The following evening, in front of the train station.
Today's Kazusa Touma was different from her usual attire of loose white long sleeves and jeans.
She wore a white short-sleeved top, with trousers replaced by a narrow short skirt, paired with high-top boots, giving her a bit of a trendy band-girl style.
To complement this special outfit, she had also adorned her pale neck with a black choker.
Combined with her model-like figure, delicate features, and smooth, long black hair, she attracted countless passers-by's attention just by standing there.
"Kazusa."
Hearing the voice from not far behind her, Kazusa Touma's eyes first showed delight, then she composed her expression, took a deep breath, and turned around to speak calmly.
"You're here? Let's go then."
Ye Xing was still wearing his usual black casual clothes, though with short sleeves now as summer approached.
It had to be said.
With his looks, standing next to Mai Sakurajima, they resembled actors in an idol drama.
Standing next to Rio Futaba, they felt like a mad scientist duo.
Standing next to Kazusa Touma...
They gave off the vibe of being about to get up to some mischief.
It was like adaptive styling.
"Taking the train?"
Kazusa Touma shook her head.
"No, let's take a taxi."
Kazusa Touma didn't possess any particular virtue of frugality.
If anything, she had no concept of money at all.
Kazusa Touma had no idea whether her monthly allowance was considered large or small compared to her peers—in any case, she could never spend it all.
...
Half an hour later, the two arrived at their destination.
Kyoto Tower.
This famous landmark of Kyoto stands 131 metres tall.
Normally, Kyoto Tower would be bustling with a continuous stream of visitors during opening hours, and today, being a Saturday when people didn't have to work, it should have been even more crowded.
Yet today, a police cordon had been set up at the entrance to Kyoto Tower, with fully armed members of the Metropolitan Police Department patrolling the area.
All of this was because of one person's arrival.
Even Japan's headline news reports were dominated by that person.
[World-renowned pianist Youko Touma has arrived in Kyoto today, expected to stay in Japan for one day before departing for Vienna via private jet tomorrow.]
For the people of Kyoto, this was a major event.
This was Youko Touma, after all.
A pianist who could hold solo recital tours around the world, treated as an honoured guest in every country she visited, super-class...
No, one could say she was the world's foremost pianist today!
What's more, this time, Youko Touma, who normally disliked media attention, had actually agreed to an exclusive interview with Kyoto Television.
To show proper respect for this world-class pianist, the city of Kyoto had specially cleared the landmark Kyoto Tower for the entire day to broadcast the interview with Youko Touma live.
Kazusa Touma's reason for coming here was simple.
It had been a long time since she'd seen her mother.
What was even more absurd was that she'd learned about Youko Touma's return to Japan through news reports.
When she texted her mother, she received only a brief reply.
"I only have time today. You can come to Kyoto Tower to find me."
Under normal circumstances, Kazusa Touma probably wouldn't have come.
But she had a deeply hidden thought.
If...
Ye Xing could meet her mother, that should be a good thing.
Only someone with Kazusa Touma's extremely awkward personality would jump straight to the meeting-the-parents stage without even daring to clearly express her feelings.
"What are you two doing here?"
Seeing Kazusa Touma and Ye Xing, who appeared to be high school students, approach the Kyoto Tower entrance, the Metropolitan Police Department officer on patrol immediately stopped them.
"I want to go in."
Hearing Kazusa Touma's abrupt statement, Ye Xing rolled his eyes beside her.
If they let you in after saying that, that would be strange indeed.
As expected, the Metropolitan Police Department member frowned and waved his hand.
"No visitors allowed today. Come back another day."
Kazusa Touma didn't respond; she simply took out her phone and made a call.
"Hello, it's me."
"Yes, I'm here."
"Okay, good."
Using fewer than ten words in total, Kazusa Touma hung up and looked at Ye Xing beside her, speaking softly.
"My mother said to have her assistant come down to get us. Let's wait."
"Alright."
Ye Xing responded casually, scanning their surroundings.
Sure enough, he spotted a very familiar figure.
Soichiro Yagami, Kyoto's most prominent square-jawed face and the Director of the Criminal Affairs Bureau, had also appeared here.
While Ye Xing was observing, Soichiro Yagami happened to turn his head.
Their gazes collided mid-air.
"Hmm?"
Seeing a teenage boy and girl appearing here, Soichiro Yagami, as the scene commander, couldn't help but frown slightly.
Simultaneously, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Soichiro Yagami walked slowly to the police line, looking at Kazusa Touma and Ye Xing before him, speaking calmly.
"May I ask what brings you two here?"
Kazusa Touma said flatly, "I'm here to find my mother."
"Your mother is...?"
Just as Soichiro Yagami looked completely puzzled, a woman wearing a business suit skirt quickly emerged from Kyoto Tower.
When she saw Kazusa Touma standing outside the police line and Soichiro Yagami standing there, she hurried over at a jog.
"Chief Yagami."
The assistant first greeted Soichiro Yagami, then introduced with a smile.
"This is Ms Youko Touma's daughter."
"Oh, I see."
