Chapter 137: Sakiko in His Arms, Mutsumi at the Door
Silence.
Although the private room door was designed for privacy, the mother and daughter had not closed it completely, leaving a crack that allowed the two people outside to see and hear the movement within.
Hikigaya Hachiman was originally curious why Sakiko had suddenly stopped at the door of Wakaba Mutsumi's private room, seemingly eavesdropping. As someone who had been teaching Mutsumi for so long, if Hachiman couldn't recognize her Cursed Energy, he would have been a failure as a sensei.
Back when Hachiman helped Soyo relieve her stress, he had invaded her memories. Thus, he knew that Mutsumi and Sakiko had a very good relationship—they were childhood friends who grew up together. Still, even if they were close, it was unusual for Sakiko to be listening at the door like this.
"It's nothing," Togawa Sakiko whispered, her face flushing as she was caught by Sensei Hikigaya. "Let's go."
Since she had booked early, Sakiko also had a private room, located about four or five rooms away from Mutsumi's.
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"Who?"
'Who has a boyfriend? Papa?'
The mother's question caused Mutsumi's brain to stall.
Mutsumi had lived for nearly sixteen years but had never heard of such a thing as a "boyfriend" pertaining to herself. Holding the mango juice with both hands and sipping through a straw, the normally obedient Mutsumi almost choked. After a few soft coughs, she fell into silence.
After a long pause, Mutsumi uttered only three words to her mother.
"I don't know (Shiranai)."
She looked a bit guilty. As she said it, her eyes didn't meet her mother's but looked elsewhere.
"You child, getting shy now," Mori Minami said with a chuckle, finding it quite amusing.
Mutsumi's rare lapse in composure in front of her revealed that there was definitely something going on. If she had a clear conscience, why would she avoid eye contact while saying she didn't know?
"It's okay, Mama doesn't blame you."
She had actually heard from her husband that a boy had been taking Mutsumi out to play recently. And that boy's identity was no ordinary one. According to "Old Waka," even in the Shinguji family—who held immense power in Japan—that boy was a guest of honor.
Mutsumi's father had seen with his own eyes how the designated next head of the Shinomiya family, Shinomiya Oko, had slapped his second brother, Shinomiya Seiryuu, just to suppress Hikigaya-kun's anger. This showed that Hachiman's status in the Jujutsu world was something even the powerful Shinomiya family dared not provoke.
Because of this, Old Waka did not refuse the interaction between the two children. He even tacitly approved; before Mutsumi went out to play, her father actively canceled her ballet and various art classes to clear the path for her.
It sounds rare for parents to actively push their daughter out like this. But then again, if the child could take on great responsibilities, would they as parents allow her to date before her career was established? It was because Mori Minami and her husband had already resigned themselves to the truth.
If the goal was to raise a qualified actress, Mori Minami could only say that Mutsumi, as a "primary account," was a failure. As a mother, she had long since understood Mutsumi's temperament; her daughter would likely never be an actress.
It wasn't just because Mutsumi read scripts like a textbook—forget about being expressive, it was a miracle if she didn't memorize the lines wrong. It was also because Mutsumi was too simple and disliked competing with others.
It's not that a simple personality is bad, but in the cutthroat entertainment industry, such a character suffers the most. As the only daughter of the Wakaba family, she wasn't fit to be a successor. This meant the entertainment resources owned by the couple would go to waste.
But there was no helping it. The child had this personality and her talent wasn't exceptional; she was destined to be an ordinary person. It was like forcing a cow to eat grass; as parents, they had tried.
Unfortunately, Mutsumi was truly not cut out for acting.
Mori Minami had even sent her to "Tsukinomori," a famous girls' school in Tokyo, rather than a co-ed one, just to protect her. Looking back, that might have been a mistake.
Finding a good boy to marry and starting a family early would be good for both Mutsumi and her parents. Ideally, if the resulting children had acting talent, they could still raise a grandson or granddaughter as a child star.
The entertainment industry today is fiercely competitive, and resources are scarce. This was Mori Minami's resignation. The "main account" was a bust, so she could only pin her hopes on a "sub-account."
