The doctor attending to Kenji's body would certainly have liked to curse if he could. Unfortunately, he knew exactly who Kenji was and was forced to keep his mouth shut, focusing on changing Kenji's bandages instead.
In contrast, Ryu had been grumbling nonstop. He was perplexed as to why Kenji continued to stand in the rain, despite his unhealed wounds, and even ventured to lift Akiko's body.
The doctor had already said the wound hadn’t reopened and advised Kenji not to lift heavy objects, but that warning wasn't enough to satisfy Ryu.
“I still suspect you’re trying to hurt yourself. Are you sure there was no other option? You could have...”
Ryu fell silent because, finally, his complaints were responded to by Kenji. Kenji's eyes answered him with a look that could probably end one of Ryu's nine lives.
Ryu eventually turned his attention to the doctor caring for Kenji. He had finished bandaging Kenji's body and was tidying u
Akiko turned toward the door and saw Kenji entering, carrying a small table with breakfast.Still gathering her senses, Akiko stared at Kenji for a few seconds before her face flushed as memories of the kiss resurfaced. Her fever had gone down, so her flushed cheeks were undoubtedly caused by that memory. Her recollection stopped right after the kiss."Does your head hurt?" Kenji asked, noting that Akiko was holding her forehead."Yeah, no... I mean no." Her head did hurt when she tried to remember what happened after the kiss, but Akiko didn’t want to complain. She didn’t want Kenji to be kind to her. That’s why she changed her answer midway. It was a decent effort, but Kenji didn’t believe her at all."How... How did I get home yesterday?" Akiko inquired, interrupting before Kenji could ask again about her head."You fainted, had a fever. I called a doctor, and they gave you that." Kenji pointed to the medicine on the table.CLANG!The spoon Akiko had lifted fell back into the por
Kenji couldn’t explain Sakura honestly without mentioning Masaki. His father’s existence was something he kept hidden from Akiko.Not only because of the connection with Hayato, but also because Masaki didn’t want to meet Akiko. Kenji didn’t want Akiko to be disappointed when she found out that Masaki had never wanted to see her.“I got engaged not because I wanted to, but let’s just say it was an obligation,” Kenji said, trying to explain without mentioning Masaki.“Huh? What kind of reasoning is that? Don’t you…”"I have the same responsibility as Kaito Nakamura, which is why I chose Sakura as my fiancée. It’s not because I love her, nor because I chose her,” Kenji explained, giving an example, and Akiko quickly understood.“You’re getting married because someone told you to?” Akiko was obviously surprised. As far as she knew, Kenji didn’t have parents—just like her father.As Akiko's question circled back around to Masaki, Kenji sighed inwardly.“I’ll explain the basis of my relati
"She doesn’t want to meet you," Ryu answered before Kenji could ask."Are you sure you’ve tried convincing her?" Kenji was busy clicking his tongue and running his hand through his hair. He knew it would be difficult, but he was still annoyed hearing Ryu’s report."Of course I did! I risked my life just to mention you to her. I was almost certain I wouldn’t make it out alive," Ryu retorted, trying to assure Kenji that he had done his best."Your life is still worth five, so don’t be afraid of him," Kenji replied."My life is only worth five when it comes to you! To her, I only have one life, and if she decides to kill me, I'll die right then and there." Ryu raised his voice."She's not going to kill you. You’re being ridiculous!" Kenji grumbled. Ryu’s fear of that person seemed irrational to him."Just because she can’t kill me doesn’t mean she won’t try. It’s easy for you to say, You’re not the one facing her directly!" Ryu was starting to get annoyed."Did you tell her that Kiko-cha
Kenji was no help at all. He didn’t make any effort to ease Akiko’s attempts to stay sane. At least, that’s what Akiko thought.After feeling normal the whole day—working, conducting surveys, and other tasks—Akiko felt like she was going crazy again when she came home and found Kenji shirtless and drenched in sweat.Kenji was training with a shinai, swinging the bamboo sword in a steady rhythm, trying to get his muscles used to working again.In reality, Kenji wasn’t even doing anything too strenuous. It was just the pain that made him sweat more. That’s why he had taken off the top of his yukata, leaving only his hakama. There was no way Kenji could ever look bad dressed like that.Even the bandages looked cool. The way they wrapped around his wounds made him look tough.Akiko immediately felt guilty for seeing him like that. She felt like she had seen something she wasn’t supposed to.S
Kenji felt he had underestimated what Akiko was capable of now. He had forgotten that Akiko had grown more familiar with the world, including drinking and sake.Earlier, Akiko had simply said she was going to do a survey and have dinner with Kyoko. It was a normal event, and who would have guessed that later that night, he would get a completely ridiculous call from Akiko's number?Kenji regretted the circumstances in which he could no longer tail Akiko and ensure her safety. He couldn't just send anyone to watch over her either, because someone had reported to her father about Akiko in the past.Kenji was now considering dispatching the two bodyguards who were closest to him yesterday to monitor Akiko.When his father asked, he hoped they could still keep quiet. His subordinates were mostly loyal, but when pressed by her father, they tended to talk.Kenji rubbed his aching chest, wincing. Driving might involve sitting, but his arms were constantly
