Tokyo Rebirth: Start From Picking Up Sayu

After confirming that everyone was present, Hasumi Kanoko talked about the incident.

"...Anyway, I have already visited An Yi at his home, interviewed him personally, and conveyed our intentions."

"Although it's a bit regretful, it's a pity that An Yi-san still doesn't intend to change his mind. He made it clear to me that he won't come back here again. No matter how much I try to persuade him, he can't do anything about it."

"I'm sorry to disappoint everyone -"

As soon as she finished speaking, she bowed slightly to the people very regretfully, and then sat down next to Kato Yusuke.

Silence enveloped the conference room.

Everyone who heard these words looked at me and I looked at you. They were a little embarrassed for a moment and didn't know how to react.

Sagara Mayu's eyes were darting around, and the expression on her face was as if she had been reincarnated into a different world and turned into a hippopotamus. Obviously, she did not expect to hear such a heavy topic.

Yoshida scratched the back of his head in embarrassment and yawned uncontrollably without making any sign.

Hui tilted her head slightly and focused her eyes on the ceiling diagonally above, as if thinking about something.

Without saying a word, Eirili held her chin with one hand, put the weight of her upper body on the table, and half-closed her eyes as if she was bored.

As for Shiyu, he said coldly.

"It's not Kano-chan's fault. What do you have to apologize for?"

"Well...ahaha..."

Hasumi Kanoko smiled bitterly and explained:

"Having said that, I originally thought I could handle this matter smoothly, but it turned out to be more difficult than I imagined. I really failed everyone's expectations."

"No, you did the right thing, but I think it's better this way. If that classmate An Yi is really willing to kneel down in order to come back, then even the basic dignity of a human being is gone~?"

"Uh... Xiaoshi, you seem to have misunderstood? I just went to talk to classmate An Yi, so I won't make such an excessive request as "kneel down", which will only intensify the conflict, right? "

"Huh? Don't you kneel down?"

Shiyu twitched his brows in displeasure, crossed his arms over his chest and crossed his legs, leaning on the back of the chair like a queen.

"It means that he was quite arrogant when he overturned the table. If he wanted to come back without doing anything, wouldn't he be taking us too seriously?"

The cold voice made the atmosphere heavier and put pressure on everyone present.

Hasumi Kanoko observed everyone's expressions and spoke with some embarrassment.

"...How should I say this? In fact, classmate An Yi also asked me to pass on a sentence. I have been hesitating whether to say it..."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone's eyes gathered.

Shiyu even asked unceremoniously: "What did that otaku say?"

Hasumi Kanoko hesitated and glanced at the young man beside her, and sighed helplessly.

"...Aki-san seems to be planning to set up a club of his own. He asked me to tell Kato-kun that he will definitely make the world's strongest game that far surpasses ours. Let Kato-kun wait and see... …”

"laugh."

Shiyu sneered: "I see, this is the so-called afternoon letter, right? This kind of self-righteous arrogance is indeed very characteristic of that person."

After saying this, she turned to look at Yinglili on the right.

"So, six years ago... oh, to be precise, seven years ago, Sawamura, what do you think of your childhood sweetheart's words?"

"Huh? What do you think?"

"Because~ since everyone has declared a challenge to us, then everyone will be the enemy from now on, so we must defeat him. Can you do it?"

Yinglili was stunned for a moment, then expressed with a straight face:

"You don't need to deliberately test me with such words, I know what to do!"

"oh……?"

Shiyu blinked in surprise and said in surprise: "This is really surprising, you actually stopped swaying..."

"I'm just discussing the matter! What's more, the target is Lun Ye. Don't you think it's a bit of a fuss if you put him in the same position as us with such great efforts?"

"Haha~ It seems that you are also serious here? Sawamura-kun~"

"Don't call my name in that nasal tone, it's disgusting!"

"Speaking of which, Kano-chan."

