Chapter 235 Half-Intoxicated
"Damn it, is this even wine? It's harder to swallow than my own piss. Bring me a better bottle," the man demanded.
The young bartender couldn't help but glare at the man for insulting his personally crafted concoction.
"What, you want to fight? I'm ready any time," the man said with a sarcastic smile.
The bartender dared not stare at him any longer, turning around to fetch a bottle of flammable vodka from the shelf, intending to get the scoundrel drunk.
The man took the bottle without pouring it into a glass, instead gulping directly from the bottle.
"This wine has some character; you should have brought it out sooner."
As he tilted his head back to drink, the bartender glared at him fiercely.
'I'll settle the score with you once you're drunk, you bastard,' the bartender thought with a cold smirk.
Watching the man drink wine as if it were water, Tani Emiko's mouth twitched slightly. She hadn't expected to encounter such a wine lover.
After taking her eyes off him, Tani Emiko elegantly lifted her glass and took a slow sip.
At that moment, a man in his thirties approached her.
As he reached her side, he looked at her with a flirtatious gaze, "Miss, would you like to join me for a drink?"
Tani Emiko could tell what he wanted just by his expression. On a normal day, she might have entertained him, but she was in a terrible mood and had no interest in dealing with these flies. So, she coldly replied, "I'm sorry, I prefer to drink alone. Please leave me be."
Undeterred, the man sat down in front of her and said, "Isn't it lonely to drink by yourself? Maybe you'll find that we get along quite well." His eyes wandered over her full bosom and her legs clad in black, sexy stockings.
Tani Emiko ignored him, turning her head towards the bar and avoiding his gaze.
The man persisted, leaning in closer, "You're wearing that brand of perfume. It smells great. Come with me, and I'll make sure you have a great time." As he spoke, he gently rubbed her thigh.
Annoyed, Tani Emiko suddenly splashed her drink on him and yelled, "Go grope your mother and get lost!"
Caught off guard, the man was drenched in liquor. Enraged by the unexpected humiliation, his forehead veins bulged as he prepared to confront the woman. But at that moment, laughter and the sound of a table being slapped came from a nearby man.
Looking over, he saw a man in his thirties with a rugged face, laughing heartily as he slapped the bar.
"I've seen plenty of dogs, but I've never seen one as desperate as you," said the rugged-faced man, taking another swig of vodka.
"Say that again!" The drenched man was even more infuriated by this brash stranger.
"Didn't hear me? Fine, I'll do a good deed and repeat myself. I said, you're the most desperate dog I've ever seen. Want me to say it again?" the man mocked.
Unable to take any more, the drenched man swung a fist at the stranger's face.
With a crisp "crack," followed by a scream, some of the patrons were drawn to the scene. They saw a man seated casually, holding another man's wrist in a lock while the latter howled in pain.
Looking at his wailing opponent, the rugged-faced man wore an expression of contempt. "For the love of God, it's just a dislocated joint, and you're squealing like
Watching the opponent who wouldn't stop screaming, the rugged-faced man had a look of disdain on his face. "Damn, it's just a dislocation, but he's crying like a pig being slaughtered. Get out of here and don't ruin my mood for drinking!" He pushed the man out while letting go of his hand.
"Remember this, I won't let you off!" His opponent glared at him with resentment and ran off while holding his arm.
The rugged-faced man smirked, turned back, and continued drinking. The crowd, seeing the show was over, slowly dispersed.
Hesitating for a moment, Tani Emiko said to the man, "Thank you for just now."
Hearing her words, the man looked back at her and sarcastically replied, "You think I did that for you?"
"You..." Tani Emiko was instantly furious.
The man continued, "Let me tell you, other than those pigs who only know how to use their thing down there, I hate women like you who only know how to flirt."
"Shut up! You damn drunkard!" Tani Emiko yelled.
The man sneered, "Hmph, did I say anything wrong? If you were a decent woman, why would you come to a place like this to seduce men? I was kicked out by my master because of women like you. Help you? In your dreams."
Unable to bear it any longer, Tani Emiko tried to slap him, but her hand was easily caught by the man.
With a contemptuous look, the man let go of her hand, turned back, and continued drinking.
This man was Kyougetsu.
Compared to Tani Emiko, his mood wasn't any better. Although his injuries had healed, he had accidentally lost the business card and credit card Lei Yin had given him, making it impossible to find Lei Yin now.
