Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

"Of course! Old lady, use your brain, okay? Who in their right mind would yell and scream like that in the middle of the night?"

Ritsuki Sawamura glanced at her briefly before looking away, then rolled her eyes at Yoshiko Sawamura.

Incidentally, he also stepped on his own elderly mother's foot.

Yoshiko Sawamura: "???"

"Don't talk to Mom like that!" Yoshiko Sawamura said angrily, her face turning into a glutinous rice cake, looking defiant.

"Shut up, old lady, or I'll beat you up!"

When Riki Sawamura got fierce, her little fangs showed, and Yoshiko Sawamura immediately cowered, shrinking her neck. She then recalled the terrible memory of being pinned to the ground and beaten by a certain impotent and furious pink-haired girl in the hotel.

He chickened out, but not completely...

"You make it sound like I'm afraid of you... I'm not going to stoop to your level, hmph..."

"I'm an adult, I won't argue with kids..."

Yoshiko Sawamura hugged her milk tea and started muttering to herself. After repeating it twice, her neck, which had been hunched over, gradually straightened up again.

That's right.

It's not that she can't beat the little pink-haired girl.

As a mature, steady, beautiful, kind, gentle, and considerate great mother, she was unwilling to hit a child with unstable emotions.

Just let her have her way.

If she really got serious, the great mother only needed to make a slight move to let the little pink-haired girl know what bloodline suppression was!

As for being pinned to the ground and subjected to "Ora Ora" in the hotel, it was because the carpet was too slippery, the pillows were too soft, I was sleep-deprived, I wasn't in a good state, and she wasn't serious at all.

Ok.

That's it.

Yoshiko Sawamura successfully achieved a mental victory, straightened her back again, and even the sound of her drinking milk tea became louder.

suck-

Ritsuki Sawamura glanced at her.

Yoshiko Sawamura's movements as she drank her milk tea softened considerably, and she bent over again.

While it's all about spiritual victory, we still need to respect reality.

After all, the pink-haired girl really does take action.

The mother and daughter continued walking along Tokyo's bustling streets, where neon signs illuminated the night in a kaleidoscope of colors, people came and went at the entrances of shopping malls, and the aromas of various foods wafted from the restaurants on both sides of the street.

The two of them had been wandering around Tokyo for almost a whole day since they left the hotel, and apart from their legs getting increasingly sore, they hadn't seen a single hair on Kuroba Shido's head.

At first, Yoshiko Sawamura was full of confidence.

She felt that although Tokyo was big, fate would surely arrange a romantic encounter, just like in idol dramas, where the male lead stands at a crossroads, the female lead bumps into him while holding something, papers fly everywhere, and the two of them bend down to pick them up at the same time, and then accidentally touch hands.

Then look up.

look at each other.

The music is ringing.

Love begins.

To fulfill this destiny, Yoshiko Sawamura even bought a stack of flyers that she would never use and carried them in her arms, ready to bump into any young man who resembled Shido Kuroba.

As a result, they crashed three times.

The first one was a balding man in his fifties.

The second one is a girl wearing a mask.

The third one was a good-looking young man, but his girlfriend was right next to him, and he almost mistook Yoshiko Sawamura for some strange old woman who was out stealing men in the middle of the night.

The flyers are gone.

Fate was also lost.

Yoshiko Sawamura almost got beaten up.

"I'm not leaving!"

Yoshiko Sawamura suddenly stopped, squatted down by the roadside with her milk tea in her arms, her face full of dissatisfaction with the world.

"Tokyo is so big, we don't even know where he is. What's the difference between searching like this and looking for a fish in the ocean?"

Ritsuki Sawamura didn't look up, continuing to look at her phone: "You can go back to the hotel."

"And what about you?"

"Keep searching."

"Then I won't go back either."

Yoshiko Sawamura immediately stood up from the ground and patted her skirt, which was completely free of dust.

