Chapter 91: Not Quite Lovers Yet
Chishima Akishin and Hiratsuka Yuren unknowingly wandered out of the park and arrived at the water's edge. There was no sandy beach here, nor were there any tourists. Instead, there was only the restless churning of the sea and a biting salt wind that whipped the giant waves into a frenzy of white foam.
Massive stones and concrete formed a sturdy, high sea wall—a barrier that stood unshaken despite the constant, rhythmic battering of the tide.
Yuren and Akishin rested their hands against the stone railing, letting the sea breeze tousle their hair as they stared down at the crashing waves below.
Hiratsuka Yuren had been talking quite a bit. Having finally finished the tale of his early days as an entrepreneur, he turned his gaze toward Akishin and asked, "Chishima-kun, did Shizuka ever tell you about our family's true identity?"
Akishin turned to meet Yuren's eyes, his expression stiffening ever so slightly. Yuren was smiling, but behind those half-lidded eyes lay a profound seriousness.
"No," Akishin said, shaking his head gently with a faint, warm smile. "Shizuka-chan rarely talks about her family matters."
"Then, are you interested, Chishima-kun?"
"Not really!"
Yuren looked a bit taken abandoned. It was clear the boy wasn't putting on an act; any ordinary person would have at least hesitated for a second.
"Have you already guessed who we are, then?" Yuren pressed.
"I haven't," Akishin shook his head again, his eyes drifting toward the distant silhouette of the Chiba Port Tower. He wore an expression that Yuren couldn't quite decipher. "To be honest, I'm not very familiar with Chiba."
Actually, I'm not familiar with Japan at all, Akishin thought to himself. If it weren't for Shizuka-chan's presence, he probably would have bought a plane ticket back to China long ago. Even if he had to scrap for a living there, he most likely wouldn't have stayed in Japan.
Even if it wasn't the same world, the country remained the same. There might not be any familiar faces there, but there were things he had known since childhood. The language, the customs, that deep-seated sense of belonging...
Akishin had pondered this question many times in the silence of the night. And every time, the faces of Shizuka-chan, Hikigaya, and even the original owner of this body would surface in his mind.
Whenever those figures appeared, the corners of his mouth would turn up uncontrollably. The final answer always remained the same—Chishima Akishin.
Here, his name was Chishima Akishin. He had a new life of his own, a fulfilling one. And that was his greatest wish.
Yuren studied Akishin for a few seconds before commenting, "It seems you have quite a story of your own, Chishima-kun."
Akishin pulled his gaze back from the horizon and chuckled. "My story is nothing compared to yours, Uncle."
"Hahaha..."
Yuren let out a boisterous laugh, joining him in staring at the Port Tower. He exhaled a long breath and said, "Chishima-kun, our family is the Hiratsuka Group of Chiba. You might not have heard that name specifically, but you should be familiar with the Quiet Corporation. That's the name we use for the outside world..."
To be precise, the Quiet Corporation was merely a massive wing of the Hiratsuka Group.
"...I'm telling you this now not for any ulterior motive, but simply because I want you and Shizuka to be more honest with each other. The longer a lie is allowed to linger, the heavier the consequences tend to be."
Akishin frowned for a moment before his features relaxed again.
It didn't change much for him, at least not for now. He had never heard of the Hiratsuka Group—likely a "hidden conglomerate"—but he certainly knew about the Quiet Corporation.
They were a titan in the industries of food, electronics, real estate, and trade. They were even one of the stakeholders of Sobu High. So many aspects of life in Chiba were tethered to that company. For instance, most of the food in convenience stores were Quiet products, and half the buildings in the city seemed to be constructed by them.
He hadn't intentionally memorized these facts; it was just that the company was so woven into daily life that the name eventually stuck.
Being able to influence the very livelihood of the public was proof enough of the Quiet Corporation's power. So what did that say about the Hiratsuka Group behind it? They were likely far more formidable. Since it carried the family name, it was almost certain the Hiratsukas held absolute control over the shares.
Akishin spoke up, "Uncle, this doesn't change my relationship with Shizuka-chan." In this world, the thing he cared about most was Shizuka-chan, followed by his boneheaded student.
Yuren stared at Akishin intently, as if trying to peer through the boy's skin and see what was hidden behind that smile.
Unfortunately, he saw nothing.
Akishin was far too honest and open. The things he kept hidden, he would never tell a soul; and the things he didn't hide, anyone was welcome to know.
Yuren seemed to reach a conclusion, nodding with satisfaction. "You really are different, Chishima-kun. No wonder you managed to win the Kendo championship. I have a friend who is also quite fond of Kendo; he once told me that the most important thing in the way of the sword is the Kenshin—the Heart of the Sword."
Akishin didn't offer a reply. It wasn't a question, but a reflection. Sure enough, a second later, Hiratsuka Yuren turned the conversation personal.
"Chishima-kun, as Shizuka's father, I have to ask. Do you... like Shizuka?"
The sea wind tossed his hair as a massive wave slammed against the shore. Akishin gave a firm, steady nod. "I do."
There was no hesitation, no bashfulness—just a simple, honest admission.
Seeing Akishin's reaction, Yuren smiled with relief before asking, "Then, how far along is your relationship with her?"
Facing Shizuka-chan's father, Akishin appeared calm on the surface, but internally he maintained the highest level of respect and caution. He didn't dare answer this one carelessly.
After about five seconds of hesitation, he replied uncertainly, "More than friends, but not quite lovers yet. Probably..."
Mainly, it was because he couldn't be entirely sure of Shizuka-chan's feelings. She always showed a hint of resistance, making him afraid to take a reckless step forward.
"Is that so? Shizuka's impression of you is very high, Chishima-kun. You know, even though her mother and I have given her a lot of freedom since she was a child, Shizuka has always remained very kind-hearted."
Yuren looked down at his own wrinkled palms. "My wife and I only have Shizuka; she's our only child, and we treasure her dearly. I don't demand that she becomes someone great; I only wish for her to be happy."
"That's why we spoiled her since she was little, as long as she didn't stray onto the wrong path. And she never did. She was always gentle and kind... Chishima-kun, did you know? Shizuka's personality wasn't always like it is now..."
Yuren sighed, his fist tightening reflexively. "Perhaps because we pampered her too much, her outlook became too idealistic, and because of that, she suffered quite a bit. To put it simply, Shizuka has been hurt in the past—and not just once or twice. That was my failure as a father..."
"But as a father, I still only want her happiness. You know, back then, after she had a terrible crying fit, she told me: 'Papa, don't worry about me. I won't be sad anymore in the future...' Many years have passed since then. Shizuka really hasn't shown sadness again, but she closed herself off. She became a teacher to help students, and in doing so, to help herself..."
"Do you understand, Chishima-kun?"
Yuren exhaled again, his fist relaxing. He looked at Akishin with a grave expression and said, "We originally thought Shizuka needed her mother and me to manage her life. She might not have been 'blissfully' happy, but at least she wouldn't get hurt again. But then, out of nowhere, you appeared!"
"Shizuka's attitude toward you is something we've never seen before. When we ask about you, she actually gets embarrassed... Hahaha, do you have any idea? We haven't seen that side of her in years. I'm truly happy, truly..."
"But at the same time, I'm incredibly wary. I'm terrified that Shizuka will be hurt all over again."
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