novellhall 44. That girl doesn't seem to be your girlfriend, does she?
44. That girl doesn't seem to be your girlfriend, does she?
In the afternoon, sunlight streamed through the glass windows of Omotesando, casting slanted rays onto the carpet of the clothing stores.
In the waiting area outside the fitting room, Haruka Minatsuki stood quietly waiting, her hands folded in front of her, maintaining her usual elegant demeanor as a young lady.
A gentle smile still lingered on her lips, but there was no real joy in it.
Just now, Genji Aoyama deliberately ignored the pile of clothes she had chosen and instead picked out some clothes for himself before going into the fitting room.
This made Haruka Minatsuki realize the problem again—she had no reason to stop it. She was not Genji Aoyama's girlfriend, mother, or sister, and because of her age, she wasn't even a guardian.
Although Haruka Minatsuki considers Genji Aoyama as part of her inheritance, as a treasure she wants to keep hidden, if Genji Aoyama can put aside his morals and be willing to harden his heart, this relationship can be severed at any time.
Haruka Minatsuki thought of what had happened before, when Genji Aoyama was like a peacock in heat, never turning down any woman who tried to talk to him.
"Trying to get rid of me by living off me?"
Haruka Minatsuki suddenly had this thought for no reason.
Given Aoyama Genji's looks and physical attributes, if he were to willingly degenerate, wealthy and leisurely noblewomen would surely flock to him.
No, that's not right.
Haruka Minatsuki then thought of their previously undecided collaboration.
The treasures she covets and wants to keep hidden away may occasionally seem a bit frivolous, but they are definitely driven by ambition.
There's still a chance.
Just as Mitsuki Yoka was lost in thought, the curtain of the fitting room was lifted by a slender hand.
Genji Aoyama came out.
Haruka Minatsuki's somewhat depressed mood dissipated as Genji Aoyama walked by, accompanied by a gust of wind.
With just a simple T-shirt and casual pants, he looks so handsome that you can't take your eyes off him—vibrant, casual, and every move he makes exudes the unique charm of adolescence.
Instead of going to the dressing mirror first, the handsome young man walked towards her with a smile on his face: "What do you think of this outfit, Miss Haruka?"
Haruka Minatsuki's heart skipped a beat.
This wasn't Genji Aoyama showing off his aesthetic sense, but rather conveying his message: he believed in Haruka Minatsuki's aesthetic sense.
Therefore, dealing with this kind of controlling and domineering woman is really troublesome and agonizing.
You need to state your bottom line while also slightly satisfying her desire for control.
While Aoyama Genji was changing clothes, Minatsuki Haruka was like someone who had an auto-reading software running, with content popping up every now and then.
"Very handsome."
Haruka Minatsuki recovered from her momentary lapse in composure and gave her evaluation.
"Genji-kun has great taste too." A smile returned to her face. "But you should also try on those clothes I picked out earlier."
She was very satisfied that Aoyama Genji had asked her to look at the matter first.
"Just wrap it up," said Genji Aoyama.
Men who like to buy clothes do exist, and men who like to change their clothes frequently do exist, but they are definitely not the majority.
Genji Aoyama is the kind of person who finds changing clothes repeatedly troublesome.
Sometimes, when he sees a nice style of clothing, he'll check the size first, then try it on himself to see if it fits, and if it does, he'll pay for it directly.
"Damn it—"
Haruka Minatsuki clearly didn't agree with this approach, and her voice was even as sweet and cute as a young girl's.
No, whether there's a problem or not doesn't affect the fact that she's an inherently beautiful girl.
"Just consider it a learning experience."
That's how Genji Aoyama is; even if he doesn't particularly like something, he can still persevere in doing it.
About an hour later, Aoyama Genji changed back into the clothes he had worn when he entered the men's clothing store. During that time, he seemed to have transformed into the protagonist of a dress-up game, completely at the mercy of others.
Haruka Minatsuki watched as Genji Aoyama walked out of the fitting room, holding the clothes she had just picked out for him.
"Genji-kun?"
She tilted her head slightly, a look of confusion on her face.
Haruka Minatsuki is now completely hooked—it looks like she's playing a dress-up game, or experiencing the character customization feature in some games.
