Tokyo girls have a big problem

Chapter 233 Life is nothing more than ups and downs
"Didn't I plan to treat you to fried chicken tonight?" Aoyama replied.

No heartbeat.

Was there something wrong with her actions, or was this man heartless?

"Is the fried chicken a thank you for buying you clothes?" Jian Shang Ai tilted her head slightly.

"Whether you need my thanks for buying me clothes or not, you know perfectly well what you're doing," Aoyama said coldly.

She smiled when she saw him.

“But you also invited other people,” she said.

“My wife’s senior classmates are all here. It would be impolite to invite only you to dinner.”

“When you return to Tokyo, please treat me to a meal alone,” Ai Mikami requested.

“I’m not a chef,” Aoyama Osamu emphasized.

He is willing to cook, but his purpose is simply to make people happy, not to make cooking a means to an end.

For example, he can cook for his family, but he won't use his excellent cooking skills to make a beautiful girl become his family.

There was no intention to look down on cooking skills; it was simply because [Cooking Skill A] wasn't his own.

“You overestimate yourself,” said Ai. “I would much rather eat Meiyue’s cooking than yours.”

"Mizuki is my younger sister."

"With Meiyue's cooking and the sheriff's help, I'm already very satisfied." Jian Ai showed a hint of relief.

“Mizuki is my younger sister,” Aoyama Ryou repeated.

"You are not blood siblings."

"What if Mika-nee accepts my confession?" Aoyama Risa was inexplicably confident.

"I'll tell you the truth," said Ai, laughing. "Impossible."

"Why?!"

"The reason you feel there's hope is simply because Senior Mika cares about you going out with me."

"so what?"

"Let me ask you, if Elsa Tenyu went out with a certain boy, would you mind?"

"Of course not, I'm too busy being happy," Aoyama replied.

"Really?" Ai looked at him.

"Even if I care, it's not about that aspect."

"Then how can you be sure that what kind of concern Mei-hua is concerned about?"

"Besides this, what else do you care about?"

The two quickly exchanged questions and answers.

“Family.” Jian Shang’ai suddenly slowed down her speech, like a rocket that had just been ignited, both slow and incredibly powerful. “She’s worried that you’ll leave that home—I’ve heard that children from bad families often have all sorts of paranoia.”

"I know you're blunt and don't mean any harm, but you're being way too blunt!"

Seeing that Ai suddenly seemed to remember something and fell into deep thought: "Perhaps, compared to being with you and becoming a real family, Senior Meihua cares more about the 'family' she has now."

"What do you mean?" Aoyama leaned forward, looking at her across the aisle.

"Sisters and brothers cannot be separated, but wives and husbands can."

Aoyama Riya fell into deep thought.

"Could it be," he gradually came to the conclusion, "that Sister Meihua rejected me because she was afraid of losing me?"

"Your second confession will definitely fail," Ai laughed.

"Do you have any compassion?" Aoyama Osamu asked disdainfully.

"You're my backup plan, I have no reason to hope you find a girlfriend."

"Huh? Me? Your backup plan?"

“You were 29 and not married, so you got together,” Jian Shang reminded him.

"..." Aoyama Risa hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

He looked at Jian Shangai, who had been smiling and appraising him, but suddenly became embarrassed.

"I was just kidding." She looked away, her smile fading.

Aoyama Risa remained silent.

After a while, he suddenly realized: When he saw Shang Ai's joke, did she mean inviting her to dinner was a joke, or was it that being together at 29 without being married was a joke?

It's too late to ask now.

Whenever asked, regardless of the actual situation, Aoi will always say: It's true that Aoyama Rika wants to get married at 29, but the dinner invitation was a joke.

He won't do a business that loses money.

Back at the hotel, Aoyama Risa continued his kendo training.

Today, fueled by high spirits, we secured first place in Group C and advanced to the quarterfinals, but the victory was far from easy.

