bookbashuk Page 38
Page 38
He said it in a joking tone.
Mai Sakurajima looked at him, seemingly trying to discern something from his face.
"Oh," she responded softly.
Volume 1: Chapter 48: Yukino the Little White Cat
After dinner, instead of lounging on the sofa playing games as usual, Yuto Itsuka followed her into the kitchen and leaned against the wall to watch Mai Sakurajima wash the dishes.
Amidst the rushing water, he finally couldn't hold back and asked directly, "Mai, your mother... has she always thought this way? Does she believe that your feelings can be put on a price tag?"
Mai Sakurajima's hands never stopped washing the dishes. Foam enveloped her slender fingers as she drew circles on the porcelain plate.
"My mother is a broker and is used to thinking about problems in terms of business models."
"And what about you? Do you believe that feelings can be evaluated and traded?"
“I don’t know.” She put the washed dishes into the colander. “I’ve never felt anything like this before.”
"Before this?" Yuto Itsuka seized on the key phrase. "You mean, now it exists?"
Mai Sakurajima turned off the tap, dried her hands with a towel, and then turned around to face him.
The two were very close, and he could smell the lemony scent of dish soap lingering on her body, mixed with her own spring sunshine-like fragrance.
"When I kiss you, my heart beats at 120 beats per minute."
"When I see you talking to other girls, I feel a kind of... tightness in my chest."
"Time seems to drag on when you're not home."
She stated it in an unusually calm tone.
"The book says that these are all signs of liking someone, so I guess I do."
Yuto Itsuka reached out and pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear, "How fast is your heart beating right now?"
"...one hundred and twenty."
He chuckled softly and hugged her tighter, and the person in his arms returned his embrace with both hands.
What you're seeing now is nothing more than a performance she's putting on for you out of some sense of responsibility or curiosity.
At that moment, Yuto Itsuka scoffed at these words.
'The past is the past, the present is the present.'
……
……
In the following days, Yuto Itsuka did not bother Mai again, but devoted all his spare time to the online world.
He started with the official fan site and thoroughly searched through all of Mai Sakurajima's video materials, interviews, and magazine articles since her debut.
Mai Sakurajima in those documents is always portrayed as perfect.
Whether it was her innocent and naive remarks in front of the camera at the age of six, or her mature and fluent answers in interviews at the age of twelve, it seems to indicate that her emotional deficiency is innate.
Yuto Itsuki slumped in his chair, rubbing his sore eyes. This was even more tiring than writing a novel.
He didn't give up, but changed his strategy and began searching for early online forums and private blogs that had long been obsolete.
Persistence pays off. In an old fan forum called "Mai-chan Guardian Association", he found a post titled "Does anyone remember that episode?"
In the post, the original poster used words and pictures to reminisce about a children's variety show that had long since been discontinued.
In one episode, the production team arranged a segment where the young guests could interact with their beloved pets.
Mai Sakurajima, who was only seven years old at the time, also participated in the program with her white kitten.
According to the original poster, that was the only and last time he saw Mai Sakurajima display an "unprofessional" expression in front of the camera.
During the game, the white kitten got frightened and ran away.
Mai Sakurajima panicked on the spot. Ignoring the cameras that were still recording, she called out the kitten's name all over the venue.
At the end of the program, the kitten was found by the staff.
When Mai Sakurajima held her recovered kitten, she buried her face in the cat's fur, her shoulders shaking, and she cried.
Although she quickly adjusted her emotions and returned to being the well-behaved and sensible child star, that moment was firmly remembered by the poster.
Under this post, there were a few scattered replies, all expressing sentiments such as "Yes, yes, that was the first time I felt that Mai-chan was like an ordinary little girl," or "It's a pity that the videotape of that show can't be found anymore."
Yuto Itsuki shut down the forum, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh.
It's normal for a seven-year-old child to be alarmed when their pet goes missing and to cry tears of joy when it's found again.
The truth has been revealed.
Mai Sakurajima wasn't born without emotions; rather, her emotions were artificially and gradually "killed" after she turned seven.
The murderer is very likely her mother, Kazuko Sakurajima.
Perhaps, after that recording of the program, Kazuko Sakurajima felt dissatisfied with her daughter's loss of control.
She believes that this uncontrollable emotion is a stain and obstacle on her daughter's perfect career path.
Thus began a long and brutal emotional stripping training program.
She used the cold logic of adults to tell a seven-year-old child: emotions are a weakness, crying is the original sin, and a perfect idol cannot have personal feelings.
Over time, in order to gain her mother's approval and to become that perfect work, Mai Sakurajima learned to suppress her feelings and to act. In the end, she chose to forget how to feel.
She locked her true self in a dark room that no one could reach, and she lost the key herself.
These are all speculations by Itsuka Yuto, but he believes they are likely close to the truth.
He planned to rescue the seven-year-old girl who cried while hugging a kitten from a ten-year prison sentence.
……
On Saturday, Yuto Itsuka did not go on his usual date with Mai Sakurajima, but instead told her that he was going to a pet store.
Mai Sakurajima didn't ask any further questions, but before he left, she straightened his slightly disheveled collar.
"Come back soon," she said.
“Of course.” Itsuka Yuto smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
He searched through several pet stores in the vicinity and finally found a white kitten that looked very similar to the kitten in the video.
