They are really too low!

Mana Junda is too popular right now. Putting aside the issue of fans, her studies and work will definitely conflict. Rather than going to an ordinary school and being under a lot of attention, it would be better for her to go to a school that is more suitable for her.

"Hmm, it feels like Mana is just a tool for Mi now. I only think of Mana when I need her!" Junta Mana sullenly hugged the giant panda pillow on the sofa, then stretched out her little hand to Hoshino Mi, "Hurry up and give that to Mana!"

"Give what?" Hoshino asked, completely bewildered.

“Mana’s graduation ceremony is coming up soon, you definitely won’t be able to come, right?” Junta Mana pointed to the second button on his uniform. “So hurry up and give your button to Mana, otherwise Mana will bully Sora a lot!”

The girl's aggressive demeanor was somewhat intimidating, so Hoshino had no choice but to remove his buttons, though he didn't know what the point of doing so was.

Mana Junda felt extremely satisfied upon receiving the button.

"How am I going to go to school tomorrow?" Hoshino was very upset, knowing that someone would definitely notice that his button was missing.

"Wait a minute!" Junta Mana ran back to her room with a smacking sound, and a moment later she ran out again excitedly, slapping a button into Hoshino Mi's hand.

"You didn't just take this down, did you?" Hoshino was a little dumbfounded.

“Yes, it’s an exchange!” Mana Junta said with a smile. “Make sure to keep it safe. Of course, if you sew it onto your uniform, Mana won’t mind!”

Hoshino felt it was unnecessary, but the girl had already started pushing his back.

"Alright, alright, hurry back. You don't want Mom to find out you sneaked over here again today, do you?"

As they were talking, Junda Mana pushed Hoshino Mi to the door. This little idol was incredibly strong only in places like this.

……

As the two left Mana Junda's apartment, they could see the setting sun bathing the entire street in its glow.

Hoshino walked ahead, with Toyokawa Shoko beside him. The two were not very close, but Toyokawa Shoko could see his profile.

The things that had been bothering her these past few days seemed to have been solved today by a boy.

In other people's eyes, she should feel lucky now, right?

However, Toyokawa Shoko found herself more confused and bewildered. She didn't understand why this boy wanted to help her, or what he could possibly do to deserve her help.

If the two were acquaintances, Toyokawa Shoko could find a plausible reason for him; however, this was only their second meeting, and they knew nothing about each other except their names.

After thinking for a long time, Toyokawa Shoko hesitated slightly before asking Hoshino Mi, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what do you want to ask?" Hoshino responded to her voice, but the boy was looking at the cherry blossom tree not far away, thinking that the pollen season was coming again this year.

Toyokawa Shoko looked at his profile, then at the ground beneath her feet. It had rained yesterday, and she could almost smell the scent of rainwater splashing on the concrete and feel the icy chill of being soaked through.

"Why...why are you helping me?"

Hoshino turned around and stared at Toyokawa Shoko for a while. He probably guessed what she was thinking, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Does being willing to help others need a reason?"

Chapter Fifteen: Ulterior Motives

The sun had completely set, and the last vestiges of azure blue in the sky were gradually swallowed by the clouds, casting blurry shadows on everything on the street.

Hoshino turned his head and noticed that the girl had stopped. Her shadow on the ground looked particularly thin.

"No, I don't understand what you mean. We've only met twice today. Even if you're happy to help, there shouldn't be any reason to help to this extent, right?"

Toyokawa Shoko held her arm, speaking softly, her eyes seemingly looking away from Hoshino Mi's gaze.

Being helpful is certainly a good reason, but it doesn't explain why Hoshino would go to such lengths to help.

I brought her an umbrella yesterday, which she could understand and accept, but usually no one would go to such lengths for a stranger, right?

What she couldn't understand even more was that she actually agreed to come along and accept Hoshino Mi and Junda Mana's kindness.

Toyokawa Shoko needed to know the reason, a reason that could convince herself, otherwise she didn't know how to face Hoshino Mi—she didn't know how to repay him.

Although someone else had asked the same question earlier, Hoshino still thought about it seriously for a while.

"Have you ever helped others before?" Hoshino asked. "For example, if the student behind you accidentally dropped their eraser, would you help pick it up?"

