Tokyo: I took in a homeless girl

It could comfortably seat five people, or even two more. The various side dishes for the sukiyaki were all laid out on the table, and there were even extra seats available. Miyazawa Mana filled the remaining seats with seafood.

She had spent the entire afternoon carefully preparing these dishes. Once they were all laid out, even Miyazawa Maki, who harbored some resentment towards Mine Shiori, could no longer show an unhappy expression in this family meal setting.

However, she still clung tightly to Sawayama Haruno's sleeve, a girlish act that seemed to be asserting her dominance, which made Mine Shiori, standing to the side, feel somewhat amused and exasperated.

She felt that the other person was worrying too much. Although she really wanted to be recognized by everyone, she didn't have the guts to do anything with Haruno in front of everyone. Besides, she was also very clear that she couldn't shake Miyazawa Maki's position.

Besides, the only legal relationship here right now is between Maki and Haruno.

"Alright, alright, everyone, sit down."

Noticing the somewhat awkward tension, Sawayama Haruno coughed lightly and took the seat of honor without hesitation.

Maki Miyazawa naturally sat closest to him, while Mana Miyazawa, as if to appear symmetrical to her sister, sat in the closest seat on her left.

Ayano Yui pulled Mine Shiori to sit next to Miyazawa Mana, seemingly not too worried.

Sawayama Haruno gradually relaxed. Looking at the steaming sukiyaki in front of him and the unanimous gazes of the women, he smiled helplessly.

"Let's eat first," he said gently.

Seeing that the "head of the family" had said so, the women exchanged glances and, in a tacit understanding, picked up their chopsticks and temporarily put aside their other matters.

Chapter 379 Four Girls Gather Together

Steam rose from the sukiyaki pot, and Haruno Sawayama seized the opportunity to quietly place the first cooked Wagyu beef roll into Maki Miyazawa's bowl.

He knew very well who he owed the most, and he also understood that he had to satisfy Maki's possessiveness in this situation.

Fortunately, the other girl wasn't one to overthink things. After seeing the food offered by Sawayama Haruno, she quickly cheered up and completely forgot her earlier gloom.

She dipped the Wagyu beef roll in egg and put it in her mouth. The scalding heat made her unconsciously exhale, much to the helplessness of Sawayama Haruno, who was watching from the side.

Can't you wait until it cools down a little before eating it?

"Is Haruno free of anything else?"

Sitting on the left, Mana Miyazawa asked softly, "There are only a few days left until the New Year. You won't still have to work, will you?"

"No. I've almost finished dealing with work matters. Even if I have to go on a business trip, it won't be for another two weeks."

Sawayama Haruno shook her head and said, "I'll be staying at home for a while, so we can take the opportunity to get our wedding photos taken."

As he said this, his gaze drifted intentionally or unintentionally to Mine Shiori, who was eating with her head down.

The implication is obvious: Haruno Sawayama clearly hopes to bring Shiori Mine along for the photoshoot.

Those present were already aware of this situation, so after seeing Haruno Sawayama's hint, Mana Miyazawa did not object much.

However, she still seemed somewhat bothered by what Sawayama Haruno had mentioned about the two weeks that had passed.

"Do I have to go on a business trip again in two weeks? What will I do when school starts afterwards?"

"There's nothing I can do now that school's started. I might be nominated for the Akutagawa Prize in two weeks, so I have to make time to go no matter how busy I am," Haruno Sawayama said with a helpless expression.

Although island nations have many holidays, the duration of these holidays is very short. The Lunar New Year holiday doesn't last very long either; at most, there's a short spring break following the New Year.

Regardless, Haruno Sawayama's upcoming work will inevitably require her to sacrifice some of her time at school. Fortunately, she has already communicated with the school leaders beforehand, and they probably also hope to see her nominated for the Akutagawa Prize.

Akutagawa Prize

Mana Miyazawa was clearly surprised.

She hadn't expected that Sawayama Haruno would be nominated so soon. Thinking about it carefully, the nomination would be around mid-January. If she had received a hint from the publisher in advance, then it wouldn't be wrong to prepare in advance.

To be honest, Haruno Sawayama's rise to fame far exceeded Mana Miyazawa's expectations, to the point that she was even momentarily bewildered and unconsciously turned her gaze to Shiori Mine.

"Yes, that's true, but it's not certain yet."

Feeling the unanimous gazes directed at her, Shiori Mine shrugged and said weakly, "Because there weren't many strong competitors last year, and there weren't many books that met the nomination criteria the year before, Haruno has a high chance of being nominated."

"The company is just telling him to prepare himself mentally in advance. Even if he doesn't win the award, at least a nomination is no problem, right?"

Her tone was full of uncertainty. In fact, only the higher-ups at the publishing house would know about this. However, based on what she had learned, the situation was very good for Haruno Sawayama at the moment, which was why Shiori Mine was able to reveal a little bit of information here.

