Tokyo Psychic

Page 168

Takayuki Wakaba is both terrified of falling off that glamorous stage and utterly hates his current life.

then......

He didn't know when it started, but he began to envy his daughter, Ruo Ye Mu, whose purity was like a blank sheet of paper, allowing her to make any choice and become anyone she wanted to be.

Therefore, Takafumi Wakaba tacitly approved of Minami Mori's series of "controls" over Mutsuka Wakaba, tacitly approved of her treating Mutsuka Wakaba as a doll or work of art to be manipulated and flaunted, and tacitly approved of her consistent oppression and restriction of Mutsuka Wakaba's personality.

After all, the woman who was proud of her beauty and acting skills has gradually lost her advantage of "beauty" as she gets older and her career is demanding. At the same time, with the release of the latest film and television works, comments such as "old women shouldn't pretend to be young" and "it's disgusting that she is so old and still plays a high school student" have gradually appeared on the Internet, further pushing Senmina's mentality to a certain morbid edge.

That's why Minami also feels jealous of her daughter, jealous of her youth, jealous that at 16 she can enjoy so many genuine and precious things that only a 16-year-old girl can try to have...

After leaving the studio, Takafumi Wakaba put on a mask and sunglasses to conceal his face.

He walked toward the tram stop.

Under the moonlight, the asphalt road surface rippled with scale-like waves in the dead of night, and aluminum cans floating in the drains were transforming into unknown creatures. The reflections of traffic signs distorted and transformed in the heat wave into a serpentine network of railway tracks.

Wakaba Takafumi's shadow seemed to be slowly detaching from his body, drifting along the street toward the program venue filled with cameras and spotlights.

......

"Finally, the cleaning is finished."

Looking at the completely renovated premises of the Phantom Thieves' secret base, Akira Kurusu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Both Anwa Subaru and Toyokawa Shoko stared at Kurusu Akira with shocked looks.

It's hard to imagine that someone of this age could have such capable domestic skills.

She single-handedly organized all the cleaning and tidying work in an orderly manner, making the most of every movement and maximizing the use of every minute.

“You two young ladies, you’ve never done this kind of work before,” Akira Kurusu pulled a sponge mop out of a plastic bucket and handed it to An and Subaru. “Clean the stage floor one more time, and that will be the end of it.”

Toyokawa Shoko wanted to refute Kurusu Akira, but then she remembered that she was only doing some simple housework in that dilapidated apartment, such as wiping the kitchen sink or sweeping the floor. Compared to "renovating" a Livehouse that had been abandoned for nearly three years, it was far too easy.

She stared at the phantom thief in front of her with a suspicious look. "Are you really human?"

"How dare you speak like that?"

"One person 'renovates' the entire Livehouse in an hour... Is there some kind of Persona with cleaning skills?" Anwa Subaru complained while mopping the floor on stage.

"It's just that you have good physical strength, are strong, and think a lot."

Akira Kurusu casually explained, and then saw Kaname Rakuna stagger out of the passageway next to the stage.

The girl's face was dirty; she had put in a lot of effort cleaning the livehouse—although she had done almost nothing compared to Akira Kurusu, she had done her best.

At the age of fourteen, let alone wiping the floor with a rag by hand, she probably had no connection with words related to "housekeeping" such as bathroom cabinets and kitchens. But now, you could clearly feel her happiness.

The fact that she could do something she had never done before, was not good at, and was very difficult with such joy is probably because she really loves this performance hall.

Using "like" is too simplistic.

Yao Lena must have "loved" this performance hall, because it was her original home.

Even though she could sense that the new owner of the place was unwilling to use it as a "Livehouse" again, it did not diminish her familiarity and love for the place.

Cats are very territorial animals. Even if they are abandoned in a faraway forest, they will still remember their happiest little home.

"Didn't you say you were going to wash your hands and face?" The phantom thief looked at Kaname, who was staggering towards him.

Yoroi seemed not to understand and continued to approach him on her own.

"Rakuna." She stood in front of Akira Kurusu and said in a clear voice. "Call me Rakuna!"

"Do you like the feeling of being called out here?" Akira Kurusu pressed down on her thin shoulders, and could feel that the girl was very light.

You need to make Lena nod vigorously.

"Then why didn't you wash your face?" Akira steered the conversation back on track. She remembered that Rakuna had gone into the bathroom and run the water, but she still came out with a dirty face.

"I've thought of something important." As Yoro said this, her eyes suddenly dimmed, and she looked really pitiful.

Akira clearly sensed the girl's inner turmoil and uncertainty. "This place probably can't be your home," he wanted to say bluntly, but he couldn't bear to.

