Kei lightly swayed her silver hair. "No need, my house is just up ahead."
"Take a closer look."
Takashi pointed forward.
Following the direction of his finger, Kei looked ahead in confusion.
At the end of the narrow road, a run-down apartment building came into view.
The outer walls were weathered, covered in green vines, giving the impression that it was about to be demolished at any moment.
At the entrance of the apartment, a flashy-looking guy with a pompadour squatted there, smoking a cigarette.
Beside him stood a blond-haired boy who seemed like his lackey.
Neither of them looked very old—they were probably just delinquent teenagers.
Kei suddenly fell silent.
The people living in this area didn't have an easy life.
Many envied the glitz and glamour of Tokyo, but beneath the prosperity and bright lights, there were far more ordinary families like Kei's.
To ordinary people, Tokyo was just Tokyo.
"Let's go." Takashi's gaze remained calm and indifferent as he spoke to Kei.
Kei got out of the car and bowed slightly toward Takashi. "Thank you for the trouble, senpai."
The old man in the driver's seat spoke to Takashi. "I'll wait for you here."
As they walked, Takashi spoke casually. "Is this why you applied for the job?"
Kei pressed her lips together and let out a soft "Mm."
Takashi didn't know what else to say.
Even if he had another chance, even if he knew the reason, he would still have refused her without hesitation.
To outsiders, Takashi might seem so cold-hearted that he was almost inhuman.
But rules were rules.
Just like how a certain ice cream chain hired a 15-year-old who had dropped out of school—regardless of their circumstances, fines were fines.
If a company knowingly hired underage workers, it doesn't matter what difficulties they're facing.
"This has nothing to do with you, senpai. I wasn't blaming you." Kei shook her head ever so slightly.
"My family isn't as bad as you think. My dad and older brother both work, so we can still afford daily expenses."
Life wasn't unbearable, but they had to be frugal.
Watching her father leave early and come home late every day, and her brother going to work after school, Kei felt like she should contribute something as well.
Takashi recalled the uniform she had been wearing when he first saw her. "You go to Shuchiin Middle School, right?"
"How many languages do you know?"
If she had been attending an ordinary public school, Takashi wouldn't have asked this question.
But Shuchiin was an elite academy.
Its academic standards far surpassed those of public schools. Many of its students were exceptionally gifted, often fluent in multiple languages at a young age.
Takashi never underestimate anyone, no matter their age.
After all, some elementary schoolers had life experiences more impressive than most adults.
Take himself, for example—he once went on a trip to the capital and overheard a father explaining optimization algorithms and Java programming to his child on the subway.
And that kid was only in second grade.
No one could understand Takashi's shock at that moment.
It was the first time he had so clearly felt the disparity in educational resources.
People really weren't born equal.
Kei barely needed a second to think. "Three. Japanese, English, and Chinese."
After a pause, she added, "I can read them, but my pronunciation isn't that great yet."
She had never lost a written exam, but at a school like Shuchiin, grades on paper weren't everything.
The academy regularly held exchange programs with foreign universities.
Takashi genuinely praised her. "That's impressive."
When he was in middle school, he was far behind her.
Japanese people tended to be modest.
Takashi's straightforward compliment caught Kei off guard, making her feel a little shy.
Takashi thought for a moment, then pulled two books from his bag—Kuznetsov's Russian Dictionary and 1001 Years of Spanish.
"Try to finish them quickly."
Kei looked at him in confusion.
She had no idea what he was doing.
"I'll arrange some translation work for you under my name," Takashi explained.
Many shops in the business district needed translations for foreign customers but couldn't afford full-time translators.
Most only provided signs in Chinese and English.
This meant that interactions with tourists from other regions relied mostly on hand gestures and tour guides.
Sure, smartphones had built-in translation features now—
But they were a hassle to use.
"We'll split the earnings 40-60. You take 60."
Takashi couldn't apply for a part-time job on her behalf, but he could still find her some freelance work.
Never underestimate the "social butterfly" of Bunkyo Ward.
He had connections with plenty of shop owners there.
As long as he stepped in, they'd at least give him a chance.
Of course, Takashi's network wasn't limited to Bunkyo Ward.
He had connections in all 23 wards of Tokyo.
Did you think he got all those wealthy older women's contacts by chance?
Naturally, someone like Takashi wouldn't help for free.
"Just tell them you're my sister if anyone asks."
Come to think of it, standing next to each other, Takashi and Kei really did look like siblings.
After waiting for a response, Takashi glanced at Kei—
She was staring at him blankly, like a little fool.
Takashi raised an eyebrow. "Not satisfied with the pay? That's the lowest I can go."
Even though Kei would be doing the translation, Takashi was the one vouching for her. If anything went wrong, it would be on him.
Not to mention, he'd have to double-check every piece of work she submitted.
Translation wasn't as easy as simply knowing two languages.
It involved careful wording, cultural adaptation, and avoiding sensitive topics.
A bad translation could even cause religious or political issues.
"N-No, I have no issues with the pay."
For the first time, Kei's usually emotionless face showed a slight ripple of uncertainty. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly.
"Senpai... Why are you being so nice to me?" She fixed her gaze on him, her tone cautious.
"What do you think a random man gains from being nice to a pretty girl?" Takashi's voice took on a teasing edge, his eyes scanning over her.
Kei instinctively pressed her hands against her collar, eyes wary as she took a step back.
"You're much cuter than when you keep that blank face."
Takashi smirked at her reaction, pleased with his little prank.
Without waiting for her skeptical gaze to fade, he turned and continued walking.
"Just think of it as an investment."
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Check out the other translations too: [Mash-Up: Anything For Money]