[The Next Day, Wednesday]
It was the last day of exams.
As the pleasant sound of the dismissal bell rang out, the first test of the semester at Shuka Academy finally came to an end.
Handing in the test paper and neatly packing the scattered stationery on the desk, the blue-haired girl with shoulder-length twin ponytails let out a breath of relief.
'It is over.'
The questions weren't hard. Even though she had been busy with part-time jobs lately and had little time to review, Togawa Sakiko had a solid foundation.
During the exam, she rarely got stuck, and the questions were basically within her grasp.
If nothing unexpected happened, getting into the top three should be no problem.
Even just ranking third would yield a full 100,000 yen in prize money, which was undoubtedly a huge sum for someone like Togawa Sakiko.
With that money, she could quit handing out flyers and free up more time to look for band members.
She could buy a few cases of beer for that bastard old man and make him behave for a few more days.
She could finally go to the shop and have beef rice again, extra meat and extra egg.
Shuka's efficiency was fast.
The test ended on Wednesday, and by Thursday, the results were already out.
Standing in front of the bulletin board, Togawa Sakiko unsurprisingly found her name in the second position.
First place was a student named "Yukinoshita Yukino."
A bit of disappointment, she hadn't been able to get the biggest prize.
But since she'd been busy working and had little time to review, second place wasn't surprising.
Leaving the teachers' office, Togawa Sakiko had an envelope in her hand.
Inside was the prize money for this exam, a full 150,000 yen.
For a corporate drone, the happiest day of each month was payday.
Sakiko was no exception. A faint smile hung on her doll-like delicate face, causing passing students to look surprised.
Since the start of school, Togawa had always looked like someone who kept others at arm's length.
It was rare to see her so happy.
As school was nearing its end, a light drizzle suddenly began to fall from the sky.
Fortunately, the rain wasn't heavy, nothing a person couldn't handle without an umbrella.
Returning to her old, dilapidated apartment and opening the door, Sakiko suddenly frowned.
A strong smell of alcohol wafted from inside, faintly accompanied by the sound of cursing.
From the entryway to the living room, Sakiko's good mood vanished in an instant.
In front of her was a chaotic mess. The trash can had been kicked over, and leftover bento boxes were scattered across the floor.
A tall man was panting heavily, rummaging through her bedroom, cursing as he went.
"Where's the money? Why can't I find it anywhere?"
Seeing a diary nearby, he was about to flip through it when an angry shout suddenly rang out behind him.
"You bastard old man! What are you doing?"
"Oh, it's Sakiko?", Seeing his daughter, the man didn't feel embarrassed at all. Instead, he boldly stretched out his hand, "You got paid last month, right? Hurry up and give Dad 100,000 yen. Dad's got an emergency!"
"I don't have 100,000 yen to give you!"
Sakiko snatched the diary from the man she was supposed to call "Father," hugging it tightly to her chest.
The 50,000 yen Kurumizaka-kun had secretly put into her bag, she still hadn't been willing to spend a cent. She had tucked it between the pages of her diary, thankfully, it hadn't been stolen.
"You clearly have several part-time jobs, don't you?"
The middle-aged man laughed shamelessly, "Customer service, convenience store clerk, sometimes I hand out flyers. How could you not even have 100,000 yen? Sakiko, be good, Daddy has serious business to do."
"Your serious business is going out drinking and playing pachinko?"
Sakiko stared at him coldly, amber eyes filled with undisguised disappointment, "Dad... what will it take for you to pull yourself together?"
"Shut up!", The middle-aged man seemed stung by her gaze and flew into a rage, "Even your life was given by me, so what if I ask for some money?"
He stepped forward with big strides. His once-handsome features now twisted like a demon, "What's that in your hand? An envelope? Does it have money in it? Hand it over! Don't force me to use violence!"
"Don't even think"
SLAP!
A loud slap.
The middle-aged man froze for a moment, staring at his hand in disbelief.
He looked up, his lips twitching, seemingly wanting to say something.
But his craving for money quickly overwhelmed the little guilt he felt. His gaze turned fierce again, he shoved his daughter to the ground, snatched the envelope from her hands, and eagerly tore it open.
Seeing the fifteen crisp bills inside, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Then, without even glancing at his devastated daughter, he strode out the front door, ignoring the increasingly urgent rain, disappearing into the night.
