Chapter 135

"That is to say, it's biological pleasure! Sorry, I bit my tongue."

Speaking at three times the speed of a normal person, she bit her tongue in her excitement before finally ending her unusually long opening greeting with a pained expression.

However, the fact that she was able to end things before telling Dirty Joke today actually relieved Sakurakoji Talent.

Regardless, doing it in public like that isn't a good thing.

Although she is undoubtedly a pervert based solely on her behavior and words, he knows it's all an act, a disguise, and understands her true nature beneath the mask, so he can't truly feel any disgust towards her.

"Miss Sakuri, have you been keeping watch here first thing in the morning these past few days? If possible, I hope you can tell me this is a joke." A vein twitched on his forehead as he seized upon the key point amidst the pile of nonsense.

"Hehehe..." Yōkadō Sakuri didn't answer directly, but instead raised the corners of her mouth disdainfully, responding with a slightly strange smile, her eyes seemingly saying that she knew the answer already.

That's all it took for Sakurakoji Talent to understand what she meant.

"..."

He rubbed his forehead, feeling a bit of a headache; he couldn't do anything about her. Although it was acting, her sincerity and persistence were indeed commendable.

Because he didn't choose Filia this year, and didn't stay in the regular room downstairs, she didn't have to start blocking the door at 4 AM every day—I don't know if I should call that lucky?

It was precisely because he was worried about this kind of thing happening that he decided to go back to the Sakura Mansion instead of here the day before Ogura Asahi went to school.

Otherwise, the chances of being discovered are far too high!

Ninety percent of the danger comes from the woman in front of you!

He had decided last night not to go to school today, so he came here directly after get off work, but he didn't expect to be caught by her so early in the morning.

"So, do you want this or not?" He took out a few freshly made pastries from the gift bag, not wanting to think about it anymore.

"Yes! Of course I want it!" She snatched it away with lightning speed, pressed it against her face, and looked dazed. "Ah~ Mr. Talent's own dessert, I'll gratefully accept it!"

"I wonder if there will be any hairs you Kokoro left in there! I'll have to be careful when I eat it later!"

"Don't worry! After I finish eating, before I go to bed at night, I'll hold the licked-clean box and think of you as a side dish!"

"Who asked you that! And you just said hair, not head hair, right?!" He closed his eyes, his lips twitching incessantly.

"It's already this late, Miss Sakuri, aren't you going to school yet? Do you want to skip class like me?"

He subtly urged her on, saying that if they continued talking, he was afraid he would go crazy.

"It's fine since it's so close to the school. As long as I leave ten minutes before class, I'll make it in time." After her playful antics, Yōkadō Sakuri instantly shed her infatuated persona and answered calmly.

"Anyway, I don't have any friends at the Drama Academy, and the people who talk to me are all kids who want to take advantage of my resources, so there's no point in going there early."

"But Mr. Talent lives here just like Miss Ashiri and the others, yet he didn't choose Filia. What a huge pity!"

Her expression conveyed boredom and disappointment mixed with genuine regret; befitting a renowned actress, she portrayed the emotions so vividly.

"After all, you're already a successful person with great achievements. Even your teacher would have to bow down to you. That's the price of fame, isn't it?"

"Even so... never mind, let's not talk about it. My only true friends are Mr. Talent and Rumin-san, and that's enough." She touched her chin with her finger, her expression serious yet slightly bored, before glancing at Sakurakoji Talent.

"However, recently Mr. Talent's aura has changed a bit; he seems to be showing some acting skills. Is that just my imagination?"

"It feels... much gentler than before, has something happened?"

"... What are you referring to?" His eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly, and he said casually.

"No, I didn't even change my clothes, how could you notice something's wrong? Are you a devil?" He stared speechlessly at the white-haired girl in front of him.

"Hmph~ Is that so?" Yōkadō Sakuri narrowed her eyes and smiled teasingly. "Mr. Talent's whereabouts have been very strange these past few days. Sometimes he doesn't even stay here at night, and we don't see him in the morning. Obviously, something's up, isn't it?"

"I asked Miss Ashiri, but she didn't seem to know either—no, I should say she knew but didn't want to say, which makes me very curious."

She scrutinized him dangerously, and just as Sakurakoji Talent was starting to break out in a sweat, she suddenly looked away, her expression relaxing.

"Well, that's Mr. Talent's prerogative, and I can't say anything about it, but may I ask a question?"

"... What?"

She looked around, tiptoed, brought her cute little mouth close to his ear, and whispered in his sweet breath, "Is your reason for not coming home at night because you're spending the night in other girls' rooms?"

