radicalducati Chapter 12 already said it wouldn't be a surprise.
Chapter 12 already said it wouldn't be a surprise.
Kiryu Yaya stopped walking along the Dotonbori River.
The river flowed slowly, almost still, two meters below their feet.
The neon lights on the opposite bank are reflected on the water, red, yellow, and blue, broken up and then reassembled by the water's ripples, like a jigsaw puzzle that can never be completed.
Keiko Miyazawa stood beside him, her hands gripping the railing, her gaze fixed on the fragmented light and shadow.
"Miyazawa-kun, taking over such a large operation right after graduation must be very difficult, right?"
Kiryu Yaya's voice wasn't loud, but in the gaps between the sound of water and the distant noise, every word was clear.
The two continued their previous conversation.
"It's very difficult."
Keiko Miyazawa's voice was very soft:
"Nobody trusts me. They think a recent graduate can't handle the business. When suppliers are chasing payments, their tone is completely different from before. Several long-term employees have also left, saying they don't have a good outlook on the company's future."
"Recently, my uncle has been asking me to sign some documents, saying it's for bank procedures. I don't quite understand them, but something feels off about them."
As she spoke, she sighed, gazing at the bright night sky, a hint of melancholy in her voice:
"The hardest part is that there's no one to talk to."
As she spoke, she suddenly looked at Kiryu Yaya, smiling and narrowing her eyes:
"Luckily, Kiryu-kun has been willing to keep me company these past two days, otherwise I really wouldn't have been able to hold on."
Kiryu Yaya looked at her without saying anything, and like Miyazawa Keiko had just done, looked at the distant river.
A group of drunk office workers burst into laughter from the opposite bank of the river. The laughter bounced twice on the water before being swallowed by the night.
A cruise ship slowly sailed by in the distance, its lanterns appearing like a series of blurry ellipses in the darkness.
"Miyazawa-kun."
Keiko Miyazawa looked up.
Kiryu Yaya turned around, leaned against the railing, and looked up at the night sky above.
"In the period right after my father passed away, I lived alone in that small apartment. During the day, I pretended nothing had happened at school, and at night I would go back home and cry under the covers. Later, I couldn't cry anymore, and I felt like there was something stuck in my chest, a tightness in my chest."
He turned his gaze from the sky back to her and smiled.
"Later I discovered a method."
Keiko Miyazawa looked at him, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
Kiryu Yaya clenched his fist and punched the water's surface with all his might:
"Shout out what you want to say. Not to anyone, but to an empty space, shout it out with all your might."
"……call?"
"Yes, just like this."
Kiryu Yaya turned around, cupped his hands to his mouth, and shouted loudly towards the river:
"The entrance exams for the University of Tokyo are so difficult!!!"
The sound exploded on the river, and several passersby on the opposite bank stopped, glanced in this direction, and then continued walking.
Someone on the cruise ship in the distance poked their head out to look around, probably thinking there had been some commotion.
After shouting, Kiryu Yaya clapped his hands, turned around and leaned against the railing again, his expression much more relaxed than before.
He looked at Keiko Miyazawa, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"It's your turn."
"Should I...should I shout?"
Keiko Miyazawa was momentarily stunned, perhaps caught off guard.
"That's an order."
Kiryu Yaya's attitude was unusually firm.
Keiko Miyazawa glanced at him, as if she were making a final mental preparation.
Then she bit her lip, turned around, and gripped the railing tightly with both hands.
She opened her mouth.
Then, with all my might:
Why me?!
The scream carried far through the night sky.
"I really can't take it anymore!!"
The sound echoed across the river, carried away by the waves, and finally disappeared into the night sky over Osaka.
Keiko Miyazawa was breathing softly, but her eyes suddenly lit up.
"How is it?"
Kiryu Yaya turned his head to look at her.
Keiko Miyazawa sniffed:
"It's really much better."
"Let's do it one more time!"
