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#24 It's Not Simple
Last Updated:
2024-10-09 10:10:43Related chapters
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #25 Drunken Truth
"Oji-san!" Akiko repeated herself, now waving her hand, which made Kenji frown, increasingly puzzled. But when he saw the sake bottle on the table and Akiko's unsteady steps, that puzzlement vanished.The singing and playful tone emanated from the sake. Somehow, Akiko had found out where he stored his sake."How much did you drink?" Kenji asked, noticing two bottles lying on their sides and another still on the table. There was not much, but the sake in his house was the best, which meant it had a high alcohol content with a light taste."Come on, let's drink together." Akiko grabbed Kenji's arm, pulling him inside and forcing him to sit down."Stop drinking," Kenji scolded, snatching the bottle from Akiko's hand before she could pour more sake into her cup. This was the first time Kenji had seen Akiko drink, and it was clear she couldn't handle much."Oji-san! You typically drink until you're drunk! Ugh... you smell like cigarettes! Why are you still smoking?!" Akiko's sentences were
Last Updated : 2024-10-09Do You Love Me, Uncle? #26 You're Home
Akiko was tidying up her desk's documents and rubbing her head, which made her feel slightly dizzy. A hangover, no doubt. Yesterday, Akiko had only intended to drink a little to calm her mind due to the issues with Riko. But it was clear that the amount of sake she consumed far exceeded her body’s tolerance, as Akiko couldn’t remember anything after finishing the second bottle.Akiko was relieved, but she still ended up sleeping in the backroom, not in the wrong place—like in Kenji’s room, for instance.Akiko took a deep breath, gathering her resolve, then got up and approached Kyoko at her desk."Kyoko-san, I wanted to ask you something...""Hey! Since when did I allow you to call me Kyoko? I'm still Fujita to you!" Kyoko growled, narrowing her eyes at Akiko, who was standing next to her.Calling someone by their first name indicates familiarity, and so far, Akiko has been addressing Kyoko by her family name."Oh, but I want to call you Kyoko. And you can just call me Akiko," Akiko
Last Updated : 2024-10-10Do You Love Me, Uncle? #27 Marry Her
Akiko dropped the measuring tool and the clipboard in her hands as she slowly walked toward Yuto, tears welling up in her eyes.Yuto hadn't changed, of course. He still looked capable and fresh. His hair was neatly combed, his face was clean-shaven, and he had a sharp nose. There was a small mole under his left eye, but Akiko couldn’t see it from such a distance."Yuto… Anata*..." Akiko wanted to shout, but her throat was choked with emotion, and only a whisper escaped.Then a harsh reality hit Akiko, even before she could swallow her emotions and hope of meeting Yuto. A woman stepped out of the gate—Kaede, who also hadn’t changed. Her short hair had turned completely white, and her face bore wrinkles. However, Kaede's sharp eyes softened slightly as she waved to someone behind her.A woman appeared, and Yuto was seen opening the car door for her. The woman nodded and got into the car. Akiko squinted, trying to see who the woman was, but her entire body was covered.Akiko felt famili
Last Updated : 2024-10-10Do You Love Me, Uncle? #28 What Make You Gloom?
Akiko stared at the macramé weaving in front of her, gently touching the knot she had made wrong, and sighed. This was the second time Akiko had messed up on a knot that should have been easy.Akiko wasn’t making a large macramé—just one that measured no more than thirty by fifty centimeters, extending downward, all in plain white. She hadn’t added any other colors. From the start, Akiko didn’t want to create something complicated because she didn’t want to think too much. But even this simple, single-colored macramé was enough to make her make mistakes.What she had seen two days ago—Yuto together with Kaede and another woman, whose identity she still didn’t know—was still affecting Akiko. She might try to maintain a positive outlook, but in the end, she couldn’t forget the scene she had witnessed for barely two minutes.Akiko couldn’t suppress her urge to meet Yuto after seeing him. They needed to talk—Akiko needed to explain what had happened. That was the only desire echoing in h
Last Updated : 2024-10-10Do You Love Me, Uncle? #29 It's An Order
Kenji stared at the building's gleaming name, attached to the front in giant letters."Nakamura Kyōiku Zaidan." (Nakamura Education Foundation)Kenji muttered as he read it. There were numbers for the year nineteen twenty-one, indicating when the foundation was established. Almost a hundred years ago. Kenji was unimpressed; his family's history was older than that.Before exiting the car, Kenji put on his black sunglasses and buttoned up his black coat. A thin vapor appeared from his lips, as well as his breath. There was no snow yet, but the air was getting colder.Kenji walked toward the main building, where Yuto should be. The place hadn’t changed much, even though the last time Kenji set foot in this area was two years ago. A few people turned to look at him. They weren't students, as the school building was in a different area.Kenji quickly made his way to the third floor. He already knew where Yuto’s office was.“Exc
Last Updated : 2024-10-11Do You Love Me, Uncle? #30 The Slick Snake
"Impossible! This is crazy, Kenji!" Ryu's eyes widened as he examined the photo on Kenji's phone. It was certainly challenging to believe.Kenji might not have believed it if the report hadn't come from one of his most trusted men—besides Ryu."Is this really your wife?" Ryu pointed at the phone screen.The photo Kenji showed him was of Karin and Kaede together, but the verbal report Kenji received also mentioned how Yuto and Karin had gone off alone, though no one managed to capture a photo."Ex-wife," Kenji corrected.Unlike Akiko and Yuto, whose divorce was dragging on, Kenji and Karin's separation had been swift. In less than two weeks, Karin was able to drop the Tanaka name. And Kenji didn't shed a tear over it—in fact, he was grateful.Kenji swung the katana in his hand, slicing through the rows of green bamboo set up in the middle of Kuryugumi's dojo. The bamboo split cleanly in the midd