"Miss Haruka, how about we call it quits?" He looked at Haruka Minatsuki. "I'm a male high school student, and I don't usually wear too many clothes. Besides, my closet wouldn't be big enough to hold any more."
"That's true," Haruka Minatsuki said thoughtfully, then smiled. She took out her bank card from her bag and handed it to the shop assistant. "Could you please wrap up all the clothes he tried on?"
Just as Aoyama Genji had guessed, this woman would definitely insist on paying.
"Let me pay." Genji Aoyama took out his bank card from his wallet and handed it to the clerk.
"Um?"
Haruka Minatsuki immediately noticed the problem. Her gaze shifted to Genji Aoyama, and the smile on her face gradually faded. "Genji-kun, are you rich?"
Aoyama Genji tried on quite a few clothes, ranging from formal wear to casual wear to various styles suitable for teenagers, totaling more than twenty pieces.
The total price of these clothes far exceeds the 150,000 yen that Minatsuki Haruka gave him, and she hadn't had time to ask about the "work" details before.
But she originally thought that Aoyama Genji would definitely not be able to come up with this money.
"Yeah, I sold a song before, so I have some money now."
There are some things that Aoyama Genji needs to explain to those who know his background. Although Minatsuki Haruka hasn't asked yet, she must be suspicious.
"Really?" Haruka Minatsuki's smile vanished completely. She simply looked at the clerk and said, "Give him back his card. I'll pay."
The shop assistant's gaze lingered between the two men, hesitant and undecided—one gentle and beautiful, the other handsome and dashing.
As if finally making a difficult decision in a chaotic situation, the female clerk hesitantly handed the card back to Genji Aoyama.
This is the first time I've seen her so out of control.
At three in the afternoon, the sun was scorching the earth as the two walked back to the main street of Omotesando. Aoyama Genji, whose hands and even arms were covered with shopping bags, glanced at Minatsuki Haruka, who had no expression on her face.
The status indicates anxiety.
Are you feeling anxious because you feel he is difficult to control or that he did not inform you in advance?
Women's minds are more complicated, so let's interpret it this way for now.
"Miss Haruka."
He thought for a moment, then broke the silence between them amidst the noisy crowd, "The collaboration you mentioned on the phone earlier?"
"Um--"
Haruka Minatsuki hesitated for a moment, then said, "If Genji-kun isn't in a hurry, could we discuss this later today?"
"That's true. Miss Haruka is here to buy clothes today too, so please let me pay this time."
"Are you going too?" Haruka Minatsuki smiled again. "It's just a little inconvenient if Genji-kun is there."
"..."
Genji Aoyama understood it in an instant.
He was probably going to buy underwear, and it would be inconvenient for a guy to go along alone: "Then let's forget it, I'll wait at the coffee shop for a while."
"Genji-kun, would you like to come with me? It'd be a little surprise~"
Haruka Minatsuki winked at him.
Genji Aoyama refused again, but surprisingly, this wicked woman didn't insist on him coming along.
After watching Haruka Minatsuki leave, he went into the coffee shop on the corner alone.
He ordered a juice at the counter and then found a relatively quiet place to sit down.
then.
Just like the ceremony that took place on the main street at noon, this coffee shop witnessed the same ritual once again.
Unfortunately, the coffee shop didn't have as many customers as the outside, and in the end, Genji Aoyama only added a dozen or so people on LINE. Not long after that, Haruka Minatsuki walked in.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Genji-kun." She sat down opposite Genji Aoyama.
"You bought a lot of things... Haruka-san, you're fast."
As Genji Aoyama chuckled and made sarcastic remarks, he glanced at the large and small bags at Haruka Minatsuki's feet and a subtle feeling arose in his heart—it would make sense if the two of them switched the time they spent shopping for clothes.
"These are custom-made; I just need to go and pick them up."
Haruka Minatsuki's gaze was fixed on the juice in front of Genji Aoyama.
"What would you like to drink, Miss Haruka? I'll order you one."
The scene from a few days ago was still fresh in his mind, and Aoyama Genji felt that this woman might suddenly steal a sip of his juice.
"Need not."
She smiled and tilted her head. "What do you think about leaving the time for our collaboration, Genji-kun?"
