Tokyo Heart Thief's Daily Life

211. Luo Zhen's father is very tired (5k second update)

"That's better."

The literary girl replied absentmindedly, "You're looking forward to that kind of story, right? The kind where a romantic knight comes to comfort your loneliness, or even better, steals you away."

"—"

Okumura Haru couldn't deny it, couldn't lie about his desires.

Her desire, which had just been planted in the soil, took root and sprouted under the catalysis of these few short sentences, and grew into beautiful new green.

The literary girl propped up her cheeks and looked at her lazily and amusedly:

"You look great. Your desires are beautiful and pure."

"Just treat it as if you've been tricked. Just take a small step and give it a try. I'm not asking you to suddenly hook up with him, so just being friends is fine, right?"

Okumura Haru: "Hello, hello~~~?! Girls can't say words like that! What on earth are you...eh?"

In a panic, Okumura Haru came to his senses, only to find that there was no one in front of him.

Not to mention people, she couldn't even remember what she had just said or what had happened.

There was only the faint smell of tobacco between her fingers, and a faint residue that made her sniff twice more.

Her heartbeat pounded, urging her on.

"...I'm just looking for an opportunity to get to know you...Isn't that considered a bad girl?"

Okumura Haru clutched his chest.

She couldn't deny that she was enjoying this dangerous tightrope walking... and was looking forward to what would happen.

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

When school was over that day, Luo Zhen also asked for leave from the light music club early.

He had other important things to do today, so he left the school after apologizing to Aine and the others.

He then went directly to a currently popular place: Madarame Ichiryusai's house.

As soon as he arrived at the so-called "hut" covered with iron sheets, someone greeted him at the door:

"Yahoo! Long time no see, Master Luo. Thank you for bringing me business again."

One of Luo Zhen's assistants, Ms. Oya Ichiko, a news reporter working for a well-known TV station, still waved at him with great energy.

Luo Zhen smiled and walked forward:

"Long time no see, Big House Sister."

"I thought there would be a lot of reporters here, but it's surprisingly quiet. Did your TV station do something?"

"Hahaha~, no way, no way."

The mansion's son waved his hands in disdain:

"After Madarame Ichiryusai surrendered at the press conference, reporters from various media outlets flocked to the place. But they soon discovered that the place was completely deserted; no one lived there at all."

"Madarame was taken away directly by the police. Kitagawa Yusuke, the only student, seemed to have heard about it beforehand and had already moved to the school dormitory. Breaking into the school would cause a lot of public opinion problems, so my colleagues all ran around like headless flies for a while, and then retreated~"

Da Zhai Yizi was very active in criticizing his colleagues and competitors, which made Luo Zhen laugh along with him.

Then, Ozaya Ichiko pointed to another person next to him:

"As you requested, I brought this guy along too. ... What's your name, little brother? I'm sorry you're so unremarkable. I remembered it and then forgot it."

Unremarkable man (?): "...My name is Nakanohara Natsuhiko. I once studied painting under Madarame Ichiryusai, and I currently work as a civil servant at the district office... Please advise me."

This man in glasses and a well-tailored suit indeed exudes the typical stereotype of a civil servant. He is truly a small fry among small fry.

But he didn't know Luo Zhen, but Luo Zhen knew him.

Natsuhiko Nakanohara.

He was the first person Luo Zhen, Takamaki An and the others found on the [Phantom Thief Commission Channel], and the opponent they had defeated in the memory space.

It was from him that the Phantom Thieves dug out the big fish Madarame Ikryusai and eventually caused this big incident.

He was originally a promising painter and had won awards in his childhood, which is why he was adopted by Madarame as an apprentice.

But under Madarame's long-term oppression, he became indistinguishable from the crowd after he became an adult and was eventually kicked out of Madarame's disciples.

Having lost his dream, he worked in the district office, but his life was not going well.

