I live my life in Tokyo

"without..."

The girl put one hand behind her back and tapped her toes on the floor, "Thank you."

"Ah."

Everyone cherished the last week of time together. Although this did not mean that they would never meet again in the future, the thought that each time they got together, they would get together less and less often kept popping up in their minds.

Nothing happened that night. The boy got up early, sent the email he had not finished writing yesterday, went to the bathroom to wash up, and then walked down the stairs with the cold coffee.

As the summer vacation draws to an end, the four senior high school students living in Dream Apartment are either catching up on sleep or studying. There are basically no people around in the early morning. It is obvious that they stayed up late to study again the night before.

He picked up a rag and wiped the table, took a bunch of grapes from the fruit bowl and soaked them in water. After rinsing the mug, he threw a grape into his mouth, feeling the sour and sweet taste.

While preparing breakfast, Sakakibara Kaede checked Twitter according to his official account.

"Pre-orders for Sheen, the first album of The World Shines, are now open. Click the link below to pre-order."

The boy was stunned for a moment. This was not a push from the band’s official account, but an advertisement.

Wow, STARS, you did a great job, you did a great job.

Sakakibara Kaede didn't know whether to thank Mr. Amai or his agent Miss Nanakusa, so he just thanked both. He clicked on the link and reserved one for himself.

Breakfast is the simplest hodgepodge of fried eggs, bacon and bread, although the taste is nothing like the traditional Japanese breakfast dishes made by others.

After wrapping the other plates with plastic wrap, Sakakibara Kaede finished his portion and walked out the door, heading straight for the office.

The filming crew is still following behind. This is not the first time they have entered the STARS agency for filming. For the production crew, it is able to show the artists' daily working appearance and status, which is of interest to the audience. For the agency, it is excellent publicity, which is truly a win-win situation.

"Hey... isn't this that guy... Lu Bu? What brings you back?"

As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted by a sarcastic voice. Sakakibara Kaede looked at Kei Iida, whom he hadn't seen for many days and didn't miss much, and found that the hair on his head seemed to be thinner again.

"Oh, sorry, wrong way."

Sakakibara Kaede was about to leave, "I was going to find Miss Nanakusa to get information about the release of the new album, but I went to the wrong door."

Iida Kei smiled wryly, "Nanagusa Hazuki's office is on the fifth floor, and this is the fourth floor. How could you make such a low-level mistake?"

“Maybe I was too tired from filming the show.”

The boy leaned back skillfully in his old position on the sofa, crossed his feet, and broke open the banana he had taken from the lounge area. The only thing missing was a newspaper.

"You are a very busy person now. You have to shoot a reality show and make an album. You still have to go to school after the summer vacation. Fengxian... have you forgotten what your main job is?"

"Grandmaster, this is a good question... Support the Han Dynasty?"

Iida Kei's face darkened, and Sakakibara Kaede shrugged, "I was still learning to drive before, and now I have passed the test and got my driver's license, but I haven't bought a car yet."

"You're so quickly intoxicated by the world of paper money that you're ready to drive a sports car on the street?" Kei Iida counterattacked.

The boy snorted and shook his head. "Motorcycle, do you understand the value of a motorcycle?"

After exchanging a few words, the two began to talk about work for the first time in a long time.

"Iida-san, what's the gossip about the auditions for the winter season?" Sakakibara asked with a frown. "As for the requirements...it's still the same as always. Don't give me a youth college drama."

"I know that." Iida Kei patted his chest, "Since you've said that and are ready to continue on the path of being an actor, I will risk my life to find it for you."

A gentleman will die for his friend. Sakakibara Kaede stood up, and Iida Kei looked solemn. They both bowed deeply and stretched out their hands at the same time, pointing to the computer.

"please."

Chapter 40 Entering the bedroom... Isn't that inappropriate?

Apart from trading stocks and watching short videos while at work, Kei Iida is a very responsible agent.

At least when it comes to finding audition opportunities, Sakakibara Kaede is completely at ease.

"By the way, Ichinose-san, how are you going to arrange it?"

Remembering Sayuri Ichinose's words asking him to take good care of the younger generation Ichinose, the boy leaned back in his chair and asked.

"We still need to wait until Ichinose-kun graduates from the actor training class." Iida Kei crossed his fingers, "I don't want to rush into things and ruin this good talent. Aoyama-sensei mentioned Ichinose-kun to me before, saying that she is very determined and persistent. If nothing unexpected happens, she should be able to graduate when filming starts this winter."

"Starting from the basic group audition?"

"Yes. Ichinose-kun still needs training. Of course, I won't keep a better opportunity to myself if it comes. In the end, it all depends on Ichinose-kun's choice."

Iida Kei nodded and said.

"Back to you."