Toyokawa Shoko nodded, "Of course I've done that before."

"Before you picked it up, did you ever think that you needed a special reason to help her pick it up?" Hoshino looked at her sideways. "Maybe you just saw it and picked it up casually, that's all?"

“It’s different. I have nothing to repay you with.” Toyokawa Shoko was equally serious. Hoshino’s help to her had gone beyond that of a stranger.

"When you pick up an eraser for someone, do you ever think about getting anything in return?" Hoshino chuckled. "Generally, you'd only get a thank you, right?"

"Th...thank you." Toyokawa Shoko was stunned for a moment, then seemed a little flustered, lowered her head, and her voice became a little soft.

“No need for that, I don’t deserve your gratitude.” Hoshino turned her gaze away. “Because I do have a special reason to help you.”

Toyokawa Shoko was stunned for a moment; his unexpected turn of events almost caught the girl off guard.

"When I saw you getting soaked in the rain on the road, I felt so sorry for you. I couldn't bear to watch, and I thought to myself, should I help this idiot?"

The first time someone called her an idiot, Toyokawa Shoko's expression was priceless.

She wanted to defend herself, because so many terrible things had happened these past few days, especially yesterday's experience, which made her feel like she was the only person left in the world, which is why she couldn't help but cry.

However, Toyokawa Shoko felt that it would be even more embarrassing to say it out loud, so she obediently kept her mouth shut.

"Also, I think you're very pretty, and it's cute when a beautiful girl cries," Hoshino said casually. "If I help you out, maybe I can become friends with you."

Toyokawa Shoko's eyes widened. What did that mean? Why did you say that she looked cute when she cried?

To say something like that to a girl's face... this guy's personality is really awful.

But why should I be friends with her?

"You mean... you approached me with ulterior motives?" Toyokawa Shoko stood there, looking at Hoshino Mi with confusion. What was there about her that made her worth getting close to?

She has nothing now; she has not only left her former home but also left the band she was once familiar with.

Every day she has to think about what will happen next, and she also has to find a way to cheer her father up. She also has hundreds of billions of yuan in debt. She doesn't know what kind of friends she can make in this situation. Maybe she doesn't even have time to make friends.

Seeing that Hoshino didn't deny it, he sighed and said, "Yes, you had ulterior motives. I'm not a perfect good person. You can take back the thank you from earlier."

Toyokawa Shoko looked at him for a while, as if trying to figure out what he was thinking, and suddenly said, "If you have ulterior motives, why don't you ask me?"

"What do you want me to ask you?" Hoshino asked, puzzled.

"Why do I need to find a job? Why am I like this now? Shouldn't you ask me those questions? You haven't asked me anything, yet you still want to help me. Isn't that strange?"

He had just thought he was an idiot, and now Toyokawa Shoko also thought he was an idiot.

“Everyone encounters troubles sometimes, so why should I care so much?” Hoshino asked rhetorically. “Even if I asked, would you definitely answer?”

"How would you know if you don't ask?" Toyokawa Shoko turned her gaze away, knowing she couldn't possibly say it aloud.

"That's why I didn't ask." Hoshino had already seen through the girl's thoughts.

Toyokawa Shoko was a little angry. Even if she didn't intend to say it, Hoshino Mi's attitude was too straightforward.

However, looking at the boy's face, Toyokawa Shoko couldn't get angry.

"Is being just friends enough?"

Does this mean I can ask for more?

"At least I can give back a little something."

Hoshino saw that the girl was somewhat unwilling and stubborn. Even though she was facing a stranger she had only met twice, she was trying her best to protect her sensitive heart and did not want to owe anyone a favor.

“Okay, since we’re friends, can we shake hands now?” Hoshino extended his right hand.

Shoko Toyokawa hesitated for a moment, then gently took his hand.

This wasn't the first time Hoshino had touched a girl's small hand, but her hand was so soft that it made one want to caress it immediately.

"And then?" Toyokawa Shoko looked at him, puzzled.

"That's all. This is the reward I'm asking for," Hoshino said seriously. "I'm taking advantage of you."

"Is it really that simple?" Toyokawa Shoko asked incredulously.

