Shizuka rushes toward them, her wooden clogs making a distinct clacking sound. In an instant, she is standing by the pond, right next to them. From a distance, she saw their faces getting closer and closer. She had just managed to fend off her old friends, and now she's seeing Yukinoshita Haruno about to kiss Ryosuke. For some reason, Shizuka feels a blockage in her heart. Have the Yukinoshita people become this shameless?
Haruno has learned to hide her true feelings since she was a child. She quickly pulls away from Ryosuke and returns to her usual demeanor. Unlike the difficult-to-handle Hiratsuka Ryosuke, Little Shizuka, despite her keen observation skills, loses her mind when it comes to her brother. Yukinoshita Haruno gives an innocent smile. "Hehe, Little Shizuka, don't be so anxious. I didn't do anything." With that, she nonchalantly licks her lips. This small gesture makes Shizuka's blood pressure skyrocket. Is she challenging me to my face?
"Yukinoshita... Haruno!" Shizuka is furious. Her fists are clenched, and she's ready to teach her a lesson. Seeing this, Ryosuke steps forward and wraps his arms around her waist. He doesn't know if it's because she's wearing a yukata, but she feels much softer than usual. "Sis, nothing happened. She was just eating cake," Ryosuke quickly explains. Shizuka sees the cake on the ground and chooses to believe her brother. She shakes her fist, as if warning Haruno to stay away from her brother.
After the party, Yukinoshita Haruno stands at the door, her demeanor gentle and elegant, a smile in her eyes as she waves goodbye to the Hiratsuka siblings.
"Little Shizuka, you can stay in Tokyo for tomorrow," Hiratsuka Gen says seriously, but his voice holds a hint of reluctance.
Shizuka opens the door to her Aston Martin. She sits in the driver's seat and waves. "I'll be back for the Obon Festival next month. Nitta, take Dad home early!" She closes the window. The sports car's engine roars, and it disappears into the night.
The highway from Chiba to Tokyo is bustling with traffic. Shizuka drives much faster on the way back to Tokyo.
"Ryosuke, Yukinoshita Haruno is dangerous. Don't get too involved with her. You don't have to listen to what Dad said." She looks straight ahead, speaking earnestly.
Ryosuke isn't concerned about whether Yukinoshita Haruno is dangerous; he's more concerned about something else.
"Shizuka-san, are you sure you won't get caught by the traffic police driving this fast?"
"Don't worry, I have a lot of experience. This is much slower than my usual speed," Shizuka says confidently.
Beep! Beep!
A sudden horn blares from behind them. Is this a case of speaking of the devil? Ryosuke glances at the car in the rearview mirror and lets out a sigh of relief. Good, it's not the police. But when he sees the car clearly, he feels a shiver down his spine. The Toyota Vellfire behind them has no driver!
Ryosuke quickly turns to look at Shizuka's face. She is calm, as if she hasn't noticed the car behind them. He suddenly remembers scenes from horror movies. Is that a ghost car that only people about to die can see?
What do I do?I've never encountered a supernatural event like this. According to movie logic, the person who sees the "ghost car" is the one who will die. Does that mean our car is going to crash, and Shizuka-san didn't notice because she survives?
Ryosuke takes a deep breath, cautiously turns his head, and leans forward to look at the "ghost car." The lane behind them is empty. There's no "ghost car," only the faint light of car headlights in the distance.
It's gone?Maybe I'm just tired and seeing things? Just as Ryosuke sighs in relief and sits back down, the horn blares again, this time closer. He follows the sound. The "ghost car" is now in the lane next to the Aston Martin.
Ryosuke looks out the side window and takes a closer look. His face turns pale, and a cold sweat drips down his forehead. Hey, hey, why is the steering wheel moving by itself when there's no one in the driver's seat?! And it's not going slow, either.
After a while, Shizuka finally enters Tokyo. She steps on the brake at a red light. She notices her brother's strange behavior and asks with concern, "Ryosuke, what's wrong?"
Humans have a natural fear of the unknown. As soon as they enter the city, Ryosuke sees a shadow in the car next to them. His pale face turns red. When his sister asks, he shakes his head. "I'm fine, Sis. But did you notice that strange car next to us?"
Shizuka rolls down the window and follows Ryosuke's gaze. She has noticed the Toyota from the beginning and knows who the owner is. She didn't pay attention because she promised Ryosuke she wouldn't speed anymore. "Oh, don't worry about it. It's just a stray dog barking," Shizuka says dismissively. She rarely uses such harsh words, but the owner of this car got her a ticket last time, and she's still annoyed about it.
Stray dog?Shizuka-san can be fierce sometimes, but she usually doesn't say things like that.
"Hey! Hiratsuka Shizuka! Who are you calling a stray dog? Anyone can go fast in a straight line! I'll show you that going fast on curves is what matters!"
A childish voice comes from the Toyota. Ryosuke finds it familiar. A small head pops out of the car, and his eyes meet Doraku Utage's.
Both of them yell in surprise.
"Doraku-sensei?!"
"Hiratsuka Ryosuke?!"
Crunch!
Doraku Utage bites her lollipop in half. She finally understands why she felt a sense of deja vu the first time she saw Hiratsuka Ryosuke. You little rascal! You're related to my sworn enemy.
In Japanese schools, every club must have an advisor. Because she's a national martial arts champion, she also serves as an advisor for the kendo club. She received a strange email from a superior today, asking her to take the team to Fukuoka for the Gyokuryu Flag tournament at the end of the month. Why is she being asked to go on a business trip with the team when they're on summer vacation? My blood pressure is through the roof!
She happened to run into Hiratsuka Shizuka on the road and wanted to race her. But no matter how much she honked, the other party didn't respond, acting as if she didn't exist.
"I don't do dangerous things like speeding anymore. Unlike you, who is alone, my little brother would worry."
Perhaps it's because she was provoked by Haruno, but the usually straightforward Shizuka has learned how to be passive-aggressive.
"Is that so? That's a shame," Doraku Utage says, refraining from arguing with Shizuka for once. Instead, she looks at Ryosuke. "Hiratsuka, you're the vice president of the kendo club. You're participating in the tournament at the end of the month, right?"
"That's right," Ryosuke says honestly, not understanding why the topic suddenly shifted to him.
Doraku Utage nods, a knowing smile on her face. "That's good."