I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 16 Making up a story

"Blogger?"

Gen Tsukino looked up at the two of them.

The man held a handheld selfie stick, propped up with his phone, seemingly ready to take pictures anytime, anywhere.

The young woman glanced at Kiyono Mizuki, who was looking down, and then turned her gaze to the handsome young man.

Admittedly, even though she has filmed many short films and traveled to many places, this is the first time she has seen such a refreshing and youthful boy.

A smile appeared on her face.

"Well, I saw that your friend was in a wheelchair and is very beautiful. It was such a beautiful sight to see her having dinner with you. We usually make vlogs and short videos about society and charity. So, could we interview you? Perhaps it can bring hope to people in similar situations."

The words were spoken very politely.

The smile on the woman's face didn't seem unpleasant to people.

However, Tsukino Gen only glanced at Kiyono Mizuki's slightly trembling shoulders before making his decision.

He looked at the other person with a smile.

"I'm sorry, my friend doesn't like being photographed, and we rarely get to go out for a meal, so I can't agree to your request."

"Huh? I see."

It's a pity about the woman.

The man behind him looked over with some displeasure.

"We are also trying to bring hope to more people in distress. You should be able to empathize with your friend's situation. Can't you cooperate a little?"

Hearing the man's words, Tsukino Gen looked at him with an unchanged smile.

"Not everyone needs attention to find comfort. Shouldn't true help come from respecting everyone's wishes?"

"you"

The man was about to say something else.

But the woman immediately grabbed the man's hand, "Alright, Daisuke! Stop talking now."

Then she turned to Tsukino Gen with a smile, "Excuse me for bothering you. By the way, our platform account is called: Daisuke and Yuna. If you change your mind, please feel free to contact us. Enjoy your meal."

Gen Tsukino nodded slightly.

The woman pulled Daisuke, who was behind her, back to their seats.

During this time, you could also hear the man muttering with some dissatisfaction, "What's going on? You should tell them how many followers we have on various platforms, how many able-bodied people want to be interviewed by us."

"Alright, let's stop talking about this and eat."

The two returned to their seats.

Tsukino Gen looked at the girl in front of him who was still looking down. "Are you alright?"

Kiyono Mizuki slowly raised her head, her face slightly somber.

"It's nothing. Actually, it's fine to give an interview; it will only take up a little time at most."

she said softly.

Tsukino Gen looked at her with amusement. "You're always reluctant in front of me, but you're willing to force yourself in front of strangers. What? Is it because I'm nice to you that you're easier to bully?"

"That's not what I meant at all!"

Kiyono Mizuki was somewhat dissatisfied.

Gen Tsukino leaned back in his chair leisurely and said nonchalantly, "Then don't force yourself. If you really need this kind of help, with your face, you can easily make a fortune by just starting a live stream."

Kiyono Mizuki did not answer that question.

Her hands were slightly intertwined under the table.

The silence wasn't a sign of sulking, but rather a clear realization that the other person's concern for her went beyond mere superficiality; he understood her personality and thoughts perfectly.

Even she herself didn't know when he started to understand her so well.

Until the food is served.

The soup in the pot also began to boil.

Do you prefer spicy or non-spicy food?

This hot pot restaurant serves both sukiyaki and hot summer hot pot, so Tsukino Gen initially chose to work here because he felt a sense of familiarity.

How spicy is it?

Kiyono Mizuki seemed to have adjusted her mindset, and frowned slightly as she looked at the steam rising from the pot and asked.

"You'll know after you try it."

When Tsukino Gen puts a piece of beef in, he then takes it out at the right time and puts it in the other person's bowl.

Kiyono Mizuki originally intended to pick up the chopsticks herself, but after seeing the boy's natural action, she abruptly put the chopsticks back.

When the piece of beef was placed in her bowl, she raised her eyebrows slightly.

"It doesn't feel very spicy."

She gave a soft hum and gracefully picked up the beef and ate it.

Gen Tsukino watched her movements with a smile.

He saw the girl's face turn red as she chewed, and her eyes widen slightly.

He unscrewed the bottle of mineral water beside him and handed it over.

"Ouch! It's so spicy! So spicy! So spicy!!"

Kiyono Mizuki, whose eyes were watering from the spiciness, couldn't help but drink water while fanning the air in front of her, as if that would dispel the spiciness.

Through my teary eyes, I saw Tsukino Gen smiling at me.

He looked like he had successfully pulled off a prank.

"You're still laughing! Waaah!"

It was so spicy it made my tongue feel huge.

Gen Tsukino leisurely blanched a few lettuce leaves for her in the clear broth pot.

Then, laughing, she said, "Isn't it much more exciting than eating at home?"

Kiyono rolled her eyes at the boy, wiped her red lips, and wondered why.

After the spiciness faded from my mouth, I actually felt an urge to try it again.

He took a bite of the lettuce the other person had given him, and then began to miss the feeling of the beef swirling in his mouth earlier.

It felt like I was fighting with my own taste buds.

Looking into the other person's eyes, Tsukino Gen asked softly, "Want to try again?"

Kiyono Mizuki's expression showed some struggle, but looking at the bubbling red oil and Tsukino Gen's alluring gaze, she nodded with some difficulty.

So this girl, who rarely left her home and seldom tried food outside that year, began to be tempted by Tsukino Gen, going from just a taste to becoming increasingly addicted, as if the spiciness became a kind of emotional stimulation.

The spicier it is, the more you have to eat to control the spiciness.

They didn't stop until their stomachs were almost full.

"You ate quite a lot."

Gen Tsukino glanced at the mess of cups and plates on the table. Kiyono Mizuki only now realized that she seemed to have been eating non-stop.