His girlfriend broke up with him, causing him to become mentally distorted and start stalking her. Fortunately, the Phantom Thieves changed his mind before he did anything irreparable.

Although he still looks like an ordinary passerby, at least he looks a little cleaner.

Luo Zhen, of course, pretended not to know him. After introducing himself in a friendly manner, he asked:

"Mr. Nakanohara, Miss Otsukiya should have told you already, right? We would like to invite you to write Madarame Ichiryusai's memoirs, revealing how he exploited his disciples. You already know this, right?"

"Ah... yes."

Natsuhiko Nakanohara looked very nervous and pushed his glasses guiltily.

The thread of this matter was that Luo Zhen first notified Ooya Ichiko, and then asked Ooya Ichiko to find Nakanohara Natsuhiko in the capacity of a reporter.

If an ordinary reporter approached him and said they wanted to write a memoir about Madarame and disclose their past, he might not accept it.

But because of something Osaka Ichiko said, he finally agreed.

Nakanohara Natsuhiko asked cautiously:

"Miss Otaya said that this was something my junior fellow apprentice, Kitagawa Yusuke, was leading... Is this true?"

"I hate Madarame very much and am willing to expose his dirty deeds. But Yusuke still wants to develop in the painting world in the future. If this matter will affect his future, then please forgive me for categorically refusing..."

Kitagawa Yusuke: "It's okay, brother, this is true."

Just then, Kitagawa Yusuke came over with a big suitcase and joined the conversation directly.

Nakanohara Natsuhiko was stunned at first.

Soon after, tears welled up in my eyes:

"Yusuke... I'm sorry, Yusuke... We left you here alone, knowing that you would be bullied more... I'm really sorry..."

"...This is what I should say, Brother. I'm sorry that I was so stubborn until the end and failed to understand you."

Kitagawa Yusuke, whom I haven't seen for many days, looks thinner than before and as thin as a bamboo pole.

He and his senior brother hugged each other and cried, unable to control their emotions for a moment.

Da Zhai Yizi snapped his fingers and immediately started shooting from all angles, not wanting to miss any opportunity.

Luo Zhen reminded with a smile:

"Gentlemen, let's go inside first. Otherwise, if there are reporters still wandering around and smell something, it will be bad."

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

After Yusuke took out the key and entered the deserted hut.

Luo Zhen, Oya Kazuko, Yusuke and Nakanohara Natsuhiko, the four of them sat down in the empty room and got straight to business.

Ozhai Yizi said directly:

"First, I'd like to interview you two and detail Madarame Ikryusai's evil deeds over the past decade or so. Mr. Nakanohara Natsuhiko will be the lead writer, and Mr. Kitagawa Yusuke will assist. Together, we'll write a memoir. We can discuss the specific remuneration later. Is this outline acceptable to you both?"

"Well, yes."

While the adult Natsuhiko Nakanohara was still considering it, Yusuke nodded without hesitation.

This made his senior brother quickly pull him back: "Wait Yusuke, have you really thought about it?"

"I know you want revenge on Madarame, and I do have a lot of things I want to write about... But if something like this [slandering] your mentor is published, it will be difficult for you to gain a foothold in the art world. Have you really thought it through?"

What a troublesome industry...Da Zhai Yizi beside Luo Zhen was already complaining quietly.

Even though Madarame Ichiryusai did something so outrageous that it angered everyone, Kitagawa Yusuke was still his disciple at that point in time, so in this industry he still had to abide by the rules of respecting his teacher.

If this book he supervised is published, it will definitely affect his reputation in the industry, and his resources will definitely be reduced in the future.

But of course, this kind of thing has already been considered:

"Don't worry, Brother. If you can't even reveal the truth and still need to fawn over so-called connections, what kind of art is that?"

"I will use my own abilities to create successful works, so that no one can deny my art. If I fail due to practical reasons such as lack of connections, then the fault is not mine, but the world's. That's all."

