Chapter 873

PS：Recently designing the outline and content of a new case, resuming two updates tomorrow, ah, thinking about the plot and the case is so painful!

In the hallway, something was moving.

Aragaki Yui's blood seemed to be frozen by something, her fingertips felt cold, her toes felt cold, but her forehead was covered in sweat.

She held her breath, motionless.

The footsteps grew closer and clearer, she could feel the sound moving step by step, slowly, irresistibly toward her direction in the hallway.

It stopped at the doorway.

The doorknob moved slightly.

Aragaki Yui saw it, in the faint light seeping through the door crack, the doorknob slowly pressed down a little.

Then it sprang back.

It pressed down again.

Then sprang back again.

As if something was trying to open the door but couldn't manage it, she heard breathing—very heavy, as if something's lungs had a serious illness, each breath accompanied by a damp, sticky sound.

Aragaki Yui curled into a ball under the trembling blanket, her trembling fingers reaching for the phone on the bedside cabinet, she almost blindly typed the password, opened LINE, found the previous contact method, and typed a line: "Someone is at the door of Room 308, please come check." Sent.

Then she added another: "Please don't knock, just come directly!"

The reply came quickly: "Okay, I'll arrange staff to come check right away."

The footsteps were still there.

The doorknob was still moving, that sound had a strange rhythm, it tried again and again, failed and tried again, failed and tried again, like an old machine with a jammed program, forever stuck on the same step.

Aragaki Yui pulled the blanket above her nose, only revealing a pair of eyes staring at the door. She dared not close her eyes, afraid that if she closed them and opened them again, the door would be open.

Footsteps came from the hallway, this time the sound of someone walking, leather shoes on carpet, muffled, but the rhythm was normal.

A flashlight beam swept from under the door gap. The doorknob outside stopped moving. The damp breathing sound also disappeared. Knocking sounded—three times, not light nor heavy, normal human hand knocking.

"Aragaki-san? I'm hotel staff. Are you still there?"

Aragaki Yui crawled out from under the blanket, barefoot walked to the door, looked outside through the peephole. In the hallway stood a man in hotel uniform, holding a flashlight, expression somewhat tense. She opened the door, poked out half her face.

"You said someone was at the door, I walked around the hallway, saw no one." The staff's tone was polite, but his eyes held a hint of imperceptible confusion, "Did you have a nightmare? Or did you hear the sound from the next room?"

Aragaki Yui wanted to say it wasn't a nightmare, wasn't the next room, but she opened her mouth and found she had no evidence. The hallway was empty, the doorknob was fine, whatever she said sounded like a hallucination.

"... Maybe I misheard." She said.

The staff nodded, said "good night" and left.

Aragaki Yui closed the door, hung the chain, returned to bed, leaned against the headboard, didn't lie down, she kept the light on, eyes fixed on the door. However, not long after—about half an hour later—the footsteps came again.

Dong-sha yi-yi dong yi-yi sha yi, same rhythm, same weight, same scalp-numbing slowness. The doorknob moved again. Press down, spring back, press down, spring back, that damp breathing pressed against the door crack, as if something was lying there, trying to peer through that paper-thin gap to see her inside.

Aragaki Yui had no choice but to message the front desk again, the staff came again, the hallway was empty again, the footsteps disappeared again.

By the third time, the front desk attendant's voice on the phone shifted from polite to confused, from confused to suppressed impatience.

"Aragaki-san, we really checked, there's nothing in the hallway. We also checked the cameras—from when you first called until now, no one has passed by the Room 308 door……Do you need us to change your room?"

Aragaki Yui fell silent.

She thought for a long time, said she didn't need it, then dialed Hoshino Gen's number.

At this time Hoshino Gen had already gone to bed, and upon receiving the call immediately got up: "I'll come right over."

After hearing Aragaki Yui's words, his first reaction wasn't to doubt Aragaki Yui, nor to believe in ghosts, but to think the hotel was unreliable. "You're alone and scared, I'll stay at your door tonight." He said this in a very flat tone, like saying "The weather today is nice."

So it was that Hoshino Gen simply stood guard all night in Aragaki Yui's room.

Actually Hoshino Gen is just such a man—he's an extroverted introvert, he's actually not very handsome, nor the type to actively pursue others, but he has one merit: he's plain and steadfast, and quite inwardly refined; when you need him, he'll proactively come over; when you don't need him, he can also consciously keep his distance to give you enough space.

To Aragaki Yui, this is exactly the typical "economical and practical man."

Moreover, Hoshino Gen is actually a top-tier male entertainer—he's appeared on Kohaku Uta Gassen, won many awards, pairing with Aragaki Yui is not a loss, especially since GAKKI fell from grace.

