A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

"Yes, although I don't know how Mr. Jean will deal with you in the end... but if it is a condition that you cannot fulfill alone, then I will also find a way to apologize to Mr. Jean together!"

"you……"

Upon hearing this, Shoko Toyokawa's father immediately showed an expression of disbelief.

"Since you already know about my deal with [NozAK!], you should also know how heavy the debt is that I'm carrying, right?"

"……Yes."

Chihaya Tetsuya nodded.

And Toyokawa Shoko's father continued:

"If I terminate this deal... then not only will I have to pay a penalty equal to the amount owed, but Xiangzi will also probably be targeted by the Toyokawa family again because I failed to repay the debt as agreed..."

Having said that, Toyokawa Shoko's father shook his head again.

"It's too late, Mr. Chihaya... At this point, I've made a big mistake and there's no turning back. I've already photographed Jean's design and sent it to Di Yeqing. I even agreed to take photos for him while the samples are being made... Our contract has been signed. If I continue to breach the contract, I'll only burden Xiangzi with even heavier debts—"

"We already owe enough anyway. Even if we have to add more debt now, it's far better than sacrificing yourself like this and severing ties with Xiangzi forever!"

Chihaya Tetsuya interrupted the other party with extremely decisive words.

"And... please don't underestimate Xiangzi and me. Both my personal brand [Starry Sky] and the band [AveMujica] Xiangzi is planning have the potential and value to bear that debt! Even if it takes ten, twenty, thirty or even longer, as long as we can be together, there are no difficulties that cannot be overcome!"

"Please think carefully! If Xiangzi was really the type to abandon her family for money, she would never have left the Toyokawa family with you in the first place!"

"...!"

Finally, Chihaya Tetsuya's words completely shattered the other party's already shaky stubbornness.

As Chihaya Tetsuya said, even if he lost the bet with the Toyokawa family and was forced to become their debtor, Toyokawa Shoko did not need to bear this responsibility with him. If she wanted, she could still stay with her mother in the Toyokawa family and continue to live the life of a rich daughter, although not free.

However, the fact is that, having the right to choose, Toyokawa Shoko did not choose to stay in the Toyokawa family. Instead, she resolutely moved into the cramped and shabby rental house with him, and immediately after graduating from junior high school, she began to support herself...

Perhaps Xiangzi did yearn for a freer future, but what this proud and strong child expected was the power to dominate her own life through her own choices and efforts, rather than the false freedom she gained through self-righteous sacrifices at the cost of losing her father's company.

"So please, if you're really thinking about Xiangzi, then please join me... in apologizing to Mr. Jean and confessing everything!"

Chihaya Tetsuya once again said this in an extremely sincere tone:

"I will also stand by your side and apologize to him with you—"

"No, that won't do... Chihaya-san."

Toyokawa Shoko's father shook his head and interrupted Chihaya Tetsuya in a low voice.

"Although I didn't know you before, I already had information about you while helping Jean gather information... Besides Jean, I'm probably the one who knows the most about the future of your [StarrySky] and what your talent means to the Japanese fashion industry. I can't let a young person like you get hurt because of me."

"But I just said that you are Xiangzi's father! Your affairs are equally important to me!"

"Of course I'm grateful that you think so, but...it's precisely because of your relationship with Xiangzi that I can't let you help me shoulder this responsibility."

Having said that, a forced smile suddenly appeared on his face, which had always been extremely gloomy.

"You're right, Chihaya-san. Even if it takes the rest of my life... as long as Shoko is still here, I'll still have room to keep trying. Whether it's the Toyokawa family's debt, the punishment from Rang, or the penalty for breach of contract from [NozAK!], I'll find a way myself."

"How can this be possible?"

Chihaya Tetsuya shook his head after hearing this:

"Although I've heard that Mr. Toyokawa is a very talented person, how can you afford so much debt by yourself?"

“…There’s always a way.”

