"Mm." Hoshino Ai pursed her lips and returned to the changing room.
Because she had caused a small stir in the store and drawn over the other staff members, every time she came out wearing another outfit, she was met with a barrage of praise for both herself and Sakurakoji Talent, along with teasing about their relationship. It left her both embarrassed and helpless.
In the end, after selecting several of the highest-rated outfits and paying under everyone's amused gazes, she walked out of the store with the feeling that she had escaped a den of demons for the first time.
Image: "What Knife Will You Use to Cut You?", location: "Images/1755441061-100446961-113736023.jpg"
The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: Dinner Can't Be Eaten Twice
"Sorry, Sakurakoji-san, for letting them misunderstand!" After walking some distance away, Hoshino Ai bowed to apologize to him.
"It's fine, it's fine. As long as you don't mind, Miss Hoshino." Sakurakoji Talent waved his hand through the air, signaling that she needn't worry.
"Rather than apologizing, I'd prefer you to think I helped you."
"Mm! As expected of Sakurakoji-san, your taste is far better than mine! I think these outfits are really beautiful! Thank you so much for tonight!" As she spoke, starlight sparkled in Hoshino Ai's eyes, and her face radiated happiness.
"Oh, right! To thank you, let me treat you to something. What do you want to eat?" Remembering this, Hoshino Ai asked him.
"Anything is fine."
"Then let's go to that dessert shop over there. I haven't had dinner yet, after all. What about you, Sakurakoji-san?" Hoshino Ai looked at him expectantly.
"Uh... I haven't eaten either." Faced with her emotional gaze, Sakurakoji Talent could only answer that way.
"That's great! Two birds with one stone!"
With that, Hoshino Ai pulled him into the dessert shop next door.
Half an hour later, Sakurakoji Talent stared at the half-finished pancake and cheesecake before him, as well as the English black tea he had nearly finished. The corner of his eye twitched, and a faint bitterness showed on his face.
If I'd known, I wouldn't have eaten so much at Shiina Mahiru's place earlier.
But if he hadn't, she would probably have suspected that it was because her cooking was bad, which would have affected his ability to build her favorability.
Damn it, was this the price of multitasking? Suffering for one evening.
Even so, why could girls accept dessert as a main meal? Wasn't it sickeningly rich? To him, it was unbearably cloying!
Watching Hoshino Ai eat with relish across from him, her limbs constantly moving, this question rose in his heart.
"Are you full already, Sakurakoji-san?" Seeing him stop eating, Hoshino Ai asked.
"Mm... I don't have much of an appetite today." Sakurakoji Talent forced out a smile.
"I see. That's such a shame. The food here is delicious too. Ah, though it isn't as good as the snacks you brought before." Hoshino Ai spoke regretfully, her eyes occasionally drifting toward his half-eaten food. She truly seemed to find it a pity.
Her finances were tight as well, and she normally had to budget carefully. She even often brought home leftover boxed meals from film sets as her regular meals. Spending this much today was something she could only do once every few months.
Sakurakoji Talent estimated that if she were not afraid of ruining what little image she had left in front of him, she would probably clean off both of those leftover plates the moment he left.
"...It is a shame. But if you like those, I'll bring you some again next time."
"Really?!" Hoshino Ai's eyes shone as she looked at him, brimming with enthusiasm.
"Of course. I couldn't possibly lie to a woman." Sakurakoji Talent's tone was firm. "By the way, how have you been lately, Miss Hoshino? Have you run into any problems with your career?"
"Mm... It's the same as before, I guess. Nothing's really taking off." Hoshino Ai's legs swung unconsciously under the table as she thought.
"Ah, come to think of it, the president recently asked whether I wanted to train with some famous theater troupe. Maybe it's because my acting is just so bad, haha..." When it came to her hard-to-describe acting and foundational skills in every area, all she could do was laugh foolishly and face reality.
After all, she had only entered this industry three years ago. At most, she had only trained for three years, and what she had learned was quite scattered. The teachers her agency could hire were only so-so, and she was not particularly gifted either.
So although she did indeed work very hard in private every day, she had no particular advantage compared to other young idols.
If there was any talent of hers that stood out, it was probably that inexplicable charm she gave off when performing.
Hearing this, Sakurakoji Talent's gaze sharpened, and his tone unconsciously became heavier.
"Did you agree?"
"Not yet~" Hoshino Ai shook her head indifferently. "But I'll probably agree later. After all, my ability really is lacking."
