I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 301 Her belly is all big now~
There wasn't much fine dust in the air.

The light at night was very clear, and there was no Tyndall effect.

But it looked exceptionally beautiful on this young girl's face. Even the changes after her previous haircut were quite pleasing to the eye. It has to be said, the professional stylist's touch is truly remarkable.

"Your hair is so long, why don't you get it cut?"

It was Kiyono Mizuki who started talking about herself.

Indeed, it's been a long time since I've had time to get a haircut, just like it's been a long time since I played mahjong.

"I just haven't had time to come, and I kept putting it off until I forgot about it."

Gen Tsukino touched the strands of hair at his temples. He was indeed starting to look more and more like a male protagonist in a Japanese light anime. His long bangs and sideburns were so thick that he wished they could be a helmet to protect himself.

Even hairstyles are a form of self-protection for otaku. Generally speaking, the less they can see, the safer and more secure they feel.

"Really? What are you so busy with that you don't have time for anything? I haven't seen you doing anything important."

"What important things could a student like me do? Of course, I have to study and do part-time jobs. Otherwise, where do you think I'd get the money to support you and myself?"

"Humph~"

Kiyono Mizuki's lips curled up slightly, then she raised her head with a hint of pride, "I don't need you to support me. Last month's royalties have already been paid out. If you need money, you can get it from me."

The boy sitting on the sofa looked at the other person with emotion.

"Wow, they really act like rich people."

"How to say?"

"The moment she opened her mouth, it was as if she was offering to take care of me."

"Get lost! No one would ever be willing to be your sugar daddy!"

"To be honest, the little money you earn isn't enough to support me."

"You still said that!"

Kiyono Mizuki knew, of course, that the boy was just joking. After all, if he were truly willing to abandon his dignity and wallow in self-pity, he would have already achieved great success.

Given his appearance, it seems that studying diligently would be the biggest loss for him.

"Hahaha, what's the rush?"

"I'm not angry with you."

She gave a soft hum, then with a little effort, used her hands to lift her feet onto the sofa and cross them.

It was both hellish and funny. There was nothing interesting about a normal person sitting cross-legged, but when she did it, it was like she was tidying up two pairs of pants, neatly folding the pant legs. Tsukino Gen forcefully suppressed the urge to burst out laughing.

"Speaking of which, I might need to trouble you for a bit this weekend."

"Huh? What's the matter?"

Gen Tsukino looked at the other person.

The girl said, "My editor is discussing publishing a physical book with me. It's selling very well online, and the editor is optimistic about its prospects in print. So I might have to go to the company to meet with them and discuss the contract or something."

"Oh, that's no problem."

When it comes to serious matters, Tsukino Gen would never joke around. To be honest, he's not someone who really likes to joke around. Sometimes, it's just that the atmosphere in a situation is too dry, and it's really uncomfortable if the atmosphere isn't lively enough.

"Really?"

"What's the big deal about whether it's true or not? I've helped you so much already, you don't think I'd refuse something this small, do you?"

Kiyono Mizuki smiled secretly, a smile she thought was very discreet.

"No, it's not that. I just saw you've been so busy lately, and I was worried you'd say you didn't have time or something."

This was also a way for Kiyono Mizuki to vent her dissatisfaction, since this boy was elusive and seemed to be getting busier and busier, but no one knew what he was busy with.

However, a little speculation reveals that his life must be filled with all sorts of beautiful girls, so he is probably troubled by his good looks, but it seems that he is nothing compared to some girls.

Especially in the video that Ayaka Miura sent him, during the sports festival, there were not only scenes of the boy's wonderful performance, but also many scenes of girls cheering him on. Among them were two very special girls.

Not only is she excessively beautiful, but her temperament is also exceptionally outstanding.

It's to the point where even I feel ashamed of myself.

I never had much confidence to begin with, and as my legs gradually recovered, I regained some confidence, but it was only to be defeated by more realities.

The fact that this boy was by my side should have given me a great sense of security.

But why am I becoming increasingly prone to anxiety and insecurity?
Perhaps, as many stories depict, the more you fear losing something, the easier it is to lose it?

I thought the boy would just joke around and let it go as usual. After all, it would be abnormal for someone like him to be bound by anyone or anything. He's more like a free bird than anyone else, freely doing what he wants, a lifestyle that others envy.

This is a life I could never have even if I had both legs intact.

But Tsukino Gen looked at her seriously and said, "I really apologize for this lately. I've been coming back very late every time, so I didn't want to bother you and simply didn't come to see you. I'll be more careful in the future."

"Eh?"

Kiyono Mizuki did not expect the other party to apologize so sincerely.

