Thanks to his visit to his wife, Naga's restlessness had lessened considerably by the time he set off the next day. This gave him ample patience to avoid appearing impatient and lecherous after meeting his travel companions.
If he hadn't had that impromptu release last night, he probably wouldn't have been able to resist the urge to hug and caress the girl next to him.
Because compared to the photos, her actual appearance is even more similar to Yua's. If Yua were to meet her, she would probably be surprised and wonder if she has a lost older sister.
Of course, there are many differences. At least two people who know each other would never mistake one for the other.
Because of her dance training from a young age, although she wasn't tall, her figure was well-proportioned and slender, and her calves, visible beneath her knee-length skirt, had just the right amount of muscle elasticity. Her breasts and hips weren't particularly full, but thanks to her exceptionally slender waist, they still formed a rather attractive figure.
The girl was the type who was very easy to get along with, and the two quickly became acquainted on the way to the airport.
She was much more lively than Yui, and never gave Naga's ears a moment's peace. Fortunately, her voice was very clear, with a slight Kagoshima accent, which made it quite pleasant to listen to.
Her biggest dream is to become a famous actress, whether in stage plays or film and television dramas. Before applying to the agency, she had already applied to Takarazuka twice, but unfortunately failed both times. This time, she left her parents and two younger sisters behind and went to Tokyo alone, mentally prepared for one last attempt.
The entertainment industry is incredibly competitive. Once you miss your prime, all you can do is try to gain popularity by entering the adult entertainment circle and strive for roles that involve selling sex appeal in late-night dramas or pink films. Worse still, some become hopelessly addicted to the world of adult film actresses, dedicating their entire youth to the tissue boxes next to young men's screens.
So, for them, they actually share a similar mindset with Risha. They will try their best to seize any possible opportunity, no matter the cost.
This kind of young girl, already possessing a "what's the worst that could happen" mentality, could indeed save Naga a lot of trouble. After all, he was an honest trader; as long as he was satisfied, he would ensure the other party received a corresponding return. Compared to scumbags who used the guise of directors or producers to deceive and exploit young girls before disappearing, he felt no remorse whatsoever.
However, just before arriving at the airport, Naga couldn't help but ask, "Suzuki, are you really willing to do anything to become a star?"
"Yes, President, you can rest assured that I will not let you down. This inspection will definitely make you very happy," Hikaru said earnestly, his flushed face showing little shyness but rather a resolute determination.
As expected, they only resembled each other in appearance. Naga sighed inwardly. Yui wouldn't sacrifice herself for such a vain dream, much less use her body as a bargaining chip. Even with Hoshina, with whom she had been deeply in love for so long, they had only gone as far as a light kiss.
And the light beside her is probably already very skilled at oral sex.
"President, my acting skills are superb. What kind of girl would you like me to be to accompany you?" Seemingly noticing that Naga's mood was a bit down, Hikaru quickly said, making several different kinds of expressions, "Innocent little sister, strong-willed older sister, cute loli, cool tomboy, weak little pitiful girl, I can do them all!"
He slowed down, reached out and stroked her hair, smiling as he said, "No need. You'll have countless opportunities to play all sorts of roles in the future. When you're with me, just be yourself."
Hikaru looked at him with joy and excitedly said something that Naga had often heard but which sounded completely different to her now, "President, you... are such a good person!"
Is it possible to be called a good person simply for offering an opportunity to exchange for a girl's young and beautiful body, given that such a low-level transaction is not fraudulent?
In a society rife with materialism, the standards for good and bad have changed so much that they are hard to adapt to.
After boarding the plane, Naga felt a little regretful.
He should have let Hikari temporarily play the role of a clueless, emotionless girl on the plane; at least that would make the journey much quieter. Listening to her chattering about her hometown, her childhood, her two younger sisters, and her ex-boyfriend—all sorts of interesting things—Naga forced a smile, but what she really wanted to do was sleep.
"With your open and honest personality, your manager will probably have a lot of headaches after you enter the entertainment industry, right?" Naga interjected after she finally finished speaking.
