LOGINShare
#67 Goodbye Forever
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Akiko had fallen to the floor, covering her mouth tightly. She hoped that Kenji wasn't angry because of that bump.
Kenji slowly sat up, rubbing his undoubtedly painful head, and looked around. Akiko wanted to run, but Kenji was right by the door. She was already inside Kenji's room.
"Kiko-chan? Why are you here? When did you arrive?" Kenji asked, seeing Akiko.
Akiko's mouth fell open, as she had just clearly seen Kenji smiling in amusement. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen such a smile.
Akiko blinked several times, trying to see if the smile would vanish like an illusion. But it didn’t.
It turned out Kenji’s level of drunkenness was far worse than usual. When Kenji was angry and drunk, he could still speak logically.However, this version of Kenji no longer made any sense. There was no reason for Kenji to smile after hitting his head like that.
"Could I have given him a concussion?" Akiko murmured in panic,
Related chapters
Do You Love Me, Uncle? The Spring is Coming
“You’ll be late if you keep standing there like that!”Kyoko grabbed Akiko’s hand, who had been standing still with her hands outstretched, trying to catch the cherry blossom petals swirling around them.“But it is beautiful. I still want to watch it,” Akiko protested, though it was impossible to resist Kyoko’s pull.“We’re here to see the flowers! You can look at them again later, when we arrive. We’ll be considered late if we don’t hurry,” Kyoko urged Akiko to keep moving into Nishinomaru Park.“So what if we’re late? It’s just a hanami event, not an official ceremony. We don’t have to be exactly on time. They’re not going to take attendance.” Akiko confuse.Kyoko clicked her tongue. “This is your first hanami with Shingi Fusaya, so I’ll forgive you and won’t insult you too harshly for your ignorance. Trust me—you want to arrive on time, not the same time with the board of directors. You’ll become a spectacle.”“Oh… They’re coming too.” Akiko’s eyes widened in amazement. Of course,
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #69 You Need To Get Married
“I heard you’ve been very busy.” Using a spoon, Masaki lifted a Sakura petal that had fallen into his teacup.“It’s supposed to be like that. I have a lot of work to finish," Kenji replied politely, sipping his tea. His eyes gazed at the lush flowers behind his father.Of course, this annual Hanami event was a tradition his father preserved, though Kenji wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of appearing before so many people. But he couldn’t do away with the tradition. On days like this, they would sit together in the garden for hours, enjoying the flowers and the sound of laughter from afar.They didn’t sit with the other employees. They weren’t even sitting on the ground. They sat at a table and chairs that had been set up farther away in the garden. Various snacks were available, but Kenji had only touched his tea so far.Kenji couldn’t shake the tension he felt every time he met his father. There were too many things he kept hidden from him.“Ryu said you had an accident because
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #70 Your Name...
"Why have I never seen you before?"Akiko smiled at the question, unsure of how to respond. She reluctantly accepted a drink from Endo, even though she didn't really want it.Endo was one of the managers at Shingi Fusaya, and Akiko had never met him before today. Akiko usually dealt with someone else whenever she needed assistance from that department.Endo held a position equivalent to Mori's, which was why Akiko had been trying to maintain her composure and be polite. If it weren't for that, Akiko would have moved away already. She didn’t want to be near Endo. He was a bit too enthusiastic and had been offering Akiko sake nonstop since the afternoon, during the hanami, and continuing through dinner at the hotel.Earlier, Akiko had accidentally sat next to him after moving to a different spot, but now Endo had deliberately sought her out and sat beside her.At this point, the entire group of Hanami participants had dispersed into separate rooms for dinner at the inn where they were
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #71 You Lie To Me
SLAP!Kenji, who entered his father's room calmly, was clearly not expecting a slap to land on his cheek. Ryu, who had been following Kenji because he was also summoned, quickly stepped back and kneeled down. This meeting was not going to end well."What...?" Kenji stared at his father, holding his burned cheek."You lied to me! You're still keeping her, aren't you? You kept her close! I told you to stay away from her, but you kept her!"There was no need to say it outright. Kenji was aware of what had enraged him. Ryu's presence was enough explanation. The story was about Akiko and Shingi Fusaya."And you helped him! You helped hide her from me!" Masaki pointed at Ryu, who was now bowing with his forehead touching the floor."Are you insane? You still want her?! Do you want to die?!"As he pointed at Kenji, Masaki yelled. But this time, Kenji didn’t bow. He didn’t want to apologize because he didn’t feel what he did for Akiko was wrong. Deep down, Kenji cursed. He couldn’t understan
