Chapter 362: Sasaki Nozomi-chan

"Clack, clack!"

The clear sound of footsteps startled Yui-chan awake. She quickly sat up on the couch and grabbed a Japanese textbook, pretending to study.

However, her gaze drifted over the top of the book, watching as her roommate, Sasaki Nozomi-san, descended the spiral staircase. She wore a shimmering silver silk dress that reached her knees, paired with wedge slippers. Standing at nearly 170 cm tall, Nozomi-san had a slender and sensual figure, complemented by her long, smooth legs.

Her face was delicate, with large sparkling eyes and soft pink lips, giving her an innocent, sweet, and pure appearance. Yet, her attire exuded a very alluring and seductive vibe.

This was Sasaki Nozomi-san.

She started as a model and rose to fame last year through the movie Heavenly Love, where she played a call girl. With her delicate face, tall and sexy figure, and a blend of purity and seductiveness, she quickly became one of the most eye-catching actresses in Japan's entertainment industry.

In June, she was ranked 33rd on the American movie website TC Candler's "100 Most Beautiful Faces in the World" list, the only Japanese woman to make the cut.

Compared to Nozomi-san, Yui-chan didn’t see herself as a stunning beauty.

What confused her was, if Sasaki Nozomi was already here, why had Mr. Tahara brought her along as well?

Nozomi-san had a beautiful and pure face, a body to die for. If they put her in Playboy's Link's bed, there was no way Link would refuse. If the goal was to conceive a child, Sasaki Nozomi was more than capable of completing the task.

Yui-chan felt that Mr. Tahara’s arrangement seemed redundant.

"Konnichiwa!" Yui-chan greeted cheerfully.

"Konnichiwa," Sasaki Nozomi nodded politely.

Both women were Japanese and actresses, but they had never crossed paths before living together for the past week. Due to their personalities, their exchanges were limited to brief greetings.

Yui had initially thought Nozomi-san had come down to talk, but it seemed otherwise.

Nozomi walked into the living room, opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of cherry soda, picked up a Vogue magazine from the rack, and then sauntered over to the balcony lounge chair. She reclined on the chair, stretching her long, smooth legs, her posture oozing sensuality. A gust of wind lifted her dress slightly, exposing even more of her legs and hinting at her figure underneath. Without a bra, the outline of her chest was clearly visible through the silk dress.

Yui-chan thought to herself that if Playboy Link saw this, he would definitely sleep with Nozomi-san tonight. In twenty days, they could confirm a pregnancy, and the task would be complete. Suddenly, Yui-chan realized that maybe this mission wasn't so hard after all.

“Nozomi-san, I think we need to talk.”

Seeing that Nozomi was ignoring her, Yui-chan decided to initiate a conversation.

“Talk about what?” Nozomi replied coldly.

“About Mr. Tahara’s mission. He said you accepted it.”

Yui-chan leaned on the couch’s backrest. Since the balcony was a bit far away and windy, she had to raise her voice.

"Yes. Are you challenging me to see who can get pregnant with Mr. Beck's child first?" Nozomi-san glanced at her, a glimmer of competitiveness in her eyes.

“Nani? No, Nozomi-san, you've misunderstood. I’m not interested in competing with you. I have a boyfriend, and we’re very much in love. I don’t want to get pregnant with Mr. Beck's child. Really, I think we can divide the tasks. I’ll teach Mr. Beck Japanese, and you can... well, attract his attention, make him fall in love with you, and successfully get pregnant. What do you think?”

Yui-chan called out.

“What are you saying? Why don’t you come over here and sit?”

“I’m afraid of heights! It’s too high over there; it looks scary.”

Yui-chan took a few steps toward the balcony, covering her eyes. She leaned against the wall, facing the living room, and repeated her earlier suggestion in a softer voice now that she was closer.

"You don't want to come over? Then why did you take this job?" Nozomi-san put down her magazine.

"I didn’t exactly want to," Yui sighed, sitting on the carpet. She explained her family situation, without mentioning that her father was being investigated for corruption — just that he had some issues at work, and Mr. Tahara had helped resolve them.

Curious, she asked Nozomi why she was here, wondering if it was also not her choice.

Nozomi, however, said she was here willingly.

Recently, the manager of her talent agency, Top Coat, had approached her, asking if she was interested in being Mr. Link Beck's Japanese tutor. Nozomi had agreed immediately.

Yui-chan was surprised and asked why she would accept such a job, knowing that rumors of an affair with a notorious playboy like Link could damage her reputation.

"Why wouldn’t I accept?" Nozomi crossed her slender legs, took a sip of cherry soda, and explained that having a rumor with an international star like Link would not only get her widespread media coverage in Japan but also in Europe and America.

With that kind of exposure, she could get invited to the four major fashion weeks and walk for top luxury brands, becoming a supermodel like Gisele Bündchen or Kate Moss.