Ritsuki Sawamura looked up, her eyes filled with disdain: "Weren't you just unable to walk?"

"Mom is worried that you'll be scammed."

"You should worry about your brain."

"Little pink-haired girl, don't be ungrateful. Mommy is protecting you!"

"Protect me?"

Ritsuki Sawamura glanced at Yoshiko Sawamura's empty milk tea cup and then at the snack bag she was carrying in her other hand.

Since they came out, they haven't found Kuroba Shido, but Sawamura Yoshiko has eaten takoyaki, taiyaki, fried chicken nuggets, candied apples, cream crepes, and two cups of milk tea along the way.

She strongly suspected that the old lady wasn't out looking for someone.

We came out to eat and explore.

Yoshiko Sawamura followed the pink-haired girl's gaze to the bag in her hand, then immediately hid it behind her back: "I'm replenishing my energy; searching for people takes a lot of energy!"

"Oh."

"What are you 'hehing' about? Your mother is so old, and she's spent the whole day with you. You're not even touched, and you're still doubting your mother like this."

"You can go back."

"no."

Yoshiko Sawamura shook her head without hesitation, her expression gradually becoming serious.

"Little pink-haired girl, you're so infatuated with that guy that you've lost your mind. If he doesn't reply to your messages for a day, you're running around all over Tokyo. What if you meet him and he says a few nice things, and you forget what your own name is?"

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

"Why aren't you saying anything? Mom was right, wasn't she?"

Yoshiko Sawamura became increasingly convinced of her own reasoning as she spoke, and she held up one finger, striking a pose as a relationship guru.

"Men are dangerous creatures, especially the kind who are secretive, never reply to messages, and make girls worry. They're obviously experts, using this push-and-pull tactic to manipulate inexperienced girls like you!"

Ritsuki Sawamura asked expressionlessly, "You have dating experience?"

Yoshiko Sawamura: "..."

Oh no.

The attack angle was too tricky.

Yoshiko Sawamura blinked, forcibly maintaining her air of a master: "I've watched a lot of idol dramas."

"oh."

"It's also mentioned in the book."

"What book?"

"How to get your teenage daughter to listen to her mother."

"Will it work?"

Yoshiko Sawamura glanced at Ritsuki Sawamura's little fangs and silently withdrew her finger.

It doesn't seem to work.

The book says that although teenagers are rebellious, as long as parents communicate patiently, show care, and respect their personal space, the children will definitely feel loved and open their hearts.

She patiently tried to communicate with him, but the little pink-haired girl told her to shut up.

She offered her care, but the little pink-haired boy stepped on her.

She respects personal space, so the pink-haired girl kicked her off the bed.

fraud.

The book is full of liars!

Yoshiko Sawamura was about to unleash a torrent of abuse against the unscrupulous author when her stomach suddenly rumbled.

She glanced down at her stomach, then looked up at the side of the street.

Not far away, a Japanese restaurant had warm yellow lanterns hanging outside, and its dark wooden door was half open, from which a faint aroma of grilling wafted out.

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes lit up instantly.

"Pink hair!"

Ritsuki Sawamura: "What?"

"Mom thinks we shouldn't rush into finding someone; we should conserve our energy and plan for the long term."

Speak like a human.

I'm hungry.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Yoshiko Sawamura had already run out. The old lady who had just been complaining and claiming that her legs were about to leave her body was now walking briskly, even overtaking two young people who were about to enter the store at the door.

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

really.

People can only unleash their true potential in areas they are interested in.

Ritsuki Sawamura slowly followed him inside.

The Japanese restaurant is not as small as it looks from the outside. After passing through the narrow wooden corridor at the entrance, there is an open-plan dining area bathed in warm light.

A dark wood bar extends around the chef's worktop, and several neatly trimmed green plants are placed against the wall. The air is filled with a light woody scent, the sweet aroma of soy sauce, and the savory smell of grilled fish.