Starting from the quarterfinals, it's almost certain that they'll be using the [Talent: Slow Motion].

Sword King's Kyushu Academy is in Group G. Unless both teams make it to the finals, there's no need to worry about meeting them early. However, the top team from each of the other groups is by no means an unknown player.

Especially Fukuoka Daisuke from Group A.

Tsukushigaoka is strong enough. They were assigned to Group A and faced Fukuoka Daisho. Fukuoka Daisho's forwards took down three of them!

In the end, without even the vice-general taking the field, just the forward, second forward, and center forward defeated Tsukushigaoka, who had been suffocating Kai-ming.

Aoyama watched the video.

Whether it's Fukuoka Daiho or Kyushu Gakuin, their forwards, second forwards, and center forwards are already terrifyingly strong.

According to Ai's analysis, his chances of a successful second confession are very low, but if he doesn't win the Jade Dragon Flag championship and can't go on a date with Mika Ono, the chances will be even lower!

If one date isn't enough, try two, three, or four.

It's never too late to confess your feelings once you've built up enough goodwill!
Setting aside all distractions, Aoyama Ryo focused intently.

The snow covered the bamboo path, the cold wind blew against his face, and his hair, soaked with sweat and blood, remained motionless as he panted and continued on his way.

"Shh!"

A dark shadow rushed out like a ghost, and a flash of bright sword light disappeared, slicing towards Aoyama Ryou.

Aoyama Risa draws his sword and slashes!
"Pfft!"

A faint, indistinct humanoid figure, with blood gushing from its neck like a water tap.

After training, Aoyama Risa took a hot shower while reflecting on the battle he had just fought.

It's unclear whether the training for 【Kendo B】 consists of only one instance, 'Bamboo Forest Snow Path', or many other maps.

According to the system's rules, a special task needs to be completed to upgrade from 'B' to 'A'.

I wonder what kind of special mission it will be. I hope it's not some troublesome thing like killing someone, challenging a dojo, or collecting a beautiful kendo girl.

After taking a shower, the Ono sisters had already returned.

"Toilet! Toilet!" Mizuki Ono exclaimed.

“Excuse me, I’d like to have one too,” said Akari.

"I want to too!" the drummer Mengshi said.

"Aoyama-kun, you should also contribute your toilet!" Bess Sakurako insisted.

"Do you only drink water and not use the toilet when you're outside?" Aoyama asked, puzzled.

Nobody paid any attention to him; they all went to the bathroom.

Hold on.

—Is he surrounded by girls using the restroom right now? What's the difference between this and sneaking into the women's restroom?
If hiding in the women's restroom is nothing special, then hiding in the women's fitting room isn't something that requires confessing, is it?
Freed from guilt, Aoyama Risa began preparing tonight's meal in a cheerful mood.

--system!
[Start Cooking Instruction]

[Cooking skills up]

【Evaluation Improvement】

[Cooking Skills: D→C]

[Special skill upgraded, reward received, claim now?]

Not bad.

A long wooden table was set with three large platters of fried chicken, as well as some vegetable salad, fruit, drinks, desserts, and other items.

"Wow, it looks a bit like Harry Potter!" Amakusa Sayaka exclaimed, clasping her hands in surprise.

“What do you mean by ‘a bit like Harry Potter’?” Bess Sakurako asked.

"Haven't you seen it?" Amakusa Sawa asked curiously.

"Of course I've seen it."

"Don't you think the scene in front of you looks a lot like Harry Potter's first meal at Hogwarts?"

"Then you should say it's like the food at Hogwarts, not like Harry Potter's."

"Hmm." Amakusa Sawa remained silent.

"Please sit down!" Akika Gasai said with a smile, pressing Bess Sakura into a seat.

On the other side, Ono Mika greeted Amakusa Sawa: "Amakusa-senpai, please sit down too." "Okay, senpai~" Amakusa Sawa sat down next to her.