"Of course, no problem."
With people coming and going in the store, and no extra staff available to come to the tables to settle the bill, Genji Aoyama simply stood up and walked towards the counter.
When he returned, Minatsuki Haruka was holding his juice, with the straw he had used in her mouth.
"..."
Aoyama Genji's face was expressionless.
"The taste is not bad."
Haruka Minatsuki gracefully pushed the almost empty cup back, then opened her exquisite bag and took out a handkerchief.
Genji Aoyama's pupils are earthquake.
He admitted that he had underestimated this woman.
Seemingly remembering something, Haruka Minatsuki put the handkerchief back into her bag, picked up a napkin from the plate, and gently wiped the water stains from her lips.
Aoyama Genji breathed a sigh of relief.
He picked up the last drop of juice and sipped it all into his mouth until the straw made a "not a drop left" sound—he was a man who didn't like to waste things.
Then, right under Aoyama Genji's nose, Minatsuki Haruka's complexion changed from normal to a slight blush on her cheeks, and her smile became stiff.
If you're going to pretend, then pretend.
Genji Aoyama chuckled to himself.
……
Leaving the main street of Omotesando, the two strolled casually along the relatively quiet streets. Occasionally, passersby would glance at them and think they were a perfect match.
Genji Aoyama genuinely found this woman troublesome: "Where would you like to talk, Ms. Haruka?"
"I really need to find a quieter place."
Haruka Minatsuki looked thoughtful. "Hmm... I remember Genji-kun lives alone, right?"
"no."
Aoyama Genji guessed her thoughts in a second and decisively refused. Seeing Minatsuki Haruka's increasingly dissatisfied expression, he decided to explain, "My apartment is so cramped that you can't even stretch your legs out—I was referring to Haruka-san's legs."
"Is that exaggerated?"
Haruka Minatsuki seemed to have been amused and covered her mouth to laugh. A few seconds later, she returned to her usual gentle demeanor, blinked, and tilted her head slightly. "Well... Genji-kun, would you like to stay at my place? I just found a two-bedroom apartment today, and the rooms are quite spacious."
"Miss Haruka, you really enjoy teasing me. Let's talk about the collaboration first."
Genji Aoyama shook his head. In any case, the bottom line must be upheld.
Before, in the coffee shop, this woman could suck his straw without any expression. He couldn't even imagine what she would do after they moved in together.
The two finally decided to go to the hotel where Haruka Minatsuki was staying to discuss the matter.
The hotel she stayed in was quite luxurious, far superior to the love hotels that Aoyama Genji had visited. The room was large and even had its own Japanese-style room.
Haruka Minatsuki was sitting at the coffee table, while Genji Aoyama sat cross-legged opposite her. The two got straight to the point—Haruka Minatsuki seemed to be in a more hurry than him.
Haruka Minatsuki glanced at Genji Aoyama's crossed legs, then hesitated before speaking.
After a brief moment of thought, she slowly spoke.
"I will bear all the capital of the company, and in return, I will take 70% of all subsequent revenue from the songs. Moreover, all operational and decision-making rights must belong to me."
Although she still wore a gentle smile, Haruka Minatsuki's tone was very serious.
Genji Aoyama had no intention of joking or teasing her; he only wanted to focus on the collaboration.
"Seventy percent?" He frowned slightly at first, then suddenly laughed. "I don't even know if Ms. Haruka proposed this allocation because she has confidence in my work or not."
Aoyama Genji's minimum expectation was a 60/40 split, with Minatsuki Haruka getting 60% and him 40%—after all, he hadn't invested a single penny, and in terms of business operations, he was indeed unprofessional, far from being an amateur.
"Of course, it's because I'm confident." Haruka Minatsuki smiled and looked at his face. "If Genji-kun isn't satisfied, feel free to offer your opinion."
She wanted to test Aoyama Genji's expectations by first making excessive demands, and then gradually lower his expectations.
As before, although there will be some minor resistance, they will eventually compromise.
"A 50/50 split is my minimum expectation. What do you think, Ms. Minatsuki?"
Genji Aoyama simply looked at her and said, "As for the quality of the work, as I mentioned before, I can sign a performance-based agreement with Ms. Haruka."
