A little heads up, idk why but recently my internet/computer/phone has been acting up (being super slow for some reason) so I might (keyword: might) take a break. Don’t worry about finis.h.i.+ng the day though, up til the rest of their first encounter + the two idle talks, they will be guaranteed to be released daily. So another 5 chaps (up til 22.2).

Hopefully I won’t have to. I need to stock up on chapters again and with laggy electronics that’s going to be hard. T-T

Source: 

With his cigarette hand, the man clutched onto his stomach while laughing.

Ahー……Well, you'd laugh, normally. This is a complete joke, after all.

Kawata-san and the others were looking at the man with despairing expressions, but frankly, if I wasn't the victim I would've wanted to laugh too. No, really. 1

「Nee-chan, you sure are popular」

With tears at the edges of his eyes, and even while gasping for breath, he mocked me.

――Ou ou 2 , his handsomeness has been wasted.

I was a little surprised at the man with a crumpled look. 3

But somehow, the tension also left my shoulders.

「I greatly question whether this can be called popular. At this point, I want to have a conversation with them while they're on their knees.」3

「Ahー, how interesting. ……And, who's woman are you? Or are all 5 of you enjoying yourselves?」

「No no, that's unthinkable. Everyone is just trying to cover for me. They dragged me along as I happened to pa.s.s by, I'm just a mere kitchenmaid. ……Yes, truly by chance, I live next door. As you can see, I'm plain, old, small chested, dumb, and a natto-like woman.」

When I glared at the four men sitting in seiza 3 on the floor, they shamelessly averted their gazes.

……Unexpectedly, these guys have some real nerve.

Where did the heroic feeling I had from a moment ago disappear to?

「Kitchenmaid?」4

The man questioned with an amused face, and I returned my sight to him.

「Yes. There was a day when I made too much tonjiru, and I coincidentally shared what I had with them. It seems like they liked what they ate, so we occasionally ate meals together.」

When I explained such, the man looked this way with an astonished look.

「You must be a big idiot. Unconcernedly entering a place where four men live, what were you thinking? These guys are yakuza too.」

「Four men……」

Without thinking too deeply of such implications, I inadvertently repeated my actions.

Yes, it's certainly true.

But, since they gave off that kind of impression at our first meeting, to be honest, my rationality flew away and I could only view them as hungry children.

When I replied honestly, the man once again clutched at his stomach and roared with laughter.

He seems to be pretty easily humored, this yakuza.

His laughing figure also had impact, but when his expression changed, there was an amiability.

There was nothing more attractive than that expression.

Handsome guys are special after all.

Contrary to I who watched on calmly, the four watched the man with faces as if they'd seen a ghost.

Perhaps this man's laughter was a pretty rare thing.

「Ahー, how interesting. Nee-chan, I've taken a liking to you.」

While wiping the corner of his eyes, the man spoke.

「Ahー……it'sanhonor」

I reflexively replied in monotone.

No, it's a big bother so I don't really thinkso……

Tried to figure out how to convey the “monotone” katakana part so I tried coloring the text in a sorta gradient. Sorry if it’s hard to see. >.