A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

When Chihaya Tetsuya and Toyokawa Shoko arrived at the private room, they immediately saw the adult who invited them here—

"Sorry to interrupt your meal."

Minami Mori, who had a delicate face and noble temperament and was dressed in branded clothes, first glanced at the two people who walked into the private room, and then she fixed her eyes directly on Shoko Toyokawa who was wearing a dress.

"I'm glad you haven't forgotten where you came from, Xiangzi."

"It's been a while since I last met you...Ms. Minami."

As always, Toyokawa Shoko bowed gracefully to the adult in front of her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come to the Wakaba family's New Year's party last year."

"Nothing, just an occasional absence. I don't mind it."

Mori Minami replied with a flawless smile:

"As long as you can come again in the future, I will prepare a special gift for you."

"..."

After hearing this, Toyokawa Shoko was silent for a long time, and then she said:

"Thank you for inviting me...but this time——"

"Don't be so quick to refuse. I didn't say you have to come this year."

Mori Minami said:

"After all, I was your age, so I understand your rebelliousness and willfulness..."

Having said this, she paused for a moment, stared at Toyokawa Shoko with her sharp eyes for a while, and then continued meaningfully:

"Just don't go so crazy that you forget to go home."

"Rebellious, willful...?"

Hearing the other party use such contemptuous words to define her choice, Toyokawa Shoko suddenly felt an indescribable anger and resentment surge in her heart.

After seeing the change in Toyokawa Shoko's expression, Mori Minami also restrained her fake smile and changed to the tone of preaching to Wakaba Mutsu:

"Xiangzi, people do pursue different things at different ages, but for your future, patience is sometimes necessary."

"...Patience? You've never lived in the Toyokawa family... On what grounds do you ask me to be patient?!"

Toyokawa Shoko couldn't help but ask back:

"Also, what makes you think that if I continue on my current path, I will never be able to achieve happiness in the future?"

"Just because you still have to spend time working under this man."

Minami Mori used a rather casual and one-sided statement to put the final nail in the coffin of the relationship between the two.

"Think about it, Xiangzi. With your current situation, let alone working for him, you could even buy his brand and become his sponsor. Of course, I know you might not be just after the money, but admire this 'genius' who founded his own brand at such a young age. But if that's the case, you shouldn't abandon what you already have. After all, a sponsor can provide far greater help than an apprentice."

"And even if you really intend to continue being so willful, how long can you really stay away from the Toyokawa family? Even without this designer, you will eventually go to another company and do another job. You will always be bound by the Toyokawa family until you can no longer hold on."

Minami Mori, minding her own business, shook her head at Shoko Toyokawa with a look of pity.

"That's what it's like to be born into a rich family, Xiangzi. As a daughter born with a value tag, you're destined to be unable to pursue freedom and happiness. If that's the case, then why not become unhappy in the happiest place? Or do you really think that a little girl like you can really fight against the huge Toyokawa family with your own strength? Be realistic, Xiangzi."

Condescending criticism and irrefutable preaching.

Every interaction with Mori Minami was so unpleasant and suffocating.

Shoko Toyokawa really wanted to refute this adult who seemed open-minded but was actually stubborn. She really wanted to say something harsh like "Let's wait and see" and just leave.

But she was no longer a child and understood that doing so would not solve any problems. Instead, it would allow this arrogant adult to further belittle her choices and dignity.

For adults who don't listen to others and children who lack arguments, the outcome of the conversation is determined from the beginning.

Therefore, at this time, a third party who dares to intervene is needed——

"Ah, I'm sorry to interrupt you two...but Ms. Minami. You don't seem to have answered...the question that Xiangzi just asked."

In this suffocating confrontation, Chihaya Tetsuya suddenly took the initiative to speak:

"As you said, if Xiangzi really returned to the Toyokawa family, what would she gain and what kind of misfortune would she suffer, but other than that, you didn't actually answer her question directly -"

"Why do you think Xiangzi will never be happy if he continues on his present path?"

7

The position on Chapter VII liability is different.

For Chihaya Tetsuya, his life so far has been built on "persistence" and "possibility".

If he had simply despaired over the pain before him, he would have met his end while in the orphanage.

If he was willing to accept the so-called imperfect ending, he could have ended this story the moment he recognized Hoshino Ai.

However, he never gave up the hope of continuing to pursue happiness, nor was he willing to compromise with any imperfect future.

It was so in the past, it is so now, and it will be so in the future.

"The richness of your experiences and knowledge is certainly beyond our control, but even so... what you have seen in your life so far is not all that is possible for everyone."

Chihaya Tetsuya looked at Mori Minami calmly and said to her in a neither humble nor arrogant manner:

"Everyone's experiences, personalities, and choices lead to completely different futures. No matter how brilliant your own life journey may be, it is ultimately your own. I don't think your opinion alone is enough to completely deny Xiangzi's possibility."

"..."

After listening to Chihaya Tetsuya's words, Mori Minami immediately turned her gaze to the young boy who interrupted her sermon.

"I've heard Mu introduce you. You seem to be a very talented designer, and you've just established your own personal brand..."

Having said this, she nodded twice slightly.

"Indeed, in terms of age and achievements, you are indeed outstanding and qualified to question me. But what does your success have to do with Xiangzi's life? How can you guarantee that she will achieve success after joining your brand? Can she really have a more stable future with your brand than with the Toyokawa family? If your brand fails, where will you two go?"

"As an outsider, can you really afford Xiangzi's future life?"

After hearing this question, the eyes of Toyokawa Shoko and Wakaba Mutsu began to flicker at the same time.

This is a trap question.