Kato Yusuke asked: "Did you leave him what I said last time?"

The person who asked did not explain who "he" was in the words, and the people who listened did not ask.

"Yeah, I have it."

Seeing Kanozi gently nodding his head in the affirmative, Hassan started talking to himself.

"An Yi didn't really want to accept the two million you asked me to give him, but I still kept the money as you asked. As for whether he will accept it, I don't know. ”

"knew."

Kato Yusuke nodded calmly and announced to everyone: "...Then let's end this matter. Thank you for your hard work, we can let the meeting end."

That's what he said, and that's what he thought.

Regardless of whether An Yilun accepts the money or not, the matter should end here.

Their game has not yet been completed, and there is still a lot of work to be done. They should not worry about a departed "former member" for too long, but should focus on the present.

Everyone also heard the meaning of his words, nodded in approval, and then left.

Kato Yusuke originally planned to go back to work, but was stopped by Hasumi Kanoko.

"Ah, Kato-kun, I have one more thing I want to discuss with you. Can you wait a moment?"

"Any questions?"

"Yes, I have a proposal for a studio and would like to ask for your opinion."

"Whatever it is, you can just say it doesn't matter."

"Well, I was actually wondering if we could arrange a group sleepover, which would last for about two to three days, and go around Tokyo."

"A sleepover activity...?"

"Ah, don't you think this is not good...?"

"No, it's not not good, it just feels a bit sudden. Can I ask the reason?"

"Hmm~ Because haven't we all been worried about An Yi-san for a long time? So I thought if we could organize a sleepover to boost morale."

"That's it..."

Kato Yusuke immediately understood her intention and pondered.

Even though he had just made a statement, Kanoko Hasumi had a very thoughtful idea.

Leaving aside the impact caused by An Yilun, it would be a good thing if we could take this opportunity to relax and adjust ourselves to work.

Considering that the trip lasted only three days, the delay in work was basically harmless... He gradually made a decision in his heart.

"Well, I think this is good, but there aren't many places to play this season, right?"

"What do you think of the hot springs?"

"Oh, it turns out to be a hot spring."

"Hey, don't you like it?"

"No, let's just settle it. Can I trouble you about this?"

"Hmm~ That's what I thought. Then if you agree, I will inform everyone, okay?"

"Okay, thank you for your hard work."

"No~"

Ren saw Kanoko smile brightly and walked out of the conference room.

after awhile……

"Hey, is this true!? That's great——!!"

——Suddenly, Sagara Mayu's joyful cheers rang out outside.

Kato Yusuke thought for a moment, then took out his mobile phone, found "Shinjoka"'s number in the contacts, and called it.

◇

That evening.

In Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, the Ogihara family's small Western-style building.

The refill of the mechanical pencil snapped, and Sayu looked up from the reference book.

"Hmm~~~..."

Leaning on the back of the chair, he stretched his upper body vigorously, and a sound like "pah, pah, pah" came from his shoulders.

Looking at the clock on the wall, the long and short hands overlap right above.

About four hours had passed since she sat at her desk.

"Has it been so long..."

Sayu sighed to himself, put the pencil on the table, and decided to take a break.

"How you spend your senior year in high school will have a great impact on whether you can get into college."

The head teacher, Ms. Misaki, always reminds me like this.

In fact, she didn't listen to the teacher's words, but she had already vowed to express her determination in front of her mother and brother that she should work harder both in public and private life, so she often stayed up late studying recently.

Two days have passed since the results of the national examination were announced.

Not surprisingly, she achieved good results as expected.

Whether it is her first choice, Hayao University, or her second choice, Aoyama Academy, she is eligible to apply.

Despite this, she still dared not relax.

"After all, there will be independent examinations at the university..."

Sayu muttered to himself and looked at the calendar on the desk.

[February 18, Zaoying University]

[February 23, Aoyama College]

On the loose leaves of the desk calendar, the important events of this month are marked with a conspicuous red marker.