"Go wash your face and hands first," Akira Laiqi remembered that coaxing a kitten was easier than coaxing a child; just grab a bag of snacks, tear open the packaging, and let it smell the aroma. "This place will be converted into a coffee shop later, so you can come and play anytime then."

Kids usually need to eat a snack and see what it tastes like before they'll go with you.

Cats are simpler than children; a sniff is enough for them.

Akira Kurusu made a promise that he wasn't sure he could keep, but as he watched Rakuna happily run to the bathroom, he actually had the thought of "why not try getting a cat?"

Morgana sat on a discarded violin case, licking his paws impatiently. "Phantom Thief! When are we going to start our operation?"

“Now,” Akira Kurusu said calmly.

Morgana grew increasingly confused. "Isn't this supposed to be a secret base? I thought we were going to discuss tactics..."

Akira Kurusu, who was tidying up her cleaning tools, turned around and looked at it with some confusion. "The enemy isn't some heinous super criminal who could endanger the survival of the entire city at any moment. Why are we discussing tactics?"

"Uh... then why set up this secret base?" Morgana didn't quite understand the necessity for Akira Kurusu to bring two Personas to clean up here late at night.

“‘Secret bases’ are essentially designed to help us get into combat mode quickly. All the time and effort spent here is worthwhile… You’re not human, so of course you can’t understand the importance of habits and atmosphere.”

At this moment, the sound of splashing water could be heard coming from the washroom.

Shoko Toyokawa looked at Akira Kurusu with a questioning gaze, "Is it really okay to let her stay here?"

Behind Akira Kurusu, "Dioscuri" flickered for a moment, finally piecing together clues from her memories to reveal the truth behind Rakuna's sudden visit to the performance hall that night. "She's the granddaughter of the former owner of this 'SPACE,' a very strange girl... She'll discover the anomalies here sooner or later."

Toyokawa Shoko watched as Kaname sneaked out of the restroom and wandered around the Livehouse. Her expression shifted for a moment. "She is indeed a very strange girl."

"Are you worried that she will leak our secret?" Akira Kurusu sensed the worry in Shoko Toyokawa's heart.

“I’m not worried now,” Toyokawa Shoko shook her head. “This guy… is just like a cat.”

"A cat?" Kaoruna, who was smelling the shampoo in Anwa Subaru's hair, looked at Toyokawa Shoko with some curiosity.

If Izare Nami is at the level of "seemingly cat-like", then Kaname Rakuna has probably reached the level of "this is a cat" - it's impossible to describe her with the word "cat-like". One should suspect that she is some kind of cat demon disguised as a human and lurking in modern society.

After packing up the cleaning tools, as it was time to leave, Lena lingered by the door, reluctant to part, asking, "Will this place ever be open again?"

"I'm not sure." Akira Kurusu let her out. "I do hope we'll never need to use this place again..."

After all, this is the secret base of the Mind Thieves. If they need to gather here, it must be because there are villains in the city who need to repent.

But clearly, the idea of ​​not using this base is just empty talk.

"I want to play with Mona." Kaoru remained blocking the doorway, refusing to move an inch.

"Mona" is a more affectionate name for "Morgana".

Unfortunately, the apostle of velvet disregarded human affections, sitting aloofly on the table with a haughty gaze.

Akira Kurusu nudged Rakuna's shoulder, "You can see Mona anytime you go to STARRY."

Lena nodded, "STARRY...and Nina too."

"Yes, and Nina too." Akira finally pushed Kaname outside the door, then quickly pulled up the roller shutter and locked the shop door.

"...So cold-hearted." Anhe Subaru put the sponge mop into the bathroom, washed his hands, and then saw this scene.

Hearing the creaking and scratching at the door outside, Lai Qixiao said, "Ignore her, we should get going."

"I'll come again tomorrow," came the girl's frustrated and unwilling voice from outside the door.

Kaoru stood by the door, eavesdropping on what was happening inside... Her eyes widened in surprise.

All the sounds inside suddenly disappeared.

It was as if no one had ever been here.

......

"Mu, it's time to go out."

"Yes."

Under Minami's urging, Wakaba Mutsu changed her shoes by the entrance hall, where the driver had been waiting for a long time in the car on the road outside the gate.

The jet-black metal car body resembled a cage displaying collectors' artifacts, heading towards a massive auction house.

Ruoye Mu sat in the back seat of the car.

She originally thought this was just a routine "training" session arranged by her parents.

It wasn't until the passenger seat that her father's assistant handed her a script filled with lines she would need to answer during the "guest talk" segment the next day.