Normally, when people hear this question, they'll try to avoid this overwhelmingly difficult life issue by saying "do your best" or simply changing the subject. This question is especially poignant for a nineteen-year-old boy who has personally experienced all sorts of life.

After all, this boy who has just started his own brand may not even be able to protect his own dreams, let alone the future of another girl.

But for Chihaya Tetsuya...he had just thought about this question not long ago.

"The idea of ​​burdening my life is a bit problematic. After all, even if I wanted to, Xiangzi certainly wouldn't want me to do it. Because she is a girl who values ​​dignity more than anyone else."

As Chihaya Tetsuya spoke, he looked at Toyokawa Shoko, whose expression was a little shaken.

"And if you really mean it, even the Toyokawa family couldn't do that. Because Xiangzi's happiness and life should be defined by herself. Apart from that, anyone else's guarantee is just irresponsible empty talk. So, I can't answer your question. In exchange, I can tell you another decision I made long ago."

"If everything goes well for my brand, Xiangzi will become my first employee. As long as StarrySky exists, we will always be partners in this journey of shared success and failure. If my brand doesn't succeed, there will always be a small studio in this world that can accommodate two designers, and we will continue to discuss how to move forward there."

There was no excitement to match his passionate words, and Chihaya Tetsu spoke as if he was talking about something very ordinary, vaguely and roughly proving his own toughness.

"Forgive my limited experience. I cannot imagine the power of a so-called noble family. I only know that no matter how powerful the Toyokawa family becomes, as long as I am alive, I will continue to search for a way to make Xiangzi happy... But if I die, then even I really can't do anything."

There was no trace of joking in his calm words, which sounded like a joke.

Although Minami Mori has always looked down upon the so-called "dreams" and "courage", she, having seen countless people, did not see such things in Chihaya Tetsuya's expression.

His state was too calm, his words were too heavy, and his way of thinking based on life as the limit also caused her values ​​​​that had not changed for a long time to be impacted from a different dimension.

After all, for this person born into a wealthy and frivolous family, the concept of "death" was too distant and terrifying. In the face of this word, the wealth and power she held as truth suddenly became insignificant...

"you……"

She wanted to refute Chihaya Tetsuya. How could a boy of only nineteen so easily use such a distant word as a basis for his determination? However, when she looked into his eyes, the expression as still as a pool of water stopped her questioning.

What he guaranteed was not "Shoko Toyokawa's happiness", but that he would always "stay by Shoko Toyokawa's side" no matter what happened.

For this boy, this is all he can guarantee, and it is a commitment he will keep for the rest of his life.

He was indeed ready to "take responsibility" until his death—

"Also, this might be a bit abrupt to ask at this point, but I still want to ask, what is the relationship between Ms. Minami and Xiangzi?"

Chihaya Tetsuya couldn't help but ask:

"Why are you, an outsider as well, the first to question my outsider status? Why do you care so much about Xiangzi's choice? From what position do you try to influence Xiangzi's choice?"

He couldn't understand it at all. Judging from Mori Minami's words and deeds so far, it was not difficult to see that she was a person who put profit above all else and had great contempt for feelings.

But even so, she not only intervened in the relationship between Xiangzi and the Toyokawa family so actively and positively, but was even willing to argue with herself for it.

If he was just her daughter's childhood sweetheart, it would not be enough to make her do these things.

"..."

After hearing this question, Mori Minami first raised her head and looked at Xiangzi and Mutsu who were standing not far away, and then she said:

"Xiangzi."

"Yes."

"If it's this person, it shouldn't be a problem even if I tell him, right?"

"……Yes."

Toyokawa Shoko, who hadn't recovered from Chihaya Tetsuya's recent remarks, said absentmindedly:

"If it's Chihaya-nii... there's no need to hide anything from him."

"Really? Okay then."

Having received the agreement, Mori Minami nodded, then looked at Chihaya Tetsuya again and said:

"When you first met Mu, did you feel that this child and Xiangzi...had a lot of strange similarities?"

Chihaya Tetsuya nodded silently after hearing this.

When he first saw Wakaba Mutsuki and Toyokawa Shoko sitting together, he felt like they were sisters.

"Well, although it's a little late, I'll still briefly introduce myself so that you can understand my intentions."

In the face of Chihaya Tetsuya's sudden realization, Mori Minami said:

"I am Mori Minami, from the side branch of the Toyokawa family. In terms of blood relationship, I am Xiangzi's cousin."

"……what."

If that's the case, then it means...what he felt when he first saw Wakaba Mu was not an illusion.

Wakaba Mutsu and Toyokawa Shoko are not simply childhood sweethearts, but cousins ​​with a blood relationship.

"Now that we've introduced ourselves, let's get back to the point."

After finishing her self-introduction, Mori Minami looked at Chihaya Tetsuya again:

"I do understand your intention to spend the rest of your life with Xiangzi. So, as her cousin, can I interpret that as... a proposal to Xiangzi?"

"……What?"

8

Chapter 8 The burden Xiangzi carries.

Because the topic jumped so much, Chihaya Tetsuya was completely unable to keep up with this abrupt question.

Fortunately, the other party's next sentence contained a lot of information, and Chihaya Tetsuya's mind was finally forced back to the main topic -

"If you really have that intention, then I advise you to reconsider. After all, an unequal marriage will only create more misfortune."

As Mori Minami spoke, her eyes drifted towards Toyokawa Shoko.

"Xiangzi, you should be very clear about this, right?"

"Yes."

Toyokawa Shoko nodded with a complicated expression.

"But please rest assured, the relationship between Chihaya-nii and I is not what you imagine."

"Uh... is that so?"

After hearing Toyokawa Shoko's response, it was Minami Mori who was slow to react.