surprised at this revelation, though she quickly shook her head to shake away the stupid thoughts that were starting to roam around in her head.

"Yeah, it's annoying, though it didn't take me long to come to a conclusion" - Saya replied as she folded her arms - "It hurts me that they did this, though at the same time I can't blame them, after all, Cloud is just my friend even though I want us to be more"

"Hmm, that's a good mentality, you're better than I thought, maybe you're not that far away from fulfilling what you want, though you have to go with the mentality that you have to share" - Saeko replied as she gave her a neutral look - "Cloud is not, and will never be only yours, I can see that in his eyes."

Saya was silent as she frowned - "Doesn't it bother you that he's involved with more women?"

"Why should it bother me?" - Saeko asked as she tilted her head - "A good man always attracts more women than you think, that proves that my choice is right."

"You're crazy, it's like you live in a different era" - said Saya as she shook her head as she saw that she couldn't dialogue with this woman. It was as if she was talking to a woman from a previous era, one where women had no rights and only served to please men.

"Do you think I'm messed up in the head?" - Saeko asked with a small smile.

"Of course!" - Saya exclaimed as she frowned - "It's impossible for a woman to agree to share her partner just like that! Unless you have some strange fetish with infidelities!"

"Oh, in the least, it's just that I'm prepared for whatever is to come" - replied Saeko as she shrugged - "We humans are animals who have no limit to our desires, especially when they are connected to pleasure, you just have to look at all the women Cloud has had sex with"

Saya was silent before frowning.

"I can assure you that Shizuka sensei, Ryoko sensei, Miku-san, and I, have had sex with Cloud, counting your mother, that makes it that he has had sex with 5 women that you are familiar with, there might even be more, after all, he is a Yakuza" - Saeko said neutrally - "What makes you think that there won't be more in the future?"

Saya kept her silence because the words Saeko had said were true.

What made her think that there would be no more women interested in Cloud in the future?

Cloud was strong, extremely strong, to the point that she thought that if there was a protagonist in this world, it was quite possible that it would be him, and if that were to become the case, then the number of people interested in him to stay safe would increase drastically.

"You see?" - Saeko asked with a huge smile as Saya felt that the swordswoman's distorted line of thoughts was confusing her more than she thought. Yes, it was quite possible that Saeko was right, and she didn't like that to be the case because she was selfish, she didn't want to share, but if she kept this up, it was quite obvious that she would have to give up, however, this was a contradiction. She was Saya Takagi, and she wouldn't back down, but she also didn't want to be part of the glorified harem of Cloud.

"I'm going to give you some time to think, after all, that thing that's troubling you, isn't happening yet" - Saeko said as she retreated quietly, though not before looking in one direction and smiling slightly, such it seemed that her conversation with Saya hadn't been as secret as she thought, though this was a good thing.

Saya was silent before letting out a sigh, though her expression changed when she saw her best friend emerge from the shadows - "Rei! Did you hear us?!"

Rei nodded silently with a slightly annoyed expression - "I heard a lot of interesting things."

Saya simply shook her head - "What do you think?"

"About your conversation with Busujima-san?" - Rei asked as she looked at her friend nodding - "Honestly, I feel the same as you, I don't understand how anyone can share their loved one, though from what I can sense, the others don't seem averse to the idea of Cloud belonging to everyone."

Saya frowned before shaking her head - "I see, I guess we're the ones who are wrong if they all feel the same way."

"No, they're the weird ones" - Rei replied as she rolled her eyes at her - "Anyway, I see you've already made your decision"

"Yes, I don't plan to back down, and I have a plan" - said Saya as she folded her arms - "Will you listen to me?"

"Speak" - muttered Rei as she frowned slightly, after all, she didn't want to back out either. Cloud was her first love, and she wasn't going to lose him without a fight.

* * * * *

"Okay, this was more... interesting..." - Yuriko said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and fixed her hair.

Cloud was also getting dressed as he watched every curve the beautiful purple haired woman - "I guess being accepted by Saya made the chains that were holding you back, start to break."

"W-Well, my daughter's attitude doesn't make it seem like she's as upset as I thought" - Yuriko replied as she shook her head.

Cloud took a long look at the purple-haired woman.

[Yuriko Takagi (Affinity): 99]

Cloud slowly walked to the woman and pushed her against the couch and kissed her neck.

"Ah ~!" - Yuriko let out a small moan as she gave him an annoyed look - "What are you doing?"

"Helping you" - Cloud replied with a small smile as the two started kissing with more and more passion - "I see that only your lips say you don't want to."

Yuriko snorted with disdain, although she had to admit that these little moments were interesting, as if she had returned to her student days.

[Yuriko Takagi (Affinity): 100]

[All requirements have been completed, you can recruit the character Yuriko Takagi.]

[Do you wish to recruit Yuriko Takagi?]

[Yes/No]

Cloud quickly pressed yes, which made Yuriko surprised and accepted after understanding the situation.

[Recruitment accepted]

"Ugh..." - Yuriko let out a groan of pain as she felt a large amount of information enter her head - "God, this hurts like hell."

"Are you okay?" - Cloud asked curiously.

"I feel like someone smashed my head with a hammer" - Yuriko replied in annoyance, though at the same time she started to smile as she felt Cloud stroking her head to help her through the pain - "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me" - smiled Cloud as he pondered - "Would you like me to accompany you for the rest of the afternoon?"

"It won't be too much trouble?" - Yuriko asked as she gave him a surprised look, after all, she thought the blond would be happy to spend time with his group.

"Of course not" - Cloud replied as he helped her sit down, only to notice how the door opened, revealing Saya and Rei, who entered without paying any attention to the duo's situation - "What's going on?"

"We came to ask my mother's permission to have a personal party" - Saya replied as she shrugged her shoulders.

"A party?" - Yuriko repeated as she looked at her daughter - "I have no problem with it, although I'm confused, this is so simple that you don't even need my permission."

"It's because I wish to have alcohol at my party" - Saya answered honestly.

Yuriko was silent for a few seconds before nodding - "I understand, I guess I can accept you to drink"