The chef behind the counter wore a white headscarf, and the long knife in his hand gleamed coldly under the light. Brightly colored ingredients were neatly arranged in the freezer.

The pink tuna belly has fine snowflake patterns, and the oil shines slightly under the knife when it is cut open. The sea urchins are placed in a wooden box, each one plump and soft. The sweet shrimp are translucent light red, and there are also peony shrimp that have just been taken out of the tank, their whiskers still trembling gently.

On the other side, the torch made a whooshing sound.

Flames sweep across the surface of the salmon, causing fine oils to quickly seep out and bubble up around the edges of the flesh. The thick, fatty meat curls slightly, releasing its aroma. Finally, a layer of sauce is brushed on top, and the salmon is placed on warm vinegared rice and garnished with a touch of wasabi.

Yoshiko Sawamura stood in front of the bar, her eyes wide open.

"This, this, and this!"

The clerk in charge of taking orders held a tablet, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

"Two portions of fatty belly, two portions of medium-fatty belly, four portions of sea urchin gunkan sushi, sweet shrimp, botan shrimp, seared salmon, eel, and Wagyu beef nigiri sushi, plus a sashimi platter, a tempura platter, chawanmushi, and grilled silver cod..."

Ritsuki Sawamura sat down and took out her phone: "Can you finish this?"

"You can take the leftovers home."

"Japanese food to go?"

Yoshiko Sawamura paused for a moment.

Something doesn't seem right.

But she quickly regained her confidence: "Then I'll try my best to finish it; the human stomach has endless possibilities!"

Shop assistant: "..."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

Hearing these words from an older woman, there was an inexplicable sense of reliability in them.

Because she might actually finish it.

Yoshiko Sawamura spent several minutes ordering before finally closing the menu with satisfaction. She turned to ask, "Little pink-haired girl, what do you want to eat?"

"casual."

"What does 'anything' mean?"

"Shut up, I don't want to think right now."

Ritsuki Sawamura lowered her head, her fingers swiping back and forth in the chat box.

She had sent a lot of messages to Shido Kuroba since morning.

[Shido, are you busy today?]

Unread.

I happen to be outside Tokyo today. Where are you?

Unread.

I didn't specifically call to see you; I was just asking casually. Please don't misunderstand.

Unread.

The old lady keeps pestering me to see you, it's really annoying. I'm just trying to shut her up.

Still unread.

One green message after another filled the screen, making it look like a stock chart showing consecutive limit-down days.

Ritsuki Sawamura grew increasingly irritated.

You replied to messages last night, so why haven't you checked your phone all day today?

Is he really dating other women?

impossible.

How could any girl besides her possibly be willing to date a guy like Shido who is poor, lazy, and has a foul mouth?

Ritsuki Sawamura tapped the screen hard.

After thinking for a while, I started editing a new message.

[Shido, is something wrong? If you need help, let me know. I can handle anything. I'm not worried about you, it's just that we've known each other for so many years, and I don't want to see you die in some strange place. Of course, even if you do die, I'll find a way to arrange the best burial for you, so please remember to reply after you see this message.]

I read it once.

That's too fierce.

delete.

Re-edited.

[Shido, how was your day? I don't mean to rush you. You can come back after you're done. I'll wait for you, no matter how late it is.]

Ritsuki Sawamura's face gradually turned red.

That's such a simp.

She is the eldest daughter of the Sawamura family.

How could someone say such a thing?

delete.

I entered it again.

[Shido, I miss you.]

Riki Sawamura's fingers froze, and her entire face instantly turned bright red, as if someone had poured a pot of boiling water on the pink-haired girl's head.

No!

Absolutely must not send!

Delete it, it absolutely must be deleted!

In her panic, Ritsuki Sawamura accidentally clicked the wrong location and sent the message directly.

A green bubble appears at the bottom of the chat box.

[Shido, I miss you.]

Ritsuki Sawamura: "!!!"

withdraw!

