Chapter 2946: Venting

"Good night, Miwa-nee," I whispered, lightly patting Miwa-nee’s supple butt as she drifted back to sleep, making sure not to wake the boy on the other side of the bed.

"Un... Go get some rest." Miwa-nee murmured as she pulled the blanket higher, covering herself from further mischief from me.

I climbed off the bed and checked on the sleeping child. He was still in dreamland. Well, Miwa-nee was too sleepy. She didn’t even want me to bring her to another room, so we just ended up doing it quietly right in the same bed.

After stretching my back, I left the room and returned to join Akane, who was already sleeping peacefully with a satisfied smile on her lips.

A hint of moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting soft, silvery lines across the bedsheets that accentuated my silly wife’s graceful curves. The moment I climbed back into the bed, the girl immediately reached out, planting her head on my chest as she murmured something incoherent in her sleep.

I couldn’t help but smile as I gently stroked Akane’s hair.

After watching her sleeping face for a few minutes, I reached for my phone.

The time was already half past one in the morning. Mizuki and Hifumi should be asleep by now even if they still tried to stay up after I told them off earlier. As for Mitsui Kyoka... although she agreed to reschedule her ’venting’ to me when I was less occupied, I should still try to see if she was still up.

I mean, the fact that she called earlier meant she truly needed a release. And that red wine she was drinking during our call wasn’t exactly a ’sleep-inducing’ beverage.

I opened the messaging app and typed a quick message. With Akane using my chest as a pillow with her arms wrapped tightly around my body, initiating a video call again wasn’t ideal. A simple text would suffice to probe the waters.

If she needed to call, it wouldn’t be too late to adjust later.

"Still awake, Miss Kyoka?"

The reply didn’t come as I expected. But I still waited for a few minutes.

However, just as I was about to turn off the screen, a video call request popped up. I stared at the flashing icon for a second before sliding the answer button, directing the camera only at my face. The screen flickered to life, revealing Mitsui Kyoka in the same posture as earlier, wearing the loose-fitting silk robe that granted me a glimpse of her unblemished skin.

Her face was already dyed crimson but her expression didn’t appear to be that of someone influenced by alcohol. Still, her lips were curled up seductively with a hint of delight and relief.

"Onoda-kun, you have school in the morning. Why are you still awake?"

I put on a gentle smile and answered, "Of course, it’s to lend my service to you. My situation at home has been handled."

A melodious laugh escaped Kyoka’s lips, a sound that carried a refined yet hungry edge. As her chest heaved slightly, her robe seemed to slide off a bit to the side, which somehow opened up a glimpse of her cleavage.

Although we only met once at that restaurant and I didn’t pay much attention to her appearance, seeing her in this risque state gave me the chance to size her up properly. That part of her should be around D-cup. Even if she was wearing a robe, the way her breasts pressed against the fabric whenever she breathed told me they were firm and heavy.

She probably wasn’t wearing a bra underneath. I could make out the contours of her nipples through the silk. Although they weren’t erect, they were probably stimulated a bit by her drink.

Of course, I couldn’t just point that out, so I quickly refocused my gaze on her pretty yet slightly intoxicated face.

"Is that so? Has it been handled properly? Let’s see, it has been four hours. Must’ve been such a situation, huh?" One of her eyebrows raised slightly as she playfully teased me.

"You’re very perceptive, Miss Kyoka. I thought I’d fail to get back to you but luckily you were still awake." I replied, keeping the measured tone, not overly respectful but laced with my usual confidence.

Kyoka leaned back into her bed’s headrest, the angle of the camera tilted up slightly, giving me a more expansive view of the silk robe slipping further down her shoulder.

She sighed with a mixture of exhaustion and anticipation.

"I like your eagerness, Onoda-kun. Are you looking forward to being ’vented’ on?" Kyoka’s lips curved into a knowing smile before bringing the glass of red wine to her lips again.

Yeah. She’s still drinking it. It’s quite surprising that she still hadn’t switched to drinking through the bottle.

It makes me wonder what she’s been doing for the past four hours.

She was likely trying her best to distract herself from thinking about the board meetings and the corporate sharks circling her. And the wine served to sharpen her desire to vent and relieve herself of the suffocating pressure.

"I’ll get compensation. Of course, I’ll look forward to it." I replied without hesitation.

Kyoka let out a soft, breathy laugh and set the glass down. "Un. You’re so honest, I wish Hassen could also be like you."

"Hmm? Isn’t he your obedient younger cousin?"

"Obedient? Hah! If that guy’s so obedient, he would’ve long crawled towards me and shouldered some of the pressure," Kyoka scoffed but I could tell from her eyes that it was something she was expecting.

Of course, their relationship was quite ambiguous. She probably knew how that guy fancied her as a woman and not as an older cousin but she couldn’t just do the same. She had an image to maintain. And since she was older, even if there was even a speck of womanly affection for him, it would likely be buried under a mountain of familial duty and her own career expectations.

I didn’t reply immediately and just stared at her, observing her minute reactions. Has she already started venting? I probably shouldn’t count this one.

The silence that followed seemed to stretch and Kyoka, who was waiting for me to reply, narrowed her eyes slightly. "What? Do you think it’s too much of an ask to want him to help me withstand the pressure?"

"Not really. It’s fairly reasonable. If his feelings for you are genuine, blocking the sky for you should be the bare minimum."

I knew exactly how to play this. Since she’s just venting, letting her hear what she wants to hear is the fastest way to build trust.

Of course, I couldn’t just be a yes-man for her.

"You think so too? Hmph. It’s not like I’ve asked to be put in this position. My career is going smoothly but this... this sudden elevation to a position where I have to contend with those old foxes is something I haven’t prepared for," Kyoka sighed, her shoulders dropping as she slid further down the bed.

But then, she fixed her sitting position and drank another mouthful of wine, her gaze becoming distant. For a moment, the conflict in her eyes flashed. She might’ve been considering giving up as well, but the circumstances she found herself in didn’t allow her to do so.

She could only contend and stand in front.

Well, I don’t know much about corporate politics or even how the world of the rich works, but the look in her eyes was universal. It was the look of someone who had climbed a mountain only to find that the air at the top was too thin to breathe.

Kyoka stared at the screen for a long moment, her expression softening as she looked at me. The alcohol had blurred the edges of her professional mask, leaving behind a woman who was desperately lonely despite the luxury surrounding her.

"Mhm. You’re a popular TV personality but now, you’ve become this young candidate Chairman for a multi-billion yen conglomerate. That’s quite a leap. It must’ve been hard, huh? What about this, Miss Kyoka? If you need to unwind, you can always look for me. Whatever whims you have, just say it, and I’ll do my best to satisfy them."

"Heh. That’s quite an offer, Onoda-kun. You’re only supposed to be someone I can vent to, yet here you are, offering to be my personal stress-relief tool," Kyoka chuckled. She was probably entertaining the idea.

But I could tell she wouldn’t bite it.

She was smart enough to know that I only threw that offer to pull her back in. Besides, she’s not looking for companionship. If she needs one, she already has Hassen. Although she couldn’t contact him yet, she would always lean on him first.

As for me? I’m just an acquaintance recommended by Mizuki. Even if I caught her interest back then, that’s nothing foundational. The ability I’ve shown wasn’t enough to be acknowledged by her genius.