Hikaru immediately shook his head and said with a smile, "No way, I only tell my stories to the right people. A man like you, the president, who makes you feel trust and security so instantly, is the first one I've met since I grew up. The more I'm with you, the more I feel that I can entrust everything to you without any problem."
Have I developed this trait without even realizing it? Naga smiled and patted her head, just like he often did to Yua, with a hint of doting. "The plane will be flying for a long time. If you're tired, lean back and take a nap."
"I'm still full of energy." She glanced out the window. "Although I've had my passport for a long time, I've only ever used it once, on a ship. This is my first time flying, and my heart is pounding with excitement." She craned her neck to check the flight attendant's position and whispered, "Hey, President, do you want to touch it? I'm not lying."
Tsk... what a straightforward girl. He glanced around at the passengers in the same row and shook his head. "No need, I can see it. Your face is completely red."
She stuck out her tongue and whispered, "Oh dear, I failed. President, you seem a little down. Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"If you want to help me, then you'd better brush up on your supposedly excellent English." Naga smiled, picked up an eye mask, put it on, and prepared to get a good night's sleep. After all, the things he needed to do after arriving were very energy-consuming.
"Yes, sir! President!"
Hmm... with such terrible spoken English, I'll probably need to find a tour guide/translator after I land.
This wasn't too difficult. For Naga now, anything that could be solved with money wasn't a problem. Using only broken English as a means of communication, they quickly hired a qualified and reliable guide at an agency near the airport.
To Hikaru Suzuki, who hadn't even finished junior college, Keiko Amada, a master's student fluent in English, French, and German, was simply as amazing as a goddess. He stared at the materials provided by the agency with a look of astonishment, as if to say, "Is she really human?"
Keiko's part-time jobs typically target business delegations or high-end tour groups; such opportunities are not uncommon in a place like Paris. Given her qualifications and abilities, private travelers like Naga would generally not choose to hire her.
However, Naga offered three times the commission of the highest-end business tour group, settled daily.
Half an hour later, the bright red car pulled up in front of the agency. The driver, a woman with mixed-race, somewhat European features, brushed her wavy hair back and pulled her sunglasses down slightly. Through the lowered window, she spoke in heavily accented, almost deliberately affected Japanese: "I thought it would be some nouveau riche old man with a belly bigger than my car's hood, but it turns out you're a fairly handsome guy. Is that you? Want to hire me for five days?"
Naga nodded and tossed her suitcase onto the back seat without any hesitation. "Yumeno Naga, this is my travel companion, Suzuki Hikaru. Please take care of me for the next five days."
"Oh, what a cute little girl." Keiko pushed her sunglasses back in front of her eyes and said with a smile, "Now that the employment relationship is established, please pay today's salary as agreed. Also, if it involves long-distance travel, you will pay my travel expenses as well. Is that alright?"
"No." Naga took out a stack of pre-exchanged foreign currency from the inside pocket of his suit and handed it to her. "This is all the payment. You don't need to pay me every day anymore. I trust you won't do anything fraudulent."
Keiko raised an eyebrow in surprise, quickly counted them all, and then said in confusion, "This... seems like there are way too many, doesn't it?"
"I'm completely unfamiliar with this area. The extra money is for the three of us to eat and stay. Please let me know if it's not enough."
She smiled and whistled, "That's enough. It's only five days. As long as I don't suddenly go crazy and throw money all over the place, it'll be more than enough."
"Alright, let's go. First, let's find a hotel for tonight. If you don't need to go back, you can ask for one too." Naga leaned back lazily in the back seat and closed her eyes.
They hadn't planned on doing any serious research. After booking a hotel room, the three of them started exploring the various neighborhoods like ordinary tourists. Hikaru and Keiko chatted incessantly, while Naga remained quiet, his attention entirely focused on the people around him. Having learned from his previous experience, he didn't want to miss any excellent food this time. As long as someone slightly whetted his appetite, he would try his best to subtly memorize all their characteristics.