'It seems like the rain is getting heavier.'
Big raindrops pelted against the window with loud splashes, like a passionate symphony.
Kaito looked out at the curtain of rain. The neon lights continued to flicker in the downpour, the dark sky like a massive curtain, shrouding the whole world.
This kind of weather was perfect for sleeping.
Kaito had been planning to do just that. Stretching lazily, for once ready to sleep early, but then his gaze suddenly froze.
In the pitch-black rain curtain, a figure with long blue hair flickered faintly.
[ Shoutout to Vester_1, Klaszot, Rob & Somanagumo for joining patreon. Thank you very much.]
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Chapter 42: Hard, My Fists Are Hard
'Clearly, life has already started getting back on track, so why did it suddenly fall into the abyss?'
The burning pain of the slap on her face couldn't compare to the wound in her heart.
Togawa Sakiko wandered aimlessly on the empty street. The rain was pouring so hard not a single pedestrian could be seen, but she couldn't be bothered to care anymore.
'Living is really exhausting.'
'I have clearly worked so hard, so hard to live.'
'So why do I always encounter this kind of thing?'
Sitting on the edge of the soaked pedestrian bridge, it was a little chilly. The girl's calves swung slightly under her skirt.
'If I jump down from here, won't it all be over?', Looking at the cold asphalt ground beneath her, Sakiko suddenly had this thought.
The distant sky was still dark and gloomy. The new sun wouldn't rise for a long time, so long that she had no strength left to hold on.
'If only I can see Kurumizaka-kun one more time, that will be enough.'
'No appearing in such a pathetic state will only make people disgusted, right?'
'Better to leave quietly, alone.'
She stood up. Her thin body in the pouring rain looked like a swift, petite, slender, on the verge of collapse.
"If there really is a next life, that'll do."
Sakiko gave a faint smile, "Kurumizaka-kun goodnight."
She closed her eyes, letting gravity pull her, soaring toward the ground
The pain she imagined didn't come. Her falling body came to a sudden halt.
Someone had grabbed her hand.
A handsome boy with delicate features was holding an umbrella, those light chestnut eyes quietly gazing at her, speaking in a calm tone, "Togawa-san, good evening."
"Kurumizaka-kun?"
Sakiko was a little dazed.
'Could it be a god heard my heart's voice?'
The girl lowered her eyes, not daring to look into those eyes that she couldn't bring herself to reject, "Why are you here?"
"For the same reason you are."
"I came for a walk."
"Maybe it's a cultural difference."
Kaito said blandly, "In my country, walks don't usually involve jumping off buildings. Is this a unique tradition of Japan?"
"..."
Sakiko turned her face away. After a long time, she said in a low voice, "It's just my own habit."
'This girl's mouth is really hard.'
Placing both hands on the railing, Kaito was silent for a while, then said, "For humans, death is a holiday that inevitably arrives."
"..."
"What I mean is."
Kaito sighed, "Togawa-san, you really don't have to rush it."
He raised his head, gazing into the girl's evasive eyes, "Can you tell me the reason?"
Sakiko remained silent.
She didn't want to tell Kurumizaka-kun these filthy things. It wasn't just because of pride, but more because she didn't want Kurumizaka-kun to have even the slightest connection to that disgusting man.
"Forget it, just come with me for now," Seeing her like this, Kaito didn't get angry.
He brought Sakiko home. The girl had been out in the rain for too long, her clothes were completely soaked.
Using a clean towel, he helped dry her hair, then brewed a hot cup of ginger tea. Sitting on the soft sofa, Kaito pondered, "Let me guess, is it because you didn't do well on an exam?"
In the warm room, holding the hot ginger tea in her hands, Sakiko seemed a little more lively, quietly retorting:
"I'm not that weak"
"I figured as much."
Kaito knowingly nodded, then casually said, "Then it's because of your father?"
"..."
The reply was a long silence.
But silence itself was an answer.
Kaito had known Sakiko for a while. Even though he hadn't deliberately investigated her family background, he'd picked up bits and pieces from the surrounding neighbors.
Sakiko was a tough girl. Hardships from the outside world wouldn't easily knock her down.
The only ones capable of making her lose hope in life and choose the most decisive way out, could only be those closest to her.