Withdraw immediately!

She had just pressed the message button, and before she could even click "recall," the status at the bottom of the chat window suddenly changed.

Read.

Riki Sawamura froze.

She stared at the small read mark, her eyes widening little by little. Shock appeared on her originally flushed face, followed by undisguised excitement.

Shido saw it.

Shido finally saw the message!

"Bang!"

Riki Sawamura slammed her hand on the table, jerking herself up from her seat.

Next to her, Yoshiko Sawamura was enjoying a small appetizer of tofu that the waiter had just served when she was startled by the sudden noise, causing the tofu in her mouth to slide down her throat.

"Hmm!"

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes widened, she covered her neck with both hands, and began to cough violently.

"Cough cough cough... Water, water!"

Ritsuki Sawamura didn't hear at all, staring at the read mark on her phone, her lips curling up uncontrollably.

"He saw it!"

Yoshiko Sawamura pounded her chest and struggled to reach out her hand, saying, "Never mind whether he's seen it or not, Mommy's going to die..."

"Auntie, he saw my message!"

"Mom will see your dad soon too!"

Yoshiko Sawamura grabbed the tea beside her and gulped down a mouthful, finally swallowing the tofu stuck in her throat. She leaned over the table, panting heavily, tears streaming down her face.

Almost.

It was just a little bit short.

My great mother's glorious life ended because of a piece of appetizer tofu.

Yoshiko Sawamura looked up, ready to accuse the pink-haired girl of murdering her mother, but when she saw Ritsu Sawamura holding her phone, she seemed to come back to life, her lips twitching for a long time.

Yoshiko Sawamura: "..."

Hopeless.

This little pink-haired girl is completely beyond saving.

……

Luxury apartment.

After taking a shower, Shido Kuroba changed into loose pajamas and lay comfortably on the large bed in the center of the bedroom.

With two soft pillows behind him, a can of soda beside his legs, his phone connected to a charger, and a tablet propped up in front of him, he had completely transformed from a refugee of the Jingu family into a parasite in a luxury apartment.

Big Black lay on a small mat not far away, slowly munching on a small piece of nut.

Kuroba Shido had just turned on his phone, intending only to glance at the time, when dozens of messages suddenly popped up on his chat app.

Ritsuki Sawamura's.

Aunt Jiazi's.

Yamamoto ancestors.

Ito is not honest.

There were also reminders on some campus forums.

The amount of information was so great that it was as if a missing person had suddenly returned to society, and all their relatives and friends came to check if the body was still warm.

Kuroba Shido clicked into Sawamura Riyue's chat box, and a huge expanse of green almost stained the screen, with a sentence popping up at the very bottom.

[Shido, I miss you.]

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

He glanced at it.

No reply.

It's not that I don't want to reply.

The main problem is that I don't know how to reply.

Replying with "I miss you too" can easily trigger a romantic storyline.

If you reply with "thank you," you might get attacked and killed by a pink-haired troll through the internet.

Replying with "Where do you miss me?" makes it feel like the storyline is heading in a direction where it can't be broadcast.

This is difficult.

Let's not do it for now.

Kuroba Shido skillfully exited the chat box and clicked on the game invitation.

Ito Fusei had been waiting in the room for half a day.

The newly released Gala to Wood co-op mode allows two players to enter the story simultaneously. One player plays the male protagonist and the other plays the female protagonist. The two players need to increase each other's affection level within a limited time by chatting, giving gifts, and triggering events, and see who can win the other's affection level to the maximum first.

The official promotional slogan is very romantic.

Find your destined other half in the virtual world.

The actual experience was extremely eerie.

Especially when two men play together.

In the game, Shido Kuroba, controlling a blonde beauty in a school uniform, stands under a cherry blossom tree, gazing affectionately at the black-haired male protagonist controlled by Fusei Ito.

The system displayed three options.

[First, she lowered her head shyly and revealed her feelings, which she had kept hidden for many years.]

