Uneasy daily life

“Son, the doctor said that to cure my illness, it will cost at least ten million yen, even if you sell the house, it won’t be enough…”

Bai Ying said with deep remorse, "I haven't been able to give you much to ease your pressure; instead, I've become a burden to you."

What abundant emotion! It vividly portrays the suffering of a dying person.

Goto Ichiri subconsciously sighed, then felt something was off—was this an impromptu performance on the street at night?

"it does not matter."

Mai Sakurajima smiled and said, "Even if my father cheated on me, abandoned my mother, and always spent money extravagantly, you are still my father. I will find a way to treat your illness."

“Ah… I’m so sorry to your mother… It’s so similar. Your mother was lying in the hospital bed like this back then, pregnant with you. She had a smile on her face, which made me smile too… You’re not even born yet, but you’ve already made us laugh non-stop. It’s really amazing.”

Bai Ying, reminiscing about a past that may or may not exist, slowly said, "If selling the house isn't enough, borrow some from friends. Write an IOU. Banks are all ruthless, so having more friends means having more options. You can ask friends for help if something happens..."

"No! I will definitely save you!"

Mai Sakurajima took a deep breath and said firmly, "I'll sell the house, borrow money from friends, and take out a bank loan—I'm still young, a 50-year loan won't be a problem. I'm also very healthy; if I get sick, I can just tough it out without spending any money. Even if I can't continue my current job when I get older, I can still wash dishes or sweep the streets to slowly pay off the debts... Selling my life to extend my father's life is worth it!"

"My child, I'm so sorry, sob sob..."

With tears streaming down his face, Bai Ying asked with deep emotion, "What if it's still not enough?"

"...What do you want me to do?"

Sakurajima Mai couldn't help but ask a question in return.

“We have the internet now, right? Are there kind people raising funds?” Bai Ying quickly offered a suggestion. “Let’s try that, maybe it will work?”

Mai Sakurajima said earnestly, "You're making me owe so many people money..."

"It's okay, you don't need to change that one, I've looked at plenty of others."

Bai Ying, appearing experienced and prepared, said, "I won't incur debts. Why would someone with a kind heart care about debts they've incurred?"

"Then I owe a debt of gratitude, which is impossible to sort out or count, and I can never repay it in my lifetime."

Sakurajima Mai covered her face, her voice trembling with sobs, "Why don't I just lie here in this hospital bed instead!"

Bai Ying sat up excitedly: "If only it could be like that..."

Mai Sakurajima: "Huh?"

“I’m talking about the baby, don’t get any wild ideas. How could I bear to see you lying in bed…” Bai Ying immediately lay down weakly, murmuring, “You have to save me, you must save me, we’re father and son, our hearts are connected… Your mother loved to laugh when she was pregnant with you, and I loved to laugh too…”

"Father, how can you be so heartless? To take my life just for the sake of pride."

"Child, how could you do this?" Bai Ying said sadly. "I'm your father! You can't just leave me... People will curse you, they'll talk behind your back and criticize you!"

"I'm not saving her."

Mai Sakurajima's expression turned cold: "I'm not selling the house, I'm not taking out a loan from the bank, I'm not lending to my friends—I'm not saving them."

Bai Ying glared and said, "You're trying to kill me! You unfilial son!"

"Because you want my life!" Mai Sakurajima took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. "If this is fate, then I should accept it!"

"..."

Bai Ying was probably at his lowest point of grief and utterly helpless. His expression gradually calmed as he lay on the ground and said, "Then let me die. Let me die of illness, so that no one will remember me. Even my child won't help me anymore. There's no point in me living..."

Then I'll send you to your death!

Sakurajima Mai angrily raised her right hand, cupped it together, and poked the white figure in the chest.

"Oh, I'm dead."

Bai Ying closed her eyes, tilted her neck, stuck out her tongue, and suddenly became completely still, without even the slightest rise and fall of her chest.

It was as quiet as if it were dead.

"ah--!!"

The pink dumpling, already terrified to the point of exploding, emitted screams that attracted passersby.

……

……

"Ah, so...it was all an act?"

Sitting on a set of steps, Goto Ichiri was still shaken, his eyes frequently glancing at the white figure in front of the vending machine.

“Yeah, I suddenly wanted to find something to do…” Mai Sakurajima sat down beside him, keeping her distance, and sighed helplessly. “Telling that guy about this idea was a mistake.”

Continuing to idly do nothing and follow Bai Ying to find a solution won't work. Realizing this, he suggested to Bai Ying that they practice their acting skills—but that guy deliberately stabbed himself in the back during the performance!

What does this mean? Is he telling me to give up on treatment? Or is he implying that he's also powerless to help with puberty syndrome?

My mind is a bit of a mess.

Mai Sakurajima let out a muffled sigh: "Anyway, I'm very sorry for scaring you."

"Ah, no, it's nothing..."

Goto Ichiri was trembling with fear. Although she thought it was amazing that someone could perform on the street, even at night when there weren't many people around, she still prayed that the conversation would end soon and that she could go home.

"Cola!"

Goto Ichiri looked up and saw a bottle of cola flying towards him. He quickly raised his hands, closed his eyes, and caught it.

"lemonade."

