Chapter 18: From Today Onward, Spend Money on Me

Page 1/3

Sayuri Sato turned around, surprised to find Kitahara standing behind her. He stepped forward, glanced at Hikaru Sato, and asked curiously, “Taking money from a woman and still acting so entitled—are you in the same line of work, living off others?”

That brief remark flushed Hikaru’s face crimson. “Who are you?” he retorted.

“I’m her favorite student.”

Sayuri gave Kitahara a quick tap and lowered her head, saying nothing… Favorite student? She shouldn’t let him say such things carelessly.

“I’m chatting with my sister. What’s it to you?”

“No big deal. I’m not interfering with you taking money, just making conversation.” Kitahara shrugged.

Hikaru’s expression darkened. Clearly, this guy looked down on him. He turned to Sayuri, “Aren’t you going to say something? This guy’s got no manners.”

“I...” Sayuri hesitated. She had just argued with Kitahara; how could she manage him now? Besides, he was beyond her control.

Kitahara raised an eyebrow and flipped him the middle finger. “If you don’t like it, fight me.”

He was taller than Hikaru and in much better shape. The fitness trainer had barely dared to touch him earlier, and now facing Hikaru, Kitahara wouldn’t mind turning him into a mess.

“...”

Seeing Sayuri indifferent, Hikaru’s face fell, “Fine, I get it. Just keep your thoughts to yourself.”

“You’ve got guts. If you’re so capable, don’t go back to your family in Fukuoka!”

With that, he walked away without looking back.

“Hikaru...” Sayuri wanted to stop him but Kitahara grabbed her hand.

“What’s the point of keeping a loser like him? Might as well spend the money on me—I can provide emotional value.” Kitahara said casually.

“...”

Sayuri was stunned. Spending money on Kitahara… In other words, keeping him?

Then, whenever she went home, she could see the face of her first love—a young man gently asking if she wanted to eat first, take a bath first, or maybe…

Her breath quickened.

An indescribable feeling rose from deep within her heart.

Her once pure white moonlight appeared before her eyes… Though tarnished, it was still her white moonlight.

Perhaps.

She could spend a little money to have him accompany her for one night, to get through this painful evening…

Pain flickered in Sayuri’s eyes.

Then she shook her head sharply, yet the tender yearning in her heart lingered. She could only hide it briefly, stammering, “He’s still my little brother.”

“I can call you sister too.”

Compelled by some impulse, Sayuri said, “Then… why don’t you call me that now?”

Kitahara blinked but said nothing.

Sayuri’s hopeful gaze instantly darkened… Of course, first he wanted money.

No one would truly be kind to her.

No one.

“Sister…”

The boy’s breath brushed her ear, his voice dreamy and ethereal.

That soft voice drifted into her ear like a spring breeze.

Sayuri was stunned. Turning around, she saw the boy’s gentle smile—the same pure, clear face of the boy she had once admired, reaching out, bending down, asking how her day had been.

Her heart trembled.

Like a white moonlight reborn… her buried memories viciously assailed her.

She instinctively touched her wallet.

Page 2/3

“No, this isn’t right.”

Sayuri was horrified. How could she actually have such thoughts…

“You’re not allowed to do these things anymore…”

“Wasn’t it your idea?” Kitahara asked, puzzled.

“I...”

Snapping back to reality, Sayuri’s face flushed scarlet. She quickly looked away and changed the subject, “Don’t take what I said to heart. Are you tired? Want to come upstairs and sit for a bit?”

“Sure.”

“No need to be polite…” Sayuri whispered.

Kitahara had no intention of being polite either. He had helped out so much already; what was wrong with coming in for some tea?

Checking the time, it was 11:10 p.m., with fifty minutes until the last train—plenty of time to sit down for a while.

And maybe tease this somewhat unfriendly female teacher a little.

They went upstairs.

Sayuri’s apartment was the innermost unit on the second floor. Opening the door, the living room was a mess—used tissues scattered about, underwear casually strewn around. Kitahara glanced toward the balcony, where purple and white bras hung.

