I live my life in Tokyo

"Haha, that's too exaggerated."

The boy put his guitar aside and asked, "Ichinose-san, do you feel that you are making progress towards your goal?"

"Yes! Of course." Ichinose Chizuru clenched her fists and assured. She paused and continued, "Without the help of Sakakibara-senpai, my acting career would not have been smooth sailing."

The girl looked at the profile of Sakakibara Kaede and told herself again and again not to rely too much on Sakakibara-senpai. What should she do if she made him feel troubled?

Yes, she didn’t want to follow Sakakibara-senpai and tread on the path that Sakakibara-senpai had walked before, and could only watch the backs of him and other actors. . . What she wanted to do was to become an actor who could stand on her own, and try to catch up with Sakakibara-senpai, and show a smile of success when he was surprised.

Of course, Chizuru Ichinose was still a little nervous.

Although her performance in the rookie actor class was considered good, that was only the beginning - she had to leave Tokyo for two months to follow the production crew to shoot a program, so she asked for leave from Aoyama Hiroshi early on. Aoyama knew the importance of reality shows, and Kei Iida had greeted him, so he naturally approved Chizuru Ichinose's leave.

But what if she fell behind in her progress after not attending the new actor class for two weeks? What if there is an audition opportunity in the future and a few other people in the class stand out and grab the opportunity when she is away?

If Sakakibara Kaede knew what Chizuru Ichinose was thinking, she would probably chuckle and say, "Girl, you still underestimate Kei Iida."

People treat you like Zhang Liao, so they will give you less auditions? I'm afraid that once Chizuru Ichinose graduates, her work will be as busy as Mai Sakurajima's.

However, there has been no new work recently. I learned from Kei Iida that he has heard some information about the auditions that are about to begin, and most of them are not suitable for Sakakibara Kaede, some because of age, and some because of simply insufficient qualifications.

Although it is not so exaggerated as to require a freshly graduated college student to have ten years of work experience.

Sakakibara Kaede stretched and decided it was time to go back.

The purpose of walking to digest food has been achieved. It’s time to go to bed now.

“I hope I can become an actor like Sakakibara-senpai.”

Chizuru Ichinose silently said that she wanted to be an actor who could influence others, enrich others, and change others.

She didn't say anything else. She returned to the holiday cottage, said goodnight to Sakakibara Kaede in front of the door, and closed the door.

. . .

No matter how many pictures you have seen before, you can only deeply appreciate the beauty of Kamakura when you actually visit it, stand in front of an ancient Buddhist temple, sit on the beach at dusk, or ride a tram that sways through the houses and coastline.

After experiencing many sea sports, everyone would feel tired. The experience of fishing at sea in the past two days made him feel novel, but also a little seasick.

More than half of the two-week happy holiday has passed, and most teachers will tell students at this time to concentrate and prepare for the upcoming exams.

But everyone here is a top student. Apart from the basic study time, you don’t need to study extra hard to get high scores easily.

The boy stretched out his arm holding the mobile phone and took a picture of Mount Fuji in the distance for his photo album.

"It's a pity that it's not autumn, otherwise we could see cherry blossoms drifting in the wind."

The crowd walked slowly to the mountain gate at the entrance of the temple, and amid the crowds of people, they clasped their hands together and bowed towards the main hall in the distance.

Kotoku-in Temple is a Pure Land Buddhist temple. The main Buddha statue enshrined is called the Great Buddha of Kamakura. It is located in Daii Mountain. This is a tourist attraction for the public. We have done our homework and have played around Kamakura for a few days. Today's tourist attraction is here.

Sakakibara Kaede had visited temples to worship Buddha in the past, had eaten vegetarian food, and listened to soul-stirring chants. He put away the cynical smile on his face and looked calm and solemn.

Although there were many tourists, there was only the buzz of conversation and the sound of footsteps, and everything seemed to be in order.

When talking about temples and shrines, people will think of the high school shrine maidens in the two-dimensional world, who are noble and gentle, like Yamato Nadeshiko. However, in the three-dimensional world, you can't just become a shrine maiden. You must graduate from a priest training school with excellent grades. The daughter of a priest, a close relative, or a woman with a connection to the shrine can also serve.

Kotoku-in is a temple, not a shrine, so naturally there are no shrine maidens.

Kotoku-in Temple is not big. In front of the Great Buddha of Kamakura is a dry landscape paved with stones for people to walk through. The stone road symbolizes a river. People swim across the "sea of ​​suffering" in front of the Buddha and reach the "other shore". Going around to the small courtyard behind the Buddha, many ancient stone Buddha statues are hidden in the shade of the trees.

The boy walked across the gravel road, crossed the ocean, and reached the other side of the blue sky.

Looking up, in front of you is the Great Buddha of Kamakura. In ancient times, the Buddha was originally built in a Buddhist temple. Over time, the temple was destroyed, leaving it exposed to the wind and rain, but there is still little sign of erosion. It still has a kind face, overlooking all living beings.

Many tourists here are lying, sitting, chatting, or meditating under the Buddha statue.

