[96] The War Among Women

Chapter 96: The War Among Women

"Dinner is ready!"

As they sat down to eat, Yuta looked around at the whole family and felt really good, enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Once everyone had set their bowls and chopsticks, they took their seats.

Yuta, Sasha, Raika, and Aoi formed the Mahjong quartet, plus the Takanashi sisters, making it a total of seven people.

Yuta sat in the middle, with the three adults on his left and the three children on his right!

The dining table was perfectly sized; if one more person came, they would have to sit directly across from Yuta.

He thought that the issue of buying a house should be resolved soon as well; otherwise, if someone stayed over in the future, they couldn't just keep sleeping on the floor, could they?

While the layout of rooms in this country is suited for futons, Yuta preferred sleeping off the ground. Staying on the floor made him uncomfortable.

Moreover, aside from the traditional Japanese-style rooms, the other rooms all had beds, so it's rare these days for someone to still be sleeping on the floor.

Since Sasha returned, she had been quietly competing with Raika, wanting to compare herself in various aspects.

The two had similar body types, both possessing striking appearances and charm.

However, Raika radiated a silent allure that made boys want to protect her, while Sasha had a golden-haired, voluptuous appeal that also had a bit of a wife vibe.

However, age remained the biggest concern for Sasha; when it came to Raika, she felt somewhat disadvantaged, which only motivated her to push even harder!

In contrast to these two, Aoi seemed completely unaffected, calmly eating her meal.

Aoi had met Raika before, but they weren't close—more like acquaintances with nothing much to say to each other. As for her relationship with Sasha, it was at a level where they could converse, but there wasn't really a need to.

Because of this demeanor, the others didn't see Aoi as a rival.

Miu, Sora, and Sasha unanimously felt that Raika, invited to dinner by Yuta, posed a greater threat.

Raika didn't particularly care about how these people viewed her. While she did entertain some thoughts about it, they were minimal and hadn't reached a serious level. For now, she was mainly staying because of the lovely children and felt quite comfortable here.

"Yuta, no one is at my house; can I stay here tonight?" Raika said this without any defenses while the others were eating.

Sora nervously looked at Yuta and decisively said, "Raika-nee, if you stay here, your family will worry!"

"Are you worried about me too, Sora?" Raika replied, touched by Sora's concern.

Of course, Sora was worried—worried about what might happen between Raika and Yuta if she stayed, which prompted her to protest loudly, "Of course! So, Raika-nee, you should go back!"

Sasha stood by Sora's side and added, "It's only noon, and today is the weekend. The train station won't close that early, so you shouldn't worry too much, Raika. Plus, Aoi-san has a car, so it would be much safer for you."

Aoi continued eating her meal, unaffected. While Yuta's cooking skills weren't the best, Aoi still enjoyed the food.

Noticing that Aoi wasn't saying anything, Sasha turned to her and asked, "Aoi-san, could you take Raika-san back with you?"

"Sorry, but I don't plan to go back tonight," Aoi said after calmly swallowing her food, delivering news that shocked everyone.

Sora stared at Aoi in disbelief, wondering what she was even doing here today.

Raika looked at Aoi as well and nodded, saying, "Can we go back together tomorrow?"

Since Aoi wasn't returning today, it would be more convenient to go back with her the following day.

Raika thought this way, so she directly asked if they could go back together tomorrow.

Aoi didn't mind and nodded indifferently, "I do wake up a bit late in the morning, but if you don't mind, it's fine."

"Great, thank you," Raika said, grateful and unconcerned about Aoi's morning habits.

Yuta didn't understand the dynamics between these two women nor could he grasp their thoughts. In his eyes, their actions were inexplicable, and he felt they both possessed a mindset that was somewhat abnormal.

Seeing that both women were planning to stay overnight, Sasha furrowed her brows and thought for a moment before turning to Sora, asking, "Sora, you don't have school tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, that's right. Is something up, Sasha-nee?" Sora, still surprised by the situation with Aoi and Raika, was momentarily distracted and her attention wasn't fully on the conversation.

Sasha glanced at Yuta and then said to Sora, "Yuta's card-playing skills are too poor, so you should take his place and play Mahjong with the three of us. This way, Yuta can relax and focus on the things he has to do tomorrow."

After hearing Sasha's words, Sora nodded enthusiastically, clenched her fists, and replied earnestly, "Okay!"

Raika watched Sora, admiring her earnest effort, and cupped her face with both hands, dreamily saying, "That's so nice…"

Aoi huffed but remained unfazed. Since these three wanted to play, she might as well join them!

Aoi wasn't particularly easygoing either; while she couldn't compete with many who were close to Yuta in terms of appearance, that didn't mean she couldn't hold her own at the Mahjong table.

Yuta had nothing to add to the ongoing "battle" at the dinner table and continued eating.

Miu could sense the clashes among the four women at the table and found that the war among women was truly captivating!

Sora was the one desperately trying to assert her presence, yet she went unnoticed by the others, playing the role of a small character.

Aoi was aware that she wouldn't win, so she refrained from engaging in the fighting—waiting on the sidelines for the right opportunity to arise.

Sasha occupied a favorable position and stood for a just cause, yet her own prestige and capability were insufficient to secure victory, rendering her a tragic character unable to suppress the others.

Raika, on the other hand, was a strong player who garnered vigilance and attacks from all sides.

This situation unfolded based on the differing conditions among them. Once one side took action, a dramatic battle of alliances and betrayals would undoubtedly occur!

Miu glanced secretly at Yuta, and when he looked back at her, she offered him an enigmatic smile.

The hidden fifth player!

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