After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

However, in this adult-like setting, she did not continue to call her only family member "Mom," but instead used a more formal term of address.

"How thoughtful, Ms. Nagasaki's daughter..."

As Nagasaki Sase heard the receptionist behind him, who seemed to be expressing some envy, as she walked toward the elevator.

Her already somewhat uneasy feelings became even more complicated. She gently bit her lip, and a phosphorescent light seemed to ripple deep within her azure eyes.

The elevator's metal doors were smooth and cold, reflecting her slightly tense image.

Nagasaki Sase walked in, pressed the button for the floor where his mother's office was located, and his azure eyes reflected the number that began to jump upwards.

The cramped space suddenly fell silent, with only the low hum of the elevator cables.

The composure I had forced myself to maintain in the lobby receded like the tide, and unease crept back into my heart.

Will Mother be happy?

This thought uncontrollably popped into Nagasaki Sase's mind.

She knew her mother was extremely busy with work, with her schedule accurate to the second.

Will my sudden arrival bother her? Will it seem inconsiderate of me?

After all, the somewhat surprised look from the security guard upon entering and the somewhat special treatment from the receptionist in the lobby both undoubtedly indicated one thing.

This is a workplace for adults, not a place for children to play.

She could even imagine the fleeting frown her mother might have when she saw her, a slight twitch of furrowed brows from the interruption of her work—though her mother would always quickly mask it with a smile.

But... his fingers unconsciously rubbed the handle of the insulated bag, where the warmth of the kitchen still seemed to linger.

She was worried that her mother might find out that she had other intentions than promised to visit her on set and bring her food.

Even if her thoughts weren't directly perceived, how could she tell her mother that she wanted to meet Mr. Youyu and Xiaoxiang?

I told my mother not to mention this to Yuu Toyokawa.

Now, should I take the initiative to bring up the other person, especially in a setting where my mother works?

However, this is one of the few opportunities I will have to get in touch with Toyokawa Yuu and Kosho again.

The boy frankly admitted that he harbored ill feelings towards himself and was even very wary of the other members of his band.

Li Xi, whom he had asked to inquire about his whereabouts, was also exposed by him.

If I miss this opportunity, will I have another chance in the future?

But......

The elevator ascended smoothly, and the feeling of weightlessness made her heart jump slightly.

What will my mother say when she sees me?

Is it like at home, where you feel, "It's so good to have Soyo here"?

Will she still show a little bit of genuine joy at being cared for?

She longed for the latter, yet feared her expectations would be dashed.

I still vividly remember the surprise and complex emotions I felt when my mother brought home an autographed photo of Ave Mujica last time.

The name of Toyokawa Yuu, clues about Shoko's possible appearance... these chaotic thoughts entangled her, but at this moment, on her way to see her mother, she wanted to temporarily suppress these thoughts that were making her mind so chaotic.

"Ding—" A crisp notification sound rang out, and the elevator doors slid open silently.

A blast of air, a mixture of the coolness of air conditioning, caffeine, and the smell of paper and ink, hit me.

Before her was a corridor covered with a thick carpet, with offices on both sides separated by frosted glass partitions. Through the frosted glass partitions, she could vaguely see busy figures inside and hear the constant ringing of telephones and the sound of keyboards typing. An efficient yet detached atmosphere instantly enveloped her.

She subconsciously straightened her back again, carrying the lunch bag, and walked carefully towards the direction of her mother's office that she remembered, like a secret agent on a covert mission.

Each step was taken with extreme caution, for fear that the sound of one's footsteps would disturb this inviolable order belonging to adults.

However, today's order seems to have a slightly different feel from the past.

Simply put, there seem to be more "children" here who are around my age.

Unfortunately, I happen to recognize them all – Ave Mujica.

"Hello, Mom, can you hear me?"

A pink-haired girl, whom Nagasaki Saseko remembered as the drummer of Ave Mujica, stood by a huge floor-to-ceiling window at the end of the corridor, looking at the towering buildings outside. Her voice was excited, with a hint of amusement at her parents.

Want to guess where I am right now? I just finished a really amazing job...

