I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

Since they've come to visit him, there's no reason to turn them away. It's only right and proper to invite them in, and then we can talk things out.

"No need, it looks like Aki-kun hasn't eaten yet, how about I treat him?"

Sawamura Sayuri noticed the fast food bento box that Aki Tomoya was carrying and couldn't help but make a suggestion.

"No need, Aunt Sawamura is here to visit. I've already been too accommodating, how could I trouble you any further? Please come in!"

Aki Tomoya shook his head. He decided to let it go. He believed that Sawamura Sayuri meant well, but he wanted to hear what she had to say.

"Well... I'm sorry to have bothered you."

Sawamura Sayuri smiled slightly helplessly, and then at that moment, her manners as a well-bred young lady were fully displayed.

Instead of trying to build a closer relationship by talking about shared interests, it would be better to sit down and have a proper talk, letting Aki Tomoya hear her plea as a mother.

The lights in the living room and hallway came on, and Aki Tomoya first invited Sawamura Sayuri into the living room, then turned around to make a cup of tea for this elder.

"Thank you, Aki-kun."

"We'll only serve tea; we hope you don't mind."

The living room suddenly fell silent, with the white steam rising leisurely from the teacups.

Aki Tomoya and Sawamura Sayuri were sitting face to face at the coffee table.

Tick ​​tock, tick tock——

The second hand of the clock in the living room ticked away, and in this atmosphere, time seemed to slow down considerably.

Sawamura Sayuri picked up the tea in front of her and took a sip. In an instant, she couldn't help but think that Aki Tomoya's tea ceremony skills needed to be improved.

However, she didn't come here just for a cup of tea; she had other important business to attend to.

"I heard that Aki-kun has set his sights on the University of Tokyo. That's quite ambitious, Aki-kun!"

Sayuri Sawamura spoke, a hint of admiration in her eyes.

Regardless of anything else, at least Aki Tomo had the courage, and that alone is commendable.

Aki Tomoya nodded upon hearing this and casually said thank you. He knew that Sawamura Sayuri's question was not about this, but rather a way to bring up the real issue.

"Whether in the past or now, Aki-kun is always full of energy for what he pursues, which is much better than my good-for-nothing daughter. She is currently in a period of confusion, unlike you, Aki-kun. This is giving me quite a headache!"

=

=

Chapter 46 A Mother's Troubles

Sawamura Sayuri is very worried about Eriri. Some things that shouldn't be considered right now are being put in front of her, making it difficult for her to adapt.

Few people know Eriri's true identity, and Aki Tomoya is one of the few who does.

When interacting with others, Eriri pretends to be a lady of high society, partly to avoid embarrassing her parents.

Simply put, Eriri is now feeling lost.

"With such an outstanding child, there's no need to be so modest. She's a very talented painter, and given time, she'll definitely achieve great things."

Aki Tomoya replied casually.

"But do you think what she's painting now is beneath her dignity?"

Sayuri Sawamura said calmly.

Both of them knew perfectly well that Eriri drew mostly in notebooks.

"She won an award at the art exhibition last year, and her other works would also be good works in that field."

Aki Tomoya looked into the other person's eyes, his gaze filled with openness.

It's true that you can't talk about doujinshi in the open. It's fine if it's just something you enjoy in your own little world in Japan, but let's not forget that Eriri also won an award at a formal art exhibition last year.

Aki Tomoya didn't understand why Sawamura Sayuri suddenly brought up Kashiwagi Eri.

Unlike the Sayuri Sawamura he remembered, the Sayuri Sawamura now speaks like an adult.

This made Aki Tomoya a little more serious.

"Could it be that Eriri looks down on her own work? No way, no matter how bad that person's temper is, well, even if she's sometimes hard to control, she wouldn't take it out on her own work, would she?"

Aki Tomoya also wanted to say that Eriri's hidden rich girl had a terrible temper, but he didn't say it directly in front of her mother.

But Sayuri Sawamura should understand that Eriri wouldn't look down on her status.