He wasn't really upset about not seeing Lei Yin, but worried that he wouldn't be able to find him for a one-on-one fight after losing contact. After all, it's not easy to find a person in a place like Japan.
Because his face had been put on the wanted list by the police due to a previous murder case, he could only use stolen money to have minor plastic surgery in a small clinic. As a result, he was forced to stay in Nagoya for a few more days. He had once boldly gone to the police station after the surgery, but he only knew Lei Yin's real name, not the one he was using now, so he couldn't find anything.
Having nowhere to go that day, he randomly picked a bar to drink.
Tani Emiko didn't try to slap him again. She glared at him, stood up, and prepared to pay the bill and leave.
But just then, a group of men stormed into the bar. Leading them was the man Kyougetsu had just taught a lesson.
Seeing Tani Emiko preparing to pay, the man immediately pointed at her and said, "Someone grab this woman and take her with us." He looked towards the bar and saw Kyougetsu sitting there, drinking.
"That's the bastard. Help me beat him to death," the man ordered the others.
"Let me go, what do you want? I'm calling the police!" At this moment, Tani Emiko, who was being held by one of the men, struggled desperately.
—-
At that moment, everyone in the bar turned their attention to the commotion. Some even had expressions suggesting they enjoyed the chaos, with no intention of calling the police.
Sensing the hostility behind him, the slightly drunk Kyougetsu slowly turned around.
"Do you remember me?" the man sneered at Kyougetsu.
Kyougetsu nonchalantly replied, "Sorry, I usually don't remember the names of animals. What, you wanna fight?" His eyes lit up with excitement.
The man, unable to contain his anger, shouted, "Don't hold back, break him!"
However, the men hesitated to rush Kyougetsu. One of them spoke up, "Who do you think you are, ordering us around? If it weren't for Nakata's sake, we wouldn't even pay attention to you."
The man realized he had overstepped and hurriedly apologized to Sato, one of the men, in a low voice.
Sato glanced at him and then gestured for three of the men to move.
The three men approached Kyougetsu. At that moment, Tani Emiko, scared out of her wits, wished she had left earlier. She couldn't imagine what these gang-like men would do to her.
As the three men closed in, Kyougetsu suddenly laughed. He took a sip of his drink, placed the bottle on the bar, and told the smug bartender, "Cap the bottle. Don't spill my drink."
The bartender smirked but said nothing.
Everyone was waiting for Kyougetsu to be beaten, with some women covering their eyes, unable to watch.
The man in front didn't want to waste time and kicked at Kyougetsu. But as he raised his foot, Kyougetsu also kicked out, stepping on the man's knee with perfect timing.
With a snap, the man fell face-first without even having a chance to scream. Before he hit the ground, Kyougetsu's knee strike sent him flying.
All of this happened in the span of a second, and the onlookers saw the man suddenly fall towards Kyougetsu and then fly away.
The other two men attacked Kyougetsu together. With two crisp snaps, their arms were caught mid-air and broken by Kyougetsu.
One man fainted from the pain of his twisted arm, while the other screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
Kyougetsu stepped over the fallen men and gestured to the remaining dozen or so men to come forward.
What followed was a scene even more exaggerated than a martial arts movie. Kyougetsu, surrounded by over a dozen men, struck out with fists and feet, sending them screaming or collapsing. It seemed as if he wasn't facing a group of feared gangsters, but rather a herd of sheep disguised as wolves, and he was a lion charging through them.
In just two short minutes, all of the men were screaming and writhing on the ground. Seeing the unstoppable Kyougetsu, the man who had grabbed Tani Emiko let her go and sprinted out of the bar. Kyougetsu, still excited from the fight, roared and chased after him.
When Kyougetsu chased after the guy, everyone left in the bar was terrified. The bartender quickly capped the vodka bottle, fearing the man might return and take it out on him. He regretted treating the man so poorly, and broke out in a cold sweat. Afraid, he took off his uniform and fled out the back door.
After a while, Tani Emiko finally snapped out of her daze. She glanced fearfully at the men lying on the floor and quickly left the bar, vowing never to return.
Once outside, she hurried to her convertible. But as she reached her car, she nearly screamed. The man who had defeated all the others was lying in the backseat, seemingly asleep.
