I live my life in Tokyo

"Hey, this angle is pretty good." Sakakibara Kaede said approvingly while looking at himself in the camera. A beam of winter sunlight shone straight onto the man's cheek, outlining his serious expression with sharp edges.

The girl clenched her fingers shyly, "Well, I'm the publicity committee member of the class, and I like taking pictures..."

"This is a good hobby. Recording the little things in life, I understand." The man praised, glancing at the girl's freshman homework on the table, "Although academic studies are the most important, don't give up this hobby."

"Yeah, I also want to shine like Sakakibara-senpai!" said the girl, raising her fists to her chest.

The man had not expected this answer, but it was enough to get full marks among the many answers he expected.

"By the way, if you don't mind, how about sending me this photo? It's perfect for me to post on Twitter."

"Of course, it's my honor!" The girl cheered softly, joy written all over her face.

Sakakibara Kaede looked at herself on the phone screen, hmm... She could directly post the photo to her friends circle without any photo editing software.

"Ah... Arnold, can Sakakibara-senpai give me an autograph?"

The girl stammered embarrassedly.

"Of course." Faced with such an honest girl, Sakakibara Kaede really couldn't bear to tease her, for fear of being labeled as a bully of honest children. He left his signature on the girl's white pencil case and watched the girl leave after suppressing her inner joy and thanking her repeatedly.

The feeling of being someone else's target is a satisfaction that cannot be expressed in words, like the prince admired by everyone in a fairy tale, or the Anpanman who symbolizes justice in the children's animation.

The unrealistic middle school spirit of wanting to be a hero is still burning.

After opening Twitter, the man thought for a moment and edited this text.

"Afternoon in Shibuya, calm down and read after work..."

His fingers paused, and he deleted the previous few sentences and re-edited them. "I heard that reading makes food more delicious. I want to try it."

He himself doesn't like to read tweets that are similar to preaching, and he doesn't want to tell passers-by what they should do or what they should think.

The man just wants to tell his story in a light-hearted and humorous manner. As for what passers-by think, it is completely free.

The man located himself in a bookstore in Shibuya and sent a tweet. Then he calmed down again and read the book quietly.

Mobile phone vibration.

The man was unmoved.

The phone vibrated again.

The man held his breath.

The phone vibrated for the third time.

The man sighed, took out his phone from his pocket, and prepared to play another game of chess with Kei Iida to decide the fate of the world... He looked again and found it was a Line notification.

Black Rabbit: "You're in Shibuya too? How about we meet?"

Black Rabbit: "You're not really reading, are you, Sakakibara-senpai?"

Black Rabbit: "I'm really reading..."

Sakakibara Kaede was speechless. He was just reading a book. Could it be that Sakurajima Mai thought that he was the kind of superficial man who needed to pose for photos?

Feng of Sunwind Village: "Thank you for your hard work, Sakurajima-senpai. What do you mean by meeting?"

Black Rabbit: "Forget it, I'll come find you."

The man stood up immediately. Sakurajima Mai was different from little actors like him. Her every move could attract everyone's attention. Meeting in a crowded bookstore was obviously not a good choice.

Thinking of this, he took the novel he hadn't finished reading to the counter to pay, sat down on the bench in front of the bookstore, and sent an understanding emoticon to Mai Sakurajima.

Her steps were faster than the man had imagined.

"Hey, Senior."

Kaede Sakakibara felt someone patting her shoulder. She turned around and found Mai Sakurajima wearing a baseball cap and a mask that she would only wear when she had a cold.

"Do you have work in Shibuya today?" The man stood up. He looked at Mai Sakurajima's outfit curiously and touched his chin. "I'll dress like this when I become famous."

Mai Sakurajima chuckled and slung her light bag across her shoulder. "I went to Chiyoda for an audition this morning. I don't know the result yet. I'll be acting as the spokesperson for a brand in Shibuya this afternoon."

She counted on her fingers and said, "There is not much work tomorrow, it's a rare day off."

"What about you?"

The man opened his mouth and said solemnly, "Today I am maintaining the necessary bonds between people."

"Going to eat barbecue?"

"How do you know?" the man was shocked. Is Mai Sakurajima a monster who can read minds?

Mai Sakurajima crossed her arms over her chest. She certainly wouldn't tell her that she followed Fuuka Miyazawa's idol account and had caught a glimpse of a man's back in the tweet she posted.

"Sakakibara-senpai, you usually don't leave the house. Why do you finally come to Shibuya and act cool in the bookstore?"

The man frowned and said dissatisfiedly, "Do I need to pretend? My aura has already been reflected in my daily life."

"..." Sakurajima Mai was speechless for a moment, then hummed, "I rarely have time tonight, and I happen to be in Shibuya. My closet is missing a few long-sleeved spring clothes. You wouldn't mind carrying my bag for me, right?"

Sakakibara Kaede's heart sank suddenly. He suddenly thought of Miura Yuma. A few hours ago, he was feeling sorry for the other person for having to accompany his sister to see an idol concert. Now it's his turn!

