Soyo's Mom: Isn't He Your Boyfriend?

Suddenly, Riki's face flashed through her mind.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Riki..." Toyokawa Sakiko sobbed softly.

"What are you apologizing for?"

Toyokawa Sakiko looked up and saw Riki, soaked from head to toe, with bruises on his face. He grinned and pulled a stack of Fukuzawa Yukichis from his pocket. "I kept these inside my clothes so they wouldn't get wet in the rain. Damn, I'm freezing. Oh, and the bruises on my face are from falling when I took a shortcut. Your old man sucks—he's Black Iron at best, nowhere near my Star Shine rank. I mean, my rank in Honor of Kings, not the other one."

Riki was startled.

He'd almost exposed the fact that he was a hardcore gamer.

Toyokawa Sakiko stared blankly at Riki. She didn't take the money he was holding out. Instead, she suddenly threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you. Thank you so much..." Toyokawa Sakiko sobbed.

Riki gently stroked her head.

"It's no big deal. Though my appearance fee isn't cheap. Back in the day, my underclassmen would show their appreciation with spicy snacks and drinks. You're a little older, so your payment can be a month's worth of cooking for me."

Toyokawa Sakiko smiled through her tears. "Is one month enough?"

Riki's heart stirred at her words.

Could he... get two months?

"Keep the money with you. Otherwise, my dad will just take it from me again." Toyokawa Sakiko put the money back into Riki's hand.

"Is that really a good idea? Aren't you worried I'll run off with it?" Riki hesitated.

"Of course not. You're the only person I trust right now, Riki." Toyokawa Sakiko smiled.

A beautiful girl's trust was a heavy responsibility. It weighed a few hundred thousand yen.

Oh, and there was probably some scholarship money in there, too.

"Your clothes are soaked, too. Go take a bath." Toyokawa Sakiko pushed him into the bathroom, then leaned against the door for a long while without saying a word. Just hearing Riki's voice from inside made her feel at ease.

Ring's practice room.

"Your smile is disgusting," Nagasaki Sose said, looking at Riki in exasperation.

What was your problem with me? Because I was a knight, was that it?

"I just did a good deed yesterday. Do I have to report that to you, too?" Riki said confidently.

"I have absolutely no interest in what you do," Nagasaki Sose said flatly. "But my mom wants to meet you."

"Meet me?" Riki was taken aback.

Why did she want to meet him?

*****

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Nagasaki's Mom: Isn't He Your Boyfriend?

Riki walked down the road with Nagasaki Sose, looking at his phone as he messaged Toyokawa Sakiko. She'd bounced back quickly, recovering her spirits in just one night.

Toyokawa Sakiko: [What do you want for dinner?]

Riki: [Kun.]

Toyokawa Sakiko: [Chicken, right? Okay.]

Riki was a little worried that he might be leading Toyokawa Sakiko astray. Beside him, Nagasaki Sose frowned and glanced over. "Are you chatting with Sakiko-chan? Let me see."

"Who are you?" Riki asked.

Nagasaki Sose's face darkened. "I'm Sakiko-chan's friend. I need to make sure you're not harassing her."

"So you're friends? I saw you messaging her and her not replying, so I thought you were strangers. What a relief." Riki let out a breath.

Don't think Japan has a monopoly on passive-aggressive remarks. Remember who came up with them first.

Riki needled her a little, and Nagasaki Sose couldn't take it. She drew a deep breath. "If my mom asks you anything later, answer properly."

Wait, why were you and your mom putting me through boot camp?

Should he run away from this Hongmen Banquet?

He wasn't some homewrecker. He had no reason to fight.

"Don't worry. My mom wants to thank you for helping me before. I thought she could just give you a few pastries, but she said she had to invite you over and thank you properly." Nagasaki Sose spoke coolly.

That was a bit much, wasn't it?

Friends, I've been subjected to unprecedented online abuse. Like and subscribe, and let me tell you my sob story...

Riki clicked his tongue. Seeing his exasperated expression, Nagasaki Sose curled her lips into a pleased smile. Then, as if she'd remembered something, her gaze softened.

"We're here."

Riki and Nagasaki Sose swiped their key cards, entered the apartment building, and got into the elevator. As soon as they stepped inside, they saw workers carrying in some unopened furniture, squeezing Riki and Nagasaki Sose into the corner.

I can't breathe!

Seeing how crowded the elevator was, Riki shielded Nagasaki Sose in the corner.

"Sorry, we squeezed you in, didn't we?" one of the workers apologized. "I hope your girlfriend didn't get hurt."

You really know how to spot a girlfriend.

Riki rolled his eyes.

"She isn't my girlfriend."

"He isn't my boyfriend!"

They spoke in unison, leaving the worker stunned. If you say so, then I guess it's true.

Nagasaki Sose grew even more annoyed when she saw the other man's doubtful expression. She looked up and found Riki's face right in front of her. Since he was quite a bit taller, he seemed to be blocking her whole body, making her feel incredibly safe.