Soichiro Yagami nodded, then looked at Ye Xing standing beside Kazusa Touma, hesitating as he asked.
"And this is...?"
Before Kazusa Touma could speak, Ye Xing replied with a smile.
"I'm Ms Kazusa Touma's assistant."
"Huh?"
Soichiro Yagami was momentarily stunned, then chuckled wryly.
"Young man, you're quite the joker. Well then, come along, I'll take both of you up together."
The necessary security check process wasn't omitted before entering Kyoto Tower.
After confirming that Kazusa Touma and Ye Xing weren't carrying any weapons, Soichiro Yagami and Youko Touma's assistant led them into the elevator.
Kyoto Tower, standing at 131 meters, took nearly a minute to reach the top even by elevator.
Watching the rising altitude outside, Kazusa Touma seemed somewhat nervous, unconsciously grabbing the hem of Ye Xing's clothes.
She wasn't afraid of heights.
She felt so tense because she was about to see her mother.
Kazusa Touma could feel her palms sweating.
At that moment, Ye Xing discreetly moved his right hand behind his back and directly grasped Kazusa Touma's hand.
Such an intimate gesture instantly brought a blush to Kazusa Touma's fair face.
She made a token effort to pull away, then, afraid of being seen by the other two people in the elevator, could only lower her head in silence.
Kazusa Touma felt her heart was about to leap out of her chest at that moment.
Although this wasn't her first time holding hands with Ye Xing, doing so in public was still too embarrassing.
Seemingly sensing the awkward silence in the elevator, Soichiro Yagami lightly coughed twice and initiated conversation.
"Judging by your ages, you're still high school students?"
Kazusa Touma didn't much like talking to strangers, and with her hand currently being held by Ye Xing, she completely hid behind him without saying a word.
Ye Xing didn't have such reservations, smiling as he nodded.
"That's right, we're first-years at Sobu High School."
"Sobu High School..."
Soichiro Yagami murmured to himself first, then asked curiously.
"Given Ms Youko Touma's status, shouldn't she be able to get into Shuchi'in Academy?"
Ye Xing maintained a polite smile as he replied.
"As the head of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, you surely shouldn't be here doing security work, should you?"
Soichiro Yagami was taken aback for a moment before Ye Xing continued softly without waiting for a reply.
"Moreover, Sobu High School is no worse than Shuchi'in Academy—in fact, it's even better."
Hearing this, both Soichiro Yagami and Youko Touma's assistant wore complicated expressions.
Are you serious?
How could you say something so absurd?
Sobu High School is indeed a decent school.
But to compare it with Shuchi'in Academy...
Isn't the gap a bit too wide?
Soichiro Yagami began to suspect that the handsome young man in front of him might have some mental issues.
He didn't dwell on the topic any further, as choosing which school to attend was a personal freedom, but after a moment's thought, he said, "Well... By the way, you've probably seen the recent news reports. It's best for high school-aged girls to avoid going out at night."
Ye Xing replied calmly, "Is Chief Yagami referring to the so-called 'Sunny Doll Killer'?"
"Exactly."
At this point, Soichiro Yagami hesitated slightly, glanced at Kazusa Touma's attire, then relaxed and smiled. "However, that madman's target selection doesn't include girls who look like Touma-san here. Still, we shouldn't let our guard down."
"Oh? Aside from all being junior or senior high school girls, do the victims share any other common characteristics?"
Hearing Ye Xing's question, Soichiro Yagami was momentarily stunned, then smiled. "The way you speak reminds me of my son. He's about your age, in his first year of high school in Tokyo."
Ye Xing maintained a neutral expression but thought to himself, 'I'm probably more familiar with your son than you are.'
After saying this, Soichiro Yagami's expression turned serious as he waved his hand. "The case is under investigation, so I can't reveal too many details. In short, it's best to minimise going out at night."
Ding.
Hearing the elevator arrival chime, Soichiro Yagami didn't continue the topic, simply smiling and saying, "I'll see you off here then. I still have security duties to attend to. It was a pleasure meeting both of you."
After following the assistant out of the elevator, Ye Xing released Kazusa Touma's hand.
The disappointment on her face was unmistakable, but she was too tsundere to show it, merely letting out a soft hum.
"Madam Youko is currently being interviewed. Please wait here for a moment."
After speaking, the assistant bowed slightly and left their side.
The top floor of Kyoto Tower was an open exhibition hall-like space without any partitioned rooms.
From where they stood at the elevator entrance, Ye Xing and Kazusa Touma could clearly see the short-haired woman sitting on a sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window, being interviewed by a host. She bore some resemblance to Kazusa.
"That's my mother."
Kazusa's gaze towards her mother was complex.
There was yearning, nervousness, and a cautious reluctance to approach.
"But..." Kazusa turned to Ye Xing beside her, her eyes dimming. "Someone as famous as her... You must have seen her photos before, right?"
"Not really." Ye Xing waved a hand dismissively. "I knew you first before I learned about Youko Touma. To me, she's just Kazusa's mother."
