They all pushed me!

Arima Kana rolled her eyes without any hesitation when she heard that. She could only say that the boomerang thrown by her close friend in the morning had hit her back hard not even half a day later. It was obvious that she had prepared in advance, but he still used her name to cover up his mistake.

"it is good."

Not surprised at all, Kitagawa Ryo simply nodded and agreed. Anyway, he was already used to Kurokawa Akane feeding him on the previous set, and he was too lazy to refuse. He took the chopsticks handed to him, simply said "I'm starting", and started to eat this rather sumptuous lunch.

"How is it? Are you feeling used to it?"

After filling his stomach a little, Kitagawa Ryo asked Kurokawa Akane with concern. After all, unlike Arima Kana who had been traveling to various film sets, the other party last filmed a film and television drama in May and June last year, and it has been almost a year since then.

"No problem, I'll be familiar with it again in a moment."

Kurokawa Akane answered softly. The lunch break was not long, so she was too lazy to change out of her school uniform. She was just careful not to get food residue and sauce on her. She placed her calves and feet on the outside of her thighs, sitting like a duck, which was very girlish.

"Where's Kana? How's it going?"

"It's okay. It's not a particularly difficult role."

Arima Kana waved her hand confidently, but immediately added a patch:

"At least that's the case in the first episode."

“The character of Xia Zi is indeed very interesting.”

When it comes to the script and acting, Kurokawa Akane immediately perked up, even stopping the chopsticks in his hand, and spoke seriously about his opinion:

"Ogata Satoshi is a workaholic. In order to take better care of his daughter, he deliberately asked Natsuko, who was in elementary school, to join his class. As a result, Natsuko, who was still young and rarely saw her father, had a deeper impression of Ogata Satoshi as a teacher, and his father side became less important, especially after other classmates in the class always used the topic of her homeroom teacher being her father to make fun of everything related to her. Hmm... it's part of the manifestation of rebellious psychology."

At this point, Kurokawa Akane also raised three fingers towards Arima Kana:

"For Natsuko, in her childhood memories, Ogata Satoshi had three identities: a father who was sometimes there, the husband of her beloved mother, and a strict and old-fashioned teacher. However, her mother's death destroyed the second one, and rumors destroyed the third one. As a result, the impression of her father, the most fragile one in her heart, became the only one left for her, and the one that was constantly emphasized and mentioned by him."

"After all, it's just to contrast the character of Sachiko played by Akane."

Arima Kana said vaguely while chewing the food. Although she had learned some home cooking dishes based on the "Today's Meal at the Kitagawa Family" and did not just order takeout as Kurokawa Akane described, the taste and variety were definitely not comparable to that of the master Kurokawa Akane.

This is the case right now. Although I am still harsh with my words, my body is very honest and does not stop for a moment. After all, they say they made more for me, so it should be okay to eat more.

Regardless of the deeper question of whether the meat will grow where it should grow, for Arima Kana, who now has small arms and legs, it won’t hurt to eat more.

"Contrast is relative. Using Kana's words, isn't Sachiko also a contrast to Natsuko? Since it is a narrative mode with two heroines, their personalities, ideas, and actions should naturally contrast."

Kurokawa Akane explained with a smile without getting annoyed, then looked at Kitagawa Ryo and said:

"When Ryo-senpai played the role of Ogata Satoshi, he unintentionally showed the concept of inequality..."

Having said this, she suddenly put down her chopsticks, folded her hands on her chest facing Beichuan Liang, and her tone was a little leisurely, like white clouds floating in the sky, but her soft and sticky voice naturally brought a bit of sweetness, and the clouds suddenly turned into soft marshmallows.

“I feel satisfied and happy that my ideas have been recognized.”

Anyone who has known Kitagawa Ryo for a while will have noticed a habit of his. When facing a shorter child, he would naturally squat down first. This was a small habit that Toshiro Kindaichi taught him, because when he first met Kitagawa Ryo, he was half-squatting, so that the eyes of the adult and the child could be level.

Kurokawa Akane remembered it especially clearly, because when she first met Kitagawa Ryo in the reception room of the LALALAI Theater Company, he did the same thing, half-squatting in front of her out of habit.