"(Whispering)...Puff~(?ω?) It's not me who's wrong, it's this world... Is your last name Uchiha~~"

Although Yusuke said this in a very domineering way, Ooya Ichiko still couldn't help laughing.

Of course, she was just laughing at this line, not denying Yusuke's determination.

After calming down, she coughed:

"Then it's settled. I'll contact you two again with the specific arrangements, and I'll have you both go to a publishing house I'm familiar with for a detailed discussion. As for the contract...ah, Kitagawa-kun, you're still a minor, right? And your guardian...oh, that's Madarame."

"How about this, Mr. Nakanohara Natsuhiko? Would you please sign the contract as his guardian? I'll have professionals handle the specific process to minimize your trouble. I'd also like to briefly interview each of you. What do you think?"

"Ah...uh...hmm."

Although he was an adult civil servant, this small-time scumbag, Natsuhiko Nakanohara, was quickly overshadowed by Ichiko Ooya's aura.

He obediently followed the reporter's instructions, and then went with her to the next room for a one-on-one interview.

"..."

"..."

When only Luo Zhen and Kitagawa Yusuke were left in the room.

He snorted and laughed, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up:

"Luo Zhen, Luo Zhen, you always surprise me... Is that reporter one of ours? Do you know our identities?"

Luo Zhen shook his head: "No, she doesn't know."

"I approached her as the Phantom Thief's Assistant. Although she could probably guess I was the Phantom Thief, she's too smart to say it directly, and she doesn't know what a Phantom Thief is."

Luo Zhen knew all these things, and so did another medical assistant, Wu Jianmiao.

In the past, Luo Zhen wandered around and didn't care whether his identity was exposed or not, so this tacit understanding was formed.

Although he didn't say it explicitly, after all, they had known each other for so long, so Luo Zhen was willing to trust assistants like Ooza Ichiko and Takemi Miao.

Kitagawa Yusuke nodded in understanding and believed in his leader.

He then asked:

"So, what's your identity in meeting me today? You've already said that you want the other members of the Phantom Thieves to limit their contact with me. After all, I'm quite conspicuous right now, and people at school are always looking at me with tinted glasses."

Luo Zhen: "That's even easier. I'm now an assistant in the Special Investigation Department, specially approved by the Tokyo Metropolitan Justice. Pretty impressive, right?"

Luo Zhen looked funny and laughed even more.

Other people are not allowed to contact Yusuke, mainly to avoid unnecessary trouble and prevent outsiders from discovering that they know people related to the Phantom Thief incident.

But Luo Zhen is different. He now has the double shield of the Chief Justice and the Special Investigation Department.

He made an appointment with Yusuke to meet today, on the one hand to introduce Ichiko Oya to him, and on the other hand to collect intelligence in the name of an assistant to the Special Investigation Department.

Now, Sae Niijima has been misled by Luo Zhen and mistakenly believes that Tamako Akechi is the Phantom Thief, so he is very worried about her.

Luo Zhen took the opportunity to say that he had met Kitagawa Yusuke by chance before, and that it would be easier to pry open his mouth and maybe get some information about Akechi Tamako.

After going back and forth for who knows how many times, the paper clip has gone around in circles, and only Luo Zhen, the most core person, knows all the truth.

Kitagawa Yusuke was overwhelmed by what he heard, and in the end he could only nod in admiration:

"Although I still don't quite understand it, I do. Anyway, everyone has been fooled by you. You truly are our true ancestor of the Phantom Thieves."

Luo Zhen: "It's not that serious. I'm just taking it one step at a time. ...But Yusuke, have you really made up your mind?"

Luo Zhen became a little serious and really asked him this time.

It was Luo Zhen who had contacted Yusuke before, asking him if he wanted to take this opportunity to meet with his senior brother and make Madarame's affairs public.

This will indeed have an impact on his future painting career, and he must bear the consequences.

Kitagawa Yusuke understood Luo Zhen's concern for him, so he was silent for a moment.