Tokyo Psychic

Page 190

"It's rare to see Subaru cooking in the kitchen," Rupa said, somewhat moved.

Ebizuka Tomo recalled the girl he shared a roof with before the study tour, and his expression turned somewhat sullen. "Did you look at the sheet music I sent you those few days?"

As Anwa Subaru walked into the living room carrying a plate of tempura and tamagoyaki, he answered casually, "Of course I've seen it."

"We'll resume band practice tomorrow, and we'll try to finish recording our debut song by next week."

"Isn't this schedule a bit too tight?"

"You guys only have a little over a month left before summer vacation. If you don't get the band back on track soon, you'll really have to disband!" Ebizuka Satoshi said sternly.

Just as Ebizuka Satoshi was about to continue lecturing An and Subaru for their improper attitude, Rupa had already picked up a piece of tamagoyaki and stuffed it into her mouth.

So sweet...

Ebizuka Tomo chewed on the tamagoyaki in his mouth, and his mood involuntarily calmed down a little, along with the various resentments that had accumulated over time.

Rupa winked at An and Subaru, who were secretly relieved. She had specifically informed their band's drummer about Ebizuka Tomo's recent emotional state and offered a few tips on how to easily cheer him up.

So after the study tour ended, An and Subaru went to the supermarket to buy all the ingredients and spent an afternoon tinkering in the kitchen to achieve their current results.

On the same night, some people were out there doing good deeds in the shadows of the city, some were in the kitchen fiddling with pots and pans to ease tensions in the band, and others were pulling out their backpacks, taking out all sorts of practice problems, and sitting under the lamp racking their brains over complex mathematical formulas.

......

Jingqinrencai is confused.

When she returned to Tokyo, perhaps because of the sense of security that came from being "no one at home" for four long days, Sakura Futaba, who always shut herself in her bedroom, lingered in the living room for a few extra minutes, which was unusual for her.

After all, even a homebody like me sometimes wants to bask in the sun.

And it was by sheer coincidence that Jing Qinrencai walked in through the door.

This was the first time she had seen Mr. Sakura's daughter in the sunlight.

She was a girl with messy, long, orange-red hair, wearing a baggy T-shirt that revealed her sickly, thin limbs.

She looked to be about 15 years old. Even though she was wearing thick, large-framed glasses, you could still tell that the girl had delicate and well-proportioned features.

"You are...Navi? Oh...Sakura Futaba?"

While Izare Nina was asking questions, Sakura Futaba showed a look of fear after hearing the code name "Navi," then let out a strange "goo-ya" sound, her face turned pale in an instant, and she desperately ran towards her bedroom.

When the door is closed and locked, the atmosphere inside the room becomes incredibly awkward.

Feeling that she had offended her, Izayoi Sera knocked on Futaba Sakura's door several times in an attempt to apologize.

Futaba Sakura's room was quiet, and no matter how much Iori Jina asked, she received no answer.

About half an hour later, Sakura Sojiro got off work and returned home with fresh vegetables he had just bought. He happened to see Iori Jinna standing guard at Sakura Futaba's door as if she were being punished.

"What are you doing?" Sakura Sojiro stroked his beard, somewhat surprised that Oi Serina was thinking of taking the initiative to interact with Sakura Futaba.

Logically speaking... these two girls should have known each other online long ago, and even with Sakura Futaba's personality, she should have been able to gradually accept Iori Jinna's existence.

But she has never met Iori Renna face to face. Is it because Iori Renna frightens her? Or is it because she sees some kind of possibility in Iori Renna that makes her feel terrified?

Sakura Sojiro knew that Isera Nina was not the kind of dangerous person who could hold some kind of leverage over Sakura Futaba and make her obey his orders, so he always thought that Sakura Futaba simply didn't like being with Isera Nina.

And Ishigami was probably aware of this as well, which is why she never bothered Sakura Futaba.

During the two months that Ishigami stayed at the Sakura family's house, this reliable guardian always thought this way.

Seeing the scene before him, Sakura Sojiro couldn't help but feel puzzled.

When dinner time came, Sakura Sojiro placed the curry rice he had prepared outside Sakura Futaba's bedroom door, but no matter how much he knocked, he received no response. This strange situation confirmed his suspicions...

Is this good or bad for Futaba?

The old man sat on the sofa, looking utterly dejected.

Seemingly sensing Sakura Futaba's unusual behavior, Izare Nina felt even more ashamed. After finishing her meal, she took the initiative to wash the dishes, then slunk back to her room, took out her workbook, and started doing practice problems.

The mathematical formulas twisted and turned before her eyes, and the girl, with a worried expression, lay on the table, experiencing for the first time the embarrassment and awkwardness of living under someone else's roof.

