After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Since waiting is inevitable no matter where you are, at least here you can be closer to Toyokawa Yuu, and he can spend less time bringing you food during your lunch break.

Aside from causing trouble, all I could do for that boy was this insignificant little thing.

Although only the wind that Yuu Toyokawa couldn't block would blow on him, he shouldn't leave him alone in the wind.

At least, when he occasionally wants to take a break, Wakaba Mutsu hopes he'll find himself always here.

But why...

Good morning, my lovely daughter. Did you miss your mom?

A mature woman with hair that was almost the same color as Wakaba Mutsu, but who was wearing a sun hat and sunglasses to cover her face, sat down next to the girl in a very familiar and nonchalant manner.

A familiar sound, one that she hadn't heard for a full week, reached Ruoye Mutsu's ears, causing her to instinctively tighten her grip on the guitar.

Why is Minami here?

Seeing her daughter's ever-silent expression, Mori Minami wasn't annoyed. Instead, she greeted the golden-eyed girl in front of her again.

"So, what about my other daughter? Aren't you going to come out and say hello to your mother?"

"...Metis said she doesn't want to talk to you."

The warm greeting from Minami Mori and the image of Metis baring its teeth and claws upon discovering Minami Mori in his mind made Mutsuka Wakaba fall silent for a moment. Realizing that she couldn't subtly convey her other self's attitude towards her mother as a mouthpiece, she chose to relay Metis's words in detail.

This honest behavior caused the initially enthusiastic Mori Minami to pause, and in the end, she had no choice but to skip the greeting.

Her presence here was not accidental; she came specifically after receiving news that her daughter was near the agency.

"So, my lovely daughter, why are you sitting so forlornly by the roadside? The sun is almost making your hair split. Did you do something wrong that made Yu-Yu dislike you, so you're punishing yourself to win his forgiveness, or is it...?"

She reached out and gently lifted her daughter's soft hair. The light green hair was not at all as dry and split as Senmina had described; it was as delicate as the finest silk.

However, for someone like Senmina Nami, lying through one's teeth to a certain extent is already an instinctive behavior that is not worth paying extra attention to.

"...Or is it that after causing so much trouble for Yu-Yu-kun, you're finally planning to obediently come home with me?"

“I’m not disliked by Youyu, I’m just waiting here for him to get off work.”

The words from her mother made Wakaba Mutsu fall silent for a moment before she began to refute them.

It wasn't that she was speechless because her secret was touched, but rather that she was simply unable to find the right words to say to her mother in an instant, as she was not good with words.

Even when he heard Minami Mori speak, Mutsumi Wakaba himself was puzzled.

He was just sitting here alone, holding his guitar, staring at the office where he didn't know when he would be able to go back, waiting for the boy who had promised to have lunch with him every day to get off work at noon.

The sun is shining brightly today. Prolonged exposure to the sun can indeed cause discomfort, but the spot I chose is conveniently shaded by trees, so there won't be any problems.

But why, in Senmina's eyes, would this be something to be pitied?

She was simply waiting; she had long since grown accustomed to waiting.

Waiting for the little girl to grow up a bit and no longer have to be a child star for her mother under the spotlight, waiting for Sho's mood to improve after Aunt Mizuho's passing, waiting... waiting for Toyokawa Yuu to come home from get off work.

Here, she would even have to wait less time.

And the reason why Yuu dislikes me... is it because staying here might expose my identity? But I'm not wearing Ave Mujica's clothes, and even my fancy guitar is carefully stored in its case.

I won't make mistakes in this kind of thing.

"Minami, I don't plan to go home. Yuu is very good to me."

She slowly shook her head at her mother, and Ruo Yemu met the gaze of those golden eyes, almost identical to hers, hidden behind sunglasses.

The words were brief and contained no other meaning; Ruo Yemu was not the type to actively add implied meanings to her words.

However, her often inarticulate expression frequently draws criticism from people she herself cannot understand.

...like this.

"Not planning to go home? It seems Youyu-jun is taking good care of you, making my darling daughter so happy she doesn't want to leave."

Hidden behind sunglasses, where no one could see the details, were golden eyes that revealed a complex emotion.

She felt a mix of anger and jealousy, but overall, she wasn't satisfied with her daughter's remarks. Senmina felt that she had been outshone by others without even realizing it.

Both are arranging their daughters' freedom, but no matter how you look at it, their side is more perfect.

His daughter might not like acting, but she certainly wouldn't like being a guitarist in a commercial band under the spotlight.

Both were asked to do things they didn't like, yet they obeyed Toyokawa Shoko and Toyokawa Yuu's every word, but resisted their own arrangements in every way.