Although they had always communicated with each other using the title of senior, in all these years, Kurokawa Akane had rarely seen Kitagawa Ryo truly put on an air of superiority and the so-called senior attitude.

But perhaps it was because she was familiar with such equal communication with Kitagawa Ryo in daily life, when she was filming the last scene in the morning and was being looked down at by the other party with an unconcealed, condescending gaze, Kurokawa Akane only felt novelty and another more complicated inexplicable emotion.

"Because I think Chi Yin's summary is indeed correct. Height, age, financial ability, knowledge and experience... the inequality in teacher-student love is natural and almost impossible to catch up and eliminate in a short period of time."

“But there is one thing that is possible.”

To Kitagawa Ryo's surprise, Kurokawa Akane quickly replied decisively:

"As long as their mental ages are equal, a slight difference in physical age won't matter, and the same goes for other things. Besides, there will be inequalities in height, financial ability, knowledge, etc. between ordinary couples, but no one will say anything about it."

"Why do I feel like we've suddenly been talking about love..."

Arimakana complained in her heart while biting her chopsticks.

Could you please consider that there is someone like her around?

However, like Kurokawa Akane, she also cares about the answer to this question, or rather, Kitagawa Ryo's attitude.

"Spiritual age...it's something that only you know. It always feels too mysterious and self-righteous to use it as the only basis for whether you can fall in love."

Beichuan Liang shook his head and smiled and gave an example:

"If a four-year-old child tells you that she likes you, do you have to be extremely careful to determine whether her mental age is consistent with her physical age of four before considering whether to reject her or not?"

"Senior Liang, what you said is the least convincing. You asked me seriously, 'Do you like performing?' Would a normal person care about the thoughts of a four or five-year-old?"

The moment Kitagawa Ryo said this, Arima Kana took the opportunity to join the conversation without hesitation, staring at him with a smile and said:

"So, Ryo-senpai always cites the example of most 'normal people'. They don't represent your own thoughts at all. You need to know yourself better."

As she spoke, Arima Kana tilted her head slightly:

"I have the same opinion as Chi Yin. If the mental age matches, a slight difference in physical age doesn't matter at all... The same goes for the other things."

Looking at Kurokawa Akane and Arima Kana who suddenly approached, Beichuan Ryo was silent for a while, then shook his head helplessly and said:

"In that case, I'll answer with the lines from the script."

"When Sachiko confessed her love to Ogata Satoshi, she also said something similar. I think the lines in that paragraph were designed by Akane herself. They are exactly the same as what she said today."

"But the following paragraphs can be seen at a glance to be the handwriting of Gotanda. The minors wrote the sentences of minors, and the adults wrote the thoughts of adults. You two cooperated well."

At this point, Beichuan Liang also laughed in silence, and after a while he continued reading:

"Everyone has their own ideas, which are determined by the uniqueness of human beings, but human sociality also exists. It is composed of the opinions of relatives, friends and the world on you. This is something that makes people hate it but also feel deeply sorry for it. So, I am afraid of it, afraid of social death."

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why he has not been able to tell others the true relationship between him and Rumi.

Upon hearing this, Kurokawa Akane and Arima Kana just looked at each other in tacit understanding. They finally figured out some of Kitagawa Ryo's real thoughts.

Now, the question is how to induce the other party to go from "Since I have already made a mistake, I should not make it again" to "Since I have already made a mistake, therefore——"

Beichuan Liang did not notice the two people's little movements and thoughts. Rather, since the filming ended, most of his attention had been completely focused on another more important matter.

This weekend, in a few days, is the day Ai and Rumi have agreed to meet. Although the agenda is just the usual eating, drinking and shopping between sisters-in-law, Kitagawa Ryo still can't help but worry about something unexpected happening.

Social death...?

Chapter 40: I Do

After being treated to a sumptuous lunch by Kurokawa Akane, Kitagawa Ryo said goodbye to the two of them somewhat dully, found an empty recliner to lie down, slowly closed his eyes, and quietly took a nap in the shadow of the corner.