"..." Sakurakoji Talent was speechless for a moment, then silently placed his hands on her slender shoulders and pushed her back a short distance as she let out a cute "Ah~".

"Although I really want to complain, I'll be honest with you here—no, I don't have anyone I could do that to. So please, when you're out in public, be careful not to ruin my reputation, okay?"

"Oh, that's good. I thought I was going to miss my chance so early." Her smile seemed a little brighter than before.

"But even if Mr. Talent really did have a relationship with other girls, I wouldn't care. After all, this kind of thing is very common in the entertainment industry. As long as you can accept it in the end, that's enough for me."

"Well, if there's anything you really need from me, just let me know. As one of my few friends, I'll do my best to help you."

"I appreciate your kind offer, but unfortunately, I don't have anything..." He was about to refuse when he thought of some things that would happen later, so he paused, pondered for a moment, and changed his mind.

"No, I might need your help later, so thank you in advance."

"Really?! I was just saying it casually! I didn't expect to get such an unexpected reward!" Yōkadō Sakuri's eyes widened in shock, followed by ecstatic joy at seeing an opportunity.

"Hiss~ Hiss~" Like a cat that has seen fishy smell, she wiped the drool that was about to drip from the corner of her mouth, her face flushed an unnatural red, and she returned to her previous expression. "Mr. Talent, you know that we are all dirty people in society, right?"

Her expression was so wicked it couldn't be shown on television. She rubbed her fingers together in a money gesture. "If you want something, you have to be prepared to pay a price!"

"Don't worry, I'll be very Kokoro, it won't hurt much!"

Sakurakoji Talent was forced to take a step back by her extremely aggressive expression, his face darkening. "Didn't you say that as a friend you would do your best to help me?"

"That's right!" Yōkadō Sakuri nodded firmly, then mischievously raised her gaze to look at him. "But I think it's normal for friends to exchange gifts, right? If it's just one-sided taking, I don't think the relationship is pure."

"Or is it that Mr. Talent is actually someone who can shamelessly ask his friends for favors without any limits?"

"More importantly! Such a great opportunity! It's just too tempting not to take advantage of my own selfish desires!"

"Sorry, I bit my tongue again!"

Volume 1: The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: Chapter 175 Equivalent Exchange and Long-Awaited Reunion

Towards the end, she revealed her true feelings. Overwhelmed with emotion, she bit her tongue, clutching her lips in pain and muttering an apology.

Although her act of taking advantage of someone in distress was shameless, Sakurakoji Talent was speechless.

As she said, that's what interpersonal relationships are like.

One thing at a time: if you want to gain something, you naturally have to give something in return; that's perfectly normal.

Only a moral saint, a lover, or a family member can be so selfless and devoted to someone without expecting anything in return.

Although Yōkadō Sakuri had feelings for him, she had secretly liked him ever since she had seen him once at a banquet when they were children.

But regardless, they aren't that close yet, and he felt it was rather despicable to use that relationship as leverage to blackmail or demand things, so he wasn't going to do it.

The reason she bleached her originally black hair white and became a complete white hair enthusiast was because he was so stunning in the moonlight when she was a child.

Tsk, all because of youthful ignorance. I should have known better than to attend that lousy banquet held at Sakurakoji's old family mansion.

Since he had already spoken, he wasn't going to remain silent either, so he could only helplessly reply, "I understand. So, Miss Sakuri, what do you want?"

"Please marry me!" Yōkadō Sakuri blurted out this answer without the slightest hesitation.

Yes, that was indeed his request; it didn't exceed his expectations.

"You know that's impossible, right? Let's try something else."

Yōkadō Sakuri didn't try to be unreasonable. Precisely because she knew this request was impossible, she brought it up first. Presenting an impossible condition first, allowing the other party to bargain, is a basic negotiation tactic.

"Then, come to my room tonight! Let's spend a passionate, fiery, enjoyable, painful, and unforgettable night together!" She curled her lips into a smile full of desire.

"This is too... I don't think what I need your help with is that valuable." Sakurakoji Talent glanced away, looking troubled, as if genuinely weighing the feasibility and value of the two options.

"I believe that transactions should follow the principle of equivalent exchange. Don't you agree?"

"Hey~~ That's not fair, Mr. Talent ~" Yōkadō Sakuri's voice rose and fell like a child asking for a toy, her brows lowered in impatience. "This won't do, that won't do either."

"I have plenty of money and fame. If you won't even agree to these, then aren't you completely useless to me?"

"I think that costs and conditions need to be beneficial to both parties to be considered equal. What do you think?"