"Agh!" After laying Akiko on the bed, Kenji groaned, clutching his chest.Carrying Akiko for a second time made his wound hurt again. It wasn’t as severe as it had been a few days ago, but it still hurt. Akiko was now completely asleep. Kenji couldn’t force her to walk inside earlier.Kenji took off his jacket and shirt to check if anything had happened, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw there were no stains on his bandage. He felt pain, but not to the extent that the wound had reopened. It was safe, just like before.Kenji then reached for the bottle of medicine, swallowing one of the pills inside. Painkillers. He hadn’t taken any in a few days, but he felt the need now. After putting it away, Kenji looked at Akiko again, who was completely unconscious and unresponsive.Kenji crouched by the side of the bed, level with Akiko’s face.“You’re troublesome…” Kenji muttered, brushing Akiko's c
Without even a whisper, Akiko could already feel her body reacting inappropriately as soon as they were close.Akiko had never inhaled Kenji's scent before. This was the first time. His scent was a mixture of tea and medicine. But Akiko detected an aroma she couldn't describe.As soon as she smelled it, Akiko felt as though she had found something long lost, something that had been absent for a while but was now back."I’ll let you go, but you have to call me by the right name." Kenji repeated his request, gently stroking Akiko's ear and then the nape of her neck."Don’t... let go..." Akiko closed her eyes, uncertain that she would be any more rational with her eyes open. Kenji's neck and face would be right in front of her, and that was terrible news for her already fragile sanity."Don’t let go? Alright," Kenji smiled, stroking Akiko’s neck and tightening his embrace."That’s not what I meant!" Akiko finally m
Kyoko mentioned the second point with full confidence because she knew it was a fact.After the brief meeting with Kenji in the elevator, Kyoko received a lot more information from Misa. She didn’t know who Kenji was, but Misa provided details on how Ryusuke Sato often met with him."You didn't just meet Sato-san at Shingi Fusaya; you also met him outside for lunch or other purposes. Sato-san always welcomed you respectfully whenever you came to Shingi Fusaya.”Kyoko relayed the information from Misa. Because she was the head of Ryusuke Sato's unofficial fan club, she trusted Misa's news completely. It could be said she was a stalker, someone who would know where Ryusuke went every day—even though she wasn’t his secretary. Following the office gossip network had proven useful after all.And this clearly impressed Kenji. He hadn’t expected Kyoko to have such knowledge. But Kenji didn’t respond, letting Kyoko wander throu
“Himawari! Natsu!”A ten-year-old boy let out a loud shout when he discovered two other children hiding behind the bushes beneath the tree.“Kenzo—big brother!”Natsu was startled to see Kenzo suddenly appear. He pulled the girl, Himawari, beside him to stand, intending to run away, but Kenzo stopped him.“No! You’re making Okaa-san worried. You have to go back.” Kenzo grabbed Natsu's arm.“But Himawari is scared. She doesn’t want to go to school,” Natsu pointed at Himawari, who was now sobbing.“Hima-chan.” Kenzo knelt down and gently stroked Himawari's head, which was bowed down.“School isn’t scary. You’ll meet many new people and make new friends,” Kenzo coaxed softly until Himawari looked up to meet Kenzo's gaze.“But… but… I want to be with Natsu. I don’t want to go to school…”
“This place isn’t bad.” Kenji didn’t outright refuse, but his reluctance was evident.“Indeed, I will make sure this place will never be bad for those children. However, Kenzo stands apart from these children. They are kids who truly have no family and are forced to live here. Kenzo has me. I am his family. I am the only family Kenzo has."Akiko didn’t want to acknowledge this while remembering Kenzo's mother’s actions, but Kenzo was still the child of her mother’s younger sibling—her family. No one else was her blood relative as of now.“I can’t forget that fact and pretend Kenzo is someone else. It will haunt me in my sleep,” Akiko urged again.Kenji fiddled with the car keys beneath him while staring at the back of Kenzo's head, who was now trying to draw something with crayons on a new piece of paper.“I know you hate his mother—I do too. But you don’t hav
“I still don’t want to do this,” Kenji grumbled.“I know, but I’m sure you also know that this is the right thing to do,” Akiko replied, looking at her husband, who was now unbuckling his seatbelt. Although they arrived two minutes earlier, neither of them got out of the car.The decision they—Akiko—made was indeed a significant one. Akiko needed to calm herself. Kenji had left the choice to her, but he was still going through it with a heavy heart.“Come on, let’s go.” Akiko finally opened the door and stepped out.Children playing in the yard rushed over when they spotted her.“Tanaka-san! What did you bring today? Candy? A storybook?”A chorus of voices greeted Akiko. She often visited the orphanage with gifts, so the children expected her to bring something.“I brought something in the car for you, but it’s a secret. You can…”
