Chapter 117: Mitsuryou Hotaru (Long Chapter)
"Shizuka, today's pastries, and this as well—the Daifuku I made last night. They turned out well, so give them a try."
"You even made Daifuku... Mmm~, it's delicious. Better than the ones we bought the other day... Are we heading out now?"
In the early morning, the warm sunlight washed over the street. Workers hurried past on their commutes, and breakfast shops were buzzing with life.
It was just a few minutes past eight.
Akishin, dressed in a simple and clean shirt, handed two small boxes to Shizuka while his other hand pulled a medium-sized suitcase. Most of it was packed with clothes, along with several boxes of pastries and Daifuku—since this was technically a visit, it was only natural to bring gifts.
Shizuka remained in her professional attire: a women's suit paired with a long white coat. Her logic was that dressing like this conveyed a sense of formality, making it easier to leave a good first impression on others.
Akishin watched Shizuka eat the Daifuku with a satisfied expression, asking with a smile, "Have you had breakfast? Or should I whip up a bowl of beef noodles for you?"
"Beef noodles..."
Shizuka closed the pastry box, her face showing a hint of hesitation. She had tasted Akishin's beef noodles before; there was no need to mention how delicious they were, but the sheer amount of beef—more than the noodles themselves—was hard to forget. She glanced at the sky but eventually shook her head slowly. "No need. I've already eaten. It's better if we get a move on with the main task."
She'd only had a few slices of bread and a glass of milk that morning. While she wasn't exactly hungry, she wasn't quite full either. Japanese people generally ate lightly, especially for breakfast, prioritizing health and avoiding overeating.
Then again, the Japanese also had a habit of drinking ice water regardless of whether it was midsummer or the dead of winter... Ice water was an absolute standard, which also contributed to Japan having some of the highest rates of stomach ailments in the world.
It was a bit of a contradiction, but a fact nonetheless.
All things considered, if Shizuka were asked to finish a bowl of beef noodles, she could certainly manage it, but it wasn't necessary.
Seeing Shizuka's firm expression, Akishin didn't push. He smiled. "Then let's go!" He pulled the suitcase toward the back of the brown van, opened the trunk, and loaded the luggage inside.
There was already a brown box sitting in there.
Even though Shizuka was in her work clothes, she had still packed a few nice outfits. It was only because Chishima Akishin had mentioned that, aside from helping with the move, they might as well do some sightseeing.
The hometown of Kondo Yuika and Sakurai Kaiko seemed quite beautiful; Kaiko had sent a few photos before.
"Uncle Chishima, where are you going?"
A childish voice rang out. Chishima Akishin saw Mitsuryou Hotaru running toward him with curiosity. He paused for a moment, then gave a warm smile. "Uncle is going to play, to travel. Do you know what traveling is, Hotaru?"
"I know! Suiko-sensei told me."
Mitsuryou Hotaru raised her small hands excitedly, her large, cute eyes looking up at Chishima Akishin. "Suiko-sensei said traveling is going to play in a place that's beautiful and pretty~!"
"Haha, that's exactly right. But Uncle isn't just going to play this time!" Akishin crouched down, smiling as he looked at Hotaru, who was wearing a small light-yellow kimono.
Mitsuryou Hotaru looked at Akishin, then at Shizuka. She pointed at Shizuka and exclaimed, "Is this pretty big sister Uncle Chishima's wife? She's as pretty as Mama."
Shizuka had been preparing to greet the child, but upon hearing those words, her face instantly flushed red. She shot Akishin a look filled with both embarrassment and indignation.
Akishin glanced at Shizuka, showing a smirk and inwardly praising Hotaru's intuition, though he said, "Hotaru, this pretty lady isn't Uncle's wife yet. You shouldn't say things like that, okay? Be careful~"
"Mmh~ okay, Hotaru knows that was wrong."
Hotaru rubbed her small hands together, faced Shizuka, and gave a polite bow, speaking in her high-pitched, childish voice. "I'm sorry, Onee-chan."
Shizuka glared bashfully at Akishin. She hadn't missed the "isn't... yet" part of his sentence.
However, faced with such an obedient child, she quickly softened into a gentle smile. "It's alright. Is your name Hotaru? You're very well-behaved. Here, Hotaru, have this."
Shizuka took two Daifuku out of the box and offered them to Hotaru—there were only eight in total.
Seeing the cute red and yellow glutinous rice balls, Hotaru's eyes sparkled. Her expression wavered; she wanted to reach out but didn't dare...
Finally, she shook her head, gritted her teeth, and looked away with great resolve. "Mama said I'm not allowed to just take things from other people."
Shizuka's expression froze slightly.
Akishin burst out laughing. "Hotaru, your mother said not to take things from strangers. Is Uncle Chishima a stranger?"
"No." Hotaru shook her head, then said loudly, "Uncle Chishima is very nice to Hotaru."