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #72 It's Useless
"Where are you going?" Kyoko asked Akiko, who had just gotten up and looked like she was about to leave the room. Kyoko had fallen asleep since the afternoon due to drinking, so she was only slightly awake around midnight."To the onsen. Did you want to come?" Akiko asked."Oh, no. My head still hurts," Kyoko grumbled, then rolled back onto the futon."Be careful when reading the signs," Kyoko said."What signs?" Akiko, who had already slid the shoji door open, turned back.But Kyoko had already fallen asleep again. Her breathing was steady, just like the other two. They were sharing the room with four people—Kyoko, Akiko, Misa, and one of their friends from the design department. They were all quickly asleep, undoubtedly surrounded by a strong scent of sake.Almost everyone who attended the hanami and dinner events would have undoubtedly consumed sake. Akiko was no exception, but she hadn’t drunk too much. Her head felt light at the moment, but she wasn’t overly drunk.Akiko looked
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #73 Dangerous Situation
To ease her headache, Akiko tied her hair tightly. She didn’t feel like she had drunk much sake, but perhaps she really should cut back on her consumption.The situation wasn’t much different for Kyoko and the others—complaining about their headaches but still reluctantly preparing for today’s race. Looking at the faces of everyone on the field, Akiko was sure they would choose to go home if given the chance.But that offer wasn’t going to come. The event would go on. Thankfully, the spring air was still cool enough—not too hot even with everyone gathered in one place.Everyone who had attended yesterday’s hanami was now filling the small school stadium near the hotel. The school was closed—it was Sunday—and the field was available for use for the day’s event.“Come on.” Akiko tugged on Kyoko's grumbling hand and led her toward the field. The race was about to begin.The types of competitions held today were similar to those at a typical undoukai* (annual sports festival) in schools.
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #74 Weird Situation
"Sorry, what?"Mori was confused by Sato’s words, and Akiko was too.Sato laughed. “I mean, I don’t want the Shingi Fusaya team to lose, and you’re needed on the field. Don’t disappoint me.”Sato corrected himself, pointing toward the field. He was still saying all of this with a smile. But somehow, Akiko felt that smile was dangerous. Sato seemed like the kind of person who would fire an employee with a sweet smile.Mori probably felt the same way because he finally let go of Akiko's hand and returned to the field. His face was still full of questions, but his authority wasn’t yet strong enough to challenge Sato.“You don’t need to escort—”Sato waved his hand, cutting off Akiko’s sentence. “No need to be so formal. Because I'm not participating in any competitions today, I'm escorting you to the tent. So, my job is to make sure you’re all safe, healthy, and
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #75 Who's She?
"What's wrong with Mori, anyway? He's actually pretty decent—wait, no, more than decent. He's quite handsome and smart, and frankly, his career at Shingi Fusaya has a bright future. There's nothing wrong with him," Kyoko said while sipping her drink.They were sitting in a café courtyard across from their office building, taking their lunch break. Kyoko might be brutal, but she would never dare to discuss Mori so openly at the office.“If you think he's perfect, why don't you go for him?” Akiko asked, half annoyed.“He’s not interested in me—thankfully. Kyoko shrugged. "And I'm not interested in three-dimensional men," she said.Akiko scoffed, unsurprised by Kyoko’s honesty. After getting to know her better, Akiko had learned that Kyoko was an otaku*. She preferred manga and anime characters over real people, which explained her bluntness when dealing with them.Her taste for men followed suit—
Latest chapter
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #148 He is Just Perfect
“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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #147 It's Amazing
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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #146 His Life
“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.&
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #145 I'll Make It Perfect For You
"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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #144 Sensitive Issue
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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #143 She Loved You Before
"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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #142 Everything Is Strange
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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #141 He's Your Husband
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
Do You Love Me, Uncle? #140 The Culprit
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
