Tokyo Three Generations

At that moment, the two of them realized at the same time that Toyokawa Shoko had held his hand to comfort him, and now they had both forgotten to let go.

Shoko Toyokawa snapped out of her daze, quickly withdrew her hand, and a slight blush immediately appeared on her face.

Jun Takasaki also felt a little embarrassed, so he remained calm and pretended not to have noticed anything.

"As expected of the young lady, you solved our headache with just a few words..." He changed the subject, deliberately using a teasing tone, "However, if you had intervened, it might have caused unnecessary trouble for the Toyokawa family, which would have made me feel bad. In the end, this is just a problem for our family, and it can be resolved quickly. There's no need to trouble you here. Your visit is already enough to make us grateful."

"Besides being Miss Toyokawa, don't I have any other merits...?" Toyokawa Shoko's face fell. "I'd rather people like me because I'm Shoko."

Upon seeing her reaction, Jun Takasaki knew she must have misunderstood.

After spending time together, he had long since noticed that Xiangzi had a particular characteristic (or rather, a strength): she hated using her power to oppress others, and she disliked others fawning over her because of their family's power.

This demonstrates not only her strong sense of self, but also her exceptionally high self-esteem and confidence.

She firmly believed that she could win people's favor by using labels other than "Miss Toyokawa".

"Don't overthink it..." he said casually, then placed his hand on her forehead. "You have so many good qualities. You probably don't know, but I used almost a hundred words to praise you in front of my mother!"

When her hand touched her forehead, her face suddenly turned red, even a little hot.

However, after hearing what followed, the young lady's expression finally brightened, as if she had been coaxed.

"What did you say?"

"She's a really good person, well-educated, gentle, talented, and knows how to behave appropriately. My father says she's a rare gem of a young lady from a prestigious family. And from what I've seen, she has a very good temper. Although she inevitably has some of the capriciousness of a spoiled young lady, she's very kind to those around her, so she's quite popular at school..."

With his amazing memory, Jun Takasaki repeated in one breath what he had said to his mother the day before.

"..." Toyokawa Shoko blushed even more now.

She coughed lightly. "Actually...actually, I'm not that good. Of course...of course, I'm not saying you're wrong, I just...cough, um, I just feel that I still have a little room for improvement!"

Jun Takasaki didn't speak, but just smiled at Shoko, making her feel even more ashamed, and gradually she couldn't speak anymore.

“I’ve already looked at the other places. How about you take me to see where you live?” Then, after a moment, she abruptly changed the subject. “I’m actually quite curious.”

From the young lady's perspective, this request is a bit presumptuous; but from a friend's perspective, it is natural and very appropriate.

“Okay.” Jun Takasaki agreed without any hesitation.

72, a young girl's sentiment

Since Xiangzi requested a tour, Jun Takasaki led her directly down to the third floor and to his bedroom on the second floor.

However, he did not expect that although Xiangzi's expression appeared calm, his heart was actually in turmoil.

She had just comforted Takasaki Jun when, on a whim, she suggested going to his room to check on him.

However, once she started walking, she belatedly realized that something was wrong.

—I'm supposed to be a guest, but I ended up going to visit the boy's room. Is that... a little inappropriate?

If there's something offensive in the room, how should I react? If I react too strongly, it might embarrass everyone, but if I don't react at all, will people think I'm used to it?

Should she just let it go? Torn between hope and fear, her resolve began to waver.

But if I change my mind halfway through the process of making the request myself, wouldn't that seem impolite and willful?

While she was engaged in a fierce internal struggle, time had already slipped away unnoticed. By the time she realized something was wrong, she had already missed the best opportunity to withdraw.

Because the two people were already standing at the door.

Jun Takasaki pushed open the door and walked in first.

Now that things have come to this... it seems there's no room for regret.

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Toyokawa Shoko calmed down. She took a deep breath, and then, as if she had made a great decision, stepped inside.

However, to her surprise, the room was not as messy as she had imagined; instead, it was quite clean and tidy.

At the most prominent end of the room stands a large bookshelf, neatly arranged with numerous comic books and magazines according to issue number. Next to the bookshelf is a glass display case filled with figurines and robot models; the walls are adorned with posters of anime girls and game merchandise.

There was a computer desk next to the bed, with a screen and a computer case on it, which was currently turned off.

In addition to these otaku elements, there are also sports elements, with sports clothes for outdoor exercise hanging on the clothes rack, as well as baseball bats and other sports equipment, and even bamboo swords for practicing kendo.