He had considered the situation repeatedly. If a tourist showed signs of being in a coma, it would definitely cause quite a stir locally. However, if it were a local, the impact would be much smaller, and he could leave with peace of mind. He had always heard that France was a romantic country, so the people there should have very rich imaginations and creativity, and the probability of producing excellent ingredients should be very high.
"I run an entertainment agency. Since I'm here abroad for research, the most important thing to observe is people. Focusing on tourist hotspots doesn't help my travel goals at all." He casually used this excuse to brush it off, and then moved on to a more authentic place for the afternoon.
Contrary to the image portrayed in movies, the French people I saw on the street always seemed rather lazy. I also didn't see any of the legendary passionate women. Keiko explained that those girls mostly congregate in areas with many tourists, and what accompanies those passionate hugs and kisses is their hands slipping into your coat pockets.
Thefts caused by men being seduced by the alluring eyes of French women occur countless times every day, to the point that the police are too tired to handle them all.
The afternoon's wandering wasn't entirely fruitless. Guided by instinct, Naga had etched images of two people into her mind. One was a middle-aged, balding photographer with friendly blue eyes brimming with the light of free imagination; the other was a painter, a French woman around thirty years old, who exuded a strong, alluring scent as she painted on the street—the kind only Naga could detect.
After all, he was more interested in women. Although the female painter was not a particularly beautiful woman, Naga still stood aside and watched her intently for a long time. The impression she left on him was definitely much deeper than that of the photographer.
Satisfied with their meal, Naga set aside extra money for dinner, and the three of them went out for a famous French meal. Although Naga wasn't used to the oily flavors of the food, the other two ladies thoroughly enjoyed it.
After dinner, Naga decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. Keiko reminded him that this area was close to a slum, where many African and Eastern European immigrants lived together, and the security was relatively chaotic. She advised him to stay away from the area if he was just going to take a walk.
Naga didn't want to cause trouble, so of course she had no reason to object.
Not long after they walked, Naga noticed that Hikaru's gaze kept drifting towards the clothing store across the street, and he even started to give irrelevant answers and seemed distracted during his conversation with Keiko.
He couldn't help but chuckle, patted Hikaru's head, and said to Keiko, "Take her to the shop across the street and take a look. If she likes something, buy it first, and I'll pay the difference later."
"Wow, thank you, President!" Without any pretense of politeness, Hikaru immediately grabbed Keiko's hand happily and said excitedly, "Ameda-neechan, let's go take a look."
"Wow, what a generous president! If I ever meet a boss like that, I'll definitely go all out and travel with you. The clothes over there aren't cheap, you know; many are handmade by famous tailors." Keiko said without any mockery, but her tone seemed a little envious.
"If you see something you like, just pick one or two." Naga shrugged nonchalantly and said with a smile, "The function of money is to be spent. Even money itself will feel honored to spend it on beautiful ladies."
Keiko chuckled and pulled Hikaru's hand toward the sidewalk. "If possible, I really hope to meet more wonderful guests like you in the future."
"Oh, right, President, where are you waiting for us?" Hikaru hurriedly turned around and asked, without asking him the silly question of whether he wanted to come along. He didn't seem like the type to enjoy shopping in clothing stores.
Naga looked around and saw a relatively quiet coffee shop not far ahead. After all, it was right next to the slums, and he didn't really want to wander around. "I'll just look around first and wait for you there later."
Hikaru nodded happily and quickly ran across the zebra crossing with Keiko.
As Naga approached the coffee shop, he realized a problem that was neither too big nor too small.
Keiko also went to pick out clothes, but he didn't understand French. His limited English was probably barely enough to prevent him from embarrassing himself by ordering coffee.
He scratched his nose and decided to wander around anyway. Since it was nearby and well-lit, there shouldn't be any danger.
Not far from here, there is a long alley where the streetlights barely reach. The buildings on both sides are very old and look like a good set that could be used in a horror movie.