Last Updated : 2024-10-11Do You Love Me, Uncle? # 31 Something Wrong
"Oji-san? But… how…" Akiko stammered, her tongue feeling heavy from the shock.Akiko had been careful. Knowing that going to Yuto's place would risk her uncle's anger, Akiko deliberately didn’t set aside a specific time. She intentionally skipped work today, thinking she could disguise her visit as part of her job.After making sure she could meet Yuto, Akiko planned to send a sick excuse to Mori later. But that plan was now just a plan because Kenji had found out and followed her. But Kenji wasn’t supposed to know. Akiko had left in a normal manner, without raising suspicion."Go home now!" Kenji growled, glancing around. Fortunately, the school gate was nearly deserted. School hours had begun, and the bare tree trunk provided enough cover for the two of them."No! How did you find me here?!" Akiko was still bewildered by Kenji's presence. This situation wasn’t normal.But the answer was actually simple. Kenji
Last Updated : 2024-10-11Do You Love Me, Uncle? Another Nightmare
"What's wrong?" Kenji reached out to grab Akiko's hand, but once again Akiko swatted it away."This can't... This can't happen." Akiko shook her head vigorously, mumbling to herself with eyes that were growing increasingly unfocused. Her eyes were filled with panic and fear."Kiko-chan? I just want to help." Kenji raised his hands, no longer trying to touch Akiko but still stepping closer.Akiko shook her head again and focused on the vomit on Kenji's coat."Is it because of this?" Kenji, growing impatient, pointed at the stain, then removed his coat and tossed it onto the hood of his car, thinking that Akiko didn't want him to approach because of the mess, which he didn't care about.But even after that, Akiko continued to back away every time Kenji tried to reach for her, and she slowly began to sob."I don't want this... This can't happen." Akiko whispered as she slowly crouched down, her legs giving up on supporting her body. She might have collapsed if she kept standing."What ca
Last Updated : 2024-10-12
Latest chapter
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #232 Blood and Everything
Kenji glanced around, squinting in the dim surroundings. A few people stared at him—understandably so, as he towered over the others. Those who recognized him bowed immediately, pausing their movements, ignoring the pulsating music.The club wasn't far from Kuryugumi's main house, so it was no surprise some people knew him. However, Kenji did not reciprocate their gestures or show any concern. His focus was on one person he had been looking for.That person stood surrounded by at least three women, laughing as they offered him drinks."I haven't seen you like this in a long time," Kenji said."Hey! You came! Look!" Ryu shouted excitedly, raising his glass—likely filled with brandy judging by its color. Ryu, walking unsteadily, rushed toward Kenji and clung to his shoulder."Look who's here, everyone! Isn't he handsome? This is one of my friends."Ryu proudly introduced Kenji to the women who quickly gathered around him. Some of t
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #231 Dangerous Job
"What's going on with them?" Kyoko asked Akiko, glancing at Kenji and Ryu, who hadn't spoken to each other during breakfast.Now that the breakfast table had been cleared, Kenji still hadn’t said a word to Ryu—or vice versa.Usually, even if it was just a question about work or plans for the afternoon, they would talk. They never stayed silent like this. Akiko noticed it too. Yui was as quiet as usual, but Kenji and Ryu seemed odd."Did you two have a fight?" Akiko asked, sipping her tea and looking back and forth between Kenji and Ryu."Yes.""No."Kenji said yes, while Ryu said no. The two contradictory responses only made it clearer that something was going on between them.Ryu angrily glared at Kenji, to which Kenji responded with a defiant look."What? I'm just being honest," Kenji shrugged."Since when have you cared about being honest?! Choose the right time to be honest!" Ryu snapped."I was ju
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #230 Search For The Evident
"Are you leaving?" Akiko inquired, observing that Kenji was still wearing his shirt, even though his jacket had been removed. He clearly wasn't ready to sleep yet.Akiko herself was already under the covers. Today had been exhausting for her, especially after experiencing such extreme emotional shifts from fear to joy."Yes, I need to talk to Ryu. There are some work adjustments I need to discuss with him," Kenji said, sitting beside Akiko."Should I stay with you until you fall asleep? I can postpone it," Kenji offered, noticing the disappointment in her eyes.Akiko thought for a moment, then nodded. She did want that."But are you sure it's okay? Whatever you need to discuss with Ryu, can it wait?" Akiko asked.Kenji nodded. "Of course it can. If it was something urgent that couldn’t wait, I'd ask Kyoko or Yui to come stay with you. But this can wait."Kenji grabbed a pillow and placed it beside Akiko, who was lying down
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #229 This One Better
"But that’s a lie. I just pretended to be pregnant," Akiko replied, shaking her head. She sensed that the doctor in front of her was making fun of her because the outrageous lie was too much for her.“What?” Rin was, of course, confused by Akiko’s reaction. She understood Akiko might find it hard to believe, but the confession was strange. She had no idea Akiko had ever pretended to be pregnant.“Yeah, she didn’t ask for mochi or anything,” Kenji chimed in, expressing disbelief.“What?”Akiko and Rin asked at the same time because Kenji’s response was even stranger.“She wasn’t nauseous or anything; she looked normal,” Kenji said, still trying to steer the conversation away from Mochi.“Pregnancy without nausea is quite possible. It’s likely Tanaka-san is experiencing such a pregnancy. You don’t remember when your last cycle was; that’s prob
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #228 It's True?