Although his tone was a little uncertain, Toyokawa Shoko's father still said:

"Those people I knew before...if I'm willing to kneel down and beg them, maybe they'll be willing to give me a job. Besides, now that Xiangzi has a reliable man like you by his side, I can also put all my energy into my work with peace of mind."

Having said this, he first took several deep breaths in succession, then straightened his chest and said to Chihaya Tetsuya:

"Thanks to you, Mr. Chihaya, for reminding me of something I hadn't noticed until now... Shoko's true wishes and ideals. I will explain to Rang what I did to him later, so please don't interfere."

"..."

Looking at the determined expression on the other person's face, Chihaya Tetsuya subconsciously thought of Toyokawa Shoko.

Should I say they're truly father and daughter... This deep-seated pride in not wanting to cause trouble to anyone, and their ability to instantly pick themselves up after making up their minds, are exactly the same...

But even so, Chihaya Tetsuya really couldn't just sit back and watch.

Maybe Toyokawa Shoko's father really wouldn't accept his help...but if Shoko took the initiative to ask to go with him, no matter how much he insisted, he probably wouldn't be able to refuse!

"You should be thinking now that even if you don't take action directly, you can still provide help through Xiangzi, right?"

Just as Chihaya Tetsuya was still thinking about this in his heart, Toyokawa Shoko's father suddenly said:

"That won't do, Chihaya-san. Since I've decided to get myself back on my feet... I won't accept any help, even from Shoko."

"Eh? I haven't said anything yet..."

"But you have all your thoughts written on your face."

Toyokawa Shoko's father shook his head.

"However, I believe it is precisely because of this obvious frankness that Xiangzi, who is always wary of others, has gained trust in you. In short, since you repeatedly insist that I am Xiangzi's father and your elder, then of course, as the head of the family, I am responsible for this matter."

"Yes, but..."

Chihaya Tetsuya still finds it very difficult to let go of this.

Faced with the indecisive Chihaya Tetsuya, Toyokawa Shoko's father was deeply touched, but he still refused:

"Even if we ignore Xiangzi's situation, I've already been an accomplice before, so I'm not qualified to accept your help... Mr. Chihaya, you should still remember the casual clothes that the Sanfeng Chamber of Commerce bought out of you last fall, right?"

"Ah, yes..."

"The reason why Di Yeqing targeted that costume and copied it was because of me."

Toyokawa Shoko's father confessed:

"A year ago, when I had just left the Toyokawa family, I worked as a buyer for the Sanfeng Chamber of Commerce to earn a living... I had originally planned to let Sanfeng buy out the design, but the night before I was to hand it over... I accepted a bribe from Di Yeqing and gave the design to him instead. He then modified it into this year's hottest fashion item."

"……Eh?!"

This unexpected confession instantly made Chihaya Tetsuya look extremely surprised.

"Wait, wait a minute... Let's not talk about Sanfeng and Di Yeqing for now. In other words, a year ago, it was you who bought my design..."

"……kindness."

Toyokawa Shoko's father nodded.

"Although it's from a relatively unknown ready-to-wear studio, that simple casual piece has a completely different feel from the others. I was immediately drawn to its balance of style, comfort, and cost."

Having said that, he couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.

"I just didn't expect that my vision would not only bring a best-selling piece of clothing to Sanfeng, but also attract the attention of a demon... If it weren't for me, your design might have become the hottest fashion trend this year, along with [KaZoKu]."

"..."

Chihaya Tetsuya, who had been dumbfounded from the beginning, finally understood the full picture of the second plagiarism incident.

Before this, he had thought that Di Yeqing had relied on his own vision to accurately find his design from the Sanfeng Chamber of Commerce and then reproduce it. However, the truth was that Di Yeqing did not have such a high level of appreciation ability. All of this came from Toyokawa Xiangzi's father, whose vision was not inferior to any other person in the industry...

“…I see. So that’s how it is.”

A smile suddenly appeared on Chihaya Tetsuya's face.

