Tokyo Rebirth: Start From Picking Up Sayu

Riding a rickety train, Kato Yusuke arrived at Ikebukuro Station.

He said he was going to the studio, but he finally came to Sunshine City Shopping Center.

On the eve of Christmas Eve, the front door of the shopping mall was decorated with lights.

A tall cedar tree stands at the door, surrounded by a guardrail composed of artificial turf and white fence.

Several staff members were stepping on the metal ladder and were busy hanging various decorations on the fir tree.

Bustling tourists shuttle through the streets, bringing lively laughter and noise.

A group of junior high school students were taking pictures in front of the cedar tree.

Next to them, there were several female high school students wearing heavy makeup chatting at a volume so loud that it echoed in people's ears.

There is also a couple of high school students showing off their affection and having a wonderful time together.

Kato Yusuke looked away from them, then lowered his head to look at the tracker in his hand, and walked towards the interior of the mall with steps that were neither light nor heavy.

As a landmark building at the east entrance of Ikebukuro, the 60-story Ikebukuro Sunshine City is a comprehensive commercial facility.

Not only does it have an observatory overlooking Tokyo, a planetarium where you can enjoy the starry sky, and an open-air aquarium where you can watch performances.

Even some CM exhibitions are held here regularly.

Therefore, if you want to find someone in such a big place, although it is not as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, it is not that far away.

Just follow the navigation to the second floor.

[Target: Megumi Kato, tracking completed, props recovered. 】

Along with the notification sound in his mind, the tracker in his hand also disappeared.

Kato Yusuke stopped.

What appeared in front of him was a Starbucks.

There were many customers sitting in the store and it seemed quite crowded.

No hesitation.

He lowered the peaked cap on his head slightly, then raised his feet and walked in.

In an environment that is quieter than outside, people are sitting in their seats and chatting softly with their companions.

Even though the space inside is quite tight, the tables are pitifully small.

But because everyone is careful not to disturb others, it is not very noisy overall, but has a subtle sense of relaxation.

Looking around the room, Kato Yusuke quickly found his target.

Located in a corner of the store by the window, a man and a woman were sitting there talking.

Needless to say, the woman is Hui.

As for the man...

The client is a young man with an outstanding image.

He has refreshing short hair, deep facial features, very fair skin and is tall. His appearance is in line with the popular clean handsome guys nowadays.

'It just doesn't look like a student from our school...'

With such doubts, Kato Yusuke ordered a matcha latte at the bar, and then chose an inconspicuous corner to sit down.

——This place happens to be in a blind spot where the two of them cannot easily discover it.

While drinking coffee in a low-key manner, he pretended to observe the situation over there unintentionally.

Because the distance between the two parties was relatively far, he could not hear the conversation over there, and could only judge the relationship between the two through some actions and expressions.

‘It would be great if the skills refreshed this month include lip reading. ’

He couldn't help but whisper secretly in his heart, and looked at the young man intently.

The brain starts functioning instinctively.

First of all, he didn't know that person, and he felt that the other person was not a student of his school.

However, judging from Hui's reaction, it was obvious that the two of them were very familiar with each other, and that kind of chatting and laughing atmosphere was definitely not the atmosphere that they should have when meeting for the first time.

As for whether they knew each other before or just met each other recently...

Based on my long-standing understanding of Hui.

Kato Yusuke is more inclined to the former, but he is also a little unsure in his heart.

After all, Hui would go out with boys and go on dates in shopping malls, which was originally a violation.

but……

'This is just my personal thought...'

Kato Yusuke couldn't help but laugh at himself.

Only then did he realize that he didn't know anything about Hui's private life.

Although the other party has been taking care of him, the topics they usually talk about are basically about him and rarely mention themselves.

But now, he saw the girl's private side.

To be honest, Hui's reaction was not much different from usual, he still had the same calm and calm expression.

He has an easy-going personality and can easily get along with anyone without leaving any entanglement in others' hearts.