Hoshino paused for a moment, then asked uncertainly, "Shouldn't you be calling me a pervert right now?"

“I…I don’t dislike you.” Toyokawa Shoko let him hold her small hand, but instead gripped his palm slightly tighter. “I don’t know what you mean by ulterior motives, but you’re shaking my hand, it’s definitely not to take advantage of me.”

"Why?" Hoshino found it strange. Wasn't he making it obvious enough?

"If this is considered taking advantage, then I've taken advantage of you too." Toyokawa Shoko felt her palm slowly getting warmer and felt a little embarrassed.

Hoshino subtly shifted her gaze. This girl seemed a little too innocent; she wondered how many people wanted to touch the beautiful girl's hand.

“However, thank you for being willing to help me.” Toyokawa Shoko suddenly smiled. “No matter what you say, I will consider you the first new friend I’ve made today.”

Before Hoshino could even savor that dazzling smile, her panel also changed.

[Target: Toyokawa Shoko]

[Intimacy: 15]

[Status: Trying to become stronger, starting to look forward to life...]

Chapter Sixteen: Please Don't Contact Me Again

"I am back."

Shoko Toyokawa stood in the entryway, took off the leather shoes she had worn all day, slipped her feet, which were covered in white socks, into slippers, and finally walked into the narrow living room.

Unsurprisingly, she saw a middle-aged man lying on the floor, his clothes disheveled, fast asleep. There were wine cans all around him, emitting a strong smell of alcohol that almost filled the entire living room.

Toyokawa Shoko silently walked to the man's side, picked up the wine cans on the floor, put them into garbage bags one by one, and then cleaned the living room and kitchen.

When she left home this morning, the house should have been clean, but she saw a pigtail peeking out of the kitchen sink, and before she could scream, it darted away.

Toyokawa Shoko stood there silently for a long time, until her stomach growled a few times.

Soon, she took out some bread that was nearing its expiration date from the refrigerator; this was her dinner for the evening.

Because you can mix it with some jam, it won't feel dry when you swallow it.

As Toyokawa Shoko ate her bread, she counted her wallet, carefully calculating every penny she had now.

Otherwise, she would be just like she was at the beginning, clueless and unaware, and eat up enough money to last a week's living expenses in just two days.

This incident has always made Toyokawa Shoko regretful. Her current living expenses are all covered by her old pocket money, and every little bit spent reduces her income.

Toyokawa Shoko counted several times and estimated that he could probably last for about two more months.

Although she used to be the eldest daughter of the Fengchuan Group, she had no desire to spend money at all back then, and she never cared about such things, so she never asked her family for money.

Now, life has finally taught her what money is and what the pressures of life are.

Having fallen to such a place, one can often see twin ponytails, and everywhere is filthy. Even dinner consists of bread. Everything here makes the former young lady feel extremely uncomfortable.

Anyone who experiences such a dramatic fall from grace would feel regret, right?

Two weeks ago, Toyokawa Shoko would have felt a pang of grievance, especially seeing the man fast asleep.

However, she is no longer the same person she used to be.

She will no longer show her weakness; she must become stronger.

It should be like this.

However, she just became friends with a boy.

If I told Wakaba Mutsu, he probably would find it hard to believe me, right?

Just yesterday, I said some outrageous things to everyone, intending to abandon my past weaknesses, but in the blink of an eye, I've made a new friend.

I didn't want to get involved with him anymore, but I accepted his coat and even went with him to a job interview today.

Was it because of what the other person said, or because I was too weak?

"Helpful," Toyokawa Shoko slowly savored the word. She seemed to have been helpful before, having saved a girl on a pedestrian bridge, even though it was a misunderstanding on her part.

Toyokawa Shoko looked at her hands. She had lied to Hoshino Mi. In fact, she hated it, she hated this feeling.

She hates it when people are eager to help her, and she hates the thought of ever needing help herself.

I should hate it, but I don't think this feeling is so bad.

Toyokawa Shoko closed her eyes. No, she couldn't continue to be weak. She had to learn to face life alone, take responsibility, and stop being willful.

At that moment, she felt her phone vibrate slightly.

Toyokawa Shoko took out her phone and first saw Hoshino Mi's message.