Seducing Remnant

I had nothing to do for today since Summer and Ruby went on a mother-daughter shopping trip in town. I gave them my card and a heads up on what sort of trouble they might attract, being two beautiful women and all. Considering the amount of free time I had today, I decided to see Rinko and find out if I had any chance of starting something beyond a friendship with her. I left my residence and went to the Iori Hobby Shop and found the blue-haired woman looking bored and lonely.

" Hey, Rinko. How have you been?"

She brightened up and replied with a slight smile as we had gotten close enough to use first names, a Japanese thing. It's considered rude to use a person's given name if they are unfamiliar with one another.

" Oh, you know, the usual just watching the store while Sei is at school."

" If you're really not busy, would you mind showing me around town since a local like you would be in the know about the good stuff?"

" Let me close the shop!"

Hearing her so excited spoke volumes about the amount of boredom she has to deal with daily. The fact she immediately agreed was also enlightening on her current state of mind. Rinko closed up shop and proceeded to drag me, which honestly looked funny. A seven-foot giant being pulled around by a five-and-a-half-foot-tall woman painted an interesting picture. Hours went by quickly as she showed me all the local markets and shopping centers for the best deals, along with some local restaurants that were quite good.

" I needed this!"

Rinko said as she stretched with a happy smile, and I added.

" I'm glad I could help. Do you want to do this again?"

At my question, the housewife paused and looked hesitant.

" I don't know..."

" I am just offering Rinko, no big deal. After all, you seem fairly bored when I see you usually. Maybe just once a week at most?"

Rinko looked tempted, and an unexpected voice called out.

" Rinko-san? What are you doing here?"

It was Mr.Ral, a middle-aged, overweight man with mid-length light brown hair and a thick mustache, and knowing he acted like something of a gatekeeper for the housewife out of some sense of friendship with Takeshi Iori, I used Soul Archive from a distance to get a read on him. Hmm... It looks like he is going to be a nuisance if he finds out that I am seriously considering pursuing Rinko. Well, whatever, he is no real threat to me because even if the housewife still loves her distant husband, whom she has not seen in literal years, she is a bit frustrated with him.

This works to my advantage because I can give her something her husband hasn't; it's a simple thing, really, just some attention and time together plus constituency. Rinko greeted her acquaintance.

" Oh, Ral-san! Hello!"

" Hello, Rinko-san. Aren't you usually watching your store?"

The housewife replied cheekily.

" Just taking a Me day with my new friend Silva."

" Oh?"

Ral looked at me with a curious glance, and his eyes widened as I towered over him. However, he relaxed and asked me in a polite tone.

" Where are you from, young man?"

" Nowhere in particular since I travel a lot, but I mainly identify myself as American."

" Really now. It's nice to meet you."

He extended his hand to shake my own. Thankfully, the illusion over my arms also covers touch and scent for good measure. I found it funny when he tried to give my hand a squeeze with his pitiful strength, but I only returned his grip without pushing it, as I could easily break his hand.

" Likewise."

I returned the greeting, and he looked me in the eye to ask.

" How do you know, Rinko-san?"

" Funny thing, my GPS showed me a Gunpla store in the middle of the residential district. I have my place set up, and I went to check out with my extended family to get models for fighting. I then met Rinko here, and we kind of clicked and started chatting here and there."

My explanation was somewhat true, and he had no way to refute it. The middle-aged man then asked me with a confused expression.

" Extended family?"

" I am living with two women who are an inseparable part of my life that I consider family in all but blood."

" Yeah, Ruby-chan and Summer-san sometimes swing by for supplies."

Rinko added, and Ral let go of my hand and then gave us his goodbye.

" I see then... It was nice meeting you, Silva-san, and I hope you enjoyed yourself, Rinko-san. If you will excuse me, I have errands to run."

The housewife hummed in reply, and I used Soul Archive on the middle-aged man to learn that he does not view me as a threat to Rinko and Takeshi's marriage since he assumes that I am already married myself. The housewife then exclaims.

" Look at the time! Sei should be heading home soon! I need to head back!"

" I'll walk you home then, Rinko."

" Thanks, Silva."

It was a quick trip back, and we made it to the Iori Hobby shop before Sei made it back. Rinko then thanked me.

" Thank you, Silva. I had fun."

" Anytime, Rinko."

She gave me a quick hug, much to my surprise, and said.

" Truly, thank you. I needed this more than I realized."

" It was my pleasure."

I returned the hug and then went home. How can Takeshi Iori leave a woman that lovely alone for years? I will never understand, nor do I want to. Well, let's see how things play out and whether or not the man becomes a c*ck due to his choices.

***

Rinko Iori hasn't been happier in years. She finally has someone she can talk to, although she is a bit surprised at the fact it turns out to be a young man of all people, Silva Branwen, a very tall foreigner with piercing gray eyes and short gray hair. While she only regarded him as another customer at first, he kept on coming back to buy supplies either for himself or for the two women he lived with. Still, they got talking, and the talks turned into something she looked forward to, especially since it was not about Gundam since she had enough about that for a few lifetimes with her husband and son.

The housewife never thought she would make a friend old enough to be her son, but here she is. The gray-haired foreigner turned out to be surprisingly young despite his towering size, but he had a sense of maturity that showed through patience and thoughtfulness. Today was wonderful for her since she enjoyed a day out and showed Silva around town.

Rinko hummed happily as she unlocked the store and went behind the counter to wait for her son's return.

" I'm home."

The housewife greeted her son happily as the afterglow of her day out still rang through.

" Welcome back, Sei. How was school today?"

" It was alright. I'll be in my room doing my homework."

Rinko had a bittersweet smile at the white lie her son had just told her as he rushed up to his room. She knew that he was actually working on his Gunpla; she cleaned his room enough times to see his handiwork firsthand. While part of her felt glad that her son had something that connected him to his father, she still wished that her husband was here instead of who knows where doing his job. With a sigh, her mood dampened, and she muttered to herself.

" Maybe I should take Silva up on his offer after all."