Thinking about it carefully, it seems that during my time in Tokyo, I felt most at ease and relaxed only when I was with Akira Kurusu.

I wish I could live with him.

Jing Qinren leaned back in her chair, and such thoughts inexplicably flashed through her mind.

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(Regarding the "Tsurumaki family" setting, the values ​​have been balanced in the book. Don't ask why it was balanced; the answer is that they were too prominent and were subjected to a series of crazy suppressions by Shido Masayoshi through "crippling".)

158. Tokyo is extremely hot (three-in-one)

（加更：1/6、2/6、3/6）

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What a lively night! Maids, carrying scalding hot towels, knelt beside the bathtub or busied themselves around the bedroom with brooms and rags in hand. A hazy white mist rose into the bathroom, filling every corner of the space.

Suddenly, they heard the head maid's order through their earpieces. After finishing their last tasks, everyone got up and quickly lined up at the door to leave.

Once the large bedroom and bathroom were empty, the head maid entered to inspect their work.

Hearing that the young lady was bringing her friends home tonight, the entire Toyokawa family took it very seriously.

The head maid was nearly fifty years old and had worked in the Toyokawa household for thirty years. Whenever those important figures made any moves or had any intentions, she could vaguely guess what they were thinking.

Looking at the spotless dressing table, the head maid suddenly noticed the dolls placed next to the mirror. She thought of her deceased best friend, and her mood involuntarily became melancholy.

The woman named "Mizuho" was someone she watched grow up.

She even attended Mizuho Toyokawa's wedding.

He prayed to God, wishing them a happy life forever, and indeed witnessed the birth and growth of Toyokawa Shoko.

Then, in the year that child was about to graduate from junior high school...

In the large, desolate mansion, only Toyokawa Shoko remained, weeping over the dolls left behind by her mother.

Overnight, the once-powerful Toyokawa Foundation was filled with fear and established an organization called the "Cognitive Science Technology Application Department," which was visited daily by many prominent figures in the scientific community.

It is said that the Genmaki family, who were also assassinated by a force beyond reality, were the first to establish this department, and the Toyokawa family merely copied it.

Even though those zaibatsu that had long been rooted in Tokyo suffered heavy losses in his offensive, Shido Masayoshi's ambition did not subside. He even began to ruthlessly target researchers of cognitive science...

The head maid could never forget the day she witnessed a titan in the field of cognitive science, Isshiki Wakaba, suddenly lose consciousness on the street opposite the Toyokawa residence and then plunge into the traffic.

Regardless of the forensic examination, the case can only be closed as "suicide."

Several cognitive studies researchers who had received government funding accompanied her to see Isshiki Wakaba off.

Even though the researchers firmly believed that Isshiki Wakaba suffered "human degeneration" which led to this tragedy, there was a severe lack of evidence to file a case, and since cognitive psychology was a newly emerging discipline, the matter was left unresolved.

"I remember Miss Isshiki has a daughter. I wonder how she's doing..." The head maid left after checking the room's cleanliness.

But she was just a maid after all. She was extremely lucky to be promoted to head maid recently after the death of her original master. How could she possibly take it upon herself to care about the daughter of a scientist who had just signed a cooperation agreement with the Toyokawa family?

Facing the waiting maids in the corridor, a few noisy sounds suddenly came through.

"Is it the young lady who has returned?" At this time, the only girl in this mansion who can be called "young lady" is Toyokawa Shoko.

She heard the reception team's response through her earpiece, and then began assigning tasks to the maids again.

......

“Every time I pass by here, I can’t help but sigh at the stench of capitalism.”

Looking at the "mansion" that was practically an entire mountain in front of her... or rather, the word "estate" would be more accurate to describe it, Akira Kurusu asked Toyokawa Shoko beside her, "When does Your Highness plan to enter the 'band startup failed, and I'm going to inherit trillions of dollars' stage?"

Toyokawa Shoko quickly grabbed her hair to cover her reddened ears, "We'll see." This was a surprising answer even to Wakaba Mutsu.

As their perspective gradually shifted from the narrow confines of the classroom to the intricate streets and alleys, and then rose to encompass the entire city of Tokyo.

This girl, who was once bound by her own pride and ego, has gradually become accustomed to ignoring the gazes and comments of others, tolerating those sharp words, and understanding the various emotions they express.

Toyokawa Shoko walked to the access control. There was no door lock here, and the door could only be opened via a remote control console.

The iron gate slowly opened.

Akira Kurusu squeezed Wakaba Mutsu's little hand, and the girl immediately handed the suitcase she was dragging in her other hand to Akira Kurusu.

The phantom thief picked up his suitcase and walked up the steps.

Did Xiaomu contact her family today?