All the moonlight and distant fragrances lingered in silence, lost in thought.
The situation was more complicated than she had imagined. Before this, she had made preparations, even selling her family's property, not only for Genji Aoyama, but also for herself.
But unexpectedly, Genji Aoyama might have other buyers or other options—before this, Haruka Minatsuki learned from Genji Aoyama that he had already sold the song.
The scarcity of good projects far outweighs that of capital.
She didn't realize this only after the fact; she simply couldn't guess what Genji Aoyama was thinking.
Losing control of the narrative made Haruka Minatsuki feel like everything was out of her control.
The situation reached a stalemate.
"Buzz—Buzz—Buzz—"
A slight vibration came from the cell phone in Genji Aoyama's pocket.
The noise was minimal, but it seemed very abrupt in the extremely quiet Japanese-style room. Aoyama Genji glanced at the unfamiliar number and decisively hung up.
Genji Aoyama didn't urge Haruka Minatsuki to make a decision, but simply quietly appreciated Haruka Minatsuki's not-so-calm calm expression.
A few seconds later, the phone vibrated again.
Genji Aoyama glanced at it and hung up again.
The next second, it called again—from the same number.
Haruka Minatsuki looked at him without a smile and said as calmly as possible, "Genji-kun, you should accept it. What if it's something important? Don't worry about me."
"Feel sorry."
Qingshan Yuanzhi made the call.
"Hello! Mr. Aoyama!" A cheerful female voice came through the receiver.
"..."
"Hey, why aren't you saying anything? And... why are you ignoring me?! You haven't replied to my messages for four whole hours!"
I miss you, hehe.
Aoyama Genji was having a hard time keeping his composure, not because Izumo Saki was calling him, but because Minazuki Haruka's expression on the other end was even more strained than his.
The forced smile froze on his face, then slowly disappeared, gradually turning into a blank expression.
I'll call you back later. I have to go now.
Genji Aoyama had originally intended to say that, but after thinking about it, he swallowed his words and changed his approach: "I have some business to discuss, I'll get back to you later."
"What kind of collaboration!? I'm very curious!"
The shrewd young woman uttered these words: "Are you short of money? I can invest!"
"Remember when I said I'd give you some pointers on bass? Actually, I'm still an independent musician, and I have some songs that need to be released."
Genji Aoyama started chatting with Saki Izumo as if no one else was around.
"Hmm—my allowance might not be enough, it's only a little over ten million, but I can ask my dad for it, he'll definitely be willing to invest!"
Hehe, of course it's not because of you, but because he supports everything I like.
Genji Aoyama gained a deeper understanding of "having considerable wealth".
"That won't be necessary."
He glanced at Haruka Minatsuki's expression when he had a moment to spare.
Her gentle and elegant facade could no longer be maintained, and she would occasionally reveal expressions of forbearance, such as biting her lower lip and taking deep breaths.
Aoyama Genji felt that it was about time, so he immediately changed the subject: "The person I'm collaborating with is an older sister I really like, so I'd like to talk to her first."
"My beloved older sister...!?" Izumo Saki's voice suddenly rose, "Besides being a girl..."
Before she could finish speaking, Aoyama Genji hung up the phone.
"I'm sorry," Genji Aoyama said with an apologetic smile, "Miss Haruka, let's continue."
Haruka Minatsuki was no longer as calm as before. She bit her lower lip lightly, her expression was no longer as gentle as usual, and her breathing became rapid.
"Profits will be split 50/50, and I'll take 60% of the operational and decision-making rights, while you'll take 40%." She practically spat out those words through gritted teeth.
"It's a pleasure working with you, Haruka-neechan."
Genji Aoyama extended his hand at just the right moment, deliberately emphasizing his sister's pronunciation in his words.
Haruka Minatsuki looked at the hand extended in front of her, tried her best to control her emotions, and grasped it.
"It's a pleasure working with you, Genji-kun."
Aoyama Genji always felt that her voice wasn't very pleasant.
"Well then, let's talk about something else—" Haruka Minatsuki looked at him, her eyes still seeming to hold the anger she felt when they first met, "That girl, judging from her voice, doesn't seem to be your girlfriend, right?"