Ever since being dubbed the “God of Love,” Asaichi had listened to countless love stories. They ranged from innocent tales of fleeting romance to messier, more complicated affairs, such as relationships between students and teachers, infidelity, and love triangles.
“…Would that be okay?”
Asaichi folded his arms and let out a contemplative “Hmm,” while responding to the inquiring gaze directed at him.
He hadn’t made any promises to keep the stories he heard confidential. People would share whatever they wanted regardless of his opinion, so there wasn’t much reason for him to feel obligated to keep their secrets.
That said—
“Talking about someone else’s secrets too lightly doesn’t sit right with me personally,” Asaichi admitted.
Sakuna slumped her shoulders with a dejected “I thought so.” Her visible disappointment made Asaichi feel a twinge of guilt. If she had gone out of her way to seek him out, it probably meant she was at her wit’s end.
(Well, still… this could be an opportunity for me too.)
He was growing tired of constantly hearing about other people’s love problems.
(If I want to stop being the ‘God of Love,’ there are things I need to take care of first. And I can’t handle them alone… Maybe I could get Koizuka-san to help me…)
It was uncertain whether it would work, but it seemed worth a shot.
“If you’re really in trouble, Koizuka-san, I’ll share some things with you. But I’m leaving out anything scandalous, like infidelity or affairs—those could get messy if exposed.”
Sakuna’s face brightened almost instantly.
“In that case, I’d like you to do something for me in return,” Asaichi added.
“Sure, anything! Wait, anything? Does that include, um… intimate requests?”
“Of course not!” Asaichi retorted with a sigh before turning his gaze back to her.
“I’ll share the stories with you, but in exchange, I want you to help solve the problems of those who came to me and guide them to happy endings.”
Sakuna blinked her large eyes in surprise.
“…You want me to assist the ‘God of Love’?”
“Pretty much. If the rumors about me being the ‘God of Love’ gain more credibility, more people will come to me for advice. And if that happens, I’ll have more stories to share with you. It’s a win-win, don’t you think?”
“I see,” Sakuna said, pressing a finger to her lips in thought.
“Alright, I’ll help. Along the way, I might even get closer to finding real love myself.”
She smiled brightly after speaking.
“I’ll do my best as the assistant to the ‘God of Love’!”
“Looking forward to working with you,” Asaichi replied with a wry smile.
“Now, there’s a case that just came in yesterday. I’d like you to tackle this one first.”
Asaichi began recounting the latest love story he had heard.
