Chapter 61 - The Right Mindset
Volume 4, Resonance 8, Part 4
Novel Title: 共鳴熱情 オメガバース (Resonance Passion: Omegaverse)
Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)
Illustrator：蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: MC- 遠峰一紗 (Toomine Kazusa), Lemur & ML- ゼロ (Zero)
*Moved from knoxt.space, the original site of translation.*
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(I’m not doing this to get approval from Zero. It’s for the lounge.)
With that thought, he reminded himself why he was there and refocused with the right mindset.
Come to think of it, on his return day, Serval had met his regular guest who had booked a VIP room at the entrance hall, instead of waiting in the back room. Following his mentor’s example in hospitality, Kazusa decided to wait for Inukai in the hall.
The sounds of monkeys and birds were now familiar to his ears. Seeing the wild animals pass by, he felt a sense of affection for them.
This place had also become important to him.
Basking in the gradient of evening colours changing from red to blue and feeling the slightly damp safari breeze, Kazusa waited as Inukai arrived, guided by the floor staff at the reception. Smiling, Kazusa walked up to the man who wore his usual three-piece suit and fedora, a look he was always particular about.
“Welcome to Night Safari!”
Inukai removed his hat, greeting him with, “Good evening, Lemur.”
“This is the first time you’ve waited here for me,” Inukai said, his eyes narrowing in delight and a smile forming on his lips.
“You look beautiful tonight… the outfit suits you too.”
Inukai’s flirtatious words sent a shiver down Kazusa’s spine, but he kept his gaze low and replied, “Thank you very much.”
“This way, please. Let me show you to your room.”
Kazusa led Inukai down the central spiral staircase to the VIP room on the second basement level.
Although the VIP room could accommodate up to eight people, Inukai hadn’t invited any other hosts, so tonight they would have the room to themselves.
He held the key card to the private room entrance, and the door opened automatically with a soft whir. Upon entering the dimly lit room, the first thing that caught the eye was the long fish tank embedded in a U-shape along three walls. The tank, illuminated by soft lights, housed swaying aquatic plants, schools of freshwater fish, and large red-and-gold arowanas elegantly weaving through the water.
The dome-shaped ceiling displayed a projected night sky, and the floor had countless tiny lights embedded, softly glowing like fireflies.
A massive screen was installed above the entrance, though it was currently blank. Smooth, low-volume jazz played as the background music.
The VIP room offered options that could be tailored to any mood: a hammock suspended from the ceiling for those wanting to enjoy an ‘outdoor’ feel by gazing at the stars or karaoke on the large screen for lively gatherings. But as a mature man who appreciated calm, Inukai didn’t need such playful elements, so Kazusa left them out this time.
“Please, this way.”
He led Inukai to a king-size sofa set in the room’s centre, facing the fish tank—a prime seat for taking in the full view.
As Inukai settled in, he remarked, “This is a fine sofa.”
“Spacious and roomy, neither too firm nor too soft—very comfortable to sit in.”
"Thank you very much."
Although it was Zero who selected this, Kazusa thanked him on behalf of the lounge.
“The aquarium is a nice touch too. I love arowanas. I could watch them for hours.”
“I understand. The shimmer of their scales when they turn is so beautiful—it’s mesmerising, isn’t it?”
“But tonight, since I have you here, I won’t waste time on such things. Come, sit beside me.”
Kazusa forced a stiff smile at Inukai’s immediate flirting and sat down beside him, keeping a modest distance.
Tonight’s task was to provide customer service that would satisfy Inukai while skillfully dodging his romantic advances.
There was a high chance that, having paid the VIP room fee, Inukai would bring up his question from the other day. He’d likely left out other hosts for this very reason. “Is it alright if I fall for you?”
Kazusa had consulted his mentor, Serval, about Inukai’s somewhat gentlemanly approach, given that he’d gone out of his way to ask for consent.
“As a general rule, you should delay your answer as much as possible. If you’re too easy to win over, the customer might lose interest. It’s the allure of something unattainable that keeps them coming back and spending.”
“But leading him on would be disrespectful to Inukai-san...”
“You’re so serious, Sensei. But hey, that’s one of your good qualities. You see, our clientele consists of wealthy folks with refined tastes who aren’t satisfied with just any host or courtesan. They don’t want a tamed high-class male or female escort from some brothel. They’re drawn to the wild charm of an untamed omega, the thrill of a pretend romance. They come here to escape their burdensome social responsibilities and experience the excitement of the chase and fleeting passion. For wealthy people in high positions, real life can be stressful.”
“...Yeah.”
“Now, sometimes, a customer and host do genuinely fall for each other and even become a pair, but that’s very rare. Especially since your regular is a married alpha. He’s just looking for fun, so it wouldn’t benefit you to get serious.”
“I don’t intend to get serious.”
“In that case, stick to avoidance. Throw out the occasional bait.”
“Bait?”
“Touches, kisses, that sort of thing. If you go all the way, there are risks like diseases, pregnancy, or being ditched after. The key is to keep it so tantalisingly close yet just out of reach. Maintaining their interest with that delicate balance is a true skill for a host.”
Even with Serval’s advice, Kazusa, with his zero dating experience, felt that such high-level strategies were beyond him.
For him, the best he could manage was to listen attentively and empathise with the client’s feelings.
He enjoyed talking with Inukai about literature, and he often wished that Inukai wouldn’t seek a special relationship with him. But wishing that now was futile.
Reflecting on his exchange with Serval, he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Yes?”
The automatic door opened, and a floor staff member entered, carrying a tray with two glasses of welcome drinks. Normally, these would be served in the entrance hall.
“Pardon my intrusion.”
Dressed in a black uniform, the staff approached the low table and placed the glasses in front of Kazusa and Inukai.
“Thank you.”
“Please enjoy your time.”
With a respectful bow, the staff retreated.
“This is your welcome drink, champagne.”
“Let’s have some.”
They each lifted their glasses, lightly clinking them together.
“To your beautiful eyes.”
“…C-Cheers.”
Kazusa tried to maintain his composure as Inukai murmured his words with complete seriousness, causing his hand to tremble as he held his glass. He took a sip of champagne, and Inukai wrapped an arm around his back.
“Come closer.”
With a breathy whisper in his ear, every hair on Kazusa’s body stood on end.
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Next update: 2025.08.18
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