I live my life in Tokyo

"Huh, you and the other girls say the same thing, right?"

Although Mai Sakurajima said this, the smile on her lips could not disappear. Kaede Sakakibara looked at her agent who got off a black private car not far away. After nodding politely to her, he took Mai Sakurajima into the campus.

"You haven't been back for a long time. How do you feel?" Sakakibara Kaede looked at Sakurajima Mai, who had never returned to Chiba since the last time she went back to school with him. Life and work in Tokyo were too busy, and it was a luxury to find time to rest.

“I didn’t come to school much before.”

Mai Sakurajima took a big bite of the crepe. She didn't speak while eating, which was exactly the same as Yuuki Asuna. Perhaps it was the family tradition of the eldest lady, or it might be the result of Mai Sakurajima's training since childhood.

"The place where I made memories with Feng-san wasn't in school."

"It's not Sobu High School, but Toyonosaki Academy, right?"

Sakurajima Mai chuckled and looked at Sakakibara Kaede with a strange look. The latter touched his face and asked curiously, "Why do you look like that? Is there something on the corner of your mouth?"

"I feel like Senior Feng...there's some changes in his temperament."

Mai Sakurajima looked Sakakibara Kaede up and down. After a moment, she said softly, "She seems calmer, and as if she has let go of some worries... What happened?"

As expected of an actress who is good at interpreting roles, Sakakibara Kaede nodded in her heart.

The two walked into the campus, and unsurprisingly, their combination attracted a lot of attention. They were a perfect match, both of them graduated from Sobu High School and were seniors who were admitted to the University of Tokyo. In the eyes of the teachers, they were the children of other people's families and famous alumni of Sobu High School.

Kaede Sakakibara had a peaceful smile on her face, and so did Mai Sakurajima. After the two of them were surrounded by a wave of students, the teacher appeared and told the students to do what they were supposed to do, which helped the two of them out.

“I feel like I might as well wear a mask.”

"Indeed, after all, if Mai-san doesn't wear a mask, her pretty face will be seen by others, and I'll be jealous."

Sakurajima Mai's face was slightly hot, and she accidentally stepped on Sakakibara Kaede, "You really are able to casually say such blushing words. Are you really worthy of being a man with a harem?"

Speaking of this topic, Mai Sakurajima recalled that when Kaede Sakakibara first entered the agency, he wanted to play a rich young man in the second dimension, or the protagonist of a live-action version of a second dimension harem. Unexpectedly, this wish did not come true, and he actually opened a harem in the real world.

"Mai-san's face is blushing."

“There was chili in the crepe just now.”

"what--"

Just as Sakakibara Kaede laughed, Sakurajima Mai stepped on her foot again.

As we approached the gymnasium, we saw that the program that the students had carefully prepared was about to be shown. Many students temporarily put aside their work and came here early to reserve seats. In addition to the students, there were also many parents who were also looking forward to their children's performances.

When Sakurajima Mai saw this scene, her eyes dimmed. Sakakibara Kaede took her hand and came to a corner at the back of the gymnasium where no sunlight was shining. He held her hand in his palm and gently stroked her fingertips and palms.

The girl snorted and smiled.

"what happened?"

"I saw my father yesterday."

"Hey, it's my uncle. Is he back?"

"I came back. We met face to face after more than three years. We chatted for a while and apologized." Sakakibara Kaede sighed slightly when he thought of that scene.

"is it?"

"Yes."

Sakakibara Kaede continued to gently hold Sakurajima Mai's hand. He lifted the girl's hand and placed it on his face, feeling the softness and tenderness of her fingers. "I apologize, and I feel relieved."

"Yeah."

Sakurajima Mai was silent for a moment, her hand gently caressing the face of her beloved, "Can you accompany me to meet my mother?"

"Naturally."

"I will confess everything."

"I'm ready. I'm a man, so I have to withstand everything in front of Mai-san."

Sakurajima Mai smiled, she gently moved closer to Sakakibara Kaede, enjoying the sweetness of being alone.

She has become somewhat addicted to this feeling.

Chapter 20: Aunt? Mother-in-law!

There was a soft smile on Sakurajima Mai's face, and Sakakibara Kaede liked this smile very much.

It is said that love can make a mature person become like a child, and can make a smart and calculating person become stupid... Sakakibara Kaede felt that Sakurajima Mai was smiling foolishly now, and looked like she could be easily teased.

"Okay, that's enough."

In the dark corner, Sakakibara Kaede once again helped Sakurajima Mai, who was leaning on his arms and acting coquettishly, as if to assert her sovereignty, with a faint smile on her face, "If you keep kissing, others will notice it."

