I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 9 Who do you want to benefit from?
"Why is Tsukino-san suddenly at my house?"

Under the streetlights in the dark night, the long beams of light stretched out, casting long shadows of the two people.

The girl, who had her head slightly lowered, was a little guilty. She felt that her makeup hadn't been done very well in her haste, but it seemed that some flaws were obvious from the beginning, and he couldn't possibly not have guessed them.

"Didn't you call him Tsukino-kun before? Now you're classmates."

The boy, with his hands in his pockets, still maintained that lazy and carefree posture.

The girl blushed slightly and said, embarrassed and annoyed, "I never said that. You must have misheard me."

Gen Tsukino nodded thoughtfully.

"There's nothing I can do; I'm getting old and my hearing isn't very good."

"Pfft." Kazama Sakura chuckled softly, stealing a glance at Tsukino Gen.

"Why are you pretending to be mature? You're not suited to saying such old-fashioned things."

Gen Tsukino shook his head. "There's no way around it. When I'm with Kazama-kun, I can't help but want to act like an adult."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because Kazama always seems to need someone to take care of him."

When Gen Tsukino casually uttered those words, Sakura Kazama clearly heard the little deer in her heart singing again.

Her eyes, however, were darting away.

"No way. Besides, if Tsukino-san finds it troublesome, she can just pretend she didn't see it, right?"

You must have noticed that I was in a bad mood after school, so you came here specifically to find me, right?

I've caused him trouble again.

He seems indifferent, but he is actually a very thoughtful and warm person, so how could I possibly resist relying on him?
However, it seems that such days will soon pass, and this will be the last time it's been so annoying, clingy, and bothersome.

Gen Tsukino kept his eyes on the road ahead, seemingly oblivious to the girl beside him.

Looking at the bright streetlights, he smiled.

"I can turn a blind eye to many people, but..."

The conversation ended abruptly there.

Kazama Sakura even mentally added the next line using Tsukino Gen's voice.

But it doesn't work on Kazama.

But Tsukino Gen didn't say it.

Kazama Sakura thought the summer breeze at night was too strong and had blown away his words, so she couldn't help but turn her head, only to find him looking at her with a smile.

The playful and mocking look in his eyes was clearly the familiar, malicious prank.

"But what?"

She was extremely anxious.

The little deer in my heart is frantically crashing against the walls of my heart, already bleeding profusely.

She needed a lot of self-control to resist grabbing the boy's arm and stomping her feet while acting coquettishly.

"But is this oden place any good? Does it seem a bit perfunctory?"

"what?"

Following Tsukino Gen's gaze, he saw a solitary oden stall by the roadside, with few people coming and going, and the air filled with steaming white mist.

"Didn't we say we'd eat oden?"

The boy seemed completely oblivious to the anger and embarrassment in the other person's eyes, and said it as a matter of course.

"makes sense."

Fuck your oden!
fuck!

"Kazama-kun suddenly seems really angry?"

"No, that's not true. I think even if it were true, Tsukino-san wouldn't be able to sense it even if she didn't want to, right?"

"That sentence sounds a bit sarcastic."

"No, not really. I'm just curious, I didn't realize that there really are people who can only hear what they want to hear."

Sitting on a chair in front of the oden stall, the light illuminated the girl's pure and beautiful face.

She smiled beautifully, revealing her cute little tiger teeth.

Like the sword being drawn.

"Most people can only hear what they want to hear. Even if they seem to be listening to others' opinions, it's just a pretense to give people the illusion. In reality, they can't change their most instinctive thoughts at all."

"I'm not trying to preach to you!"

Kazama Sakura's cheeks puffed out, making one want to reach out and poke them.

However, Tsukino Gen still looked at the owner and said, "I want mine a little spicier, and it would be even better if you could add some vinegar."

The topic has been changed again.

Kazama Sakura felt a little annoyed and reached out to pinch Tsukino Gen's waist. The boy did not dodge and let her pinch his waist without any instinctive reaction.

Instead, they looked at each other strangely.

"Thank you, I'm not itchy."

Kazama Sakura: ? ? ?

"I should have grabbed a knife and stabbed him!"

"That's not good. The Kazama I know isn't this kind of violent maniac."

Sakura Kazama turned her gaze to the steaming oden in front of her. Whether it was the aroma or the presence of this boy, she found herself surprisingly having an appetite. "So, what kind of person am I in your memory?"

