"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
"Who…"Kyoko was startled when she saw Inoue casually delivering food to her room, interrupting the conversation between her and Akiko."Mao-chan, thank you." Akiko took the tray Inoue was carrying, and Inoue excused himself after bowing."She's the one who changed your clothes," Akiko explained. Of course, given yesterday's incident in the rain, she could easily make the connection."Kenji Oj... assistant." Akiko cut off her additional explanation halfway because she didn't want to mention Kenji's real "title" in front of Kyoko. Akiko didn't want to be judged right now."Oh, I thought Kenji was the one who changed our clothes earlier."Akiko almost dropped the bento box in her hand when she heard Kyoko's ridiculous conclusion. Of course, Akiko panicked as that conclusion conjured up the image of Kenji changing her clothes, a thought that had never occurred to her before, given her knowledge that Inoue was always called when Kenji nee
"That sounds very suspicious. How can you offer me a job without telling me what the description is?" Kyoko, always cautious, doubted the secrecy.Kenji smiled, swinging his shinai forward once before stopping—adjusting to his injury from the movement. He didn't mind Kyoko's question; her cautiousness was natural."I won't make you commit a crime—maybe. But I can tell you that your job will be more challenging than just crunching numbers at Shingi Fusaya," Kenji said, honestly. He wouldn't completely dismiss the possibility of illegal work, as it might happen."Maybe? You're going to make me commit a crime?!" Kyoko began to get annoyed. She needed a lot of money for her hobby, but that didn't mean she was willing to do something illegal."Were you surprised? Did you think the business world is all ponies, fluffy feathers, and lovely rainbows?" Kenji teased. Kyoko shouldn't be that naive."Oh… right." Kyoko finally understood. She
“If you want to leave, just go! Why does Inoue need to be here?”When Kenji mentioned that Inoue would be staying while he was gone, Akiko was baffled.“Sorry, it’s not that I dislike you, Mao-chan. But this doesn’t make sense.” Akiko apologized to Inoue, who was now standing and bowing in the front room, while Akiko and Kenji argued in the hallway. Akiko didn’t mind Inoue’s presence, but she just didn’t think it was necessary.“I’m not going anywhere. Didn’t you say you could find me wherever I am?” Akiko reminded Kenji of his overly arrogant challenge.“True, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to deal with the hassle. Searching for you would be troublesome. Moreover, your thoughts can shift abruptly at certain moments. I’m anticipating that.” Kenji pointed out Akiko’s tendency to make impulsive decisions, often changing her mind like the wind.
"You know he’s still useful. You're still working for Kuryugumi, so I guess you know he’s useful."Kenji replied calmly, while Yui glanced again at the katana beside her, tempted to use it once more."If I could, I would leave Kuryugumi!" Yui hissed. But Kuryugumi's contracts were for life—especially for those with significant responsibilities. Yui was in too deep. Masaki would never let her live if she dared to leave."Don't say such terrible things." Ryu, of course, didn't like his sister's plan, even if it was probably just a joke."There doesn't need to be any bloodshed here. I’m too lazy for that." Kenji cut off the dangerous discussion. If his relationship with Ryu and Yui was normal—not friendly—it would be Kenji's duty to eliminate Yui if she left. It wasn’t wise to talk about such things in front of him.Besides, Kenji didn’t want to use violence while he wasn't fully recovered. Yui was no ordi
The atmosphere in the pink-colored room felt gloomy, completely at odds with the theme.Kenji sat silently with his head bowed. Ryu did the same. Even Yui—who had been criticizing and bringing up all of Kenji’s mistakes—had fallen quiet in the end.They all knew Hayato at some point, and they knew what kind of man he was. His passing would never be easy for anyone. Especially considering he had to leave in such a horrifying way.“Why are you bringing this up again? You gave up already. You let Ayu marry.” Yui still couldn’t understand why Kenji had to bring this up again.“She’s divorced,” Ryu replied, still staring at the table.“Of course. And now you’re hoping for her again? You’re aiming too high. Ayu’s taste isn’t that low. I’m sure she wouldn’t choose you even after leaving her husband,” Yui taunted, sneering at Kenji.“She&rsquo