How cruel it is that things keep changing.

"I... mind a little." This was the man's last stubbornness.

"Carry the bag for me and I'll have my agent take you home. You don't have to squeeze into the subway. What do you think, senior~"

"Gu... lead the way!"

This is a cry of blood and tears.

Chapter 40: Despicable Tactics

Kaede Sakakibara rarely goes shopping.

He rarely goes shopping with others.

Men always shop with a strong purpose. They have made a decision before going to the supermarket, such as buying a pair of sneakers today. After arriving at the mall, they will go straight to the shoe store, try and compare prices several times, and then swipe their cards to buy the sneakers. The whole process takes less than half an hour.

Women's shopping is random. They usually turn a blind eye to their shopping goals. They focus on cultivating their sentiments. After visiting other stores to express their feelings, they will enter another store.

"I thought you had enough clothes."

After visiting two stores, Mai Sakurajima tried on a few pieces of clothing, but felt something was missing so she didn't buy anything.

"Do you think I'm the kind of lady with a closet full of clothes?"

The boy nodded silently. In his imagination, when Sakurajima Mai's wardrobe was opened, it was full of expensive clothes from different brands. Some had unique designs, and some had novel colors. She was truly an actress king who was at the forefront of fashion trends.

Mai Sakurajima glanced at the man with dissatisfaction, and the latter held his chin and said, "If you are not what I imagined, then why do I feel that you wear different clothes every day?"

“It’s called matching.”

Mai Sakurajima corrected Kaede Sakakibara's wrong idea, "Several pieces of clothing can be worn in different combinations, and the color matching is also very particular. Depending on the combination of clothes you choose, the feeling you give will also change."

The man nodded slowly. "Now that you mention it, I remember that Sakurajima-senpai usually wears warm colors. The first time I saw Sakurajima-senpai wearing clothes at school, I thought of the famous warm-colored oil paintings."

He took a look at what the girl next to him was wearing today.

Mai Sakurajima was still wearing the black, white and beige plaid scarf today, an apricot yellow #E69966 coat, and a pair of brown #4D3900 slim pants - at least she was not wearing a short skirt today.

"What do you think of my outfit?" Mai Sakurajima asked after turning around.

"It reminds me of Monet's series of works, Haystacks at Sunset Ver." Sakakibara nodded. The sunset shines on the golden fields, creating many warm colors. The haystacks have many changes under the light. The top of the haystack is golden, the side is a lighter yellow, and the back is half purple and half yellow, half bright and half dark. The lower part of the haystack is a deep orange-yellow.

But the protagonist of the series of paintings is not the mountains, not the fields, not even the haystacks, but the warm and bright light.

Mai Sakurajima is very suitable for wearing such warm-colored clothes. At this moment, she does not look like a famous actress who has participated in a film award, but like an ordinary girl next door. The simple dressing combination brings a sense of intimacy that is difficult to calculate in numbers.

"Senior Sakakibara, are you from the literature department or the mathematics department?" It was not the first time that Mai Sakakijima heard a man speak in a flowery manner, and she laughed and complained.

"Maybe this is what they call being in Cao's camp but with one's heart in Han." The boy sighed and clicked his tongue. At this moment, he seemed to be possessed by the old general Sakai Yuichi. "The best way to understand the enemy... is to become the enemy."

Why is it that Sakai Yu is on the battlefield of the Department of Management, but can utter the profound ancient Chinese texts of the Department of Literature? Obviously, only by knowing yourself and the enemy can you win every battle.

Fortunately, Sakurajima Mai did not wander around in different stores as the boy imagined. She went into several brand stores that she seemed to visit frequently. After trying on several clothes of different textures, he soon had a shopping bag in his hand, and then two.

When a woman is shopping, the only thing a man can do is carry the bag and compliment the woman. His only way to entertain himself is with his cell phone.

The boy still hasn't had the experience of accompanying a girl shopping for a long time. To be honest, he hasn't experienced anything like this since he accompanied his mother shopping in elementary school.

This is certainly not because no girls invite him, but because the boy does not want to waste time on such meaningless things. It is better to use this time to study.

Kaede Sakakibara opened Happy Match after a long time. It was the only game on his mobile phone.

He didn't download the two-dimensional game from the store because he couldn't help but spend 648 yen... No, now he spent 9800 yen, which would make this not-so-rich family even worse.

What's more, the graphics of these second-hand games don't make people want to spend money at all. The boy sneered with contempt when looking at the store preview pictures. Is that it?

These characters don’t even have the new elf colors of Seer.

The solution to this problem is simple: play stand-alone games.

"what happened?"

Kaede Sakakibara felt his sleeve being pulled and he looked away from the colored blocks in the Candy Crush game. He discovered that Mai Sakurajima had unknowingly brought him to the men's clothing section.