On the shoe rack in the corner, besides everyday leather shoes, there are also several pairs of sneakers and athletic shoes.

...Thankfully, it's much more normal than I expected.

Toyokawa Shoko thought to herself.

The entire room is filled with the atmosphere of life. Just a quick glance around can give you a sense of the owner's hobbies and fulfilling life.

Upon seeing the relieved expression on Toyokawa Shoko's face, Takasaki Jun probably guessed what she was thinking.

Hey, what kind of person do you think I am! How could I possibly put something inappropriate where others can see it at a glance?

As a healthy young man, he inevitably had some treasured items on his computer. However, these things were all hidden in a secret folder on his computer, which Xiangzi obviously couldn't see right now.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Hmm...it has a very homey feel to it, you can immediately sense its vibrant energy." Xiangzi gave a positive review. "However, logically speaking, since Jun is a student at Tokyo University, there should be quite a few textbooks and exercise books in his room, right?"

“I put that kind of thing in the storage room long after the exam, I don’t want to look at it again,” Jun Takasaki replied.

"It seems like everyone does this...throwing away textbooks as soon as they get accepted." Hearing this cool reply, Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. "Jun, you know I'm also planning to apply to the University of Tokyo, so if I have any questions for you, as your senior, please don't hold back!"

Ah... Upon hearing Xiangzi say that, Takasaki Jun couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

Who wants to pick up textbook knowledge all over again after entering university?

However, he also knew that with Xiangzi's wealth and status, it would be a piece of cake for her to hire any famous tutor.

She said that just to create some buzz for later.

So how could I refuse her after she'd put it that way? Might as well pick it up; consider it a brain workout!

“Okay, no problem.” He nodded first, then, deliberately trying to tease Toyokawa Shoko, he asked another question, “How about I visit your house next time I come to see you?”

"Huh?" Caught off guard, Toyokawa Shoko exclaimed in surprise.

Letting a boy into your bedroom for a tour?

Although there are no "contraband" items in my bedroom, and theoretically it seems okay if someone actually saw them, I still feel embarrassed just thinking about it.

Even though I visited his room, things seem different between men and women...

But how should I refuse? Will it make me seem hypocritical?

Besides, it's not that it's impossible, it's just that it's too early now... we shouldn't be doing this.

One thought after another flooded her mind, making her feel like her CPU was about to explode.

Seeing Toyokawa Shoko's shocked and bewildered expression, Takasaki Jun was practically laughing his head off. He had only intended to tease her, so he wasn't disappointed even if she rejected him.

"Don't overreact, I was just joking." He couldn't help but laugh. "Breaking into Miss Toyokawa's room would damage her reputation. If word got out, I'd be torn to pieces by the assassins your family keeps."

"It's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be!" Toyokawa Shoko breathed a sigh of relief and retorted with a smile, "We don't have any assassins we keep!"

"Huh? Really not?" Jun Takasaki countered. "In novels and manga, large conglomerates usually have underground forces like this for dirty work, right?"

……

This question silenced Toyokawa Shoko once again.

As far as she knew, it seemed that there really wasn't any, but she wasn't sure if her family really didn't have any—maybe her father and relatives just didn't want to tell her because she was so young?

The dark side of the Toyokawa family may be more than you imagine.

That's why she suddenly lacked the confidence to deny it definitively.

"You've definitely been brainwashed by some manga or anime." That was all she could say in the end. "Anyway, I don't know of any. Even if there were, I wouldn't let them kill you... I'd rather kill those who want to harm you, right?"

What started as a few jokes turned into something more serious as they talked.

The fact that the teenagers were talking about assassins when they got together was quite surreal.

The most surreal thing is that it might actually be real.

To avoid an awkward silence, the two tacitly avoided the somewhat frightening topic. To cover up their embarrassment, Toyokawa Shoko began asking about the collections in the room, while Takasaki Jun was happy to introduce his treasures to the visitor.

He led Xiangzi to his bookshelf and recounted to her his collection of comics and games he had played, as if they were his most treasured possessions.

Then, he took her to his sports equipment and told her about the interesting things he did while practicing baseball and kendo.

Shoko Toyokawa listened with great interest, occasionally letting out a pleasant laugh. Clearly, this was a completely new experience for her, having attended girls' schools since childhood.

Besides being novel and interesting, she also had a more unusual and unexpected experience.

Although the room windows were open and well-ventilated, she could vaguely sense some strange scent entering her nose as she breathed.

She didn't know if it was real or just her imagination, but whatever the reason, she felt her heart beating faster.

Is this what young boys are called "hormonal scent"? A strange term suddenly popped into her mind.

