Akane took a deep breath. "Sir, are you sure about this? Is meeting him... is it really what's best for Aoyama right now?"
"I... I'm his blood uncle. How could I possibly wish him harm?"
Masao Hayashi sighed heavily. "I want to take care of him. I've heard about his condition... his memory loss. I can provide the best medical care money can buy. I can bring in world-renowned neurosurgeons to heal him."
"No," Akane said firmly. "I think the fact that he doesn't remember is the kindest thing that ever happened to him."
"He has something he loves now. He has a life. Why... why do you need to drag him back to a past that almost destroyed him?"
Masao Hayashi fell silent, contemplating the girl's words.
She was right. The tragedy that had befallen his family was unspeakable. The shock had likely been what broke Aoyama's mind in the first place.
"You... you know what happened to him back then?" Masao Hayashi asked quietly.
"I found his real name. I looked into the records. I found the case..."
Akane bit her lip. She knew the truth.
"The past was too cruel," she whispered. "I don't want him to remember. He's happy now. He draws his manga, and millions of people love what he creates. He's happy every single day. That's enough... that has to be enough."
'Draws manga?'
Masao Hayashi was stunned. His nephew had never shown an interest in art. But then, he remembered how much pressure the boy had been under. His brother had always been a strict father. Perhaps this talent had simply been suppressed for years.
"I see," Masao Hayashi murmured.
"Listen. I won't force him to remember anything. I just want to see him... to know he's alive with my own eyes."
"I have the assets his parents left behind. Inheritance, property... it belongs to him. I want to give him what's his. And I want him to know that if he ever needs anything, his family is here."
Seeing that Akane was still hesitant, Masao Hayashi gave a bitter laugh. Then, without a word...
He began to lower himself to the floor, intending to kneel before her.
"SIR!"
"DAD!"
Akane and Yusuke Hayashi both jumped forward, trying to catch him.
Masao Hayashi's eyes flashed with a cold, terrifying authority as he looked at his son. "Yusuke, if you touch me, I will disown you right here. Stand back."
Yusuke Hayashi froze, caught between his duty and his father's pride.
"Akane," Masao Hayashi said, his voice steady despite the posture. "If you don't let me see him, I'm not getting up. He's all that's left of my brother. If I turn my back on him now, I'll never be able to look my father or my brother in the eye when I join them."
She couldn't let an elder, a man of his stature and genuine intent, kneel on a restaurant floor.
"Okay..." she whispered.
"I'll take you to him. But you have to promise me one thing. You cannot mention the past. You cannot use his old name. You cannot do anything to trigger him."
"His name is Aoyama. Not Kento. You can be his 'Uncle,' and nothing more. If you can agree to that, I'll take you."
Masao Hayashi looked up, his expression one of immense relief. "I promise. I only want what's best for him."
Akane nodded slowly.
---
System!
Aoyama shouted in his mind as he set down his tablet. He'd been working on Fire Punch, but his mind was elsewhere.
The system interface flickered into existence.
[Host: Aoyama]
[Integrity: Hard-Drive Memory (Diamond), Movie-Level Storyboarding (Platinum), Kaleidoscope Illustration (Master), 100% Luck (Silver), Tiger of Housekeeping (Silver), Color Codex (Gold)... Game Creator (Master)]
[Points: 81,700]
[Current Tasks:
- Rising Star: Create a work praised by 5,000 people. Progress: 5,000/5,000 (Complete)
- Standing Ovation: Create a work praised by 10,000 people. Progress: 10,000/10,000 (Complete)
- World Acclaim: Create a work praised by 50,000 people. Progress: 50,000/50,000 (Complete)
- Global Sensation: Create a work praised by 100,000 people. Progress: 92,789/100,000 (Reward: 100,000 Points)
- Impression: Have 100 people remember your name. Progress: 100/100 (Complete)
- Famous: Have 1,000 people remember your name. Progress: 1,000/1,000 (Complete)
- Legend: Have 10,000 people remember your name. Progress: 3,288/10,000 (Reward: 500 Points)
- Gift of Genius: Show your talent and change the world!
(Stage 1 Complete: 100% Luck awarded. Stage 2 Complete: Color Codex awarded. Stage 3 Complete: Game Creator awarded. Stage 4 Complete: Official Language Fluency awarded. Stage 5 Complete: Physics Grail awarded.)
(Stage 6 in Progress...)]
Aoyama blinked. 'Holy... I haven't checked this in a while.'
He'd cleared half a dozen milestones without even realizing it. His points were through the roof.
"Wait... Stage 4 was Official Language Fluency? And Stage 5 was... Physics Grail?" Aoyama scratched his neck. "What the hell am I supposed to do with a Diamond-tier ability to speak every UN language and a Master-tier mastery of physics? I'm a manga artist, System! Not a diplomat or a rocket scientist!"
"Usage is for the Host to discover," the System replied, its voice as cold as ever.
"Fine... whatever. I'm here for an upgrade. I need something to help me with the coloring for Fire Punch. I want it to be perfect, like a movie."
"And I want something that..."
[To be continued...]
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]