"Who are you?" Touma Youko looked at the girl who had suddenly blocked her path, a faint surprise in her expression. To see more clearly, she slid down her sunglasses, revealing deep blue eyes beneath the dark lenses, along with the signature beauty mark at the corner of her eye.
Chika Fujiwara, who had been ready to launch into a flurry of words, froze—she recognized that face.
Back in elementary school, Chika had studied piano herself and had even won first place at a major piano competition. The person who had handed her the trophy was none other than Touma Youko, a nationally celebrated pianist. Chika still remembered the warmth of her hand and the encouragement she had received.
Wait a second… this is Touma Youko? Touma Wasa's mother?
Sure, Kei Hara had called her a "silly girl," but that was just about her bright, outgoing personality that sometimes made her seem a little ditzy. In reality, Chika was far from foolish; she was highly intelligent. And as her mind raced, she realized she might have been entertaining some seriously strange assumptions.
Kei Hara and Yukinoshita Yukino had just helped Touma Wasa out of a difficult situation. While Chika wasn't entirely sure what the relationship between mother and daughter was at the moment, one thing was clear: Touma Youko wasn't the type to do "that kind of thing" to anyone who had helped her daughter.
Why did I charge in so recklessly just seconds ago?
"Ah… actually, I'm—" Chika was wracking her brain for an excuse to gracefully retreat when a male voice sounded from behind her.
"Chika Fujiwara, what are you doing here?"
The voice was magnetic—enchanting to most women—but to Chika, at that very moment, it sounded like the tolling of hell itself.
It was Kei Hara.
In front of her was Touma Youko, calmly observing with an amused expression. Behind her, Kei Hara was steadily closing in. Chika was now unmistakably cornered.
If this were a chess game, moving forward would mean being captured by a knight, retreating would invite a rook, and staying still would guarantee a cannon strike.
It was that perilous.
Yet Chika hadn't given up hope. She wasn't completely alone—she had a "shield" to cover her…
"We've actually been following you since you left school," her "shield" announced, confidently removing her hat and revealing her face fully to both Kei Hara and Touma Youko.
I, the king, have been betrayed by my own piece—and now face a checkmate from rook, knight, and cannon.
What do I do now? Online advice is urgently needed.
"So… why were you following me?" Kei Hara furrowed his brows, looking at Chika Fujiwara sitting primly before him and Yukinoshita Yukino beside her.
Touma Youko, meanwhile, sat nearby, smiling gently as she observed the scene, clearly enjoying herself.
"Well…" Chika hesitated for a moment, then seemed to surrender. "At lunch today, didn't you mention… that you have a lot of money from… somewhat mysterious sources?" Her eyes darted nervously, and her cheeks were faintly pink.
"This afternoon, I kept thinking about it. And it's because of what you said at lunch that I—well, I just had a little bit of concern," Chika placed her thumb and forefinger a tiny distance apart in the air, showing just how small the worry was, "that maybe Kei Hara might be earning some of that money through… not-so-great means."
Though Chika's words were vague, Kei Hara understood her meaning immediately.
"You're suggesting I did… that kind of thing for money?"
"I didn't! Only that sentence was absolute," Chika said firmly. "I believe in your character, Kei Hara. I know you're not that type of person."
"But Tokyo isn't as safe as people might think. You're out there alone, inexperienced, and very attractive—it's easy for people to target you. My family… well, we know about some of the underground networks here in Tokyo." Chika stared intently at Kei Hara. Gone was her usual shyness; she was simply speaking the truth from her heart.
"I was afraid you might get caught up in something and dragged down, unable to free yourself. Even if the chance is tiny, I couldn't risk it. I had to follow you to make sure."
"If something had happened to you, and I didn't notice, I'd regret it for the rest of my life. I might never forgive myself."
Kei Hara was momentarily speechless. The anger he had felt at Chika's misunderstanding faded somewhat.
Tokyo indeed led the Asia-Pacific in certain industries, spawning countless chains of hidden interests. Even though he hadn't been in Tokyo long, Kei Hara had heard rumors—stories about certain groups coercing attractive young men into making videos or photos. Chika's worry, given his mysterious wealth, wasn't entirely unreasonable.
At that moment, Touma Youko, who had been quietly observing the conversation, raised a mischievous hand.
"So, in Miss Chika Fujiwara's eyes, I'm the villain holding Kei Hara's secrets?"
"'We're very sorry, Ms. Touma Youko!'" Chika and Yukino said sincerely. Touma Youko waved her hand dismissively. "You're both concerned for your classmate. I don't blame you." For some reason, she emphasized the word classmate.
Then she turned to Kei Hara. "I see these two really are acting out of goodwill… why not just leave it at that?"
Kei Hara remained silent, thinking carefully. He pulled out his phone, tapped a few things, and tossed it to Chika.
Flustered, she caught it. "This is…?"
"You wanted to know how I make my money, right?" Kei Hara said, pointing at the phone in her hand. "This is how I do it."
"The reason I didn't tell you before was that this method is a bit risky. For high school students, it's really too early. If it got out, it would cause trouble."
"But since you're so worried, it's fine to explain. I haven't done anything shady anyway."
Hearing this, curiosity lit not only Chika's eyes but also Yukino's and Touma Youko's.
Three long-haired girls—two jet black, one pink—leaned in to look at Kei Hara's phone.
"This is…?"