"So, what is my dear daughter doing here? Xiangzi should have already conveyed my message clearly, but the only thing I can't do is work and go to school. I thought my dear daughter had finally come to her senses and was planning to ask me to come and take you home... Such blatant behavior will make it difficult for me to explain to Grandpa Dingzhi."

Her voice carried the same sweet laughter as always, but if Ye Mu could keenly sense it, his mother was beginning to show her dissatisfaction.

This time, however, she seemed to finally understand the reason for her dissatisfaction.

Was it because he came near the agency that Minami mistakenly thought he was planning to break the rules?

Looking at his mother, Ruo Yemu felt a little apologetic. He realized that his behavior seemed to have caused trouble for his mother, who was willing to make an exception for him when traveling, under Zai Xiang's unknown persuasion.

“I don’t plan to go in, don’t worry about me breaking the rules... I’ll behave.”

If only you had listened to me, there wouldn't have been so much trouble.

The dissatisfaction hidden behind the sunglasses was even more pronounced, and even the smile on his face was no longer so bright.

"Although according to the agreement with Yu-Yu-kun, I shouldn't be the one saying these words, but... how long do you intend to be willful, my lovely daughter?"

The slight change in tone caused the apology on Ruoye Mu's face to freeze, and confusion and bewilderment resurfaced in those golden eyes.

Why are you suddenly angry?

Did I say something wrong again?

Sensing the change in her daughter's expression, Senmina did not stop speaking.

There were some things she really needed to say to Wakaba Mutsu, both as a mother and as Mori Minami.

If the daughter of the Ruoye family and the fiancé of the daughter of the Toyokawa family live under the same roof, it's hard to say what might happen over time.

Although Senmina wasn't too bothered, she had already seen through her daughter's thoughts back when they were in that clothing store, even though she herself might not have realized them.

But there will always be some people who are dissatisfied with this, or even who feel dissatisfied on behalf of Toyokawa Shoko, the person involved.

"It's actually not appropriate for you and Youyu to live together."

Gently pulling down her sunglasses, revealing half of her golden eyes, Senmina Nami looked into her daughter's eyes for the first time today.

"I see."

Although she felt uncomfortable because of her mother's sudden change in mood, Ruoye Mu did not refute Senmina's words, and even Youyu nodded very readily without much hesitation.

She wasn't like Metis, whose way of thinking wasn't much different from that of a real child. Tsukimori's lessons also included what kind of social distance girls of this age should maintain.

To be honest, if Metis hadn't suggested it, and if Yuu Toyokawa hadn't agreed without any objections, she wouldn't have even considered it.

"Xiangzi wouldn't want you to live under the same roof as Youyu for a long time either."

The mother's voice continued, but this time Wakaba Mutsu did not answer immediately, instead falling into a moment of silence.

After a long while, the girl's voice finally rang out softly.

"......I know."

“Then, how about I find you another place to stay outside? This isn’t a compromise on your part; Xiangzi has already paid you.”

"I reject."

Without any hesitation, she responded even faster than when she had previously agreed with Minami Mori's statement.

Looking into her mother's eyes, Ruoye Mutsu resolutely shook her head.

"Youyu, I won't leave unless you kick me out."

The atmosphere between the mother and daughter quickly became tense when this topic came up.

Their hair color and eyes were exactly the same. The two, who only noticed each other in terms of body shape and temperament, stared at each other quietly until another person's voice broke the silence between them.

"Xiao Mu, what are you doing here?"

Reminded by Junda Mana, Yuu Toyokawa realized that Wakaba Mutsu had secretly arrived at the agency without her knowledge. She hurriedly came out of the building, feeling that this location was somewhat remote compared to other places.

Pulling Wakaba Mutsu up from the bench and shielding her behind him, Toyokawa Yuu used her body to forcefully cut off the mother and daughter's view.

Looking at the actress in front of her, who would be younger and more spirited in ten years, Toyokawa Yuu's eyes were somewhat complicated, but her voice was straightforward.

"Ms. Minami, you've fouled."

Chapter 175 mentioned that he could bring Wakaba Mutsu in.

"Ara, Yuu-kun, it's been a long time."

Seeing the young man who had once again stepped in front of her daughter, Mori Minami was not annoyed at all; instead, she greeted him quite warmly.

Minami Mori didn't treat Yuu Toyokawa with the same condescending attitude she would show her own daughter.

On the contrary, she rarely showed the same special respect and appreciation to a junior of similar age to her daughter as she did to Toyokawa Yuu, even when the other person ruined her plans more than once.