There are two college entrance examinations in Japan.

The first time was the national unified examination held by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the second time was the independent admissions examination of each university.

After the first test results are announced, candidates must decide which school and major to apply for the second time based on their scores. The specific test time is organized by each university.

Fortunately, the time difference between the two universities Sayu applied for was not too long, and five days was enough for her to adjust herself.

In addition to the exam dates, the exam formats vary from university to university. There are many forms such as written examinations, interviews, essay writing, and practical operations... I won’t go into details here.

It is worth mentioning that if she had not insisted on going to Tokyo, she could almost be regarded as a college student after receiving the admission qualification recommended by Hokkaido University.

However, there is actually nothing to say about this kind of thing.

Compared with being closer to that person, a prestigious university seems not that important.

Turning to look out the window.

The night in the countryside is quiet and sleepy, giving people the illusion that they are the only ones awake.

Sayu pondered, picked up the mug, and took a sip of the coffee that had turned cold unconsciously. The bitter taste made her involuntarily frown.

Touched the mobile phone placed aside.

The photo that was set as the wallpaper was a photo of the person secretly taken at the Kyudo tournament.

She couldn't help but smile bitterly, feeling disappointed.

If that day, if she had been willing to chat with him for a while on the riverbank on the way to school, would things have been different?

If she hadn't agreed to the invitation from her classmates to go home together that day, wouldn't she have received that slap?

If that day, if she obeyed the weak voice in her heart and called him, could they start as friends?

If only she had a little more patience...

If she had paid attention to that face that looked more sad than heartbroken...

If only she could recall it earlier during the subsequent reunion...

——Will the red thread tied to the little finger still break?

Countless what-ifs piled up in my mind, rushing like a torrent.

Even though she knew those were just empty delusions, she couldn't control herself.

"You've found the wrong person. I'm not the person you're looking for."

That person's voice seemed to ring in his ears.

What does that sentence mean?

Are you blaming her for losing him?

Or is it just an excuse to not want to have contact with her anymore?

When she was thinking about this in a trance...

——Knock knock.

There was a knock on the door.

'It's about time...'

Sayu came to his senses and responded towards the door.

"Please come in."

Click, squeak...yeah~

As the door opened slightly, Ogiwara Kazusa poked his head in through the crack in the door.

"Good evening, did I disturb you?"

"Brother? Why are you here...?"

When she asked this question, Ogiwara Kazusa relaxed his brows with a smile and slowly walked into the room.

"Mom, she has a PTA meeting tomorrow morning and asked me to bring you a midnight snack at this time. She will go to bed first."

"I need to supplement my nutrition at this time again..."

Sayu looked at the tray in his brother's hand and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Ogiwara shrugged his shoulders, put the tray on the desk, then pulled up a chair and sat down next to it.

"After all, it's mother's order. There's nothing I can do about this kind of thing. Just eat a little."

The appetite-stimulating aroma wafts throughout the room.

Sayu took a closer look and saw two ham sandwiches, two pieces of radish stewed in stock, a bowl of instant miso soup and barley tea on the tray.

"Ugh! How can I eat so much at this late hour?"

"There is one portion that my mother prepared for me. Let's eat it together."

"That's it..."

Sayu sighed softly.

"Seriously, brother, can't you persuade mom not to do this? I've already passed the national examination. There's no need for her to get up in the middle of the night to help me prepare midnight snacks."

Ogiwara Kazusa showed a troubled expression and said:

"You also know my mother's temperament. She won't change her mind if I tell her something like this, so there's nothing I can do about it."

"Even so..." Sayu smiled bitterly: "As a girl, if I eat midnight snacks like this every day, I'm worried that I will get fat."

"Oh? But I remember Sayu, don't you have a physique that won't make you fat?"

"...There's no need to say that kind of thing at a time like this."

"Ahaha, sorry, sorry, come and eat."

