The next day, at a small restaurant popular with students.

"So... that’s why I probably can’t accept your proposal, Alan. Chasing some starry-eyed acting dream just isn’t in the cards for me."

Nozomi Sakura finished speaking and offered a gentle, sincere smile. Compared to yesterday, her appearance was a complete reboot.

Her carefully styled hair had been dyed back to natural black, giving her a softer aura. She wore the pale-yellow sundress and silk blouse Alan had bought her, paired with white heels that showed off her ivory ankles.

Today’s theme: good-girlfriend chic.

"You look nice. It suits you."

Alan delivered two dry compliments as he sat down, leaving Nozomi thoroughly underwhelmed.

She’d overdosed on praise from salesclerks yesterday, but that was yesterday.

Today’s quota needed refilling, and she especially wanted to hear it from the clueless blockhead sitting across from her. Somehow, that would’ve felt like an achievement.

Instead, Alan focused on meticulously picking every shred of scallion and diced green pepper out of his lunch.

He disliked many foods, but scallions and peppers topped the list. Cooked scallions turned limp and slimy, and swallowing them made him nauseous.

Peppers were worse. His stomach had been delicate since childhood, and anything spicy or tough was off-limits. Perhaps because everything he hated happened to be green, he’d developed a general aversion to the color, and even refused to carry two-thousand-yen bills.

His prolonged silence sent Nozomi’s imagination spiraling.

Had she been too blunt? She’d mostly told the truth about her father...

But what if he thought she was just making excuses?

For the thousandth time, she couldn’t read him.

In the few days since they’d met, she’d rarely seen him show strong emotion. Watching him move so unhurriedly made her feel as though the air itself was pressing down on her.

Say something. Give me any reaction at all!

She begged silently.

As for the students passing their table, she no longer cared if they noticed her eating with Alan.

Between the shocks he’d given her and Akane Mia’s pep talks, she’d already accepted the label of "Alan’s girlfriend."

So what if people knew? Next week her friends would meet him anyway, no point hiding it.

Her gaze flicked to the pile of scallion and pepper scraps on the edge of his plate.

Mental note: picky eater. Probably fought with his mom over vegetables as a kid.

"It’s not as rushed as you think."

Alan finally set down his chopsticks after removing every last "contaminant" and looked up calmly.

"!"

Nozomi jumped. She’d just finished cursing him in her head.

Recovering, she blinked.

"I only suggested you become an actress," Alan continued evenly. "I never said you’d step onstage tomorrow. Right now, aside from outstanding looks, you don’t have screen presence."

"Heh."

Nozomi forced a polite smile while clenching her fists beneath the table. She wanted to strangle him.

Was she supposed to thank him for the compliment?

Years of school socialization, had no one ever taught him tact? He must’ve been a class outcast. No, correction, he still had no friends.

Even Akari Hojo—if she really had been his girlfriend—might’ve dumped him for this exact reason.

Only I’m stupid enough to date him.

...Jerk.

"Don’t overthink it," he went on. "Follow the study plan I’ve made. Improve step by step."

"Wait—" Nozomi’s smile cracked. "What study plan? Did you even hear me? I’m not pursuing acting!"

"As for your family situation..."

Alan paused, his black eyes locking onto hers.

"You’re different. I saw your potential at first glance, potential you don’t yet recognize. When you finally stand onstage, everyone will cheer, drawn to the light you give off. But before that, you need to block out interference that hasn’t even happened yet. It’ll only slow you down."

He added that he’d never promised her anything upfront, but if she trusted him, things would work out.

He hadn’t anticipated the scale of her father’s resistance.

In the twenty-first century, with virtual idols everywhere, he’d underestimated old-school Showa stubbornness.

Still, anything threatening his income had to be eliminated. Cutting off someone’s money was like killing their parents, and since Alan’s were already gone, this amounted to patricide.

The mindset had to be dealt with. Ruthlessly.

Nozomi sat frozen, heart racing, not with the earlier dread, but because Alan had talked her right back into excitement.

Her throat dried. Her palms ached from clenching.

She almost blurted out, "What’s the plan? What do I do? Can you really persuade my father?"

Her gaze flickered, then dropped to the table. She sipped her water and said nothing.

After three—almost four—days, she’d finally discovered what made Alan special beyond his money.

His words.

They were hypnotic, making you want to believe, especially when his tone and eyes carried such certainty, as though whatever he said would become reality.

Except for the part about Akari Hojo being his ex. That defied all logic, and she refused to accept it.

"I..." She opened her mouth, managed only a single syllable, then fell silent.

Alan shook his head, picked up his chopsticks again, and spoke unhurriedly.

"I’m not asking for promises. If you still think this is unrealistic, let’s make it concrete. For every small goal you achieve following my instructions, I’ll wire you one million yen. Deal?"

"?!"

Nozomi’s eyes flew wide.

In an instant, the image of her imposing father plunged into the Mariana Trench.

She nearly shouted, "Give me my first mission, commander!"

But a sudden buzz cut the impulse short, saving the last shred of her dignity.

Bzzzt.

Alan had just lifted a bite of rice when his phone screen lit up.

Caller ID: Aunt. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

A bad premonition flashed through him.

He set the chopsticks down, eyes narrowing. After two seconds of hesitation, he stood and stepped away to take the call.

"Give me a moment."

Nozomi tilted her head, mildly curious about the caller.

"Okay."

She averted her gaze from the phone and nodded obediently.

Lifting her tea, she took a careful sip, curiosity still flickering in her eyes.

Then she stood, walked to the window, and stared out at the street.

Alan was just about to ask what was going on when a voice like thunder split the air behind him.

"Alan, did you break up with Hojo?!"