Chapter 134: Kind People Always Receive Kindness 

[Akane's parents greatly appreciate you, to the point that they are willing to offer you the option of marrying into their family.]

[In their eyes, compared to their own daughter, someone like you—who can effortlessly secure the top spot in national mock exams—is a far better investment.]

Faced with this proposal, your response is simple.

"I'm sorry."

"I refuse, Mr. Shinjo."

Minami replied calmly.

His tone, his gaze, and even his choice of words—everything conveyed that he was not simply saying this out of stubbornness.

Yet, the more composed Minami was, the more puzzled Shinjo's parents became.

"Are you serious, Minami-kun?"

Shinjo's father studied him carefully.

"I don't think anyone would joke about something like this."

Minami placed his teacup down and answered without hesitation.

His expression remained composed, his black eyes unwavering as they met Shinjo's parents' gaze.

A moment of silence passed.

Finally, Shinjo's father let out a small sigh.

"I see. If that's your decision, then we won't press the matter further."

His tone carried no anger—only the mild disappointment of a businessman whose deal had just fallen through.

For them, even something as sacred as their daughter's marriage was nothing more than another business transaction.

Throughout the entire conversation, Shinjo Akane had remained silent.

To her parents, she was nothing more than a tradeable commodity.

Her mask of confidence, her outward bravado, and the persona she had carefully maintained all this time—

At this moment, it crumbled completely.

"Since you've made your choice, Minami-kun, I must ask you to leave this house now."

Shinjo's father placed his teacup down.

"Because, at the end of the day, this home is still Shinjo family property."

Minami did not argue.

Because he understood—

Shinjo's parents had spent their entire lives in a world governed by power and wealth.

Their marriage was arranged, devoid of love from the very beginning.

Expecting a single conversation to change their entire worldview was nothing more than a naive fantasy.

Shinjo Akane felt her heart sink even further.

Yet, deep down, she knew—Minami had always been like this.

He was indifferent to many things.

But when it came to his principles and beliefs, he never compromised.

So,

When the negotiation failed,

She did not blame him.

If anything, she could only blame herself—

Blame her own powerlessness.

A difficult, indescribable emotion swelled inside her.

At the same time, a hollow emptiness began to creep in.

Minami is leaving.

He's going to leave me.

The mere thought of it sent a suffocating dread coursing through her body—

It was as if the entire world was pulling away from her.

But then—

"Come with me, Akane."

That same steady voice.

Those same clear, unwavering black eyes.

Right in front of her parents, Minami extended his hand toward her.

"...Huh?"

Shinjo Akane stood frozen in place.

"Come with me, Akane."

Seeing her hesitation, Minami repeated himself.

"There's no reason for you to stay here. You know that too, don't you?"

"..."

Shinjo Akane was speechless.

But if she was surprised,

Her parents were even more shocked.

Someone was actually trying to take their daughter away, right in front of them?

What kind of joke was this?

"Refuse him, Akane."

For the first time, Shinjo's mother finally spoke.

This time, "that thing" was no longer used as a substitute—her real name was spoken instead.

Shinjo Akane remained silent.

She had never imagined that she would hear her own name from her mother's mouth.

And yet, it was because of this matter.

Shinjo Akane did not respond directly to her mother.

This prompted Shinjo's father, on the other side, to furrow his brows and speak:

"You need to think carefully."

That man was still as cold as ever. His tone carried not a shred of warmth.

He had never shown hostility toward Minami Shouji. Even though Minami's previous rejection had surprised him, it had not angered him.

To him, it was just a business deal.

In business, there are wins and losses—negotiations succeed, and they also fail.

But Shinjo Akane was different.

No matter what, she was his flesh and blood.

He continued,

"If you truly want to follow Minami-kun, you won't even have the most basic living security."

"You won't be able to continue living in a house like this. Instead, you'll have to squeeze into a small, drafty room with him."

Shinjo Akane remained silent.

Shinjo's father paused before speaking again,

"In the end, you have no source of income. You can't even provide for your own basic needs. Are you planning to drop out of school and work? How much money can a minor even earn?"

His words were undeniably reasonable.

As a minor, there were strict legal limits on how many hours she could work each month.

Relying solely on part-time jobs, she would never be able to support herself.

The tuition fees at Shuka High School were especially high.

If she left and eloped with Minami Shouji, it was almost certain that she would have no choice but to drop out.

Just thinking about these things—

Her future was beyond bleak.

Shinjo's father believed that his daughter, who had always disguised herself with a bright and cheerful facade but only ever acted out of self-interest, would definitely make the "correct" choice.

But—

"..."

Shinjo Akane did not respond this time.

Nor did she submit to his expectations.

She didn't even spare her biological parents a glance.

Instead, she stood up and firmly grasped Minami Shouji's hand.

With just that single action—

Everything was made clear.

"Then, we'll be taking our leave, Mr. Shinjo."

Minami Shouji also stood up, his voice and expression just as cold as before as he faced Shinjo's father.

He gathered his belongings along with all of Shinjo Akane's necessary documents, then pulled her along as they left.

From beginning to end, he never once referred to them as "Uncle Shinjo" or "Aunt Shinjo."

Behind them—

Shinjo's father sat back down, his face devoid of emotion, while Shinjo's mother seemed utterly enraged by Akane's actions.