Emiko wondered how he could be in her car when he'd gone chasing someone. Both surprised and afraid, she stared at the terrifying man.
Kyougetsu indeed chased after the one who had escaped, but he didn't get far before the alcohol hit him, causing dizziness. Just then, he spotted an open convertible and climbed in without thinking, falling asleep soon after. Having recently changed bodies, he didn't know his alcohol tolerance was much lower. Emiko was left to deal with the situation.
—---
"Great, I finally get to see you," Koumi suddenly said as Ashikaga Hideyuki entered the bookstore. The statement made Ogata Yasuda, who also heard it, visibly nervous.
"Oh, I'm truly honored," Ashikaga replied with a smile.
Without responding, Koumi went to the counter, fetched a beautifully wrapped gift box from a cabinet, and approached Ashikaga. Yasuda's expression changed as he realized she was giving Ashikaga a gift.
Handing him the gift, Koumi spoke coldly, "Please don't send me things like this anymore. I'd be much happier if you disappeared from my life." Ashikaga's smile faded, and he asked if she knew what was inside. "I haven't opened it," Koumi said. "I didn't want to waste my time on trivial matters. But if you're worried, you can check it now." She left him with the gift and returned to work.
Relieved, Yasuda couldn't help but smile. If a simple gift could win her heart, he wouldn't have to work so hard. As he passed Ashikaga, Yasuda spoke slowly, "I remember someone once told me, 'I hope I don't make it too easy for you, or it won't be fun.' Honestly, I find your method of using money to get women into bed disgusting. In terms of money, I might have more than a second son who may not inherit the family fortune. So, having an older brother can be troublesome, as you might end up with less inheritance. Do you agree?" With that, he walked towards Koumi.
Ashikaga Hideyuki watched Yasuda's retreating back with a cold stare, as if trying to see through him. He glanced at the gift in his hand, scoffed, and threw it into a nearby trash can before leaving the bookstore.
Around 4 p.m., Yasuda saw Koumi change into casual clothes and come out of the staff changing room with a bag. "Shizuka, I'm leaving now," she told Takeasa Shizuka as she left the bookstore. "Okay, got it," Shizuka replied. Yasuda, curious about Koumi's early departure, asked where she was going. "None of your business," she replied, quickly leaving the bookstore.
Yasuda had no choice but to ask Shizuka where Koumi was headed. "It's a secret... I can't tell you," Shizuka replied with a smile.
—---
"Bring out all the dirty laundry," Koumi said loudly as she entered the apartment. Lei Yin, who was snacking while reading, casually replied, "It's on the bed." Koumi grabbed his bag of snacks, ate a piece, and declared, "Confiscated."
"Hey, can you leave me some?" Lei Yin asked, feeling uneasy without something to munch on. "No, it's because you always eat on the carpet that we have roaches," Koumi replied. "If I recall correctly, you're the one who bought those snacks. I never ate them before."
"Those snacks were meant for me, not for you to steal," Koumi argued. "My bad, I shouldn't eat what's in my own fridge," Lei Yin sarcastically apologized. "As long as you know," Koumi said smugly.
Koumi collected a pile of dirty laundry from Lei Yin's room. Placing it beside the washing machine, she complained, "You're getting lazier. Haven't you done laundry since you came back from Nagoya?" "Well, I have a caring and hardworking sister. How could I take her job?" he replied. "Yeah, who else would be the free cleaner?" Koumi sighed.
"Forget that, do you know what day it is?" Koumi asked. Lei Yin thought for a moment and said, "Aside from it being Sunday, I can't think of anything special. Weren't you supposed to work today? Why are you home so early?" "Dummy," she whispered, and started loading the laundry into the machine. Then she began vacuuming.
Lei Yin knew she'd tell him later, so he didn't ask again and continued reading. Half an hour later, after cleaning the apartment and hanging the laundry, Koumi said, "I'll use your room for a bit." She took her bag and went into his room, closing the door behind her.
After a while, Koumi emerged and walked up to Lei Yin, softly calling him, "Brother."
Lei Yin looked up and saw a pretty girl in a knee-length, moon-white dress standing in front of him, smiling. He was pleasantly surprised to see the girl, who rarely wore skirts, and said as he stood up and admired her dress, "Is today a special day that even a stubborn person like you would wear a skirt?"