"I completely agree with your point of view." He wholeheartedly agreed.

"That..."

"However, these two options are not feasible at the moment. I don't have the luxury of making such a hasty decision, so I'd like to change the terms."

"... What do you mean?" she asked, slightly puzzled.

Sakurakoji Talent quickly reviewed the plan in her mind, her fiery red eyes meeting Sakurakoji's icy blue ones, and said, "Miss Sakuri, you said you wanted to personally design and participate in a stage play to fulfill your wish, right?"

"The role of the white-haired male lead is probably still vacant, right? What do you think of me?"

"..." After hearing his thoughts, Yōkadō Sakuri put away her playful, childish, and annoying expression, looked at him seriously, and after thinking for a long time, closed her eyes and said, "I see, so that's what you think."

"Indeed, Mr. Talent perfectly fits the requirements for the male lead; in fact, there's no one more suitable than you."

"Alright! I was just going through the same thing, and I think this is a good offer. I agree to the deal."

"Aren't you going to ask me what I'm asking for?" Sakurakoji Talent asked curiously.

"No need. The conditions you offered are very tempting, so as long as it's not too outrageous or beyond my capabilities, I'll agree to anything you ask." Yōkadō Sakuri's expression was gentle, her voice slow, and she gave him a deep look.

"Well, it's about time. I should go to school now. See you next time, Mr. Caihua."

"Well, see you at the next Sky Tea Party."

"Oh, I never said I would endure that long. I might just show up at your door halfway through, so please be prepared."

"... Please show mercy."

Hehe~

After leaving behind a joke that wasn't quite a joke, she tossed her hair with a flourish, took light, quick steps in her leather boots, and walked briskly out of the lobby on the first floor, heading towards the adjacent Filia Twin Towers. Her graceful and poised figure truly exuded the aura of a mature superstar.

"It's really hard to tell which of her words are true and which are false. Is this the acting skill of a top-notch actor?" Sakurakoji Talent murmured to himself, puzzled, as he watched her departing figure.

"However, I can guess a little about what her true personality behind the mask will be like at this moment..."

He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts, and stopped thinking about it. Her interruption had almost made him forget his real purpose for the day.

Following her direction, he left the place.

"Is anyone there?" Sakurakoji Talent Kokoro pushed open the outermost door of the small office and called out softly.

According to his chat with someone yesterday, the address is here.

Although he knew beforehand that this place couldn't possibly be luxurious, he was still somewhat surprised when he saw it with his own eyes, and looked around:

Upon entering, you're greeted by several desks, indicating this is the main office. While the room isn't small, it feels cramped for a company's office space, immediately revealing the level of sophistication.

There seemed to be other rooms inside, and he could faintly hear some very rhythmic music, which he guessed was probably a training room.

He quickly and briefly surveyed the surroundings, then focused his gaze on the only living person present.

She had brown, wavy hair, beautifully shaped, large, pinkish-purple eyes, and long, slender fingers with light pink nail polish. Her features were well-proportioned and graceful; in short, she was a beauty.

She wore a white coat over a red pencil skirt, which beautifully accentuated her breasts. Her figure was so stunning that even among the people he knew, there were few like her.

Image: "Saito Kyoko", Location: "Images/1760624298-100446961-113978148. jpg"

"Huh?!" Hearing the noise, the other person also turned their attention over. When they saw his face clearly, they were so shocked that they covered their mouths in shock.

It had been a long time since he'd seen such a perfect reaction. Sakurakoji Talent was a little touched; it seemed his charm hadn't diminished too much.

"Um, may I ask who you are...?" Despite being extremely shocked, Saito Kyoko composed herself and Kokoro asked with a professional expression.

I was utterly astonished. Where did this celebrity model come from? Why would she come to our small agency?!

She subconsciously assumed that Sakurakoji Talent was a fellow professional who had come here for business collaborations; after all, this was an entertainment agency, and it would be abnormal not to think that way.

She wasn't there when they filmed and performed outdoors last time, so she didn't know about the relationship between Sakurakoji Talent and Hoshino Ai.

"Hello, I'm Sakurakoji Talent, a friend of Hoshino Ai. I made plans to come over with her today. Is she here now?"

Sakurakoji Talent greeted her with a smile, his refreshing appearance and actions causing Saito Kyoko to instinctively blush.

"Ah, ah! Is that Ai's friend? Yes, yes, they're rehearsing right now, I'll go get her!" Her face trembled unnaturally as she finished explaining and hurriedly walked towards the practice room at the back.

The moment she turned her back, her face darkened, and she bit her sexy red lips in resentment.

Damn! He's so handsome!