After Shishio had made his promise to have a fight, Tokugawa moved swiftly to prepare everything. He also abided by his promise not to have a crowd during Shishio’s fight. While he felt that it was a bit of a pity, he also understood that each fighter had different aspirations.

Tokugawa suddenly felt that Shishio was contradictory. He still remembered Shishio’s dream that he uttered on the Underground Arena, where he told him and Shiina that he wanted to be remembered forever.

However, Shishio’s request that asked him to set up a fight without the audience made him think that Shishio’s dream had changed.

‘Or is it related to Doppo?’

Tokugawa thought that might be the case, and he would respect Shishio’s decision since either way, he didn’t care much as long as he could see an exciting fight.

—

While Tokugawa tried to set up a match for him, Shishio decided to go back with Mai.

However, unlike her lively state before, Mai didn’t open her mouth when they walked out of the house.

“Should we go to a restaurant or something?” Shishio asked as he was about to wear his helmet.

“No, let’s go to the grocery store. I want to eat at home,” Mai said as she hugged Shishio’s waist.

“Okay.”

Shishio nodded and rode his motorcycle toward the closest grocery store. He could tell that even though she still talked with him, her state of mind was quite weird. Fortunately, he understood why she reacted this way.

—

As they arrived at the grocery store, Shishio and Mai wore face masks again.

Mai was, after all, a public figure.

Mai might have taken a break for a year, but her popularity didn’t diminish, especially when there was news that she was about to come back to showbiz. She was still known as the most popular child actress in this country.

Still, that most popular child actress had grown up and become a woman now.

Mai didn’t really want to enter the gossip tabloid, and she also didn’t want them to notice Shishio since she could see how troublesome it was, especially when her boyfriend was so handsome.

Shishio picked up the shopping cart and played with it like a child before walking toward Mai.

“………” Mai.

“…Isn’t it a bit too much to use a shopping cart?” Mai asked and ignored the fact that Shishio was playing with the shopping cart.

“Even if we use a shopping cart, it doesn’t mean that we have to fill them with full items, right? We just need to buy what is necessary,” Shishio said with a smile. While his smile might not be seen since it was hidden by his facemask, one could see that he smiled through his eyes.

“Okay.” Mai nodded, then walked toward the meat area aisle inside the grocery store. “Let’s get meat first. You —” She wanted to walk, but Shishio grasped her hand.

“Let’s walk by holding our hands,” Shishio said.

“……..”

Mai looked at Shishio for a moment and said, “…Isn’t it hard to walk like this?”

“It might be hard, but I like it.” Shishio didn’t move away from Mai’s gaze and said, “Also, you’re angry, right?”

“I’m not angry,” Mai said curtly before she looked away, but she didn’t pull her hand away from him.

“I’m sorry for making such a decision without discussing it with you.” Shishio apologized sincerely and said, “I know that you’re worried about me, but even so, I won’t stop.”

Mai’s lips trembled, and her eyes reddened. “If you know that I’m worried about you, then why do you still decide to fight? Also, what do you mean that you won’t stop?!” She didn’t want to appear weak in front of him, so she pretended to be angry, staring at him.

“Like me who respects your choice to continue to become an actress.” Shishio looked at Mai and said, “I also want you to respect my choice that I want to become stronger.”

“…..”

Mai wanted to open her mouth then closed it again.

While she wanted to ask what was the point of getting stronger, he could also ask what the point of getting famous was. However, he didn’t ask that, and he respected her choice to continue working as an actress if she wished.

When Mai connected his wish to become stronger and her wish to return to the showbiz, she understood what Shishio wanted to do, so there was no way for her to stop him.

After all, it was his dream.

While Shishio knew that it might make her worry, he wouldn’t stop since it was a path he had chosen.

“I know…” Mai’s voice trembled slightly, but then she said, “But promise me, when you fight, you have to call me. I need to be by your side when you fight.”

“Thanks, Mai.” Shishio pulled down his facemask, kissed Mai’s cheek, and hugged her happily.

Mai could only sigh since she felt that her boyfriend was like a huge child. While she was being hugged, she asked, “Still, what do you think of me?

“I love you?” Shishio said while tilting his head.

“…No. I don’t mean that. However, I’m happy to hear that, and I also love you, but what do you think of my return to the showbiz industry?” Mai asked since she hadn’t asked about his opinion regarding her decision to return to the showbiz industry.

Personally, Shishio didn’t think anything if Mai wanted to return to the showbiz industry since his power in the showbiz industry in Japan was powerful, but it might be thoughtless if he said so since she had thought so much of his decision to fight someone while he didn’t put his thought into her decision to return to the showbiz industry.