"Tsk, Feng-san lives in her own home now. Asuna-chan and I will feel lonely at night." Sakurajima Mai wiped her mouth with a tissue, took out a small mirror and reapplied lip balm, "Can't you replenish Feng's energy?"

Sakakibara Kaede smiled.

Mai Sakurajima stood up, and the two of them left the shadow corner. In the words of Kaede Sakakibara, that was where wild Pochi appeared, but Mai Sakurajima didn't understand, so she still had to discuss this joke with several members of the Lonely Rock Band.

"Feng Sang, have you found your home here?"

With her back against the setting sun, Sakurajima Mai turned around and asked.

"found it."

"Feng-san, do you belong here now?"

"Well, because of you."

"You make me feel a little embarrassed when you say that."

"Then be more shy, that's fair to me, isn't it?"

Sakurajima Mai tapped the tip of Sakakibara Kaede's nose, smiled and walked towards the sunset. Sakakibara Kaede stared at her back, shrugged, and followed her.

At the bonfire celebration at night, Kaede Sakakibara extended her hand and invited Mai Sakurajima to dance on the playground.

He never enjoyed school festivals when he was in school. Although there were school festivals after entering university, the feeling was different from that in high school. After all, interpersonal relationships in university were just nodding acquaintances. Boys living in the same dormitory might not become good friends. You can't call out the names of all classmates in the class, or even remember their hobbies, birthdays, etc.

The feelings in high school are even more precious. We all sit in the same classroom. Although classrooms are randomly assigned by lottery every year, the steps towards college together are so uniform and the goal is so clear. Those sitting next to you are comrades-in-arms, not ordinary classmates.

Sakakibara Kaede regretted that he didn't have the chance to enjoy the school festival when he was still in school, but thinking of how miserable he was three years ago, he decided to let it go. . . Regret is regret after all, just grasp the present moment. Having said that, his relationship with Sakurajima Mai wasn't that good three years ago, and he couldn't invite anyone to dance at the party.

"Um... Sakakibara-senpai, can I dance with you?"

The blonde queen asked timidly, like a young girl who had just fallen in love. Sakakibara smiled happily and extended her hand to Miura Yumiko.

During her break, Mai Sakurajima chatted with a few schoolmates, but they all worshipped Mai Sakurajima as a god and looked at her like a small animal. After she signed autographs for a few girls, the pink-haired girl who had whispered to her two years ago came up with a few classmates. Mai Sakurajima accepted everyone, signing autographs for both men and women, and only took photos with girls, which was exactly the same as usual. Although she could have refused with her current fame, she didn't like to be praised high, she wanted to hold hands with Kaede Sakakibara on the ground.

"Who is he?" Sakurajima Mai noticed that one of the classmates brought by Pink Hair kept his eyes on her. Pink Hair felt the gaze and didn't know where to put her fingers.

"Ah, it's Xiaoqi..."

"Boy friend?"

"Uh-hmm."

Pink-haired girl blushed, and even the classmates she brought along were sighing with smiles on their faces.

Mai Sakurajima smiled and looked at Kaede Sakakibara who was standing straight in front of the campfire. He seemed to have just finished a dance. He noticed Mai Sakurajima's gaze and turned around with a bright smile.

The girl's originally happy mood disappeared in an instant when she saw Yukinoshita Haruno holding Yukinoshita Yukino's hand and inviting Sakakibara Kaede to dance.

-

"Why did you step on my foot again?"

"How many girls have you danced with? Do you still remember?"

After a day's school festival ended, Mai Sakurajima and Kaede Sakakibara were on their way home. This home was not their home in Tokyo, and taking the Shinkansen at this time would be like going to jail. The rental house that Mai Sakurajima had originally rented when she was active in the Chiba Generation area had long been no longer leased, but Mai Sakurajima's mother had prepared a single apartment for her, but three years ago the girl wanted to be independent and did not want to accept her mother's kindness.

Taking Sakakibara Kaede there today, maybe I will just try to look up at my mother?

Sakakibara thought for a moment and said helplessly, "Besides Miura Yumiko, there are only the Yukinoshita sisters, and a junior who came out of nowhere and said she wanted to join the student council. There are four in total."

"Four isn't enough?"

Sakurajima Mai turned around and glared at Sakakibara Kaede, who took a step forward and said, "I was wrong, I won't make the same mistake next time. Today is the first day of the school festival after all, and it's a rare opportunity for me to come back to school to see my teachers and fellow students, so naturally I can't refuse their kindness."