"That's all, you can start eating now!" Ono Mizuki came over carrying a plate of sushi.

Aoyama Risa wiped his hands and followed behind.

"Was the sushi bought from outside?" See above for more information.

"The ingredients we bought, my brother made the sushi, it's just so-so." Mizuki Ono placed the sushi on the table.

"Mizuki." Seeing Ai nod her lips.

"Huh?" Ono Mizuki asked, puzzled.

“Rice grains,” said Jian Shangai.

"I didn't steal any!" Ono Mizuki said, not caring whether there were any rice grains or not. "He made me taste it and forced me to eat it!"

Everyone laughed.

"I really didn't!" Ono Mizuki pouted, her expression, which those pretty idols had to practice before going on stage, was completely casual to her.

It was indeed given to her by Aoyama Rika, so saying "hello" was fine.

"Let's eat," said Aoyama Riki.

"Cheers?" Akika Wagatsuma suggested.

"You've worked hard today, Mr. Aoyama. Please say a few words of toast," said Bess Sakurako.

Aoyama Risa didn't refuse and stood up with her drink cup. For some reason, the girls all laughed at this action.

"Thank you for taking care of me, classmate. I won't go into the specifics of what kind of care you've given me, as it's a private matter. Cheers!"

"cheers!"

Everyone started eating and drinking.

"Hey~, I'm really curious about what my classmate did for me. Mmm! It's delicious!"

For a while, everyone was really eating and drinking, and had no time to talk.

Anyone who takes an extra piece of fried chicken will be remembered, as people are afraid that this person will eat too much and finish all the food.

We started chatting after we had eaten most of the food.

"The kendo club is celebrating too," Amakusa Sawa said, holding her phone. "Misato and Kobayashi went to participate."

"Isn't there a match tomorrow? Why are we celebrating today?" Akika asked, puzzled.

"For our school's kendo club, making it to the top eight is equivalent to you getting into a martial arts dojo," Aoyama explained.

“Oh, right.” Amakusa Sawa remembered something. “Last night, Misato told me that she ran into her classmate at the mall.”

The Ono sisters looked at Aoyama Osamu.

Aoyama Risa never expected that the mistake would be made by Inoue Misato!
Saying things like "being surrounded by girls using the restroom is practically the same as being in the women's restroom" or "it doesn't matter in the women's restroom, so it's not worth mentioning in the women's fitting room" is just self-deception.

When the moment came, Aoyama Rin felt as if a mouse was thrashing about in his chest.

—A change of topic?
"Huh?" Bess Sakura asked curiously, "Didn't Kinami say that he wouldn't go out without bodyguards?"

That's the reason why I refused to travel with them.

Akika Gasai gently tugged at Bess Sakura's sleeve. There are many things that, even if you notice them, you can't say them out loud; this is basic etiquette between people.

For example, many of you here like Aoyama Osamu's story.

Imagine how awkward it would be if it were said out loud?
If we don't point it out, we can all get along well—there are indeed some minor conflicts when fighting over fried chicken and sushi, but they don't affect anything.

Amakusa Sawa also regretted bringing this up.

She had only intended to compliment Ai Mikami, because the dress Ai Mikami suggested buying yesterday suited Inoue Misato perfectly, but unexpectedly...
Aoyama Risa looked at Mikami Ai—"Good luck!"

Seeing that Ai glanced at him and then at Ono Mizuki, she thought, "Let your sister cook for me herself."

--no problem!

"Ahem." Jian Shang Ai cleared her throat.

—She starts lying! (Voiceover by Osamu Aoyama)

“Actually, my bodyguard was with me at the time,” Ai said.

"So that's how it is!" My wife, Akika, quickly concluded.

— I retract my statement; I did not lie.

"Does Kensuke really bring bodyguards every time he goes out?" F. Rino was also curious about the lives of the super-rich.

"Mm." Jian Ai nodded.

"Do you feel restricted?" the drummer asked.

"Freedom is meaningless without security."