"The president went to a lot of trouble to secure this opportunity for me. I can't let his efforts go to waste just because I'm being willful."
"Don't go." Sakurakoji Talent's expression became serious for once, and his voice allowed no argument.
"Huh?" Hoshino Ai looked at him in surprise, all her little movements abruptly stopping.
"Ah, that's not what I meant." Realizing he had overreacted, he hurried to make amends. "I just think it wouldn't help you that much, and it would be a waste of time. It would be better to hire some renowned teachers for specialized training or something."
"Look, no matter how famous a theater troupe is, it still specializes in stage plays, doesn't it? That's a completely different field from film and television acting."
"If Miss Hoshino becomes famous in the future, most of the offers you receive will likely be for film and television. It's quite far removed from that."
"So for the sake of your future, I think you should focus more on developing those abilities right now."
Fortunately, his mind was quick, and he soon came up with a suitable reason, blurting it out without pause.
"I see!" After hearing his explanation, Hoshino Ai showed an enlightened expression. She noticed nothing wrong and instead felt his analysis made perfect sense, but she soon looked troubled.
"That may be true, and I think what you said makes a lot of sense, Sakurakoji-san, but I'm only a second- or third-rate underground idol. Our agency is just some unknown small-to-medium-sized agency too."
"Getting the chance to apply for an opportunity like this is already pretty good. How could I have the right to be picky?"
Seeing that she had not grown suspicious, Sakurakoji Talent quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Once he understood her concern, he smiled. "That's easy. If it's training in acting, singing, and dancing, I think I can help you."
"I know several teachers with some reputation in their professional fields. I can ask them to teach you."
"Can you?!" Hoshino Ai first looked at him in disbelief, then vigorously shook her head and waved her hands. "No, no, no. I can't just accept such enormous help from you, Sakurakoji-san! I have nothing to give you in return. That would be far too embarrassing!"
Just accept it properly already, damn it! The veins at Sakurakoji Talent's temples throbbed.
"It's fine. I told you, didn't I? I'm a fan of B-Komachi. More precisely, I'm a fan of Miss Hoshino Ai." Sakurakoji Talent looked at her affectionately, his gaze gentle.
"I want to do something for my idol too. This is merely one fan's way of expressing his affection for his idol. It's just a little different in content from what other people do. It's absolutely not anything strange!"
Author: Here is the belated update.
The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: This Night Was a Little Too Eventful
"Affection, Ai... I see." Hoshino Ai's head felt a little dizzy as she chewed over his words.
She had received gifts from fans before, and that did seem quite normal, but she still asked cautiously, "...It's really not strange? I can really accept it?"
Hoshino Ai raised her head, her gaze like that of an adorable newborn fawn.
"It's really not strange! You can really accept it!" Sakurakoji Talent met her starlit eyes and nodded vigorously in confirmation.
"Then... thank you, Sakurakoji-san." Hoshino Ai lowered her head and bowed in thanks.
"No need, no need. If you really want to thank me, I hope you'll treat me as a friend from now on." Sakurakoji Talent spoke with a smile, his heart full of joy at the thought of the points he was about to reap.
Fortunately, in this world full of geniuses, the child before him was one of the rare not-so-smart ones. Put nicely, she was somewhat innocent and easy to fool.
"? I've always considered you a friend." Hoshino Ai tilted her head in confusion.
"Then we can call each other by our given names from now on, right? Calling each other by our surnames all the time still feels rather distant."
"Then should I call you Mr. Talent from now on?" Hoshino Ai sought his opinion.
"Talent or Mr. Talent is fine, Ai." Sakurakoji Talent calmly lifted his teacup. Only after bringing it to his lips did he remember that the tea was gone, forcing him to set it down again.
"!!!" Hoshino Ai's earlobes gradually turned red. Her expression stiffened slightly as she covered her mouth and nose with a hand, her voice trembling a little. "How should I put it? It's still a little embarrassing!"
"You'll get used to it."
"I suppose so, haha."
His halfhearted reassurance did not comfort Hoshino Ai in the slightest.
"Anyway, for now, seriously follow those teachers and work hard at learning. In a few months, I'll introduce you to a few friends who have achieved something in music and performance."
Feeling that the conversation had gone on long enough, Sakurakoji Talent gave up on getting another drink and instructed Hoshino Ai.
"Why a few months from now?" She was not dissatisfied with the arrangement, but she was curious.
"Because," Sakurakoji Talent looked out the shop's glass window and gave an answer that sounded highly suspicious but was completely true, "although I know them, they don't know me yet."
