Sose: Someone Like You Could Only Have Me

Nagasaki Sose didn't think she and Riki were particularly close yet.

So she was inclined to refuse Riki's request.

"Making a video together is something only good friends do, right?" Nagasaki Sose leaned against the sofa, crossing her slender legs as she sat. In a pose worthy of the cover of a fashion magazine, she coolly gazed at the laptop on the table.

The last time she'd made a video with someone had been when she practiced songs with her Crychic friends.

Admittedly, Nagasaki Sose thought their relationship had grown a little closer, but they weren't close enough to appear on camera together.

"Are we not good friends yet?" Riki felt a little hurt by the sweet-looking schemer.

"Can't you try a little harder?"

"No. This is my bottom line." Nagasaki Sose's answer was firm.

"Could you maybe loosen up that flexible bottom line a little?"

"What kind of person do you take me for?!" Nagasaki Sose shot Riki an exasperated look. "Besides, a video with just a man and a woman could easily make people think we're dating. Do you think we are?"

"Of course not." Riki answered without hesitation.

"..."

There was no need to deny it quite so quickly.

Nagasaki Sose furrowed her brows and glared at Riki. With a snort, she turned away from him and continued to monopolize the laptop he'd bought for 4,999 yuan on sale.

Seeing Nagasaki Sose's attitude, Riki blushed a little too. He decided to take a shower first. It was already nine in the evening, and it had gotten dark—just the right time for a hot shower.

Nagasaki Sose was looking at Riki's computer when her eyes suddenly fixed on something. She'd spotted a folder named "Study Materials."

What was this?

Something felt off.

Nagasaki Sose felt uneasy. She knew it wasn't right to snoop through someone else's private things, but she was terribly curious about Riki. What did he need to study?

No, why was I curious about him?

Still, maybe just a quick look.

Nagasaki Sose carefully glanced toward the bathroom, then double-clicked the "Study Materials" folder. Its contents popped up, accompanied by the pleasant voices of a woman and a man's deep voice.

In the top-right corner was the tag of a popular adult-video company—

First Year Music Course, Haicheng University PEP Edition.

Two teachers, a man and a woman, introduced basic music theory in the video, then quickly moved on to more challenging concepts.

So that was it... Nagasaki Sose's cheeks reddened. She'd thought she'd uncovered some secret of Riki's, but it turned out to be his school's course materials.

Nagasaki Sose let out a breath and backed out of the folder. Then she noticed another folder below it. Unlike "Study Materials," this one stated its contents right in its name.

—Videos with Sakiko.

Nagasaki Sose furrowed her delicate brows and opened it without hesitation.

The videos hadn't been edited, so they included plenty of footage unavailable on any website. Nagasaki Sose watched Toyokawa Sakiko play the piano with ease, and cook with Riki in the kitchen. The bright, carefree smile on Sakiko's face was one Nagasaki Sose had never seen before.

Was this why Sakiko didn't want her getting close to Riki?

Nagasaki Sose watched the video in silence.

Sakiko... liked Riki.

And she liked him a lot.

That was why she wore a smile like that.

Nagasaki Sose lowered her eyes. She didn't know why, but the thought of Sakiko liking Riki left a sour ache in her heart. Was it because Riki had taken Sakiko, her friend, away from her? Or was it because, to her, Riki...

"What are you watching so intently?"

Riki's voice suddenly rang out.

Nagasaki Sose let out a shriek. Riki had finished showering, and his hair was still a little damp. He looked straight at her, and for some reason, her heart suddenly began pounding.

Her cheeks burned, and her ears turned red.

"Good grief!"

Nagasaki Sose threw the cushion in her hands at his face, embarrassed and angry. "If you're going to walk up to someone, at least make some noise first!"

What? Was she really going to blame him for this?

"I called you several times already. You were too busy watching my little video. I know it might be a bit much for a high school student, but don't get too obsessed." Riki sighed.

With her face red, Nagasaki Sose looked straight at Riki. "You said the proceeds from the video we're making will be partly Sakiko's, right?"

"That's right, ma'am."

"Then I'll help you out a little. I don't need anything. I just want to help Sakiko." Nagasaki Sose spoke softly.

"Got it!"

Riki nodded and sent a message to his adopted son: The Imperial Army agreed to help. You're in luck.

Adopted son: [How many Japanese girlfriends do you have, exactly?]

Get lost, get lost, get lost. I'm making blossoms bloom across China and Japan.

Watching Riki's back, Nagasaki Sose placed a hand over her ample chest. Her heart was beating a little fast.

She wanted to figure it out. The feeling in her chest had to be the happiness of being able to help Sakiko—not the joy of being able to spend time with Riki.

"Didn't you just say only good friends make videos together? Why did you agree now?"

Sose, tell me what happened to you!

"I just felt sorry for you, begging me to help." Nagasaki Sose spoke coolly.

