Tokyo Three Generations

Toyokawa Shoko changed the subject, put the remaining half of her pastry into her mouth, chewed it a few times, and then swallowed it.

"Hmm... the pastries here are really quite good. I think we can make this our regular meeting place from now on. Speaking of which, it's almost time, they should be here soon."

As she was talking, she subconsciously looked up at the doorway.

Then, her eyes instantly sharpened.

Because she clearly saw that, a few meters away from their booth near the entrance, a girl wearing the Moon Forest school uniform with long blue hair was staring intently at their table.

"Mu?" she blurted out in surprise.

Upon being greeted by her, Junya Takasaki turned around and saw Mutsumi Wakaba, and quickly nodded to her.

After being greeted by Xiangzi, Ruoye Mu walked over and sat down next to Xiangzi.

"Mu, when did you arrive? Why didn't you call out to me?" Xiangzi asked as soon as she sat down.

“Just… just now,” Wakaba Mutsumi replied softly.

She was clearly in low spirits.

However, ever since Xiangzi met Mu when she was a child, she has witnessed Mu being "depressed" countless times. In fact, this is just her normal state, so she is not too surprised.

She just felt that Mu must not want to disturb her and Chun's conversation, so he stood silently to the side and waited for her to finish talking.

Thinking about this, she couldn't help but feel a little apologetic for neglecting Mu.

But then she thought about it again. She had already arranged to meet Chunxian, and she hadn't done anything shameful, so there was no need to feel sorry. Mu's tendency to cause internal strife was her own problem.

Thinking about this, she felt justified again.

After all, Mu had always been the one to accommodate her, and it had become a habit for the two of them to get along.

"Mumu, once the band is assembled, we'll be relying on you." After Mumu sat down, she spoke warmly to Wakaba Mumu. "We've known each other for so many years, played together so many times, our coordination is the best, you could even call him my other half. So in the band, you are the core member... As long as you can perform at your usual level, you can motivate the others."

Ruoye Mu nodded, which was taken as tacit agreement with Xiangzi's statement.

However, she silently objected in her heart—it's more like a puppet than a half-body.

After all, Xiangzi always told me what to do, and I did it.

Just now, standing there, I saw these two people chatting and laughing so warmly. Although I couldn't hear what they were saying because of the distance, their animated expressions and constant smiles said it all.

It's impossible to say that there's no pain in my heart.

However, when Xiangzi called Chun, she was right next to him, so she was already mentally prepared for what she was about to see.

Even though she knew that Xiangzi did not treat her as an equal (although Xiangzi would not say it explicitly), their friendship of more than ten years was an indelible memory. It could even be said that before Chun appeared, Xiangzi was the only source of joy she could find in the world.

Even though she still had feelings for Xiangzi, she was unwilling to become strangers with him, because that would be tantamount to destroying her past life.

Therefore, after much thought, the best solution she could come up with was to maintain the status quo.

I will still try my best, but if I fail... then being by the side of my two favorite people, sharing their joy and sorrow, isn't that also a kind of happiness?

"If it were Xiangzi, I really could," she whispered to herself again.

At this moment, Toyokawa Shoko had no idea what strange thoughts were going through Wakaba Mutsu's mind. Although she could tell that Mutsu seemed to have something on his mind, she was used to Wakaba Mutsu's usual absent-mindedness, so she didn't pay much attention.

She simply took out her phone again, checked the time, and continued to give Ruoye Mu instructions.

"Mu, two strangers are coming over in a bit. I know you're shy, so you don't need to be too enthusiastic. Just be polite enough. I'll handle everything. I'll also explain your situation to them so they won't mind."

"Um……"

Ruo Yemu nodded in agreement again.

She is usually quite cold to strangers and even habitually calls people by their first names, which is often considered "impolite" among girls and has greatly affected her popularity at school. Now, the thought of having to spend a long time with two strangers makes her instinctively nervous.

At that moment, she looked at Jun Takasaki, who gave her an encouraging look, which made her relax a little.

Just as they were talking, another person entered through the door. With brown hair and bright blue eyes, it was none other than Nagasaki Motoyo.

Xiangzi's attention was now focused on that area, so he saw her immediately.

"Su-se~" In order not to disturb the other guests, she only called out softly and then waved her hand gently. Nagasaki Su-se quickly saw her and then walked quickly to Shoko's side.

Her movements were crisp and efficient, yet carried the composure of a top student.

"It's been a long time, everyone... I really missed you." She smiled as soon as she saw the three of them.

Then, she sat down on the other side of Xiangzi.

Facing the three girls sitting in the booth opposite him, Jun Takasaki was a little dazed. After all, this was the first time he had reunited with the Tsukimori trio since they parted ways in Akita.

That's truly something to celebrate!

Furthermore, he himself did not expect that because of his parents' affairs, Xiangzi and Mu would visit them one after another during this period, and they all left a very good impression on his mother.

