"Sorry for calling you so suddenly."
"It's fine. I am also curious about the exhibition, but as expected, you love fashion, right? Are you going in that direction in the future, Saki?"
"Well..." Saki blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed, then said slowly, "...I don't know, but I have been watching it, and familiar with it, but, do you think it is a good choice for the future?"
"Unless the people in the future will be naked and won't wear any clothes, then I think it is a good choice for work."
"..."
She was at a loss for a moment, then lightly tapped his arm with her fist, with puffed cheeks. "There won't be such futures!"
"It might be. You won't know in the future, right?"
"It won't! I will make sure that everyone wears clothes!"
"Then, do you think the clothing industry is a bad choice for work?"
"No."
With that discussion, of course, Saki was sure that the clothing industry wouldn't die unless the future trend of human fashion was being naked, which was almost impossible, probably—
"...is it really impossible for a human's fashion trend to become all naked, right?"
"....."
Looking at her worry that appeared so real that it didn't seem like she was lying, Tobe felt that she needed to learn something else first, such as not being deceived by a scumbag so easily.
Nevertheless, as she had called him before, they had an appointment to go to Tokyo to see the exhibition of a famous psychologist who had turned into one of the world's most famous fashion designers.
Probably, it was better for her to go alone, but somehow, she had an impulse to invite Tobe, to which, unexpectedly, he would agree. Naturally, it made her so happy that she couldn't help but move around as her body felt like moving on its own due to the excitement.
Only, what she didn't know was that her mother looked at her with a complicated mood, yet Akiko didn't say anything and just let her daughter go with Tobe.
Still, if Akiko knew that her daughter had gone to Tobe's room and used it as a place to comfort herself with her fingers, she might react differently to how it became.
"By the way..."
"Hmm?"
As Tobe's gaze met her eyes, Saki hesitated as she wasn't sure whether she should ask him such a question that had been bothering her mind for a while. Even though she was prepared, she couldn't in the end.
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's fine." Saki shook her head and thought that she might as well think about the exhibition. "Do you think that there is a chance for people's fashion to become naked?"
"...unless the earth is hit by a disaster and causes all the civilization to disappear, and return from nothing, then the chance of us living naked won't happen."
"Will a disaster affect the way people dress?"
"Of course. Look at those in the North area, especially in that extremely cold area, will they even wear those clothes that show their navel or mini skirt? If they do, then they will be frozen to death."
She laughed at his words; the two had fun talking about clothing or simply the textile industries.
While others thought of the future, such as the internet, AI, space exploration, and many other futuristic worlds, which were still ambiguous, Tobe was more interested in the basics, such as food and even textiles. They might be mundane or even seen as not cool at all, but they were stable and needed by everyone.
Still, what he sought wasn't those designs, but something more basic, such as the dyes, machineries, strings, and many others.
If he had to say, he wanted to be like YKK, the biggest zipper company that almost monopolized the zipper market.
"...is there such a company?"
"There is." Tobe nodded. "Do you want to visit it?"
"Huh? Can we?"
"We're students, so of course, we can. Let's just say that we're going to learn, and if they refuse us, then that's it."
"Well..."
"We have a workplace visit later. You can use that chance to visit the place that you are interested in."
"That's true." Saki nodded, then asked, "You have been asking me, but what about you? Have you thought about your future?"
"Me? My choice is pretty boring."
"It doesn't matter. Please tell me. I won't judge you."
Her eyes seemed so serious that if she laughed, she would commit seppuku.
"..." Tobe.
While he was speechless, he didn't really plan to say what he planned to do since his plan was too grand, and instead of answering with an ambiguous answer that would make people doubt you, which made you also pretty uncomfortable, it was better to seek a more down-to-earth and stable choice when talking with people as he kept his dream deep inside and let the people see his effort rather than exposing it.
Sighing inwardly, he also felt pretty bad as he thought that he didn't really believe in Saki, but this was how he was, and it was impossible for him to change himself. Instead of changing for others, it was better for the others to accept this part of him.
Like what Marilyn Monroe always said, "If you can't handle my worst, you don't deserve my best."
Still, if he had to say it, it was only a narcissist who dared to say those words. As for him, he thought that when people were together, they had to make a certain effort and work together; if not, no relationship could last forever.
'Well, I can't say that myself since it's them who have been sacrificing for me.'
Tobe couldn't say that he was a good person, but while he tried to love them in his own ways, he couldn't shake off the thought that he had to be wealthy and support them in materialistic ways.
Yet, even if money wasn't everything, it was still needed.
Tobe didn't have to become a billionaire or the richest man, but he wanted it to be enough to just take care of many and let them live without worrying about the problem of finance.
"Well... I plan to become a police officer."
"Police?!" Saki was surprised. "The one that is on the street?"
"The one who is in the office all the time and manages the followers."
"You want to be the boss?"
Tobe chuckled at her words. "You are right. It's more comfortable since I only want enough, so I can take care of my family."
"That's nice..."
Unexpectedly, instead of thinking that he was pessimistic or even didn't even have a dream, Saki's eyes shone with excitement.
"...is it?"
"Yes, that's a nice dream."
Tobe blinked his eyes and said, "Thank you."
"No problem."
Only, when Saki thought about how the family in his mouth was probably Yukinoshita, it made her eyes dim slightly, but—
"Are you okay?"
As he looked at her with concern, Saki showed a gentle smile. "I am okay."
Yes, this was a rare chance for them to be together, so why should she show an unhappy expression?
She should enjoy herself and learn!
'And...'
Saki took a peek at his profile, as she blushed, hoping a miracle would happen.