"So, Togawa-san," Kaito stared directly into the girl's amber eyes, and once again asked, "Can you tell me the reason?
"*Sniff* *Sniff* Wahhhhh! *Sniff!* *Sniff!* Uwahhhh!... T-today....."
.
.
.
A taut bowstring, no matter how tightly strung, always has a limit.
In the end, the girl named "Togawa Sakiko" had just come of age, not even two months ago.
Maybe she was strong, like a stubborn little blue hedgehog, but that was just a helpless camouflage.
Once that tough shell was peeled away, her soft inner self was laid bare.
In his 400-year cultivation journey, Kaito had seen many newborns.
He had seen wicked cultivators massacre entire cities just to refine the Ten Thousand Ghost Banner.
He had also seen wolves in sheep's clothing, turning on their saviors for the sake of treasures and opportunities.
But what Sakiko's dad had done still managed to make him hard.
His fists were hard.
Making his still-schooling daughter earn money to support the family was one thing. But to shamelessly steal her scholarship, even resorting to violence just to go out drinking and play pachinko?
Kaito rarely got angry.
But this time, he was truly a little pissed.
"Get some rest. It's okay now," He carried the still-sobbing girl onto the soft bed, tucked her in, and turned off the lights.
"I'll be back soon."
"Damn it! Just a bit more! Just a bit more!"
Covered in bruises, Togawa Kiyotsugu staggered out of the casino under the contemptuous gazes of the thugs, finally hiding in a remote alley, cursing and swearing only after confirming they were out of sight. He gave a hard kick to a trash can, "A bunch of bottom-feeding trash dares to lay hands on me? Just wait till I make a comeback, I'll make you bastards kneel and lick my shoes!"
He gnashed his teeth, "Yeah, a comeback! All I need is 100,000 yen no! Just 100,000 yen! Give me another 100,000 and I'll definitely turn the tables!"
'Whether it is that nearly-successful council seat, or the massive wealth of the Togawa family'
'In the end, it is all that damned bitch's fault!'
He had just accepted some small tributes using his position, and accidentally killed a few peasants during a forced demolition, only to be maliciously reported and lose his seat.
If only he'd used the Togawa family's connections, all those scandals could've been easily covered up.
But that heartless woman disregarded their years of marriage and directly kicked him out of the house.
Togawa Kiyotsugu's expression was full of venom.
'What is mine, I will take back sooner or later!'
"I'll go get some money from Sakiko again. I've been raising her for months, she should be able to give me a mere 100,000," Togawa Kiyotsugu calmed himself. Seeing the rain lighten, he prepared to rush home in one go.
"I thought you were complete human trash," A casual sigh echoed from the dark alley, "But I guess I still gave you too much credit by thinking of you as human."
"Who's there?", Togawa Kiyotsugu jumped in fright, thinking it was one of his old enemies trying to act tough, "I warn you! I'm the son-in-law of the Togawa family! Lay a finger on me and the Togawa family won't let you off!"
"You're the Togawa family's son-in-law?", The voice from the shadows sounded confused, "Does the Togawa family know about this mess?"
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Chapter 43: You Dont Actually Know You Were Wrong
Togawa Kiyotsugu tried hard to see who was coming.
But his swollen eye sockets were all blurry; he could only make out a vague silhouette.
'It seems to be an unfamiliar boy?'
"My name is Togawa Kiyotsugu. I inherited the Togawa family name. If you know what's good for you, get lost now!", Togawa Kiyotsugu tried to scare the other person off, but with no confidence in his voice, he looked more bark than bite.
Kaito no longer wanted to waste time on this newborn.
He walked forward step by step, his handsome features calm, yet inexplicably unsettling.
"I warn you! Stay away from me!", Togawa Kiyotsugu still hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation, still trying to threaten, but soon let out a painful groan.
To avoid punching this scum into minced meat, Kaito had deliberately held back his strength, but Togawa Kiyotsugu, who was used to a pampered life, had zero resistance to blows. His hunched body curled up like a shrimp.
"Does it hurt?"
Kaito grabbed his hair and lifted him up, the indifferent look in his eyes only deepened the fear in the other's heart, "W-Wait Spare me, I'll give you money! I can give you money!"
"I asked you, does it hurt?", Kaito ignored him, calmly repeating the question.
