I Refuse to Become Scumbag in Tokyo

"Hey, what do you want to say?" Rita asked with anger on her face.

However, he didn't say anything since there were people around them. Frankly, he didn't really want to talk about this matter since it was troublesome, and he was sure that this girl would be angry, but he decided to do it since this was the only way for her to solve the disease inside her heart.

As they entered the lift, he asked her a question, "Why did you stop painting?"

Yet, Rita didn't expect this question.

"I..."

What should she say in this situation?

"Let me guess since I can tell the reason why you stopped."

He didn't need to hear her answer and said, "I guess the people around you told you to stop painting since no matter how hard you worked, you wouldn't be able to be better than Mashiro."

"...."

Rita opened her lips and looked at him in disbelief, but his words were right since this was why she decided to stop painting, and she also knew that compared to Shiina, her talent was far from good.

"To be honest, it is boring."

"...boring, you say?" Rita was even more aggrieved, and her eyes were red and wet from the tears, staring at him since he rudely opened the wounds in her heart without caring about her feelings.

"Yes, it is boring."

He didn't sugarcoat his words and told everything that he felt.

"It is also similar to the reason why you want to bring Mashiro back. All you do is just listen to the voices of the people around you. You have never made your own decision. You feel that they're right, and you follow them. What is even worse, you even want to force that opinion on Mashiro. If you want to bring her back because you're lonely and want her to go back, I won't say like this, but your reason is simply stupid."

When the lift was about to open, Shishio caught the palm that was about to slap his cheek.

"What do you know about me!?"

She was screaming like a banshee, ignoring the surroundings, and staring at him angrily.

The security officers were dumbfounded when they saw this, but when they saw Shishio's gaze, they looked away since they thought it was a lover spat. Most of the people that came to this place were the leaders of this country, one word from them was enough to send them into an abyss, so it was better for them to ignore this problem, leaving them to solve this problem on their own.

"I have given my best! I have given my life to art! Yet do you know what my parents and grandfather said to me...?"

Her eyes were in tears, and those tears couldn't be stopped.

Even so, she kept staring at him without looking away. The feeling that she had been suppressed was flooded in like a broken dam. Even if her hands were caught, she didn't stop the words that came out from her lips.

"Give up. Even if you work hard, it is impossible to chase after Mahiro."

She let out a small chuckle and asked, "Do you know how I felt back then? Do you know what kind of despair I felt back then?!"

"Then, you just give up?"

Just this single question caused all the words that were about to come out from her lips to stop.

He looked bored and said, "This is why I have told you that your reason for bringing Mashiro and stopping painting is boring." He looked at her and asked, "Do you want to stop painting?"

"I..."

She couldn't look straight at him since his words pierced the hope she had always kept hidden.

"From the beginning of your story to the end, I have never heard about your real feelings. All you told me was that you stopped because everyone told you to stop. Then, you stop. If that isn't a boring story, then what?"

"Then, what do you want to do?! Everyone told me to stop! And I also understand that no matter how hard I work, I won't be able to chase after Mashiro's back! Do you know how I feel?"

"I don't know your feelings, but if I were in your situation, I wouldn't do the same thing as you."

"...what will you do?" While she was still crying, she couldn't stop her curiosity.

"Shut up, idiots!"

"...." Rita and the security guards.

With a laugh, he said, "That's probably what I will say." He held her hand and started to walk out of the lift.

Rita also subconsciously followed him as if she was attracted by something from him.

"Even I understand that my dream is impossible to realize, and many things that I am stupid to chase after my dream, but even so, so what?"

"...you'll still chase after it?"

"Of course." He didn't look at Rita and looked at the distant space as if he was facing a great enemy. "Naturally, they will make fun of me and look down on me with their noses, telling me that no matter what I do, it is impossible, but I will still believe, so when I succeed, I will say, "In your face!" to them."

Rita was in a daze and said, "You have a bad personality."

"That's right." His smile was so bright as he looked at her and asked, "Do you think it is bad?"

"Not bad at all." She also laughed heartily for the first time. "Geez... all these talks have ruined my make-up. Take responsibility for me!"

"...you're the one who cries. How is this my fault?"

"But you were the one who made me cry!"

