Togawa Sakiko has been in a very bad mood lately.
Losing his position as a council member and her father being kicked out of the house, she didn't stay in the Togawa household to continue being an ignorant rich young lady, but instead chose to leave with her father.
Originally, she had hoped her father could pull himself together and take back everything that belonged to him, but he ended up like a stray dog with a broken spine, losing all his spirit.
He didn't go out to work and support the family, becoming a useless drunk who spent every day in a daze, drowning in the numbness of alcohol and unable to escape.
Even so, Togawa Sakiko silently carried the heavy burden of life, balancing her studies while also busy with part-time jobs.
Rent, utilities, and her lousy father's beer money, all this heavy pressure fell upon the immature shoulders of this eighteen-year-old girl, making her unable to breathe.
Especially tonight.
During her part-time job as customer service, she encountered a troublesome caller, got scolded harshly and even got complained about, resulting in her bonus for this month being deducted.
'So hungry… I haven't eaten anything all day.'
But after just paying the rent, the money left in her pocket wasn't even enough to buy a half-price pork cutlet bento.
'That bastard dad's dinner isn't settled either…'
Togawa Sakiko wandered aimlessly along the bustling streets of Tokyo, looking at the endless stream of cars, and suddenly had the impulse to dive into them headfirst.
'Living is really exhausting.'
From the corner of her eye, she unintentionally caught sight of a boy wearing pale-colored clothes walking out from the front of a convenience store nearby, carrying large and small bags.
'Those bags are stuffed full… all food?'
'So hungry…'
'But it's okay, tomorrow is payday.'
'Sakiko, hang in there!'
Just as Togawa Sakiko collected her emotions and was about to leave, she saw several gyaru girls with tanned skin approaching the boy with ill intentions, surrounding him in the middle.
Even though there was some distance, and she couldn't hear what they were saying, it was definitely not a friendly greeting like, "Have you eaten?"
'Is it sexual harassment?'
Sakiko sighed, but in the end, she still couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
———
"Hey! You bastard, what nonsense are you spouting!"
Hearing someone had called the police, the red-haired gyaru in the lead panicked a little and retorted fiercely but weakly.
"We were just inviting him to hang out, that's all!"
The other two gyaru also chimed in.
"Yeah, yeah, just a normal invite to hang out!"
"Mind your own business!"
"You can say all that to the police later."
Togawa Sakiko crossed her arms, her beautiful eyes cold as ice and snow, "Of course, whether they believe you or not is another matter."
"Damn it! I'll remember you!"
They were just ordinary gyaru after all. Though unwilling, they had no way to deal with Sakiko, who now radiated the full aura of a noble lady.
After throwing out a useless threat, they fled quickly.
"Are you okay?", After confirming the three gyaru had all run away and disappeared, Togawa Sakiko finally put away her phone and looked at the boy beside her.
Or more accurately, looked at the bag in his hand.
Looking closer now… there really were a lot of high-end ingredients inside, and also very fresh bottled water…
"I'm fine," Kaito shook his head, "Thanks for your help."
The girl in front of him had blue hair, styled in a rare over-the-shoulder double ponytail, looking pretty like a doll. Only her amber pupils lacked energy, carrying an aura like an old soul.
"I'm Togawa Sakiko," Sakiko finally managed to pull her gaze away from the bag in Kaito's hand. When speaking, making eye contact was part of her upbringing as a Togawa family member.
Then, the girl froze.
Kaito was used to people showing that infatuated look when facing him, especially women.
No matter what, Miss Togawa had helped him a bit just now, even though he didn't need it. Still, kindness from strangers was always precious.
"A little token of appreciation," He handed several ten-thousand yen bills in front of Sakiko, speaking concisely, "It's nothing, please accept it."
Although the girl thought her sneaky gaze at the bag just now was subtle, it didn't escape the sharp eyes of a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Not to mention the little gulp she secretly swallowed…
'You're really hungry, huh? Even reacting to a pile of unprocessed ingredients.'
"S-Sorry! That was rude of me—stockings!"
Sakiko snapped out of it like waking from a dream, even accidentally blurting out her old catchphrase.
'I actually stared blankly at a stranger boy for so long?'
Even if the other party truly had a world-class face, staring at him like that without blinking was definitely not what a proper lady should do.
Just as the bowing Sakiko looked up again, she saw the ten-thousand yen bills in front of her and instinctively frowned.
"Thanks for your kindness, but no need," She saved him just to save him, not for a reward.
Maybe that seemed a bit lofty, but even after being beaten down by society, Sakiko didn't want to change her principles of being a decent person.
Besides…
Accepting this money gave her a shameful feeling of being given charity.
"Perhaps you misunderstood something," Seeing the girl's face didn't look too good, Kaito thought for a moment and said again, "Have you heard the story of Zigong redeeming a captive?"
Zigong ransomed a captive but refused to accept the official compensation. When Confucius heard of it, he said what Zigong did was wrong. Doing good without accepting rewards would discourage people's enthusiasm for doing righteous deeds.
As the former young lady of the Togawa family, Sakiko not only had excellent grades but also read classical texts from various countries. With a little thought, she understood Kaito's point.
But she still shook her head, her soft wavy hair swaying with the motion, "I just did a trivial thing, this money is too much."
Like a stubborn and rigid little blue octopus.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard the octopus girl's mouth was, her empty little belly still felt soft to the touch.
"Grr… grr…", The sound of a hungry stomach quietly rang out.
Though not loud, it was enough for both of them to hear clearly.
Sakiko: "..."
Kaito tried to ignore her reddening ears and pretty face, pretending nothing had happened.
"In that case, how about I treat you to a meal?"
Sakiko really wanted to refuse, but already thoroughly embarrassed, she now had a bit of a self-destructive attitude.
'Anyway… I already turned down the money.'
'It's just one meal, no big deal, right?'
———
"This is my home."
After leading Togawa Sakiko all the way home, Kaito casually opened the door.
"Miss Togawa can rest on the sofa for a bit first. I'll go to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Any allergies?"
"None," Togawa Sakiko shook her head. After changing shoes at the entrance, she sat upright, hands instinctively holding her skirt hem, looking a bit reserved.
She hadn't expected that this beautiful boy she randomly met on the street actually lived so close to her.
To be precise, their homes were only separated by a single street—just a few steps away, and they could visit each other.
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