She was as mature as an adult who had gone out to make a living, but at the same time, she had a childlike quality of wanting encouragement and comfort from her parents, which made Nagasaki Sase, who was passing by, stop in his tracks.

Is the drummer at Ave Mujica very good?

It seems... to be really amazing.

Despite being around the same age as me, her playing skills have won the recognition of so many audiences, and her band has become extremely popular. She received a lot of attention right after her debut and is thriving.

This person, whom Aine calls Meow Dream, seems to be like Mr. Yuu, someone who became an adult at a young age, just like the others in Ave Mujica.

After leaving CRYCHIC, Xiao Xiang and Mr. You Yu formed a band together, and that's how amazing they are.

Perhaps staying in that band would indeed be a waste of their talents for her and Xiao Mu.

They could have easily made a name for themselves, but instead, they kept trying to keep them tied to that student club that had only existed for half a month...

No, no, if I keep thinking like this, things will get worse. I'll start to feel like I did something wrong...

Sōse Nagasaki shook his head slightly and did not linger behind Yūtenji Wakana.

She could hear the surprised voices of other children coming through the receiver, as if they were amazed that their older sister, who was working hard away from home, would contact the family at such a time.

However, for Nagasaki Sase, who had no siblings, it was completely unfamiliar territory.

She had neither the interest nor the courage to learn about something that was destined to be out of her reach.

Just like knowing that one of her teammates actually lives in the shadow of her sister, but because she presents herself as a kind and understanding person, she never thought of offering help in this regard.

However, just seeing Yutenji Wakanagi here was enough for Nagasaki Sosei.

Since members of Ave Mujica are here, it means that Yuu Toyokawa and Shoko Toyokawa are very likely here as well.

However, let's go find Mom first.

Having confirmed that there was indeed hope of achieving her goal, Nagasaki Sase took a deep breath and walked towards her mother's office.

............................................................

[Dongdongdong——]

A rhythmic and polite knocking sounded, simultaneously drawing the attention of both Yuu Toyokawa and Ms. Nagasaki inside the office.

Ms. Nagasaki blinked, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

If nothing unexpected happens, the person knocking on the door at this time should be my daughter, who promised to visit me on set.

However, it seems that I haven't received any message from the front desk downstairs yet.

Could it be that they think Soyo has been here a few times before and they're already familiar with her, so there's no need to report her?

Ms. Nagasaki frowned slightly at the thought of this possibility.

In her view, it's best not to break rules unless absolutely necessary, even in the slightest way.

Let's find some time to emphasize this to the front desk again...

With this thought in mind, Ms. Nagasaki got up from the sofa, and the slight displeasure on her face had long since disappeared as she stood up.

No matter what, I can't have a stern face when I'm with my daughter.

"It seems the person arrived right after we finished speaking. I'll go open the door."

Watching Ms. Nagasaki turn away, Yuu Toyokawa opened her mouth, but then realized she didn't seem to have any reason to stop her, so she reluctantly closed her mouth.

Could I possibly stop someone else's daughter from visiting the set?

However, the fact that everything that happened today seemed to be outside his plans made him feel somewhat uncomfortable and uneasy.

Unsure of what the boy behind her was thinking, Ms. Nagasaki had already reached the door and turned the handle when a girl's figure came into view.

"Excuse me, Ms. Nagasaki and Mr. Yuu."

Yawata Kairin was carrying two bento boxes that seemed to have just been taken from the company cafeteria. Her emerald green eyes reflected the face of the woman in front of her, but she couldn't help but shift her gaze to the direction of Toyokawa Yuu in the office.

“The two of you seem to be quite busy with work, so Oblivionis asked me to bring these two meals over.”

Handing out the two lunchboxes, Hachiman Kairin's expression was meticulous, as if she was trying hard to project the same capable demeanor as the two people in the office and blend into that businesslike atmosphere.

However, Ms. Nagasaki noticed the slightly skewed gaze of the girl in front of her.

Not only Hachiman Kairin, but even Wakaba Mutsuko was somewhat concerned that Toyokawa Yuu didn't participate in the small dinner after filming.

She barely touched the rather lavish meal that Ms. Nagasaki had arranged.

