Chapter 22: Adults
"Biyoo, you said nine o'clock yesterday, didn't you?"
Inside the Strawberry Pro offices, Ai looked at the late-arriving Hikaru Hoshino with puffed-out cheeks. Because he had overslept, he hadn't shown up until twelve noon.
"I accidentally overslept," Hikaru said, feeling a bit guilty since it was indeed his fault. "Sorry, sorry."
"As compensation, let me treat you to a bento."
Hikaru brought out a bento he had prepared at home. Inside was glistening white rice, paired with shredded potatoes and chunks of braised beef brisket.
"It's not quite like the bento in my memory..." Ai took the lunch box and found it was still warm.
In truth, Ai had never eaten a bento handmade by someone else. Her impression of bento came from the ready-made ones sold in convenience stores—those were essentially cold rice paired with a pork cutlet, a chicken leg, or curry, much like fast food. In anime, handmade bentos often appeared with meatballs and octopus-shaped sausages, but neither of those matched what Hikaru had produced.
"Calling it a bento sounds a bit more poetic," Hikaru said, drifting into a memory. "Actually, it should just be called a 'box meal' (*Hexiafan*)."
"What a blunt way to name it."
As she spoke, Ai opened the box, took out her chopsticks, and began to taste. She put a large piece of brisket into her mouth and quickly flashed a look of bliss.
"Is there none for me?" Ichigo Saitou watched the whole scene from the side, feeling a bit like a third wheel.
Hikaru spared him a glance, his eyes reflecting a hint of disdain.
"You're a grown man asking others for food? How embarrassing."
"Ai, you must never become an adult like that."
"Mhm, mhm." Ai ate her lunch in small bites, her cheeks bulging like a squirrel hoarding pinecones. She didn't quite hear what Hikaru said but instinctively agreed.
Ichigo felt even more wounded. He decided that out of sight meant out of mind, and paced out of his office with a stiff expression.
The moment he stepped out, he was met with the ridicule of Miyako, who was waiting by the door. "Driven out of your own territory in such a pathetic state, I see."
"It can't be helped," Miyako quickly followed up with an excuse for the President. "Young people gravitate toward each other. We've already entered middle age."
"Aqua and Ruby have a complete family now. I'm truly happy for them."
Miyako sighed deeply as she spoke.
"You've come to think of them as your own children, haven't you?" Ichigo stared into Miyako's eyes.
"At our age, it's normal to like children."
"Do you have any thoughts of having one yourself?" Ichigo suddenly leaned in close, giving Miyako a start.
"I'll pass on that," Miyako said crossly. "It sounds like a lot of trouble."
"For this lifetime, it's enough for me to just watch those two grow up safely."
"Is that so..." Ichigo took off his sunglasses, revealing his rather unremarkable square eyes. "I feel the same way."
"Watching Ai shine on stage... I have no regrets left."
At first, Ichigo Saitou saw Ai as the hope to realize his dreams, but after years together, he had long since come to view her as his own daughter. Miyako's situation was much the same; four years ago, when she was assigned to take care of the kids, she felt reluctant and aggrieved. But now, compared to the ethereal dream of marrying a handsome man, accompanying Aqua and Ruby as they grew up held far more appeal.
Time is the most enduring confession of all.
"So, we're both completely wrapped around this family's finger, then."
Miyako burst into laughter and proactively took Ichigo's hand.
"Come on, let's go get something to eat too. We have to work for them this afternoon."
"What are you saying!" Ichigo put on a stern face again. "I'm the President!"
The two walked away, their laughter fading into the distance.
After resting in the lounge for an hour, it was past one in the afternoon. This time, Hikaru Hoshino was truly ready to start working; if he didn't, even a wealthy landlord would run out of grain.
"The usual—handle the arrangement and accompaniment for me."
Hikaru handed the scores for two songs to Ichigo Saitou. One was prepared for Ai's transition, titled *Racing into the Night* (*Yoru ni Kakeru*), a classic YOASOBI track from his past life. This song was so legendary that any Japanese music chart would invariably end with it at the top.
The song, adapted from Mayo Hoshino's novel *Thanatos no Yuuwaku*, was the debut digital single of the YOASOBI duo. By the following year, it had surpassed 200 million streams. In Japan, it was undoubtedly a phenomenon.
Though he didn't know if it could recreate its glorious record in this world, Hikaru brought it out anyway. With such a rich library of music in his head, he couldn't let it go to waste. He'd start with the songs that had won the most awards.
In that spirit, he chose *Dried Flower* for himself. This song's performance was similar to the one above, consistently holding the top two spots on streaming charts for years. Most importantly, it was a gentle love song that fit perfectly with the "melancholy, warm-hearted guy" persona he wanted to build.
With such a song as his debut track, Hikaru felt his star path was incredibly bright.
Ichigo Saitou had been a company president for many years, and Mr. Himura's compositions would usually go through him first. Over time, he had accumulated some musical appreciation. Now, he was humming the melody under his breath, his expression growing more astonished by the second.
"These are masterpieces of pop music."
"This quality is good enough to be the lead single for any singer, yet you bring out two at once. Including that song *Idol*, I don't even know how to describe you anymore."
"Even I have to admit... you might be a genius."
Hikaru accepted the President's praise with a smile, but he wasn't truly happy. He had enough self-awareness to know that Ichigo was praising someone else; he was merely a bridge transporting these works.
Ai looked at Hikaru's smile and suddenly felt it was familiar. This feeling of disguising oneself was just like the old Kamiki. She didn't quite like this side of Hikaru, so she tugged at the corner of his shirt.
Sensing the tug, Hikaru quickly snapped back into work mode and handed the lyrics for both songs to the President. This was the benefit of having a company; there were things he didn't have to worry about. Next, he and Ai just had to wait for the recording.
The convenience of the experience made Hikaru think about acquiring Strawberry Pro again. If he bought this company, he'd have a small but fully functional team, and Ai would be under his wing. He could legitimately plan their development routes as a tightly linked interest group.
But he quickly dismissed the idea again.
Ai couldn't be in the same company as him. They shared the same surname and had a close relationship; on the surface, they should avoid suspicion. Strawberry Pro should keep running as it is. His own team would have to be built by his own hands.
There are no pies falling from the sky, and no results within easy reach. While effort doesn't guarantee a harvest, no effort means having nothing at all.
*Then, let the hard struggle of entrepreneurship begin!*
*A better life is built with one's own hands!*
Hikaru mustered his strength, igniting the passion he once had as a high school senior with a dream. After graduating from a prestigious university, he too had thought of making a name for himself through entrepreneurship, only to end up like everyone else—his sharp edges worn down by society, leaving only a stomach full of reality and emptiness.
"Biyoo, why do you suddenly look like you're on fire?" Ai looked confused.
"Because I plan to start a business."
"Starting a business is very hard. Someone jumps off the roof of the building next door every day."
*Forget it, then.* Hikaru extinguished the fire in his soul and returned to a state of calm.
Only young people get fired up; adults only consider the gains and losses.
And he was no longer young.