The Stand User Of The Daily World

Chapter 94: Don't Do This Again, I'm Afraid Shunsuke Might Misunderstand

As the saying goes, "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." In the distance, a figure slowly approached.

Upon seeing Mai, her pace quickened.

When Mai noticed the approaching figure, she calmly walked toward her, with Shunsuke silently following behind her.

As the two sides drew closer, Shunsuke could clearly make out the face of the person.

It was Mai's mother.

Despite having an 18-year-old daughter, she looked remarkably youthful—completely unlike a typical mother.

Unlike other ladies of similar age, while equally youthful, she lacked the demeanor or aura of a "mother." Simply put, she didn't exude the warmth or presence associated with motherhood.

If a stranger saw her alone, they would more likely mistake her for a stylish single professional or a career-driven woman rather than a mother.

However, to Shunsuke, she was just an ordinary middle-aged woman, not even on par with Chihiro. At least Chihiro was younger than her.

Yes, not even on par with Chihiro. Not every married woman deserves the esteemed title of "Mrs.," a term filled with admiration, hope, and love.

While Mai's mother was indeed beautiful, in Shunsuke's eyes, she was simply another middle-aged woman.

"Mai, what do you think you're doing? Why didn't you consult me before making such decisions? You announced your return without notifying me first. Do you realize how much potential traffic you've lost by doing it this way?"

The good news was that, for once, Mai wasn't subjected to the brutal treatment of being ignored or forgotten by her mother.

The bad news was that, given her mother's attitude, it might have been better if they hadn't met at all.

Any faint hope Mai might have held onto was shattered in an instant, like bubbles disappearing under the harsh sunlight.

Facing her mother's aggressive questioning, Mai crossed her arms and replied coldly, "Didn't I terminate my contract with your agency when I took a break from the industry? You're not my manager. What right do you have to dictate my actions? What authority do you think you have?"

"I'm your mother. How could I not have the right to intervene?" Mai's mother, visibly angered by her words, forced herself to calm down. "Mai, stop acting like a child. It's not too late to fix this. Let's prepare a new press conference together right away."

Mai remained unmoved. "What kind of mother abandons her child for two whole years without meeting them? And, honestly, which of your current thoughts come from a mother's perspective? You've only ever seen me as a convenient tool, haven't you? A pawn for the big CEO whose business started crumbling without me."

"If you don't need me as a mother or a manager, then why did you bother texting me to meet? Why not handle your comeback on your own?"

Her mother's tone was laced with sarcasm, her gaze condescending, as if she were addressing a rebellious child. It reeked of an adult's self-assured superiority.

"Oh, that? I just wanted to notify you. I didn't expect it to cause such a misunderstanding, making you think you had leverage over me. That's my fault." Mai gave a slight bow.

"As for a manager, I already have someone I trust. I just wanted to inform you of that, so you wouldn't get any ideas. But now that I think about it, I should've made that clearer in the text. That was my oversight."

"A new manager?!" Mai's mother's expression shifted drastically. "Who is it?!"

From the sidelines, Shunsuke could tell Mai had done it on purpose. Oversight? Hardly. She wanted to see her mother's current reaction.

Dark? Definitely.

But I like it.

Mai slightly turned to the side, gesturing toward Shunsuke with a bright smile. "This is Shunsuke-kun, my junior in his second year at school. Starting today, he's my new manager."

Mai watched her mother's expression shift—from anger to confusion, then to bewilderment, and finally to an almost resigned realization, as though she believed this was some rebellious phase her daughter was going through.

It was at this moment that Mai handed over her phone.

"By the way, I've already sent this announcement to some trusted media outlets and reporters. Based on the agreed timeline, the news should be out by now. By tomorrow, the entire country will know about it."

Shunsuke took a couple of steps forward at just the right moment, extending his right hand. "Miss Sakurajima, hello. I'm Mai's new manager. I'm deeply grateful to you for raising such an incredible woman and talented actress. My thanks extend both to you as a mother and as a former manager. Please rest assured, I'll do my utmost to support her moving forward."

Mai gave Shunsuke a peculiar look.

As expected, you're not here with good intentions, are you?

Her mother slapped Shunsuke's hand away. "Don't be ridiculous! The entertainment industry isn't some child's play. What do you, a student, know about it? Can you help Mai grow? Can you get her roles? You're incapable of doing anything! I don't approve of this!"

"Well, that's truly unfortunate," Shunsuke calmly withdrew his hand. "It's a pity not to receive the blessings of Miss Sakurajima. However, this isn't something you can interfere with. Mai and I have already signed a contract. Legally speaking, I am now her manager."

Shunsuke maintained his assertive stance—after all, this was what Mai wanted, an unspoken request he naturally had to fulfill.

Mai's mother's face turned pale upon hearing this. Shunsuke wondered if she would pull out some cash and say something cliché like, "Leave Mai, and this money will be yours."

Mai, however, seemed very pleased with Shunsuke's assertiveness. She nodded toward her mother. "That's the situation. From now on, I'm one of Shunsuke-kun's artists. I hope you don't act like this again—I'd hate for Shunsuke-kun to misunderstand."

After saying this, Mai turned and began to leave. "Shunsuke-kun, let's go."

"Mai, stop right there!"

Her mother tried to grab her, but Shunsuke stepped in to block her path.

"Miss Sakurajima, this is the decision Mai made after choosing to stop running away. Even if you're her mother, could you please respect her? Respect her beliefs and her will. Perhaps it's time for you to step back and watch over her from afar."

"Just now, that statement from Shunsuke gets full marks!"

Before Mai's mother could respond, Shunsuke turned to Mai with a thumbs-up.

Mai couldn't help but laugh. "Give me back that moment of sentimentality you just ruined!"

Mai's mother felt utterly played and grew even angrier.

But anger alone wouldn't help her now.

As the president of an entertainment agency, she couldn't afford to lower herself to the level of a screaming or clawing shrew.

All she could do was watch as her precious daughter walked away with the boy who had deceived her.

"Shunsuke Fujii, is it? I hope you're truly sincere toward Mai and not just fooling her. Otherwise, I'll make sure you lose everything—your reputation, your future, all of it."

Shunsuke, of course, knew her threat wasn't idle.

If he could use a private investigator to uncover dirt on Shuu, then as the president of a talent agency and a woman connected to the upper echelons of society with access to certain services, Mai's mother undoubtedly had similar methods, if not more.

Unable to stop Mai directly, she now locked all her anger and hatred onto Shunsuke.

As expected, by that very evening, Shunsuke had gone viral.

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