Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

Owner?

Although Chihaya Aine is an innocent girl with almost no dating experience in real life, she is an intense internet surfer!

Discussions in various novels, comics, forums, and subculture circles have given her "theoretical knowledge" about special terms and relationship models such as "master" and "pet" that far exceeds that of her peers.

Of course, it's just theory! She swears!

But it was these "theoretical knowledge" that made her instantly imagine countless unspeakable and taboo scenes when she saw the label on Xiangzi's head.

What about coercion and obedience, secret contracts, and unspeakable dependence? Just thinking about it made her blush for a long time, and the way she looked at Xiangzi became evasive and weird.

Therefore, when Su Shi asked her to go see Amoris, who was also the label of Meow Dream, who had just taken off the mask, Aine was actually a little nervous and resistant.

What if, what if she really saw some labels that confirmed her wild fantasies, like [Xiangzi's belongings] or [A cat that only belongs to Xiangzi]...

How would she face Xiangzi in the future? How would she face Miao Meng?! This relationship is too complicated and weird, isn't it?!

She was even prepared to pretend she saw nothing when she saw such a label, and then find an excuse to change the subject.

However, the label that finally appeared above Amoris's head was completely beyond her expectations, shattering all her assumptions and worries.

【Kujo Renji's Pet】

Who is Kujo Renji?

This completely unfamiliar name, like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguished all the beautiful speculations in her mind about "Xiangzi and Miaomeng's secret relationship."

Instead, there was greater confusion and an indescribable sense of absurdity.

The word "pet" has a somewhat...bad connotation no matter how you think about it, right?

"Aine? What did you see? You look so ugly."

Nagasaki Suyo keenly noticed the complicated expression on Chihaya Aine's face, and her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately asked.

"Uh..."

Chihaya Aine opened her mouth, but found it difficult to describe in words the label she had just seen and the shock it brought.

Just then, the announcement of the end of the performance sounded, the lights in the venue gradually lit up, and the crowd began to surge like a tide.

The surroundings suddenly became noisy.

The audience excitedly discussed the performance, and almost everyone praised this audio-visual feast, especially the dramatic unveiling at the end.

"Oh my god! It's really Meow Dream! I'm dead!"

"I burst into tears the moment Amoris's face was revealed! It was so beautiful and touching!"

"This show is absolutely worth the price of admission! I made a killing!"

"Ave Mujica is simply a god! This is the true worldview!"

The praise was endless, almost unanimous. The performance was undoubtedly a success, even a phenomenon.

But this warm atmosphere was incompatible with Aine and Sushi's mood at the moment.

"Let's go out first and then talk!"

The crowd was surging, and in order to prevent being dispersed, Nagasaki Suyo tightly grasped the strap of Chihaya Aine's backpack, and the two of them moved out with difficulty along with the flow of people.

After a lot of effort, they finally escaped from the crowded crowd in the venue and came to a relatively quiet corner outside with several big trees.

The summer night breeze brought a hint of coolness, dispelling some of the heat. Both of them were a little breathless and leaned against the tree trunk to rest.

“Okay, Aine…”

Nagasaki Suyo calmed down, looked at Chihaya Aine who was still a little dazed, and asked in a serious tone:

"Now tell me, what label did you see on the head of Miss Yutenji Wakami in Amoris?"

Chihaya Aine hesitated for a moment, looking at Su Shi's serious eyes, and knew that she couldn't hide it.

She took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and then she spoke out the label she had just seen in a tone mixed with confusion and uneasiness.

After she finished speaking, as if she was afraid that Su Shi wouldn't believe her or might misunderstand her, she quickly raised one hand and added as if she was swearing in court:

"I swear! Soyorin! I have absolutely, absolutely never heard of the name 'Kujo Renji' in real life! I have no impression of it at all! And the label is very clear, it's definitely not my mistake!"

"Kujo Renji's...pet?"

Nagasaki Suyo repeated this strange combination, frowning tightly.

The first thing she felt wasn't shock, but confusion. Kujo Renji? A completely unfamiliar name.

Pet? The word itself, when applied to a person, is fraught with abnormal connotations.

"Are you sure you read that correctly?"

Suyo reassured, knowing that Aine could be a little confused sometimes.

"Absolutely not!"

Chihaya Aine continued to raise her hand, her tone very firm:

"The color of that label is weird too. It's that... kind of blackish purple? Anyway, it's different from what I've seen before. It's very conspicuous!"

Hearing Aine's firm answer, Nagasaki Suyo's heart sank.

If Aine saw correctly...

So, this person named "Kujo Renji" does exist.

pet.

The meaning of this word itself - objectification, domination, inequality, and even a certain degree of intimacy and insult

This formed a sharp and glaring conflict with the image of Amoris on the stage just now.

She almost immediately thought of the "special ability" that Aine had verified with her before.

——That time, Aine saw [the owner of Yutenji Wakamugi] above Shoko’s head.

Owner, pet.

These two labels, like two cold, oddly shaped puzzle pieces, are forced into the same picture, but they point to different people.

One points to Xiangzi, and the other points to this strange "Kujo Renji".

This in itself reveals an extremely distorted and abnormal relationship.