The only one who didn't come was Nagasaki Motoyo.

However, Nagasaki Motoyo did not completely ignore these matters. In fact, during this period, she offered her condolences to Takasaki Jun several times on chat software and asked if there was anything she could do. Takasaki Jun thanked her for her kindness.

It wasn't that she wasn't worried, but she just didn't dare to visit them... After all, she was currently the daughter of a "fugitive suspect," and she didn't dare to openly associate herself with the Takasaki family, for fear of attracting criticism from the outside world.

Thinking about this, he felt a little embarrassed—as if he had subtly 'mistreated' the other party.

"Suze, it's been a long time." With a strange sense of guilt, he nodded to Nagasaki Suze. "How have you been lately?"

"Thanks to you, I'm doing very well," Nagasaki Motoyo replied jokingly, clasping her hands together.

Then, her eyes showed a hint of concern, "How are you and your aunt doing?"

"It's not exactly good, but at least we've made it through," Jun Takasaki said, shrugging. "What's done is done, and we can only face it."

"It really wasn't easy..." Nagasaki Motoyo felt deep sympathy, but also a bit indignant. "That's just too much."

Faced with the current public opinion crisis facing the Takasaki family, she felt a deep sense of powerlessness, but this only strengthened her resolve to help them in the future.

Toyokawa Shoko was afraid that if she kept talking about it, it would only make everyone unhappy, so she took the initiative to change the subject.

“Su Shi, now that you and Mu are here, we can talk to them in advance. They are students from another school, not too far from ours, and they might come to our school directly in the future. We'll treat them well then… Also, we might need to use the school's club activity room. You're in the music club, so could you please explain the situation to the others and ask for their understanding…”

Allowing outsiders to freely enter their school and use its equipment and facilities sounds difficult, but Miss Toyokawa has some privileges, so it's not hard for her.

However, it is inconvenient for Miss Toyokawa to appear all the time, and Wakaba Mutsu is not able to receive outsiders, so it seems that the "important task" of foreign negotiations can only be placed on his own shoulders.

"Okay, leave it to me, I'll handle it."

Nagasaki Motoyo was only interested in "keeping the young lady happy" and didn't care much about the band's specifics. She just did whatever Xiangzi told her to do.

After explaining all this, Xiangzi breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, she seemed to sigh with emotion.

"I'm about to become a high school student... It feels like a new chapter in my life is about to begin. How about a drink? To all the time we've spent together!"

? 96, Dengxi

Since Xiangzi suggested a toast, the four of them picked up their coffee cups together, clinked them together in an awkward manner, and then each drank their coffee contentedly.

Like their alma mater, Tsukimori is a continuous junior and senior high school, so the three of them don't need to worry about further education. But in any case, "JK" is a brand new stage in their lives.

"You're about to enter high school, and as your senior, I don't have much to teach you. Just one sentence: enjoy your youth to the fullest, because once you miss it, you'll never have another chance," Jun Takasaki said earnestly after finishing his coffee.

"Don't talk so old-fashioned, you're still pretty much in your youth." Nagasaki Motoyo interrupted him, laughing and teasing.

“That’s still different.” Jun Takasaki sighed. “In high school, you only need to think about studying, but once you enter university, you have to think about where your life is headed, what your future job will be, your goals and all that…”

"Then you don't need to think about it anymore. Just come to my house and start working as soon as possible," Toyokawa Shoko chimed in, adding, "I've reduced your life's troubles, shouldn't you thank me?"

"What, you guys...?" Nagasaki Motoyo asked, somewhat surprised.

“Jun and I have already agreed that he should come to our family business for an internship as soon as possible,” Toyokawa Shoko explained to her. “My father is really looking forward to him becoming an elite talent in our company.”

“I see…” Nagasaki Motoyo sighed with a hint of envy.

She's a young lady after all; she can win people over so easily.

However, she quickly cheered up and made a request to the two of them, "Then you have to wait for me. Give me a chance to be Chun's assistant and work with you!"

Shoko was a little surprised by Nagasaki Motoyo's sudden request, but she quickly smiled and nodded, "Okay, as long as Motoyo can get into the University of Tokyo with me, I'll talk to Dad and ask him to recruit you into our family business..."

"Thank you, Xiangzi. It's settled then!" Nagasaki Sosei nodded slightly in thanks to Xiangzi.

She felt a little sentimental. In this day and age, even graduates from the University of Tokyo have to put in a lot of effort to get into top-tier companies. Yet, she hadn't even finished high school, and just by having coffee and playing in a band with the rich girl, she got an offer. It was quite ironic.

No wonder so many people are desperate to climb the social ladder and curry favor with the powerful... Taking shortcuts is indeed so much easier, allowing one to easily surpass years of hard work by others. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Ever since she witnessed Bai Zechun's charisma that day, she secretly resolved to become a shrewd, capable, and reliable elite lawyer like Bai Zechun.