"Does it look weird on me?" Koumi asked, blushing. "Silly, you look great in skirts. This one isn't among those I bought you; did you buy it yourself?" "Yes, does it really not look weird?" "I guarantee it looks great," Lei Yin said with certainty to reassure her.
Koumi finally smiled. "I bought this dress with my first month's part-time job earnings. I just wanted to wear it for you. Don't you really know what today is?" Lei Yin thought carefully, "It's not your birthday yet, so that's not it. I give up; I can't guess."
Koumi smiled and said, "Dummy, it's your birthday today. Here's your birthday gift." She handed him a wrapped present. Lei Yin searched his memory and realized that it was indeed the birthday of this body. He hadn't celebrated his birthday in recent years due to various events and his disappearance for more than two years. Furthermore, he wouldn't pay much attention to such matters. If Koumi hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have known.
Koumi suddenly hugged him gently and whispered against his chest, "Happy birthday, brother." Lei Yin felt touched. Although his "birthday" should technically be the day he reincarnated into this body or the "first generation" Lei Yin's birthday, now wasn't the time to focus on such details. The most important thing was that someone genuinely celebrated his existence.
"Mom, Uncle Maeda, and Rumie are waiting at home for you. Let's go," Koumi said. "Alright, let's go now." As they were about to hail a taxi, a luxury sports car pulled up nearby.
"Koumi," Takeasa Shizuka got out of the car, followed by Yasuda, who had been driving. "You finally came. I was about to call you. Hey, why is he here?" Koumi glared at her, displeased. "Because... I forgot my wallet and had to ask Yasuda-senpai for a ride," Shizuka said apologetically.
"I knew you couldn't keep a secret," Koumi said, rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry. Let's get going," Shizuka replied. "Just so you know, I don't plan on inviting him," Koumi said. "I know, I only asked him to give me a ride here," Shizuka assured her.
As they spoke, Yasuda looked at the girl in the stunning dress with a complex expression. It was the second time he'd seen her in a skirt, and she looked truly beautiful, capturing his attention. Unfortunately, neither of the two times she wore a skirt was for him. He wondered when she would genuinely wear a skirt for him.
With that thought, Yasuda couldn't help but sigh internally.
Chapter 235 Half-Intoxicated
"Damn it, is this even wine? It's harder to swallow than my own piss. Bring me a better bottle," the man demanded.
The young bartender couldn't help but glare at the man for insulting his personally crafted concoction.
"What, you want to fight? I'm ready any time," the man said with a sarcastic smile.
The bartender dared not stare at him any longer, turning around to fetch a bottle of flammable vodka from the shelf, intending to get the scoundrel drunk.
The man took the bottle without pouring it into a glass, instead gulping directly from the bottle.
"This wine has some character; you should have brought it out sooner."
As he tilted his head back to drink, the bartender glared at him fiercely.
'I'll settle the score with you once you're drunk, you bastard,' the bartender thought with a cold smirk.
Watching the man drink wine as if it were water, Tani Emiko's mouth twitched slightly. She hadn't expected to encounter such a wine lover.
After taking her eyes off him, Tani Emiko elegantly lifted her glass and took a slow sip.
At that moment, a man in his thirties approached her.
As he reached her side, he looked at her with a flirtatious gaze, "Miss, would you like to join me for a drink?"
Tani Emiko could tell what he wanted just by his expression. On a normal day, she might have entertained him, but she was in a terrible mood and had no interest in dealing with these flies. So, she coldly replied, "I'm sorry, I prefer to drink alone. Please leave me be."
Undeterred, the man sat down in front of her and said, "Isn't it lonely to drink by yourself? Maybe you'll find that we get along quite well." His eyes wandered over her full bosom and her legs clad in black, sexy stockings.
Tani Emiko ignored him, turning her head towards the bar and avoiding his gaze.
The man persisted, leaning in closer, "You're wearing that brand of perfume. It smells great. Come with me, and I'll make sure you have a great time." As he spoke, he gently rubbed her thigh.
Annoyed, Tani Emiko suddenly splashed her drink on him and yelled, "Go grope your mother and get lost!"
Caught off guard, the man was drenched in liquor. Enraged by the unexpected humiliation, his forehead veins bulged as he prepared to confront the woman. But at that moment, laughter and the sound of a table being slapped came from a nearby man.
