A guide to survival in a heavy girl's world

As he stood up, Nagasaki Suyo looked at him with some concern:

"Don't push yourself too hard, Tetsuya."

Ever since Chihaya Tetsuya met Mr. Rang, he had entered a highly focused and busy work state. Aside from eating and going to the bathroom, he rarely left his room, and this state had lasted for nearly half a month.

"Although I know this exhibition is very important to you, if you exhaust yourself, no matter how successful the exhibition is, it will not be worth it."

As Nagasaki Suyo spoke, she carefully examined Chihaya Tetsuya's face. She was relieved to see that this time, Chihaya Tetsuya was in much better shape than before, when he was still dwelling on his own thoughts. His clear, bright eyes, though slightly red, lacked the paranoia and madness she had seen that day.

It seems that he didn't encounter the kind of problem that he couldn't solve alone like last time...

"You should go out for some fresh air every now and then, even if it's just to talk to us or something!"

Chihaya Aine also said with a little dissatisfaction:

"I haven't spoken to my brother in ages! But... well, if you're really too busy with work, just pretend I didn't say anything."

No matter how much she wanted to act like a spoiled child in front of her brother, facing the extremely difficult task and challenge before her, she would not be so willful as to disturb Chihaya Tetsuya for her own selfish desires.

If her brother's job was truly that difficult, then as his younger sister, she would naturally be a little more patient out of consideration for him.

"Eh? Ah...about this."

After listening to the two people's words, Chihaya Tetsuya first touched the back of his head, and then said in an extremely calm tone:

"Actually, I finished designing my costume last week."

“…Huh?! Really?!”

After hearing this, Chihaya Aine slammed the table and stood up.

"If that's the case, then why do you still lock yourself in your room?"

"Yeah, I thought you had encountered some unsolvable problem again, Tetsuya!"

Nagasaki Suyo couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Since the costumes are already designed, why are you still staying in your room?"

"This...mainly to see if I can come up with a better design before the final submission."

Chihaya Tetsuya scratched his cheek lightly after hearing this:

"Unfortunately, the final result was not much different from what I had originally planned."

"You wouldn't lock yourself up for a whole week, would you?"

Hearing that her brother's work had come to an end, Chihaya Aine immediately hugged his arms eagerly:

"Now that you're all done, why don't you spend more time with us? I've been practically drying up lately due to lack of elemental energy from my brother!"

"That is to say..."

Nagasaki Suyo's tone was also quite resentful.

"In order not to interfere with your work, we usually don't even dare to speak loudly at home."

"When Xiangzi came to give you the design drawings a few days ago, you just chatted with her briefly about design-related issues before returning to your room."

Even the usually taciturn Ruoye Mu couldn't help but speak:

"So Xiangzi thought you were quite dissatisfied with her design."

"I'm sorry... for making everyone worried."

After hearing this, Chihaya Tetsuya immediately showed an expression of regret.

"I haven't encountered any problems, and I'm not dissatisfied with Xiangzi's design at all. I just want to focus all my energy on the joint exhibition for the time being..."

“It’s not just that, is it?”

Nagasaki Suyo shook her head.

"Ever since you met Mr. Jean, you've become a little strange... Although you're not as paranoid as before, you're definitely not normal..."

"...Too serious."

Wakaba Mu expressed her opinion.

"Mr. Chihaya has a glazed look in his eyes lately, even when he's eating. Sometimes he even mistakenly puts his chopsticks in the middle of the plate and puts them in his mouth without picking up anything."

“Eh… is this true?! I didn’t even notice…”

After hearing this, Chihaya Aine couldn't help but look at Wakaba Mutsuki in surprise.

"Mu is so observant! Look, you heard it, brother, you've been acting really strange lately! If it's not because of the difficulties at work, there must be some other reason, right?"

Chihaya Aine directly pulled Chihaya Tetsuya's arm down and pulled him back to his original position——

"Tell us a little bit! I might not be able to help you, but at least speaking out can make you feel better!"

"Hmm...so my behavior has been so strange lately?"

Even Chihaya Tetsu himself hadn't expected that his state and reaction would change so drastically during this period...

He first raised his head and looked at the girls around him. After seeing the worry and concern in their eyes, Chihaya Tetsuya decided to confess what he had been thinking about recently.

"It's not a big deal, actually. I've been thinking about how I can become a great designer like Jean."

Ever since meeting Jean, Chihaya Tetsuya's goal of becoming a "top designer" has become increasingly clear in his mind.

In addition to his unquestionable design ability and the vast knowledge he gained from traveling around the world, what impressed Chihaya Tetsuya the most was his maturity in being able to calmly deal with anything, and his confidence even when facing plagiarists.

"If the person who encountered Xiangzi's father this time was not Rang, but another designer... the result would definitely not be like this."

He still remembers the relief and joy on Toyokawa Shoko's face when he brought the good news back to her, as if she had been pardoned.

