Tokyo Soft Rice King

"So now you're going to tell me in advance about the sensitive topics that I'd better not discuss with Moe-san later, right?"

"That's right. Then, Mingjun, do you know why Mengmeng has such a personality?"

"This one……"

Kuroba Akira raised his eyebrows and glanced at Shirai Shiori who was sitting on his right.

Isn’t it just because a strong literary girl is overprotective of her best friend?

Shirai Shiori nudged Kuroba Akira's arm with her elbow in dissatisfaction, but also admitted it.

"It's true that part of the reason is because of me, but I also want to protect Mengmeng because I don't want to see anyone taking advantage of her anymore!"

Hei Yuming remained calm. Although he was also using Aizono Moeie, he tried to distance himself from the matter as if it had nothing to do with him.

"Oh... so, has anyone taken advantage of Moe-san before?"

"Well, Mengmeng joined the Manga Research Institute when she was in junior high. During that time, she was taken advantage of by others in the institute. Those bastards who called themselves seniors tricked her into drawing a lot of R18 doujinshi in the name of club activities, and then sold these doujinshi for money. Not only did they not share the profits with Mengmeng, but when the school found out later, they directly pushed Mengmeng to take the blame. Mengmeng was almost suspended from school..."

Wow, Aiyuan Menghui has simulated in advance the feeling of being a low-level office worker who is disposable by a black-hearted company.

"Mengmeng is so kind, as kind as a fool. She just works so hard and lets them order her around without complaint, even to the point of fainting in school from exhaustion... So I have to protect her! Because she can't protect herself!"

When talking about this past event, Shirai Shiori's face was very gloomy, and her eyes flashed with cold light, like two sharp blades.

Shirai Shiori might have wanted to kill those scumbag seniors with her own hands since they dared to bully her best friend like this.

"It was Tong, the student council president, who stepped in to help Mengmeng and stopped me from taking extreme revenge. That's when our friendship began."

"I see... something like this has happened before."

It turns out that these three people came together because of Aizono Moe's matter.

Anri Hitomi nodded and warned Kuroba Akira.

"Yes, so Mingjun, it's best not to mention topics related to drawing comics or doujinshi to Mengmeng. I think she is still worried about the sad history of being exploited by her respected predecessors..."

"OK, drawing comics is a bad topic, I'll keep that in mind."

She then warned.

"And then, Mengmeng probably feels like she owes us too much, so she never contradicts our opinions and always keeps her thoughts to herself. But this is actually not a very healthy way of interacting..."

Anri Hitomi said worriedly, holding her cheek.

"So, Mingjun, I suggest you don't spoil Mengmeng too much. Don't let her feel that she owes you too much, otherwise she will become very indecisive when facing you... Although, in fact, the fact that you asked him to draw illustrations has probably been regarded as a great favor by Mengmeng."

Shirai Shiori also nodded in agreement and elaborated on what Asato Hitomi said.

"Actually, just say whatever you want to say. Mingjun, you wanted to criticize Mengmeng for her poor coloring, right?"

"Well, it's not really a criticism, it just doesn't meet my expectations..."

"Okay, no need to be so tactful. I know you didn't say it too bluntly out of consideration for her feelings, but if you don't say it, she'll see that you're concerned about her, and she'll feel even worse. Otherwise, why do you think she specifically asked you to leave? She just wanted to give you an environment where you could speak freely."

"I see... So Moe-san wants me to be more straightforward?"

"Yes, just like the way you reviewed the novel I wrote that day..."

When talking about this matter, Shirai Shiori blushed a little and felt a little embarrassed, her exhibitionism was kicking in, but she understood that her best friend also wanted this kind of "most real feeling".

"So why don't you just criticize her directly, even if it's a little harsh. This way, Mengmeng might feel better and be more motivated."

"I see. You just want me to be more venomous, right?"

Hei Yuming wrote down these two key pieces of information.

First, don’t talk about comic creation, it will give her PTSD.

Second, don’t take her emotions into consideration, just scold her when necessary.

The devil mother touches my sister... Why do I feel like I'm going to train a masochistic female pig...?

Aizono Moe, is she actually an M-attribute girl?

Chapter 161 Don't Try to Escape from My Palm

After explaining Aizono Moe's lightning avoidance strategy to Kuroba Akira, Shirai Shiori continued to speak her mind.

"Mingjun, I think you should be very clear that Mengmeng is different from me. She has outstanding talents, but she has no awareness of her own talents. She has always underestimated herself and lacks confidence."

"Well……"

Although in fact, in Kuroba Akira's view, the three members of the literature club are two Bs and one A, all of whom are talented girls with talents in their right hands.

But from their personal perspectives, neither Hitomi Asato nor Shiori Shirai consider themselves geniuses. Only Moe Aizono's talent is highly correlated with what she is doing, and it also has the greatest impact on her proficiency.

Although both Hitomi Asato and Shiori Shirai want to perform better in front of Akira Kuroba to prove their own worth, they also agree that Moe Aizono's talent is the most dazzling.

Shirai Shiori held Kuroba Akira's right hand with both of her own and solemnly asked for help.

"Actually, it's because I have Mengmeng by my side, and I'm inspired by her unwavering passion, that I've been able to keep writing... So, Mingjun, I hope you can help her regain her confidence and let her be proud of her talents and hobbies once again."

"You really think I'm some chicken soup guru... Anyway, I won't say I can definitely do it, but I will do my best to encourage her."

"Yeah! Please!"

Listening to Kuroba Akira's words, Shirai Shiori felt a sense of security in her heart. In fact, she had now become as convinced of him as Aso Hitomi, and believed that there would be no problem as long as she left it to him.