"Hmm, cute, pretty, long legs, and well-developed breasts."

"Stop, stop, stop!!" The girl blushed, awkwardly covering her chest, her legs slightly clamping together. "Are you a pervert?"

Upon receiving his portion of oden, Gen Tsukino replied matter-of-factly, "I just have eyes that can see beauty and a mouth that can express it accurately."

"But that's just appearance!"

"Nonsense. Would I lie and say I can see through your soul, your true nature? That's too fake. Whether it's a man looking at a woman or a woman looking at a man, most of the time they can only see the appearance. And is it a despicable thing to think someone is good because of their appearance? I just think I'm being honest."

"Hmph, you smooth-talking freak. I want to drink beer."

Kazama Sakura's eyes were fixed on the shelf.

Gen Tsukino sighed, "If you come home smelling of alcohol, your mother will think I'm some sleazy young man who tricked her daughter into going out drinking."

"She doesn't care. I want to drink."

The girl stared longingly at Tsukino Gen.

She didn't actually need to ask Tsukino Gen's permission, but she really wanted to try being the kind of person who could only feel love when she was being controlled in a relationship.

"No."

"Please~" The more troubled Tsukino Gen seemed, the more Kazama Sakura couldn't help but whine. She even reached out and hugged the boy's arm, rubbing her well-developed chest against it.

Girls with slightly flushed cheeks speak in a sickeningly sweet tone.

"Please please~"

"Okay, I'll just have a little. Boss, two cans, please."

"You're the best, Tsukino~"

The girl smiled sweetly, as if only by his side could she completely let go of her true nature, without having to pretend to be strong or appear sorrowful.

You can rely on others when you want, and you can act spoiled when you want.

Even if his response wasn't much.

Opening an ice-cold beer and mixing it with hot oden creates a special feeling on a summer night like this.

"I also think I'm pretty good."

After taking a big gulp, Tsukino Gen remarked with such emotion.

The light illuminated his clean profile. Kazama Sakura had only taken two small sips when she felt her cheeks flush and become slightly dizzy.

"If you think you're so great, then go and pursue Asagiri-san."

"Why should I let her have my way with someone as good as me?"

"Eh? So who do you want to benefit from?"

Somewhat suddenly bold, the girl took a big gulp to suppress her uncontrollable heartbeat.

But Tsukino Gen turned around and stared straight at him.

She dared not meet the other person's gaze and turned her head away abruptly. But after thinking for a while, and letting the drumbeat in her chest beat a few times, she mustered her courage and turned her head back.

Make eye contact with each other.

"Looking at me like that, does Tsukino-san have some kind of feeling about me?"

"You cried before I went to your house."

Gen Tsukino took a sip of sake and said softly.

Sakura Kazama's eyes dimmed. "I thought my makeup was okay, and you wouldn't notice."

"Why couldn't they find it?"

"Because I drew quite a lot this time, there should be some changes, right?"

Gen Tsukino smiled. "It's no use, because I remember what you originally looked like."

Sakura Kazama's cheeks flushed again, and her smile needed no makeup.

She sighed, took another sip of wine, and then spoke softly.

"My parents are arguing at home, and I don't know when they will get divorced. But these worries are secondary. My mother keeps saying that as long as she raises me, as long as I get into a good university, as long as I graduate and find a good job, that's all that matters. But I'm so tired, I can hardly breathe."

Sakura Kazama was a little down. She ate a fish ball, but it didn't seem to feel hot.

Tsukino Gen looked at her profile. "Do you feel that your mother is living for you alone, so if you do anything wrong, you're letting her down?"

Kazama Sakura nodded gently.

"Where you are born and what family you come from are things you can't control. But everything you learn later helps you break free from those constraints."

"Thinking about this is pointless. Everyone wants to break free from this framework, right? But how many people can actually do it? I'm sorry to tell you these worries; it might seem a bit annoying, right?"

She looked at Tsukino Gen.

Gen Tsukino laughed. "You're asking this as if you want me to tell you that I don't feel bothered, but actually, I don't really like to add weight to myself because of other people's troubles."

Sakura Kazama lowered her head slightly, her cheeks flushing even more, but soon she moved closer to the boy beside her.

She gently rested her head on Tsukino Gen's shoulder, her voice carrying a delicate and pitiful tone as she sank into a daze.

"That won't make you hate me, okay?"

……

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(End of this chapter)