After all, unlike his good-for-nothing daughter, Toyokawa Yuu was quite... sensible.

It wasn't the kind of obedient child who blindly followed adults' orders. In Minami's view, Toyokawa Yuu's maturity was reflected in the fact that he was very clear about the rules of the game for them adults.

Unlike her daughter, who was somewhat infuriatingly weak and submissive, she would not repeatedly give up or compromise what belonged to her for the sake of someone who held a title of "half-body".

Unlike the immature Toyokawa Shoko, who would stubbornly turn away from things she was dissatisfied with, refusing to consider compromise or communication.

Yuu Toyokawa... Although her actions and choices do not always align with Minami Mori's wishes, she has been working against her ever since their early days of collusion.

However, this boy clearly understood how to interact with adults like himself.

He will hold on tightly to what is rightfully his and will not let go easily. If he wants to get something, he also knows what price he should pay in exchange.

For this reason alone, Toyokawa Yuu was far superior to Mori Minami's evaluation of her daughter and her daughter's half-body.

Ultimately, whether it's the daughter's submissiveness or her assertiveness and refusal, if they weren't spoiled young ladies, they probably wouldn't even have the right to display those attitudes.

In contrast, Toyokawa Yuu's ability to make choices and her willingness to engage in ambiguous exchanges are quite admirable in Mori Minami's eyes.

Even though he and his daughter are now living in a small, cramped room and seem a bit down on their luck, Senmina Nami doesn't look down on him.

In her view, a person who knows how to make choices and compromises will definitely be able to rise to great heights if he returns to the family and helps the overly naive Toyokawa Shoko take the helm.

At the very least, he won't leave any leverage over others like Toyokawa Sadaharu, having to walk on thin ice to avoid being ousted, nor will he be too radical, resulting in him being kicked out of the family.

Even if Toyokawa Shoko comes to power in the future, Toyokawa Yuu is a more suitable person to curry favor with than the head of the family who is not mature by today's standards.

That's why Minami made her stance clear from the beginning, and even now, with Yuu Toyokawa appearing down on her luck, she hasn't changed her attitude.

—As long as Yuu Toyokawa is willing, she will always reserve a place for him as a collaborator.

In fact, if it weren't for Toyokawa Sadaharu keeping a close eye on things, she would have liked to take the initiative to help this young man who was in a predicament, so that he would owe her more favors when he was sure to come to power.

"It's only been a week since we last met, it shouldn't be enough for Ms. Minami to miss me so much."

Looking at the actress in front of her, whose hair color was exactly the same as that of Wakaba Mutsu, Toyokawa Yuu could still feel the snobbish smile in her eyes, even though the other woman had already pulled up her sunglasses again as she shifted her gaze from Wakaba Mutsu to herself.

This perspective has remained unchanged, whether ten years later or now.

Toyokawa Yuu didn't dislike that kind of look; on the contrary, dealing with people with that kind of look made him feel at ease.

At least when I'm with this kind of person, I only need to consider what to choose and what to lose, unlike when I'm with Wakaba Mutsu or a few other people, I don't even know what to choose or what to lose.

However, Yuu Toyokawa disliked the fact that Minami Mori directed that gaze at Mutsu Wakaba.

"Besides, if Ms. Minami really cares about me, she should come to me directly. The straight-line distance from here to Ave Mujica's office is less than 200 meters. There's no need to make things difficult for an unemployed person who would be hindered whether going to school or going to work."

Gently holding the back of Wakaba Mutsu's hand, Toyokawa Yuu even used the term "unemployed" to describe this girl whom she had protected and even lived with for more than a week.

Her golden eyes trembled slightly, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on the fingers of Toyokawa Yuu that were holding her palm.

Ruo Ye Mu quietly lowered her head, holding the guitar case to her chest with her other hand, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

She knew that Toyokawa Yuu wasn't looking down on her; she couldn't help with anything except causing trouble.

On the contrary, he was doing this for his own benefit, using such a somewhat rude attitude to contradict his mother.

I'm just a little sad and a little angry.

It wasn't that Yuu Toyokawa was disrespectful to his mother, nor was it that Yuu Toyokawa described him that way. Muka's anger was solely directed at himself, who seemed utterly useless.

Every time her mother wanted her to do something, she seemed unable to solve the problem on her own. The biggest act of resistance she ever made was to run to Toyokawa Yuu's place in the middle of the night and knock on his door, asking him to take her in... and drag him into it.

If only I could muster the courage to do something for Youyu.

She cautiously raised her head and turned her gaze to observe Toyokawa Yuu's eyes.