"Eh?" Kazusa froze at his words.
This was the first time in her life she'd heard such a statement.
Not Youko Touma's daughter...
But Kazusa's mother.
And...
No one had ever called her just Kazusa before - it was always Touma-san.
"You... you..." Kazusa pressed her lips together, then suddenly burst out laughing. Wiping tears from her eyes, she nearly doubled over with laughter.
"You should laugh more often." Under Kazusa's embarrassed gaze, Ye Xing delivered another direct hit. "You look better when you smile."
Kazusa's cheeks flushed pink as she made a face and stuck out her tongue. "Nyah nyah nyah, if you want me to laugh more..." She reached out, lifted Ye Xing's right hand, and linked her pinky finger with his. A misty haze gathered in her eyes as she whispered, "Then you'll have to stay by my side from now on."
"Don't worry." Ye Xing pinched Kazusa's cheek and smiled. "Of course I will."
...
Half an hour later, the television interview finally concluded.
Youko Touma stood up and walked over to Kazusa, giving a slight nod in greeting. "You're here?"
"Yes, I'm here."
Watching the exchange between mother and daughter, Ye Xing had only one impression: awkward.
Everything about it was awkward.
Kazusa's extremely awkward, emotionally inexpressive personality was clearly inherited from her mother.
After greeting her daughter, Youko turned her attention to Ye Xing standing nearby, her eyes sparkling with amused interest. "And this is... your boyfriend?"
Kazusa's face flushed red as she flusteredly explained, "Don't say such things, it'll cause trouble for others! This is my classmate, Ye Xing."
"Oh?" Youko examined Ye Xing with keen interest, her tone meaningful. "Really just classmates?"
Before Kazusa could respond, Ye Xing smiled and delivered a reply that took Youko by surprise. "We're just classmates for now. What happens later... is hard to say."
Youko blinked in momentary surprise, then her expression shifted to one of appreciation.
This young man... was rather interesting.
As for her daughter's awkward personality, she, as the mother, understood it better than anyone.
Kazusa Touma had always been accustomed to hiding her true feelings behind an aggressive exterior when dealing with others, so it was quite surprising that she would come looking for her together with a boy her own age.
If there wasn't something going on between them, Youko Touma wouldn't believe it even if you beat her to death.
After saying this, Ye Xing smiled and spoke up.
"Since we've met, I won't disturb your rare mother-daughter reunion. There are still club matters I need to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."
"Mm."
Kazusa Touma nodded in response, then showed a hesitant expression before finally calling out to stop Ye Xing just as he was entering the elevator.
"Um..."
"What is it?"
Kazusa Touma's pretty face flushed red as she spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"Be... be careful."
"Don't worry."
After Ye Xing left, Youko Touma looked at her daughter with a teasing expression, speaking meaningfully.
"It seems I'll be becoming a grandmother soon."
Kazusa Touma's face turned crimson with embarrassment.
"P-please... don't... don't say such nonsense!"
Neither Kazusa Touma nor Youko Touma realised.
Because of Ye Xing's appearance, the atmosphere of their mother-daughter meeting was no longer like before, where, aside from asking whether piano recitals were busy or not, they had no other topics to discuss.
...
The following afternoon, in a café in Kyoto City.
"My, my, I'm sorry for being late."
Haruno Yukinoshita pushed the door open and, upon seeing Ye Xing and Yukino Yukinoshita sitting there, immediately walked over with a smiling face.
She sat down beside Yukino and smiled.
"My adorable little sister, it's been so long since we last met. Have you missed me?"
Yukino's tone was quite flat.
"Please act normally."
"My, still so tsundere as ever."
Haruno first covered her mouth with a light laugh, then turned her gaze to Ye Xing, sitting opposite them, speaking playfully.
"Then what about my handsome boyfriend? During this time, have you and my adorable little sister done anything that goes beyond friendship?"
Ye Xing answered very honestly.
"I'd like to, but we haven't."
Watching Haruno and Ye Xing taking turns talking nonsense, Yukino couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
"If you called me here just to discuss such boring topics, then I'll be going back first. After all, tomorrow is the final exam..."
Just as Yukino said this, Haruno put away her smile and interrupted with a serious expression.
"What I want to talk to you about is precisely regarding this exam."
Haruno picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. The bitter taste of the coffee made her mind a bit clearer, and she turned to look at Yukino beside her, then slowly began to speak.
"You should know that mother is strongly opposed to you leaving Chiba Prefecture to study in Kyoto City."
"I know that, but..."
"Let me finish first."
Haruno spoke with a serious expression.
"Recently, there have been numerous violent crimes in Kyoto City. On top of that, there's been news about some serial killer targeting junior and high school girls."
"Mother's position is very clear."
"Even if you want to continue studying in Kyoto, you should transfer to Shuchi'in Academy. With their security measures, as long as you live on campus, your personal safety won't be a concern."
"Otherwise, return to Chiba Prefecture."
Having said this, Haruno paused slightly before suddenly changing the subject.
"But things aren't completely without room for manoeuvre."