Stealing Spree

Chapter 2747: Three A.M.

As I sat down in the backseat of the car, I greeted Suzuki-san who patiently waited outside for me. I felt bad because I got delayed too much, even though Mizuki sent her right away after her call with me.

“Thanks for waiting, Suzuki-san. That girl shouldn’t really trouble you like this. I could’ve commuted to visit her.”

Tucking in her seatbelt at the driver’s seat, Suzuki-san, the chauffeur and clearly the most trusted assistant of Mizuki, only looked at me through the rearview mirror before answering.

“It is no trouble at all. Onoda-sama.”

“Really? Then, Suzuki-san, can you tell me how she is these days? You know that girl. She often keeps things from me to stop me from worrying.”

As always, she’s tight-lipped. She only stared at me for a moment before shaking her head, clearly her attempt to say, I shouldn’t pry like that.

But well, I’m curious. And since we’re gonna be on the road for quite a while, I thought of using this time to find out what Mizuki was up to these days through the lens of Suzuki-san.

The car soon started moving, yet the woman at the wheel remained silent. It was pretty awkward but I was already used to it. She’s always like this, after all.

The engine hummed low beneath us as the car rolled smoothly out of the residential streets and onto the main road. Suzuki-san’s posture remained perfect. Her eyes were fixed ahead like she was piloting a plane instead of a luxury sedan.

I leaned back against the seat, watching the scenery outside change from my silent neighborhood to the city proper.

“Come on, Suzuki-san,” I spoke again, lacing my voice with a hint of worry that she’d surely not be able to ignore. “You’ve been with her since she was in middle school. You know when she’s hiding something behind that perfect little smile. Just give me a hint. Is she eating properly? Sleeping? Or is she still pulling all-nighters pretending she’s fine? Unless I get confirmation from you, I’ll just keep on worrying about her.”

One second. Two seconds. Three.

The corner of Suzuki-san’s mouth twitched. Just barely. But it was there.

With her eyes narrowing imperceptibly, she took a quick glance at me again through the rearview mirror. And upon catching me with a curved up lips, she sighed.

“...Onoda-sama, that’s not fair. You shouldn’t put on an act.” She said.

“It is not an act, Suzuki-san. It is just my way to appeal to your emotions.”

“Emotions, huh? You know the young miss too well. She may not desire to make you worry all the time, however, you’re the first person she’ll find if things truly turn for the worse for her.”

Ah. That’s right. That’s how Mizuki is. For the things she could handle herself, she’d rather deal with them herself than trouble me.

But still, I’m curious. I won’t be able to stop myself from overthinking if I see hints of things not going her way.

“Alright, let me rephrase my question, Suzuki-san. Is the advisor work she’d taken recently going well?”

Suzuki-san’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. The silence stretched just long enough for me to know I’d hit something.

Sure enough, there’s something.

“...The young miss has been... busier than usual,” She started. “However, she managed to prevent herself from taking three all-nighters. She’s really sleeping whenever you call and check on her during the night.”

“But?” I caught how she paused there. And that meant there was more to the story than that.

The woman who was usually emotionless wryly smiled, “But, she’s waking up earlier than usual. Mostly three in the morning. Perhaps even earlier than that.”

As I thought. That girl... no wonder she’s quick to reply in the morning. She was waking up earlier than me. But it’s not like I can blame her for that.

It’s her work. And with her plan to bring with her to that world, she’s paving the way for me and building the foundation.

At this point, I still only had that one experience in advising an entrepreneur with Hassen, Mitsui Kyoka’s little cousin. And that one was considered an easy one.

“Mhm. Thank you, Suzuki-san. Well, I won’t scold her but I guess I’ll have to hear about all her plans now. Aside from helping Miwa-nee with her plan to open a cafe, she must’ve at least three other clients, right?”

Suzuki-san’s answer was a subtle nod.

And that’s enough.

Let’s see. How should I broach that subject to her? And it will be difficult since I also cannot stay for long because of my appointment with Tsubame.

The car slid to a stop in front of Mizuki’s gate exactly eight minutes later. Suzuki-san killed the engine but didn’t move to open my door like she usually did. Instead, she just stared straight ahead, holding the steering wheel.

I raised an eyebrow. “Everything okay up there?”

She exhaled through her nose. “The young miss is... excited. She asked me to stall you for exactly four minutes so she could finish changing.”

A helpless smile tugged at my mouth. Classic Mizuki. When did she send that message?

But then I noticed, Suzuki-san was wearing an earpiece.

“Four minutes, huh? Now I’m looking forward to it. But she’s cutting it close.

”

Suzuki-san’s lips twitched again. “I believe that was the point. She wanted to keep you here for as long as she could.”

Exactly four minutes later, she opened the door for me and the front door flew open as if on cue.

The place Mizuki is staying at isn’t her parents’ place, the Hasegawa Family’s main estate, or that apartment unit she transferred to my name near their school.

It was another place she picked that was slightly isolated from the bustle of the city. This was where she would usually stay when she was busy. Because without the noise, she could concentrate on coming up with ideas or solving a problem easily.

Mizuki stood there in a pale-blue sundress that stopped mid-thigh, hair still damp at the ends, barefoot, cheeks flushed like she’d sprinted down the stairs. The second she spotted me, her whole face lit up in that dangerous, brilliant way that always made my chest tighten. But only for a moment, she immediately donned her usual sharp and slightly inexpressive face.

“You’re finally here.” She stood by the door and crossed her arms, hiding the subtle tremble of excitement in her body.

With the breakfast bag in my hand, I walked over to her, leaned down and captured her lips in one breath.

“Did you just try to hide your eye bags from me?” I teasingly whispered as I pulled back slightly to take in her currently fresh appearance, the faint trace of concealer under her eyes barely noticeable unless you knew exactly where to look.

Mizuki’s lashes fluttered once before she narrowed those sharp amethyst eyes at me, the corners of her mouth twitching like she was fighting a smile and losing.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” She said, voice perfectly controlled except for the tiny crack at the end that gave her away completely.

“Liar.” I brushed my thumb just beneath her left eye, gentle enough not to rub it off. She clicked her tongue then leaned into it like a cat that pretended it didn’t want the attention. “Three in the morning again?”

She huffed indignantly, then snatched the breakfast bag from my hand like that would end the conversation.

“You brought food. Good. I’m starving.” She turned on her heel and padded back inside, the hem of that sundress swaying against her thighs with every step. “Close the door behind you. And take your shoes off. I just had the floors done.”

I followed, kicking the door shut with my heel before quickly running up to her, hugging her from behind.

Mizuki didn’t look back but I could feel the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers tightened around the paper bag like she was holding onto it for balance.

“You’re not fooling me,” I said, keeping my voice low and teasing. “Suzuki-san sold you out. Three a.m. wake-ups. You’re running on fumes and concealer.”

After pinching my arms locking her in my embrace, she let out the most exasperated sigh.

“I’m fine,” She said, and it sounded like she’d practiced it in the mirror a hundred times. “I’m always fine. You worry too much, idiot Ruki. Stop overthinking it.”

Then she turned.

And whatever smart remark I had ready died in my throat. She cupped my cheek in her palm before giggling sweetly, “Having you here right now makes all the fatigue disappear. So, are you going to heat this for me, or not? You’re on a clock, idiot.”

I scratched my head, letting out a small, helpless laugh as I stared down at her. That giggle of hers always disarmed me completely. Even when she was clearly running herself ragged, she could still pull that card and make my chest feel like it was about to burst.