Chapter 64: CH 64

(POV Kaito)

When I realized it, it was already time to leave work, and I had to hurry back…Four children were waiting for me…. Oh, come to think of it, aren’t they not home today?

It was already past five in the evening, the usual time for me to rush home, but strangely, I didn’t feel like doing so.

“Huh? Aren’t you going home?”

“All four of them are not home because of the school trip,”

“Ah, right. Since we’re already here, how about going for drinks? Let’s invite colleagues and stuff.”

“…”

A drinking party, huh? I didn’t particularly feel like going that far. It seemed like it would create an atmosphere lacking in excitement, even with those people around.

“I’ll just skip it.”

“Come on, it’s a rare opportunity. There’s no one at home, right?”

“…”

I felt disheartened. Why would he say such a thing to me? There’s no one at home, that’s true, but…

“Well, I’m not so sure. I might ruin the mood. All I can do is pour drinks into empty glasses and take everyone’s orders,”

“No, you’re pretty good. Come on, join us… Actually, I have my eyes on Onono Imoko-chan. Can you help me out?”

“Addressing her as ‘chan’… Maybe it’s better to start with ‘san’ for now?” I suggested.

When inviting colleagues who were adults, it seemed like using ‘san’ as an honorific was the basic rule. After all, some people dislike overly familiar behavior.

“How about it? Just come with us once. There’s no one at home, and you’re free, right?”

“Well… yeah, that’s true, but…”

Well, going back home like this might just leave me feeling empty. Since it’s a rare chance, maybe I’ll give this drinking party a try.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

At a certain bar, I found myself pouring a drink for the man seated beside me, his face carrying a stern expression.

“Here you go… Chief Shingen,”

“Hmm… Thank you,”

After pouring the drink while bowing, I settled back down on the cushion, preparing for the conversation ahead.

Our office had a penchant for hiring employees with historical figures’ names. We had individuals like Section Chief Takeda Shingen, Miyamoto-san, Sasaki, and Onono Imoko. It was rather convenient, as their names were easy to remember. Among our colleagues, we also had Taikomochi-senpai and Chief Sei Shonagon, among others.

Well, it’s actually good that their names are easy to remember.

“Isn’t it tough for you, Kaito-san, to take care of four children?”

For the time being, I opted to provide vague responses, focusing on attentively listening to the other person’s story instead of discussing my own life. However, Masako Hojo, a female colleague of mine, interrupted the silence by speaking up. She happened to be of the same age as me.

“Oh, well, it’s not really that tough. Rather than saying it’s difficult, I would describe it as fulfilling,”

“Heee~~,”

“Kaito-san, what kind of things do you usually teach?”

This time it was Kotani-san, who was sitting next to me, who asked.

“Um, well, I don’t really give preachy lectures or anything like that. If I had to say, it’s more like encouraging eye contact while talking, I guess…”

I wasn’t particularly fond of using passionate words. Sometimes I would feel embarrassed afterward and start to agonize.

Since there wasn’t anything specific to talk about, I felt like the conversation lacked excitement. Maybe I should initiate a topic or something…

“Oh, do you still know anyone from your elementary school days? Like acquaintances or friends?”

Ah….. I unintentionally blurted out what I wanted to know.

I tried to come up with something to liven up the atmosphere, but I had a flashback to a failed joke in front of a group of four girls, leaving me unsure of what to say…

“No, I don’t know anyone,”

“I have no idea where the people I liked back then are either,”

“I don’t know either,”

I silently thanked everyone for answering sincerely. I couldn’t help but admit to myself that I lacked cooperativeness. Even when someone initiated a conversation, I couldn’t expand on it and bring excitement to the discussion.

However, when I was with the four of them, I could actually talk quite well… It was truly a case of it happening without me even realizing.

After that, I made an effort to smoothly steer the conversation here and there, discussing various topics.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

The drink expenses for everyone were covered by Chief Takeda Shingen. I was filled with a deep sense of respect and gratitude for him. After bowing my head in gratitude, we disbanded on the spot.

Since I had consumed alcohol, I decided to use public transportation to get home. I arrived at the bus stop with slightly unsteady footsteps. There was some time until the next bus, so I waited there…

“Oh, Kaito-san.”

