"I was rejected."
If this were a reading comprehension question, a simple sentence like that would require at least a thousand words to make someone understand just how heartbroken and desperate the speaker felt.
That kind of pain from a young love coming to an end is something every child who has experienced early romance can relate to, as if the sky had fallen.
Even breathing feels painful.
Of course, years later, when one reflects on their past as an adult, they would think they were such a fool.
"Where are you?"
Aozawa sent this message, then added, "I can give you some advice."
"It's hopeless. Yoshikawa said she likes someone else; there's no room for my dreams on this land anymore. I plan to leave this place of heartbreak tonight and set out to sea to find One Piece."
If a normal person said this, Aozawa would definitely think he was being melodramatically adolescent.
But Hojo Tetsuji was different.
A fool he may be, but his initiative is definitely maxed out.
Before Aozawa could reply, the other party sent a picture of a port. The sea shimmered, and a large fishing boat was docked there.
Hojo Tetsuji was really planning to leave Japan and set out to sea in search of his dreams.
Hojo Shouko entered the bedroom with cola and juice. Seeing Aozawa looking at his phone, she exclaimed with joy, "Did Brother reply to your message?"
Before finishing her sentence, she scurried forward. She had no regard for the difference between men and women, squeezing directly to the head of the bed to look at Aozawa's phone screen.
Her shoulder touched Aozawa's head. The scent of either shower gel or shampoo wafted into his nose.
"Brother is going to sea?!"
Aozawa was just about to comfort her.
Hojo Shouko let out a sigh of relief, patting her well-nourished chest. "That's great! I was worried Brother was so upset he might jump off a building, but it turns out he just wants to go to sea."
Aozawa was silenced by the siblings' train of thought.
Is it really no surprise they are siblings?
Could it be that Hojo Shouko, who looks obedient and cute on the outside, was not just unwittingly cruel at heart, but also a fool?
"He's going to sea. Are you sure you're not going to stop him?"
"No way. Brother is not like me; he's really dumb, always failing exams, even getting zeros. Going to university is out of the question for him."
Hojo Shouko spoke her mind truthfully, laughing. "Graduating early isn't necessarily a bad thing. By working on a fishing boat, he can learn a trade. That's way better than joining a gang and getting chopped up on the street."
…Aozawa couldn't argue. He felt that, compared to delinquency, fishing was indeed a more honorable path.
The income was high, and the risk... as long as you don't encounter a very severe storm, Godzilla would only possibly come into being after at least a decade of radiation.
Aozawa typed with both hands, "Then I wish you find One Piece at sea."
"I'll definitely find One Piece! Goodbye, my good brother!" Hojo Tetsuji replied.
Aozawa typed, "Stay in touch when you can."
The message was read, but not replied to. Hojo Tetsuji wasn't the type to fuss over goodbyes; he wouldn't say it over and over again.
Hojo Shouko got up from the bed, bowed, and said, "Thank you, Aozawa-senpai. I should get going now, so I won't disturb your rest."
"No problem. Hojo is my brother, and his sister is like my sister. You're welcome to come over anytime," Aozawa smiled and replied. It was only natural for him to look after the sister of his good friend who was leaving.
Hojo Shouko smiled. "Then let's add each other on LINE."
Aozawa added her as a friend.
Hojo Shouko left with her backpack.
Aozawa didn't see her out, fearing that getting up would trigger his passive superpower and scare off his friend's sister.
At the door, Hojo Shouko paused, looked back, and said, "Aozawa-senpai, you're a really nice person, but you should try to do less of those... physical activities."
"Sure."
Aozawa's expression was a bit awkward. At this moment, saying he hadn't meant it that way would deny the effort he'd made to conceal his true thoughts. It was better to persist in the misunderstanding and save the young girl's dignity.
Hojo Shouko bowed and said, "Goodbye."
"Mm."
Aozawa waved his hand.
「In the Setagaya District, in the backyard of the Phoenix Academy household.」
Sunlight scattered across the lush green lawn. Phoenix Academy Maggie, dressed in her Kyudo uniform—a white top and black bottom—wore a chest protector to guard against the bowstring's recoil.
With a longbow in hand, she aimed at the target sixty meters away.
She drew the bowstring into a full moon. Upon release, TWANG! The string struck the surface of the black chest protector.
The arrow sped forward and struck the red dot.
"Not bad."
The sound of clapping came as Kochou approached from the side, also dressed in a Kyudo uniform and wearing a chest protector.
Without these protectors, mother and daughter couldn't practice archery properly; it wasn't as convenient as it was for flat-chested women.
"Maggie, your archery skills have improved a lot."
"It's all thanks to Mother's good teaching," Phoenix Academy Maggie said, bowing her head.
When practicing archery, her blonde hair wasn't draped naturally over her shoulders but tied into a single ponytail, revealing a snow-white neck and exuding a sharp, capable aura.
"Archery is like handling affairs; as long as you can identify the crux of the issue, you can easily solve even the most difficult problems," Kochou imparted her strategies to her daughter. She drew her longbow to its limit; a quick glance was enough, she didn't need to look longer.
As her hand relaxed, the arrow shot forth like a meteor.
THWACK! The arrow buried itself in the center of the target. The white fletching still quivered, a testament to the shot's power.
"As women, if we want to keep a firm grip on the Phoenix Academy's enterprises, we must excel beyond those men. How are your academics coming along recently?"
"Don't worry, Mother. I have never been negligent."
"How are things with your friends?"
"Fine."
"That's good," Kochou nodded. Her daughter must excel like her in order to thrive in the treacherous high society.
The white-haired butler strode forward to remind her, "Madam, it's almost time; you have a meeting to attend."
"Maggie, I have to go now. You can rest after practicing for a bit more, and study hard."
"Yes."
Phoenix Academy Maggie nodded.
She had long grown accustomed to her mother suddenly having to leave while by her side, and she was also used to her mother's absence. When she was studying abroad in England, she saw her mother only a few times throughout the year. If it hadn't been for a little trouble on her father's side, she wouldn't have transferred back from England to Japan.
To see her mother every day like now was already very satisfying to her.
Phoenix Academy Maggie pulled out an arrow and continued to aim at the target, drawing the bow and releasing, practicing over and over.
She looked forward to being praised by her mother during their archery practice next Saturday.
After practicing for a while, Butler Miwa, who assisted her with various matters, came forward and said, "Miss, you should rest for a bit; Teacher Harada will be here soon."
"Mm."
Phoenix Academy Maggie nodded. Her Saturdays offered no rest: practicing archery, receiving tutoring from a PhD from Tokyo University, and striving to become excellent.
She wiped sweat from her forehead with her hand, gazed at the clear sky, and wondered, What is Aozawa doing?
Suddenly, she remembered the scene of being tackled, and her face flushed slightly.
For a pure-hearted young girl, such a scene was too impactful to forget.
Dammit, next time we meet, I have to extort a drink from that guy.
With this thought, she walked towards the house.