"What are you marking?" asked Kyoko, noticing Akiko circling dates on the calendar on her desk.They had just started working at a new office yesterday, and on this second day, they still weren’t very busy. That's why Kyoko was puzzled to see Akiko so intently looking at her phone and calendar."Summer festival and fireworks!" Akiko replied enthusiastically.These were the two things Akiko always looked forward to during the summer: festivals and fireworks displays.Two things she hadn’t enjoyed in a long time because of her marriage to Kaito, but this year, Akiko was determined to experience them again.That's why Akiko had been searching for the schedule of summer festivals and fireworks shows, marking the dates on her calendar to make sure she wouldn't miss any."There’s still more than a month before all those festivals start, and you’re already looking them up now?" Kyoko raised an eyebrow, surprised by Akiko's e
“Wrap it again!”As the nurse was about to leave, Akiko protested. She insisted on having the nurse wrap her head as she had done yesterday.“Tanaka-san, it’s no longer necessary. The surgical wound has healed well,” the nurse said with a smile. The full head bandage was no longer needed, leaving only a square patch covering the back side of her head.But the nurse understood why Akiko made such a strange request. Akiko was currently feeling her entire head, fighting back tears.According to what she felt, Akiko knew her hair was uneven—some parts longer than others—and she could guess that beneath the bandage, there would be a completely bald patch.“I must look awful,” Akiko muttered softly.“I’m sorry. We rushed to prepare for your surgery and didn't have time to evenly trim the hair." The nurse stroked the part of Akiko’s hair that still hung down to her should
Kyoko flinched slightly and looked at Ryu when he mentioned "liking," but then she realized Ryu was only speaking generally, with no special meaning. It didn’t make sense that Ryu would suddenly say something like that out of nowhere.“And I agree with that. The current Prime Minister’s work is terrible. If he has any shame left, he should just resign.” Ryu nodded in agreement with Kyoko’s opinion, looking satisfied.“After this, I hope you can help me win any debate against Kenji,” Ryu said.“Huh? What?” Kyoko was confused.“Forget it.” Ryu waved his hand dismissively. It was too early to discuss that."About the Prime Minister we were just discussing, he's bad, but you can't solely blame Kenji because there are other clans involved. As you heard earlier, Kuryugumi isn’t acting alone. They made the decision together. The individual who was elected was not the one Kuryugumi had
“Has she arrived?” Ryu inquired as he observed Inoue preparing to welcome him.“Yes. She was perfectly on time. Not a minute late,” Inoue replied, with a hint of sarcasm.Ryu could only offer a wry smile, knowing he was in the wrong. Ryu was late. He had to take care of something at Shingi Fusaya and couldn’t leave his office until half an hour past his meeting time with Kyoko.His lateness was serious, and there was no time for small talk with Inoue. Ryu quickly opened the door to Kenji’s office.Ryu had asked Inoue to arrange the meeting in Kenji’s office, which would clearly be empty for the next few weeks.Kyoko, who had been waiting inside, quickly stood up, looking surprised to see Ryu.“You…”“Yes, I’m the one who will formalize your work contract. Kenji… is busy.” Ryu removed the folder he had prepared and sat in Kenji's chair.&
"What's wrong?" Akiko grew more curious as she watched Kenji lower his head and cover his face with his hands."Sorry, just a moment." Kenji needed to calm himself. The fear he felt earlier was real. He had braced himself for Akiko's complaining of pain, clearly worried about her post-surgery scars.But Akiko was completely calm. A small ray of hope emerged amidst all the darkness that enveloped him."Are you okay?" Akiko asked again, gently touching Kenji's hand, which slowly loosened its grip."Yes, I'm fine. Everything is fine." Kenji smiled, causing Akiko's heart to race again. She reflexively covered Kenji's mouth."Don't smile like that," Akiko complained. Kenji raised his eyebrows in question."Just don't."Kenji found the request odd, but he nodded. Only then did Akiko release her hand, exhaling with a sense of relief."What's wrong with my smile? Is it scary?" Kenji didn’t think he had made a scary face, but Ryu