Becoming the legal counsel for the Toyokawa Group was naturally the most important step on her path.

However, that was not the end of her dream. In her heart, she hoped to walk side by side with another person.

When he leaves the Toyokawa Group to inherit the family business in the future, he will definitely be able to stand on his own and become an outstanding legal elite. He can open his own law firm and serve as the legal advisor for the Takasaki family. They can work together to overcome challenges... Just thinking about this future is so appealing.

As for Xiangzi, in order to truly take control of the family business as soon as possible after she comes of age, she needs some trustworthy confidants to assist her.

My mother was able to take control of the group because she was able to promote Aunt Bai Ze and other talented people she had her eye on.

Therefore, her attempt to win over Chun and Su Shi was not merely a matter of willfulness; it also reflected some long-term plans—though there was no need to voice these plans.

As Chun said, now is the time to enjoy youth.

Just as the group was talking, the coffee shop door reopened, and then two girls, about the same age as Xiangzi, came in together.

The two were about the same height, one with gray hair and the other with long, straight black hair.

The one with gray hair had short hair, was wearing a hoodie and loose pants, dressed in a relatively androgynous style, and had a blank expression.

The one with black hair was wearing a white casual women's suit and a short skirt. She was slightly ahead of her companion by half a body length. Her expression was calm but with a hint of vigilance, making her appear somewhat sharp and even sarcastic.

"Here you are!" Toyokawa Shoko let out a small cheer, then stood up and waved to them.

The two men quickly focused their attention on Xiangzi, and then walked together to the booth next to Xiangzi.

"These two are the new members I recruited for the band." After they arrived, Xiangzi introduced them to the others.

She pointed to the gray-haired girl, "This is Takamatsu Akari."

Then he pointed to the black-haired girl, "This is Shiina Tatsuki."

Apart from Xiangzi, the other three people looked at them with some curiosity.

Then, she introduced her two best friends to the two new girls, "This is Mutsumi Wakaba, and this is Motoyo Nagasaki. They are my best friends and also members of the band. Let's work hard together from now on!"

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Gao Songdeng lowered her head shyly, but still greeted them in a low voice, "Nice to meet you all, please take good care of me."

Shiina Tatsuki simply glanced around at everyone, then fixed her gaze on the silent Takasaki Jun.

Her expression was puzzled, even showing a hint of surprise and uncertainty, as if she wondered, "How come there's a boy here?"

Seeing her expression, Xiangzi knew what she was thinking, so he quickly introduced her to the person.

"This is Jun Takasaki, a senior member of our family. To me, he is a respected senior, a reliable older brother, and one of my most trustworthy friends." She deliberately praised Jun Takasaki to establish his authority. "To be honest, the reason I decided to start a band to commemorate my youth was because of his inspiration and encouragement. So, he was one of our band's first listeners. That's why I brought him here to witness our formation... I hope you two don't mind."

Takamatsu Akari had no opinion on this (or rather, she rarely expressed her opinion on almost anything), and Shiina Tatsuki gradually relaxed her guard after hearing Shoko say this.

Neither of them had ever met the students of Tsukimori before; they had only heard that it was a prestigious school for young ladies that was difficult to approach. Therefore, Shiina Riki reasonably guessed that perhaps when the young ladies interacted with outsiders, their parents were worried and would arrange for someone a little older to act as their "guardian."

She didn't know if her guess was reasonable or not, but it seemed plausible.

Her idea saved Jun Takasaki the cost of explaining.

"I see, I understand now."

Shiina Tatsuki nodded, and then, like Takamatsu Akari earlier, bowed slightly to everyone, saying, "Nice to meet you all, please take good care of me."

Although that's what she said, her tone was rather distant, clearly indicating that she wasn't very enthusiastic about the band itself.

After they came in, Jun Takasaki didn't say anything, but he was observing the two of them. To be honest, he couldn't see anything wrong with them, but he also couldn't see anything special about them.

Why did Xiangzi show such favor to them? Was it just a passing fancy?

Although he had doubts, in order not to offend Xiangzi, he humbled himself and took the initiative to speak in a friendly manner.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both. Although Xiangzi calls me 'senior,' I'm actually just a freshman in college... well, I'll be a sophomore soon, so I can't really call myself a seasoned professional. My abilities and knowledge are quite limited. But anyway, if you ever need my help in the future, just let me know. Since you're Xiangzi's teammates and friends, I'll do my best to help you. Please take care of me in the future."

Jun Takasaki's gentle and friendly attitude made the two girls lower their guard, and their expressions became much more natural.

Moreover, you can tell from Xiangzi and his expression that the two of them really have a very good relationship.

Everyone sat down around a table. The two newcomers sat together, while Shoko and Sose sat on either side of Takasaki Jun.

The table felt a bit crowded because six people were sitting around it.