But the streets over there seemed even more lively than this one; you could faintly hear rhythmic drumbeats from this end of the alley.
Maybe tomorrow during the day, I should consider going over there, to see the other side of this city.
I wonder how different it will be from the dark corners of Tokyo.
He watched for a while, and was about to walk away when he heard a not-so-loud shout coming from the alley.
It was somewhat broken English, spoken with a timid tone, yet filled with a subtle expectation.
Naga turned around in confusion and looked into the alley.
"Sir." A little girl, barely reaching Naga's chest, stepped out of the shadows of the alley into the illuminated area. She wore a white floral dress, her limbs so slender they seemed about to break, her cheekbones slightly high, and her deep-set eyes shone with jewel-like blue light. She seemed hesitant to step out of the alley, standing there where she could easily escape back into the darkness, looking at him expectantly, and whispering in broken, heavily accented English, "Do you want…"
Me?
Naga frowned. The English was so bad that he could understand it. He was actually afraid that he had misunderstood.
The little girl waited a few seconds, seemingly thinking Naga hadn't understood. She bent down and quickly pulled the hem of her dress up to her abdomen, revealing her lower limbs, which had almost no fat accumulation. Her thighs were thin, and her mons pubis, unprotected by underwear, was nakedly exposed under the light. There was hardly any hair there, only a bare, tender vulva with the snow-white skin typical of Westerners.
That was clearly not the genitalia a little girl should have; the well-developed labia minora extended from the center of the swollen vulva, and several bluish bruises could be vaguely seen on the inner thighs.
She looked at Naga, pointed at him, then pointed to her genitals, and whispered, "Only 10 euros."
It felt as if something had struck her chest, and Naga couldn't help but take a half step back. Suddenly, she felt that the adult games with cute loli characters that she used to play on the computer seemed a bit disgusting.
The little girl's face was expressionless, as if she were seriously selling candy she didn't want. She lifted her skirt even higher, above her armpits, revealing breasts that were far from being able to wear a bra. But even on such completely flat chests, faint red teeth marks could be seen on one nipple.
Judging from the looks of it, this girl must have just had a customer, a rude and... guy.
"9 earos, okay?" The little girl frowned her delicate brows and reluctantly lowered the price by 1 euro.
Her undeveloped body, in her own mind, seemed to be nothing more than a commodity that could be bargained over.
Before Naga could reply, a drunken middle-aged man staggered to the alley entrance and began vomiting against the wall. Naga quickly frowned and took two steps back.
The little girl also took two steps back into the darkness in disgust, letting her dress fall down. But after hesitating for a moment, she walked back to her previous spot and said to the drunkard, "Sir, 10 euros. Do you want me?"
The drunkard burped, raised his head, and then his hazy, drunken eyes immediately lit up. They were also blue eyes, but his were like those of a lynx sneaking around hunting poultry on the edge of a forest, ferocious and filled with blatant desire.
The drunkard mumbled something Naga couldn't understand, then patted his pockets and walked into the alley like a gray wolf heading towards a rabbit with a broken leg.
Naga swallowed hard, then suddenly took two steps forward, grabbed the drunkard's shoulder, and said in broken English, "She is me, uh...mine."
The drunkard glared at him, cursed something in French, then pulled a wad of loose change from his pocket, stepped past the little girl, and walked to the other end of the alley.
There were obviously other similar amusements on the other end, so he didn't need to argue with a foreigner about it.
The little girl seemed relieved and walked timidly to Naga's side, extending her hand, "Sir, please money first."
It was really bad English that even Naga could understand. He felt his pocket and found a 50 euro note. He shook his head slightly and put the 50 euro note into the little girl's hand.
The little girl's jewel-like blue eyes suddenly lit up with a dazzling joy. She grabbed Naga's hand and pulled her into the alley.
Obviously, such a transaction with a child prostitute could never happen in a normal hotel; it would happen somewhere at the other end of an alley, perhaps in a dilapidated attic on a creaky single bed.