“Ah, hello.”

Behind me was Onono Imoko-san, whom we had just been eating and drinking with, and whom Sasaki was interested in.

“It was fun, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Um… Can I ask you something?”

“Huh? Sure, go ahead.”

“Well… Kaito-san, you’re close with Sasaki-san, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct…”

“Well, earlier… Sasaki-san confessed to me… and I’m not sure what to do…”

…Is it okay for her to tell me this? What exactly does it mean to ask for advice? If she wants to date, she can go ahead and date him, right?

“Umm, what kind of advice do you expect from me…”

“You see, Kaito-san. You’re popular and seem experienced with women… I thought I could get some good insights from you. I’ve never been in a relationship with anyone before,”

“Oh, well, I haven’t either,”

“Eh? Seriously? I thought you were really popular, though.”

Even when I turned 21 years old, I’m still carrying on the will of the D … Sometimes, I tend to come up with cheesy jokes like this; It’s probably why Chiharu and the others find my jokes off-putting. My thought process is just plain bizarre.

I drank too much. I need to have self-control in situations like this. Whether the four of them are there or not, I should always strive to act in a way that will make them proud.

“That’s not true. Which is why, I can’t offer any particular advice. However, I believe it’s important for the people involved to come to an understanding,”

“I see. Honestly, I’ve never seen Sasaki-san that way before. But since we work together, I wasn’t sure if it was wise to keep my distance.”

“I see… Well, if you’re feeling troubled… or even if you’re not, it’s the feelings that matter. Sasaki may have some flaws, but I don’t think he would say anything weird just because he got rejected. If things get awkward, you can even use me as a mediator to talk,” I suggested.

“…I see”

She didn’t say anything after that. Each of us carries our own burdens. It made me realize once again that this world is not a game.

In the game, you only see what’s around the characters. There’s nothing else to see, and there’s no need to show anything beyond that. But still, even though the foundation is similar, this place is something different.

Things that can’t be seen exist.

“Um, thank you. I’ll think about it for a bit.”

“It’s better that way.”

After saying that, she walked away. So, she wasn’t waiting for the bus. She purposely followed me to seek advice.

After she left, a cold breeze swept by. Summer was ending, and autumn was approaching. The seasons were changing so quickly.

The bus arrived, and I got on. As I was being swayed, I found myself thinking about things I wouldn’t usually consider.

The conversation from the gathering just now…

There was a discussion about how rarely childhood crushes end up together.

Indeed, I share that sentiment. Childhood love is merely an experience. It captures a brief moment in the long journey of life, filled with sweetness and a hint of bitterness.

…Yes, that’s what I can’t help but think.

Chifuyu sees me in a favorable light. I don’t find it bothersome or unpleasant. If anything, I feel happy about it.

However, I can’t help but see it as nothing more than a momentary experience. She’s still young. Just an elementary school student.

Whether she ends up with the protagonist or with someone else, I’ll be okay with it. I genuinely believe that as long as she’s happy, it’s enough.

But right now, what she’s seeking, what she desires… it’s me. I value Chifuyu, and if she has any wishes, I want her to tell me. I want to fulfill them. If she truly seeks me out, I want to give her an answer.

However, I couldn’t help but see myself as merely a momentary experience for Chifuyu. I might end up being a small part of her long journey, serving as a marker along her path. I don’t know what direction her life will take from now on, but if I can become even a faint guidepost for her future, I think I would be satisfied with that.

But I believe that would be insincere. If I were to pretend to accept her pure and innocent love without truly embracing it, she would see through it, I’m sure.

If that were to happen, a rift would form.

On the other hand, if I were to reject her by saying that she’s important to me but I can only see her as a child, that would also create a rift.

I don’t want that… I feel like our bond is finally taking shape. It’s forming into a family. A daily life filled with laughter, a home where someone greets you warmly when you return. I don’t want to destroy that… that’s the one thing that I…

At first, it was just a vague feeling, and I walked down this path without much thought.

But now… I want us to become a family.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

Upon arriving home, I turned the doorknob and entered through the front door. The house greeted me with a dimly lit interior, devoid of any light. It lacked the usual vibrant atmosphere, almost as if I hadn’t truly returned home.