“I don’t want to sleep with you.” Ryu repeated the question in disbelief because it seemed too absurd. He shook his head while rubbing his face.“I think your ability to draw conclusions isn’t very sharp right now,” Ryu said.“No!” Kyoko was obviously offended. Although it wasn't a direct insult, Ryu had implied that Kyoko was stupid.“Don’t be angry; I understand. I would be disappointed if your mind was entirely calm at the moment.” Ryu smiled with satisfaction.“I’m calm!” Kyoko retorted.“You just asked about my desire to sleep with you. I think that’s quite a disturbance that’s keeping you from being calm.” Ryu left his suitcase and approached Kyoko, who suddenly panicked and stepped back.“Don’t deny it. You won’t succeed in making me think otherwise.” Ryu chuckled softly at her panic.“I don&
“Don’t open it now. You’ll get wet.” Ryu raised the hood of Kyoko's raincoat just in time as a large amount of water splashed toward where they were sitting. It was as if someone had poured a giant bucket of water on them.The orca whale show they were watching involved jumping out of the water. Of course, when they fell back, they splashed a lot of water toward the audience.Ryu clapped like everyone else, appreciating the hard work of the giant mammals, but Kyoko didn’t clap at all—not even when the show ended.“Didn’t you like it?” Ryu inquired as they exited, discarding their soaked raincoats.Ryu grabbed a small towel handed out by the staff, then used it to dry Kyoko’s hair and neck. Although Ryu had covered her hoodie just in time, some parts of Kyoko’s hair and neck were still wet.“You don’t like aquariums. I’ll note all of that.” After waiting for a
"I want to go home."Kyoko suddenly spoke up just as Akiko finished applying pink lipstick to her lips.“Huh? Why? Did you forget something?” Akiko straightened up, confused, as she glanced at the kimono Kyoko would be wearing.Kyoko's kimono was simpler, with only a hair ornament as an accessory. It wasn’t as elaborate as the one Akiko had worn when she got married in Utoro.Ryu had planned for their wedding to be similar to Akiko’s, but they had compromised for a more modest ceremony at the city hall. Ryu knew Kyoko's feelings about temple buildings, so he wouldn't dare force anything. Besides, the reception would still happen; just the ceremony would be different.Nobody objected to the decision. Everyone agreed as long as the wedding took place, including Akiko. Even though her expensive kimono was a bit much for a city hall wedding, she was still happily helping Kyoko.“Everything's ready. I just need to pu
“You must be crazy!” Kyoko stood up and paced back and forth in the living room, trying to recall if there was any sign that Ryu wasn’t serious.But everything was serious. Ryu had even sent her a photo of the kimono he would wear on their wedding day. When Kyoko saw the photo, she thought Ryu was insane, as discussing kimono patterns would escalate their deception.In the end, Kyoko made her choice, wanting to end the pointless discussion. But it turned out that the discussion was important.“Are you just going to sit there?!” Kyoko yelled angrily, glaring at Ryu, who was calmly sipping beer and munching on peanuts he had brought earlier.“What do you want me to do?” Ryu frowned.“Cancel everything! Call them all! Cancel it!” Kyoko sat back down next to Ryu and then attacked him, reaching for his waist.“Hey, wait! Don’t get aggressive all of a sudden,” Ryu was, of cour
Ryu shook his head, while effortlessly unlocking Kyoko's apartment door once more by simply inputting her birthday—the day after tomorrow.He had repeatedly reminded Kyoko to change the password, which was extremely easy to guess. Not just once—like when he first broke in to find the listening device—but several times since.Now, Kyoko no longer lives in Tokyo. Since becoming actively involved in Kuryugumi and assisting Kenji and Ryu, Kyoko had relocated to Osaka, where she now primarily worked.However, Kyoko hadn't been working regularly since visiting her parents, and no one was pressuring her to do so either. Kenji didn’t give any orders, leaving everything up to Ryu.The apartment’s security was truly weak, especially since there was still no sound, despite Ryu walking into the room for several moments. It was evident that Kyoko had fallen asleep due to the late hour. Ryu had come straight to the apartment after returnin
Akiko adjusted herself in front of the mirror, gazing at the new kimono she would wear the day after tomorrow.The kimono was custom-made for her, so naturally, it fit perfectly. But Akiko wanted to see if the color matched her expectations. And indeed, everything was perfect. It fit her body beautifully and didn't feel heavy or hot, which was crucial considering it was still summer.The modern kimono, with a white base, was adorned with pink cherry blossoms. Akiko had even prepared hair accessories filled with cherry blossom designs to complete the look.She wasn’t wearing the hairpiece yet, but when she tried placing it on her head, the pink color matched perfectly with her black hair. Everything was set. She had also prepared clothes for Natsu and Kenji.BANG!Akiko flinched and dropped the hair accessory she was holding. The loud noise from the sliding door startled her.Luckily, Natsu was in the next room, so he wouldn’t be