Their restricted abilities are refreshed every week.

He is such a strange person. As long as he has a desire, he will do whatever it takes to satisfy himself.

Whether you say he is a bad person or someone who does whatever he wants, Shirakawa Haru just has this not-so-good personality.

"Then Shirakawa, how about we go back to the reception room first? Even with the windows closed, it's still a bit cold in the corridor at this time." Manager Matsuo said while shaking his legs.

"Let's go." Shirakawa Haru said.

When Shirakawa Haru and Manager Matsuo returned to the reception room, Hachiman Kailing was resting with her eyes closed. She heard the faint footsteps outside the door and opened her eyes the moment Shirakawa Haru opened the doorknob and stepped out of the room.

"So, Shirakawa Haru, can we have a good talk now about your request?" said Hachiman Kailing.

"Hmm." Shirakawa Haru glanced at Manager Matsuo, signaling him to stop talking nonsense. "My request is, Ms. Hachiman Kailing, can you be my bass teacher?"

"Huh?" Hachiman Kailing looked a bit surprised. She had thought of many possibilities, like Shirakawa Haru asking for her autograph, writing on his clothes, or confiding in him about some of his life troubles. Because he idolized her, he'd ask for her advice... She'd considered both normal and extreme requests, but she hadn't expected Shirakawa Haru to actually ask her to teach him how to play bass. "Shirakawa-kun...you mean for me to teach you how to play bass?"

"That's right." Shirakawa Haru nodded.

"I understand." Hachiman Kailing looked into Shirakawa Haru's eyes seriously and said, "May I ask Shirakawa-kun why you chose me as your music teacher?"

"Because I really like your music." Shirakawa Haru was silent for a moment, his tone extremely serious.

In a blind spot that was out of reach of Hachiman Kairin's sight, Shirakawa Haru noticed that Manager Matsuo was saying something to him.

Thanks to his mastery of lip reading, he was able to clearly understand what Manager Matsuo said.

Manager Matsuo said to him, "As expected of Mr. Shirakawa, you can say such words that make girls blush and their hearts beat fast without blinking. I believe you must be living a life surrounded by beauties at Hinomori Academy."

Shirakawa Haru thought that the conditions he had given when signing the contract with Manager Matsuo were too good, and he should lower the price a little.

As the saying goes, people feel refreshed when good things happen to them. Now, Manager Matsuo is obviously very proud of the ever-increasing sales.

Shirakawa Haru looked at Hachiman Kailing and found that her facial muscles were very relaxed and her expression was indifferent, as if she was not interested in anything around her.

"I see." Hachiman Kailing said as she handed a box of milk drink with a panda pattern to Shirakawa Haru. "Shirakawa-kun, consider this a gift for our acquaintance today. In the future, please take care of me."

"How should I address Miss Hachiman Kailing?" Shirakawa Haru asked, "Should I call her teacher?"

"Just call me Hachiman," she said.

"Shirakawa-kun, and Hailing-chan, it's getting late. If you don't leave now, you won't be able to catch the train back." Manager Matsuo reminded them in time that they should leave ECHO Music Shop.

"I understand." Hachiman Hailing said goodbye to Shirakawa Haru, "Then Manager Matsuo, I'll be leaving first."

"Goodbye, Miss Hachiman." said Shirakawa Haru.

Before saying goodbye to Manager Matsuo, Manager Matsuo specially made a cup of hot tea that was almost overflowing for Shirakawa Haru.

Shirakawa Haru knew what Manager Matsuo meant. This was called "bullying customers when the tea is full." While it had the meaning of reminding customers to leave, it also had a casual feeling.

Shirakawa Haru felt that this was Manager Matsuo's act of pulling him to the corridor to get some cool air before "retaliating" against him.

If you think about it carefully, Manager Matsuo is actually quite cute as a middle-aged man.

The door of the tram behind him gradually closed. Shirakawa Haru walked out of the tram station and strolled on the empty street. The white light from the street lamps shone on his head.

Shirakawa Haru wrapped his leather jacket around him. The weather in Tokyo had changed rapidly in the past few days. Although he didn't feel cold, he could still feel the coolness on the back of his hands as if they were soaked in water.