"Then will Hotaru accept something from Uncle Chishima?"
"I will! Uncle Chishima's snacks are the best. Even Mama praised them."
Akishin smiled and pointed at the Daifuku in Shizuka's hand. "Actually, Uncle made these, and this big sister is also Uncle's friend. She's not a stranger. So, can Hotaru take them?"
It felt strange. Why did he feel like some shady uncle coaxing a child? A hallucination, surely.
"...Okay."
After only a second of hesitation, Hotaru happily accepted the Daifuku from Shizuka's hand.
Shizuka glared at Akishin again before ruffling Hotaru's hair with a slightly resigned smile.
A pure yet clever child.
Akishin went back into Chishimaya to grab another box of Daifuku for Hotaru—he had made plenty yesterday, and most were stored in the fridge.
Hotaru hugged the box of Daifuku with pure joy on her face, her hands still clutching the two loose ones. Her small body looked quite busy trying to manage everything.
Once she had a good grip, she looked back at Akishin with those wide, innocent eyes. "Uncle Chishima is going to play, so when will you be back? I heard from Sakura that traveling means playing for many days. Is Uncle Chishima also going to play for many days?"
Hotaru wanted to make a gesture for a large number, but her hands were occupied with the Daifuku. After thinking for a moment, she bit one of the Daifuku and held it in her mouth, extending her left palm toward Akishin and squinting her eyes as she wiggled her hand, signaling "a lot."
Akishin was thoroughly amused by her movements.
Just then, the voice of Mrs. Mitsuryou Miyako came from behind. "Oh! Is Chishima-sensei going on a trip?"
Mrs. Miyako, wearing a red kimono, stepped out from the clothing store. She had a gentle aura, like a true Yamato Nadeshiko. Seeing the box of pastries in Hotaru's hands, her expression turned slightly resigned.
"Chishima-sensei, you're spending money on us again."
Ever since Hotaru met Akishin, he had frequently given her snacks and pastries—all homemade, and most of which weren't even sold in the shop.
Thanks to this, as the mother, she also ended up eating many treats that weren't available to the general public. To be honest, they were incredibly delicious.
Akishin waved it off dismissively. "It's just a bit of Daifuku. I made them myself, so they didn't cost much. Besides, Mrs. Miyako has already made clothes for us."
This was a fact. Mrs. Miyako had felt bad about Akishin giving Hotaru so much food, so she had designed and gifted a set of clothes to each of the four people at Akishin's place—including the dishwasher who had already left.
Akishin's was a very high-quality black chef's uniform, while Kondo Yuika and the others received casual wear that was simple, cute, and durable.
Mrs. Miyako didn't say anything more, taking it as an agreement. Returning a favor was only natural in human relationships, as it should be.
She looked at Shizuka, nodding politely since they had met more than once, and asked, "Where is Chishima-sensei traveling to? Quite a few people have been asking if you're closing the shop."
"I'm not closing down. It's just that Kondo is having some trouble at home, and Kaiko went back with her. Without staff, I obviously can't open the shop," Akishin explained. "I'm calling it a trip, but the main goal is to help Kondo settle some things. The sightseeing is just a bonus..."
Mrs. Miyako nodded slightly. "I see. Chishima-sensei really is a very kind teacher."
She hesitated for a moment but didn't ask what was happening at Kondo's home. She and Kondo Yuika were merely acquaintances; she liked the shy girl well enough, but that was the extent of it. Asking more would feel like prying.
After chatting with Mrs. Miyako for a bit, Chishima Akishin said his goodbyes.
Mrs. Miyako patted her daughter's head. "Hotaru, say goodbye to Chishima-sensei."
Hotaru was busy chewing on the rice cake in her mouth. she blinked her large eyes, looking at her mother first and then at Akishin. She let the dango drop from her lips and waved happily at Akishin. "Goodbye, Uncle Chishima! Come home soon~!"
She used to wave like that to her father.
Akishin waved back with a smile. "Alright. Goodbye, Hotaru. Uncle will bring back some souvenirs for you."
"Really? Thank you, Uncle Chishima! Uncle Chishima is the best, even better than Papa..."
Akishin's expression instantly stiffened. He instinctively glanced at Mrs. Miyako and gave her a weak smile; Mrs. Miyako's expression was awkward as she returned the smile... and then she quickly pulled her daughter back into the shop.
...
The engine started, and the van slowly rolled out of Konishi Street, picking up speed as it headed toward the highway.
Akishin was driving, while Shizuka sat in the passenger seat, watching the scenery blur past the window. Suddenly, she spoke up. "Hotaru is so cute!"
Akishin glanced at her, asking with a grin, "Does Shizuka-chan like kids?"
Shizuka glanced back, saying hesitantly, "I like them well enough. For example, kids who are cute and obedient like Hotaru. But I hate bratty kids who are impossible to manage..."
