Volume 13 Chapter 314 Shirogane Kanon, the Mysterious Art Museum
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hey, Kanon! You keeping up with your morning routine?” Emily-senpai’s voice crackled through the phone, dripping with mischief. “Listen up: a true lady changes her underwear after, you know, taking care of business. But a top-tier flirt? She just keeps ’em on. Ha, gotcha!”
At 6:30 a.m., I seriously regretted calling Emily-senpai. I pulled the phone away from my ear, tempted to hang up without a word.
”Whoa, hold up!” she shouted. “You were totally about to ditch me, weren’t you?”
”Well, maybe if you didn’t start the day with something so ridiculous!” I shot back, glaring through the phone.
”What? Just underwear?” Emily-senpai gasped. “Wow, Kanon, you’re bold! Already setting the mood this early?”
”It’s morning, not just underwear!” I snapped. “Say something stupid again, and I’m hanging up for real!”
Okay, fine, I was only wearing underwear bottoms, but I had a proper camisole with built-in support up top.
Aqua once mentioned—back when we were, uh, together—that camisoles are the most exciting and easiest to slip off. So, I figured, just in case he stopped by… Ugh, why am I even thinking this!?
”Geez, Kanon, cool it with the morning fantasies!” Emily-senpai teased. “You’re getting me all worked up! And say that stuff out loud next time—I need material for the Bulletin Board!”
”I’m not saying anything! And I’m not fantasizing!” I huffed.
Ugh, this conversation was going nowhere fast!
”Anyway,” I said, changing the subject, “how’s it going on your end? You’re pregnant, Emily-senpai, so don’t overdo it, okay?”
”Yeah, well,” she sighed, “Kohina-paisen tried to make a break for it and totally botched it. Looks like we’re stuck here for a while.”
That’s gotta be a terrible move. Unlike some sloppy terrorist, the Berry-Berry staff are meticulous planners.
They’ve probably accounted for everything—digging through the floor, sneaking through drains, you name it. I could practically see their smug faces gloating.
”Whoops, gotta run!” Emily-senpai said. “Time to head underground for some Chinchiro (Chouette). Sorry to cut this short, but I’ll catch you later. Gonna go fleece Kohina-paisen again—she’s a total sucker at gambling. Her face gives everything away, makes her an easy mark for me!”
Yikes, really?
I couldn’t help but think of Aqua and Kohina Yukari, always duking it out for last place in Shirogane Kingdom’s card game. Those two are hopeless at gambling.
”Got it,” I said. “But you’ve got a baby on the way, so don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”
”Yeah, yeah, I hear ya!” Emily-senpai laughed. “Catch you later, Kanon. Have fun on your school trip!”
I hung up. Time for some breastfeeding, I guess? Right on cue, my daughter Anon’s cries echoed through the room.
”Coming, coming!” I called.
Camisoles are great for breastfeeding, too. I lifted mine up and let Anon latch on.
”Mmm!”
She went at it with gusto. Weirdly, her little face while nursing reminded me of Aqua’s when he’s… well, you know. Emily-senpai once said Anon might take after me and turn into a “total flirt,” but come on, she’s clearly got Aqua’s vibes!
I glanced at my son, Kanoa, snoozing peacefully on the bed. Anon cries a lot, but Kanoa? Barely a peep.
”Good morning, my lady,” Pegonia said, stepping into the room.
”Morning, Pegonia,” I replied.
After feeding Anon, I set her down and fixed my clothes.
Time for a quick bath to start the day. In the bathroom, Pegonia and I stripped down, took a quick shower, and helped wash each other’s hair and body.
”Sorry, my lady,” Pegonia said.
”No big deal,” I laughed. “I do this with Emily-senpai all the time.”
I ran my fingers through Pegonia’s silky hair, brushing it out perfectly. Nailed it.
”Now it’s my turn, my lady,” Pegonia said with a grin. “Brace yourself.”