Actually many male stars, even including those paired with maki sauce—namely Horikita Maki's Yamamoto Kōshi—are also Taiga drama actors, Name Hideyuki, kabuki lineage, just less known across the sea, while the famous pairing of Sasaki Nozomi and Watanabe Ken is even more so—Sasaki Nozomi has always been just a gravure idol below idol level, at most barely counting as a third-rate actor in the acting world, while Watanabe Ken is a first-rate comedian, his annual income casually tens of millions, a true tycoon, therefore Watanabe Ken kept cheating after marriage, Sasaki Nozomi didn't plan to divorce, because she knows she couldn't find better. Hoshino Gen moved a chair to sit by the door, at first the hallway was very quiet, only the hum of the heating pipes and occasional muffled TV sounds from other rooms.

Hoshino Gen leaned against the chair back, slowly closed his eyes.

Ah, I'm still sleepy"

However, just as he fell asleep in the chair for about one or two hours, at the same time.

Footsteps came from the east end of the hallway.

Dong-sha yi-yi dong yi-yi sha Hoshino Gen opened his eyes, he was somewhat trembling, got up to look through the peephole at the darkness at the east end of the hallway, the footsteps grew closer and heavier, as if something was emerging from that darkness, step by step, slowly, irresistibly moving this way.

But within his field of vision there was nothing, looking through the peephole several times showed the same.

Hoshino Gen felt fear, he subconsciously glanced inside the room, then instinctively grabbed the ashtray, then tremulously gripped the doorknob, took two deep breaths, anger surged from his heart, evil rose to his courage!

Whoever you are, I'll fight you!

However, at the exact moment Hoshino Gen grabbed the doorknob, that sound seemed to sense there were others inside, paused, then went toward the west end of the hallway, growing fainter and fainter, finally disappearing around some corner, no door opening sound, no door closing sound, nothing at all. Aragaki Yui and Hoshino Gen inside the room both let out a relieved sigh, they exchanged a glance.

Uesugi Shiro!

You guys hurry back!

We two can't bear the tooth sound!

And Hoshino Gen suddenly realized, in this world some things might truly not be explicable by science.

We need the power of Shinto!

"Tomorrow, go ask Uesugi-san and Mai-sama……" Hoshino Gen said with difficulty: "For tonight, let's just leave it like this."

"Mm." Aragaki Yui silently nodded.

At the same time that night, Asuka Hot Springs, Tsugaruya.

Unlike the hotel side's chill, fear, and sleepless night, here the night begins from a pool of warm spring water.

When Uesugi Muneyuki finished bathing in the hot spring and returned to his room, the hallway was already quiet.

The night snack sent by the female proprietor was still on the table, untouched, the tea had cooled, he changed into a yukata, sat by the window, looking at the snow-covered courtyard outside.

Moonlight shone on the snow, reflecting a cold, almost blue light.

Hmph~ Believe in the holy light!

Uesugi Muneyuki smiled as he sipped shochu.

Oh no, this is the White Tiger meteor shower!

Demonic beasts fighting crickets, joy every episode!

This episode, let's see who can kill the most first-class White Tigers!

After waiting a long time, Mai Xuejie didn't come.

Asuka didn't come either.

"?" Uesugi Muneyuki waited a while, thinking, could it be that one monk fetches water to drink, two monks carry water to drink, three monks have no water to drink? This, this isn't right?

Fortunately, after waiting a while, there was movement.

The sound of the paper door being gently pulled open was almost inaudible, but Uesugi Muneyuki heard it.

He turned his head and saw Miyawaki Sakura kneeling at the door, her hands placed properly on her knees, her head slightly bowed, like a painting.

"Mr. Uesugi." Sakura revealed a radiant smile: "You've been waiting a long time, haven't you?"

She wore a performance outfit—a light pink dress, the hem above the knees, layers of sheer fabric glowing softly in the light, the collar and cuffs adorned with tiny sequins, like crushed starlight in the night sky.

Her hair was let down, draped over her shoulders, the ends slightly curled, slipping to her chest as she bowed her head, her pure and cute face touched with light makeup, eyeshadow in pink-brown, blush perfectly applied to the apples of her cheeks, lip gloss sparkling, making her look like she stepped out of a girl idol album cover.

But what held Uesugi Muneyuki's gaze the longest was her legs.

Sakura wore a pair of white polka-dot velvet stockings, thick for autumn and winter, velvet texture, fine pile on the surface, looking soft and pliable under the light, like whipped cream dusted with sugar.

The polka dots were matte, evenly distributed on the white base, the legs wrapped in white silk extending from the hem, kneeling straight on the tatami mat, knees together, calves slightly apart, the tops of her feet touching the mat, toes together, her posture dignified as if participating in an important ritual. She wore a pair of nude low-cut high-heeled shoes placed by the door, not worn in—this detail made Uesugi Muneyuki's heart twitch slightly. "Sakura? Is it you?" Uesugi Muneyuki set down his wine cup.

"It's me." Miyawaki Sakura straightened up, lifted her head, and looked at Uesugi Muneyuki.

Her eyes held nervousness, anticipation, and a quiet firmness that comes only after a great resolve: "Soon, Sakura will be 19 years old."

"Although but, Japan's legal adulthood is theoretically 20." Uesugi Muneyuki smirked: "I don't want to go through another Sakuradamon hearing." "Yes, but, Japan's legal age of sexual consent is 18, and Sakura has far exceeded 18 by over a hundred days!" "So, Uesugi Teacher." She spoke, her voice lower than usual but steady: "From now on, please guide me."