Frankly speaking, he had complicated feelings about Kitagawa Rumi's upcoming private meeting with Ai, and sometimes even wondered whether he should just take this opportunity to reveal everything. After all, in Kitagawa Ryo's heart, compared to letting Ai or Rumi take the initiative to become suspicious or reveal their cards, he would rather be the first person to speak.

Because in a sense, if you want to find the only one who made a mistake in this incident, it is actually him, whether it is for Ai or Rumi.

As for Kurokawa Akane and Arima Kana, after the conversation just now, Kitagawa Ryo naturally heard some of the other party's hidden meanings, but to put it bluntly, even if the two of them really intend to replicate Rumi's operation, it will be at least two or three years later. Compared with Ai and Rumi's side, which is almost imminent, it is really insignificant.

Of course, it is also possible that nothing will really happen between Ai and Rumi's meeting, and all of this is just his own unnecessary worry.

In this mood of worrying about gains and losses, Beichuan Liang only felt that countless thoughts were rising and falling in his mind almost every minute and every second. This was not something that could be quickly and properly resolved with the experience of two lives. What's more, he had never even had a relationship in his previous life, and could not provide any reference value for him now.

In fact, as his age in this life gradually caught up with that of his previous life, Beichuan Liang seldom recalled things from his previous life. Or rather, many of his memories had already become quite vague. Even the obsessions that once remained had faded and disappeared little by little as they were satisfied in this life.

The ones who actually erased them were Ai and Rumi, which may be the deepest reason why his relationship with them has developed to this point today.

Just as Beichuan Liang closed his eyes with a calm expression, his mind was already in a mess of thoughts. He noticed that the mobile phone in his pocket vibrated slightly. Someone called him.

After slightly opening one eye, Beichuan Liang saw the caller's name displayed on the lit screen:

[My favorite Ruby].

"Hey, I'm on set right now, what's up Ruby?"

After the call was connected, Beichuan Liang lowered his voice slightly and asked softly.

"If I say I just want to hear my brother's voice, will this excuse be acceptable?"

"But what if I say that Ruby's call woke me up when I was almost asleep, taking up my precious nap time during the workday?"

"So, brother, is today a workday? Sorry, sorry, but I am also in the backstage lounge of a variety show. There are so many guests that the air inside feels turbid. I took the opportunity to come out for some fresh air and called brother unconsciously."

While listening to Rumi's words, Kitagawa Ryo received a freshly taken photo that the other party had just sent to him through the chat software. From the top-down perspective, he could see that his sister was leaning against the outer wall of the corridor just as she said, and she also deliberately put on a pitiful expression of admitting her mistake, which made Kitagawa Ryo unable to get angry at all.

"By the way, when will brother be free next time?"

"Maybe at the end of the month. After all, the new drama has officially started filming, so we're going to be busy."

"Well, I see."

"But I will be at the Tokyo Dome performance next month."

Beichuan Ryo adjusted his posture slightly and pretended to casually redirect the topic:

"Speaking of which, how is Ruby preparing? Ai said a few days ago that you specially asked her out on the weekend. Are you planning to learn from the experience of seniors who have already graduated?"

"Yeah - that's right. After all, this is the first time for us ACE to go to a stage like Tokyo Dome. Brother, do you remember that I said before that I would go to Tokyo Dome earlier than my sister? Now I have done it. Seventeen years old is greater than twenty years old!"

Kitagawa Rumi seemed quite proud of this achievement. Even through the phone, Kitagawa Ryo could sense the smugness in her tone, and he couldn't help but chuckle:

"So Ruby didn't ask Ai to go out just to tell her about this and show off, right?"

"Does my brother think there is something else going on with me?"

Kitagawa Rumi just curled her lips when she heard this. She was of course aware that it was best for their current relationship to remain as it was. However, compared to Kitagawa Ryo, who was under greater psychological pressure, perhaps due to her experiences over the past decade or so, she was the one who had no burden at all.

"… Mainly because I was just wondering whether I should confess this to Ai."

As soon as Kitagawa Ryo said this, there was a sudden silence from Rumi, and for a while, the only sound that could be heard from both sides was the other's breathing.

"In fact, just now when we were having lunch, Kana reminded me that maybe I am not a normal person at all... in every aspect."

“I may not care that much about social death.”