2. Gently hug your partner and tell them you want to be with them forever.

3. Slap him hard across the face and call him a subservient man.

Without hesitation, Shido Kuroba chose the third option.

Snapped!

The blonde beauty on the screen slapped the male protagonist across the face.

【Favorability +10】

Ito Bosei: "???"

"Why does hitting me increase my affection level?"

"You don't understand, do you? This is called a reward mechanism. The male protagonist you're controlling clearly has some hidden attributes."

"Screw you, you're the one with hidden attributes!"

Ito Fusei grumbled and cursed, but when it was his turn, he simply gave the blonde beauty an old scarf he had just picked out of the trash can.

【Favorability +15】

The Black Feather Warrior said, "???"

"Why do you add more trash than I do when you deliver it?"

"That means the female protagonist you're controlling is easy to take care of."

"I think the game development team has concrete in their heads."

While attacking each other, the two frantically tried to increase each other's affection level. What should have been a warm and romantic campus love story in the game was turned into two lunatics testing each other's limits.

The blonde beauty invites the male protagonist to watch the sunset on the rooftop.

The male protagonist brought two bottles of expired milk.

Favorability increases.

The male protagonist invites a blonde beauty to an amusement park.

Because the tickets were too expensive, the blonde beauty led the male protagonist to lie outside the wall and listen to the screams of people on the roller coaster.

Favorability rating rises again.

Finally, the two got into a fight at the supermarket entrance over a discounted bento box.

The favorability rating increased by fifty points.

Ito Fusei stared at the nearly full red hearts and fell into a state of "...".

"Is there something wrong with the game's views on romance?"

Kuroba Shido took a sip of his soda: "You don't know anything. This is real love. You hurt each other, you torture each other, and in the end, you have to stay together because the sunk costs are too high."

"If you're so knowledgeable, why haven't I seen you date anyone?"

"Because I am a master of theoretical studies."

"Virginity is virginity, why make it sound so nice?"

"Aren't you?"

Ito Bosei: "..."

That cannot be refuted.

The game entered an automatic cutscene, giving the two a moment of free time. Suddenly, Ito Fusei remembered something: "By the way, what did you do all day? I didn't see you at school, and you didn't reply to my messages. I thought you abandoned your brothers to go on a date."

"How is that possible? Today I went to participate in a battle of the century that involves the honor of the 'Fancy Rat,' the future of the Jingu family, and the landscape of Tokyo's underground boxing world."

Ito Fusei: "Speak like a human being."

"Watch two mice fight."

"..."

"And you, have you resolved the rice ball issue yet?"

The pain on Ito Fusei's face was palpable even through his voice when this matter was brought up.

"Don't even mention it."

"What's wrong? Did Yamamoto finally accept your confession?"

"roll!"

Ito Fusei took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the urge to stab Kuroba Shido to death through the internet cable.

"That damn rice ball is still chatting with me using my name!"

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

This sentence contains a lot of information.

"He messaged me this morning, asking what I thought of Yamamoto Sento. He also said that although Yamamoto Sento is not good-looking, he is kind-hearted, humorous, loyal, and a good man to entrust one's life to."

"Yes, my self-evaluation is quite objective."

"Objective my ass!"

Ito Fusei's voice suddenly rose.

"He even asked me what kind of guy I liked, saying he could help me pursue Yamamoto Sento. I said I liked guys who were quiet, had normal hair, and looked human. And he actually told me that Yamamoto Sento could change his hairstyle for love!"

Kuroba Shido almost spat out his drink.

"So affectionate?"

Then he sent me a photo.

"What photo?"

"There's a piece of seaweed stuck to the top of the rice ball!"

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Ito Bosei: "..."

He said it looked quieter, more normal, and more like a standard rice ball.

"grass!"

Kuroba Shido couldn't help but laugh so hard he was shaking all over, almost kicking his cane off the bed.