Emotional expressions are always moderate, and emotional ups and downs are minimal.

Occasionally, people will have an elusive and mysterious feeling, and they can't guess what they are thinking, which is very difficult to deal with...

While he was thinking here and there, new changes also occurred on the field.

I don’t know what it was about.

The young man suddenly raised a hand and placed it on Hui's head, and rubbed the latter's hair in an intimate manner.

Kato Yusuke's eyes couldn't help but shrink slightly, and he subconsciously wanted to get up and step forward, but at the next moment he thought of Himekawa Yoshiko's words.

After all, Xiaohui is still single. She is free to fall in love or not, and others have no right to interfere with her!

He stopped suddenly, a shadow cast over his heart.

As Himekawa Yoshiko said, does he have any right to interfere in this matter?

the most important is.

Facing the young man's intimate actions, Hui also showed no resistance or rejection.

Kato Yusuke's eyes were deep, and there was a flash of self-mockery in his eyes.

He lowered his head and looked away, picked up the matcha latte on the table and took a sip, hoping to calm down the impatience and boredom in his heart.

Think quietly for a long time.

When he raised his head again, he couldn't help but froze in place.

"..."

"..."

At some point, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him.

"……really."

The moaning girl had her hands behind her back and was looking at him with her head tilted slightly, with an indescribable emotion on her face.

"...Well, why are you here? Yusuke."

"……benefit."

Kato Yusuke's eyes moved, and he subconsciously looked past the other person towards the back, and met the eyes of the young man who was also watching here.

The next second.

The young man nodded at him, with a kind smile on his face, and then withdrew his gaze and stopped paying attention here.

"That's cousin Keiichi."

The sweet voice dragged him back to reality.

"…Keiichi…cousin?"

Kato Yusuke murmured unconsciously and turned his gaze to the person in front of him.

The girl nodded, then gently pulled out the chair and sat down opposite him.

"Kato Keiichi, my relative's cousin, is a college student. Although you may have forgotten it, you should have met him before."

"I have seen……?"

"Yeah, even during the last sports meeting, Brother Keiichi came to school to watch my game."

"..."

Kato Yusuke frowned and thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head, "Sorry, I don't remember much..."

"There's no need to apologize for that kind of thing. After all, you didn't talk at the time. It's normal if you don't remember it."

Hui waved her hands unconcernedly, looked at him and asked: "...compared to this, why are you here, Yusuke?"

Kato Yusuke was at a loss for words for a moment and didn't know how to answer this question.

He hesitated for a moment and decided to tell the truth.

◇

ten minutes later.

"Huh?"

The girl blinked twice blankly and said in surprise: "...you said I was confessed to?"

After a pause, he nodded slightly, "Ah~~there is indeed such a thing..."

"Have you been confessed to?" Yusuke Kato couldn't help but blurted out: "Then your answer is..."

He didn't answer the question immediately, a trace of trouble appeared on Hui's face, and there was a hint of helplessness in his tone.

"Before that, I not only peeked into other people's privacy, but also discussed it behind their backs without caring. What everyone did gave me a headache..."

"……Feel sorry."

"So, I felt very strange at the time. Why did Kako ask so many questions for no reason? It turns out that this is the case..."

"……sorry."

"Well, since you're not the one taking the lead, Yusuke, there's no need to apologize, right? However, the following following makes me feel bad."

Kato Yusuke had nothing to say.

"But then again."

Hui then asked: "I never told you on the phone which store I was in, and Sunshine City is such a big place. How did you find me, Yusuke?"

Facing this inquiry, Kato Yusuke unconsciously pursed his lips.

"...It's a coincidence."

"Is it just a coincidence...?"

Hui stared at him thoughtfully for a while, nodded slightly, and tentatively accepted this statement.

Then she clasped her hands together in her lap. He unconsciously tapped his fingers on the back of his other hand and continued speaking as if nothing had happened.

"…Then, about the confession you asked me about. Uh~~ Although it sounds a bit awkward when I say this. It is true that I was confessed to by the boy in the next class, but he was also dumped in an instant."