But that didn't matter, because Naga didn't want to go. He grabbed the girl, shook his head, and said, "No."
The girl looked bewildered, as if trying to find a suitable combination from her limited vocabulary to express what she wanted to say.
If this stalemate continues, the police will take them away, right? Naga was a little anxious, but he really didn't want to do anything to the girl. He just... just acted on impulse and didn't want that drunkard to take advantage of the little girl for 10 yuan.
Fortunately, Keiko ran over at that moment. She had just come out of the first clothing store and noticed something unusual about Naga. Knowing that this customer was completely unable to communicate with the locals, she had no choice but to leave Hikari where she was and rush over herself.
The little girl's French was just as bad, but her German was very fluent, second only to her native language, which was full of rolled "r" sounds. After exchanging a few words in German, at Naga's suggestion, Keiko took the little girl with her to the coffee shop next door.
Even without Keiko's help, Hikaru couldn't communicate with the shop owner who only spoke French, so he had no choice but to come along as well.
"Hey... President, you... you don't have this kind of perverted interest, do you?" Hikaru asked in a low voice, unaware of the situation.
Naga gave her a light tap on the head. "Idiot, what pedophile would bring someone to a coffee shop?"
He looked at Keiko, who was also a little puzzled, and said in a low voice, "I don't have any other thoughts, it's just... I'm quite curious about them."
That's the truth. He was indeed a little curious. He had paid for five times, so it wasn't really a pervert to just ask a question in a coffee shop, was it?
Perhaps mistaking Naga for an undercover reporter, the little girl kept her mouth shut and refused to say anything. Keiko repeatedly explained the situation, and Naga added another 50-yen bill before the little girl hesitantly began to speak.
This was also the first time Keiko had met someone like this in person. After listening for a while, without Naga asking any questions, she started asking about some details herself.
From what Keiko relayed, Naga heard something that was not far from what he had imagined.
The little girl's name is Anna. In this alley, there are at least ten other Eastern European girls with the same name, but it doesn't matter. For them, a name is just a code used when they are called to dinner.
Anna is twelve years old, or maybe eleven, who can remember? Even her mother doesn't know who her father is. Her mother is a prostitute, just like Anna, who started prostituting herself at a very young age.
Anna took her first client when she was seven. She bled a lot, and when the pain was at its worst, her mother held her hands tightly, afraid that she would scratch the fat man panting like a pig. She could only clearly remember the face of that one client.
When she was nine, her mother died of drugs, and her body wasn't discovered until it started to decompose. She was the one who found it.
At that time, she was carrying the monthly allowance from the brothel, intending to go home and give it to her mother, only to find a pile of rotting flesh with maggots crawling in the attic.
For her, sex was a job, a job that could earn her food, water, clean clothes, and some money.
The underground brothel where she worked alone had dozens of girls like her.
Perhaps, for a traveler like Naga, this story is fresh and intricate. But for Anna, who has been living like this for several years, it is just one chapter in her long life that will continue for the foreseeable future.
Naga admitted to Keiko that for a fleeting moment, he had the idea of taking the girl away and letting her grow up and live like a normal girl. But that thought quickly vanished because it was unrealistic.
"With all this money, why don't you start a foundation to save underage prostitutes?" Keiko said with a hint of melancholy on the way back to the hotel.
Naga didn't answer, but asked in a low voice, "Keiko, Hikaru, do you think a child like that can still have dreams?"
Guang wiped her eyes, still not fully recovered from the sadness, and said in a slightly sobbing voice, "It will definitely happen. As long as you're human, you have the ability to dream."
"Then tell me, what would Anna, with her numb life, dream about?"
"Maybe it's candy, maybe...maybe it's her loving parents, whatever it is, it will be a thousand times, ten thousand times better than reality. There will be no man there who will hurt her, and someone will buy her lots and lots of delicious food!" Guang said excitedly. "If...if they could all live like in a dream, how wonderful that would be."
Keiko seemed to have composed herself, and said with a deliberately cold tone, "That's impossible. This world is just that cruel."