Green plums cannot become lovers.

"A video?" An and Asuka thought about it carefully and guessed what kind of video the other party was watching. Someone had indeed posted their performance video on the Internet before.

You came here just because you watched a video? That's really something.

“Yes.” Akane Kousaka paused briefly, selectively revealing part of the truth, “And your surname and appearance remind me of an old friend, which makes me even more curious about you. But I can assure you that this will not affect my professional judgment of your musical talent.”

She saw a flicker of understanding in An and Asuka's eyes, as if they had accepted the explanation, yet still seemed to have some doubts. But he didn't press further, he simply nodded.

"I understand. So, Ms. Kurosaka, what do I need to do next?"

"If you'd like, we can sign a letter of intent first. It's not legally binding, but it simply indicates that both parties have the intention to have further contact."

Akane Akasaka took a folder from her handbag and pushed it in front of him.

"It contains some basic terms and conditions, as well as a detailed introduction to Rouge en Rouge. You can take it back and read it at your leisure. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. As for the formal contract, we can discuss that after you have read this document and thought it through."

An and Asuka took the folder, quickly flipped through a few pages, and then closed it. "I'll read it carefully, thank you."

"You're welcome." Akane Kousaka glanced at her watch. "Well then, shall we call it a day? I'll start working on the legal procedures for signing underage artists, and I'll let you know if there's any progress."

“Okay.” An and Asuka stood up and smiled at her. “Thank you for your time, Ms. Kousaka.”

“I should thank you for agreeing to meet.” Akane Akasaka also stood up and handed him a new business card—this time, in addition to a phone number, it also had a handwritten personal email address: “Feel free to contact me if you have any ideas.”

An and Asuka took the finely textured business card, their fingertips touching its warm surface. He nodded slightly, and although he had already turned to leave, he stopped in his tracks for some reason.

The afternoon sun streamed through the café's glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the wooden tabletops. The jazz music had somehow shifted to a gentler piano melody; the notes flowed through the air, yet failed to soothe the silent tension of the moment.

He turned around and looked again at Akane Akasaka, who was still standing in the same spot.

"Is there anything else?" Akane Akasaka asked gently, but a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes.

“I’m fine now.” An and Asuka shook their heads, their voices calm as ever. Their gaze lingered on Akane Akasaka’s face for a moment; those eyes, which were always so clear as if they could reflect everything, were now as deep as a bottomless pool.

"I just feel that Ms. Akasaka should still have some questions for me."

"..."

The coffee shop fell silent for a moment, with only the faint sound of coffee spoons lightly tapping against the cups on the next table.

Akane Akane's heart skipped a beat. This boy... was almost frighteningly perceptive. She did still have a question to ask—the question that had been lingering in her mind ever since she saw the video, the core question that had driven her to travel hundreds of kilometers to this unfamiliar city.

But she originally planned not to ask for the time being, at least not now, not after this first formal meeting, after the other party had just recounted his tragic family history.

She was afraid of being abrupt, afraid of hurting others, afraid of reopening wounds that had not yet healed.

But since the boy had brought it up himself, there was no defensiveness in his eyes, only a kind of knowing understanding.

“Since you’ve already said that…” Akane Akasaka took a deep breath, sat down again, and gestured for An and Asuka to also sit back down. She placed her hands together on the table, her knuckles slightly white, revealing her inner turmoil.

An and Asuka obediently sat down, placed their schoolbags on their laps, and waited with an air of composure as if they were waiting for an answer they already knew.

"Then your..." Akane Akasaka carefully chose her words, her voice softer than before, "your father... what's his name?"

The moment she asked the question, she felt a tightness in her throat.

When An and Asuka heard the question, there was no surprise on their faces. In fact, a hint of "I knew it" even flashed across their calm eyes.

From the way Akane Akasaka asked the question, the timing, and the overly complex attention in her eyes, he vaguely sensed that this well-known producer from Tokyo might have a purpose for more than just discovering a middle school musician.

“It’s okay if you can’t answer,” Akane Kousaka added, leaving him an out.

