The Doll and The Prince - v2 Chapter 65 (Patreon)

Naruhito (34)
"I’m going out for a bit.”
"Where to?"
"I’m going to ask: How old?”
"I'm asking you, right."

Yeah, that's it.
I quickly left the crimson-colored office. I wonder if anyone's around?
The doorbell rang. Looks like a visitor was at the front door. Perfect timing.
The visitor was Aoba. Great. As I rushed to the entrance, Murakano was handing slippers to Aoba.

"Aoba."
"Oh my. Good morning, Naru."
"Good morning."
"You had a fever, but you're better now, right? That's good."
"I'm fine. Hey, ask me how old?”
"What do you mean?"
"How old? Ask me.”

Aoba tilted her head while putting on her slippers. Ah geez, haven’t you asked before?

"How old are you, Naruhito?"

Murakano, who was listening nearby, asked softly.

"Fifteen!"
"I see. I'm twenty-three this year."

Nodding along, Murakano smiled gently.

"I see. So you found out your age, Naru."
"Sai told me. Doing calculations."
"Calculations? Well, that's good. By the way, if you're feeling better, shall we study together?"

Um, I'm busy right now. I need others to ask about how old I am.

"I won't study today."

As I said that and turned my back to Aoba, she promptly grabbed my arm.
When I looked back, Aoba had a surprised expression.

"Naru, you aren’t going to study?"
"Yeah, I'm busy."
"... I see. Can I come with you, Naru?"

Aoba was staring intently at my face.

"Sure~"

Let's go to the kitchen this time. Hirosue must be there.
I'll also catch Yoshino, who was cleaning the hallway, and tell her to ask me how old I am.
Hehe. I'm fifteen. That's right, I'm fifteen.

"Hirosue. Ask me. How old are you?"
"Woah, you startled me. Good morning, Naru-boy."

Hirosue, who seemed to have finished cleaning up everyone's breakfast and was finally having her own meal, lifted her face from the newspaper. I don’t like the smell of coffee much.

"Naru-boy, did you leave your breakfast? Eat properly. You won't grow up that way."
"I had juice."
"You should have juice after eating your rice porridge."
"I prefer juice."
"If you keep saying that, I won't make mixed juice. Rice is important. It builds your body, you know."

But... I prefer juice, candy, and dango over rice.
Hmm, I thought as I turned to the side.

"Ask me. How old are you?"
"Your age? You don't know, no?"
"Just ask!"
"Okay, okay. How old are you?"
"Fifteen!"
"Huh? Did you figure it out?"
"Sai calculated it for me."
"That's good. When's your birthday? Let's have a party with dango with various flavors to celebrate."
"Birthday...?"
"If you didn't have a birthday, you'd always be fifteen, right?"
"Isn't it always fifteen?"
"You do get older."

Just when I finally turned fifteen, what's a birthday?

"I'll go ask."
"Oh, hey."

When I dashed out of the kitchen, Aoba was waiting in the hallway and followed me again.

Next: https://www.patreon.com/posts/101276798/