The six people stood in front of the Buddha statue for a while, then walked behind the statue. Here, they only had to pay 20 yen to enter and visit the statue. After paying the money, they walked into the statue.

The interior is empty, there is nothing.

The scenery was not as stunning as Sakakibara Kaede had imagined, but considering that the ticket price was only 20 yen, it was not surprising.

I had just finished visiting Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in the morning. I was a little tired after visiting several attractions, so I took the tram to Komachi-dori, a famous food street in Kamakura.

"There's a lot of food here, why don't we spread out and eat whatever we want."

After discussing with the members of the filming crew, Sakakibara Kaede asked.

This suggestion was unanimously approved by the others, and after agreeing on the gathering time, several people immediately dispersed, and the filming crew followed them enthusiastically.

The boy did not immediately buy the snacks from the stalls that smelled delicious, but instead walked towards the dim sum shop.

"Eh? Sakakibara-senpai?"

"Ichinose-san is here to pick up some snacks too?"

Ichinose Chizuru covered her mouth. She didn't expect that they would meet again so soon after they separated. "Ah... No, I brought some souvenirs for my family."

"Me too, but I'm bringing it to a friend."

Kaede Sakakibara smiled. He stood in front of the shelf, counting on his fingers how many souvenirs he should bring.

"Well... if it's for everyone in the office, we can buy it together." Ichinose Chizuru said softly, "I'm also a member of STARS. Oh no, maybe not yet... but I also want to bring a gift for Sakurajima-senpai and the others."

"Well, not bad."

Sakakibara Kaede smiled. Although there were fewer people to consider, he no longer had to carry all the bags into the office by himself.

Besides the office... The Higuchi family took good care of him, so he should bring a copy. Yuki-senpai is like-minded with him, so he should also bring a copy. Sano Ken didn't enjoy much vacation this summer, so he should also bring a copy.

After all the calculations, I still have to bring a lot.

After all, the Higuchi family is uncle and aunt, Yuki-senpai represents the family, and Yuki Shozo, Yuki Kyoko, and Yuki Asuna also have to be counted in.

Chizuru Ichinose stood next to Kaede Sakakibara and was thinking about how many acquaintances she had in the actor area who could be sent away. In addition to Sakurajima-senpai and Higuchi-senpai who were very kind to her, there were also some people she had met and talked to.

Sometimes, the gifts you give are a reflection of your emotional intelligence.

However, the most important thing to her is her grandmother lying on the hospital bed.

In addition to feeling that she was behind schedule, she also felt guilty towards her sick grandmother. She should have stayed by her bedside, but now she was laughing while traveling... Is this really okay?

"Are you okay?"

"Um...ah?" The girl raised her head, felt Sakakibara Kaede's gentle gaze, and nodded quickly.

The boy withdrew his inquiring gaze. Everything Chizuru Ichinose was thinking was expressed in her expression, so the girl didn't need to say anything, her expression was directly exposed on her face.

In front of the camera, he decided to remain silent.

Chapter 38 She and Her Family

I boarded the bus back to Tokyo, sat on the soft cushions, enjoyed the cool air blowing in my face, and held a popsicle in my mouth that had not yet completely melted, symbolizing summer.

It also symbolizes the end of a journey.

Time always flies by unknowingly. When you care, a 40-minute class feels like a year, but when you enjoy it, it seems like just yesterday that six of us arrived in Kamakura two weeks ago.

The end of the journey also means that the partners living in the dream apartment are about to separate and move forward on different paths.

The connection between people will not be cut off so easily, Sakakibara Kaede believes so.

Among the six people, only Shirogane Miyuki may not see each other in the future. The others are all in the big city of Tokyo, living in a big melting pot. Even if they don't see each other every day, they can still make a date for dinner and chat and complain occasionally.

Seeing Chizuru Ichinose carrying a lot of souvenirs, Kaede Sakakibara stepped forward and helped her carry half of them. The souvenirs the girl bought were purchased after careful calculation. As for these nutritional supplements... they should be for the elderly at home.

"Well... there's only one week left."

There is only one week left before Dream Apartment closes its doors.

Several people filed into the apartment, sighing with relief, and lay down on the sofa, not wanting to move.

Sakakibara filled her glass with water and said, "I'll post the photos I took to the group later."

"Okay—I'll send it later."

Furuno Fumino answered weakly, Kasumigaoka Utaha staggered up the stairs. During her last few days in Kamakura, she often stayed at home, and sometimes she would take her friends to Kamakura High School Station to collect materials. She had thick dark circles under her eyes, and her pain was truly something that only a creator could understand.

However, there is one good thing about Kasumigaoka Utaha. When some authors have no idea, they will simply choose not to write and play games first, while Kasumigaoka Utaha is extremely responsible for her works. It is probably a happy thing to be her editor, and you never have to worry about being reminded of the work.

"I'm going to get some sleep..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had been dozing off on the way back, held back a yawn and nodded to everyone, "I'll wake up at night."

"Ah, I need to take a break too. I have to start reviewing later."

Fumino Furuhashi stood up and returned to Tokyo. The romance of traveling was no longer in her heart. As the school opening date approached day by day, she, as a senior high school student, immediately felt a sense of urgency.