Speaking of bratty kids, Shizuka recalled an incident and unconsciously grit her teeth. She used to collect mecha models that she kept on display at home.
One day, her parents had suddenly brought relatives over for a visit. When she returned from school, all she saw were plastic shards scattered across the floor...
That kind of feeling was indescribable. Even though the relatives eventually apologized and replaced the models, her heart still felt terrible because that brat hadn't faced any real punishment at all.
"I see!"
Akishin's expression remained calm. Thinking of something, he suddenly asked with a smile, "In that case... Shizuka-chan, have you ever thought about having your own children?"
"!!!"
Shizuka whipped her head around, staring at Akishin intensely. Hey, hey! I'm a girl who doesn't even have a boyfriend, and you're asking if I've thought about my future kids?!
"Never!"
Shizuka raised a hand as if to smack him, but seeing as he was driving, she lowered it. She pursed her lips and said, "That's something you think about after getting married. How could I have thought about it before? Not at all..."
Shizuka realized her tone lacked a bit of confidence. She stole a glance at Akishin, and seeing him focused on the road, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Truth be told, she actually *had* thought about it, specifically while she was ruffling Hotaru's hair earlier. At that moment, she had wondered if she had married right after university, her child might be around Hotaru's age by now... Of course, Akishin could never know that. If asked why... she didn't know herself! (Seriously.)
Akishin also glanced at Shizuka. Seeing her reaction, he let out a small smile.
...
Soon, the brown van entered the highway.
Kondo Yuika lived in Kimitsu City, in the central part of Chiba Prefecture. It was only slightly further than the distance to Tokyo. They could have taken the train, but a car was far more practical for moving houses.
Once on the highway, the car's speed stabilized. Shizuka took out her phone to play for a bit, but soon put it away, her eyes half-closing from drowsiness.
Akishin slowed down slightly and said, "Shizuka-chan, sleep if you want to. I'll wake you up when we arrive."
"...Alright."
After a quick glance at Akishin, Shizuka leaned back in her seat and drifted off to sleep.
Akishin quietly turned up the car's heater.
Not long after, the car left Chiba City behind.
...
Shizuka heard Akishin's voice through a haze: "Shizuka-chan, Shizuka-chan, wake up. We're here." It was so familiar, so soothing.
"We're here?"
Opening her eyes, Shizuka looked out the window at unfamiliar streets and unfamiliar high-rises... Compared to Chiba City, this place looked a bit more aged. Perhaps it was just this specific area.
Releasing their seatbelts, Shizuka and Akishin stepped out of the car.
They were currently in an open hospital parking lot. Through the fence, they could see a busy street outside. Turning around, they saw a large white building with large gold letters across the top that read: 'Kimitsu City Hospital.'
"Is Kondo here?"
Shizuka looked toward Akishin.
"She said this was the location."
Akishin looked left and right, pulled out his phone to find Kondo Yuika's number, and dialed it.
The call was answered almost immediately, and Yuika's timid voice came through. "Chishima-sensei, you... have you arrived?"
"I'm here, right outside the hospital. Kondo, where are you guys?"
While talking on the phone, Akishin opened the trunk and pulled out a bouquet of blooming yellow lilies—he had bought them at a roadside stand after entering the city while Shizuka was still asleep.
Thud!
The phone on the other end seemed to have dropped to the floor. Sakurai Kaiko's voice could be heard faintly: "Yuika, don't panic like that. Chishima-sensei isn't a monster... Yuika, wait here. I'll go pick up Chishima-sensei and the others."
Soon, Yuika's voice returned to the line. "Chishima... Chishima-sensei, Kaiko is coming down. Please come to the fifth floor of the inpatient building..."
"Understood."
Hanging up, Akishin and Shizuka walked toward the inpatient building. The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant, along with a faint, metallic hint of blood...
After passing through two hallways, Kaiko's voice rang out: "Chishima-sensei! Over here, over here! Look this way...!"
From dozens of meters away, Sakurai Kaiko was already shouting, drawing the attention and displeased glares of many people in the hospital.
She then ran quickly toward Akishin, glanced at the flowers in his hand, and gave a playful grin. "Hello, Chishima-sensei."
"Hello, Kaiko."
Kaiko looked toward Shizuka, her expression becoming much more formal as she gave a polite bow. "Hiratsuka-sensei, I'm sorry to trouble you to come all this way."
"It's no trouble."
Shizuka shook her head with a smile. "I'm a teacher. This is exactly the kind of thing we should be doing."
"Kaiko, lead the way."
"Yes, Sensei. This way."
Kaiko wiped the lack of seriousness from her face and led them forward.
As they reached the door to the patient's room, Sakurai Kaiko paused for a brief moment. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.
She continued to the door, raised her hand, and pushed it open.
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