”Brace myself for what?” I rolled my eyes.
I sank into a clawfoot tub filled with rose petals, letting the sweet scent soak into my skin.
I wanted to smell amazing the next time I saw Aqua—like that first day we met. After the bath, I got dressed, left the twins with Ruuna-senpai and Tamamo-sensei, and headed to breakfast.
”Hey, Kanon! Morning, Pegonia-san!” Aqua called, stretching his arms as he approached the restaurant floor.
”Good morning, Master,” Pegonia replied.
”Morning, Aqua,” I said. “What’s with the stretches?”
”Ugh, I slept on the floor all night,” he groaned. “My body’s killing me.”
Wait, what?
His penthouse has, like, twelve bedrooms! Why would he sleep on the floor?
”So, get this,” Aqua explained. “Toa and the others decided we should all crash in the same room…”
”Oh, wow,” I said, stifling a laugh. “You guys are way too close.”
Apparently, a half-asleep Toa had accidentally claimed Aqua’s bed. I noticed a few girls from another class overhearing, looking a bit dizzy from the gossip.
”Oh, that reminds me,” I said. “When I went on that trip, Emily-senpai totally snuck into my bed.”
”Hold up,” Aqua said, suddenly alert. “Details. Now.”
So, I was half-asleep and felt something weird with my chest… Nope, no way I’m sharing that! “It’s a secret,” I mumbled.
”Fine, I’ll ask Emily later,” Aqua smirked.
If he does that, I’m not talking to him for a whole hour tomorrow!
Well, maybe not—we’re going on a date today, so that’d have to wait. I shot him a glare, but Pegonia leaned in close.
”My lady,” she whispered, “you’re splitting up with Master tomorrow. A one-hour silent treatment won’t do much. Make it twelve hours, at least.”
Ugh, why does Pegonia always read my mind? I puffed out my cheeks, and she just smirked, all smug, saying, “It’s a maid’s job.”
Twelve hours without talking to Aqua? No way I’d survive that!
”Hey, where’s Kanoa and the others?” Aqua asked.
”Still sleeping in the room,” I said.
”Ruuna-san and Miyamochi-sensei are watching them,” Pegonia added.
Honestly, I thought parenting would be tougher, but Anon only cries when she’s hungry, and both kids sleep most of the time.
Even Aqua and Pegonia’s kid, Akino, is super chill. It’s almost like we’re the ones itching to dote on them.
”Cool,” Aqua said. “After breakfast, I’ll swing by the room. Gotta be quiet so we don’t wake the trio.”
”Got it,” I nodded.
”Yes, Master,” Pegonia said.
Aqua dashed off toward a sleepy Uruha-chan, ready to pull another prank.
Ugh, Aqua! I thought, exasperated. Didn’t Ayana-chan just chew you out for messing with her yesterday? If he keeps acting like a kid, I’m totally ratting him out to Kohina Yukari-san or Big Sis!
”Morning, Uruha!” Aqua grinned. “What’s the underwear situation today?”
”Mmm… black lace…” Uruha mumbled, then blinked. “Wait, Aqua-kun?”
Black lace, huh? I noted silently. For the record, I was rocking pink today—frilly, with a cute ribbon, just the kind Aqua loves.
”My lady,” Pegonia whispered, leaning in, “Master’s probably just gonna check for himself later, so don’t pout about him not asking you. Oh, and I’m in purple satin today.”
”I know that!” I huffed. “And we’re not doing anything like that! It’s just a normal, fun date!”
Okay, maybe I was a little hopeful, but we’re on a school trip with the kids!
No way anything’s happening! I puffed out my cheeks and plopped into my seat to eat breakfast.
”Man, this cheesesteak sandwich is killer!” Aqua called out from his table. “Yo, Shintaro, you gotta try this!”
”Aqua, how do you even eat something that heavy in the morning?” Toa groaned. “Just watching you makes me full. I’m sticking with my apple salad. And, Shintaro, don’t let Aqua or Tenga-senpai pressure you into eating too much.”