However, An and Asuka shook their heads, their movements light but with a resolute air of certainty.

“No, it’s very convenient.” His voice remained calm, without resentment or agitation, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself. “My father’s name is…”

He paused, his gaze fixed on Akane Akasaka's suddenly tense eyes.

"Anhe Sōsuke".

"..."

Time stood still at that moment.

The sounds of traffic outside the window, the music from the coffee shop, the conversations at the next table... all the background noise seemed to be suddenly pulled away by an invisible hand. Akane Akasaka's pupils contracted sharply, a loud buzzing sound rang in her ears, followed by a kind of explosion similar to a roar inside her head.

Anwa Sōsuke.

It's really him.

The boy before me, with his calm gaze, straight back, and astonishing talent that blossomed despite his tragic circumstances, truly was that man's child. Truly, the Anhe family's lost, unknown bloodline, wandering the streets.

All the speculations, conjectures, and fragmented clues were completely connected and confirmed at this moment by these four simple words. The familiar appearance in the video, the precocious calmness of the boy, the delicate and sorrowful emotions beyond his age in the song "Hotaru no Hikari"... everything had an answer.

Anwa Sousuke, the name that once brought shame to the Anwa family, caused heartache to the elders, and ultimately disappeared from everyone's sight like a shooting star, has left its mark in this small town far from Tokyo in such a way.

Akane Akasaka felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. Instinctively, she reached out and grabbed the edge of the table, her fingertips icy cold. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, each beat like a knock on a long-dormant truth.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but found herself unable to make a sound. Her throat felt blocked, and her eyes inexplicably burned.

An and Asuka watched her violently fluctuating reaction quietly, without urging or questioning her, simply waiting patiently.

His face remained expressionless, but his eyes held something unfathomable—not curiosity, not surprise, but a simple calm, as if he had already accepted everything that fate had ordained.

That's true, after all, even if he doesn't accept it, the deed has already been done.

"You..." After a long silence, Akane Akasaka finally found her voice, hoarse and unlike herself, "You know... your father, he..."

She didn't know how to continue. Should she tell him that his father came from a prestigious family in the traditional arts world? Should she tell him that the man once had a bright future? Or should she tell him how the man ultimately fell from grace, how he abandoned everything, and how he became a disgrace his family didn't want to talk about?

“I don’t know much,” Anhe Feibiao picked up where she left off, her tone still gentle. “I only know that he liked to gamble, would get angry when he was drunk, owed a lot of money, and then disappeared one day. My mother never said anything else, and I don’t want to ask.”

He spoke so casually, as if he were describing the misdeeds of a stranger, not his own father.

Akane Akane felt a sharp pang in her heart. Not for An and Sosuke, but for the child before her. He should have grown up in a privileged environment, received the best education, and steadily progressed along the path paved by his family—at the very least, he shouldn't have been forced to face the cruelty of survival alone at such a young age, forced to speak of the people who gave him life in such a cold tone.

“Anhe-kun…” She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Her professionalism regained its advantage, but her voice still trembled slightly. “Thank you for telling me. This is… very important to me.”

An and Asuka nodded, seemingly accepting the explanation, yet not really caring about the reason. "If Ms. Kousaka has no further questions, I'll take my leave."

“Wait.” Akane Kousaka called out to him, her tone much firmer this time. “I’ll finalize the collaboration as soon as possible. I’ll handle the legal procedures. You just need to focus on your music and studies, and don’t worry about anything else…”

She looked at the boy with a complex expression. At this moment, she no longer saw him merely as a promising newcomer, but also as the son of an old friend who needed protection and guidance. The bloodline of the Anwa family, the long-standing friendship of the Kosaka family, and a producer's appreciation for talent—all these emotions intertwined, making her determined to pave a better path for this boy no matter what.

An and Asuka looked at the suddenly determined light in her eyes and remained silent for a few seconds.

"Then I'll leave it to Ms. Kousaka."

He turned and left again. This time, Akane Akasaka didn't call him back. She just watched his figure disappear at the entrance of the coffee shop and into the bright afternoon sunlight.