Ogiwara smiled, took a sandwich from the tray and handed it to his sister. He looked at the other party and took a small bite angrily.

"Ah...it's delicious."

"Really? But I think Sayu's craftsmanship is also very good?"

"Thank you, but I really like the food made by my mother. Maybe it's because I wanted to eat it when I was a kid, but I couldn't eat it..."

Sayu murmured softly and lowered his eyes slightly.

Ogihara Kazusa felt a thump in his heart and hurriedly changed the topic.

"Speaking of which, are you still studying at this late hour?"

"Well, I want to read it again."

"You're working really hard, but you have to be careful not to push yourself too hard."

"Don't worry, I won't break down my body and make you worry."

"Oh, that's good."

Ogiwara Kazusa couldn't tell whether it was because he was troubled or because he had no idea. He sighed and picked up a sandwich and started eating it.

"By the way, will I disturb you if I'm here?"

"Nothing like that? Occasionally, my mother will chat with me for a while like this. I like this kind of leisure time very much."

"After all, mother is very reluctant to let you go to Tokyo, so she wants to stay with you as long as possible now."

Sayu couldn't help but pause in the movements of his hands, nodded slightly without saying a word, and hummed.

My mother, who had always been cold and callous until her second year of high school, would never have done anything like helping her prepare supper, nor would she have cared about her life or death.

Because that person changed far more than one person.

The toes inside the cotton slippers wiggled uneasily.

She suddenly missed that person so much, she wanted to see his face, listen to his voice, feel his body temperature...

"Speaking of which, Sayu."

My brother, who finished the sandwich first, asked nonchalantly: "Can I ask you something?"

"Ah, um, what's the matter...?"

"Do you still remember the bankbook you gave me a while ago? Didn't my mother ask me to deposit my college money in it?"

"Well, of course I remember...I'm sorry, I caused trouble to the family."

"Don't be stupid, our family is not short of money... I just want to ask you something."

"Huh……?"

"That's the passbook. Have you used it before?"

"A bankbook... No, I don't remember using it. I always keep it in the cabinet."

"Really? You never used it once?"

"No."

Sayu shook his head, "After all, my brother and mother usually give me pocket money. That money is enough. I don't need my bankbook at all."

"That's it..."

Ogiwara Kazusa's heart sank slightly, and his eyes roamed over his sister's face inch by inch, as if to confirm that she was not lying.

Sayu, on the other hand, just tilted his head slightly in confusion, looking confused.

Brother frowned lightly and asked with some concern: "So...are you doing any part-time job?"

"What……?"

Sayu didn't understand what he meant, so he took a sip of barley tea and replied:

"I don't have a part-time job. Although Yuko asked me if I wanted to work in a coffee shop together, I didn't agree to her because I was busy studying every day."

"Is it……"

Ogihara touched his chin and whispered to himself: "That's right...how can there be so many part-time jobs..."

"……elder brother?"

Looking at his brother who was worried for some reason, Sayu asked with concern: "Is there any problem?"

"Oh...it's nothing."

Ogihara Kazusa put on a smile and waved his hand.

"Okay, Sayu, keep studying. I'm getting ready to go back. Remember not to stay up too late."

"Huh...? Oh, then I understand."

Ignoring his sister's confused reaction, his brother stood up and left the room.

After confirming that the door was closed, Ogiwara Kazusa reached into his pocket, took out a passbook and opened it.

[Balance amount: 27,000,000]

On my sister's account, there is a line of numbers clearly written on it.

Ogihara Kazusa's eyelids couldn't help but twitch, and then he sighed in distress.

"...Where did you get so much money?"

He looked at the bankbook in his hand, then at Sayu's room, then returned to his room with a heavy heart, and then sent an email to the company's secretary.

Considering that the client was currently concentrating on preparing for the exam, and his mother was not a suitable person to discuss, he decided to investigate on his own first...

…

Although there are some things that I post early and proofread later.