She stood up, and the remaining Shirogane Miyuki and Aoyama Nanami also felt the urgency. The most important thing was that they couldn't bear to see others competing hard while they were slacking off - this brings up the importance of dormitories. When your roommates are competing hard and studying hard, do you still have the nerve to play a game?

The living room, which was originally filled with people, was suddenly empty. When Chizuru Ichinose came downstairs carrying two large bags of packages, she was stunned. How could people run so fast?

"The filming crew said they would give us a day off today." Sakakibara Kaede handed Chizuru Ichinose a glass of water, "They said they would let us have a good rest today and continue filming tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Ichinose Chizuru relaxed visibly, she pursed her lips and said, "I have to go out for a while."

"I don't have any plans right now, so why don't I help you carry some things."

After drinking the water and rinsing the cup, Sakakibara Kaede stood up and changed his shoes in front of the entrance, extending his hand to Chizuru Ichinose.

The girl looked away for a moment. After a moment, she took a deep breath and handed the bag to Sakakibara Kaede.

"I'm going to visit my grandma."

"Ah."

"Go to the hospital."

"...Um."

The reply was still plain but with a hint of warmth. The boy said, "I haven't seen grandma for two weeks. I guess she misses you very much. Let's go out as soon as possible so that we can have dinner with her."

Chizuru Ichinose pursed her lips. She didn’t know whether she was grateful or disappointed with what Kaede Sakakibara said. She just felt that the relationship between her and Senior Sakakibara had become a little closer for some reason.

They took the train to the hospital in silence. There was no camera crew filming, and the smile that Chizuru Ichinose had always maintained on her face faded a little unconsciously. Sakakibara Kaede saw that she was eager to go home, so he did not try to find a topic to talk about, but just stayed by her side quietly as a companion.

When they arrived at the hospital, they told the nurse at the front desk their names and showed their IDs. After confirmation, Chizuru Ichinose and Kaede Sakakibara were allowed to enter the inpatient building as family members.

"Grandma has always been in good health."

Avoiding the elderly who were walking with crutches in the corridor and clearing a path for them, Chizuru Ichinose stammered, "I was sent to the hospital because of a cold, but I stayed in the hospital because of a cold..."

Sakakibara Kaede didn’t comment. The immunity and resistance of the elderly are naturally not as good as those of teenagers. For them, a minor cold or fever is a disaster. If they can get through it, that’s it. If they can’t get through it...

So when the boy was talking to Utaha Kasumigaoka about the setting of traveling to another world, he mentioned turning into a slime. That's because there is no age limit - it is probably for this reason that Utaha Kasumigaoka chose an elf.

Chizuru Ichinose stood nervously in front of the ward door. She gently grasped the door handle and then opened the door.

There was light inside the door. An old lady with white hair and red eyes was sitting on the bed, holding a popular novel in her hands. She looked very energetic. There was a photo frame with a photo in it on the small table beside the bed.

There are three people in the photo. Chizuru Ichinose, who is standing in the middle and smiling at the camera, looks a lot younger than she is now, and seems to be only a junior high school student. Behind her stands a smiling old man and a kind old grandmother.

"Chizuru-chan! You're back——"

The old lady on the bed smiled when she saw her granddaughter whom she hadn't seen for two weeks. But when she saw her granddaughter carrying several shopping bags, she couldn't help but change her tone to one of reproach, "It's good enough that the thought is there. There's no need to spend so much money."

"I have my salary now, okay." Chizuru Ichinose put down the bag, walked to the window and hugged her grandma, "...I miss grandma."

"Really? It's already this big."

Ichinose Chizuru's grandmother, Ichinose Sayuri, gently stroked her granddaughter's long hair, patted her back, and glanced along the shopping bag to the young man standing in front of the door.

Her red eyes trembled, and her arms tightened instantly. Chizuru Ichinose suddenly felt as if she was being clamped by iron lead and couldn't help but cry out in pain.

"Grandma, what are you doing?"

Sayuri Ichinose's attention was not on her granddaughter. She looked carefully at the young man standing in front of the door, holding a shopping bag and with a gentle smile on his lips.

She ignored Chizuru Ichinose who kept kicking her legs and looked at the boy with a smile, "Hello, who are you?"

"Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself."

Sakakibara Kaede went forward and placed the shopping bag beside the bed. She took out the souvenirs and health products in the bag and placed them on the bedside table. "My name is Sakakibara Kaede. I'm currently working as an actor at STARS Agency. I'm a colleague of Ichinose-san."

"All the actors nowadays are so young..." Ichinose Sayuri smiled softly, "By the way, you can just call me grandma."

"No, no, grandma, I'm not going to hide it from you. I'm still a college student. Compared to those new generation of junior high school child stars, I'm already an old man." Sakakibara Kaede said softly, "I'm studying economics at the University of Tokyo. It's still a bit challenging to manage the time for work and study."

Sayuri Ichinose's eyes lit up as she looked at the young man who was smiling harmoniously. With such conditions, he must be a promising young man.

"Really, grandma, I'm going to ignore you."