W-What?
T-Ten thousand points?!
Takashi's pupils widened in shock.
In his entire life, he had never seen the system be so generous.
Granted, it had only been about a year since he had transmigrated.
Is… is she really worth that much?
A single date with Megumi was worth as much as spending time with both Utaha and Eriri —plus a bonus reward.
He had no idea what the "Piltus Training Program" was, but that 50% off coupon? Absolutely irresistible.
Accept. Accept!
Takashi's gaze grew fervent as he looked at Megumi.
His eyes were so tender, they seemed to overflow with warmth, as if the entire world could only hold her.
She really is my treasure~
Perhaps because Takashi's gaze was too direct, completely unfiltered, both Kato Keiichi and Megumi took notice.
Megumi, however, was a bit puzzled.
She couldn't understand why the man who had just been indifferent toward her, barely willing to engage, had suddenly changed as if he were a completely different person.
Could it be… Takashi is interested in my cousin?
Kato Keiichi glanced at Takashi, then at his cousin.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that becoming a family wasn't a bad idea.
With his junior's grades, getting into Tokyo University was practically guaranteed.
After that, spending a few years at a major corporation would likely net him a salary in the tens of millions annually.
His cousin definitely wouldn't suffer if she were with him.
Thinking about it carefully, aside from fishing, Takashi didn't seem to have any bad habits.
…Wait, does fishing even count as a bad habit?
All in all, he approved of this marriage!
With that thought, Kato Keiichi spoke up, "Takashi, why don't you join us for the gathering later?"
"Me?"
Takashi pointed at himself, his mouth hanging open.
Right now, he looked exactly like that meme of a pig with its mouth wide open.
"Senpai, wouldn't it be inappropriate for me, an outsider, to tag along?"
Dude, I'm just a system worker trying to earn points, not someone looking to throw my entire self into this.
I see you as a senpai, but you see me as your future brother-in-law?!
"What's inappropriate about it? In my eyes, you're not an outsider. Right, Megumi?" Kato Keiichi placed a hand on Takashi's shoulder and turned to ask Megumi.
Megumi calmly nodded. "Sure, why not?"
Takashi: ゛('◇')?
Kid, do you seriously not understand what it means to bring a man to meet your family?
And what's with that casual tone?
Don't be so relaxed about this—reject me, hurry up and reject me!
"We'll be eating separately from the elders, so there's no need to be nervous," Megumi explained kindly, as if seeing through Takashi's concerns.
"Oh, I see~ Then I'll be imposing."
Hearing that, Takashi finally relaxed.
He had initially refused because he was worried that if Megumi ended up with someone else in the future, her relatives might gossip about it behind her back.
But if it was just a meal with Keichi and Megumi as cousins, then he had no reason to decline.
"Let's go."
Kato Keiichi draped an arm around Takashi's shoulder and led him toward a four-person table.
"Wait a moment."
As Keichi and Megumi looked at him in confusion, Takashi picked up his tray, which still had some unfinished food.
"Alright, let's go."
Seeing Takashi fully prepared to take his half-eaten meal over, Kato Keiichi chuckled and shook his head.
"You really are something."
Any other young man would have abandoned the meal for the sake of appearances.
But Takashi had been taught since childhood not to waste food—whatever was served, should be finished.
He never thought eating all his food was something to be embarrassed about.
Megumi silently watched Takashi for a moment before lowering her gaze again and returning to her phone.
…
At Rokudayama Shopping Center, by the movie theater ticket counter.
Tomoya struggled through the crowd, waving the movie tickets in his hand. "Got them! Let's go eat now."
"Thanks for your effort."
Seeing him approach, Utaha instinctively turned off her phone screen and tucked it into her pocket.
Tomoya 's smile stiffened at the sight.
She never used to do that.
Whether she was discussing work with her editor or calling her parents, she had never avoided him before.
"Hurry up, I'm starving."
Eriri absentmindedly held out her handbag to Tomoya .
Tomoya didn't take it. Instead, he looked at her in confusion, unsure why she was handing it to him.
Not only was he staring at her, but even Utaha frowned slightly, her arched eyebrows conveying silent puzzlement.
"Ahem."
Realizing her mistake, Eriri awkwardly retracted her hand.
She had almost forgotten—standing in front of her now was Tomoya , not Watanabe Takashi.
After spending so much time with Takashi, she had unconsciously developed habits she now carried over to Tomoya .
"Where should we eat?"
Tomoya thought for a moment before suggesting, "How about the Royal Host?"
Hearing that, both Eriri and Utaha instinctively furrowed their brows.
Eriri complained, "Again? Can't we go somewhere else for once?"
Whenever Takashi takes me out, he always picks a different place.
And every time, I end up completely satisfied with his choice.
If Takashi can do it, why can't you, Tomoya ?
Is it really that hard?
We just go to the same few places over and over—aren't you sick of it?
To Eriri, it was clear Tomoya didn't take dating seriously. He was just too lazy to put in any effort.
Utaha didn't say anything, but her silence alone made it clear that she agreed with Eriri.
Unlike Eriri, who voiced her dissatisfaction outright, Utaha was different.
Even if she wasn't happy, she wouldn't say a word—she would simply remember it.
And that kind of personality was the most troublesome.
Because it meant a guy had to guess what she was thinking.
"Then where do you want to go?"
Tomoya assumed Eriri had a specific place in mind.
"How should I know? Isn't it your job to figure that out?"
Hearing Tomoya throw the question back at her, Eriri grew even more frustrated.
"I suggest a place, and you refuse to go. I ask you, and you say you don't know. If you don't even know, how am I supposed to know?"
Tomoya thought Eriri was being unreasonable, so his tone hardened slightly.
"I just don't want to eat at the same place every time. Asking you to pick somewhere new—is that so wrong?" Eriri felt aggrieved.
If she picked a place she actually liked, would Tomoya even be able to afford it?
She wouldn't mind paying, but his pride was so fragile, he'd probably take offense.
She was only considering his feelings, and yet he still acted like this.
"Enough. Stop arguing."
Utaha interrupted before they could start bickering in public.
They might not care, but she did.
"Follow me. I know a good restaurant." Without waiting for their response, she turned and left.
At that moment, Utaha genuinely regretted agreeing to this outing with Tomoya .
If she had gone out with Takashi instead, none of this nonsense would be happening.
He must be really disappointed that I rejected him today…
Right now, more than anything, she wanted to know—
What is Takashi doing at this moment?
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