Given Mutsumi's personality—as stable as a meditating monk—her parents assumed she would never take the initiative with a boy she liked. They figured they would eventually have to introduce someone to her.
They didn't expect Mutsumi to find someone with an excellent family background who could pass her father's scrutiny on her own.
Mori Minami knew how rare such talent was, which is why she was so eager to ask. It could help the family reach a higher level, and if the child liked him, the parents naturally approved. This concerned whether the worried old parents could hold a grandchild sooner.
Looking at Mutsumi now, it was clear she might not even realize it herself yet. Otherwise, why would she get shy and speechless at her mother's words? However, she didn't seem to reject the idea at all. A faint blush crept onto her face, and as someone who had been through it, Mori Minami knew there was a tiny spark there.
It was just that her daughter was too timid, making progress slower than she imagined.
"I won't say much else. Silly daughter, if he's taken you out several times, he must like you. If he didn't, who would waste time on you?"
Hearing her mother's words, Mutsumi silently gripped her glass a little tighter. Her heart began to beat faster.
"Stupid Mutsumi!" "It's going to break! It's going to break!"
The parrot wearing the mortarboard nearby hadn't dared to act up because it sensed a terrifying pressure. Otherwise, it would have mocked Mutsumi as harshly as her mother did. Seeing Mutsumi's heart rate accelerate and her looking so agitated that she was about to crush the glass, "Midori" had to speak up.
'How can this kid be so restless?'
One had to understand that Mutsumi was no longer what she used to be. She now possessed Cursed Energy, and her physical strength had reached a new level; crushing a glass was easy for her. If Midori hadn't reminded her, Mutsumi would have performed a "hand-crushing glass" show for her mother.
Mutsumi hadn't even noticed it herself, but when she heard her mother say that the boy taking her out meant he liked her to some extent, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. She was clearly happy to hear this.
Seeing the "wooden" Mutsumi finally starting to understand, Mori Minami felt relieved. She put a shrimp ball in Mutsumi's bowl, hoping to "nourish her brain." Acting requires talent, but surely love doesn't?
However, it seemed the child truly liked her crush. Just a little nudge from her mother, and now she couldn't hide that slight smile.
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"It's about time."
Mori Minami glanced at her phone; the alarm she set had gone off. "Mutsumi, Mama has work soon."
She was a top diva in Japan; her work was incredibly busy. She had two assistants for different fields, and her daily schedule was precise to the minute. Being able to carve out an hour to eat with her daughter was a luxury. Fans had calculated that at a film set, Mori Minami earned about five million yen per minute.
The assistants' scheduled time had arrived. Mori Minami had to end the meal and head to the airport. "Mutsumi, you keep eating."
The dishes in front of them were excellent but barely touched; her mother had mostly spent the time probing her.
"Mhm." Mutsumi stood up to see her mother off.
But that wasn't her only purpose. Though her back was to the door, she was sensing the surroundings with Cursed Energy. She sensed a familiar presence—it was definitely Hachiman.
Midori's strange behavior also confirmed her suspicion. Usually, Midori would be flying around her head, mocking her relentlessly. Midori only acted timid and subservient in front of Hachiman. Other than him, the ever-proud Midori feared no one.
Knowing that Hachiman was right outside while her mother was asking about him was quite a stimulus for Mutsumi. This forced her to stay calm. However, as she stole a glance back, she saw another unexpected, familiar face.
It was Sakiko.
Sakiko was following behind Hachiman as they left.
Mutsumi suddenly realized this. It meant that not only was Hachiman outside, but her childhood friend Sakiko had passed by as well.
Mutsumi and Sakiko were extremely close—closer even than her relationship with Soyo. Sakiko had asked Mutsumi not to tell Soyo what happened to her, and Mutsumi had truly not breathed a word. In fact, the real reason Soyo and Mutsumi had fought was because Mutsumi refused to tell her about Sakiko's circumstances or which school she had transferred to.
Even though Soyo was a friend no less important than Sakiko in Mutsumi's heart, Mutsumi kept the secret.
"Is it a coincidence?" Mutsumi tilted her head, not overthinking it.
Why would these two people, who should have no intersection, pass by her room together? Sakiko being with Hachiman meant... were they eating together? Mutsumi remembered Hachiman saying there was no training tonight.