"But here's the problem: that child is now walking alone, and it seems he can't be a lone warrior!"

"So, is it true that parental support is very important, but support from friends is also necessary?"

"Not entirely. It's just that friendship seems much more fragile in her eyes now. Friendships formed during student days often fade with time as people go about their different lives."

"Friendship, these things are phased, right? You have different friends during your student days, and you have different friends after you become an adult. Eriri can't possibly not find that kind of genuine friendship in the future. Although her temper is not likable, I'm not the only one who can put up with her."

At this point, Aki Tomoya relaxed a bit.

Everyone experiences feelings of confusion to some extent, but for Aki Tomoya, it's something he's long been used to.

After graduation, we went our separate ways. We started keeping in touch frequently, then occasionally, and only at class reunions did we remember our old friendship, and then we smiled at each other.

"Aunt Sawamura isn't trying to blame me for Eriri no longer seeing friendship as pure, is she?"

Aki Tomoya chuckled to himself. Given Eriri's family background, shouldn't she have known this much earlier?

In a society where class consciousness is deeply ingrained in Japan, especially for someone like Eriri from a privileged background, doesn't she have any idea what kind of people she's surrounded by every day?

I used to watch Japanese dramas where a group of wives would gather and compete with each other, each husband's status determining their standing within the wives' circle. The intricacies of these relationships were simply outrageous.

“Aki-kun just brought out the things she would have to face sooner or later. In her eyes, her previous relationships were probably still quite pure. But recently, her rejection of other children has given me a little headache.”

Sayuri Sawamura didn't blame Tomoya Aki, because that was the truth.

Opportunists are a common sight in Japan. If Eriri were to see those who had been turned away from her still flocking to her when they saw her again, her views would be further influenced.

"Carefree young lady, if possible, does Auntie intend to continue creating this kind of environment for Eriri?"

Aki Tomoya had a smile on his face.

A person's growth is inseparable from both environmental and human factors.

In that environment, Sayuri Sawamura raised Eriri to be an otaku. However, while the ideals celebrated in anime and manga do exist in the real world of Japan, the adult world is clearly much more complex.

Sawamura Sayuri did not answer, so Aki Tomo took it as a tacit agreement.

Therefore, given the influence of Sawamura's family in the area, coupled with Eriri's father's capital in the homeland, it seems they indeed possess such strength.

"Aunt Sawamura, do you want me to feel honored?"

Aki Tomoya appeared respectful, but the smile on his face seemed somewhat fake.

In Sawamura Sayuri's eyes, if Aki Tomoya were to practice this professional fake smile further and perfect it to the point that it would be comparable to her father's secretary.

Is Aki-kun jealous?

Sawamura Sayuri's eyes lit up, and she asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I'm not jealous of my friends, but I do admire them."

Aki Tomoya shook his head.

Why would he be jealous of a girl he's known for over ten years? Does he mean she's better than him?

Well, in terms of drawing, she is indeed better than me, but she's not as good at it!

Is it about family background?

The Aki family is considered one of the better-off families in Tokyo, and Aki Tomoya feels that he is lucky compared to others in terms of resources.

It's envy, isn't it?

Aki Tomoya admires people who can do what they love without any worries at such a young age, because he also wants his life to be closer to his ideal state.

"You dare to say that, kid? It's only spring break, are you really a student?"

Sawamura Sayuri put down her folding fan and carefully examined Aki Tomoya once more.

Aki Tomoya is now very clear about what he needs and what he wants to do. He has clear goals, specific plans, and the corresponding drive to take action.

Accepting your environment and trying to change it makes you infinitely better than those who only complain and blame others.

Is this still the same otaku as before?

Sayuri Sawamura found Aki Tomoya's transformation quite interesting.

"Excuse me for asking, Mr. Aki, are you interested in the humanities programs at the University of Tokyo?"

Sayuri Sawamura asked with great interest.

"Sorry, I'm not interested!"

The latter answered almost as soon as she asked the question.

"Wow, such a decisive answer?"