If Ye Mu almost lost his grip on the script, feeling a wave of dizziness, every word and phrase on the black paper seemed like the most vicious curse in the world.

She couldn't imagine that she would be arranged to answer questions, or even become part of those vulgar jokes that disregarded moral standards.

And the one who made all these arrangements was her biological father.

As if seeking help, Ruoye Mu turned her head to look out the car window... Mori Minami was smiling at her, and that smile, illuminated by the streetlights, was like a gleaming scalpel that instantly cut into her forehead and then coldly and cruelly pulled downwards.

"Mu, do your best in today's rehearsal!"

Senmina actually opened the car door and got in, saying, "If I seize this opportunity, I might become an overnight sensation."

Looking at this woman who had suddenly become completely unfamiliar, and seeing the twisted desire flickering in her eyes, Ruoye Mutsu trembled uncontrollably with fear.

......

"Let's do this part again."

The director's conflicted voice echoed in the empty film set.

He glanced at the Wakaba couple to the side with some distress, "She's completely unable to let go... Maybe we should just give up."

“That’s how Mutsumi is usually,” Wakaba Takafumi replied calmly.

The director looked at the chair under the spotlight. The beautiful and exquisite girl sat there silently like a doll, her eyes lowered, as if all the light had been taken away from her.

A girl who had almost never been exposed to topics about interactions with the opposite sex since childhood was suddenly forced to endure such vile conversations, and even to be subjected to vulgar jokes that would be considered "indecent" by some. It was as if her only "self" was being torn apart and exposed to the audience for their amusement.

Anyone could tell that Ruoye Mu was a quiet and well-mannered girl who had grown up in a prestigious private school and was practically a "young lady." She would never be the kind of woman from the red-light district who would casually chat about those undignified and risqué jokes...

But when she actually said it with a very serious expression, it immediately gave people a sense of being "coerced" and "gradually degenerated." The beautiful and peaceful things being destroyed little by little before their eyes was enough to arouse the attention of any viewer.

In addition, given her identity as "the daughter of Senmina and Wakaba Takafumi", she can easily cause a huge uproar online with just a little push.

This is exactly the effect that producer Takafumi Wakaba needed.

With that kind of viewership, plus the cooperation of Sammi and Nami, his show can be revived from the brink of cancellation.

If Ye Mu can also gain a lot of attention from this, he might even be able to use this opportunity to rise to the forefront of the entertainment industry...

Takafumi Wakaba considered all possibilities of success and the interests of all parties, but he failed to consider the wishes of Mutsuki Wakaba himself.

In his view, enduring those unpleasant comments briefly online and at school is enough to secure a bright and open future—an opportunity that countless people dream of but cannot obtain.

The director noticed Wakaba Takafumi's persistence, and his expression became increasingly conflicted.

He looked at Wakaba Mutsu, "Could we do that part again?"

As he spoke, he turned to look at the female guest on the other side.

The female guest was a female celebrity much older than Wakaba Mutsu, with a business-like smile plastered on her face. "Ms. Wakaba, shall we repeat the lines from the script again?"

If Ye Mu simply sat blankly in his seat, staring vacantly at the black and white words on the script, then remained silent.

"Mumu, try again. Lift your head and look at the camera." Behind Mumu was Takafumi Wakaba's deep voice.

Ruo Yemu shuddered violently, like a puppet on strings, swaying and moving. Her face remained indifferent and expressionless, but her trembling voice betrayed that she was not as calm as she appeared.

Just because Ye Mu is not good at expressing emotions doesn't mean she has no emotions.

She's just a sixteen-year-old high school girl. She gets hurt when friends reject her gifts, suffers when misunderstood, and feels lonely when ignored...

Because his "self" has been suppressed for a long time, he is unable to express these sad emotions smoothly. Now, facing the culprit that caused his current situation, he thinks about his situation after the program airs tomorrow.

It seemed as if one could truly hear the mockery and ridicule of countless people, the disappointed and disdainful gazes of classmates, and even... even the disdainful looks of Toyokawa Shoko and Kurusu Akira.

Wakaba Muku immediately felt a strong sense of suffocation.

It was as if her throat was being tightly gripped by a pair of strong hands.

She had only just begun to experience happiness...

"Forget it, let's just use the teleprompter." Wakaba Takafumi suddenly stepped forward and picked up the script from Wakaba Mutsu's lap.

He instructed the director, "Use a teleprompter when filming the program."

The director hesitated for a moment, "Wouldn't this be a bit too much of a rip-off for the audience...?"

"What do you think will be the selling point of the next episode?" Takafumi Wakaba asked him in return.