After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Page 169

The surveillance personnel belonging to the Toyokawa family in the distance were stunned. They saw Toyokawa Hatsune kill Toyokawa Yu from behind from afar and were unsure whether they should approach her now. They could only report to the people behind them.

This unexpected event left even the Toyokawa family members speechless with surprise upon receiving the news, unable to discern what was going on.

However, they didn't have time to worry about the scene yet. Shortly after Toyokawa Hatsune released Toyokawa Yuu's body, another car arrived at the scene.

Mortis and Hachiman Kairin, following the address given by Yutenji Wakanagi, finally arrived at this moment.

Then they saw Toyokawa Hatsune covered in blood, and Toyokawa Yuu lying in her arms.

Yawata Kairin's face turned pale, and she almost collapsed, only able to barely support herself by holding onto the vehicle.

Unlike Hachiman Kairin, who seemed to lose all her strength just by seeing this scene, Mortis's face turned completely cold.

Mortis had no recollection of how he felt when he saw this scene. When he came to his senses, he found himself standing in front of Toyokawa Hatsune, demanding the body of Toyokawa Yuu in her arms.

"You mean... I'm returning Lady Yuu to you?"

Awakened by Mortis's voice, Toyokawa Hatsune finally raised her head amidst the stench of blood and looked at the golden-eyed beauty before her.

Xiao Xiang's other half, the existence that Lord Youyu couldn't let go of until the very end... an existence that could easily obtain everything he desired even without the surname Fengchuan.

"Heh...heh hahahaha..."

A somewhat eerie laugh came from Toyokawa Hatsune's mouth.

"No, you can't. Lady Yuu and Xiaoxiang are both mine—I am the head of the Toyokawa family."

He held Toyokawa Yuu, who was gradually losing her warmth, even tighter in his arms, as if afraid that if he let go, something very important would be taken away.

“You don’t even have the surname Toyokawa, and you’re trying to take them from me… You’re not worthy, Miss Wakaba.”

Chapter 155 You'd better betray me soon (5k)

"Mr. Youyu... Mr. Youyu..."

The consciousness that was rapidly lost due to the heart being pierced from behind gradually returned to the body.

Yuu Toyokawa heard a familiar voice calling her name, but it sounded a little immature compared to the voice she had recently become accustomed to.

Yawata Kairin looked at Toyokawa Yuu, who seemed to have fallen asleep in the taxi, with some concern and a hint of regret in her eyes.

Originally, she had hoped to have more time to talk with the young man in the car about the future of the band.

However, given Toyokawa Yuu's serious attitude towards work, she probably wouldn't discuss these things in this kind of setting.

So, it's okay to talk about some more personal things.

For example, what should be done with Wakaba Mutsu afterward? No matter what, she is a member of the band, and it is really inappropriate for Toyokawa Yuu to take care of all her needs now.

Even though Toyokawa Yuu is Ave Mujica's manager, she has no obligation to go to such lengths and spend so much money in a place that, strictly speaking, can barely be considered a matter for Wakaba Mutsumi's family outside of her work.

Furthermore, although it is unclear where Toyokawa Yuu has placed Wakaba Mutsu, if only he knows that place... over time, some unpleasant rumors will inevitably arise.

In that case, it might be much better for me to take care of Wakaba Mutsu as a friend, and it could also alleviate Toyokawa Yuu's already visibly strained financial situation.

Unfortunately, the taxi had barely started moving, and before Hachiman Kairin could even organize her thoughts on how to begin, Toyokawa Yuu seemed to have fallen asleep on the seat due to the fatigue she had been accumulating recently.

Now, it was Hachiman Kairin who seemed a little embarrassed.

The driver who arrived wasn't a talkative person; he drove quietly, so there was absolutely no possibility of accidentally waking Toyokawa Yuu.

She herself was absolutely unwilling to take on the role of the villain just to satisfy her tiny desire to get closer to Toyokawa Yuu.

In the end, the girl, who had finally prepared her thoughts in her mind, could only look at Toyokawa Yuu's sleeping face with a kind of anxious and eager gaze, holding back a bellyful of words but not daring to disturb her.

What should have been a precious time alone together passed by quickly amidst Toyokawa Yuu's nap and the girl's inexplicable restlessness. When the driver finally dropped them off at their destination and parked the car on the side of the road, Hachiman Kairin surprisingly felt a little relieved.

At least this way, I won't be stuck in that awkward situation of having a lot to say but not knowing how to say it.

Reaching out to gently pat Toyokawa Yuu's shoulder, Hachiman Kairin's emerald green eyes revealed a gentle smile.

She had been preoccupied with her own thoughts and hadn't had time to pay attention, but now that her original idea had completely fallen through, she had a little time to admire Toyokawa Yuu's sleeping face.

Quiet and disciplined, almost like his attitude towards work, as if even a short rest was a way for him to recover his energy.

Mr. Youyu's life, both before and after, must have been quite orderly, and he was able to handle anything that might happen in the future with ease.

Yawata Kairin doesn't dislike this rule-based and orderly lifestyle.