I nodded at Toa’s words.
Knowing Aqua, he probably went for a morning run or hit the gym, so he’s starving. I kept it light with soup, salad, and some fruit, then waited for Aqua to finish so we could head back to our room together with Pegonia.
”Kanoa, Anon, Akino—Papa’s here!” Aqua announced.
The kids squealed with delight. Heh, they’re usually so quiet, but they’re always wide awake when Aqua shows up. Wait a sec… are they napping extra hard when they’re with me just so they can stay up longer with Papa Aqua?
”My lady, I’m impressed,” Pegonia teased. “Getting NTR’d by Master with your own kids? That’s a plot twist.”
”Oh, please!” I shot back. “You’re just as bad, Pegonia, with Akino all excited! Ugh!”
Besides, our Master’s the coolest guy in the world, so it’s not their fault! If I were a kid, I’d totally do the same. Probably.
”Hey, since the kids are up, why don’t we take them to the hotel park?” Aqua suggested.
”Sounds good!” I agreed.
”I’ll prepare for the outing,” Pegonia said.
The one-month checkup said twenty minutes in the park is fine, and fresh air’s good for them. While we got ready, I asked Tamamo-sensei and Ruuna-senpai to grab some food and take a break.
”The breeze feels nice,” Aqua said as we stepped into the park.
”Yeah,” I nodded.
”Indeed,” Pegonia added.
We lined up side by side, pushing the strollers.
After all the chaos from that plane crash, it’d been a while since we had a chill moment like this. Aqua and I chatted about nothing in particular, just enjoying the moment.
”Wait, Kohina-senpai’s still in jail?” I said, catching him up. “No way… The Berry-Berry staff can’t leave ’cause she keeps messing things up!”
Aqua groaned, clutching his head.
The kids giggled at his dramatic expression. Okay, seriously, Anon and Kanoa act totally different around him! Kanoa’s all blank-faced when he’s nursing, but the second Aqua makes a face or does something silly, he’s all smiles.
”It’s getting warm,” Aqua said. “We’re a bit early, but sudden temperature changes aren’t great for the kids. Let’s head back.”
”Got it!” I said.
”Yes,” Pegonia agreed.
Back in the room, we tucked the kids into their cribs, and they dozed off instantly.
”When Ruuna-senpai and Tamamo-sensei get back, wanna head out for a bit?” Aqua asked.
Well, once they returned, we swapped duties. The rest of Class 2A had already left, so the hotel lobby was quiet.
”Let’s keep it close in case the kids need us,” Aqua said. “Maybe the nearby museum or art gallery?”
”Yeah, sounds good,” I said.
”I agree,” Pegonia added.
The three of us hopped into a taxi and headed to a big museum nearby. When we arrived, a huge crowd was lined up, circling the street.
”Whoa, what’s going on?” Aqua asked.
”No idea,” I said, peering out the taxi window at a sign.
Stars: War & Formula Racing Exhibition
Wait, what?! They’re doing that?
I so wanted to see the props and scripts Aqua used in his movies! But… that line would take hours, and hitting the gift shop would mean we wouldn’t be back by noon.
”Let’s skip it,” I sighed.
”My lady, are you sure?” Pegonia asked.
I nodded. Limited merch is cool, but the kids come first.
”Hey, I saw a sign for an art museum down that alley,” Aqua said. “No line either. Wanna check it out?”
”Sure!” I said.
”Yes!” Pegonia agreed.
We got out of the taxi and headed toward the art museum in a quiet backstreet. Huh, didn’t see this on the map.
Must be new. And it’s free with a guided tour? Nice! As we stepped inside, a woman in a suit stumbled toward us, looking shocked.
”Welcome—wait, Kanon-sama and Aqua-sama?!”
”Uh, hi,” I said. “Is it okay if we look around?”
