My wife believes me; how could I be a cuckold?

So over such a long period of time, she has eaten countless fried chickens.

Of all the different kinds of fried chicken she's eaten in the past, the one Makoto Asano made today was definitely the best she'd ever had.

In reality, this result is not that accurate.

While Asano Makoto's cooking is indeed better than that of an average person thanks to his skills, it's not that incredibly delicious.

After all, fried chicken legs are something that can't be made badly even if you don't know how; they're a food with a high minimum standard and a low maximum standard.

The reason why Konno Yuuka found the meal so delicious was mainly because she hadn't eaten these kinds of things in a long time, not to mention that she had only eaten a piece of bread and a cup of coffee since morning.

It is well known that the first bite of food is always the most delicious after giving up something for a long time or after going hungry.

This is why she praised Makoto Asano's cooking skills so highly.

However, besides that, who cooked this meal for her is perhaps also a very important influencing factor.

And so, in a somewhat casual and jumbled mess, the two of them managed to tidy up the dining table and the kitchen together.

After all this was done, it was almost four o'clock in the afternoon.

Looking at the time displayed on her phone screen, Konno Yuuka couldn't help but sigh in her heart, "Time flies."

Makoto Asano brought Yuuka Konno home around 11 o'clock.

It took about three hours to call a few old classmates and comfort the injured Konno Yuuka. Then it took almost an hour to cook and eat.

Adding in other miscellaneous things, time really isn't an issue.

After finishing this slightly late lunch, it was time for Konno Yuuka to leave.

Let's not even talk about the fact that she has work she can't avoid tomorrow and has to catch a train to leave Tokyo tonight.

Even if she didn't have a job, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to stay overnight at Makoto Asano's house right now.

She hasn't broken up with Yoichi Shida yet.

Although she had already mentally sentenced him to death, she was still nominally his girlfriend, so her current status made it inappropriate for her to stay at her "male friend's" house.

Konno Yuuka is a very rule-abiding person. Since she has asked her boyfriend not to cheat, she herself will never cheat.

As for Makoto Asano's hug today... it was just a friend's comfort. Didn't you see how sad she was at the time?

Moreover, she did resist at the time, but she just didn't have the strength to break free!

However, she has already decided that when she has her next holiday, she will immediately talk things out with Yoichi Shida and then break up with him.

At that time, whatever she does, who she meets, whose house she stays in, or even if she goes after someone...

That's entirely her freedom, it has nothing to do with Yoichi Shida, and it definitely doesn't count as cheating.

After all, they've broken up and are single again.

On the other hand, although both of them knew that the time for parting was approaching, neither of them brought it up on their own initiative.

And so, the two of them, having tidied up the kitchen, sat back down on the sofa and chatted idly for about an hour and a half with the TV on.

It wasn't until 5:30 PM, when it was already getting dark outside, that Konno Yuuka reluctantly got up to say goodbye, finally having to leave to find her manager and catch a train away from Tokyo.

Although she experienced a lot of sad things today, she ended up having a very happy day after becoming friends with Makoto Asano and having a meal and chat together.

She didn't know why, but she felt really relaxed being with Makoto Asano, and she really liked that relaxed feeling.

Because she hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time.

The busy work schedule brought about by her rising career had been overwhelming her, and the fact that her boyfriend had cheated on her today was a huge blow to her.

If it weren't for Asano-kun, I probably would have collapsed by now.

Thinking this to herself, Konno Yuuka, who had already changed her shoes and was seen off to the door by Asano Makoto, couldn't help but smile wryly.

After regaining her composure, she immediately apologized to Makoto Asano: "Asano-kun, I'm sorry to have troubled you today."

Asano Makoto stood at the entrance and said with a smile, "It's alright, Ms. Konno. If I could become friends with a beautiful girl like you, I wouldn't mind coming ten more times."

Knowing he was just joking, Konno Yuuka smiled gently, pursed her lips, and said nothing.

However, she stood quietly at the door of Asano Makoto's house, staring into his eyes, without making any move to leave.

The two stared at each other in silence for several seconds.

Because those eyes were so beautiful, Makoto Asano even felt that his consciousness was almost "trapped" in them.

Fortunately, at this moment, Konno Yuuka spoke again, breaking the silence.

"Asano-kun! That..."

Hearing the other person suddenly call his name very loudly, Makoto Asano instantly snapped out of it. Realizing what was happening, he asked with a mixture of confusion and lingering fear, "Ms. Konno, I'm here. What's wrong?"

However, to his surprise, Konno Yuuka, who had just been able to call out his name loudly, suddenly became a little hesitant, and even her voice became much softer.