Ruoye Mu shook her head, then quickly followed Laixi Xiao, her eyes fixed on the box in his hand.

"It's very heavy," she said softly.

"Is this heavy too?" Akira Lai carried the suitcase with ease, taking several steps up the steps.

Toyokawa Shoko closed the door and followed the two up the steps.

Before Qi Xiao could fully demonstrate his boyfriend-like strength, several maids rushed towards them. It was a long distance to run from the house to the gate, so they suppressed their fatigue, quickly adjusted their breathing, and then greeted the young man and woman as they entered.

......

It still boasts the same extravagant decor and the same spacious, almost exaggerated building size.

Akira Kurusu was about to go to a restaurant with two girls who hadn't had dinner to mooch some late-night snacks when she was suddenly stopped by a maid on the way.

She looked quite old, but dressed in a perfectly fitted maid's outfit, she was clearly a person of some influence in the mansion.

"Hello?"

The head maid bowed deeply. "Young Master Amamiya, this way please."

"Is someone here to see me?" Akira Kurusu's attitude seemed somewhat casual.

"Yes." The head maid did not specify who the person who wanted to see Akira Kurusu was, but one could easily guess the person's identity from her attitude and expression.

"Please lead the way."

Akira Kurusu followed the head maid toward the reception room.

He remembered this place; it was here that he accompanied Wakaba Mutsu through a whole bunch of messy psychological tests.

The deep red door, made of wood whose name I don't know, was slowly pushed open.

Toyokawa Sadaharu, who looked much older than before, sat on the sofa with a teapot and several empty teacups in front of him.

Maruki Takuto was also standing next to them, and naturally picked up the teapot and poured hot tea into their cups.

Akira Kurusu sat down opposite Sadaharu Toyokawa. He didn't touch his teacup, but remained silent for about a minute before suddenly asking, "How did you know?"

Maruki Takuto took a thermometer out of his collar and handed it to Kurusu Akira.

Akira Kurusu watched as it instantly reached the full mark in his hand, then looked at Takuto Maruki and Sadaharu Toyokawa, who showed no surprise whatsoever, and immediately knew the answer in his mind: "Is this a product of the Cognitive Science Technology Application Department?"

“You actually pronounced that name correctly.” Maruki Takuto subtly explained the suspicious points in Kurusu Akira’s words to Toyokawa Sadaharu. “I remember that Amamiya-san is usually very interested in cognitive science and has read a lot of related books. No wonder she has such powerful abilities.”

The more Toyokawa Sadaharu looked at Akira, the more satisfied he became. The fatigue from the "great purge" he had been carrying out in the family these past few days seemed to have disappeared. "I know you are a very smart person, so I won't waste any more words... Amamiya, are you willing to marry Toyokawa Shoko?"

This statement is very clever; it doesn't mean "marrying into the family," but rather "taking a wife."

Lai Xixiao looked at the thermometer in her hand; the mercury inside had exceeded the scale, threatening to burst the thermometer.

When he looked at Toyokawa Sadaharu again, the other party couldn't wait to continue, "You should know Shoko's personality. She is not suitable to manage such a large business, at least not in the short term... It will take a lot of time and energy for her to fully learn how to handle those things, and I probably won't have the chance to see that scene."

“I don’t have as much free time as you think either. At the same time, please trust Xiangzi more.” Akira Kurusu picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp. The rude action made Toyokawa Sadaharu’s eyebrows twitch.

Toyokawa Sadaharu hesitated for a moment, and although he wanted to say something but stopped himself, he chose to respect Akira Kurusu's wishes. "Then, let's put this topic aside for now."

He said in an almost pleading tone, "Please protect Xiangzi."

“It is my duty,” Akira Kurusu replied without hesitation, which pleased Sadaharu Toyokawa.

His biggest fear was that Akira Kurusu's feelings for Shoko Toyokawa were merely "playful." Seeing that the other party had truly invested his feelings for Shoko, he couldn't help but feel a little relieved.

With Akira Kurusu's definite answer, Toyokawa Sadaharu breathed a sigh of relief, then picked up his teacup, took a sip, and feeling warm, asked, "So... are you willing to make a deal with the Toyokawa family?"

Please explain in detail.

"Please get engaged to Toyokawa Shoko. After that, the Toyokawa family will do everything they can to protect your privacy and support your actions."

"I must have been getting a lot of attention from important people lately, right? The Toyokawa family suddenly started covering up all sorts of information about me, so wouldn't anyone with eyes to see it want to know about it?"

Maruki Takuto coughed lightly, "The Toyokawa family certainly has its own methods. As for the legendary mind thief, let him remain a legend..."

"As expected, it was too easy to guess." Akira Lai was not surprised that they knew his true identity.