"What...?" Kato Yusuke heard her words and asked in surprise.

"Because."

Hui said softly, with a very indifferent expression, "If I really date the other person, I will have to do things like dates on the weekends, so I won't have time."

"Do not have time……?"

“After all, the studio has finally just started.

Not only do you have to make schedules, but you also have to learn to make reference books for progress, and you also have to coordinate everyone's work progress.

Before Xia COMI, I really had no time to take care of things outside of the studio. "

She paused for a moment, then wrote lightly:

"So, when I casually replied that it was not convenient to talk about this because Xia COMI was coming soon, the other party was scared away."

Kato Yusuke: "Megumi...?"

"How should I put it? Have I become a bit of a homebody too?"

A trace of annoyance and slight embarrassment appeared on the girl's face, and she said softly:

"Well, although the way I answered the other party was indeed not very good, I didn't mean to lie... Besides, I also promised Yusuke that I would accompany you, so that's all."

"...Is that so?"

Kato Yusuke listened to her words quietly, feeling like there was something more in his heart, and then he looked puzzled again.

"Then why did you come to Sunshine City later...?

"Ah, speaking of this..."

Hui explained calmly:

"This is because Hiromi-san...that is, my biological sister Kato Hiromi. She will get married next June, so Keiichi-san and I discussed buying some gifts for her."

"I see……"

Kato Yusuke nodded suddenly, finally understanding all the ins and outs, he couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief, and asked casually:

"By the way, how did you discover me just now?"

"Hmm~ If you want to say that, that can be considered a coincidence."

"accidental?"

"Well, because the glass over there is very clean, it can reflect the shadow of the store, and I happened to see it."

"?"

Kato Yusuke looked up into the distance.

Kato Keiichi was still sitting alone by the window, currently playing with his mobile phone with his head down.

And in front of the other party is the glass that the girl said.

Outside is the outdoor terrace of the shopping mall.

The vermilion sunset casts soft light in the sky, spreading on the beautiful terrace, rendering warm and cozy colors.

If you look carefully, you can indeed see some shadows on the transparent glass, but they are very blurry.

Looking at Kato Yusuke from this distance, one can hardly even see his own facial features clearly, and can only see the outline of a black peaked cap.

"Can you see this clearly...?"

He muttered something subconsciously, and then heard this answer.

"Well~~ If it were someone else, maybe I wouldn't be sure, but fortunately it's you Yusuke, so it would be much more convenient."

"Huh? What does this mean?"

Facing his confused look, the girl said casually: "Maybe it's because I'm with you all the time, so I'm probably used to it."

"..."

Kato Yusuke opened his mouth but failed to answer immediately.

He slightly moistened his lips with his tongue, and then asked in a hoarse voice:

"In other words... because Hui Ping has been paying attention to me, he can recognize me even with just a vague outline. Can I understand this?"

"..."

Hui's expression was stunned for a moment, and she unconsciously looked away from him, clenching and unclenching her hands slightly, as if she was carefully thinking about how to respond.

Kato Yusuke stared at her intently, carefully capturing every bit of her reactions and changes.

after awhile.

As if she had finally made up her mind, the girl met his eyes again, her lips parted slightly: "... Well, before I answer your question, I want to ask one thing first."

"What's up?"

"Suppose...I mean if, if I really dated someone else, Yusuke, what would you do?"

Kato Yusuke suddenly felt some ringing in his ears and swallowed unconsciously.

There was no emotion in the girl's tone, so he couldn't hear anything.

He wasn't sure what it meant, but he didn't want to be vague about it.

Without giving him much time to think, the other party asked again.

"If I didn't come out with Keiichi-nii today, or if he wasn't my cousin...would you be unhappy?"

After finishing speaking, he added another sentence in a low voice.

"...If so, then so am I."

The voice was so weak that it seemed like it was about to disappear.

Kato Yusuke suddenly raised his head.

…………