"Asano-kun, may I hug you again? Just once, just for a moment... no, just a few seconds."

Upon hearing Konno Yuuka's words, which were clearly filled with tension, Asano Makoto instinctively paused for a moment.

But the next second, after figuring out what was going on, a bright smile appeared on his face.

He stepped forward and stood in front of Konno Yuuka, opening his arms and saying, "Of course, Ms. Konno, you can do it anytime you want."

Seeing Asano Makoto's affirmation through his actions and words, Konno Yuuka finally stopped suppressing her emotions and pounced on him.

As she threw herself into Asano Makoto's arms, she murmured, "Asano-kun... I'm so grateful to you today. If it weren't for you, I might..."

Although she originally wanted to thank Asano Makoto in the calmest possible tone.

But for some reason, the moment she opened her mouth, she inexplicably started to choke up, and even her words became somewhat incoherent.

Hearing Konno Yuuka's slightly tearful thanks, Asano Makoto's heart trembled slightly.

He hesitated for a second, then tightened his arms and hugged Konno Yuuka tightly, letting her release her emotions in his embrace.

Hearing the notification sound in his mind that "[Konno Yuuka's affection level +1]" kept ringing, he didn't feel excited this time. Instead, he felt surprisingly calm.

But this is only temporary.

A few seconds later.

Suddenly, the sound of elevator doors opening came from the side, and along with it, the system notification in Asano Makoto's mind read: "[Intimate contact with target Konno Yuuka, progress completed (1/2)]".

Upon hearing the notification tone, Makoto Asano was momentarily stunned and didn't quite grasp what was happening.

Wasn't the mission to have close contact with Konno Yuuka already completed, and the reward even issued? Why is there another notification sound?

And it even says that the progress is 1 to 2, could it be that the system is bugged? — Hmm, no!

Makoto Asano suddenly realized what was happening.

In this situation, what else could it be that he has completed half of the mission by getting close to a target?

It's only possible that it's the second phase of that specialized training program.

So, after spending less than a second sorting out the situation, Makoto Asano could no longer remain calm.

Holy crap, it can't really be that much of a coincidence, right?

Asano Makoto prayed that things weren't going as he thought, and stiffly turned his head to the left, looking towards the elevator lobby on this floor.

Then his hopes were dashed.

At this moment, since no one was leaving, the elevator doors were slowly closing automatically.

However, before the elevator doors closed completely, Makoto Asano still saw that familiar figure.

He also saw the disbelief on the figure's face.

Chapter 148 is free for you.

Makoto Asano wasn't the only one who heard the elevator doors open.

Konno Yuuka, whose body was pressed close to his and who was even closer to the elevator than him, naturally heard it too.

So at the same time he looked over, Konno Yuuka also subconsciously looked up at the elevator.

As the elevator doors closed, she saw a woman in the elevator lobby.

A very beautiful woman, even more beautiful than some idols in the same agency.

Of course, unlike Makoto Asano, she didn't know this person.

However, this did not affect her mood at the moment.

The moment she realized that others had seen her getting close to Makoto Asano, her sense of shame overwhelmed her completely.

Although the elevator doors were closed and showed no signs of opening.

She quickly pushed Asano Makoto away, broke free from his embrace, then pulled her mask back up to cover her face, put on a baseball cap, lowered her head, and walked quickly to the elevator door, pressing the down button several times.

He looked exactly like a thief who had been caught doing something wrong and was so guilty that he instinctively became furtive and secretive.

The apartment building where Makoto Asano lived had two elevators, and she went to the one that was empty.

However, it takes some time for the elevator to go from the first floor to the ninth floor, and during this waiting period, she gradually regained consciousness.

What a good person...

Looking at the elevator doors next door that had been hovering on the 9th floor and hadn't opened again, Konno Yuuka subconsciously thought this.

In her opinion, the beautiful woman must have seen her and Makoto Asano hugging and, out of consideration, deliberately stayed in the elevator and didn't come out so as not to disturb them any further.

And since the elevator was stuck on this floor, she definitely didn't get on the wrong floor.

Thinking of this, Konno Yuuka subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

Realizing that the people in the elevator probably wouldn't be coming out anytime soon, and that her elevator would need some time to ascend, Konno Yuuka turned her head again to look at Asano Makoto, who was standing at the door with a deathly expression.

"Asano-kun, I'll be going now. See you next time."

Although she was somewhat puzzled by Makoto Asano's condition, Konno Yuuka didn't ask any further questions, but simply said goodbye with a touch of reluctance.

She didn't want to bother the person in the elevator and make them wait too long.