“Mr. Youyu, we’ve arrived. It’s time to get up.”

Instead of continuing to pat Toyokawa Yuu's shoulder, Hachiman Kairin simply placed her hand on the other's shoulder, as if she wouldn't mind carrying the boy on her shoulders if he was really tired.

This behavior, which somewhat violated social distancing, caused Toyokawa Yuu to suddenly open her eyes as if in a state of shock.

Less than 48 hours ago, he had been treated like this by Yawata Kairin in Ave Mujica's office, and was even nearly bitten on the shoulder.

As the view in front of her gradually cleared, Hachiman Kairin, who looked much younger and was wearing a black leather jacket instead of a suit, came into Toyokawa Yuu's view.

Looking at Hachiman Kairin, who had turned her body to the side in the carriage and was now practically touching him, Toyokawa Yuu instinctively felt a little resistant.

When he first learned of Hachiman Kairin's feelings for him, he may have felt a slight flutter in his heart.

After all, she was the first person to clearly express her feelings to him, even though she had given up on him during a near-death experience.

But later, after learning what Hachiman Kairin had done for that relationship, Toyokawa Yuu stopped dwelling on that question.

Yuu Toyokawa had never experienced the beauty of emotions, but she also knew that such things should not become a burden on her life.

Yawata Kairin's actions have undoubtedly crossed that line.

He wanted to push away the girl who had betrayed him more than once, but he also knew that she couldn't possibly understand the resentment and anger he felt towards her ten years later.

For a moment, Yuu Toyokawa found herself at a loss for how to express even her natural resistance and disgust.

Fortunately, he soon no longer had to worry about his attitude towards Hachiman Kairin.

The phantom pain of his heart being pierced from behind arrived late at this moment, as if it had traveled through time and arrived at his nerves at just the right time.

Her already tired and sleepy features suddenly snapped together. Toyokawa Yuu clutched her chest, her face turning deathly pale, and a few beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

“Mr. Youyu…we can’t stop here, we need to go to the hospital right away.”

Seeing the expression of discomfort and pain on Toyokawa Yuu's face, which seemed to have been disturbed by her, Hachiman Kairin panicked.

After calling out Toyokawa Yuu's name once with concern but to no avail, she immediately realized what was happening and turned her gaze to the driver in the front seat.

"No... I'm fine, I just had a nightmare."

Reaching out and grabbing Yahata Kairin's wrist, Toyokawa Yuu refused Yahata Kairin's arrangement, straightened up from her seat, and forcefully dragged the black-haired girl off the bus.

"Mr. Youyu..."

Yuu Toyokawa's grip on her wrist was a little painful, but Hairin Hachiman didn't show any resistance. She let the boy in front of her hold her hand and walk through the streets that were still bustling with people even though it was late at night.

She used to dislike such bustling places, and her mature attire, despite still being a student, attracted strange looks.

Unlike performing on stage and being watched by guests, that's considered part of my job.

Outside of work, she isn't the type to seek attention.

But now, Hachiman Kairin finds herself suddenly starting to enjoy these gazes, or rather... enjoy the feeling of being watched along with Toyokawa Yuu.

A slight sense of regret began to rise in my heart. The work of a manager is not as glamorous as that of a band member most of the time. Most people who have seen a concert probably don't care about someone who works silently behind the scenes, and Toyokawa Yuu almost never takes the initiative to appear on stage.

"Are you really alright? You looked terrible just now."

Thoughts of regret swirled in her mind several times, but Hachiman Kairin didn't show them. Instead, she looked at Toyokawa Yuu's face, which was gradually returning to normal, and asked her with concern.

Recalling the scene of the boy clutching his chest and turning pale, Hachiman Kairin felt a pang of self-reproach and regret.

She shouldn't have woken Toyokawa Yuu. Even though they had already arrived at their destination, she could have let Toyokawa Yuu rest a little longer. She didn't need that much time; in fact, the later the better.

Perhaps the driver will get impatient, so could I use the excuse of letting Toyokawa Yuu sleep a little longer to change our destination, for example...

Her emerald-like eyes were somewhat dazed. She couldn't think of anywhere else to take him besides the destination that Toyokawa Yuu had requested. Perhaps taking him back to his place would be a good option.

Hachiman Kairin was just a little annoyed, annoyed that she wasn't tactful enough in handling things, that she had to wake Toyokawa Yuu up before she could even think of such a simple problem.

"As I said, it was just a brief nightmare, nothing serious. It's not worth bringing up topics that have already been discussed."

Yuu Toyokawa abruptly interrupted Hachiman Kairin's concern, and under the girl's somewhat reluctant gaze, he released his grip on her wrist.

Looking at the girl standing behind her with her head slightly lowered, her once tall figure no longer standing straight, her emerald gaze tilted downwards as if she had done something wrong, a spark of fire inexplicably ignited in Toyokawa Yuu's heart.

With that expression of someone who's inexplicably been wronged, what are they planning to do now?

Mingming, you were the one who wronged me first.