"Then, what do you want?"

"Treat me to an expensive dinner! I want a french dinner at an expensive hotel!"

"Is that all?'

"...er... I am joking, though." Rita wasn't sure whether this guy was joking or not.

"I am not joking, but if that's what you want, I can settle it right away."

"...well, let's go." She thought that he was joking, so she just played along. Still, his words made her realize that the words of the people in her surroundings were just a noise that tried to stop her from succeeding.

Even if she couldn't chase after Shiina, so what?

Besides Shiina, Rita believed that she was number one.

Even if she couldn't become number one, number two would definitely be in her place.

However, even if she might settle for second place, it didn't mean she would give up on first place. Even if people told her that it was impossible, she wouldn't give up, and she would do her best to defeat Shiina.

'He's the one that makes me realize.'

She stared at Shishio for a while and grasped his hand tighter.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing~!"

"What's with that tone? It's disgusting."

"How cruel! Can you be truthful and say that I am cute?"

"You're cute."

"...with a feeling, please."

As the two continued to bicker, they continued to stay a night together, but after they had lunch, they returned to Sakurasou.

"...I didn't expect that you would treat me to a french restaurant."

"You don't like it?"

"I like it, but..." She glanced at him and asked, "Isn't it expensive?"

"Isn't it a bit too late to say that now?"

"...sorry."

He gently patted her hair and said, "It's okay. I don't lack money from the royalty of my manga and books."

"..."

She only remembered that this guy was a famous writer too. While she wanted to read his story, it was quite hard for her since she didn't know about kanji.

"Is there an English translation for your book?"

"Not yet, but I have one on my laptop."

"Then, let me read your story!" Rita said without hesitation.

"Sure."

"Thanks." Rita said with a bright smile, then asked, "By the way, what is your dream?"

"My dream?"

"Yes, you talked so big before, but I didn't know what your dream was." She looked at him and asked, "Do you want to win a Nobel Prize for literature or something?" He was a writer, after all, so she thought he wanted to win a Nobel Prize.

"Well, that might be interesting, but I plan to become prime minister."

"Pr-Prime Minister?!" She was dumbfounded and stunned silly. "Why do you want to become a prime minister?"

"To allow polygamy in this country."

"...."

Rita suddenly thought that compared to him, her dream was small. Still, she could see that he was a man that wouldn't give up even if his dream was a bit silly, yet this silliness wasn't bad. While she might not realize her eyes on him became gentler.

"Do you still want to hold my hand?"

They were just right in front of the entrance of the Sakurasou, but this girl didn't let go of his hand, so he couldn't help but ask.

"Wh-What's wrong with it? ...do you hate it?" Rita asked nervously.

"No. I like it."

"...oh." She lowered her head with a blush.

The two still held each other's hands as they entered Sakursaou, but when they opened the door, they happened to meet Shiina.

"Ma-Mashiro...?!"

Rita was dumbfounded and surprised to see Shiina so suddenly. Her heart was beating so fast, and she felt a bit guilty for some reason. Still, she might not have realized it, but she held his hand even tighter.

However, Shiina didn't say anything. She stared at them for a while before she stared at their hands, which held each other.

Rita quickly realized how intimate she was with Shiina's boyfriend. "Ma-Mashiro... this is..."

"Have you been eaten by him, Rita?" Shiina asked with her usual blank expression.

"...." Shishio and Rita.

Their silence made Shiina think that they really did it. "That's good. We're sisters now."

"..." Shishio and Rita.

"Mashiro."

"Hm?"

"How about you sleep with Rita tonight?"

"With you?"

"No... just you two." He sighed and said, "By the way, I didn't eat Rita."

"Oh."

Why do you seem disappointed?

He was speechless, but then he patted Rita's back, pushing her forward gently.

"Huh?" Rita looked at him in surprise.

"Go and talk to her," Shishio said.

Rita took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."

While Shiina was a bit confused, she also decided to sleep with Rita in her room together. It might be the first time for the two of them to be together like this after Rita arrived in this country.

Watching the two leave, he took a deep breath and knew that their relationship would become something genuine, but then again, he knew there were many things he hadn't solved.

'Let's do it.'

He had made up his mind, and no one was going to stop him anymore.