"You're just going to let her go?"

A mocking tone dripped from Shinjo's mother's voice.

There had never been any real emotional foundation between her and the man before her—even now, that remained the same.

"Disciplining her is pointless. If she truly wants to leave, there's no way to keep her here by force."

A heart that longs for freedom cannot be caged.

Shinjo's father understood this all too well.

Akane had hands and feet of her own.

If she truly wanted to leave, there was no way the Shinjo family could stop her.

"What about calling the police? Two high school students running off together—there's no way that's appropriate."

"Akane is still the eldest daughter of the Shinjo family, after all."

Shinjo's father shook his head.

If they escalated things to that level, the only ones who would end up disgraced were the Shinjo family themselves.

In fact, he was even beginning to wonder—

Had Minami Shouji always been aware that the Shinjo family's reputation was their Achilles' heel?

Was that why he had been so confident, so fearless, in taking Akane away right under their noses?

Just thinking about it—

Shinjo's father couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"What a talent."

His voice carried a hint of regret.

As if he lamented letting someone like Minami Shouji slip through his grasp.

But that was all it was—just regret.

There was still no trace of concern for Akane in his tone.

From beginning to end, his thoughts revolved solely around the Shinjo family.

Shinjo Akane followed behind Minami Shouji.

Now that she had left that house, all she had left was uncertainty.

This uncertainty made her turn her head and quietly ask the boy beside her.

"Minami."

"Hm?"

"What should we do next?"

Yes.

What should they do next?

Their future, their next steps—this sudden turn of events had left her completely lost.

But—

"First, we find a place to live."

Minami Shouji spoke, looking straight ahead, as if reassuring her.

"A home."

"...A home...?"

Shinjo Akane followed his gaze forward.

Even though all she saw was the usual cityscape—

For some reason—

Inside her heart—

A surge of strength welled up.

Along with a sense of hope for tomorrow.

[Akane wasn't surprised by your decision.]

[She had always known that this was the kind of person you were.]

[Even if you had little resistance to money, even if your family's financial situation was dire, she knew that you were the type of person who would rather starve than compromise on your principles.]

[For now, you had no concrete plans for the future, but no matter where you were, the first step was securing a place to live.]

[But there was an undeniable reality you both had to face—]

[Money.]

[Independence, continued survival—none of it could be achieved without money.]

[Fortunately, the money Akane had once used to "support" you remained untouched.]

[Using that sum, you easily found a place—far better than your previous tiny rental.]

[You paid two years' rent upfront, a single move that consumed more than half of the money you had received from Akane.]

[But you didn't mind. Two years was plenty of time for someone with your talents to earn more.]

[With a home secured, the next step was furnishing it.]

[At Akane's suggestion, you two opted for a master bedroom with a double bed instead of separate singles.]

[Given your current financial situation, you skipped buying a television, only purchasing the essential furniture—wardrobes, desks, and the like.]

[And you let Akane handle all of it.]

[Because to her, this wasn't just a shelter—it was her entire world now.]

[Unlike that cold, lifeless mansion, this space was hers to shape.]

[She felt a kind of happiness she had never known before, despite the financial constraints.]

[Even though you were careful with spending—]

[It was still an expense.]

[The money you had left dwindled once again, barely enough for a month of living expenses.]

[Akane noticed this and checked her bank account.]

[Unfortunately, just as her father had warned, all her bank cards had been frozen. She couldn't access a single cent.]

[She felt deeply guilty toward you because of this.]

[But you didn't mind at all, gently comforting her.]

[You had never intended to rely on the Shinjo family's wealth.]

[That said—]

[The predicament before you was very real.]

[Without a source of income, this simple life you had built would soon collapse.]

[Shuka High's tuition, the electricity, gas, and water bills—these burdens were far beyond what two high school students could manage.]

[Simple part-time work wouldn't be enough.]

"So, it's come to this after all."

Minami Shouji murmured to himself.

From the moment Akane's parents appeared, he had already foreseen this outcome.

Compromise had never been an option for him.

Rejection was inevitable.

Hardship was inevitable.

But—

"Since it's me... I'll figure something out."

Minami Shouji remained unfazed.

When it came to this kind of thing, he had absolute confidence.

And just as he had expected—

Things unfolded exactly as he had predicted.

[Simple part-time work was clearly not enough to sustain both of your living expenses.]

[However, human connections never truly disappear.]

[The seeds of kindness you had sown in the past were now taking root and sprouting.]

[Regarding your predicament—]

[Not only did Ijichi Seika from "STARRY" offer to hire Shinjo Akane for part-time work, but even Nishikigi Chisato and Inoue Takina from "Riko-Riko" expressed their hope that you would continue as the head chef of their café.]

[Even Hiroi Kikuri, the drunk bassist whom you'd only met once, offered to help.]

[Despite having little contact with them recently due to handling Akane's situation—]

[Unlike her parents, kind people remain kind no matter the time or place.]

[You understood this well and expressed your sincere gratitude.]

[Your relationships with Gotoh Hitori, Yamada Ryo, Ijichi Seika, Ijichi Nijika, and PA-san deepened.]

[Your relationships with Mika, Nishikigi Chisato, Inoue Takina, Kurumi, and Nakanishi Mizuki also grew stronger.]