Chapter 508

'The hundred yen you save today will be a thousand yen tomorrow. Don't let your future self resent you.'

Although I was unwilling, what my mother said was true, and it wasn't just about money.

My mother's words were always right, so right that they were almost cold-blooded, so reasonable that they were almost heartless, and the experience behind them was so profound that it was hard to look directly at them.

So, I eventually couldn't stand it anymore and ran away from that home...

In the winter of my third year of junior high school, after what seemed like the umpteenth conflict, I made up my mind to carry out my long-planned trip to Beijing. On the condition that I would cover all my tuition and living expenses myself, I left my hometown almost like running away from home.

She shielded her eyes with her arm, pursed her dry, cherry-colored lips, and whispered in the small lounge:

"... That precious melody still flows on... in your heart..."

"Remember," Tsukimi Yachiyo's favorite song. She took out her earphones from her bag and immersed herself in the rest of the song.

The gentle melody and soothing female voice finally helped her relax her tense nerves a little.

Tsukimi Yachiyo, a female singer who suddenly appeared online a few months ago, has an unknown identity, nationality, and age... well, not exactly unknown, but she claims to be an AI that has lived for eight thousand years. Who would believe that?

Only her photos and works, constantly updated online, caused a sensation within a certain scope.

For some reason, her gaze was gradually drawn to her the first time she saw her.

Subsequently, perhaps due to triggering the network's big data, Yachiyo's message push notifications kept flooding her phone, tablet, computer, roadside billboards, electronic screens... her presence was everywhere in her life.

Then, the more she got to know her... the more she really fell in love with her, and now she's in the midst of a fervent, passionate pursuit!

And, suppressing her heartache, she spent a "large sum" from her meager wallet to buy an acrylic standee from Yachiyo and placed it on her desk in her old apartment.

"Heh, such a stingy and impoverished recommendation... I'm probably the only one in the world who would do that..."

She gave herself a sarcastic remark, then sat up straight.

"Oh, right..."

She hurriedly picked up her phone, searching for relevant information.

Yachiyo said that a major product she was involved in will be launched tonight, and she hopes her fans will also pay attention.

"Smart Contact Lenses launch event? What is this? A new VR product?"

She was stunned when she saw the news for the first time today, and blinked quickly.

"What does Yachiyo have to do with this? Never mind, let's take a look... Let me see, this press conference content seems interesting."

"This doesn't seem fake. Has technology really advanced to this level? That's amazing... By the way, aren't science subjects more interesting than humanities subjects?"

"No, no, no! A safer path is better than pursuing interest! I'll study humanities, go to University of Tokyo, and become a lawyer like Mom to earn money..."

Thinking of her mother, she paused, sighed, and continued reading.

"Um~ one last thing... before the end of today, we'll randomly select 1,000 lucky viewers to receive a complete 'Smart Lens' set worth 200,000 yen. Just click to participate!"

"What?! Even if this kind of pre-arranged lottery is real, out of 1000 sets, they'll probably only give out 100 to the public, and even then, it'll be very difficult to win."

"Let me see... over ten million people participated! Are you kidding me?! Such a one in ten thousand chance!!!"

"Ha, destroy it... really."

One minute later.

"However... if it's just one click, there shouldn't be any loss..."

"Ahhh~ I get it! People who pin their hopes on gambling are the dumbest, right, Mother!"

"..."

Before long, she was drawn back to the front lines by the voices of her colleagues outside...

Chapter 463: Interrogation of the younger sister.

"Mr. Talent, you should know why we've surrounded you, right?"

Are you hungry?

"No."

"Want to ask me music-related questions?"

"No."

"Yukino Shita- san left?"

"Not yet."

"You want gifts too?"

What gift?

Ichiji Nijika tilted her head in surprise.

"Uh... you might as well just state your purpose."

Sakurakoji Talent touched his temples. Although he already knew their purpose, he couldn't say it at this moment; that would seem a bit fake.

The time was about ten minutes after he gave PA the gift, just before the Sunday Live was about to begin. He was spotted by Yamada Ryo, who was out for a stroll (to slack off), and then gathered a group of people to surround him.

It's obvious they're concerned about what happened last night.

He glanced at Kanau with a slightly guilty look and found her lying listlessly to one side, her eyes glancing at him intermittently.

"..."

He conscientiously made her a Matcha Parfait and gently handed it to her.

"!"

The white cat's pearly little ears seemed to twitch, its heterochromatic eyes lit up, and it picked up a spoon and began to devour its food!

Done. He then looked back at the others.