“While I might say that it is alright for you to return to the show biz industry, I’ll be lying if I don’t feel lonely, and like you, I’m also worried about you,” Shishio said softly.

“Lonely? Worried?” Mai asked as she kept staring into his eyes.

“Yes.” Shishio nodded and said, “From what I know, you need either month or more to make a movie. While I know that you might make a movie every day, it’ll be sad and lonely if I can’t see you during that time, but I respect your choice if you want to make a movie, so I won’t stop you. Also, I know how fierce the competition in the showbiz industry is, and I’m afraid what will happen if you’re being bullied or receive sexual harassment.” While he might have many girlfriends, who could cure his loneliness when Mai wasn’t by his side, he still felt lonely when Mai wasn’t by his side, and of course, he was worried about her too.

Unlike Nana, Miu, Saki, and Shiina, who were close with their families who cared about them and many friends around them, Mai was alone, and her relationship with her family wasn’t good.

It might be part of the reason why Shishio often stayed with Mai since he knew that she was always alone.

If Mai didn’t meet him, she probably might meet Sakuta in the future, but even so, besides Sakuta, she wouldn’t have many acquaintances since her life was pretty lonely.

Shishio also knew that the showbiz industry wasn’t pure, and the competition was fierce, so he was worried that Mai might be bullied.

As for being sexually harassed, Shishio felt that unless someone wanted to be thrown to Tokyo Bay, no one dared to do it.

Still, Shishio was good at acting, while he didn’t think too much before, but when he decided to say those words, he put all of his feelings into it.

His voice seemed strong, but it couldn’t hide the loneliness on his voice, which made Mai’s heart tremble.

Mai would be lying if she wasn’t lonely if she didn’t meet him for many days. She had been accustomed to his presence, and when she couldn’t see him, she would be lonely. Similarly, he would also be feeling lonely, but it might be because he had too many girlfriends that could soothe his loneliness that she didn’t think of that possibility before.

Not only lonely, but Shishio also felt worried about her.

Similar to her, who was worried to see him fighting, Shishio also worried about her if she returned to the showbiz industry. She knew that the show biz industry wasn’t all rainbow, and there was a lot of darkness there since she had been in this business for a long time.

‘Should I not continue?’

Mai suddenly hesitated whether she should come back to the showbiz industry since she felt that this kind of life wasn’t bad. She could stay together with his boyfriend and have a normal high school life that she had always dreamed of. While she was in the middle of thinking, she felt that something had flicked her forehead.

“Ouch!”

Mai held her forehead and asked annoyedly, “What are you doing?”

“What are you hesitant about?” Shishio asked speechlessly.

“I…” Mai was stunned, and she was unable to say anything.

“While I want you to stay by my side, it doesn’t mean that I’ll force you to stay with me all the time. I have my own dream, and you also have your own dream.” Shishio hugged Mai’s waist and said, “What the relationship that I want isn’t something that will make us weaker and can’t live just because we can’t see each other for a day. Instead, it is a relationship where we can grow stronger as we support each other, so don’t hesitate since I don’t want to be the reason for you to stop chasing after your dream.”

Mai’s eyes were red, and tears dripped from her eyes. “Um.” She rubbed her face against his chest and hugged him tightly. While Shishio might be a scumbag, she must admit that she was so lucky that she had him by her side.

*Growl!*

“…..”

Mai was speechless and looked at Shishio, who blushed before she smiled and asked, “Should we go back?”

“Okay.” Shishio rubbed his stomach and sighed.

“Shishio.”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.” Mai pulled down her facemask, tiptoed, and kissed Shishio’s cheek.

“….”

Shishio looked at Mai and asked, “…Have you recovered, Mai?”

“….”

“…If you do it gently, then it might be alright,” Mai said softly as she lowered her head with a blush.

Shishio knew that he needed to buy another thing at this grocery store.

‘Is there a condom here?’

Shishio wasn’t sure, but he might need to look for it.

—

Shishio stopped his motorcycle and looked at the familiar house in front of him. He hadn’t been in this house for weeks or more, and somehow it started to feel unfamiliar to him. He thought he wouldn’t come to this place until then, but Nana suddenly told him that she wouldn’t move into the new apartment on Golden Week. Instead, she told him that she was going to move later after Golden Week and asked him to stay with her in this place together.

Shishio stood at the entrance of the house for a moment until the door opened.

“Ah, Shishio-kun, it has been a while.”

Her blonde hair fluttered because of the wind, and her massive boobs trembled as she walked. While her clothes might be conservative, they couldn’t hide her alluring body.

Shishio once again realized how dangerous his sister-in-law was.

“It has been a while, Ayaka-nee,” Shishio said softly as he prayed that he wouldn’t cause a mistake tonight..