Himura Family Restaurant
"That kid ran away again. Now it's not just for your sister, but for myself, too. I'm going to find him and give him a good beating. Let me know as soon as you have any news."
Hiratsuka Ryosuke hung up the phone, his voice a little sharp.
Time flew by, and the first semester was over. It was now late August, at the end of summer vacation. Several months had passed since Nishimiya Yuzuru got Ryosuke's contact information. Yuzuru was a good kid, and Ryosuke believed she wasn't lying. He had talked with her so many times that he could tell the difference between truth and lies. So, time and again, Ryosuke had rushed to the scene—he even bought a bike—but he never ran into the guy. He felt like a complete fool.
Ryosuke had considered the possibility that the jerk Yuzuru was talking about was himself, since they even went to the same school. But he had checked and found that he was the only Hiratsuka Ryosuke there. He ruled out the possibility for two reasons. First, the guy Yuzuru described was a scumbag who played with girls' feelings, loved to get into fights, and was always with a different girl. As for him? The only girls his age that he was close to were Shinka and Shoko. This semester, he had gotten to know Yamada Elf a little better, but they were just normal friends. He had never played with anyone's feelings. And getting into fights? That was absurd. He was a lover of peace and a hater of campus bullying. Second, their appearances didn't match. Shoko and Yuzuru looked and acted nothing alike, so he didn't think Yuzuru's sister was Shoko.
This led him to a new conclusion: the "Hiratsuka Ryosuke" was probably a fake name, someone who was using his name to trick girls. At first, he was just helping out, but after so many failed attempts to catch the guy, his patience was wearing thin. The thought of this guy still being out there, using his name to mess with girls, made Ryosuke a little angry.
"Sorry, Ryosuke. I'm late," Nishimiya Shoko said, arriving a little late. She had a light sweat on her forehead as she sat down next to him, a hint of apology in her voice.
"It's okay, Shoko. Take a break," Ryosuke said calmly, handing her a glass of water and a menu.
Shoko nodded. She had had a wonderful summer. Thanks to Ryosuke's help, she was slowly moving away from communicating with a notebook. By watching him speak, she had even taught herself how to read lips. After months of hard work, she could now speak almost normally. If people couldn't see her hearing aid, they wouldn't even know she had a hearing problem. She also rarely saw the looks of disgust she used to get from others.
While Shoko was looking at the menu, Ryosuke thought back to his childhood friend's repeated hints last night. "Hey, Ryosuke, it's late August, right?" "Yep." "Then do you know what August 30th is?" "The day before school starts?" "It's my birthday, you dummy! This year, you can't get me the same gift as before. I already have too many hair clips."
That's why he had asked Shoko to meet him during the break. He wanted to know what girls liked as a gift. He thought hair clips were practical, but Shinka had insisted on something different this time.
Ryosuke shifted closer to Shoko so she could hear him better. "Shoko, tomorrow is Shinka's birthday. Will you come with me to Seibu Department Store in Ikebukuro to pick out a gift? Girls are better at knowing what other girls like."
Shoko was stunned for a moment. "Um, Ryosuke... I actually don't know, either. I've never gotten a birthday present from a friend before," she said, her voice full of embarrassment. She looked a little sad, feeling like she hadn't been helpful.
Ryosuke reached out and ruffled her soft hair. "Don't worry. I'll get you a gift for your birthday, too. Let's just go look together tomorrow."
Shoko closed her eyes and tilted her head up, like a loyal dog enjoying a pat from its owner.
Thirty minutes later, "Then... Ryosuke, I'll see you tomorrow at 10 a.m. in front of Seibu Department Store." Shoko gave him a sweet smile and skipped out of the restaurant.
A date during summer break with a boy... is this what you would call a date?
A date?!
Shoko's mind caught up, and her walk turned into a run as she sprinted away, her face burning.
Ryosuke watched her go and was about to get up himself when a tall girl with long black hair sat down across from him.
"Ryosuke, this is your pay for the work you've done," Takanashi Touka said calmly.
"Huh? I'm getting paid? Thanks, Touka-san," Ryosuke said, surprised, as he took the envelope.
Himura Shinta hadn't let him off the hook this break. He had summoned him to the restaurant, saying Ryosuke hadn't learned the "Dragon Flash" technique yet, and put him to work chopping vegetables. That's right, he had learned to cook from doing chores, but he had never been paid before.