Following the street lights, Shirakawa Haru came to a 24-hour convenience store. He walked into the convenience store and saw a young woman who was the store manager. When the woman said "Welcome" to Shirakawa Haru, he realized that he had come to the downstairs of Toyokawa Shoko's house.

"Oh, isn't this a handsome guy? No, it should be Mr. Shirakawa." The female store manager's tone was full of energy. "Good evening!"

"Good evening, Miss Manager." Shirakawa Haru replied, "The weather has suddenly become cold recently."

"Yeah, it got cold all of a sudden." The store manager said, "Want to buy anything?"

"Get some oden, please. Heat it up for me." Shirakawa Haru looked around the store, the rich aroma of the broth filling his nostrils. The store manager kept it very clean, on par with the big chain convenience stores. "Is the money I left with you enough?"

"That's more than enough money. Miss Toyokawa rarely spends money other than buying her three meals and daily necessities at the convenience store." The store manager sighed. "Her life is truly hard."

"You can't say that in front of her. We have no right to judge other people's lives. No matter how she chooses to live her life, I will choose to support her." Shirakawa Haru said, "Will she come to your place to buy beer again in the next few days?"

"Yes..." The store manager didn't know whether she should tell Shirakawa Haru, "Ms. Fengchuan bought several cans of beer the day before yesterday. I specially got her beer with a lower alcohol content."

"Thank you for taking care of Xiangzi." Shirakawa Haru was silent for a moment, picked up a can of beer and put it on the counter, "Please pay the bill."

"Okay." The store manager moved quickly. She picked up a plastic bowl and put some broth into it. Then, according to Shirakawa Haru's request, she added common oden ingredients such as lucky bags, daikon radish, fish balls, konjac noodles, chicken skewers, etc.

"Wait a minute, Miss Manager, I just want two caviar lucky bags." said Shirakawa Haru.

"The extra one is a gift for you. The weather is getting colder, so take care of yourself." said the store manager.

"Thank you," he said.

After paying, Shirakawa Haru turned around and walked towards the door with the plastic bag. The moment he pushed open the glass door of the convenience store, a crisp bell rang. He subconsciously raised his eyelids and looked, only to see the girl walking in with slightly heavy steps.

As night fell, Shoko Toyokawa finally finished her day's work. She took off the microphone and headset, took a deep breath of the turbid air, took off her work clothes as a telephone customer service representative, and changed into patched old clothes.

It’s not that she didn’t have new clothes to wear, but she subconsciously saved those clean and beautiful clothes for particularly important days.

Just as she was about to punch out and leave the company, someone tapped on the desk at her workstation with their fingers. Shoko Toyokawa turned around and saw that it was the team leader who had warned her a few days ago that his performance pay would be deducted.

The team leader pointed at her own workstation and looked at Toyokawa Shoko's face with an expression full of mischief and pity.

Covered in dust and dirt, Shoko Toyokawa put on her headphones and microphone again and sat down at the team leader's workstation.

It's clearly your job, but why should I do it?

You bastard, don't you have any self-respect and manners?

How did your parents teach you?

Do your own things yourself, why can't you even do such a simple thing!

Shoko Toyokawa originally wanted to curse even more foully, but she didn't know how to curse at all. The education she received in the past had not taught her any dirty words, which led to the fact that when she cursed, others would think she was acting coquettishly.

There was a fountain pen in the storage box on the team leader's workstation. While Shoko Toyokawa was casually dealing with customer service work, she was drawing on her wrist with the fountain pen.

Toyokawa Shoko originally wanted to draw a fox, but the fox's beautiful eyes reminded her of Shirakawa Haru, who also had beautiful fox eyes. She drew two crossed lines across the fox's eyes, making it look like it was dead.

Humph! I made you laugh at me for cursing like I was acting like a spoiled child! Do I really act like a spoiled child when I curse?

When Shoko Toyokawa left the company, the only thing still lit inside the company was the green sign above the safety intersection.

She ran in the chilly Tokyo night, thinking about how she had to catch the train quickly while lamenting how the weather had suddenly turned cold.

The neighborhood was very quiet. Shoko Toyokawa walked downstairs to her home. She moved the tip of her pen and smelled the aroma of oden in the air. This aroma came from the oden broth, which had the unique flavor of kelp and bonito.