This doesn't fit her self-image of being 'pure and ascetic' at all.

"I was hungry."

"Eat when you're hungry, no one's going to mistreat you."

Seeing Tsukino Gen leaning back leisurely in his chair, Kiyono Mizuki puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

She talks like she's his pet, someone he can treat kindly or abuse at will. She was clearly forced into this situation.

"It's just a bit spicy. I didn't find it particularly delicious."

“Really?” Gen Tsukino thought for a moment and said, “I’ve heard that spiciness is a sensation of pain, not a true sense of taste. So if you like this kind of taste, you’re probably an masochist.”

Qingye Mizue:? ? ?
She soon saw the boy's smug look of having succeeded in his prank, and she turned her head away in annoyance.

You're the M one! But how come she actually kind of likes spicy food?

He remained silent for a moment, then turned his head back.

"By the way, you used to work here?"

Kiyono Mizuki remembered this incident.

Gen Tsukino nodded. "Yeah. It's the first job I've had since leaving the orphanage. Even though Kokomi-nee was a bit harsh with me, she's definitely a good manager."

Kiyono Mizuki thought for a moment, "So you earned all your tuition, rent, and living expenses yourself?"

"Otherwise what? What, are you starting to feel like you're holding me back now?"

Seeing Tsukino Gen's familiar, playful smile.

Kiyono Mizuki couldn't describe how she felt; she felt ashamed and embarrassed at the same time.

He always liked to use this method to resolve his guilt, but that doesn't mean he could really be heartless and turn a blind eye, does it?

"You're always like this."

In the end, the emotion turned into a strange sense of grievance.

Gen Tsukino shrugged. "I have excellent grades at school, and my scholarships are enough to cover my family's expenses. This meal won't cost much, and I can even earn some extra money. Don't worry, I have no intention of paying off your debts, and I won't let you drag me down with me."

"Who asked you to pay off my debts!"

The voice only grew a little louder before it faded again.

Her situation is different from others. While others leave an inheritance when their parents pass away, she not only lost both legs, but also incurred huge debts due to her father's eagerness to start a business by taking out high-interest loans.

Perhaps such debts are not protected by Japanese law, but those yakuza organizations don't care about that; they only believe in the principle of children paying for their parents' debts.

If it weren't for the fact that I'm disabled in both legs, it would be so undignified. Those bastards might have forcibly taken me away and used my body to pay off their debts.

This is the reason why Kiyono Mizuki least wants to drag Tsukino Gen down with her.

A boy who is good at everything – good grades, good looks, and even a good personality – deserves a bright future.

How can I let myself get stuck in a quagmire?
“I’ll try to find some work online that I can earn money. You don’t need to take such good care of me.”

Her voice was very soft, almost inaudible.

However, at this moment, Tsukino Gen had no interest in finding out what she was talking about, because out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the couple had already hurriedly left their seats.

He stood up.

"Please wait here for a moment. I have something to do and will be back in about ten minutes."

"what?"

Before Kiyono Mizuki could react to what had suddenly happened, Tsukino Gen had already nimbly left her side, walking lazily and leisurely towards the store exit.

outside the store.

"You took a picture?"

Yuna Nakamura asked in a low voice, sounding excited.

Daisuke Takahashi, holding his phone, nodded. "The video is very clear. You have to trust my skills."

"Okay, get in the car first."

The two quickly arrived at the parking spot and then sat in the driver's seat and the passenger seat, respectively.

Holding his phone, Daisuke Takahashi asked somewhat strangely, "You wouldn't let me take pictures before, won't it cause trouble if I take pictures secretly now?"

Yuna Nakamura glanced at Daisuke Takahashi and said dismissively, "Do you really think that 'the parties involved have been granted permission to film' in those videos is true permission? There are so many other irregular filming incidents. We can't miss such good material. Let's edit it into a video, release it on the platform, attract some traffic, and monetize it first."

"I've observed them. Although they're both quite good-looking, their clothes are even cheaper than what you'd find at a street stall. They definitely don't have any money. They can just come knocking and pay them a sum of money to settle the matter. Do you really think they can afford any so-called privacy lawsuit?"

Daisuke Takahashi thought for a moment, then frowned and said.

"But we don't even know their names, so it's not good to make up stories, is it?"

Yuna Nakamura scoffed.

"Isn't it easy to make up a story? It's simple. We can go back and edit the video to say: 'We were eating out when we bumped into a beautiful young couple with disabilities. We really wanted to help them, but we didn't want to disturb them while they were eating, so we just recorded that beautiful moment. We don't even know their names, but it expresses our desire to help them. Wouldn't that capture the sympathy of those netizens?"

Her smile grew even brighter, as if she could already see how the video would be edited and the traffic and popularity it would generate.

"Once we have enough traffic, netizens will naturally start telling us stories. They'll say things like, 'I know this person, they're my classmate.' or 'This person is my friend,' and so on. In the video, we'll edit them to make them look incredibly wonderful, and they might even want to thank us when they see it."

Daisuke Takahashi also suddenly realized.

"You're so smart, Yuna-chan."

"Otherwise, would our account have this much popularity today? Okay, let's step on the gas and go!"

"it is good"

The moment Daisuke Takahashi was about to shift gears and start the engine.

Sudden.

"Such a well-planned scheme, no wonder she's a top internet celebrity."

The unfamiliar, unexpected voice caused both of them to freeze instantly.

Their gaze first shifted to the rearview mirror.

Almost simultaneously, they turned around in disbelief when they saw a familiar, handsome young man in the back seat.

The body stiffened immediately.

Because none of them knew when the boy came up.