Looking over, he saw a man in his thirties with a rugged face, laughing heartily as he slapped the bar.
"I've seen plenty of dogs, but I've never seen one as desperate as you," said the rugged-faced man, taking another swig of vodka.
"Say that again!" The drenched man was even more infuriated by this brash stranger.
"Didn't hear me? Fine, I'll do a good deed and repeat myself. I said, you're the most desperate dog I've ever seen. Want me to say it again?" the man mocked.
Unable to take any more, the drenched man swung a fist at the stranger's face.
With a crisp "crack," followed by a scream, some of the patrons were drawn to the scene. They saw a man seated casually, holding another man's wrist in a lock while the latter howled in pain.
Looking at his wailing opponent, the rugged-faced man wore an expression of contempt. "For the love of God, it's just a dislocated joint, and you're squealing like
Watching the opponent who wouldn't stop screaming, the rugged-faced man had a look of disdain on his face. "Damn, it's just a dislocation, but he's crying like a pig being slaughtered. Get out of here and don't ruin my mood for drinking!" He pushed the man out while letting go of his hand.
"Remember this, I won't let you off!" His opponent glared at him with resentment and ran off while holding his arm.
The rugged-faced man smirked, turned back, and continued drinking. The crowd, seeing the show was over, slowly dispersed.
Hesitating for a moment, Tani Emiko said to the man, "Thank you for just now."
Hearing her words, the man looked back at her and sarcastically replied, "You think I did that for you?"
"You..." Tani Emiko was instantly furious.
The man continued, "Let me tell you, other than those pigs who only know how to use their thing down there, I hate women like you who only know how to flirt."
"Shut up! You damn drunkard!" Tani Emiko yelled.
The man sneered, "Hmph, did I say anything wrong? If you were a decent woman, why would you come to a place like this to seduce men? I was kicked out by my master because of women like you. Help you? In your dreams."
Unable to bear it any longer, Tani Emiko tried to slap him, but her hand was easily caught by the man.
With a contemptuous look, the man let go of her hand, turned back, and continued drinking.
This man was Kyougetsu.
Compared to Tani Emiko, his mood wasn't any better. Although his injuries had healed, he had accidentally lost the business card and credit card Lei Yin had given him, making it impossible to find Lei Yin now.
He wasn't really upset about not seeing Lei Yin, but worried that he wouldn't be able to find him for a one-on-one fight after losing contact. After all, it's not easy to find a person in a place like Japan.
Because his face had been put on the wanted list by the police due to a previous murder case, he could only use stolen money to have minor plastic surgery in a small clinic. As a result, he was forced to stay in Nagoya for a few more days. He had once boldly gone to the police station after the surgery, but he only knew Lei Yin's real name, not the one he was using now, so he couldn't find anything.
Having nowhere to go that day, he randomly picked a bar to drink.
Tani Emiko didn't try to slap him again. She glared at him, stood up, and prepared to pay the bill and leave.
But just then, a group of men stormed into the bar. Leading them was the man Kyougetsu had just taught a lesson.
Seeing Tani Emiko preparing to pay, the man immediately pointed at her and said, "Someone grab this woman and take her with us." He looked towards the bar and saw Kyougetsu sitting there, drinking.
"That's the bastard. Help me beat him to death," the man ordered the others.
"Let me go, what do you want? I'm calling the police!" At this moment, Tani Emiko, who was being held by one of the men, struggled desperately.
—-
At that moment, everyone in the bar turned their attention to the commotion. Some even had expressions suggesting they enjoyed the chaos, with no intention of calling the police.
Sensing the hostility behind him, the slightly drunk Kyougetsu slowly turned around.
"Do you remember me?" the man sneered at Kyougetsu.
Kyougetsu nonchalantly replied, "Sorry, I usually don't remember the names of animals. What, you wanna fight?" His eyes lit up with excitement.
The man, unable to contain his anger, shouted, "Don't hold back, break him!"
However, the men hesitated to rush Kyougetsu. One of them spoke up, "Who do you think you are, ordering us around? If it weren't for Nakata's sake, we wouldn't even pay attention to you."
The man realized he had overstepped and hurriedly apologized to Sato, one of the men, in a low voice.
Sato glanced at him and then gestured for three of the men to move.
The three men approached Kyougetsu. At that moment, Tani Emiko, scared out of her wits, wished she had left earlier. She couldn't imagine what these gang-like men would do to her.