What seemed like a casual complaint received an unexpected response. How to put it... well, it was a pleasant surprise, a truly unexpected delight.

It was as if she had unexpectedly discovered that she was more important to him than she had imagined.

"what happened?"

"N-nothing, I just didn't expect you to say that."

This left the young girl flustered, her cheeks flushing red, and her toes, which usually required a lot of effort to move, seemed to clench naturally. Tsukino Gen smiled at her, "It was my fault to begin with, so it's only right that I apologize."

"You have no obligation to apologize to me. I've been too dependent on you, and you've already taken such good care of me. Asking for anything else would just make me seem too dramatic."

"You know that too."

"Huh?"

She was stunned for a moment, then stared at the other person with wide eyes, only to see Tsukino Gen burst out laughing. Only then did she realize that she had been tricked by the other person again without realizing it.

But I just can't seem to get really angry.

Because the boy's previous self-pity was genuine, and his apology was also genuine. The jokes he's making now are just a way to lighten his mood and stop dwelling on his self-blame.

He is always so considerate, intelligent, and thoughtful that it makes you feel like you're never good enough for him.

"You're so mean."

"It's not like you just found out today, alright."

Gen Tsukino propped himself up on his knees and stood up, then smiled as he looked at the young girl sitting on the sofa pretending to sulk.

"Since you're already here, why don't you cook a meal? You've never had this before, have you?"

"I'm eating. Hmm, I haven't eaten yet."

Kiyono Mizuki blushed as she answered that she had actually already eaten, but it was instant noodles. When Tsukino Gen wasn't around, she always ate very casually.

Although I seem to have some savings now, enough to eat well on a regular basis, I don't know why, but when this boy isn't around, life becomes particularly casual, as if everything is a blank space that can be ignored, just free time waiting to be wasted.

"Oh, let me see what we have left. I have some leftover ingredients at home, so I'll just make something simple."

"it is good"

I don't know if the other person has noticed the instant noodle box that was recently thrown in the trash can, but even if they have, they should choose not to say anything, right?

Gen Tsukino took some leftover, still relatively fresh ingredients from his own home, and then combined them with what the other person had left to start cooking.

Making a delicious meal in the middle of the night, when the table is almost full, is a guilty thing to do.

Looking at the dazzling array of dishes, Kiyono Mizuki couldn't help but swallow her saliva while gazing longingly at Tsukino Gen.

"Eating so much at night is hard to digest."

Gen Tsukino casually picked up his rice bowl. "It's okay. You have to trust your young body. Your metabolism works harder than you think."

well.

She even helped them come up with a reason, and took a deep breath.

"Then I'll start."

I have to say, after not having eaten his cooking for a while, I found it actually got better and better. I don't know if it's just my imagination or a case of loving his cooking because of his love for me.

But once the chopsticks start moving, it feels like I can't stop.

I felt like a bandit doing free shopping in a supermarket, stuffing my sack full of things without caring whether I could actually carry them away.

I just want to fill my stomach a little fuller, to satisfy my insatiable taste buds.

When you're finally so full you can't hold any more food, and you're so satisfied you feel like dying on the spot, you open your eyes and look at the dining table.

"Huh? They've already finished eating?"

The table was a mess of cups and plates, but the food was eaten clean, with only oily scraps sticking to the plates.

It's hard to believe I ate a bowl of instant noodles before.
Tsukino Gen laughed and said, "Why do you look like a refugee who hasn't eaten for years? Luckily I cooked for you tonight, otherwise you would have starved to death or suffered from malnutrition."

"It's not that exaggerated," the girl argued, blushing. "It's just that your cooking is so delicious that people can't resist."

She casually reached out and stroked her slightly undulating belly.

"If your reasons for refuting are all this cute, then I might not be unable to accept them."

"Hmph~ You're so smug."

"I'll pack my things first, you can digest this a bit."

"How am I going to digest all this? Sigh, you've made my belly so big."

Gen Tsukino picked up the plate and glanced back at her. Realizing belatedly what inappropriate words she had said, the young girl immediately widened her eyes and blushed as she spoke.

"I did not mean that!"

Gen Tsukino thought for a moment, "It's okay, maybe that day really will come?"

"Screw you!"

"Hahaha."

As the boy went to the kitchen to prepare the dishes with a cheerful laugh, she blushed and stared at his tall, straight back.

If he and I have a child in the future.
He should be as handsome as him, right?

Maybe he's even more mischievous than him.
The thought alone was enough to make her blush; it seemed almost shameless. But she couldn't deny that it was the only bright future she could imagine.

An irreplaceable future.

……

(End of this chapter)