Chapter 439: Chapter 437: Wash Wash Wash
"Do you still have the nerve to come see me?" Utaha's arms were folded, her expression cold. One of her slippered feet, clad in black stockings, tapped rhythmically on the floor, the sharp sound betraying her irritation. There was a trace of icy anger in her voice.
At that moment, Sui felt as if he were a husband who had been caught red-handed after sneaking off to have fun, now facing the wrath of his wife—Utaha.
"How dare you come back to me after abandoning me to flirt with other women?" she added, grabbing Sui's ear in mock anger. A dangerous glint flickered in her deep wine-red eyes as she scolded him.
Sui could only sigh. Clearly, Utaha was venting the frustration of losing her earlier battle of words with Sayuri on him.
"All we did was have some tea," Sui explained helplessly.
"Oh, really?" Utaha raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with jealousy. "Didn't you happily share lemon cake with them? It was like meeting your mother-in-law for the first time. Such a cozy atmosphere."
"That's because... Wait. How do you even know what we ate?" Sui paused, suddenly confused.
How did she know about the lemon cake? Could it be that Utaha had been spying on them from the sidelines?
A vivid image formed in Sui's mind: Utaha squatting outside the apartment door, glaring with jealousy as she watched them sip tea and eat cake together.
Utaha's cheeks flushed slightly as if she were caught. "That nosy old woman was really cozying up to you. Feeling proud that you've earned Sawamura-san's mom's approval?" she said, trying to keep her composure. "Now you can live happily with Sawamura and have a passionate forbidden affair with your mother-in-law. What a perfect life."
Sui rolled his eyes. The conversation started normally but had somehow spiraled into one of Utaha's novel plots.
"How about I visit your mother next?" he teased.
Utaha's face turned red as she shot him a glare. "It won't be that easy to meet my mother," she retorted.
She finally let go of his ear, walked over to the chair, and sat down, crossing one of her long legs. Her burgundy eyes narrowed as she stared at him, her posture like a wife waiting for her husband to apologize for a wrongdoing.
"Well, go on. Pick up all the clothes from the floor," she commanded.
Sui was speechless. 'Aren't you the one who threw them at me?'
Still, he sighed and bent down, gathering up the scattered panties, black stockings, and other items of clothing before placing them back into the laundry basket.
"There's one still on your head," Utaha reminded him, smirking.
Startled, Sui reached up and found a pair of cute rabbit-patterned panties resting on his head. A faint fragrance clung to them.
"Senpai, isn't this a bit lazy? You've got so many clothes piled up—when are you going to wash them?" he asked, exasperated.
"Well then, dear Kohai-kun, why don't you do it for me?" Utaha said nonchalantly, her arms folded as she crossed her legs again.
"Why should I wash them?" Sui protested, his voice filled with dissatisfaction.
"This is your punishment for 'betraying' me earlier," she replied calmly, kicking off her slippers with her slender, black-stockinged foot.
Sui couldn't help but sigh. 'What betrayal?' But the look in Utaha's expressionless face and the cold glint in her eyes left no room for argument. Resistance was futile.
'Fine, I'll help her wash them,' Sui thought in resignation, turning to head toward the laundry.
"Wait a minute," Utaha called after him.
"What now?" Sui turned back, frustrated.
"Make sure to wash these as well." Utaha stood up and, in front of him, slowly peeled off the black stockings from her legs, tossing them into the basket in his hands.
"No sneaky licking," she added, smirking.
Sui rolled his eyes. 'Does she really think I'd do that?' But...he had to admit that the way she looked taking off her stockings was mesmerizing. Her long legs were perfectly proportioned—slender yet shapely, with smooth, fair skin.
"Senpai, do you also need me to wash the panties you're wearing?" Sui asked, grinning mischievously.
A few veins popped on Utaha's forehead as she gritted her teeth. "No, thanks!" she snapped, clearly annoyed.
"But Senpai, you're so lazy. How are you ever going to get married like this?" Sui muttered to himself. First, he was helping her cook and do the dishes, and now he was even washing her underwear. It really did feel like he was being forced into the role of a husband.
"That's why I have my kohai to take care of me," Utaha replied matter-of-factly.
Resigned, Sui went to the bathroom and dutifully washed the stockings, panties, and other items Utaha had thrown at him, then took them out to hang on the balcony to dry.
"Finished?" Utaha appeared, her long, bare legs catching the light as she walked over.
"Yeah," Sui replied, hanging a pair of stockings on the line.
"Did you secretly lick anything?" she asked, her expression suspicious.
Sui was speechless. "Of course not!" he shot back, irritated.
Only then did Utaha nod in satisfaction.
After he finished hanging the clothes, something suddenly came to Sui's mind. "Oh, by the way, I returned the light novel I borrowed from you last time. And I borrowed a few more while I was at it."
"Really?" Utaha's eyes lit up, her mood instantly brightening. Clearly, the thought of Sui enjoying light novels made her happy. "Wait here, I'll find a few more good ones for you."
She dashed off to her room and returned with a stack of new books.
"Thanks," Sui said, taking the novels gratefully and placing them in his room. The tsundere he knew would probably be thrilled to see so many new reads.
"No problem," Utaha smiled. "If you want to borrow anything in the future, feel free to ask. And when I have more clothes piled up, I'll count on you to wash them."
"Oi!"