The Wives Are Accomplices Again Today.

Act 4: The Husband Defense Alliance, First Battle!

"First, we need to gather intelligence."

Friday night.

At an izakaya on the way home from work, Kazuma wears a serious expression.

"There is no victory without knowing the enemy."

"No, the 'enemy' is your own wife."

Yugo gives a bitter smile.

"That's exactly why."

Kazuma takes out a notepad.

"I've been looking back at Mari's behavior lately."

"...You're serious, aren't you?"

"First, she's in a good mood when I contact her."

"Yeah."

"She smiles when I help with the housework."

"Yeah."

"She's happy when I say 'thank you'."

"Yeah."

Yugo crosses his arms.

"...Isn't she just a good wife?"

"That's exactly it."

What's the problem?

That's exactly it!

Kazuma slammed his hand on the desk.

She's too kind!

So what about it?

There's definitely something behind it!

Yugo couldn't hold back his laughter and brought his mug to his lips.

So, what are you going to do?

I'll tail her.

...What?

Mari.

That would be a crime.

Then I'll pretend it's a coincidence.

That's even worse.

The two of them fell silent for a while.

And then—.

...Let's stop.

Yeah, you're right.

The plan fell apart five minutes after it started.

The following afternoon.

Mari was looking at her smartphone.

"I'm going to a cafe with a friend today."

"Send."

A few seconds later.

"Got it! Have fun!"

A reply arrived from Kazuma immediately.

"Heh."

Mari smiled.

Meanwhile, as for Kazuma--.

"I sent the reply."

"Good."

Yugo put on his sunglasses.

"Shall we go?"

"Yeah."

"Husband Defense Alliance, first mission!"

"Yeah!"

...Or so they said.

The two tried to hide behind a utility pole like spies in a movie, and,

"I can see you, I can see you."

They were laughed at by a passerby.

Tailings are difficult.

It doesn't go like it does in dramas.

Meanwhile, at a cafe.

Do you feel like someone is watching us?

Rika looks out the window.

Oh.

Mari noticed too.

Kazuma's head is visible from behind a utility pole.

And Yugo is right next to him.

...

...

The two look at each other.

We've been found out, haven't we?

One hundred percent.

Mari smiled mischievously.

Hey.

Yeah?

Want to play a little?

Rika's mouth also relaxes into a smile.

Agreed.

“They’re moving!”

Kazuma whispers.

“Start the tail!”

However.

Mari and the others suddenly enter a general store.

The two of them rush to follow.

The shop is a stylish space lined with aroma products and tableware.

“This doesn’t suit us...”

Yugo says in a low voice.

“Quiet.”

That was when it happened.

“Kazuma?”

“Huh!”

Mari had turned around.

“What a coincidence!”

“Y-yeah, it is!”

“Yugo, you too?”

“Well, just shopping!”

“The two of you together?”

“...”

"..."

Silence.

"You two get along well."

Mari smiles sweetly.

"Well then, we're going to go look over there."

"Oh, yeah."

The wives walk away.

"..."

"..."

"We were found out."

"Completely."

That night.

"We failed."

The two of them hang their heads at an izakaya.

"Finished ten minutes after we started."

"We're not cut out for tailing people."

Kazuma let out a deep sigh.

"But we did get something out of it."

"What?"

"Mari and Rika-san are really close."

Yeah.

It's not a coincidence.

No, it isn't.

There's definitely something going on behind the scenes.

Yugo nods seriously as well.

But...

Hmm?

It doesn't feel like they're doing anything bad.

True.

If anything, they looked like they were having fun.

Kazuma ponders for a moment.

Us.

Yeah.

I wonder if they're doing something to us.

Doing something to us?

But.

Yugo laughed.

Hasn't the atmosphere at home been better lately than it was before?

...

Kazuma thinks back on it too.

She has been smiling more than before.

We have been talking more, too.

The number of days we eat dinner together has also increased.

"That's true."

"It's strange."

The following week.

Mari stops by the supermarket on her way home from work.

As she walks along carrying a heavy shopping bag,

"Mari!"

She hears a familiar voice.

When she turns around, Kazuma is standing there.

"Are you done with work?"

"Yeah."

"Let me carry that for you."

"Huh?"

Kazuma takes the shopping bag naturally.

"That must have been heavy."

"...Thank you."

"And also."

Kazuma smiles, looking a little embarrassed.

I'm sorry for leaving everything at home to you all the time.

Mari stops in surprise.

What's gotten into you all of a sudden?

Nothing.

Kazuma scratches his head.

I've been thinking lately.

That I've been relying on you too much, Mari.

Mari's heart warms a little.

These words couldn't have been drawn out by the 'Wives Alliance' strategy.

They were Kazuma's own feelings.

I'm... happy.

That one word was enough.

The two walk side by side down the road at dusk.

It felt like the distance between them had closed just a little.

Meanwhile.

At the cafe, Rika was listening to the report.

Kazuma-san is starting to change, isn't he?

Yeah.

Mari smiles happily.

Even if it's just a little bit.

"A successful education?"

"No."

Mari shook her head.

"He realized it on his own."

"That's the best way."

Rika also smiled gently.

However, immediately after that.

Seeing a message that arrived from Yugo, Rika burst out laughing.

"He's still such a child."

"But."

Mari laughed too.

"Just being able to say that is a huge step forward."

The two of them clinked their coffee cups together.

Then Mari opened the last page of her notebook.

The next words written there.

"Final mission—make them realize that a married couple is not about 'winning or losing,' but about being a 'team.'"

At last, the greatest operation of the 'Wives' Alliance' was about to begin.