"Well, what if you have to go to the school festival at Toyosaki Academy next week?"

Sakakibara Kaede's face froze. He was indeed invited by Aiko and Kapok, and it was next week. Their class was going to hold a haunted house, and they had been busy these days preparing for the costumes and cutting things. Mrs. Konno was also helping.

Seeing this, Sakurajima Mai snorted and didn't even look at the big pig's hoof beside her.

"No, I promise you I will never dance with any girl."

"What if Lanzi-chan and Kapok-ji-chan asked you to dance?"

"Ah, they are my sisters, does that count?"

Mai Sakurajima couldn't bear to see Kaede Sakakibara's rare embarrassed look, so she smiled softly and extended her hand to the young man, "Unless you invite me out on a date again."

"Mai, can you come with me to Toyonosaki Academy's school festival next week?"

"Why are all dates held at school festivals?"

Mai Sakurajima poked Kaede Sakakibara's cheek and said, "Forget it. After we finish eating at the school festival this morning, let's go to the amusement park."

"it is good."

Mai Sakurajima took out the key and opened the door that she hadn't stepped into for three years. Her movements froze slightly when she saw the shoes in front of the entrance.

"what happened?"

"Mom is here too."

Kaede Sakakibara understood immediately. He held Mai Sakurajima's hand, giving her warmth and strength. Mai Sakurajima leaned on the young man's chest before stepping into the door, as if replenishing some energy, and then pushed the door open.

The structure of the house here is similar to the previous rental house that Kaede Sakakibara had, both of which are built for one person to live in. The woman that Kaede Sakakibara had met once, Mai Sakurajima's mother, was sitting at the table facing the door, typing on a notebook.

"Hey... Mai, and Sakakibara-kun."

Mrs. Sakurajima showed a little surprise like Mai Sakurajima, but she was more mature than Mai Sakurajima. In just a few breaths, she looked calm as water.

"Why is mom here?"

"I have a meeting in Chiba tomorrow morning. I can't find a hotel in these streets, so I'll stay here for one night."

Sakakibara noticed that there was a convenience store bag next to the laptop on the table, which contained an unopened lunch box.

Sakurajima Mai walked over and looked at the food in the package with some disgust, "Eh, is this what Mom is going to eat tonight?"

“No time to cook.”

“Is there any food in the fridge?”

"I put some in it when I came here a week ago. I think it's still edible now."

The conversation between the two didn't seem like that of mother and daughter, nor did it seem like that of complete strangers. Sakakibara Kaede could taste some of the tone between them.

Mai Sakurajima snorted and went to the kitchen to find food. Originally, the two decided to rest for a while and then go to the family restaurant downstairs to eat. Now it seems that cooking is also an option. Kaede Sakakibara noticed that Mrs. Sakurajima had two cans of beer in her shopping bag, and she immediately felt the same way. This is the life of adults.

"Sakakibara-kun, why are you and Mai here today?"

Mrs. Sakurajima put down her work. Although she was not dressed like a business elite as last time, her every move seemed dignified and serious like that of a mature woman, very much like the majestic mothers-in-law in the two-dimensional novels and anime that Kaede Sakakibara read.

Sakakibara Feng did not dare to be careless. He could feel that Sakurajima Mai's eyes in the kitchen were also paying attention to this place all the time. It was different from the last time. Last time she was facing her good friend's mother, her aunt, but now she was facing the mother of the girl she liked, her mother-in-law.

Regarding the previous events and today's date, Kaede Sakakibara did not hide anything and told Mrs. Sakurajima the truth. After all, he and Mai Sakurajima had been going out for a long time, and if he had to report every time, it would take him a while to finish if he told it all at once.

"What is your relationship with Mai now?"

"It's a couple in love."

"Do you have anyone else you like?"

Mrs. Sakurajima asked this not for any other reason, but because she remembered what Mai Sakurajima said at that time, that no matter what happened, no matter how many people were around him, she would be with him.

Mrs. Sakurajima was deeply impressed by this sentence, so she brought it up now.

Sakakibara Kaede didn't remain silent for long before nodding, "Yes."

"What is your relationship with them?"

"It's also a romantic relationship."

Mrs. Sakurajima narrowed her eyes. "Do you know that if your relationship is exposed now, your acting career and their life trajectories will be ruined?"

"Mom!" Sakurajima Mai said unhappily, "I am willing. It's none of other people's business what they say."

Sakakibara nodded, "I understand."

Mrs. Sakurajima snorted, "Then why did you make this choice?"