The greasy-faced agent said in a deep voice, "Your current business is very broad. As an actor, you also participate in reality shows as a general artist, and even form a band. These are all your traffic."

"There have been quite a few people who have asked you to shoot commercials recently, but you were traveling in Kamakura before, so I postponed them all."

Kei Iida sent an email listing several brand companies.

“这就是小有名气的好处，不用试镜就能直接拍南/*-/锦*-/外*-群/*5//1*-7/8*-/8*-0/7*-6/-1摄广告——换句话说，他们是围绕你而打造的广告。”

The boy looked at the time and found that it did not conflict with his plans, so he nodded and wrote it down.

After talking about work, Iida Kei started chatting about more relaxing and nonsensical topics.

"Fengxian, when are you going to hold your concert?"

"It's still early. The album will be released at the end of September, and I haven't had time to record the second half of the first album." Sakakibara shrugged and said nothing. "I can't say that I will only sing the sixteen songs from the first album at the concert."

"I don't understand this." Iida Kei admitted very bluntly, "It depends on the agency's resource arrangements. I guess you will have to perform on stage by next summer at the latest."

"You are putting pressure on me out of thin air."

"You... still feel stressed?"

Iida Kei raised his eyebrows in disdain, Sakakibara Kaede curled his lips, left the room, and abandoned the stubborn Master Dong.

As for the souvenirs brought for him, Master Dong naturally accepted them without hesitation.

I walked around the actor area, said hello to a few acquaintances, and had a lunch buffet.

The filming crew accurately recorded his state during work, and couldn't help but praise him again and again. Actor Sakakibara was so dedicated that he watched popular TV dramas while eating and learned acting skills.

The boy did not stay in the office to eat snacks in the afternoon. He had not been back to Bunkyo District for a long time, and he wanted to see how the renovation of the single-family house was going.

Otherwise, he would have to move into a hotel right after moving out of his dream apartment.

The filming crew couldn't continue to follow Sakakibara Kaede. They didn't dare to reveal the artists' addresses. At the very least, fans would sit around them, and at worst, knives would be thrown at their door. If anything happened to the artists, they would be responsible.

He was carrying two shopping bags, looking like he had just fought a battle in the supermarket.

Coming to the familiar street corner and walking on the road he hadn't passed for nearly two months, Sakakibara Kaede suddenly felt like he wanted to go home, as if the rented house had become his home, his hiding place.

The area around the small house is very quiet. There is no one around and no construction team either. This is normal. Even if the efficiency is slow, the water pipe will definitely be repaired in two months.

He stood in front of the door with his hands in his pockets. He didn't bring his key today, so he couldn't get in.

But it looks like it has been fixed.

After walking for about five minutes, Sakakibara Kaede walked up the stairs, put the shopping bag on the ground, and pressed the doorbell.

"coming--"

There was a response from inside the house, and as the door was opened, Mrs. Higuchi's smiling face appeared in front of Sakakibara Kaede. She was surprised and delighted to see the boy, and smiled, "Oh, rare guest, come in and have a seat."

"Sorry to bother you, aunt."

Sakakibara Kaede greeted me with a smile while holding a shopping bag, and handed it over, "This is a souvenir I bought when I was filming a reality show in Kamakura."

"Ah, Sakakibara-kun, you're too polite... Wait a minute, Yuanxiang is also at home, I'll ask her to come down."

Mrs. Higuchi smiled, put down her work and walked up the stairs.

This was not the first time the boy came to the Higuchi family. Although Mrs. Higuchi had told him many times not to be too reserved and to treat this place as his own home... But Kaede Sakakibara could not do so because it would cause trouble for the family.

Higuchi Yuanxiang was called out by her mother while doing her homework. Although there was no expression on her face, Sakakibara Feng knew that she was still a little unhappy. She walked down the stairs and frowned, "You seem to be having a very happy summer vacation?"

"what?"

"No, I saw on the reality show that Sakakibara-san seemed to be enjoying his vacation and had a lot of fun chatting with some schoolgirls."

Higuchi Madoka closed her eyes, took a sip of tea and said.

Sakakibara hummed, "Going to Kamakura to see the sea is indeed a great pleasure. As for chatting, the six of us live under the same roof and we are friends. Whether it's for the show effect or what we think in our hearts, we need to communicate."

"Hey...friends."

Higuchi Madoka said "oh" calmly.

Mrs. Higuchi brought the fruit bowl with a smile. Sakakibara Kaede quickly stood up and took it, thanking her repeatedly.

She put her hands on her hips and said, "Why don't you guys go upstairs and talk? I'm going to clean up the living room soon. It's a bit inconvenient for you to stay here, and you'll be collecting dust."