“But... they want you to have his child. After that, you might be asked to stay home and raise the child, giving up your career,” Yui-chan pointed out.

Nozomi glanced at her. “Why would you think that? Mr. Beck isn’t just a star; he’s a billionaire. If I became the mother of his child, he wouldn’t abandon me or the child because of his reputation.

“With his support, I could continue my career as a model or actress, and I’d be much better off than I am now. The real issue we should focus on isn’t what happens after the pregnancy but how to even get him interested in us. You must have noticed, Mr. Beck hasn’t shown much interest in either of us.”

Yui scratched her head. She had initially wanted to strategize with Nozomi-san on how to avoid being turned into surrogate mothers. But now, she realized their goals were completely different. What she dreaded, Nozomi sought out eagerly.

Their aims were so different that they couldn’t continue the conversation.

Suddenly, Yui-chan’s phone rang again. It was her older brother, Seiichi, who told her that higher-ups had commended her, saying she was on a crucial mission for the country, and that the family was proud of her.

Yui-chan nearly cried, but she held back, not wanting to worry her brother. She assured him she would do her best and promised to bring him a gift when she returned.

There were also two unread text messages from her boyfriend, Ryo Nishikido, who had dreamt that she was being attacked by a big black wolf. Worried, he asked if she was okay and reminded her to take care of herself.

Reading his message made Yui-chan even more upset.

She felt torn between duty to her country and family, and her personal desires for her future and love.

“Yui-chan, are you feeling conflicted?” Nozomi-san asked, handing her a bottle of cherry soda as she knelt gracefully beside her.

Yui blinked. Seeing Nozomi up close made her look even more beautiful. Her delicate, pale face appeared sweet and pure, but the way her silk dress hugged her figure and the strap that slipped off her shoulder made her look incredibly seductive.

Nozomi smelled wonderful, too.

"What do you mean?" Yui asked after taking a sip of the soda.

"You don’t want to get involved with Mr. Beck and have his child, right? We can switch roles. I’ll be his Japanese tutor, and you can act as my assistant. You can help me prepare for lessons, and during class, you can stay in the room while I tell Mr. Beck that you’re not feeling well. Does that sound good?”

Yui-chan thought for a moment. This arrangement wasn’t bad.

Nozomi wanted to have Link's child, and Mr. Tahara needed a Japanese woman to do just that.

If she did nothing, Nozomi would eventually get pregnant, and Yui could return to Tokyo, continuing her acting and singing career as if nothing had happened.

As for her father and brother... she felt guilty about them, knowing how much they adored her. She should have been able to help them through her career, but she hadn't.

Yui suddenly felt like the selfish woman from the movie Nobody Knows, focused on her own happiness while neglecting her family’s struggles.

“Yui-chan, have you made up your mind?”

Sasaki Nozomi smiled slightly.

Seeing the smile at the corner of her lips, Yui-chan thought it looked pure and sweet. But in "Love for an Angel," the character she played tricked her classmates into becoming compensated dating girls just to become a mama-san. At that time, she had the same smile on her face—a bit mischievous.

"Kii-san, I've thought it over. Mr. Tahara arranged for me to teach Mr. Baker Japanese and for you to be the teaching assistant. The purpose is for us to work together to teach Mr. Baker Japanese. If we secretly switch roles and delay Mr. Baker's progress in learning Japanese, Mr. Tahara might blame us.

I suggest we continue with the original arrangement. I'll teach Mr. Baker Japanese, and you'll be the assistant. Privately, you can interact with Mr. Baker more; I won't interfere with you or compete with you."

Yui-chan said.

"Hmph! I see, you don't want to miss this opportunity either, do you?"

Sasaki Nozomi's sweet smile turned cold.

"No, that's not it. I wasn't thinking that. I have a boyfriend."

"Can your boyfriend compare to Mr. Baker?"

Sasaki Nozomi smiled faintly, brushed off her skirt, and got up to head upstairs. As she walked, she said, "If you don't want to give up, then let's compete. But you'll definitely lose, big-faced girl!"

"What? Big-faced girl?"

Yui-chan's eyes widened as she covered her cheeks. Her face wasn't big at all, was it? It was round and cute, with many fans who loved it.

She was also ranked first in ORICON STYLE's list of "Male/Female Celebrities You'd Like to Date" and placed third in the 2009 National Goddess ranking, more popular with male fans than Sasaki, right?

Yui-chan knelt on the floor, angrily glaring at Sasaki Nozomi as she walked upstairs.

She wanted to give her a nickname too, but after staring at her back for a long time, she couldn't think of anything suitable. Sasaki Nozomi was too beautiful, with no obvious flaws.

Ding-dong~ Ding-dong!

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Yui-chan checked the time; it was 3 PM, exactly when Mr. Baker had scheduled his Japanese lesson for today.

Seeing the messy living room, Yui-chan quickly got up to tidy it up.

(End of the chapter)