"It's easier to grasp the truth by using a knife to create happiness for others than by using it to harm them," his master had said.
This summer, Takanashi Touka had been a full-time chef. Working side-by-side in the kitchen, Ryosuke and Touka had gotten to know each other.
"Ryosuke, can I take up a little of your time?" Touka said, a hesitant look on her face.
She didn't have many friends. From their time together, she realized that this boy was more mature than anyone her age. She had a problem and wanted to talk to someone about it. Ryosuke's eyelid twitched. As he knew, Touka rarely showed any emotion, whether she was angry or happy. She was even calmer than him. This was the first time he had seen an expression like this on her face. Realizing that the situation might be serious, he sat up straight and nodded.
Touka's face was troubled. She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and returned to her normal expressionless state. "I go to Sobu High School. I'll be a third-year student next year. I'm on the rhythmic gymnastics team, and I really want to be an athlete in the future." She spoke calmly, as if she were talking about someone else's life.
Ryosuke nodded. He had guessed as much. He had noticed her expression when he had mentioned that his sister, Shizuka-san, was a teacher at Sobu High.
"One day, my father got sick. His condition is stable now. It's not a fatal illness, but it requires a lot of money for long-term care," Touka continued.
"So, you need money, Touka-san? I can talk to Shizuka-san about it." Ryosuke answered directly. He and his sister were always willing to help their friends in need. But this time, he had guessed wrong.
Touka shook her head. "Our family can still afford it, and my mother has a stable job. My father's condition seems to be improving, but my grades aren't very good, and I have a little sister to take care of, so I've decided to get a job after I graduate from high school."
Ryosuke understood. Takanashi Touka was facing a choice between her dreams and reality. Her father's illness had put a strain on their finances, and while they could still afford it, she realized that her family was vulnerable. While her father's health was improving, if her family's financial pillar were to ever fall, they would be in serious trouble. On the other hand, a career as a rhythmic gymnastics athlete wouldn't make her money right away. The competition was fierce, and training required a lot of money for things like nutritional supplements. In other words, if she pursued her dream, her family would still be at high risk. But if she started working right after graduation, her family would have a new source of income, but she would have to give up her dream. Not everyone came from a privileged family. Most people in the real world were like Takanashi Touka's family.
"Don't worry, Touka-san. Your uncle's condition is improving, so he just needs to take care of himself. If you feel guilty about choosing your dream, you don't have to. Is your uncle's condition not improving now? If you need money for his treatment, Shizuka-san and I can help you."
"Everything now is a prelude to the future, and everything in the future grows from yesterday. Follow your heart's true desires."
Ryosuke rarely said so much. He wasn't very good at comforting people, but when a friend was in trouble, he would help them if he could. The Hiratsuka family wasn't some big corporation, but as a yakuza family leader in Chiba Prefecture, they had no shortage of money.
"Thank you, Ryosuke," Takanashi Touka said, a rare smile on her face.
Touka's words made Ryosuke think about his own future. His family was financially well-off, but it came with a huge price: a lack of freedom. As the only son of the Hiratsuka family leader, if he were to inherit everything, it meant taking on more responsibility. He didn't like the kind of business the Hiratsuka family was in. Besides the public real estate development, there was also the underground business that important people needed but couldn't talk about. His family and friends might not be so safe in the future. This meant that if he chose to inherit the family business, he would be restrained by others. If he refused, his status, his money, everything would disappear, and he might even face more trouble.
He suddenly realized that he couldn't rely on his family too much. At the very least, he needed to be able to make money on his own. It was time to start making a plan to earn money. He couldn't do much at his age, so he needed to plan carefully.
His phone vibrated, interrupting his thoughts. He apologized to Touka and went outside to answer it.
"Ryosuke-niichan, that jerk is going on a date with my sister tomorrow at 9 a.m.! It's in Ikebukuro," Nishimiya Yuzuru's urgent voice said on the phone.
A faint smile appeared on his face. Ikebukuro? What a coincidence. Getting there at 8:30 a.m., beating up the guy at 9 a.m., and then waiting for Shoko to go shopping at 10 a.m. It was a perfect morning.
"I got it, Yuzuru. I'll pick you up tomorrow, and we'll leave early."
That little jerk. I'm going early this time. I don't believe you'll get away again. I'm going to save Nishimiya Yuzuru's sister!