In Tokyo: They are heavily dependent on me

Chapter 83. Then... then should I agree to his request?

The cause of the power outage was determined the following day.

Inside the open electrical box, charred rats emitted a foul, burnt smell. The repairman used tongs to catch the stiff rats and threw them into a nearby trash can.

I tested the power supply, and it's working fine now.

With a click, the maintenance worker closed the electrical box, said "Don't open it casually in the future," and then picked up his toolbox and left.

Xun scratched her right cheek, having no recollection of ever doing such a thing.

"Brother, is everything alright now?"

After the repairman left, Rin lifted the noren curtain and peeked out to look at him.

"It's fixed now; it was caused by rats."

"Oh, that's good."

Rin pulled her upper body back from its forward lean.

Before the morning rush hour, make sure to get the store ready as quickly as possible.

With this in mind, Kaoru quickly got into work mode.

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For the past few days, Chio Kobayashi has been unable to shake off the unease that comes from the depths of her heart.

On my way to school, during class, and on my way home, I can't help but think of that guy.

It seems that—from the very beginning, she was unclear about Hoshino Kaoru's purpose in doing so.

At first, she thought Hoshino liked her.

But later, she discovered that it wasn't as she had guessed.

That guy's gaze never lingered on her. Later, she realized that Hoshino Kaoru was approaching her because she wanted to have her body.

But the facts once again proved that... the other party was not interested in this kind of thing.

All of that existed only in her imagination.

Kobayashi couldn't understand why he would ask her out, give her money for no reason, and correct her bad habits. They hadn't interacted much before, yet he did all this in a way that left no room for reason.

What was his purpose?

What is his purpose?

"What the heck? I don't understand at all..."

"What on earth is that idiot thinking?"

Kobayashi turned over, and the scene he had witnessed resurfaced in his mind once again.

At the entrance to the Kendo Club's activity room.

A scene of Hoshino Kaoru and Yanagi no Shita Ruri kissing.

"Ugh! That's enough! Why did I even think of such pointless things!"

Kobayashi shook his head vigorously, trying to shake those chaotic images out of his mind.

However, deep down, she unconsciously identified with the girlfriend role played by Liu Xiazhi.

If...the person who did that back then was her...

If such a thing happened in reality...

She felt her body temperature become somewhat abnormal.

I'm clearly very unhappy... even breathing has become extremely difficult, and despite this, my mind keeps wandering uncontrollably.

My heart started pounding uncontrollably.

Kobayashi closed her eyes and began to savor the sensation of their lips touching in the hospital's parking shed.

She even fantasized that if she could be gently loved by Hoshino-kun, she would never resist such a thing happening.

It was strange to have this thought, but... she couldn't bring herself to hate it at all.

Hoshino-kun... Lately, he's been on her mind the whole time.

Xiaolin found her phone under the pillow and opened the photo album.

They found the photos they had secretly taken before.

It was when I was riding my bicycle...

She began to savor the memory, pressing her cheek against the man's back and feeling his body heat.

She recalled what the other person had said to her.

[A vain girl like you will never be truly liked by any boy.]

[I... have always just disliked you]

"Seriously... I would never like someone like that!"

Xiaolin angrily shoved her phone back under her pillow.

"I'm not vain... that was in the past."

Feeling somewhat dissatisfied, her cheeks puffed out as she thought about the guy coming to her house tomorrow.

Maybe... I should just ask that guy about it tomorrow.

Perhaps, after I corrected my vain nature, he has already fallen in love with me?

If that's the case...

Xiaolin buried her face in the pillow, repeatedly raising and lowering her legs, making the bed bang loudly.

"Anyway, I've already corrected it...if he likes me..."

"Then...then I'll say yes."

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"It's time, isn't it...?"

The bustling streets of Shinjuku.

Xun checked the time, and as he looked around, a blond figure at the subway entrance not far away instantly caught his attention.

Seeing that he had been focusing his attention on her from the very beginning, Liu Zhixia Liuli stopped and leaned slightly forward towards Kaoru's body, blinking her eyes as she pointed at her own face.

"How do I look dressed like this?"

She was wearing a well-fitting set of men's clothing.

She wore a navy blue dress, shirt, and tie, paired with a French-style black coat. Her striking blonde hair was tied up and hung down her back, looking very neat and tidy. From this distance, her slender figure, fair skin, and that masculine face were beyond description, even the word "admiration" couldn't do her justice.

"I'm sorry... I'm not used to wearing women's clothes because they're very inconvenient. Do you think it's strange of me to be dressed like this?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Xun gently shook her head and took her right hand very proactively.

"No, rather, it suits you very well, Minister."

When Department Head Yanagi Shita is dressed in men's clothing, her dignified beauty is unlike that of other girls; she possesses a unique and captivating radiance.

Kaoru stared at Yanagi's face, completely captivated by her uniqueness.

"Kaoru-kun...do you like me like this?"

"like."

"I like Kaoru-kun too... I've been thinking about you a lot when I can't see you, Kaoru-kun. I'm so happy to finally see you..."

In my memory, Department Head Yanagi was the kind of girl who was never good at hiding her inner thoughts.

When making decisions, she never considers the occasion, and when expressing her feelings, she doesn't react shyly like other girls. Kaoru really likes this kind of department head.

"Kaoru-kun...I want a kiss."

Before even reaching the ramen shop, Yanagi no Shita already looked impatient, her face slightly flushed... and the men's clothing she was wearing made her incredibly alluring in Kaoru's eyes.

"Not now, be good."

Kaoru placed her right hand on the top of her head, and Yanagi immediately behaved like a dog being petted by its owner, closing her eyes. If she had a tail, it would definitely be wagging incessantly with joy at this moment.

"Okay, I'll listen to Kaoru-kun."

Walk forward for about ten minutes and you will arrive at the ramen shop.

Kaoru released Yanagi's hand, mentally preparing to introduce her to Rin. He lifted the noren curtain that served to keep warm and saw Aozora cleaning the ramen shop alone.

Seeing him appear with a strange girl, Aozora Asuka was stunned and at a loss for what to do.

"Store manager..."

"Um...excuse me, who is she...?"