The white figure strolled over, casually tossing another bottle to Sakurajima Mai, then unscrewed the one in her hand and took a sip: "Hmm—it still tastes like extra strong black coffee, rich, mellow, and long-lasting, I can't get enough of it."

"Ah, thank you..." Goto Ichiri nodded three times in thanks.

Mai Sakurajima sipped her lemonade, lost in thought about the 'moral high ground battle' she had just performed.

The white figure hummed a strange tune as he sipped his black coffee and stared at Goto Ichiri.

Why are you looking at me? Ugh—it's scary!

Goto Ichiri carefully drank her cola.

Speaking of which, these two are friends of the smiling older sister... in other words, they're the kind of people who go to performance halls... should I sell the tickets to them?

Hahaha! How could that be...?

I guess I should ask Grandma for help. Counting Grandma back home... Ugh, what a fool! How could I possibly make Grandma back home travel for hours just for a performance!

White Shadow: "Stare—!"

Goto Ichiri: "Gurgle gurgle gurgle..."

White Shadow: "Stare—!"

Goto Ichiri, holding an empty can, gurgled and gurgled...

"Can I help you?"

The white figure Tang suddenly spoke.

"Ah, no!"

Goto Ichiri answered hastily in a second.

"Oh, then forget it."

Gaaaaah! Why did I answer like that?!

woo woo woo...

Goto Ichiri turned her head away, tears streaming down her face.

I'm such an idiot!

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Put Me on a Please

On the steps at night

"Get out of here."

Sakurajima Mai stood up without ceremony, sat down between the white shadow and Goto Ichiri, and said to the side, "This guy has absolutely no sense of atmosphere..."

"Ah, no, no, no, nothing like that..."

Goto Ichiri quickly shifted his position to the side, maintaining a safe distance, and rattled off his words with exceptional speed: "I am very grateful for his concern, very sorry, and deeply moved, but I really don't need any help..."

In short, try to find a way to say "I'm leaving now"!

That's right! Saying "I'm leaving now" makes it perfectly natural to get up and run away, and hurry home!

I'm leaving now, I'm leaving now, I'm leaving now...

"Oh, it's nothing, let's sit down and chat." Bai Ying looked up, enjoying the night breeze, and sipped her coffee, admiringly saying, "Look how beautiful the stars are in the sky, it's like someone in the heavens is looking at us..."

"The night sky lights up with stars, and someone looks down from the sky and opens their eyes."

"Looking at the stars in the sky, I entrust my heart's wishes to them."

"Leaping through billions of years of time, until dawn."

Bai Ying described it very poetically.

Wow! What strange things is this person saying?

Are there countless people watching from the sky? Are the stars their eyes?!

Goto Ichiri found it extremely terrifying.

"Ah, yes, yes..."

If someone with social anxiety were to say "I'm leaving," then they wouldn't be socially anxious anymore. Leaving quietly in an inconspicuous corner, without attracting anyone's attention, that kind of silent departure suits them best! Goto Ichiri held an empty can, pretending to drink cola and admire the night view, her expression serious, but tears were welling up inside.

Mai Sakurajima could tell at a glance that this was a very, very shy child... but it wasn't just simple shyness.

There's always a kind of person who, the moment you open your mouth, will run away like a startled rabbit; in other words, you have to use a tough attitude and methods.

"My name is Sakurajima Mai, and his name is Shirokage."

Mai Sakurajima decided to cut to the chase: "Ms. Goto, why did you form a band?"

Ah, trying to gain popularity through the band and become a campus celebrity—this kind of superficial self-truth is obviously not going to work! Fortunately, I had already rehearsed it in my mind beforehand! I had rehearsed how I would answer interviews when I was on stage, a superstar!

Goto Ichiri replied weakly, "For world peace..."

"?"

Mai Sakurajima gave a polite, questioning smile. In a way, this wish was indeed courageous, but it just seemed like a lie!

"I see, what a great and shining wish."

Bai Ying clapped enthusiastically, then turned her head and asked, "Ms. Goto, are you trying to express your desire for world peace through singing?"

"Ah, yes."

"What this world lacks is precisely this kind of beautiful enthusiasm!"

Bai Ying said with deep emotion, "Though we are in rags, we share weal and woe; though our positions are humble, we dare not forget our duty to the country. Human relationships are cold and fickle, and the world is full of troubles; I will sweep away the turbidity of this mortal world."

"Ms. Goto, I have a charity donation drive for homeless people, and I hope to receive your donation!"

"Ah, no problem."

Goto Ichiri pulled out her wallet, tears welling in her eyes as she clutched the coins inside... Goodbye, Yen-san, this must be God's punishment for my lying.

"Ignore him!"

Mai Sakurajima quickly stopped her, coldly glancing back at the white figure, and said righteously, "Instead of caring for homeless people, we should care for homeless stray dogs."

White Shadow: Woof woof—!

Mai Sakurajima stepped on the white figure's toes, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

Huh? Someone's playing a joke on me?

Goto Ichiri realized what was happening and was secretly delighted. Someone actually wanted to joke with me?! No, no, no, maybe I misunderstood!

Wait a minute! If it's a joke, does that mean my lie has been exposed?

"Red bean paste secret Marseille—! I lied!"

Goto Ichiri suddenly stood up and bowed deeply.

"It's okay. I'm sure you were confused by what I just said."