After hesitating for a moment Ichiji Nijika finally chose her words and was about to speak when she noticed that her older sister had also joined in.

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to practice?"

Ichiji Hoshika, with a lollipop in her mouth, frowned and looked her over. "The fee won't be refunded if you don't practice, okay?"

No, sister!

Ichiji Nijika shouted at her, then explained, "We're here to ask about Mr. Talent's sister..."

"Oh, it's the one you showed me last night..."

Ichiji Hoshika's mind cleared, and she remembered how she had been dragged into a conversation until midnight the night before. With mixed feelings, she stared at Sakurakoji Talent.

Hateful!

That stunningly beautiful woman is actually this guy's sister?! Is there no justice in this world?!

I thought I could at least beat him on the sister aspect... What does this guy mean?!

Why did you seem so hesitant when talking about your outstanding younger sister?

The more she thought about it, the more dangerous and resentful her gaze became.

Is it because the other person looks so much like him that he, as the older brother, has such complicated feelings?

In particular, rather than saying his sister looks like him, it's more accurate to say that his face resembles his sister, who is a girl... He probably got a lot of teasing about it before, right?

Thinking about this, she seemed to understand him a little better.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Sakurakoji Talent shifted his upper body slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable under her gaze.

"I'm the store manager!"

"Uh-huh."

"I can look at it however I want."

"..."

What a profound truth... Fine, whatever makes you happy.

"Manager Ijichi, things are stable at the store now, and this guy is here too, so I'll be leaving now."

After cleaning the kitchen and packing her things, Yukino Shita Yukino, carrying Backpack that was bulging more than when she arrived, came to say goodbye to the others in a cool and aloof manner.

Gotou Hitori gazed at her enviously, his eyes, hidden beneath his bangs, filled with longing.

Yukinoshita- Yukino Shita is so handsome!

If I could be like her, I'd definitely be very popular, right?

Yui- san also mentioned that Yukino Shita -san is extremely popular at school, everyone knows her... but she doesn't seem to have many friends, why is that?

Could it be that, like Liang Sang, she's the type who prefers to be alone?

That must be it!

Ah~ I've been working so hard lately, devising a whole series of "treatment" methods for myself, but I still can't do what Nijika and the others can... I'm so useless... I'm like seaweed in the ocean...

But, but Nijika and the others also said that it's not entirely without effect; at least they can perform outside now... If this continues, it will definitely work!

Everyone has been working very hard lately, and I can't give up halfway and hold them back! I must overcome this!

She clenched her fists, determined to encourage herself.

"Oh, it's Yukino Shita. Take care and Kokoro on the road."

Ichiji Hoshika Hiratsuka Shizuka, nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"I understand. Then I apologize for my rudeness today."

Yukino Shita Yukino bowed slightly, glanced at him casually with her beautiful eyes, and then prepared to walk out.

"Ah, right! Yukino!"

Ichiji Nijika hurriedly called out to her.

"Um?"

Yukino Shita Yukino looked at the classmate who treated her like an outsider, her brows furrowed with helplessness. Judging by her personality, she seemed even more outgoing Yuihama Yui.

"Is there something you need Ijichi- kun?"

"Um... do you know Mr. Talent's sister?"

Ichiji Nijika expressed her feelings directly.

"I know he has a younger sister."

She knew about it the night it started on the last Golden Week.

"No, I don't mean that... Do you know what his sister looks like?"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean."

A hint of confusion crept into her voice, which always seemed to carry a touch of distance. "My relationship with him isn't exactly close. If even those of us who have known him for a long time don't know, then I certainly don't know either."

"Really? Do you want to take a look?"

Ichiji Nijika pulled out her phone and proudly displayed it, "I have Group Photo of me and her from last night!"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

The second exclamation was deliberately made by Sakurakoji Talent.

How did you get her photos?

He feigned ignorance and asked in astonishment.

"Hehe~ I bumped into them at the coffee shop at RiNG yesterday when I went to practice at the recording studio with Rakuna!"

Ichiji Nijika proudly puffed out her cute, plump breasts, looking as if she were saying, "I ran into a celebrity last night."

"Huh... what a coincidence?"

"Yes~ Wow! We were shocked when we first saw her! She looks exactly like you, Mr. Talent!"

No, I was the one who was scared, wasn't I? Your eyes were practically bulging out of me!

"That's right! Miss Ogura is simply the embodiment of a goddess! She's in no way inferior to our Talent senior!"

Kita Ikuyo cupped her small face in her hands, her eyes sparkling with countless stars surrounded by sunflowers.