Halfway through the journey, the grandfather's head throbbed violently, and his vision blurred into a gray haze. In that momentary lapse of focus, a fatal accident became inevitable.
A massive truck slammed into his vehicle, flipping it over instantly. Ryunosuke's custom furniture lay shattered across the asphalt, while the wheels of the upturned truck continued to spin aimlessly in the air.
Soon after, an ambulance rushed the grandfather to the hospital. Upon hearing the news, Chizuru skipped her classes and sprinted through the corridors. When the door to the room opened, she saw her beloved grandfather lying weak, his body tethered to a myriad of medical monitors.
Chizuru's eyes immediately welled with tears; her grandfather was one of the few pieces of family she had left in this world.
Sayuri released her husband's hand and looked at Chizuru, forcing a smile to keep her granddaughter from spiraling into panic. "It's alright, Chizuru..."
But Chizuru couldn't stay still. She ran out of the hospital toward the shrine on the mountain behind their home. She ran barefoot, oblivious to the stinging pain of the pavement. There was an old legend at that shrine: if one climbed the stairs barefoot and prostrated themselves before the deity, their wish would be granted.
Chizuru knelt before the altar, repeatedly pressing her forehead against the cold floor in prayer. "I beg of you... don't take the last of my family. Please..."
Behind the altar, a "Nameless Deity" let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Even gods are not omnipotent, child... Forgive me, I cannot help you."
In truth, he was merely a minor guardian spirit worshipped there. How could he possibly possess the power to save a life already balanced on the precipice of death?
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Elsewhere, Ryunosuke was beginning to wonder why his furniture hadn't arrived. He decided to head to the grandfather's house, only to find it locked tight. A small note was taped to the door:
"Deepest apologies. Our family is dealing with an emergency. The shop is temporarily closed. Thank you for your understanding."
A dark premonition settled in his gut.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
Back at the hospital, the grandfather knew his time was short. He tried to comfort his wife, who was sobbing uncontrollably, asking her to stay strong for the life ahead and not to grieve too deeply for him.
"Once you're gone, what becomes of me? What becomes of Chizuru?" Sayuri's voice broke.
The grandfather could only offer a pale, bitter smile. "I'm so sorry..."
The cause wasn't just the exhaustion from work and driving; a thorough examination at the hospital revealed that the grandfather was suffering from terminal cancer.
"I'm beyond saving now, so don't throw our money away on treatments for me," was his final plea to his wife.
Listening from behind the door, Chizuru's world shattered. She collapsed onto the floor, ignoring the cuts on her feet. She sobbed piteously, "I don't want to be an actress anymore. I just want Grandpa back..."
Not long after, the grandfather drew his last breath. Previously, Sayuri had intended to sell their inn to prolong his life, but he had refused. He wanted the remaining funds to go toward Chizuru's education and her dreams.
They brought home the urn containing his ashes and placed it on the family altar, offering prayers every day.
True to her husband's final efforts, Sayuri delivered the furniture he had managed to complete to Ryunosuke. Although some pieces were damaged from the crash, she hoped to exchange them for a little money to sustain their lives.
Ryunosuke was stunned by the news of the tragedy.
To think that only a few days ago they were talking, and now he was gone. He insisted on paying the full original price for all the furniture, including the damaged pieces. However, Sayuri refused; she gave him the broken items for free, feeling it was wrong to accept money for flawed goods. Despite their hardships, they clung fiercely to their dignity.
Ryunosuke watched Sayuri leave with a heavy, conflicted heart. He suddenly remembered that in the original story, the grandfather never appeared because he had already passed away.
From that point on, he began visiting their home frequently under the guise of being a "friend of the late grandfather" to check on their well-being.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
To lighten the family's financial burden, Chizuru sought out online part-time work. She signed up for a platform called Rental Girlfriend. There, men paid for the company of a "fake girlfriend" for emotional fulfillment. In return, Chizuru received payment after a 30% platform commission.
Strict rules were in place: no excessive physical contact. Even holding hands required the woman's explicit consent. It was a legal platform with no "extra" services.
Chizuru began living a double life: a student by day and a rental girlfriend in her spare time, all without her grandmother's knowledge. Her dream of becoming an actress was pushed to the furthest corners of her mind; for her, the only thing that mattered now was her grandmother's health.
But misfortune seemed relentless. During a health check-up, Sayuri was diagnosed with a malignant terminal tumor, heart failure, and cerebrovascular complications. Years of grueling labor had finally broken her body.
Sayuri tried to keep it a secret, but one day Chizuru caught her taking medication and demanded an explanation. Finally, the grandmother told her the truth. Chizuru wept hysterically, declaring she would drop out of school to care for her.
"What are you saying?! How could you quit? Have you no respect for your grandfather's struggle?" the grandmother scolded sternly.
Forced by her grandmother's resolve, Chizuru continued her studies while working herself to the bone in secret to cover medical expenses. Eventually, the inn and their home were sold. She moved into a cheap, aging apartment while her grandmother remained hospitalized. The money from the sale of the house could at least buy them a little more time...