I worked so late today that I didn’t feel like having dinner or a midnight snack, but the oden smelled so good… Should I spend a little tonight? Since I didn’t have dinner anyway, I might as well buy some oden to fill my stomach.

With this feeling in mind, Shoko Toyokawa walked into the convenience store.

Then she saw Shirakawa Haru carrying a plastic bag.

Chapter 98: Do you want to stay at my house for one night?

Shirakawa Haru held a can of beer in his left hand and a plastic bag of oden in his right hand.

The expression of Toyokawa Shoko in front of him was a little embarrassed because she didn't know she would meet Shirakawa Haru here.

Shoko Toyokawa was not prepared to meet Haru Shirakawa today, so she didn't know what to say.

"Shirakawa-kun, could you please move aside? I can't get into the convenience store with you standing at the door." Toyokawa Shoko asked Shirakawa Haru.

"Okay." Shirakawa Haru made way and Toyokawa Shoko walked into the convenience store.

Shirakawa Haru stood under the street light of the convenience store. He originally planned to go home directly, but he was a little hungry. There happened to be a few trash cans next to the street light, so he decided to eat the oden first before going back.

He stuffed the can of beer into the pocket of his leather jacket, untied the knot on the plastic bag and started eating oden under the street light.

There was a bell ringing at the door of the convenience store, and he heard someone's footsteps.

Shirakawa Haru raised her head and saw Toyokawa Shoko holding a large plastic bag in each hand. The bags were filled with various snacks, canned alcoholic beverages, and steaming oden. The oden was served in a plastic bowl, and the bag containing the plastic bowl was covered with fine water droplets.

The clothes she was wearing today were ones that Shirakawa Haru had seen before in her rental house. They were among the oldest clothes she wore.

"Why is Haru-kun still standing here?" Toyokawa Shoko's voice was very low.

"Finish the oden in your hand and leave." Shirakawa Haru said, "It's very late now, remember to rest early."

"What's going on tomorrow morning, Haru-kun?"

"Nothing particularly important."

"Then Qingjun, do you want to come to my house and sit for a while? It's a bit cold outside, why don't you come to my house and sit for a while first." Toyokawa Shoko's tone was a little hesitant. She didn't know how Shirakawa Haru would answer her. Would he refuse or agree?

"It's getting late now, I'd better go back early." said Shirakawa Haru.

"Because it's very late now, and you don't have anything important to do tomorrow, Haru-kun." Toyokawa Shoko showed Shirakawa Haru two large bags in her hands. "I'm lucky. I can always buy discounted food at convenience stores these days. I accidentally bought too much and I can't finish it all by myself, so... Haru-kun, can you help me eat some?"

"I'll sit for a while and then leave." Shirakawa Haru followed behind Toyokawa Shoko. The road was full of small stones, and there was a noticeable friction sound when he stepped on them.

"Okay, I'll sit for a while and then leave." Shoko Toyokawa walked up the stairs.

"Move a little inside, there are no railings on the stairs here," said Shirakawa Haru.

"I know. I've been there enough times to not fall."

Shoko Toyokawa stood in front of her rental house. She put down the plastic bag, took out the key, opened the door, and let Haru Shirakawa enter the rental house first.

Shirakawa Haru picked up the plastic bag she had placed on the cement floor and walked through the door.

In the several-square-meter room, Shirakawa Haru put down the plastic bag and took the initiative to help Toyokawa Shoko clean the room. After not seeing her for a few days, the room was piled with lunch boxes and empty cans left over from meals. He also saw a few paper bills on the armrest of the sofa.

He glanced at the content on it and knew that this was the receipt returned by Toyokawa Shoko after paying the water and electricity bills.

"Thank you for troubling me again, Haru-kun." Toyokawa Shoko changed into her indoor shoes at the door and handed a pair of slippers to Shirakawa Haru. "Haru-kun, please change into your slippers too."

Shirakawa Haru didn't expect that Toyokawa Shoko still kept this pair of indoor slippers.

He bought this pair of shoes from the convenience store downstairs when he stayed overnight at her house. Although the quality was good, they were disposable items after all. He thought that Shoko Toyokawa would throw them away after he left, but Shoko Toyokawa kept them and put them together with her own slippers.