”Of course, please!” she said, ushering us in.
She led us to the first painting, and I stopped short. This looks… familiar.
”So, this is a painting of the blue bird from that social media platform you all use,” the guide explained.
Oh, right! It’s that bird. But it looked a bit different from the current design.
”This is the original draft designed by Eroy Musk-san,” she continued. “See, it’s got her signature right here!”
I nearly tripped over my own feet. Why did I come all the way from Japan to the States just to see a painting by Emily-senpai?!
”And over here,” the guide went on, “is the logo for the world’s first digital payment service, PaiPan. The name comes from ‘Paid’ and ‘Pandora,’ and the rounded box with a vertical line is meant to represent scanning a card.”
No way. I used to think that too, but Emily-senpai told me it’s inspired by, uh… ahem, something else entirely.
That vertical line? Definitely not for scanning cards—it’s a nod to something every girl’s got.
”And this,” the guide lady gushed, “is the logo for the revolutionary space company, Space Experience X! Isn’t it stunning? Another masterpiece by the genius Eroy Musk-san. Not only is she a business wizard, but her design sense is out of this world!”
Yeah, sure, it’s just SEX for short, I thought, barely holding back a smirk. Emily-senpai told me the S stands for sixty-nine, E for face-to-face, and X for, well… you know. She said it herself, so it’s probably true!
”Wow, that’s wild,” Aqua said, squinting at the logo. “But to me, the S looks kinda… chic—uh, never mind!”
You’re not wrong, Aqua! I wanted to shout. I used to think it was a cool design too, until Emily-senpai spilled the beans.
Those two have this weird knack for vibing on the same wavelength. The guide led us to the next room, and I nearly fainted at what I saw.
”This is a rare card from the trending card game AQUA The Guardians, or ATG for short,” the guide announced. “It’s called Maiden’s Charm!”
Another one of Emily-senpai’s creations! I groaned internally. Ugh, enough already!
”Whoa!” Aqua’s eyes lit up. “A Beryl rare card I don’t have! And, you know, the girl on this card kinda looks like Kanon.”
Yeah, because it’s literally me! Not just “kinda”—it’s totally me! Behind us, Pegonia’s shoulders were shaking as she tried not to laugh.
”And this,” the guide continued, “is the infamous parody card, Vixen’s Charm.”
Oh, come ON! Emily-senpai, stop making weird stuff behind my back! I wanted to scream.
”The more I look at it, the more it’s totally Kanon,” Aqua said, staring.
”It’s me! The character’s based on me!” I blurted, grabbing the hem of Aqua’s shirt and tugging him toward the next room.
”Uh, moving on,” the guide said, “the next room features works by the elusive, mysterious idol known as Shiro Ichigo Koneko…”
That’s Emily-senpai too! I bit my tongue to keep from yelling.
I should’ve never come to this empty museum! Regret hit me like a truck.
”Man, that was a blast!” Aqua said as we left the museum, grinning ear to ear.
”Yeah, sure,” I mumbled, my face blank as a void.
The guide lady was already scribbling Shirogane Aqua-sama and Kanon-sama Visited! on a sign outside. Hold up, lady, you’re not part of some weird Aqua fan cult, are you? She tried to push some random merch on us, and Aqua, of course, bought it all with a huge smile.
”My lady, is something wrong?” Pegonia asked, smirking. “You seem a bit… off. Tired, perhaps?”
You know exactly why! I shot her a glare, my eyes narrowing.
”Alright, it’s about time to head back,” Aqua said. “Let’s grab some lunch for Ruuna-senpai and Tamamo-sensei on the way.”
”Good idea,” I agreed.
”That shop over there comes highly recommended by the hotel staff,” Pegonia suggested.
We bought lunch for everyone and headed back to the hotel.
The afternoon was spent playing with the kids when they woke up, napping together, and just soaking in the calm. The date was shorter than I expected, but spending time with family was honestly super fun.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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