"Are there any male roles in your recent audition? Could it be that Sakurajima-senpai is also going to become an actress disguised as a man, and wants to challenge the Takarazuka style?"

"How can it be."

Sakurajima Mai shook her head, her hands on her hips, looking at the school uniform of the private Shuchiin Academy on Sakakibara Kaede, "You only have the school uniform for the winter, and the school uniform is not very warm. What if you feel sick while running around for work? Not only will your work be affected, but you will also have to take the unified college entrance examination, right?"

"I don't think it's a big deal." The man retorted contemptuously, "I can wear two school uniforms. Don't forget, I also have a winter uniform for Sobu High School."

"I'm not the kind of person who cares about my image. I pay more attention to my inner qualities than my appearance." Sakakibara Kaede puffed out his chest, covering his burning heart, "Even if I look bloated after wearing two school uniforms, I'm still me."

Sakurajima Mai raised her eyebrows slightly, "I'm not kidding you. The warmth of school uniforms is very different from that of branded clothes. If something happens, I can't guarantee whether Mr. Aoyama will be angry or not. Higuchi-chan will definitely turn evil and draw her sword against you."

"What kind of horror movie is this!" The man took a step back. "They actually described Higuchi-san as a blackened girl who picked up a kitchen knife and chopped people. How can you say that about your junior?"

"Ah? She told me this herself."

"..."

Mai Sakurajima curled her lips slightly under her mask and snorted, "Besides, changing actors at the last minute is unheard of. Sakakibara-san doesn't want to become famous this way, right? You know, Japanese fans are scary, and they threaten you with razor blades at any time."

Miss Sakurajima abruptly revealed the purpose of her search for a boy today. Apart from helping her carry the shopping bags, her purpose was very clear: just put on the clothes I picked for you obediently and then go home to find your mother.

The young man thought it was unnecessary. It would be better to buy a few plaid shirts to add buff to this kind of coat.

"If you don't want to buy it, you can just walk home by yourself."

"Hey! You are so despicable! If you can't do it openly, you have to do it secretly, right?" The man asked in disbelief. When did Sakurajima-chan learn this art of maneuvering?

"You didn't spend all your money on buying action figures, playing 2D games, and spending money at maid shops, did you?" Sakurajima Mai was shocked. The only reason she could think of was that Kaede Sakakibara, who was always said to like the 2D world, was hanging out in Akihabara every day, drinking and having sex, and spending a month's salary completely.

"I don't have the energy to go to a maid shop, but I heard from some actors in the graduation commercial crew that there are a few ear cleaning shops in Akihabara, and they are really good, with excellent service."

Sakurajima Mai's smile gradually disappeared. She patted the boy's shoulder unhappily, "Not only is it a waste of money to go to such a store, but it will also be bad for the actor's reputation if it gets out. Don't you want to be a hero-type lead actor?"

"Oh, that's true." The boy sighed helplessly. This was the inconvenience of being an actor.

Mai Sakurajima successfully persuaded Kaede Sakakibara and said, "Since you didn't spend money recklessly, why not spend it on something you really need."

“Forget it, I’ll just wear a mask to the maid cafe next time.” The man muttered, and sighed as if defeated. “Okay, okay, quick battle, quick decision, my requirements are very low, resistant to dirt, not handsome or ugly, and can be worn on the street.”

Mai Sakurajima's indigo eyes sparkled with a smile. Watching her colleague surrender was truly one of her daily pleasures.

"Don't worry, just buy a winter coat."

The man shook his head and had to turn off his phone and say goodbye to Candy Crush Saga. He followed Sakurajima Mai with heavy steps.

"Here, take a look at this one and see if it works."

Mai Sakurajima raised an eyebrow at Kaede Sakakibara, motioning him to put on the sun-tanned #D2B48C men's coat in front of him, which was close to beige in color and a warm tone.

"I was just browsing and I found this dress is very suitable for you." Sakurajima Mai analyzed, bringing out the words she said in the previous brand clothing advertisement, "This kind of warm-colored clothes are suitable for people with fair skin. It will make the skin look fairer and exude more charm."

"I feel like I'm attractive enough." The boy grinned and lifted his bangs, causing two girls from an aristocratic school who passed by to stop and look back.

"It's good enough for ordinary people, but you're an actor." Sakurajima Mai handed the hanger with clothes to the boy unhappily, "Actors must learn how to dress themselves, regardless of gender. This is a required course when entering the profession."

The man reluctantly picked up the coat and went to the fitting room. He carefully took off his school uniform and hung it aside. He ran his fingers over the coat and felt it was soft, as if it was made of cashmere.

The coat was long and fell straight to his knees. He raised his hands in front of the mirror and there was no disharmony or weirdness. He felt very comfortable.

The boy is not used to buying clothes.

In the past, clothes were as simple as they could be. There were only two or three pieces of clothes for changing. For people who wore suits all year round, one of the few opportunities to buy clothes might be to pick out a tie of a different color for themselves.