Although Su Shi didn't think so deep down, if the word "master" could still be forcibly interpreted as a special setting or nickname within the band, then the word "pet" carried a derogatory and dominating connotation that was so blunt that it was shocking.

Who is this Jiujo Liansi?

More importantly, what does this have to do with Xiangzi?

Su Shi forced himself to calm down, his brain working rapidly, trying to connect these fragmented and disturbing information.

Although Aine's ability is sometimes effective and sometimes not, it seems to be eerily accurate when it comes to things concerning Shoko.

Then, the credibility of this label cannot be easily denied.

Ruomai is a member of Xiangzi's band, and Xiangzi seems to have some degree of control over Ruomai.

But now, a stranger named Kujo Renji has a deeper and more humiliating dominance over Ruomai.

There must be some connection between these three.

..

"Click."

The door of the hotel room closed behind them, shutting in the faint noise in the corridor and the tired footsteps of the two people.

Only the entrance light was on in the room, making it seem a little dim. The air conditioner was running quietly, bringing out a slight coolness.

“Haa ...

Chihaya Aine almost immediately took off her shoes, threw her backpack aside, and fell onto one of the soft big beds with a wail, like a mollusk with its bones pulled out, burying her face deeply in the pillow.

The excitement of the concert hadn’t completely passed, but the physical fatigue had already started to set in, especially the last 100-meter sprint-like rush and the crowds at the end.

Nagasaki Suyo seemed much quieter. She took off her shoes and placed them neatly by the door. Then she walked to the window and gently drew aside the curtains. She looked out at the dazzling nightscape of Osaka, with its flashing neon lights and the constant flow of traffic. It formed a strange echo with the sea of ​​light swaying in the darkness inside the stadium.

Her back looked a little thin in the dim light, her shoulders slightly tense, and it was obvious that she had not completely relaxed like Aine.

After a moment, she opened the laptop she had brought with her. Her fingertips tapped on the keyboard, entering the words "Jiujo Renji" into the search engine.

She took a deep breath and pressed the enter key.

Her initial guess, based on Ruomai's internet celebrity and idol status, was that this Kujo Renji might be some behind-the-scenes tycoon in the entertainment industry?

A well-connected agent? An entertainment company executive with vast resources? Or perhaps a wealthy and influential sponsor with a special interest in Ruomai?

This also makes it easier to explain the meaning of pet.

Search results load quickly.

As expected, there is information about a person named "Kujo Renji".

found it!

Su Shi's heartbeat quickened slightly.

However, as her eyes scanned the personal profiles and related information displayed on the screen, the slight joy of finding a clue was quickly replaced by cold astonishment.

The "Kujo Renji" shown on the screen had a resume and fields of involvement that had nothing in common with the entertainment industry she had imagined.

【Core members of Kujo Fudo Co., Ltd.】

[Main Business: Large-scale commercial real estate, cross-border finance, venture capital...]

These words are cold and hard, full of the smell of money and power. Looking down, there is even more disturbing information:

Related Projects: Osaka Redevelopment Project (early investor), Southeast Asian offshore finance, multiple controversial mergers and acquisitions...

Even in some vague financial reports or forum discussions that require special permissions to access, there are vague references to connections with certain gray industries...

Real estate... finance... gray industry...

These areas form a huge gap with the world just now on the stage.

How could a person who is so powerful in such a field be related to a teenage girl idol?

And in such an extreme way as "pet"?

Su Shi's fingertips became cold.

She thought of Xiangzi. She thought of Xiangzi's determination when he dropped out of school and the team, his paranoia when he left Crychic, and the way he occasionally hid his feelings in front of her... as if he was worried.

She always felt that Xiangzi was fighting alone, fighting against some invisible, huge, suffocating darkness alone.

The darkness forced her to change, forced her to disguise herself, and forced her to struggle forward in the mud.

And now...

This man named "Kujo Renji", who controls huge wealth, is involved in gray areas, and treats Xiangzi's teammates as "pets"...suddenly becomes involved with him.

A terrifying but extremely logical thought struck Su Shi like an electric current!

Will...

Could it be that the "darkness" that Xiangzi fought against was not an abstract concept at all, but... a concrete existence?

Could it be this Jiujo Renji?!

This speculation made Su Shi tremble all over, and a chill spread from the bottom of his heart.

She began to re-sort out the logical chain - Xiangzi was in a difficult situation and seemed to be forced by some powerful external force.

Kujo Renji is a man with enormous power in real estate, finance, and even the gray area. His style of doing things may be extremely strong and unscrupulous.

Treating Ruomai as a "pet" itself reveals Kujo Renji's strong desire for control and his objectifying attitude towards people, which is highly consistent with the image of the "mastermind behind the scenes".

If Xiangzi is really a member of Ave Mujica...

Perhaps wearing a mask is precisely to seek a glimmer of hope in the shadow of this dark force?

Is it to protect myself while protecting people like Ruomai who are being controlled...?

The more he analyzed, the more Su Shi's heart sank. All the clues pointed to this chilling possibility.

Of course, to verify all this, we must first confirm that Xiaoxiang is indeed a member of Ave mujica.

Thinking of this, and the slight possibilities that exist.

An unprecedented fire ignited in Nagasaki Suyo's eyes.