As the three men closed in, Kyougetsu suddenly laughed. He took a sip of his drink, placed the bottle on the bar, and told the smug bartender, "Cap the bottle. Don't spill my drink."
The bartender smirked but said nothing.
Everyone was waiting for Kyougetsu to be beaten, with some women covering their eyes, unable to watch.
The man in front didn't want to waste time and kicked at Kyougetsu. But as he raised his foot, Kyougetsu also kicked out, stepping on the man's knee with perfect timing.
With a snap, the man fell face-first without even having a chance to scream. Before he hit the ground, Kyougetsu's knee strike sent him flying.
All of this happened in the span of a second, and the onlookers saw the man suddenly fall towards Kyougetsu and then fly away.
The other two men attacked Kyougetsu together. With two crisp snaps, their arms were caught mid-air and broken by Kyougetsu.
One man fainted from the pain of his twisted arm, while the other screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
Kyougetsu stepped over the fallen men and gestured to the remaining dozen or so men to come forward.
What followed was a scene even more exaggerated than a martial arts movie. Kyougetsu, surrounded by over a dozen men, struck out with fists and feet, sending them screaming or collapsing. It seemed as if he wasn't facing a group of feared gangsters, but rather a herd of sheep disguised as wolves, and he was a lion charging through them.
In just two short minutes, all of the men were screaming and writhing on the ground. Seeing the unstoppable Kyougetsu, the man who had grabbed Tani Emiko let her go and sprinted out of the bar. Kyougetsu, still excited from the fight, roared and chased after him.
When Kyougetsu chased after the guy, everyone left in the bar was terrified. The bartender quickly capped the vodka bottle, fearing the man might return and take it out on him. He regretted treating the man so poorly, and broke out in a cold sweat. Afraid, he took off his uniform and fled out the back door.
After a while, Tani Emiko finally snapped out of her daze. She glanced fearfully at the men lying on the floor and quickly left the bar, vowing never to return.
Once outside, she hurried to her convertible. But as she reached her car, she nearly screamed. The man who had defeated all the others was lying in the backseat, seemingly asleep.
Emiko wondered how he could be in her car when he'd gone chasing someone. Both surprised and afraid, she stared at the terrifying man.
Kyougetsu indeed chased after the one who had escaped, but he didn't get far before the alcohol hit him, causing dizziness. Just then, he spotted an open convertible and climbed in without thinking, falling asleep soon after. Having recently changed bodies, he didn't know his alcohol tolerance was much lower. Emiko was left to deal with the situation.
—---
"Great, I finally get to see you," Koumi suddenly said as Ashikaga Hideyuki entered the bookstore. The statement made Ogata Yasuda, who also heard it, visibly nervous.
"Oh, I'm truly honored," Ashikaga replied with a smile.
Without responding, Koumi went to the counter, fetched a beautifully wrapped gift box from a cabinet, and approached Ashikaga. Yasuda's expression changed as he realized she was giving Ashikaga a gift.
Handing him the gift, Koumi spoke coldly, "Please don't send me things like this anymore. I'd be much happier if you disappeared from my life." Ashikaga's smile faded, and he asked if she knew what was inside. "I haven't opened it," Koumi said. "I didn't want to waste my time on trivial matters. But if you're worried, you can check it now." She left him with the gift and returned to work.
Relieved, Yasuda couldn't help but smile. If a simple gift could win her heart, he wouldn't have to work so hard. As he passed Ashikaga, Yasuda spoke slowly, "I remember someone once told me, 'I hope I don't make it too easy for you, or it won't be fun.' Honestly, I find your method of using money to get women into bed disgusting. In terms of money, I might have more than a second son who may not inherit the family fortune. So, having an older brother can be troublesome, as you might end up with less inheritance. Do you agree?" With that, he walked towards Koumi.
Ashikaga Hideyuki watched Yasuda's retreating back with a cold stare, as if trying to see through him. He glanced at the gift in his hand, scoffed, and threw it into a nearby trash can before leaving the bookstore.
Around 4 p.m., Yasuda saw Koumi change into casual clothes and come out of the staff changing room with a bag. "Shizuka, I'm leaving now," she told Takeasa Shizuka as she left the bookstore. "Okay, got it," Shizuka replied. Yasuda, curious about Koumi's early departure, asked where she was going. "None of your business," she replied, quickly leaving the bookstore.