However, since Ms. Nagasaki was also absent, and the two seemed to be discussing some work, no one else could say much.

On the contrary, Toyokawa Shoko, the only one whose status was equal to that of Toyokawa Yuu and who could theoretically also intervene in the conversation between the two, seemed completely unconcerned that her fiancé had not eaten yet after leaving the restaurant.

In the end, it was Hachiman Kairin who brought up the matter with her.

Even now, standing at the office door, Hachiman Kairin still couldn't forget the looks on her face when she said those words in the other room.

Especially Toyokawa Shoko, whose amber eyes held a strange look that she couldn't understand, which gradually transformed into a scrutinizing gaze that Hachiman Kairin could comprehend after a moment.

But in the end, the captain of Ave Mujica did not reject his proposal. Instead, he smiled and nodded in agreement.

"It's true that I didn't think things through. In that case, I'll trouble Timoris to deliver it."

For some reason, even though the other party had done as she wished, Hachiman Kairin didn't feel happy. Instead, she felt a sense of... helplessness and guilt.

Moreover, since the other party has already said that, it seems that it is not appropriate for me to linger in front of Toyokawa Yuu for too long.

"Oh? Is that so? Thank you for your hard work, Ms. Hachiman Kairin. Would you like to come in and sit down?"

To his utter surprise, when he opened the door, he didn't see his daughter, but rather members of Ave Mujica.

Ms. Nagasaki was slightly taken aback, but a warm smile immediately appeared on her face, and she even took the initiative to invite Hachiman Kairin into the room.

"No, Ms. Yu seems a bit tired, so I'd better not disturb her for now... But, Ms. Nagasaki, there are some things I'd like to ask you. Could I take a little of your time?"

Suppressing her urge to agree, Hachiman Kairin shook her head and instead extended an invitation to the woman in front of her, Nagasaki.

She did indeed want to ask the woman in front of her, a career woman whose promotion speed was astonishing and whose achievements would be astonishing if she were to inquire about her even slightly, for some advice.

"Of course, no problem. Let's talk next door."

Ms. Nagasaki felt she had no reason to refuse Hachiman Kairin's request, but she really didn't want her daughter to find her talking to someone about work-related matters when she arrived.

Ms. Nagasaki knows her daughter is very sensible and would never cause her any trouble at work, but she doesn't want her to feel embarrassed by such a situation.

Therefore, taking Hachiman Kairin to another room for a chat might be a better choice. As for Toyokawa Yuu remaining in the office...

Soyo herself has said that she knows Mr. Toyokawa, so there shouldn't be any major problems.

With that in mind, Ms. Nagasaki took the lunchbox handed to her by Yawata Kairin, turned around and put it back on the coffee table, then gestured to Toyokawa Yuu to excuse herself.

After receiving a polite response from the other party, the door was gently closed, but not completely locked.

With Hachiman Kairin in tow, they went to an empty office next door and politely asked the girl in front of them, who seemed to be quite attentive to Toyokawa Yuu, what she wanted to ask.

"Although asking this might offend or be impolite to you..."

When asked so kindly by this lively yet impeccably composed career woman, Hachiman Kairin could no longer maintain her stern expression.

A hint of emerald eyes, or perhaps apology, was revealed.

"No, I don't think that, given Hachiman-san's personality, she would have any thoughts that would make people feel very embarrassed or impolite. Please feel free to ask."

With a slightly encouraging look in her eyes, Ms. Nagasaki nodded to Hachiman Kairin, indicating that she could speak her mind.

However, Ms. Nagasaki's gaze would occasionally drift to the clock hanging on the wall, as she was also somewhat eager to return.

Regardless, since her daughter rarely planned to visit the set, she still hoped that the first person her daughter would see when she walked in would be her.

“Then I’ll be frank with you, Ms. Nagasaki.”

Taking a deep breath, Hachiman asked a question that Ms. Nagasaki had never considered before.

"I want to know how to become someone like you, someone who is adept at handling tasks."

Hachiman Kairin paused, as if she felt that her previous words did not fully express her inner desires.

"Or rather, I would like to ask you how I can become like you, excel at my work, and quickly become a trusted confidant of the company."