"Hm?"
Hoshino Ai stared at him in shock. Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, and she could not help becoming suspicious of everything he had said before.
After finishing his conversation with Hoshino Ai, they parted ways in front of the station. Once they had gone their separate ways, Sakurakoji Talent felt the additional treatment-share points in his body, and his mood soared.
Nice, nice! Multitasking really did feel great! Points increased every so often, just like a webnovel author watching their royalties steadily rise in the backend. It was unbelievably satisfying!
Compared to that, those previous days when nothing changed at all felt like being a flop novel that had suddenly died an untimely death, leaving him without even the motivation to live!
Rather than heading straight home, he wandered aimlessly through the streets of Shinjuku. After eating two meals in such a short time, he desperately needed to walk it off.
The night in the big city was no less lively than the daytime, and in some ways it was even more interesting. Neon lights glittered everywhere, soliciting women in all kinds of maid outfits and professional attire stood by the streets, and laughing men and women passed by in an endless stream.
Sakurakoji Talent had no interest in going to nearby Kabukicho to see whether Okubo Park at night was truly as thrilling and dangerous as the rumors claimed, even though he was genuinely close to it now—he was afraid that if he went, everyone would gang up on him and he would not make it out tonight.
Holding the dozens of flyers that had been forcibly stuffed into his arms, Sakurakoji Talent felt deeply indignant.
Damn it, these people who only cared about looks knew nothing but how to bully a delicate-looking pretty boy like him. Did he really look like someone who would give them a pleasant face?
He really did.
And besides, handing out flyers was one thing, but why were their hands touching his chest and body?
If you're in heat, go to the park next door, damn it!
Thinking of those shallow women who had gone crazy earlier, Sakurakoji Talent could not help sneering.
I admit that your outfit is indeed quite provocative, and your hourly wage is high, but if you want to spend the night with me, I'm afraid your savings are still short by several zeros.
He straightened all the flyers into a stack and casually tossed them into a burnable-trash bin by the road, freeing his hands once more.
He stylishly slipped his hands into his pockets and nonchalantly prepared to continue his stroll.
Then, at a certain moment, the constantly shifting street scenery seemed to freeze in his eyes, leaving only one beautiful figure.
At that moment, Sakurakoji Talent froze. His handsome face creased as he pinched the bridge of his nose, then rubbed his eyes, suspecting that he might have fallen under the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
When he looked again, that figure was still just as clear and captivating.
Holy shit, it really was her!
No, wasn't this a bit much?
He did hope to meet more characters as soon as possible and escape his misery early, but hitting the jackpot repeatedly within just a few hours was a little too... Had the lottery station exploded or something? It seemed he would have to check his pockets for winning tickets when he got back—though he had never bought one.
Though he was thoroughly shocked and surprised, the most pressing thing now was to keep close to her. He silently followed behind her, transforming from a passerby into a stalker within one second.
Fortunately, with his appearance, even if he was discovered, no one would suspect him of harboring any wicked intentions.
He had a hundred reasons to explain himself and get out of trouble. A hundred!
His eyes stayed fixed on her, afraid of losing sight of her.
She seemed quite free as well, walking and stopping without any purpose, casually observing her surroundings. Whenever her gaze was about to sweep over him, Sakurakoji Talent would look away beforehand, avoiding eye contact.
After walking more than half the street like that, she finally stopped in front of a fast-food restaurant with a sign that read "Burger," pushed open the door, and entered.
After deliberately waiting under a roadside tree for two minutes, he also walked straight into the fast-food restaurant.
At the counter, he casually ordered a coffee-and-burger combo. He looked around but found no sign of his target. Looking at the staircase to one side, he guessed she had gone upstairs.
After collecting his meal, he put on an indifferent expression. After spending three seconds at the stairs pretending to struggle over where to sit, he turned and went up as well.
The instant he stepped onto the second-floor flooring, it took him only a third of a second to spot the woman seated beside the floor-to-ceiling window.
Her outstanding appearance, dignified bearing, and cool expression, as though nothing in the world concerned her, all spoke of how extraordinary she was.
Though she herself seemed not to care in the slightest, on the second floor of this ordinary little restaurant, she was undoubtedly the most striking presence there—aside from him, who had just followed her inside.
Author: Place your bets, place your bets! Everyone, guess who this newly appeared character is! I think I've already given quite a few clues. Let's see whether any expert can guess correctly. If you do... well, there's no prize to give out, ehe.
The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: Another Top-Tier Genius and a Rich Woman
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