It also has a pair of blue eyes, a gentle temperament, and makes a purring sound when held in your arms.
When he returned to the apartment with the cat in his arms, Mai Sakurajima was sitting on the sofa in the living room reading a book.
She looked up when she heard the door open.
When her gaze fell upon the fluffy white creature in Itsuka Yuto's arms, she froze.
The book in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud," but she didn't notice.
Her eyes were fixed on the kitten, and for the first time, a violent tremor appeared in those usually calm eyes.
Yuto Itsuki, holding the kitten, walked step by step to her and sat down on the sofa next to her.
“Look, I brought a new friend back,” he said in as gentle a tone as possible. “It’s cute, isn’t it?”
Mai Sakurajima's lips trembled slightly as she slowly raised her hand, wanting to touch the kitten, but her fingers abruptly withdrew just centimeters away from the cat.
"I've named it Yukino, what do you think?"
Mai Sakurajima instinctively leaned back, trying to get away from the cat.
Yuto Itsuka didn't press her any further. He put the kitten on the ground, then reached out and gently took her frighteningly cold hand in his.
“Mai, it’s alright, it’s all in the past. It’s here now, and no one will take it away from you again.” He gazed into her eyes and said, word by word.
……
……
[P.S.: Chapter 46 of 岄.亿彡.IV另器二私扒 was attacked by Shen He. I'll revise it tonight.]
Why can't I write anything about X's mouth anymore...? What am I supposed to do about the rest of me?
Volume 1: Chapter 49: One million to appease a beggar?
Over the next few days, the atmosphere in the apartment underwent some subtle changes.
The white kitten was officially named "Yukino" and quickly established its supreme status in the home.
Its scratching post, litter box, and various toys occupy a corner of the living room, while the Itsuka Yuto game console is squeezed into an inconspicuous position.
Mai Sakurajima would spend a long time sitting quietly on the carpet, watching Yukino chase a ball of yarn.
She would gently tease Yukino's chin with her fingers, and when Yukino rolled over comfortably, revealing her soft belly, she would give a faint smile.
A second ray of sunshine appeared in her life.
Although Yuto Itsuka's status in the family has decreased, he is happy to see this change.
……
On Wednesday evening, a letter bearing the logo of a well-known law firm was slipped into the mailbox of the Itsuki Yuto Apartments.
The letter's content is concise and to the point, with extremely oppressive wording.
The letter begins by kindly reminding Yuto Itsuka that Mai Sakurajima, as a former national idol, has her portrait rights and reputation rights strictly protected by law.
Any related interactions that may have a negative impact may be considered an infringement.
Then, the letter inadvertently mentioned Yuto Itsuka's family situation—his parents are divorced, he currently lives alone, and his income is limited.
He also hinted in a friendly manner that if certain photos or information about his inappropriate relationship with Mai Sakurajima were leaked to the media, it would not only ruin Mai Sakurajima's possible comeback in the entertainment industry, but also have an immeasurable negative impact on his own future studies and even his life.
At the end of the letter, a check and a sentence were attached: "For Ms. Mai's future, and for your own future, please make a wise choice."
The amount is eight figures, in Japanese yen.
Yuto Itsuka held the letter, not considering its contents, but subconsciously calculating the exchange rate of the yen.
...One million RMB?
It's not exactly stingy, but Mai's mother promised that this money could easily cover his future university tuition and buy a small apartment in Tokyo. This is clearly not enough, is it?
Was it perhaps that Commissioner Smith intervened in the middle?
Yuto Itsuki secretly thought to himself.
He folded the letter and put it back in the envelope along with the check. Then he took out his phone and took a picture of the law firm information on the envelope.
"Hello, Mai, it's me." He dialed Mai Sakurajima's number.
"Hmm." Her calm voice came from the other end of the phone, with Yukino's meows in the background.
"I have something to do tonight, so I might be back late. You don't need to wait for me for dinner."
"...Is it someone from the company who came to see you again?" Mai seemed to have guessed something.
“No…” Yuto Itsuka didn’t want to lie to Mai, but after thinking about it, he decided to tell the truth. “Yes, but Mai, don’t worry, I just want to talk to your mother again.”
He hung up the phone, looked up at the apartment building, and found Mai standing on the balcony, holding her phone and looking at him.
He waved with a smile and shouted, "Yue-Yi/Shou-Fa, wait for me to come back tonight!"
He then smoothed a strand of hair from his forehead and walked away from the apartment building.
……
The headquarters of Mai Sakurajima's talent agency is located in an office building in Ginza, Tokyo.
Inside the top-floor conference room, Kazuko Sakurajima sat in the main seat, her face ashen.
On the table in front of her was a preview of a newly printed weekly magazine article—"Shocking! The truth behind the retirement of national idol Mai Sakurajima! Suspected of living with a younger high school student!"
The photo was taken in an extremely clever way; it was taken from a high-rise building opposite the apartment using a telephoto lens.
In the scene, Yuto Itsuka and Mai Sakurajima are in the living room. Although they don't engage in overly intimate actions, the natural and relaxed atmosphere of their home is enough to make any reader's imagination run wild.
In one photo, Mai Sakurajima is bending down to cover Yuto Itsuka, who is lying on the sofa, with a blanket.
In another picture, the two are sitting side by side on the floor, playing with a white kitten.