Sayuri held her breath for a few seconds, quickly gathered the items, then nonchalantly handed Kitahara a slipper.

“The tea will take a bit.”

“Good taste.”

“Go to hell!”

Sayuri, like a startled cat, glared at him fiercely.

Kitahara calmly took a seat. “Green tea, please.”

The teacher bit her lip tightly, swallowing her embarrassment, and muttered, “It takes time to brew… Aren’t you going home?”

“No rush. I’ll have tea first. I’m not in a hurry.”

Sayuri went to boil water, looking around the empty apartment, feeling somewhat awkward. “I don’t have anything to offer you. No snacks left. Just drink some hot water.”

“So poor, how do you get by?” Kitahara sneered.

“I send all my money home.”

“Living costs in Fukuoka aren’t that high, are they?” Kitahara pondered.

Tokyo had the highest prices in Japan, but even so, Sayuri’s salary should be enough to live comfortably. There was no reason she should have no money after sending some home.

“My family recently bought a house—apparently in Kyoto—and plan to move there. Now, only my mother and I earn money, so I have to work a bit more.” Sayuri explained.

“And what about you?”

“What?”

“You. Aren’t you going to live in Kyoto?”

Sayuri fell silent, her eyes dim. After a moment, she murmured,

“If I get the chance, I’ll visit there. Until then, I’ll work hard.”

Kitahara shot her a surprised look and a word formed in his mind:

“Brother-supporting woman.”

Not the Hogwarts kind, but a woman blindly supporting her family…

It wasn’t just a tradition at Tokyo University; it was common throughout Japan. Almost every rural family had a few like that.

Kitahara made no judgment. Everyone had their own story and would face their own consequences… Since Sayuri had made her choice, all he could do was respect and wish her well.

He was merely a bystander who had rashly intervened for a reward.

No system.

Perhaps for the rest of his life, he would have no connection with Sayuri.

【Ding—】

Kitahara received an email.

Page 3/3

【You saved Sayuri Sato, but her life remains unchanged, still drifting and lost. You feel deeply disappointed… Perhaps this approach is wrong.】

【You realize her painful life is not just from bad luck with people, but largely due to her own reasons…】

【Perhaps only through pain can she truly awaken.】

【You decide to teach her a lesson.】

【If gentle words fail, then actions must demonstrate your will… Isn’t PUA also a form of salvation?】

【Mission: Take the place of the blond-haired one and give Sayuri Sato a lesson.】

【Reward: Master-level Japanese language ability.】

【Ding! Goodwill system activated. Increase character’s favorability to 70, and randomly gain one of her abilities!】

...

...

The system gained a new function, but that could wait.

Kitahara glanced at the mission reward.

Master-level Japanese language ability.

This skill would likely allow him to become a national author like Yasunari Kawabata or Ryunosuke Akutagawa. Of course, the details would only be clear once he obtained it.

Kitahara checked the favorability.

【Character: Sayuri Sato】

【Status: Love stirs with the wind, but the wind’s stillness leaves yearning; seeing you seems to recall the past, the boy she once admired… She fantasizes whether money could fulfill her dreams.】

【Favorability: 61】

Hmm?

Favorability jumped so much…

Probably because she mistook him for her white moonlight substitute.

Kitahara hesitated. Doing such a thing to someone with such high favorability seemed wrong.

He did want the reward, after all.

But Kitahara still had some principles.

At least for someone like Sayuri Sato, who had decent character and showed him some kindness, he wouldn’t voluntarily harm her.

Then…

What should he do?

Gazing at the woman sitting by the window, eyes filled with despair, Kitahara had an epiphany.

She was already at rock bottom; any way forward was upward... Perhaps everything he did was truly helping her?

And how to proceed?

Simple.

He only needed to draw out the darkness in her heart and become its reason.

Kitahara would be Sayuri Sato’s reason to do wrong.

Indulgence, selfishness, downfall, deception…

If Kitahara became the string, pulling her like a kite… then maybe her life could change.

In the name of white moonlight.

Let her fall.

...

Starting today, spend your money on me.