But it could also be psychological; after all, this was the first time in her life she had ever been to a boy's bedroom.

Whatever the reason, she felt her face growing increasingly hot and her mind becoming increasingly dazed.

"Xiangzi?" Takasaki Jun also noticed that something seemed wrong with her, so he stopped explaining and looked at her with concern, "Are you alright...?"

"Ah, I'm fine..." Xiangzi seemed to have come to his senses, then smiled apologetically, "Maybe I've been in the room for too long and it's a bit stuffy."

Is it stuffy? Jun Takasaki glanced at the window; the ventilation was perfectly good, though.

I guess I'm still finding it a little difficult to get used to.

He found it a bit unbelievable that Xiangzi could patiently stay in his room for so long—even though the two of them had such different interests.

Just as he was pondering how to end the visit, his mother's voice rang out from outside the room.

"Chun? Miss Xiangzi? Lunch is ready, please come quickly!"

This call seemed to remind both of each other and also offered them a way out.

"Well, it's time for lunch," Toyokawa Shoko said, uttering a pointless remark.

“Yes, that’s right,” Jun Takasaki chimed in.

"Let's go then~" Xiangzi seemed relieved, but also somewhat disappointed.

She nodded slightly to Jun Takasaki, who nodded back, and then walked out. Shoko followed behind him and carefully closed the door behind her.

The two of them walked out of the bedroom on the second floor together, and then went downstairs to the dining room for dinner.

Along the way, they passed several rooms, and Toyokawa Shoko took the opportunity to look around and gaze at the scenery outside the window.

If I were the lady of the house, which room would be better to convert into my bedroom?

The moment the thought popped into her head, Toyokawa Shoko's mind went completely blank. She quickly deleted the thought from her mind and then tried her best to tense up her body again, restoring herself to the dignified demeanor of a young lady.

Fortunately, she was following behind him, so no one noticed her momentary lapse in composure.

Soon, the two children arrived at the dining room, where several elders were already seated.

Looking at her son at the door and Shoko, who was always a step behind him, Mio Takasaki suddenly had a question: "Why does she seem so natural?"

She banished those thoughts from her mind, then smiled at the two children, "Oh dear, come and eat! Everyone's been waiting for you two..."

Toyokawa Shoko walked to the chair prepared for her, bowed slightly to the elders, and then sat down. "Auntie, you've worked so hard preparing so many meals."

"Miss Xiangzi is so well-mannered..." Looking at the young lady's demeanor, Takasaki Mio couldn't help but smile. "Your family are our honored guests today, so it is only right that we treat you with the utmost hospitality. There is no need to mention the trouble."

"Miss Xiangzi, did you have a good time with Chun just now?" Takasaki Hiroshi interjected at this moment, and asked Xiangzi with a smile, "My humble abode is simple and I don't have any treasures that I'm proud of, please forgive me."

To say that one's own house is humble compared to the Toyokawa family's mansion is not self-deprecation, but an objective fact.

However, Xiangzi certainly wouldn't show any disrespect towards the Takasaki family.

“What are you saying… Your home has a warm and inviting atmosphere, full of life, which is exactly what I admire most.” She replied politely to Takasaki Hiroshi. “Moreover, Jun and I just visited the study and saw the calligraphy written by Auntie and Jun, which really broadened my horizons.”

In truth, Toyokawa Shoko felt a bit disgusted by Takasaki Hiroshi's ambiguous relationship with a Ginza hostess, which led to a scandal and forced his wife to take the blame. However, because Takasaki Hiroshi was Jun's father and therefore her elder, she was too embarrassed to express these thoughts and could only maintain the respect that was due on the surface.

“It’s just a hobby for us, and I’m glad it’s to your liking.” Seeing that she had been praised, Takasaki Mio’s smile deepened, but she didn’t forget to flatter her father-in-law, “Compared to Jun and me, Dad’s works are truly works of art. Shoko, I heard that you visited our old family house before, is that right?”

“Yes.” Xiangzi’s eyes lit up when he talked about his previous trip to Akita.

So the two of them started telling each other about their experiences in Akita, interspersed with some local customs and interesting stories, while the men would occasionally chime in with their own jokes. The meal was quite enjoyable.

However, the happy time was always short-lived, and after lunch, it was time to say goodbye.

Just like when they arrived, the two families walked to the front gate again, but this time it was to say goodbye.

Toyokawa Shoko regained her calm and gentle demeanor as a young lady and stood behind her father, while Toyokawa Kiyoko bid farewell to the Takasaki family as an elder.