Yasuda had no choice but to ask Shizuka where Koumi was headed. "It's a secret... I can't tell you," Shizuka replied with a smile.
—---
"Bring out all the dirty laundry," Koumi said loudly as she entered the apartment. Lei Yin, who was snacking while reading, casually replied, "It's on the bed." Koumi grabbed his bag of snacks, ate a piece, and declared, "Confiscated."
"Hey, can you leave me some?" Lei Yin asked, feeling uneasy without something to munch on. "No, it's because you always eat on the carpet that we have roaches," Koumi replied. "If I recall correctly, you're the one who bought those snacks. I never ate them before."
"Those snacks were meant for me, not for you to steal," Koumi argued. "My bad, I shouldn't eat what's in my own fridge," Lei Yin sarcastically apologized. "As long as you know," Koumi said smugly.
Koumi collected a pile of dirty laundry from Lei Yin's room. Placing it beside the washing machine, she complained, "You're getting lazier. Haven't you done laundry since you came back from Nagoya?" "Well, I have a caring and hardworking sister. How could I take her job?" he replied. "Yeah, who else would be the free cleaner?" Koumi sighed.
"Forget that, do you know what day it is?" Koumi asked. Lei Yin thought for a moment and said, "Aside from it being Sunday, I can't think of anything special. Weren't you supposed to work today? Why are you home so early?" "Dummy," she whispered, and started loading the laundry into the machine. Then she began vacuuming.
Lei Yin knew she'd tell him later, so he didn't ask again and continued reading. Half an hour later, after cleaning the apartment and hanging the laundry, Koumi said, "I'll use your room for a bit." She took her bag and went into his room, closing the door behind her.
After a while, Koumi emerged and walked up to Lei Yin, softly calling him, "Brother."
Lei Yin looked up and saw a pretty girl in a knee-length, moon-white dress standing in front of him, smiling. He was pleasantly surprised to see the girl, who rarely wore skirts, and said as he stood up and admired her dress, "Is today a special day that even a stubborn person like you would wear a skirt?"
"Does it look weird on me?" Koumi asked, blushing. "Silly, you look great in skirts. This one isn't among those I bought you; did you buy it yourself?" "Yes, does it really not look weird?" "I guarantee it looks great," Lei Yin said with certainty to reassure her.
Koumi finally smiled. "I bought this dress with my first month's part-time job earnings. I just wanted to wear it for you. Don't you really know what today is?" Lei Yin thought carefully, "It's not your birthday yet, so that's not it. I give up; I can't guess."
Koumi smiled and said, "Dummy, it's your birthday today. Here's your birthday gift." She handed him a wrapped present. Lei Yin searched his memory and realized that it was indeed the birthday of this body. He hadn't celebrated his birthday in recent years due to various events and his disappearance for more than two years. Furthermore, he wouldn't pay much attention to such matters. If Koumi hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have known.
Koumi suddenly hugged him gently and whispered against his chest, "Happy birthday, brother." Lei Yin felt touched. Although his "birthday" should technically be the day he reincarnated into this body or the "first generation" Lei Yin's birthday, now wasn't the time to focus on such details. The most important thing was that someone genuinely celebrated his existence.
"Mom, Uncle Maeda, and Rumie are waiting at home for you. Let's go," Koumi said. "Alright, let's go now." As they were about to hail a taxi, a luxury sports car pulled up nearby.
"Koumi," Takeasa Shizuka got out of the car, followed by Yasuda, who had been driving. "You finally came. I was about to call you. Hey, why is he here?" Koumi glared at her, displeased. "Because... I forgot my wallet and had to ask Yasuda-senpai for a ride," Shizuka said apologetically.
"I knew you couldn't keep a secret," Koumi said, rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry. Let's get going," Shizuka replied. "Just so you know, I don't plan on inviting him," Koumi said. "I know, I only asked him to give me a ride here," Shizuka assured her.
As they spoke, Yasuda looked at the girl in the stunning dress with a complex expression. It was the second time he'd seen her in a skirt, and she looked truly beautiful, capturing his attention. Unfortunately, neither of the two times she wore a skirt was for him. He wondered when she would genuinely wear a skirt for him.
With that thought, Yasuda couldn't help but sigh internally.