And up close, Nagasaki Sose had to admit that Riki was quite handsome. If he didn't speak, he really would have been a gorgeous guy.

But in reality, he was an annoying jerk.

"What?" Riki asked, looking down at Nagasaki Sose as she glanced at him.

I hate this angle... Nagasaki Sose turned her head away. "Nothing."

If it was nothing, why were you staring at your big brother Riki?

Didn't you know your big brother Riki's looks were for viewing only, and came with a fee?

The elevator slowly ascended. Riki's legs were getting sore from making room for Nagasaki Sose.

Nagasaki Sose noticed, too. "Move a little closer."

Sure... Riki shuffled forward on his toes. Suddenly, the elevator jolted, and he lurched forward, feeling two warm, soft mounds pressing against him.

Riki immediately realized what had happened.

As expected of someone in a mom role, she really was well-endowed. Was she really a high school student?

Unlike those women who stuffed their bras and deceived their customers, this was the real deal.

"It's not my fault! You told me to move closer," Riki hurriedly declared in his Cosmic Safety Declaration.

Nagasaki Sose flushed bright red and glared at him in embarrassment and anger. But she knew Riki hadn't done it on purpose, and he'd only been trying to help her. She could only swallow her anger.

"Ding!"

They'd finally arrived.

They both breathed a sigh of relief. Then Riki heard Nagasaki Sose's voice.

"Mom?"

Riki finally understood the pain of youth.

Meeting the wrong person at the wrong time.

That was probably what it was.

And when they executed me, could they at least use a smaller bullet?

"Please, Riki-kun, have a seat. I invited you over today to thank you for helping Sose out of a difficult situation before." Nagasaki's Mom smiled warmly at Riki.

As expected of a sharp and capable businesswoman. The moment the elevator doors had opened, she'd realized there'd been a misunderstanding. She hadn't embarrassed Riki; instead, she'd invited him straight inside.

"I'm sorry. Sose is the sort of child who says one thing and means another. You must have a hard time dealing with her," Nagasaki's Mom said with a smile.

Nagasaki's Mom was absolutely right.

Beside them, Nagasaki Sose protested angrily, "Mom, I'm not like that!"

Riki was a mature adult, after all. He only shook his head with a smile. "Not at all. Sose-chan is very considerate."

His words conveyed three parts trust, three parts approval, three parts regret, and ninety-one parts insincerity, all to save face for Nagasaki's Mom.

What a jerk... Nagasaki Sose's polite smile was about to crack. The corners of her eyes twitched.

Right, he should give him a present and get him out of here.

"Riki-kun, I heard you've also been helping Sose with her music lately?" Nagasaki's Mom asked curiously.

"Not really. She's already talented enough on her own. I just made a few insignificant improvements," Riki replied.

Riki spoke in a calm, gentle manner, and Nagasaki's Mom listened intently. Every now and then, he'd say something that made her laugh.

He liked to joke around and have fun in his everyday life, but when the situation called for it, he did better than anyone. After all, he'd been chosen as an outstanding student representative during his first year at university and had given a speech in front of thousands of people without batting an eye.

Nagasaki Sose, who'd just come out of her room, was also taken aback by the scene. She walked over and handed him a box. "This is a present for you."

Sose, why were you so rude at first and so polite now? The contrast was laughable.

The moment Nagasaki Sose saw Riki's expression, she knew what he was thinking. Her face darkened.

Why was he such a mature adult when talking to her mom? It had surprised her, too. But when he talked to her, it seemed like he couldn't say anything nice.

"Take this seriously!"

"I'm just more comfortable around you," Riki muttered.

"What did you get me?" Riki asked quietly. "I don't accept cheap gifts worth less than three hundred million. That's just how the Rothschild · Lu Family operates."

"Poison. I should've poisoned you," Nagasaki Sose said irritably.

Nagasaki's Mom merely sipped her tea beside them, smiling as she watched the two of them.

"Once you take your present, hurry up and leave."

So rude. It was like she had ants crawling all over her whenever he was around.

Riki stood and said goodbye to Nagasaki's Mom.

"Please keep looking after Sose from now on," Nagasaki's Mom said earnestly.

"Not at all."

She meant with the band, right?

Nagasaki Sose watched Riki leave, then finally let out a slow breath. She'd managed to get rid of the guy at last.

"Sose, you were very rude just now," Nagasaki's Mom said reproachfully.

"Sorry."

Then Nagasaki's Mom changed the subject. "But I'm relieved. When you're with your other friends, don't you always keep up your polite front? But when Riki-kun is around, you let your true self show. Seeing you happy makes me happy, too."

"When was I happy?" Nagasaki Sose's face turned red, and she hurried to protest.

It was just that she could say whatever she wanted when she was with him. That didn't mean she was happy.

Sure, talking to him was easy, but that didn't mean she was happy!

Nagasaki's Mom smiled without answering. "Anyway, he seems like a good person, so I can rest easy."

"Rest easy about what?"

"Eh? Isn't he your boyfriend?"