Hearing her mother's words, Higuchi Madoka turned her eyes away. She frowned, ignoring her mother's inquiring gaze. She opened her mouth but didn't say much. She picked up the cup and stood up to leave.

"Sakakibara-kun, why don't you have dinner here tonight? Toru's child will come today to do his summer homework with Yuanxiang. Sakakibara-kun might as well tutor them." Mrs. Higuchi watched Yuanxiang walk up the stairs quickly and chuckled with her hands covering her mouth.

"...Then it is better to obey than to be respectful."

Sakakibara Kaede couldn't refuse Mrs. Higuchi's enthusiasm and kindness. He cleared his throat, picked up the fruit bowl, and walked up the stairs.

He felt something was wrong.

The living room, kitchen and bathroom are on the first floor, and the second floor is the bathing center and bedroom... Is he going to enter Higuchi Yuanxiang's bedroom?

This... is a little inappropriate.

Sakakibara Kaede hesitated for a moment, and Higuchi Madoka stood in front of the door with her arms folded across her chest, seeming to be getting a little impatient waiting, "Do you want to sit at the stairs?"

"Forehead..."

Sakakibara Kaede held his forehead with his hand, and seeing that Higuchi Madoka looked unhappy, he quickly stepped forward and said, "I'll go in, isn't it okay for me to go in?"

It was not the first time for the boy to enter his friend's room, but it was the first time for him to enter the room of the opposite sex, which made him feel inappropriate.

This kind of plot is often seen in anime, but the gender is reversed - a high school boy invites a girl to his home, and the girl shyly enters the boy's bedroom and sits for a while. In this society where distance symbolizes politeness, you need to have a very good relationship to be able to enter the other person's room.

However, anime is anime and cannot be used as a substitute for reality. There is nothing wrong with girls entering each other's bedrooms.

The size of Higuchi Madoka's bedroom is about the same as the bedroom in the detached house rented by Sakakibara Kaede, but the contents are very different. No matter how much things the boy adds, it always looks like a model house.

Whether it is the photos in the frames on the bookshelf or the award certificates that look very commemorative, you can see the shadow of Higuchi Madoka on them.

His eyes quickly passed over the photos, and the boy saw, from the time when she was in elementary school, smiling faintly at the camera, to there were solo photos, group photos with Toru Asakura, and the commemorative photo of her junior high school graduation with her parents standing beside her.

The room is tidy and tidy, making people feel warm and calm at the same time. Two complex emotions are intertwined. Perhaps this is people's impression of Higuchi Madoka.

It has been a while since Sakakibara Kaede and Higuchi Madoka have been alone together. Looking back, they were often threesomes, and the third person was usually Sakurajima Mai or Asakura Toru.

He sat cross-legged in front of a low table, sitting upright.

Higuchi Yuanxiang snorted softly, still looking somewhat reluctant to her mother's order. She moved the homework on the desk to the low table, "Have you finished your school homework?"

Sakakibara Kaede nodded. Those who were not familiar with Higuchi Madoka might have taken this question as a question, but it was actually just a normal inquiry between friends.

“Our group work was completed in the first week.”

As they talked about familiar topics, Sakakibara Kaede's originally tense body relaxed slightly. This was also a topic he often mentioned with the other four senior high school students in Dream Apartment.

“I read these books during the summer vacation.”

She showed the books piled under her homework. Sakakibara saw the familiar title and praised, "Higuchi-san has already started reading books on economics. This will be a great bonus for the campus recruitment next March."

"Well, now I can understand some of what you said about economics."

Higuchi Madoka said lightly.

There was a knock on the door, and Mrs. Higuchi, wearing an apron, came to the table with snacks and tea. She saw the study materials on the low table and said with a smile: "Don't forget to relax properly after studying."

She turned to look at Sakakibara Kaede again, "Sakakibara-kun, Madoka sometimes gets so absorbed in a task that she forgets the time. As a tutor, you need to remind her more."

"Mom..." Higuchi Madoka's voice was filled with silence and a bit of resentment, but this resentment could also be interpreted as acting like a spoiled child.

"Don't worry, Auntie." Sakakibara Kaede said, "I think it's a good thing for Higuchi-san to indulge in something. Whether it's singing or studying, Higuchi-san's dedication can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"She was so absorbed in one thing that she forgot about time. She was engulfed in such a huge and eternal passion that she forgot herself. It's hard to get into that state, but once you get into it, you can never get rid of it. I think it's a good thing to get into that state."

Mrs. Higuchi couldn't hide her smile, "Oh, that's great, Sakakibara-kun praised me~"

Higuchi Yuanxiang said coldly, "I want to study."

"Okay, okay, I'm going to do my housework and won't bother you anymore. What would you like to eat tonight, Sakakibara-kun?"

"Uh, just the normal ones will do."