Only when she could no longer see anything did she slowly sit up, pick up the cup of coffee that had long since gone cold, her hands trembling slightly.

Anwa Sōsuke.

The name, along with the face that overlapped with the boy's, echoed repeatedly in her mind.

Akane Akasaka took out her phone and found the contact information. Just as she was about to call and tell the old man the good news, she suddenly stopped what she was doing.

After thinking it over for a long time, she finally turned off her phone.

Now is not the time to tell others this news; at least we need to find out the boy's wishes first.

Volume 1: Chapter 151 There are three more geniuses like this?! [8.6k]

The summer sun was a bit dazzling at the entrance of the agreed-upon coffee shop.

Akane Akasaka arrived twenty minutes early, carrying a fruit basket she had just picked out at a nearby boutique—it was her first visit, and proper etiquette was essential. However, to her surprise, that familiar figure was already quietly waiting under the shade of a tree.

The boy, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, carrying a well-worn canvas backpack, was looking down at his phone. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on him, and his serene profile made her momentarily lose herself again—it was so similar, especially the focused expression when he looked down.

“Ms. Kousaka, over here.” Anwa Asuka looked up, put away her phone, and nodded slightly to her.

"When did you arrive?" Akane Akasaka walked over quickly, glanced at her watch, and confirmed that she was indeed early. "Didn't we agree on ten o'clock? It's only nine forty now."

“I’m used to arriving early.” An and Asuka’s answer was simple, and they reached out to take the fruit basket from her hand. “I’ll take this.”

The heavy weight made him raise an eyebrow, but he said nothing.

“It can’t be ‘just arrived recently’, right?” Akane Akasaka looked at the fine beads of sweat on his forehead—the temperature wasn’t low today, and you would sweat after standing outside for a while.

"Don't worry about it so much." An and Asuka avoided the question and turned to lead the way, "The bus stop is this way."

Akane Akane looked at his straight back, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. This child was so sensible, so sensible it broke her heart.

She followed him, walking alongside him, her tone softening: "Next time you don't need to wait so long in advance, I'm not going to run away."

Anhe Feibiao glanced at her sideways, but didn't reply. He just gave a soft "hmm".

The atmosphere was somewhat silent as the two waited for the bus at the bus stop. Akane Akane tried to start a conversation: "The guardianship documents are all done. We used a temporary guardianship authorization from a lawyer in my firm's legal department. Although the procedures were a bit complicated, it's finally resolved."

"Thank you for your help," An and Asuka said sincerely. "Regarding the cost..."

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Akane Akasaka interrupted him. “Investing in promising newcomers is the producer’s job. Besides…”

She paused for a moment, then said, "This is also my personal decision."

An and Asuka glanced at her, their eyes filled with inquiry, but they ultimately didn't ask.

The bus arrived; it was a route heading towards the outskirts of the city. There weren't many people on the bus, and the two found seats in the back. During the twenty-minute ride, Akane Akasaka watched the streetscape gradually change outside the window—from a bustling commercial district to an ordinary residential area, and then to a somewhat dilapidated suburban area.

Her mood gradually sank as the scenery changed.

After getting off the bus, we walked for about seven or eight minutes, passing through a quiet residential area, and finally stopped in front of a two-story detached house that looked a bit old. The house wasn't dilapidated; in fact, it looked quite well-maintained.

"This is it." An and Asuka took out their keys and opened the door.

Akane followed behind him, mentally prepared herself. She could roughly imagine what the home of a boy living alone would be like.

However, the sound coming from inside the room the moment the door opened stunned her.

"Asuka, you're back! Did you buy the milk? Hey—who's this?"

"A guest? Asuka, is that your friend?"

"Welcome back, Asuka. And this lady is...?"

In the entryway, three girls of similar age looked over in unison, their faces showing surprise and curiosity. They were all dressed in loungewear, appearing to be permanent residents of the house.