"Forget it... I said before that I would just sit for a while and then leave." Shirakawa Haru put the pair of indoor slippers on the floor.

These slippers were cleaner than Shirakawa Haru had imagined.

He thought that Toyokawa Shoko had actually specially washed the slippers. If the slippers were left untouched at the door after he left, they would not be so clean.

"Really? If you don't want to change it, then don't change it." Shoko Toyokawa's tone was a little depressed.

Although it was only for a moment, she understood Shirakawa Haru's resistance and opposition.

Her heart began to panic, and she remembered that it was already early morning.

It was a bit sudden for a girl to invite a boy to her home. She and Shirakawa Haru did not have any special relationship. After all, they were just a couple who knew each other well.

She was silent for a few seconds and then lowered her head. She untied the plastic bag, took the folding table and put the snacks and oden on it.

"You'd better change it." Shirakawa Haru looked at Toyokawa Shoko's expression for a while, "Your floor is quite clean. It would be bad if it got dirty."

Shirakawa Haru took off his shoes and changed into indoor slippers. He walked into the bathroom to wash his hands, turned on the faucet, and when he looked down, he saw the fat goldfish.

This goldfish was caught at a summer festival in Chiba Prefecture.

At the goldfish scooping stall, Shirakawa Haru and Toyokawa Shoko had a goldfish scooping competition.

This goldfish has big eyes and looks dull, but it is actually very smart.

Goldfish were swimming in the pool, and a stream of water fell from the faucet, causing the calm water tank to suddenly ripple. The goldfish seemed to be frightened and scurried around, and the bread crumbs that had settled at the bottom of the pool were picked up by the current and drifted aimlessly.

After Shirakawa Haru turned off the faucet, the goldfish that had been running around calmed down, swimming slowly in the pool, and spitting out a few bubbles from time to time.

He could see that this goldfish was well taken care of by Toyokawa Shoko, and not long after the summer festival, it had gained a lot of weight.

The washing towel was hung on the wall with a cheap transparent hook. Shirakawa Haru took the towel down and wiped his hands.

This towel was also a disposable item he bought when he stayed overnight at Shoko Toyokawa's house last time.

Shirakawa Haru walked out of the bathroom and saw Toyokawa Shoko placing his shoes neatly at the door. "Sorry for bothering you, I should have done this myself."

"It's no trouble." said Shoko Toyokawa.

The two of them sat opposite each other around a folding table, where the oden was still steaming. Toyokawa Shoko hadn't eaten dinner, so she was already hungry. Even as Shirakawa Haru was washing her hands, she had already swallowed several times at the oden.

If the way Shirakawa Haru eats is described as calm, then the way Toyokawa Shoko eats is elegant.

Born into a prominent Japanese family, the influences and immersion she experienced early in life are evident in every gesture. She gently picks up her chopsticks, her fingertips like scallions, her movements fluid and light, like a performance of silent art. She picks up food with precise angles and gentle pressure. The moment she brings it to her mouth, her red lips part, revealing her pearly teeth. As she chews slowly, her neck slightly tilted, her demeanor radiates elegance. She exudes an inherent sense of dignity and grace, like a lady from a bygone era, lending this rented apartment, barely a few square meters, a touch of refinement and sophistication.

Unfortunately, the food she picked up with chopsticks destroyed this classical atmosphere. She was not enjoying the kind of ingredients that only royalty and nobles could use, but just the oden sold in convenience stores that can be found everywhere in Tokyo.

Shoko Toyokawa had never eaten oden before she left the Toyokawa family. Although she often saw "Oden" recipes on the Internet and wanted to try it herself, her family always told her that it was unhealthy.

The reasons are either that there is too much dust in the roadside stalls or that the smell of cooking fumes in the restaurants is too strong. It is nothing more than the excuse that they are made by others and there is no safety guarantee.

But after she left the Toyokawa family and had oden once, she completely fell in love with this kind of food. The broth was very fragrant, the radish that absorbed the broth was very soft and sticky, and even the fish tofu which had no taste was delicious.

"Xiangzi, why are you back so late today?" Shirakawa Haru opened a bag of potato chips, and the chips made a crunching sound in his mouth. "I thought you should have gotten off work a long time ago, right?"