Then Kiryu Yaya scored again, continuing to shout:
"I want a promotion and a raise!!!"
"I want to make a lot of money!!!"
This time, Keiko Miyazawa didn't hesitate and also clasped her hands together and shouted:
"Dad, I will do my best to keep the company running!!!"
"Mother, stay healthy!!"
"Kiryu-kun——"
After Miyazawa Keiko called out the first two times, she suddenly changed the target, which surprised Kiryu Yaya.
「あ・り・が・と・う!!!」
She shouted "thank you" for a very long time and with great force, until her voice cracked at the last syllable.
Kiryu Yaya looked at her and chuckled softly.
"No need to be so polite."
Keiko Miyazawa leaned against the railing, turning her head to look at him.
A gentle breeze from the river ruffled the hair behind her ear, and her eyes were filled with gratitude.
"Kiryu-kun, thank you."
"You've already thanked me."
"Not the one from before."
Keiko Miyazawa shook her head and said seriously:
"Thank you for being with me tonight; thank you for bringing me here; thank you for letting me know that it feels so good to shout out my unhappiness."
Kiryu Yaya smiled but didn't reply.
Keiko Miyazawa leaned on the railing, a slight smile playing on her lips, resting her chin on her crossed arms, gazing at the water.
The water of the Dotonbori River is not very clear at night; it is just a dark expanse, occasionally broken by the reflection of neon lights, which briefly illuminates it before it dims again.
At this moment, no one speaks, nor is there any need to speak.
But just then, Kiryu Yaya's stomach suddenly growled, a sound that was particularly clear in the quiet air by the river.
Keiko Miyazawa looked down at his stomach, then they exchanged a glance.
Kiryu Yaya remained expressionless and put his hands back into his trench coat pockets.
"A normal physiological phenomenon."
Keiko Miyazawa burst out laughing, her laughter bright and cheerful.
"Let's go, Kiryu-kun, I'll treat you to dinner."
Kiryu Yaya didn't stand on ceremony and waved his hand:
"You don't need to pay me, but I definitely need to fill my stomach."
"No, this meal has to be on me."
Keiko Miyazawa became unusually stubborn.
"Okay, I'll treat you later."
After Kiryu finished speaking, he started walking.
I came out today specifically to make dumplings for this dish of vinegar, so I can't afford to be careless and lose this opportunity.
"Why--"
It's only a three-minute walk from the riverside promenade into Dotonbori's food street.
The entire street was brightly lit.
The restaurants along the street lined the street one after another. The smoke from the grills, the steam from the hot plates, and the white mist from the pots mingled together, turning into colorful clouds under the neon lights.
The two walked along the street, their steps drawn by the various food stalls, stopping and starting as they went.
"Two servings of takoyaki, eight in total."
"hiss--"
"What did you say?"
I said, "It's delicious."
"..."
"Osaka-style kushikatsu! I'd like some!"
"Delicious! I'd like some more!"
"There's more to come, keep it under control."
"..."
The two ate their way through the food stalls, and by the time they reached the last one, Miyazawa Keiko was so full that she kept waving her hands.
"No, I really can't take it anymore."
"You've surrendered just like that?"
"How many restaurants have we eaten at?"
Kiryu Yaya carefully counted on his fingers, then said:
"Not too many, only four or five."
"This is terrible! How long has it been since I've let myself go like this?"
Keiko Miyazawa sighed, but there wasn't a trace of genuine complaint in her voice. She looked at Yaya Kiryu and suddenly laughed:
"Kiryu-kun."
"Um?"
"I'm so happy today. I haven't been this happy in a really, really long time!"
Keiko Miyazawa put her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and a sly smile appeared on her face:
"So—in return, I'm going to give you a surprise tomorrow."
Kiryu Yaya blinked.
Is there a second level?
He tried to bargain:
"Shall I reveal a little bit first?"
"no."
Keiko Miyazawa shook her head, her eyes clearly hiding an undisguised smile:
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."