"Are you sure you're not experiencing dizziness or nausea?" Kyoko inquired, observing that Akiko was dismissing the symptoms."Not at all." Akiko shook her head and moved on to the next question.Akiko was sitting on a hospital bed, filling out a questionnaire to narrow down what was happening with her body. Akiko had already undergone several tests, including CT scans and more, with Dr. Hayashi earlier in the day. But the results were negative.Dr. Hayashi had confirmed there was no recurring tumor—for the second time. So, he concluded something else was causing the nosebleeds, though he didn’t yet know what.Hayashi asked Akiko to answer a series of questions to better understand her condition. It was a somewhat strange method, but necessary since Hayashi was still in Tokyo and couldn’t come immediately as Kenji had requested. He had a few surgeries to perform and could only fly to Osaka the next day.So, Akiko had been answerin
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #227 Blood Again
"Is this the last one?" Akiko asked as she stepped out of the car and looked at the building in front of her.The large building was shaped like a church, with towers and a European-style design in a reddish hue. But Akiko didn’t see the name of a church on the sign attached to the gate. The sign read "Akarui Hizashi," which roughly means "bright sunlight.""Yes, let's go inside." Yui opened the iron gate and entered as if the place were very familiar to her.Akiko understood the building's purpose after seeing its huge yard. Children were running around, playing with the fallen leaves scattered everywhere. Akiko noticed a broom lying near their feet; they were too busy playing to finish their chores."This... is an orphanage," Akiko finally understood."Yes, this is the orphanage where Ryu and I grew up," Yui said."Oh, Ryu was here too?" Kyoko stepped forward to observe the surroundings."Yes. This is one of the orphanages man
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #226 Giving The Name
"What is that?" Ryu asked, intrigued as Kenji suddenly stopped moving."A letter." Kenji snapped out of his daydream, startled by seeing the name Ishida. It was his name; there was no doubt about it, but seeing Masaki write that name felt like something unpleasant was looming.Upon opening the unsealed envelope, Kenji discovered several documents of varying sizes and thickness. He chose one particular piece of paper that stood out—it was sealed in a plastic clip and folded. Kenji opened it.The document inside was a marriage certificate, with the names Kenji Tanaka and Akiko—Ishida. The certificate also included their photo, stamped with a hanko seal."What does this mean?!" Ryu exclaimed, staring at the name Ishida following Akiko’s name, confused."What kind of crazy joke is this?" Kenji was furious. He had no idea what the letter meant, especially with Akiko being referred to as Ishida.Kenji grabbed another sheet, sligh
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #225 Another Letter
Kenji drummed his fingers on the table, staring at Murakami, who was bowing deeply before him, clearly displeased."Is that all you have to say to me? Don't make me regret sparing your life! I want information, not nonsense about how you don’t know anything!" Kenji hissed as he stood, and Murakami immediately recoiled in fear."I truly don’t have any information about the other ichizoku involved in that business. Everything was handled by Nidaime himself. I only found out by accident that there were other clans involved. Nidaime unintentionally let it slip."Murakami explained, glancing at Kenji's feet, which were now positioned close to his face. He bowed again, his body trembling as he imagined those feet flying toward his head.But Kenji was in a far better mood than before. He simply looked down at the back of Murakami’s head."My father couldn't have handled this on his own! He must have—""Maybe he did. Nidaime
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #224 The Strange Will
Akiko, together with Kyoko, followed Yui down the unfamiliar corridor of the house. Even for Kyoko, who had been there longer than Akiko, the place felt foreign. Eventually, Yui led them to the second floor.The large wooden staircase, a deep brown, appeared sturdy, though it likely had been there for many years."I’m taking you upstairs so that you can have a better view of this place and what you now possess," Yui said, directing her words specifically at Akiko."Yes," Akiko nodded. As Akiko was now Kenji's wife, she understood that Yui was referring to ownership."We’ve arrived." Yui spread her arms, leaning against the wooden railing of the second-floor balcony.Of course, Akiko gasped in awe. From the balcony, they could see the entire area surrounding the large house.In addition to a garden, Akiko could make out the roofs of smaller houses scattered around the estate—houses she had seen when she walked in the day bef