"Not really. I only act like this in front of you. If I actually need help, I just wave my hand and get someone to do it. But you and I are pretty familiar, so I feel more at ease asking you." Riki explained.

Am I special to him?

A subtle feeling welled up inside Nagasaki Sose. She tucked a lock of brown hair behind her ear. Her delicate ear turned pink as she turned her head and said coolly, "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm only granting you the status of a good friend for today. Once we finish filming, we'll go back to being ordinary friends. Understand, Random Guy A?"

"Random Guy A, reporting in."

Why have there been so many of them lately? I can't even get through the whole lineup.

Watching Riki's awkward expression, Nagasaki Sose couldn't help smiling brightly.

But... Sakiko must have told him what she said, right?

Why wasn't he bringing it up?

Nagasaki Sose lightly clenched the hem of her skirt.

"The instruments are just a piano and a cello. Luckily, I have a cello at home too. See if it works for you." Riki said.

Nagasaki Sose took the cello and sat down. She tested it and found it was perfectly in tune.

He really did have a complete collection of instruments at home.

Nagasaki Sose looked at the sheet music. The piece was titled Wedding, and she paused.

"My friend was going to use this piece to propose, but I guess he can't now. They've been bickering since kindergarten, all the way through university. I think they'll make up again in a few days." Riki said.

Nagasaki Sose suddenly wondered if Riki shouldn't be playing with Sakiko instead.

She hesitated, but didn't say it. Instead, she glanced sideways at Riki, who was seated at the piano.

For now, she'd just pretend she knew nothing.

Before Riki started, he suddenly said to Nagasaki Sose, "By the way, as a Cosmic Safety Declaration, I need to explain to our teacher that you agreed to perform with me, right?"

"Well... I suppose I agree." Nagasaki Sose turned her head, her gaze passing over the word Wedding on the sheet music.

Chapter 62: Sose: Someone Like You Could Only Have Me

That sounds lovely...

Nagasaki Sose watched Riki play the piano. He sat with perfect posture, completely unlike his usual self.

He'd be a lot easier on the eyes if he always acted like this.

"Did you film a video with Sakiko here, too?" Nagasaki Sose asked.

"That's right. By the way, Sakiko sat right where I'm sitting now."

"I don't care about that kind of detail." Nagasaki Sose spoke coolly, casting Riki a chilly glance.

Wait, why did she sound a little annoyed?

Did sitting in Sakiko's seat sully Sakiko-bao somehow?

"Can we start?" Nagasaki Sose looked at the sheet music.

Right, enough foreplay. Time to start playing.

Wedding was a piece that felt both solemn and joyful. The cheerful first half represented the happiness and lightness of being in love, while the solemn second half conveyed the gravity and dignity of a wedding.

Nagasaki Sose slowly drew her bow across the cello, producing a rich, low note as she watched Riki's back at the piano.

When he played, did he imagine someone's wedding?

Was it Sakiko's?

Or...

At the thought, Nagasaki Sose's hand suddenly trembled, and she drew a sharp, grating note.

"Sorry, I got distracted for a moment." Nagasaki Sose spoke softly.

It's fine. Knowing how to take the blame already makes her better than a lot of Black Iron players.

You ask why I'm not yelling at Silver?

Riki blushed.

Because I'm Silver.

Adopted son: [Thanks for your help, adoptive father.]

Adopted son: [Can you send me the video, Old Lu?]

Adopted son: [Great, I got it. Little Lu did a good job.]

Adopted son: [All right, this is your coming-of-age gift from your father. Go have fun with your girlfriend.]

Damn it, did I just go from adoptive father to plain old father?

Are you turning the world upside down here?

Nagasaki Sose watched Riki spar with his adopted son, sitting quietly on the sofa. After a while, she suddenly asked, "What do you think? Sakiko already told you what we said to each other, right? What's your take?"

When Riki saw Nagasaki Sose's slightly anxious gaze, she quietly rubbed her tender fingertips to relieve the tension.

Riki thought for a moment. "Next time you two argue, bring me along. I'll bring some popcorn."

"Smack!"

The cushion fell from Riki's face.

Nagasaki Sose shot him an exasperated glance, but she felt a little more at ease, and a faint smile appeared on her face. Then she turned to look at the computer screen, and her expression darkened again.

She'd just searched for herself on Bilibili, and the results had made her face fall.

Nagasaki Sose had thought she'd find lots of videos showing off how pretty she was. There were some like that, sure, but even more were made to poke fun at her.

'Bro, why are you playing Kasukage?'

'Nagasaki Sose teaches you how to switch to your clingy voice in one second'

'Flower of Winter: Nagasaki Sose'

For a Japanese beauty who'd never encountered this kind of internet absurdity, it was far too much.

"These people are all ruining my image! I'm going to sue them for violating my image rights!" Nagasaki Sose waved her arms angrily.