I removed my suit, casually draping it over a nearby chair.

Normally, I refrained from undressing in the living room, knowing that Chiaki and the others would blush profusely if they caught sight of such behavior.

My mind wandered back to the time when I was still getting accustomed to living with the four of them. Out of habit, I began taking off my jacket, causing Chiaki to blush intensely as she scolded me.

“K-Kaito! That’s indecent!”

“Ah, sorry…”

Ever since that incident, I had made it a point to change in the dressing room, but now, without the need for it, a sense of loneliness crept in. However, I knew that one day, when the four of them leave this house and start their own journeys, this would once again become the new normal.

My noisy everyday life would become a thing of the past.

Just thinking about it brought tears to the corners of my eyes. I didn’t want to feel this way. I decided it would be best to take a bath and go to sleep as soon as possible, but as I began to move… my phone started vibrating.

When I checked the screen… it was a call from the four girls’ homeroom teacher.

“Hello…”

“Ah, sorry for calling so late.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“Well, um… Chiaki-chan was crying a lot because she felt lonely at night… so I thought I’d give you a call and see if it would help… Here, take this.”

I was both shocked and relieved to receive a call from the teacher. And the fact that I could hear Chiaki’s voice made me a little happy too. I became genuinely worried about the fact that she had been crying.

“Chiaki?”

“Kaito…”

“Are you okay?”

“No… I’m lonely. I want to see Kaito…”

“I understand… I’m lonely without you too… Should we do a video call?”

“No, I don’t want you to see me crying…”

“I see… What about Chiharu and the others?”

“They’re asleep… I don’t want to wake them up… I feel lonely when I’m awake by myself…”

“I see…”

I could easily imagine Chiaki’s tearful face even through the phone. I wanted to go and pick her up right away.

“…Kaito… Can you come and pick me up… now?”

“I want to come, but… I’m sorry. I can’t today…”

“Why? Why won’t you come?”

“I’m sorry… I don’t have any means to come right now… Besides, you’re in the middle of a school trip, right?”

“No, come…”

“…Tomorrow morning, I’ll come to pick you up. Just bear with it for today.”

“…Tomorrow morning?”

“I’ll come in the morning…”

“…Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay… I’ll endure it… just for today…”

I wanted to go right away. But I had already been drinking. Besides, this was a valuable experience called a school trip. It was an important part of their education. If I truly cared about Chiaki, I had to put this in mind.

“I’ll come tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah…”

“Then, let me talk to the teacher.”

“I don’t want to give it to the teacher yet… I still want to talk…”

“Alright… But it’s the teacher’s phone, so you should ask the teacher if it’s okay to keep talking, right?”

“Yeah.”

I could hear Chiaki’s questioning voice through the phone. She was sniffling and her voice wavering. I really wanted to go and pick her up right now…

“Here, you can use the Wi-Fi here, and it won’t cost anything for the call, so we can talk as much as we want.”

“Oh, really? Then let’s talk until you get sleepy.”

“Yeah!”

The conversation with Chiaki lasted about thirty minutes. We talked about making curry, exploring the mountains, and the chaos when bugs appeared… She also spoke a lot about Mary.

As we talked, Chiaki’s responses became fewer, and I could hear her yawning. Eventually, she grew sleepy and fell asleep right there. The teacher informed me of this, and I explained the situation and said that I would pick her up tomorrow morning.

I should go to sleep soon… and prepare for tomorrow. I hadn’t drunk much alcohol, so it should wear off in a few hours. After all, I have to use the car to pick her up tomorrow.

Compared to earlier, I felt a weight lifting off my shoulders, and my spirits were lifted as well.

***********

TN: Make no mistake, Chiaki was born to be spoiled.

TN: Kaito said: ‘Even when I turned 21 years old, I’m still carrying on the will of the D’ This is a reference to one piece’s middle name of D…. Like Luffy’s name is Monkey D Luffy and roger’s name Gol D Roger. This is for sure a reference to that, but I don’t understand what he meant to say; It sounds like he wanted to make a joke….

TN: The title of the chapter was literally this: ‘Naki Naki no Aki’