That's great. Gotou Hitori smiled.
"That's one ticket solved. As for the remaining four.... I've got it! I'll sell them to Dad, Mom, and my sister.... Mmm, Jimihen (the family dog) can buy one too."
Wait! My sister is too young to get into a music bar. Does a dog really need a ticket?
At this moment, Hayasaka Ai suddenly came to stand in front of Gotou Hitori.
"Bocchi-chan, remember to save one for me. I'll come and watch you perform with Ryo-kun."
An angel!!!
At this moment, Bocchi-chan forgot all about the other girl teaching her to be a maid. Hayasaka-san is so kind!
Hayasaka Ai: This band is full of pretty girls. I have to stick close to Uchiha Ryo! Hmph hmph~
Leaving the STARRY bar, Hayasaka Ai stretched.
"By the way, Ryo-kun, there are two things I wanted to tell you."
Uchiha Ryo: "What?"
Hayasaka Ai took out a poster. "Toyogasaki probably hasn't announced it yet, but for next week's sports festival, Shuchiin is planning to hold a joint competition between the two schools. The location for the sports festival will be at Shuchiin."
Uchiha Ryo: "Is that so? I still have two weeks before I go back, so I'll be on Toyogasaki's team for now?"
Hayasaka Ai nodded with regret. "So we're enemies~ Don't underestimate our Shuchiin Class 1-A."
A sports festival... Uchiha Ryo's impression of a sports festival was just races and things like that. Should I win by a landslide, or pretend to win by a narrow margin, or pretend to be losing and then make a comeback?
And as an exchange student, would it be bad to represent Toyogasaki and beat Shuchiin?? Forget it. Shirogane Miyuki! As your friend, I won't be holding back.
Hayasaka Ai's expression suddenly became serious.
"Now for the second thing. Because Young Master Un'yo was absorbing Young Master Oko's power, he found a lot of the dirty things Shinomiya Oko has done in the past. Among them...."
Shirogane Miyuki's father, Shirogane Dio, had run a factory twenty years ago. But because this factory got in the way of a corporation under Shinomiya Oko, it was secretly driven to bankruptcy, and Shirogane Dio was saddled with a large amount of debt.
Shinomiya Oko then took over Shirogane Dio's factory and absorbed it into his own enterprise. After Young Master Un'yo heard that Shirogane Miyuki was your friend, he specifically contacted me to tell you this.
Hayasaka Ai: "And, about Shirogane's father's factory, as long as you nod, it can be returned."
Uchiha Ryo: "I see...."
The Shirogane family has really had it rough. The brother and sister have to work part-time not only to supplement the family's income but also to pay for their studies. Father Shirogane has been so crushed by the old debts and his wife's departure that he hasn't been able to get back on his feet.
The most important thing is... the brother and sister have to share a room, with just a curtain separating them.
This won't do! What if it's harmful to our Kei-chan's physical and mental health? And with that study-maniac Shirogane Miyuki, what if he turns the optimistic and cheerful little Kei into a study-maniac like him?
No, no!
"I'll pay a visit to the Shirogane family tomorrow. After all, Shirogane Miyuki is my friend!"
Hayasaka Ai smiled. She wasn't wrong about him. Uchiha Ryo really was gentle.
.....
The next morning, Uchiha Ryo stood at the door of the Shirogane house. After knocking lightly, Shirogane Miyuki, with dark circles under his eyes, opened the door.
"Ah... it's Uchiha. Come in."
→
Uchiha Ryo: "What's with this 'about to die from overwork' look?"
Shirogane Miyuki sighed. "I don't want to either. But recently, I've had to prepare for both the exams and the student council president's speech. I'm seriously sleep-deprived...."
Uchiha Ryo didn't say anything, just patted Shirogane Miyuki's shoulder comfortingly.
If you die from overwork, I will raise your sister. This offer was still valid. Uchiha Ryo was looking forward to... ahem, he hoped that day would never actually come.
"You should go back and get some sleep. Is Uncle Shirogane here?"
Shirogane Miyuki: "Ah, he's inside. You can go find him yourself."
Following Shirogane Miyuki into the living room, Shirogane Kei was currently sitting in the living room doing her homework.
"Ah, Ryo-nii is here! Onii-chan, why didn't you tidy up the living room and get a cushion for our guest?"
Shirogane Miyuki: "...."
Uchiha Ryo: "It's fine, Kei-chan. Your brother has been on the verge of dying from overwork lately. Let him get some rest. By the way, Uncle Shirogane is in there, right? I'm here today to see him."
The door to the inner room was pushed open, and a middle-aged man who looked even more stylish than Shirogane Miyuki walked out.
"You're Miyuki's friend? If you have something to discuss, just come in. Miyuki, you look a bit tired. Go and rest."
Shirogane Miyuki yawned. "Ah.... then I'll go back and sleep for a bit."
Following Father Shirogane into the inner room, he pulled up a chair and poured a cup of tea for Uchiha Ryo.
"Your name is Uchiha Ryo, right? Since you're one of Miyuki's few friends, I'll just call you Ryo, uncle to nephew."
Father Shirogane: "So, are you here to propose marriage? Kei-chan is still young. I won't agree to it right now."
A corner of Uchiha Ryo's eye twitched. "Um... Uncle Shirogane, it's not about Kei-chan."
Father Shirogane was stunned. "It's Miyuki? This... what a wide world. I'll have to think about it."
Uchiha Ryo: "Uncle Shirogane...."
"Hahaha, just kidding. If you have something to talk to me about alone, just say it."
Uchiha Ryo breathed a sigh of relief. "It's like this, Uncle Shirogane. About your factory....."
After a brief silence, Father Shirogane closed his eyes in thought.
"I know it was the Shinomiya family's doing. How should I put it? Although I hated the Shinomiya family, which almost ruined me, at the time, I've... thought it through now."
Father Shirogane: "It was also my fault for being too arrogant back then. I didn't know how to be steady. I became arrogant after just a little success, and I didn't take the Shinomiya family's warnings seriously."
"Failing once is a good thing. It counts as gaining experience. At least Miyuki won't make my mistakes in the future."
Uchiha Ryo: "So, Uncle Shirogane, you can have your own factory back now. The Shinomiya family's side...."
Father Shirogane shook his head.
"I'm sorry. Although I also want to give Miyuki and Kei-chan a better environment, if I accept the Shinomiya family's charity after nearly twenty years, I'm afraid I can't. Whether it was right or wrong back then, it's all in the past."
Uchiha Ryo fell silent, but Father Shirogane laughed.
Father Shirogane: "A person's ability in this life is ultimately limited. I've learned a lot from my short life. The more arrogant and scheming a person is, the more likely they are to fail."
"Just take it as a painful lesson for me. My life now is not bad. I want to get back to where I was on my own, not by relying on the Shinomiya family's apology."