She was a bit concerned. Mutsumi decided to see her mother off and then double back to peek and see if those two were indeed together.
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Hikigaya Hachiman and Togawa Sakiko had already arrived in their private room and sat down. The environment here was indeed excellent; they could see the Skytree through the glass window. Sakiko, who had been caught eavesdropping, had now regained her composure.
"Sorry, I just saw someone I knew." After all, in Sakiko's view, Hikigaya-sensei didn't know Mutsumi at all.
Mutsumi must have been eating with her mother. Mori Minami was quite famous, and Sakiko had seen her on TV many times. In terms of status, Mutsumi's mother was slightly more famous than Anno Subaru's grandmother, Anno Tendo. After all, she was the current screen queen.
"Sensei, please order whatever you like." Sakiko smiled and pushed the menu to Hachiman. Her tone was generous; that was the confidence five million yen in her account gave her.
"The boss is generous, so I won't be polite." Hachiman didn't say anything to spoil the mood and went along with her. Though he said that, he kept in mind that this money was very important to Sakiko, so he didn't order anything excessively expensive. He saved her money.
After the waiter took their order, Sakiko let out a sigh of relief. Brave Sakiko—life was finally looking up. But she didn't forget who helped her get here. It was because of Hikigaya-sensei that she had this large sum of money to solve her urgent needs. And the sensei told her that life would only get better, which she firmly believed.
Sakiko looked out at the Skytree. The prosperity outside was captivating. Though she had dined on better observation decks before, this meal was earned by her own hands. Unlike the past, this was more memorable.
"Should I take a photo for you?" Hachiman suggested, seeing her gaze fixed on the Skytree.
Sakiko was startled. She felt embarrassed and reflexively wanted to refuse, but she suddenly thought that today was indeed worth commemorating. "Then... I'll trouble you."
Sakiko handed him her phone, but she was still a bit shy, acting hesitant. "That... Sensei."
When she spoke, she lacked her usual assertiveness. Facing Hachiman, her voice naturally weakened. "Can you take it with me?"
"Of course." Hachiman didn't refuse her request.
"Thank you, Sensei." With his agreement, the smile on Sakiko's flushed face became even brighter.
Hachiman was taller, so he held Sakiko's phone. "Sensei, come a bit closer."
Sakiko proactively grabbed Hachiman's arm, pulling him closer to her. Hachiman pressed the shutter, with the prosperity of Tokyo and the illuminated Skytree as their background.
Holding a member of the opposite sex for the first time, Sakiko seemed especially nervous; she was stiff, and her eyelashes were trembling. Her fair face had a tempting pink hue, looking extremely cute. Hachiman sensed Sakiko, who was holding his arm, now resting her head directly on his shoulder.
When Hachiman first met Sakiko, she was like a prickly hedgehog, unwilling to accept help. Now, she was showing her true self. Despite her strong exterior, Sakiko's heart was fragile and soft.
"Thank you, Sensei," Sakiko whispered.
If it weren't for Hachiman as a judge, Sakiko's work would have been rejected without even getting a chance to be performed; she would have collapsed then. It was the sensei who preserved her last shred of dignity. "Truly, thank you..."
Dignity was the most precious thing to Sakiko. The sensei had also agreed to many things because of her willfulness. Sakiko just wanted to hold him; she felt like she might cry. After so much...
"No need, Sakiko." Hachiman saw the weakness she never showed others and her intimacy with him. He reached out and patted her head. "What truly saved you was your own talent."
He comforted her. Stuck with such an unreliable father, Sakiko must have been under immense pressure. For a young girl with only a dozen years of life experience, reaching this height was not easy.
However, what concerned Hachiman was that something felt a little "off."
Wakaba Mutsumi was currently standing at the door.
Hachiman knew this clearly because Mutsumi's Cursed Energy was so obvious to his eyes. He knew his student was right outside. And Mutsumi's dear friend, Sakiko, was currently embracing him.
Mutsumi, having just seen her mother off, had slowly followed the fluctuations of her sensei's Cursed Energy. The private room wasn't perfectly opaque; through the frosted glass of the door, Mutsumi seemed to see two overlapping silhouettes.
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