Yuu Toyokawa had already found out when Hachiman Kairin learned Hatsune's true identity and began blackmailing her ten years ago.

In other words, not long ago, just tonight, Hachiman Kairin had secretly blackmailed her behind her back, posing as Hatsune Miku.

Moreover, this blackmail was betrayed years later, used as leverage to advance further in power.

Having already taken this step, why are you still putting on such a wronged expression?

I really wanted to step forward, tear away that facade of grievance, and see what was really going on in the mind of this girl who kept saying she was trustworthy but had never lived up to that trust.

But reason, which had regained control of her mind with yet another death, told Yuu Toyokawa that she couldn't do that.

Simply holding her accountable won't get you anything. You have to take back the pain that Hachiman Kairin caused you, bit by bit... starting by making her willingly stay in the cage you've woven, so she'll never want to cross the line again.

He tried hard to control the muscles in his face, and his slightly gloomy expression returned to calm.

"Besides, with you by my side, I don't think anything will happen to me."

Led by Hachiman Kairin, we sat down at a ramen shop by the roadside and casually ordered two bowls of the cheapest ramen.

Looking at Hachiman Kairin sitting in front of her, Toyokawa Yuu pushed a bowl of ramen that was soon placed on the table in front of him, while transferring most of the ramen from her own bowl into the other's bowl.

"You mean... Mr. Yu Yu, that's enough, I also need to maintain my figure."

Still not understanding what Toyokawa Yuu meant, Hachiman Kairin looked at her bowl of noodles, which was almost overflowing, and quickly told her to stop.

In front of Toyokawa Yuu, she was too embarrassed to say that she had a body type that allowed her to eat whatever she wanted without gaining weight.

"Oh, sorry, I have to bring food to Xiao Mu later. That kid usually invites me to eat some too, so I need to save some room for that... As for what I meant earlier..."

Yuu Toyokawa paused for a moment, then smiled and squinted her eyes.

"It's a little embarrassing to say, but just think of it as me trying to help you when I'm almost at my wit's end. With the band being targeted and Xiao Mu unable to participate in activities openly, you are indeed one of the few people I can trust... No, trust might not even be considered trust anymore. You are one of the few people I can rely on now."

Even through the slits of my eyes, I could still see quite a lot.

Looking at her reflection in the clear noodle soup, Toyokawa Yuu felt that the smile on her face was somewhat familiar.

Like Nagasaki Sase, who just learned about her relationship with Toyokawa Shoko, and Mori Minami, who is always trying to entice him to cooperate with her.

But all in all, that smile made even him feel somewhat nauseous.

"I...I'm afraid I'm not as capable as Mr. Youyu thinks."

Praised so highly by Toyokawa Yuu, the usually confident Hachiman Kairin unusually became somewhat humble.

As for Toyokawa Yuu's more intimate attitude towards her than before, it did not arouse much of her vigilance.

Tonight, Yuu Toyokawa was indeed much more approachable than before. Not only did she share tea with me in the office, but she was even willing to share a car with me on the project.

If she had approached him with an ulterior motive so early on, then Hachiman Kairin felt that he had already put in a lot of effort, and she had to respond in kind.

"Ability... no, it has nothing to do with ability. If I had to say, I would probably hope that you can be more self-aware."

"conscious?"

Hearing this word from Toyokawa Yuu, Hachiman Kairin was somewhat confused.

She considers herself to be the most attentive person to the band's affairs right now.

"Do you remember the first time we ate together? It was breakfast at [RING]. I asked you to keep an eye on Amoris so she wouldn't do anything outrageous that would cause the band to fall apart."

"I remember, but unfortunately I failed to live up to your expectations and couldn't stop Miss Yutenji's actions. In the end, you had to take matters into your own hands."

When the old story was brought up again, a hint of shame appeared on Hachiman Kairin's face.

“It’s nothing. What Amoris did back then was really difficult for you, who wasn’t very involved in the band’s affairs. It wasn’t your fault, but now I think you understand the band well enough… I’m starting to get overwhelmed and can’t keep doing everything by myself… Hailing, I really need your help.”

Extending her hand, she placed her palm on the back of Hachiman Kairin's hand, and Toyokawa Yuu reopened her squinted eyes, her gaze sincere.

"The clear division of labor between Xiangzi and me is a promise between engaged couples, but now, I've started to be helped by her beyond her bounds... It's a bit embarrassing to say, but I also hope that I can become more reliable. I need you to make up for the parts that I'm not capable of, Hailing, just like Xiaomu, as Xiangzi's other half, has always been silently helping her."

In Hachiman Kairin's memory, this was the first time she had ever been so close to Toyokawa Yuu.

The boy placed his palm on the back of his own hand, looking for his help with a sincere expression. He could even feel the boy's fingertips curling slightly with nervousness.

There was absolutely no reason to hesitate, and Hachiman Kairin nodded solemnly.

"Please feel free to ask me anything I need to do. Ave Mujica is also a band I've poured my heart and soul into, and I can't bear to let it just fade into obscurity."