Akane Akasaka was also stunned. She hadn't expected there to be other people at An and Asuka's house, especially three girls. Her gaze quickly swept over the three girls—one with long blonde hair and bright, lively eyes; one with short black hair and a gentle, quiet demeanor; and the other with long purple hair and an unforgettablely exquisite appearance.

She recognized the man behind her; he was the lead singer of a boy band.

Her first thought was that An and Asuka's classmates or friends had come to visit. A sense of relief, thinking "this child is quite popular," even crossed her mind, along with a hint of a paternalistic teasing that she herself didn't realize. She put on a professional smile and prepared to greet them.

However, An and Asuka's next introduction froze her smile on her face.

"This is Ms. Akane Kousaka, a producer from Tokyo," Anwa Asuka said calmly, as if introducing an ordinary guest. "And these three are..."

He pointed to the brown-haired girl, the black-haired girl, and the purple-haired girl in turn: "Marina Kirasaka, Shizuka Kuze, and Ai Hoshino. They are my family, and they will be living here with me for the time being."

Family, living together.

Akane Akane's brain needed a few seconds to process the information. Her gaze swept over the three girls again, this time noticing more details—their loungewear, though different in style, all looked a bit old, and they stood there as naturally as if they were at home; the black-haired girl named Shizuka Kuze was even holding a spatula, clearly having been busy in the kitchen.

"Akane... Akane?" Marina Kirara was the first to react, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Could it be Akane Akane? The author of 'The Cardinal of Gotanda'?!"

"Huh? Really?" Shizuka Kuze covered her mouth, looking shocked.

Although Hoshino Ai did not exclaim in surprise, a clear look of astonishment flashed in her amethyst-like eyes.

Akane Akasaka regained her senses, suppressed the turmoil in her heart, and put on a smile again: "Yes, I am Akane Akasaka. I didn't expect you to know about my work."

“Of course I know! I’ve read ‘Cardinal Gotanda’ three times!” Marina Kirasaka said excitedly, but then her expression turned to a mixture of confusion and wariness. “But… why is Ms. Akasaka coming to our house? And with Asuka…”

"It's a long story." Akane Akasaka maintained a polite smile, but her gaze involuntarily drifted towards An and Asuka, hoping they could provide an explanation.

As An and Asuka bent down to change their shoes, they explained, "Ms. Akasaka is interested in my music and wants to sign me. She came to my house today to see how things are going."

His bluntness stunned the three girls.

Akane Akane took the opportunity to observe this "home". Although the entryway was small, it was very clean, and the shoes in the shoe cabinet were neatly arranged - four pairs of slippers of different sizes, three pairs of women's slippers and one pair of men's slippers.

Through the entryway, you can see the living room. The furniture is sparse but neat and organized. A few colorful cushions are casually placed on the sofa, and several potted plants on the windowsill are thriving. A faint aroma of food wafts through the air—it's curry.

This is not the kind of living environment a boy living alone would have. There are obvious signs that multiple people have lived together here, and that it has been carefully maintained.

"Come in, don't stand at the door." Kuze Shizuka was the first to regain her composure and stepped aside to make way. "Kusaka-sensei, please come in. The house is a little small, please don't mind."

Akane Akasaka thanked her and entered the living room. Her gaze swept over every corner without making a sound—the furniture, though slightly old, was spotless; a faded world map was pasted on the wall, with some locations marked on it with colored thumbtacks; the books on the bookshelf were neatly arranged by size, including textbooks, as well as many literature, music, and comic books; in the corner sat a guitar, a bass, and an electronic drum set, all of which were well-maintained.

Everything shows that the people living here are trying their best to make their lives well under limited conditions.

"Please sit down." Shizuka Kuze brought over a teacup, her movements a little nervous. "We only have barley tea at home, is that alright?"

“Of course, thank you.” Akane Akasaka sat down on the sofa and took the teacup. The three girls sat down opposite her, while An and Asuka sat on the armchairs to the side.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.

Akane Kousaka carefully chose her words before speaking: "I'm sorry, I didn't realize Asuka-kun lived with other people. Are you... relatives?"