Beichuan Liang only felt that his thoughts were becoming smoother and smoother, so he carefully conveyed all his true thoughts bit by bit.

"Call it self-righteous arrogance, but I have seriously considered immigration and nominal citizenship recently. There are dozens of countries in this world where I can legally make Ruby my wife."

This was the first time he changed the way he addressed Rumi.

“…This idea is indeed quite arrogant and self-righteous.”

It was a long time before Beichuan Liang heard a reply from the other end of the phone.

"I don't know, but... it's me."

But then, Kitagawa Rumi's sentences and words suddenly became broken, and Kitagawa Ryo heard hurried footsteps and the sound of a door closing. Rumi seemed to have run to a place like a bathroom, and there she finally suppressed all kinds of turbulent emotions and reorganized her words with some difficulty.

She had never thought about these issues before, and was just immersed in the double pleasure of physical and psychological like a child. It was not until this time that she realized what kind of psychological burden her way of getting along with Beichuan Liang, where she was occasionally proud, enjoying, and complacent, had brought to the other party. Even an invitation that she had made on a whim just to show off made the other party have wild thoughts and worry for several days.

"Whether Liang succeeds or not, I am already very satisfied."

“…I forgot to mention it.”

Kitagawa Rumi held the phone in both hands and put it against her forehead:

"Regarding Liang's arrogant and self-righteous suggestion just now."

"I am willing."

Chapter 41: A Parable

In the Johnny's incident that caused a sensation at the end of last year, what impressed Kitagawa Ryo the most was not the parts related to himself, but several interviews with passers-by in a documentary published by BBC TV station. Reporters from the UK asked people on the street about their views on the matter.

Among those interviewed, at least half of them expressed disapproval or even understanding of Kitagawa's long-term sexual assault on artists in the agency. They said things like, "It's semi-public news that President Kitagawa likes boys," and "Compared to his contributions to the industry, these little things are totally not worth mentioning." Some even made no secret of their admiration and love for this legend in the industry and bluntly said, "He is God."

Kitagawa Ryo has every reason to suspect that if he had not pushed the incident so forcefully and put himself in the position of the victim, the scandals of Kitagawa and Johnny's would not have been likely to expand to such an extent. It is even possible that, like in the past few decades, the media from all sides have been intentionally suppressing the heat of the incident, and it is unknown how many years it would take for the scandal to be fully exposed.

It was also because of this incident that Kitagawa Ryo began to truly realize some aspects of himself. He was not the male high school student protagonist in the popular youth romance campus themes on the market. In fact, in the more than 20 years since he traveled through time, he was almost just a figurehead in schools at all levels, and the time he spent in formal classes was probably not as much as Rumi.

But it is also because of this that when faced with the same thing, he has more choices and means. After turning his thinking around, he actually finds that many rules can be circumvented based on everything he has accumulated in the past.

Even Kitagawa's illegal and criminal acts against hundreds of artists in the agency over the past few decades can be understood by many people. Human social nature is sometimes really unpredictable.

Kitagawa Ryo put the phone back into his pocket. The conversation with Rumi just now made him feel at peace for the first time in a long time. On the one hand, he naturally learned that the other party had no extra plans for this meeting with Ai. On the other hand, he felt relieved and at ease that he finally took the initiative to speak out his true thoughts.

Of course, this only appeased Rumi's side.

The image of love naturally emerged in Beichuan Liang's mind.

Next, I should find an opportunity to explain everything to her.

Thinking of this, Beichuan Liang showed a somewhat bitter smile on his face.

Why is that idea arrogant and self-righteous?

Because it is indeed a bit ironic. Even he himself feels that he should not be forgiven, but he always believes that he will be forgiven by her.

...After all, they were originally the products of each other's Genji Plan and Anti-Genji Plan, and their fates had long been tightly entangled with each other like a barb hooked into the heart. They were in a relationship where they both tamed and were tamed by each other.

-------------------------------------

On the other side of the set, Arimaka and Akane Kurokawa were sitting together and whispering in each other's ears. The scene they were filming now was some memories of the male lead Ogata Satoshi from the past, which was a scene from when he was working in an elementary school a few years ago. It was not their turn yet.