Akiko stared at Kenji as he walked in, once again placing a hand on her chest. She felt abnormal, her heart racing with excitement.Or maybe it was the man who wasn’t normal. Akiko couldn't imagine how she had married someone so... handsome.Akiko admitted it. Ryu, who had been with her earlier, was handsome, sweet, and had a clean face. Kenji’s face was the complete opposite.Kenji was handsome, but not sweet, and he looked rugged with stubble that seemed a few days old. But that wild side of him was driving her crazy. Akiko felt her stomach suddenly warm as those dark eyes looked at her.She wanted to look away—unable to withstand the excessive charm—but decided to keep looking. It would be strange to turn away so suddenly. After all, they were husband and wife. Akiko wanted to get used to looking at that face quickly.“Are you feeling dizzy?” As he sat beside Akiko, he naturally reached out to touch her
"Is this going to be permanent?" As soon as Kenji and Hayashi left the room, he asked his question.Hayashi ran a hand through his white hair, and the lines on his forehead deepened."The answer is, I don't know." Hayashi gave his honest reply with a long sigh.If not for the fact that Hayashi had done so much to help Akiko recover, Kenji might have snapped at him for his unhelpful response.It was Hayashi's job to diagnose Akiko's condition, not to be unsure. It was Kenji's responsibility not to be in the dark."Maybe this answer won't satisfy you," Hayashi said, noticing how Kenji was struggling to contain his emotions."However, I am unable to provide a definitive response. The neurologist who worked with me on Akiko's case before diagnosed her as unable to function normally, but after therapy restored her motor skills, her ability to remember and understand things slowly returned. When it comes to Akiko's condition, nothing is set in sto
Akiko followed Hayashi's flashlight beam, moving left and right with ease. There was no problem at all."What do you feel?" Hayashi asked with a friendly smile. Akiko looked at him. He was a kind and gentle doctor."Dizzy." Akiko had felt a sharp pain in her head when she tried to sit up earlier, but now it had eased significantly. That was her only physical complaint. As for her thoughts—Akiko couldn’t explain them."Of course you feel dizzy. You have a head injury."Akiko appreciated the doctor's warmth as he gently explained. She then touched the bandage on her head with a confused expression."What happened to me? Did I fall?" Akiko inquired, hoping for a quick explanation.But the doctor didn’t answer immediately. Akiko caught him glancing at one of the men standing on the opposite side of the bed. The man nodded.Akiko understood instantly that Hayashi had just sought permission. The doctor was seeking permissi
Kenji's thoughts immediately pointed to her. Only Karin could have come up with such a cunning plan, with the intent to hurt Akiko.After all, who else knew about the relationship between him and Akiko besides Karin? Kenji doubted his father would resort to such cowardly methods. His father had already shown his way yesterday—an attack from the front, forceful if necessary."I think we were wrong. Karin isn't interested in the Nakamura fortune. She's doing everything she can to hurt Akiko." Kenji corrected his earlier assumption that Karin was merely being materialistic when she tricked him. "Everything she's done since the beginning has hurt Akiko.""Why though? Why would she hate her own niece?" Ryu scratched his head, looking confused.It wasn't a question that Kenji needed to answer. Aside from not knowing the reason, Kenji didn’t care. What mattered was that Karin had hurt Akiko.Before this, Kenji could still forgive everything Kari
But Kenji's burden gradually lessened as he saw a smile spread across Hayashi's lips.“It worked. Everything was successfully retrieved. And Akiko's condition is very stable,” Hayashi said, giving a thumbs-up.Kenji let out a sigh of relief, but he knew his relief was premature.“How…”“I’ve requested that the biopsy be done as soon as possible, but it will still take at least a day. Be patient. Stay with Akiko when she wakes up. Huh, what happened to your face?” Hayashi inquired, noting Kenji's bruised and battered face.“Something happened, but it's over now,” Kenji responded vaguely. He might hear the full story later about the earlier commotion, but Kenji wasn’t too concerned. Kuryugumi usually had a team to clean up any public disturbances.Hayashi squinted at Kenji's face before patting his shoulder. “Take care of those wounds. But I must go. I’m not as youn