Big Black raised its head and glanced at it, then continued to gnaw on its nuts.

got used to.

This human often falls ill without any warning signs.

Ito Fusei gritted his teeth: "I'm enduring it every day. I'm afraid that one day I won't be able to control myself and will actually take a knife and cut that rice ball in half, then stuff a slice of luncheon meat in the middle."

"Calm down, murdering your friend is a crime punishable by imprisonment."

"I can hardly tell if he's my friend or my enemy anymore!"

"At least he's trying to help you pursue him."

"Isn't this even more outrageous?!"

The two cursed Yamamoto for several minutes, and the automatic plot in the game reached the confession stage. The black-haired male protagonist knelt on one knee, holding up a plastic ring he had pulled from a gashapon machine, ready to propose to the blonde beauty.

Ito Fusei, controlling the male protagonist, asked: "So, who was that pink-haired guy who just sent you a bunch of messages?"

Kuroba Shido controlled the blonde beauty to take a step back: "Netizen."

"How many years have we known each other?"

"Many years."

"You traveled all the way from abroad to Tokyo specifically to see you?"

"Maybe."

"Shall I transfer you one million?"

"She's rich."

"I heard you were extremely worried after you got injured, and even asked you if you liked her?"

"It's normal for netizens to care about each other."

Ito Bosei: "..."

The male protagonist in the game is kneeling on the ground.

A blonde beauty stood in front of me.

Cherry blossoms are falling.

Gentle background music begins to play.

Ito Fusei, however, felt that he was not playing a dating game, but watching a master of feigning ignorance give a live lecture.

Ito Fusei's tone was complex, but he exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, "Master, you're a master of playing dumb."

"You flatter me. The most important thing in society is identity definition. As long as I stick to the online relationship, anything abnormal can be categorized as a difference in online social culture."

"What about Onodera-senpai?"

"A relationship between senior and junior students."

"Where is Aoko Jingu?"

"Relationships between male and female classmates."

"Your interpersonal relationships are truly spotless."

"Of course, I, Kuroba Shido, have lived an upright life and have never had any ambiguous relationships with strange women."

As soon as he finished speaking, the favorability rating in the game was finally maxed out.

The black-haired male protagonist excitedly hugs the blonde beauty, and a giant pink heart pops up in the center of the screen.

[Congratulations to the two players for successfully winning each other's hearts and unlocking the special title: Destined Lovers.]

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Ito Bosei: "..."

Both players left the game room at the same time.

This title must be removed.

Otherwise, if Yamamoto sees this tomorrow, things will really be hard to explain.

Ito Fusei restarted the normal game mode: "Want to go out tomorrow? A new arcade recently opened, and I heard they have a new Kamen Rider arcade machine. That die-hard rice ball Yamamoto goes there too. We can find a chance to trick him into going in, then steal the card and run away."

Kuroba Shido thought for a moment: "Tomorrow won't work, I have an appointment with my senior."

The other end of the voice call went silent instantly.

A few seconds later, Ito Fusei let out an extremely envious gasp.

"Senior?"

"Um."

"Onodera-senpai?"

"Um."

"Going out alone?"

"It should be."

Ito Fusei remained silent.

Kuroba Shido seemed to hear the sound of drool dripping down his throat.

"Ito, watch your voice, it sounds disgusting right now."

"Shidou."

"what?"

"From this moment on, you are no longer our brother!" Ito Fusei said, heartbroken.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

buzz-

My phone, which was next to my pillow, vibrated.

Ritsuki Sawamura sent a new message.

[Shido, are you free tomorrow?]

Kuroba Shido casually picked up his phone and started replying without thinking.

[No time, I have plans with my senior tomorrow.]

send.

At a Japanese restaurant.

Riki Sawamura, holding her phone, saw Shido Kuroba's reply and her eyes lit up.

Then my gaze fell on the words "senior sister," and then... I made an appointment.

Ritsuki Sawamura: "???"