"The Akutagawa Prize."

Even Maki Miyazawa, who had little concept of literary awards, was slightly surprised after hearing what Shiori Mine said.

Sawayama Haruno is still so young. If his second book is just as good as his first, he might just become one of those top-tier literary giants who gets written into history textbooks. What's going on? I'm so excited!

Is this what they call celebrity endorsement? Because their status brings immense allure, that's why...

Maki Miyazawa's gaze towards Haruno Sawayama became increasingly strange. The last time she felt this way was when the other person first started wearing glasses.

The other girls' eyes were similar to those of Maki Miyazawa. Island people are born with a spirit of admiring strength. Even if we don't say they are from island countries, women themselves tend to admire men who are much stronger than themselves. This is due to genetic temptation and choice.

She already harbored a strong liking for Sawayama Haruno, and now, seeing his success, her inner excitement was even more palpable.

The meal ended in a somewhat awkward atmosphere among the group, and after finishing the meal, Mana Miyazawa volunteered to clean up.

Sawayama Haruno wanted to help, but was refused because he had just flown back from Canada and needed to rest.

In the living room, the three women sat on the sofa, their expressions somewhat strange.

Ayano Yui glanced at Miyazawa Maki, then at Mine Shiori sitting next to her, and said thoughtfully, "By the way, Shiori-nee originally lived in Shinjuku, right?"

"It's already past 10 o'clock, I think the last bus has already left?"

“It’s the weekend!” Miyazawa Maki glared at her.

They're still trying to pull the last-minute rush, thinking this is a romantic comedy!

It wasn't that she intentionally wanted to target Shiori Mine, but rather that agreeing to let her join too easily would make her, the main wife, seem like she had no authority. No, she had to assert her dominance and status in the family!

Miyazawa Maki secretly pondered how to demonstrate her status, while Sawayama Haruno, who had nothing to do, returned to the living room with drinks and snacks.

Seeing the strange expressions on the three women's faces, he asked in surprise, "What's wrong? Aren't you guys turning on the TV?"

The real estate agent even specially selected an extra-large TV for their new home. When Sawayama Haruno saw it, he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. But it's good that it's big, since they still have a PS5 at home. It would be nice to connect it and play games later.

Maki Miyazawa has a very playful personality. She used to play a lot of PS5 games when she worked at a video game store. The PS5 she has at home now was bought from the store, but she has never actually used it much.

It seems that playing at home doesn't feel as good as playing in a store. Sawayama Haruno probably understands this too. It's like when you're at home, you might feel a little resistant to your mother handing you fruit, but when you see your classmates eating fruit at school, you can't help but rush over and grab it.

That's roughly the feeling.

"Open it."

Miyazawa Maki's plan was interrupted by Sawayama Haruno's abrupt question, and she picked up the remote control and turned on the TV, feeling somewhat annoyed.

However, Ayano Yui, who was sitting next to him, couldn't resist repeating what she had just said.

"Even if there's still a last train, it'll be a hassle to get to the station from here. What if by the time you get there, the last tram has already left?"

"It's so late, taking a taxi home will cost a lot of money," she said meaningfully.

"I'm fine."

Shiori Mine sat to the side, looking somewhat inexplicably reserved, especially after understanding Yui Ayano's hint, she became even more restless.

It took her a lot of courage to come over for a meal; to say she would stay overnight would be a bit too much.

Out of instinct, she cast a pleading look at Sawayama Haruno.

But the latter's reaction was beyond her expectations.

"The issue of the last train, you're right."

Sawayama Haruno stroked her chin and tentatively suggested, "How about Shiori stays at home for the night?"

He had long wanted to keep Mine Shiori in this house. After all, the other four girls had moved in, and there was no reason for Mine Shiori to continue living in Shinjuku. He could never forget the principle of treating everyone equally.

This is also one of the most important elements in establishing a harem; otherwise, over time, the women will easily develop different disagreements regarding their respective treatment.

Sawayama Haruno would never make such a basic mistake, but the most important thing to achieve his idea was to get Miyazawa Maki's consent. So after he finished speaking, he began to secretly observe Miyazawa Maki's reaction out of the corner of his eye.

The other person rolled their eyes at that moment.

"There must still be a tram. Oh well, it's so late anyway, it's a bit dangerous for a girl to run back alone."

After pursing her lips, Miyazawa Maki said in a seemingly magnanimous manner, "Why don't you stay for the night, Shiori?"

Damn it, I really didn't want to agree so easily, but since that bastard who's the head of the family has spoken, I can't possibly embarrass him in front of others.

Miyazawa Maki strongly suspects that Sawayama Haruno is trying to kill her with this very idea, which is why she suggested that Mine Shiori stay overnight. It's infuriating! I'll bite you to death when we get to bed tonight.

Haruno Sawayama, who was still unaware of what fate awaited him that night, breathed a sigh of relief after hearing what Maki Miyazawa said.