"This is probably fate. The reason I was recognized by [KaZoKu] and became an assistant designer was because of the design that was bought out by Mitsumine. It was also because of this assistant designer status that I was able to get the job I loved and meet Xiangzi..."

If this is the case, the fate between him and Xiangzi did not start at the time of the interview, but even earlier... the moment he just embarked on the road of becoming a designer.

"Thinking about it this way, far from blaming you, I should actually be grateful for your foresight."

In the face of the other party's puzzled expression, Chihaya Tetsuya smiled and said:

"You can't imagine, right? If it weren't for your approval, even if that design really became a hit this year, I would still have lost something far more important."

Love, Xiangzi, Su Shi... one encounter after another, a series of fate, brought him to where he is today. Now, this cause and effect that he had never been able to understand, was finally connected together in a way that he had never expected.

if it is like this……

"Then I can't just stand by and watch!"

Finally, Chihaya Tetsuya raised his head and said to Toyokawa Shoko's father:

"Okay, I've decided. I'll apologize to Jean with you!"

"???"

Faced with Chihaya Tetsuya's sudden and extremely determined attitude, Toyokawa Shoko's father was stunned.

"You, are you even listening to me? You lost a design that was supposed to be a big seller this year because of me!"

"But thanks to your vision, I also had encounters that changed my life, including Xiangzi!"

"In that case, you only need to cherish Xiangzi and don't have to worry about anything else."

"Helping you shoulder this responsibility is one of the ways I cherish Xiangzi!"

"you……"

Shoko Toyokawa's father wasn't the type to be awkward with words. On the contrary, with his vast experience and knowledge, he could easily take the lead in most conversations. However, when faced with this young man who couldn't hide his feelings at all and was so frank that it made people feel a little pitiful, Shoko Toyokawa's father was at a loss for words.

Because he could see that this young man sincerely wanted to help him and shoulder the extremely heavy responsibility and burden with him...

There is no doubt that this young man named Chihaya Tetsuya is a good boy, a good boy who is very compatible with Shoko in terms of ability, personality, and even conduct.

But precisely because of this, he didn't want him and Xiangzi to be implicated by him——

"Hmph~ Just give up, Mr. Assistant."

Just when Toyokawa Shoko's father was still thinking about how to persuade the other party, an unexpected voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

"Every one of us designers is a willful person who won't change our minds easily. Since Mr. Chihaya has made his decision, no matter what you say to him, it will probably be useless."

"let……"

Looking at the man in front of him who always smiled at him, Toyokawa Shoko's father froze involuntarily at first, and then lowered his head to him in guilt.

"Did you... hear everything?"

"Yeah, after all, you two have been away for such a long time, so I was a little worried that you might have accidentally gotten lost here."

Beneath that tone of feigned worry was an extremely smug smirk.

"Then, I accidentally overheard your conversation~"

"Mr. Jean..."

Chihaya Tetsuya, who was not mentally prepared, suddenly became flustered.

"Well... I was planning to apologize to you more formally after dinner..."

"Well, I was planning to listen to you guys talk about this in a formal setting, but... who can blame me for being impatient?"

Jean smiled and said:

"But now it seems that my eavesdropping was indeed a wise move! Mr. Assistant!"

"Yes……"

"You just said that 'Di Yeqing' wanted you to film the process of me and me making the samples, right?"

"Yes."

Toyokawa Shoko's father nodded.

"Because he couldn't understand the line drawings you drew earlier...so he wanted to recreate it directly from the sample..."

"Besides these, is there anything else in your contract?"

"No, our contract only requires me to show him all the designs you prepared for this [Joint Exhibition]."

"And he will pay you all your wages as agreed?"

"Yes……"

"Oh~ So that's it!"

After hearing this answer, the smile on his face suddenly became even brighter.

"That's much easier! Isn't it just the design drawings and samples? Just show them to him."

After saying that, he opened his arms and put his arms around the shoulders of the two people:

"Come on, come on, compared to this little thing, there are two ladies over there who have been waiting for us to sit down and eat. Let's go back first and then talk while eating--"