She lowered her head, her forehead nearly touching the tatami mat. The standard, solemn, disciple greeting the master.

But placed in this time, this place, this attire, this atmosphere, the meaning of those words was fully understood by Uesugi Muneyuki. He leaned against the window frame, looked at her for a while, and smiled. Not mockery, but the kind of "you finally decided" smile.

"It seems you've made up your mind?"

Miyawaki Sakura straightened up, looked into his eyes, and nodded seriously: "I've decided. Sakura had decided this when she moved to Tokyo." From the countryside to Tokyo, from a small city to a metropolis, from an ordinary girl to becoming an idol on stage.

She had seen too much—seen the glamorous side of this circle, and also seen those things that can't be written in fan letters, hidden behind the break room door, hidden at the end of the hotel corridor, the rules of the adult world.

She had become a Public Security informant too early, so she understands more truly than anyone what Tokyo means.

Staying in the countryside would be like Aomori.

Tokyo is indeed a meat grinder that devours all youthful life and energy, but if she stayed in the countryside, that would be a truly meaningless, dull life!

The idol's path has limits!

Age will grow, looks will fade, fans will leave, popularity will cool.

What she can sell is not much, but the most valuable thing, she has always kept.

"Sakura before moving to Tokyo from Kagoshima." She said, the corner of her mouth slightly lifting, her eyes shining: "Still the now-famous Sakura, center of 48 System, people's choice, Divine Hand Female Lead No. 2."

Uesugi Muneyuki looked at her and suddenly felt this girl was far smarter than he thought.

That clear knowing of what she wants and willingness to pay the price for it, with a touch of innocence and a touch of ruthlessness—"So," he said with a laugh: "Is this your high-position cash-out?"

Miyawaki Sakura tilted her head, her expression serious as if pondering a philosophical problem.

Then she laughed, shook her head, and her hair swayed with the motion.

"No." She said: "This is called 'Sakura~Flower^Stand~Will~Legend' oh."

"When will it reach Taikō entering Tang?" Uesugi Muneyuki laughed, then waved at her.

She stood up, her knees leaving two shallow indentations on the tatami mat.

She walked to him, looked down at him—because he was sitting and she was standing, this angle rarely occurred between them—then Sakura reached out, her fingers lightly touching his shoulder, her whole body leaning forward, falling into his embrace.

Her lips met his, delivering a sincere, warm kiss, pressing her entire weight into it. Her lips were soft, the lip gloss strawberry-flavored, sweet and sticky, like a special treat for girl idols. Uesugi Muneyuki's hand rested on her waist, feeling her waistline and slight warmth through the thin sheer fabric of her performance outfit.

The two shared a sweet French wet kiss.

After entangling for a while, the slightly oxygen-deprived Sakura pulled back a little, her forehead touching his, eyes close. Those eyes held a hint of tears.

"Mr. Uesugi," her voice light as a feather, yet each word clear: "I know. As an idol, your willingness to have me is giving me face. This opportunity, Sakura must seize."

"Pfft" there's one thing, indeed." Uesugi Muneyuki couldn't help but laugh.

Back then, he had just debuted, young and inexperienced; if it were now, he'd probably lose interest in idols. All day eating hot pot, he wouldn't bother with spicy boiled dishes.

She paused, lowered her eyelashes, her voice even lower: "Mr. Uesugi, I know you're a traditional man, raised in traditional Peerage family education, you'll surely leave a deep impression on a girl who gives her first time. So Sakura has decided, since giving, let's ask a good price." Uesugi Muneyuki looked at her.

She understands everything.

Sakura looks foolish, but that's just her persona; this girl is actually very smart.

Yet beneath this very smart exterior, she is foolish.

From the moment she moved to Tokyo, she had decided on the "high-position cash-out," "rare commodity can be hoarded" scheme, never thinking of doing anything else, not even if she earned 30 million a year—she still firmly walks this path.

He reached out, lifted her face, his thumb lightly brushing her lower lip: "Are you sure I'm a good person?"

Miyawaki Sakura laughed, laughed so sweetly it could drown someone in it, she reached out and clasped Uesugi Muneyuki's hand, fingers intertwined, then lowered her head and placed a kiss on the back of his hand.

"Sure, from now on, no Miyawaki Sakura, from now on it's Uesugi Ō!"

Uesugi Minami, Uesugi Erina, Uesugi Asuka, Uesugi Mai, Uesugi Ehliang, Uesugi Mikoto.

Uesugi Muneyuki thought, Grandfather, did you see that?

This is your blessing to me!

Uesugi Muneyuki lifted Miyawaki Sakura from the ground, her white silk knees brushing his thigh, the velvet touch incredibly soft, she wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and whispered.

"Mr. Uesugi, Sakura will be your woman from now on."

The tone carried tension, anticipation, a little fear, and so much joy—joy that Wazō and Shōzō could not contain.

"Please take care of my life after the cherry blossoms!"