Chihaya Tetsuya really couldn't imagine what their future would be like if the other party was not such a calm and generous designer, if the other party really intended to hold Xiangzi's father accountable, if the other party did not think of using Di Yeqing's contract to help Toyokawa father and daughter.

“Although I am indeed ready to take on the responsibility of spending my life with everyone, I am undoubtedly far from qualified with my current level. So I have been thinking about how I can become a designer like Jean, who is capable of taking on all responsibilities and facing all difficulties and challenges!”

"Eh……"

After hearing this, Chihaya Aine couldn't help but look a little dumbfounded.

"And then...you just locked yourself in your room and thought about it for a whole week?"

"Well, it's not just about thinking about these things!"

Chihaya Tetsuya quickly said:

"I'm still trying to draw more designs!"

"It's a pity that none of them were put to use."

Nagasaki Suyo shook her head helplessly.

"By the way, after all this time of reflection, have you come to a conclusion you can accept?"

"The conclusion is... I need to work even harder to improve myself."

Chihaya Tetsuya said very seriously:

"Mr. Jean's confidence and composure all stem from his ability as a designer. If I want to be a man like him, capable of shouldering all responsibilities, then I must also grow to that level!"

"..."

Looking at Chihaya Tetsuya's eyes filled with determination and enthusiasm, Nagasaki Suyo hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but say:

"I say... Tetsuya."

"kindness?"

"You...are you jealous of that Mr. Rang?"

Nagasaki Suyo tilted her head:

"Because the one who did the most for Xiangzi this time wasn't you or anything."

"……Eh?"

After hearing this, Chihaya Tetsuya was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously shook his head and said:

"How, how is that possible! The fact that he was willing to lend us a helping hand is already worthy of my gratitude! Although I am a little concerned that I was not of much use this time, but to be honest, I am not jealous...right..."

Chihaya Tetsuya's voice became smaller and smaller.

For him, who has never been good at hiding his feelings, it was indeed a little too difficult to hide it from the girls in front of him.

"Okay... I admit that I do care a little bit. But it's more of a feeling of resignation than jealousy."

Chihaya Tetsuya also spoke out his true inner thoughts truthfully.

"Although Xiangzi has always said that I have given her a lot of help, but... I have not been able to help her solve the debt and her father's affairs as cleanly and efficiently as I did."

"There's nothing we can do about it, right? After all, it's not something you can solve at your age and status."

Nagasaki Suyo shook her head.

"At least in my opinion, you have done everything you could for Xiangzi. Xiangzi must think so too."

"I know about this...but..."

Chihaya Tetsuya's expression still looked a little bit uneasy.

The gap in age and experience between him and Jean was destined, and he did everything he could for Xiangzi.

But even so, at least in this incident, he was not the one who contributed the most.

"If possible, I really want to be Xiangzi's number one in every sense... Not only Xiangzi, but you too."

Under Nagasaki Motoyo's almost dull gaze, Chihaya Tetsuya also expressed the thoughts that had been brewing in his mind for some time:

"As my brand matures and your band continues to get on track, we will undoubtedly encounter more and more difficulties in the future... If we encounter this situation again, I will never want to hand over this responsibility to someone else."

Chihaya Tetsuya said:

"Since I've decided to respond to your feelings, then naturally I can't just keep it a verbal promise. I want to be the number one in every aspect in your eyes...ah."

Having said this, as if he finally realized how embarrassing what he had just said, he quickly turned his face away and said:

"I'm going back to my room to continue working," he said, and immediately fled back to his room, leaving the girls staring at each other in bewilderment...

……

"Hey...what was that just now?"

The first person to react was Chihaya Aine.

"So my brother has this side to him..."

"I didn't expect that at all."

Nagasaki Suyo also came to her senses belatedly.

Even though she was the first person to realize Chihaya Tetsuya's subtle jealousy from his unusual reaction, when she actually heard Chihaya Tetsuya's sincere words, she couldn't help but say:

"Not good, I just had a serious heart attack."

"Me too, me too!"

An irrepressible smile also began to appear on Chihaya Aine's face.

"In my heart, he's truly number one in every aspect... Haha! I knew that brother always cared about us, but I never thought he would care to this extent!"

If before this, all they received from Chihaya Tetsuya was brotherly tenderness and care, then this time, what they received was a simpler possessiveness that only appeared between lovers.

"By the way, I've recorded what Chihaya-san just said."

At this moment, Ruoye Mu suddenly took out his mobile phone from under the table.

"Would you two like to hear it again?"

"I want to listen to it! Ah, but before that, let Xiangzi listen to it first!"

Nagasaki Suyo said:

"If she knew what Zheye really said, he would definitely be very happy."

"Oh, I see."

Wakaba Mutsu nodded first, then sent the recording file to Toyokawa Shoko.

Not long after, Xiangzi immediately sent a reply:

【?! ?! ?! 】

"Well, it seems she is indeed very happy."