However, Shiori Mine still seemed somewhat conflicted, and she whispered, "Is it really convenient?"

"It's alright, it's alright."

Yui Ayano waved her hand and said with a grin, "Although we haven't bought sheets and blankets for the guest rooms yet, Shiori-nee can stay in Suguha's room for the time being, since she's not here these days."

"Besides, Shiori was Suguha's former tutor, so she definitely wouldn't mind letting you rest in the room for one night."

"Is that so? Okay then."

Seeing that they all said so, Shiori Mine had no choice but to agree.

However, the petite girl's heart rate remained high. She never expected that she would reopen her life in Tokyo in this way, and she also never expected that Sawayama Haruno's other girlfriends would be so easy to talk to.

She had expected a heated argument, since she was one of the last to arrive and had been traveling around Canada with Haruno Sawayama. Logically, everyone should have been hostile towards her.

But since she came in, neither Ayano Yui nor Miyazawa Maki and Miyazawa Mana have shown much hostility towards her. Although they seem to have some opinions about Sawayama Haruno's behavior, Mine Shiori can still feel that everyone is very tolerant of her.

It seems like everyone can get along so well, which is incredible.

Thinking of this, Shiori Minami subconsciously gripped the water glass in her hand tightly. She glanced cautiously at Haruno Sawayama, only to find that the other person's attention was focused on the phone screen.

Miyazawa Maki was leaning on the other's shoulder, watching TV casually, while Ayano Yui had somehow gotten up and lay down, her feet resting on Sawayama Haruno's thighs, occasionally kicking him lightly as she shared interesting things from the school forum.

This harmonious scene was completely unexpected for Shiori Mine. Although she successfully calmed down from her tense mood, she was still a little puzzled by the way the group got along. Was this really okay?

"The fruit is washed."

Just as Shiori Minami was lost in thought, Mana Miyazawa, who had been busy in the kitchen all day, finally came out.

She placed the fruit she had washed in advance on the table and smiled sweetly, saying, "You guys shouldn't stick to Chunye too much. Today's schedule is so full, you should go take a shower and rest early."

Now that you mention it, I do seem a little tired.

Sawayama Haruno was worried about not finding a chance to escape from the two women's "holdout". After hearing what Miyazawa Mana said, he immediately gave her a grateful look. Then, he pretended to go to take a shower to relax and secretly slipped back to his bedroom.

Although Miyazawa Maki and Ayano Yui verbally accepted Mine Shiori, they still used clingy behavior to demonstrate their status at home. Fortunately, Mine Shiori didn't think too much about it, otherwise Sawayama Haruno would have had a lot more headaches later.

Although the current situation is quite harmonious, Sawayama Haruno is also finding it hard to bear being turned around by four women in turn. Even a donkey needs to rest occasionally, right?

That's why he made the decisive choice to take a bath. Although he is very happy now, he still needs to relax alone occasionally. The four of them couldn't possibly say something like they wanted to take a bath together and then rush into the bathroom, could they?

Impossible, impossible. Although the bathroom is indeed big enough for five people to be together, they are not yet fully open to all of them being together. Apart from Maki and Suguha being special cases, I haven't encountered any other situations.

While secretly grumbling to himself, Zeshan Chunye quickly packed his clothes.

The master bedroom closet in their new home was already filled with his and Maki Miyazawa's clothes. He didn't know if she had organized them herself, or if Suguha Ezaki or Mana Miyazawa had helped organize them.

The clothes were neatly folded and sorted, making them easy to pick up. Life was definitely much better than before.

At least it will be more lively, and I won't feel lonely when we celebrate the New Year in a few days, right?

Looking at himself in the full-length mirror of the wardrobe, Haruno Sawayama couldn't help but smile.

Chapter 380 I asked you to give me a massage, but where did you massage me?

It was only natural that Shiori Minato stayed at Haruno's house for one night.

Although nothing happened that night, the tacit approval of everyone foreshadowed a bright future for Sawayama Haruno.

Having traveled back and forth between different countries and suffering from jet lag, he didn't say anything more. After taking a shower and watching TV with the other girls for a while, he went back to his room to rest with Maki Miyazawa.

Only when they are alone together does Miyazawa Maki reveal her former willful self. Seeing Sawayama Haruno follow her back to her room, she began to tense up.

"Aren't you going to someone else's place tonight?" she said irritably.

"I'm not going. It's rare for me to come back, so of course I should spend some time with my wife."

Sawayama Haruno sat down on the bed with a smile. Just as he was about to reach out and pull Miyazawa Maki to his side, he was met with strong resistance from the other party.

"Do you still remember that I'm your wife?"

Seeing her newlywed husband about to get physical, Miyazawa Maki gently kicked him away, pretending to be fierce as she said, "Didn't you think I was your wife when we were at Niagara Falls?"

"I've thought of it, of course I've thought of it."