LOGINShare
#30 The Slick Snake
Last Updated:
2024-10-11 07:01:07"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
Related chapters
Do 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 : 2024-10-12Do You Love Me, Uncle? #33 Get Rid Of It
"What's…?" The doctor was clearly surprised and immediately stepped back from Akiko. It wasn't meant to be rude, but Kenji's approach to Akiko made the doctor a bit scared.Kenji's expression turned frightening as soon as he heard Akiko's request."I won't allow it!" Kenji growled, grabbing Akiko's hand—jerking it—and demanding that Akiko look at him."I don't want to! I won't take it.""That is my child, and you will take care of it." Kenji hissed, staring into Akiko's tear-filled eyes. Usually, Kenji would give in to Akiko's pleas and tears. But not this time. Kenji kept staring sharply until Akiko looked away."I'm sorry, but we can't perform the procedure you requested without the father's consent for the baby in your womb." The doctor in the corner of the room explained quickly. He explained that it was clear he didn't want to be on Kenji's bad side."Thank you. We'll be leaving." Kenji handed a credit card to the nurse, who was also waiting in confusion by the door. The nurse n
Last Updated : 2024-10-12Do You Love Me, Uncle? #34 It's Mine Too
Akiko tightened her grip on her bag as she stepped off the train—five stations earlier than usual. She walked quickly, trying not to get caught in the flow of passengers transferring to other trains, and headed towards the exit. Akiko looked around and waved to hail a taxi. Her destination was a bit far.Akiko didn’t notice when someone else also hailed a taxi just as quickly, holding a phone to his ear, busy talking. It was a common sight, but what wasn’t common was that the taxi the man boarded followed Akiko’s taxi closely from behind.But Akiko wouldn’t be suspicious. During rush hour, taxis are common, and her mind was too busy to pay attention to her surroundings.Akiko kept squeezing her hands on her lap, trying to calm her doubts and convince herself that what she was about to do was the right choice. Her decision should be the right one.About twenty minutes later, Akiko’s taxi slowed down. Akiko wasn’t exactly sure where her destination was, as she had only read the address
Last Updated : 2024-10-12Do You Love Me, Uncle? #35 A Truce
Akiko heard the door opening and only glanced around. Kenji entered, carrying a tray of food, and then looked at the tray from last night, untouched by Akiko. This was the second day she had done this. Since she was in this room, Akiko hadn't touched any of the food Kenji had brought her.Kenji had locked her up for two days without speaking. He only came to bring food and then left. He didn't want his anger to escalate any further. According to him, Akiko's recklessness had gone too far.But Akiko wasn't interested in talking or touching any of the food Kenji brought. She felt weak, able only to lie in bed, but still had no intention of eating. She didn't even want to eat the curry rice she typically enjoyed.This was a rebellion. Akiko forced herself not to eat, knowing that it would most likely infuriate Kenji. She also knew that what she was doing would endanger the baby in her womb, but Akiko was using the most powerful weapon in this psychological battle. She was taking a risk
Last Updated : 2024-10-13Do You Love Me, Uncle? #35 What Do You Want?
Unfortunately, Akiko couldn't chat on the train. She couldn't even see Yuto when the train departed.The crowd of passengers pushed them apart—separating them. Yuto was nowhere to be found, while Akiko was stuck, squeezed near the door, unable to move.Luckily, Akiko managed to spot Yuto when the people around her started to disembark, giving her some breathing room.Akiko could look around more freely, without any obstruction. Then she saw Yuto waving at her, but he was also trapped—unable to move.Akiko held up three fingers and pointed to the exit on her left. It was a signal that she'd get off at three more stations. Akiko would disembark at the usual station, which is close to Shingi Fusaya's office. Yuto nodded in understanding.Akiko wanted to confirm, but sadly, Yuto was pushed away once more. Still, at least Akiko had managed to tell him where she would be getting off.As she exited the train, Akiko pushed her way through—struggling with all her might—against the crowd. More
Last Updated : 2024-10-13Do You Love Me, Uncle? #36 Another Trick
"Have we arrived?" Akiko jerked awake, realizing that Kenji's car had stopped. But there was no answer. Akiko glanced to the side and noticed no one in the driver's seat.She straightened up, feeling a bit panicked, thinking she was alone. But then something slid off her body—a dark earth-colored coat. She was covered by Kenji's coat. It was a relief, because it meant Kenji was nearby.Akiko looked out of the car and finally saw Kenji leaning against the hood. Smoke curled around his head. The cigarette smoke made Akiko grimace. As far as she remembered, Kenji had quit smoking.Akiko opened the door, and Kenji turned around. Reflexively, he put out the cigarette by pressing it against the car's hood and then slipped the remaining stub into the pack in his pocket."Where are we?" Akiko asked, confused, as she saw the orange sun dipping westward and the unfamiliar beach in front of her."Sendai," Kenji replied, pushing himself up to sit on the hood, while Akiko gaped."Sendai? You broug
Last Updated : 2024-10-13Do You Love Me, Uncle? #38 Another Drama
Yuto was startled when he suddenly felt a hand on his waist. He opened his eyes but quickly closed them again as his head felt heavy and dizzy. Yuto frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking he must be dreaming because no one should be sleeping beside him. It had been a while since Akiko left home.But then Yuto forced himself to open his eyes, realizing the weight on his waist was real. He also noticed that his body was lying on a bed—on a soft mattress, not on a futon. Yuto turned to the side and widened his eyes. "What are you doing here?"Yuto moved away, grabbing the blanket to cover himself. He realized he was naked. Karin—who was next to him—stirred. Yuto cursed inwardly, noticing that Karin was also naked, just like him.Karin slowly opened her eyes and stared at Yuto—silent for a few seconds before screaming. "AGHH!" Karin yelled as she quickly arranged the blanket to cover her exposed body."How…." Yuto was confused, looking around. Their hotel room was where th
Last Updated : 2024-10-14
Latest chapter
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #288 Extra 19 - My Perfect Family
“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…”
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #287 Extra 18 - OK
“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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #286 Extra 17 - He's My Family
“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…”
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #285 Extra 16 - The Hand That Won't Hurt Me
“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&
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #284 Extra 15 - The Distance
“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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #283 Extra 14 - The Wedding
"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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #282 Extra 13 - Yes, I'll Marry You
“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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #281 Extra 12 - We're Getting Married Tomorrow
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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #280 Extra 11 - It's Your Fault
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