After she let go of Kuroba Akira's right hand, Asato Hitomi also imitated Shirai Shiori and grabbed Kuroba Akira's hand, and she held both of his hands tightly with great effort.

What he said was just formulaic and polite words.

"Mengmeng is an indispensable member of our Arts and Literature Department. Now, as the head of the Arts and Literature Department, I will entrust the important task of bringing her back to you, Mingjun."

"Yes Yes Yes……"

It’s not that Hei Yuming wanted to be perfunctory, but they were just too serious, making it like a marching ceremony, which made him a little uncomfortable.

Isn't it true that the Garden of Love will never be broken?

If I fail to complete the task and make Aizono Moe cry, I'm afraid my two best friends will launch a joint hunt...

Now the pressure is on Hei Yuming.

Just like that, with the high hopes of the two, Hei Yuming was sent out of the Arts and Literature Club activity room.

Then let's find Aizono Moehui first. Anyway, let's go to the bathroom first... But after taking only two steps, he saw Aizono Moehui leaning half of her body out from the stairs, waving at him.

"Kuroba-kun, this way...!"

The call was very quiet, as if afraid of disturbing something, with a cautious feeling.

After Hei Yuming walked over, she covered her mouth with her sleeve and spoke a little nervously.

"Um, Kuroba-kun... well, I, I'll buy you a drink, okay?"

Hei Yuming simply put his hands together and paid high tribute to her.

"Thank you for the reward, Master Aiyuan."

As long as there is a chance to eat and drink for free, Hei Yuming will never refuse, because those who treat others are all good people.

"No, you're welcome. Instead, I want to thank you, Kuroba-kun. Thank you for understanding what I meant..."

"It's actually pretty easy to understand. It just means see you in the bathroom."

"It's not just about the restroom... I, I've never been to the men's restroom, and Kuroba-kun can't go into the women's restroom, right? So I just wanted to call you out, Kuroba-kun, and I didn't want to be discovered by Hitomi-chan and Shiori... So it might be a bit abstract... Hahaha..."

Aizono Moeie smiled dryly.

However, it was actually discovered.

And they also told me all your weaknesses.

Poor Mengmeng, her underwear was seen through by her best friends...

Of course, Hei Yuming would not tell this matter, he just said it along with the other party.

"So, Moe-san, you want to tell me something, and it's something you can't tell the class representative and Shiori."

"Well... Actually, I didn't want to tell you, Kuroba-kun... But if I don't tell you now, I think it would be a deception... So I still want to tell you in person."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

If he hadn't received the guidance of the other two beforehand, Kuroba Akira would have instinctively said, "Not really?"

But now he already understood that for Aizono Moe, this was an act comparable to mustering up the courage to confess to the person you liked.

Coming to the familiar vending machine outside the teaching building, Aiyuan Menghui bought a bottle of orange soda and handed it to Hei Yuming, then asked.

"Kuroba-kun...what color do you think this bottle of orange soda is?"

“It’s orange.”

"Yeah... but to me it looks closer to yellow, maybe even a bit greenish, and a bit dark..."

"That's true..."

Hei Yuming, who had guessed the result in advance, was not surprised.

"Menghui, you are color-blind, right?"

Aizono Moe admitted it with a wry smile.

"Yes... I'm sorry, Kuroba-kun, for keeping it from you..."

This is not color blindness, but a visual defect called 'color deficiency'.

The structure of the eyeball is similar to that of a camera. Light enters the cornea, passes through the lens and is projected onto the retina. The retina then transmits the sensed nerves to the brain, allowing humans to see things.

The photoreceptors in the central part of the retina are related to color vision. People with congenital abnormalities in their photoreceptors will see colors very differently from ordinary people.

In fact, the colors people see are naturally different from person to person, but the differences are very obvious for some people. Aiyuan Menghui belongs to this special group.

Her ability to distinguish colors wasn't just 'a little bit poor', but 'a lot poor', so she tried desperately to hide this weakness.

Because the inability to distinguish colors is too fatal for a painter.

If you can't distinguish colors, you will naturally doubt whether the world you see is the "real world".

It has nothing to do with being right, and I am always doubting myself, so I become very unconfident and tend to follow others blindly.

This is the root cause of her inferiority complex.

"I didn't want Tong-chan and Shiori to worry about me... That's why I never told them... I don't want to be treated with special care anymore..."

Kuroba Akira could understand her feelings, just like when he first traveled through time, he received special care from Kobayakawa Motoko. Of course, this care is still continuing now, but it is not as obvious as it was at the beginning.

However, Kuroba Akira was simply annoyed, while Aizono Moe felt guilty.

Precisely because they are good friends and besties, Aiyuan Menghui doesn't want to owe more favors to them.

She didn't want to be taken care of by her friends everywhere, and didn't want to be ashamed in front of them. Instead, she wanted to get along with them shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, without any psychological burden.

Hei Yuming pinched his chin and recalled the little-known trivia he had read before.

"But I remember that mild color blindness doesn't seem to have a significant impact on daily life, right? And I can still take the driver's license test normally?"

"Yes, it doesn't really affect my daily life, but... well, it has a huge impact on my painting... Although the doctor said it's only a slight difference, I don't know exactly what that 'slight difference' is..."

Every morning when she opens her eyes, draws the curtains, and looks at the sky outside the window, Aiyuan Menghui can't help but think.

Today's sky... is it really blue?

She wasn't sure.

"I'm sorry... I'm really sorry... I should have told you from the beginning... It's just..."

just because of,

Invited.

Being valued.

Been praised.

and so……

Be carried away.

However, in the end, it was just an illusion before the bubble burst.