“I’m very curious,” Bess Sakurako said again.

—Stop being curious! (This isn't just Aoyama Osamu's sentiment; it also reflects the feelings of Agatsuma Akika, Amakusa Sawa, and Mikami Ai.)
Bess Sakura continued, "Are all your bodyguards women? Or are there both men and women? What was the gender of the bodyguard who accompanied you shopping for clothes yesterday?"

"Oh right!" drummer Mengshi exclaimed in realization, "That's quite inconvenient in that respect too!"

Then, she and Bess Sakura looked at Mikami Ai, waiting for her answer.

Aoyama silently picked up his water glass. In TV dramas, some people drink water like this—the imperial edict ordering his death is on its way.

“They are usually female bodyguards, unless there are special circumstances,” said Ai Jian.

Is this guy, Jian Shangai, the kind of person who doesn't like to lie? When he has no other choice, he might tell the truth in a way that could be misunderstood.

"What about yesterday, when you were buying clothes?" Drummer Mengshi pressed.

Aoyama Ryo looked at Mikami Ai and said, "Hang in there!"
Seeing that I smiled, he said, "Please grant me one more request."

--no problem!

“Yesterday it was a male bodyguard, which is why I had him outside, disguised as a tourist,” Ai replied.

"Have you ever been kidnapped or assassinated?" F. Rino asked curiously.

“I haven’t experienced it, but people around me have,” said Ai Jianshang.

"Could it be Miyako-senpai?" Ono Mizuki joined the discussion.

Seeing that Shang Ai nodded, she said, "She had encountered this before. Once, the other party was a member of a cult. Fortunately, they didn't have any firearms, only a dagger."

No one spoke.

Despite being classmates and peers of sixteen or seventeen, Miyako Yaeko and Mikami Ai are experiencing such thrilling events.

After dinner, everyone was free to do as they pleased.

Some are playing games, some are playing mahjong, and some are chatting.

“You guys play, I’ll do the dishes,” said Aoyama Risa.

As the only boy, he felt that he had no place anywhere but the kitchen.

"Why not just let the hotel handle it?" Amakusa Sawa asked, puzzled.

"I feel bad," Aoyama explained.

Just as he was diligently washing the dishes, Mika Ono walked in.

"let me help you."

One of them washed, and the other cleaned.

"Is the fried chicken delicious?" Aoyama asked.

"Delicious." Ono Mika nodded as if savoring the taste.

“Even if it’s delicious, I won’t make more for you,” Aoyama Risa joked.

Ono Mika smiled at him and asked, "Where were you when you met Inoue-san?"

It was as abrupt as dropping a plate from your hand.

“I was afraid of being misunderstood. You know, Kobayashi Shiki likes to talk nonsense, so I went into hiding,” Aoyama Ryou said.

"Where are you hiding?" Ono Mika asked curiously.

It seems as simple as curiosity about everyday life.

--explode!
"There's a hidden door in the clothing store, I hid inside," Aoyama Ryou answered fluently, without a hint of nervousness in her tone.

This is the power of the [Talent: Slow Motion]!

Here's a word of advice: please don't go into the women's fitting rooms. There might be pretty girls trying to extort, intimidate, or suddenly check you!
—Hmm, is now a good opportunity?

"Ah!" Aoyama Risa took a deep breath and blinked.

"What's wrong?" Ono Mika was startled and looked at him with concern.

“My eyes,” Aoyama Ritsu blinked, “it feels like something got into my eyes! Sis, can you take a look?”

"Pfft~" Laughter came from behind.

Aoyama Risa and Ono Mika turned around, and Mikami Ai, holding an empty fruit plate, stood in front of the kitchen door.

"I'm sorry." Seeing that it wasn't enough for Shang Ai to cover her face with a plate, she actually turned to face the wall, as if even a plate bigger than her face couldn't completely hide her embarrassment.

That's how she laughed.

(End of this chapter)