Chapter 28 Chat
“Kazumi, you’re here. I was just about to ask if you wanted to go somewhere after dinner…”
While Su Jun was out using the restroom, Fukada Akihiko canceled all his pending work reports that had just come in via mobile phone. After all, work was not as important as his “daughter’s” happiness!
He just looked up, about to ask Su Jun if there was anywhere she wanted to go, when he saw Su Jun walking in with two strangely shaped people.
“Kazumi, who are they…”
“Uncle Fukada, this is my classmate, Sato Shinichi, and this is his grandfather.”
Su Jun looked up expressionlessly and introduced the two people behind Fukada Akihiko.
[What is this situation?! Is he tracking me? Has he discovered something?]
Su Jun, who was happily replying to Sato Shinichi’s messages on her phone, froze the moment she opened the door and saw a somewhat familiar figure. She subconsciously thought her true identity had been discovered and she was about to flee.
Quickly calming down, Su Jun reasoned that Sato Shinichi’s shocked expression clearly indicated he wasn’t here to capture her, and even if he were, he wouldn’t bring along a scrawny old man who couldn’t even lift a chicken.
However, Su Jun didn’t believe a single word when Sato Shinichi stuttered that he and his grandfather were out for a meal and happened to run into her.
Not to mention her true identity’s grasp of Sato Shinichi’s minor actions, anyone could tell he was lying with that lack of confidence.
But Su Jun couldn’t figure out Sato Shinichi’s true purpose for tracking her, or for happening to be here. Had he figured out her true identity? Or was this all just a coincidence?
There was too little information, and her familiarity with him made it difficult to infer anything. So, she decided to play along, inviting him to eat with her under the guise of a classmate to gather information. If any problems arose, she would be safe under Mr. Fukada’s protection.
“Uh…”
Fukada Akihiko was stunned when he saw the familiar face suddenly appear, and subconsciously stopped himself from throwing his chopsticks like darts.
After all, the face of the pig who had “stolen” his cabbage was clearly posted on the dartboard in his office.
“So you’re Kazumi’s classmate. If you don’t mind, please join us for dinner!”
Taking a deep breath to calm his urge to beat up the kid, Fukada Akihiko forced a professional, kind smile. Although his daughter had “sold herself out,” his once lonely Kazumi had become cheerful, and he had to give Sato Shinichi some credit.
“Yes, thank you, Uncle!”
A sudden, inexplicable chill ran through Sato Shinichi. He instinctively replied politely. This unexpected development wasn’t what he had imagined, but he was happy that Kiyomizu Kazumi and the man beside her didn’t seem to have the relationship he’d previously assumed.
The efficiency of barbecue restaurants was always fast. While they were greeting each other, the waiter had already come and prepared the food and the grill.
Because Sato Shinichi and his grandfather had arrived, Su Jun moved to sit next to Fukada Akihiko, while Sato Shinichi and his grandfather sat opposite them.
“Please, don’t be shy. Shinichi, right? Kazumi has told me a lot about you. Thank you for taking care of our Kazumi at school.”
The man’s social skills were on full display. Even though he was facing a taciturn, scrawny old man and a rather reserved Sato Shinichi, Fukada Akihiko livened up the atmosphere, picking up some cooked meat slices and passing them to Sato Shinichi.
One should not refuse a gift from an elder, and this person seemed to have a close relationship with Su Jun, so Sato Shinichi dared not refuse. He extended his bowl, accepted the grilled meat, and thanked him sincerely.
“Thank you, Uncle. I’m sorry to trouble you. We were just passing by and happened to meet Kiyomizu-san.”
“It’s nothing. We were just going out for a meal. You’re Kazumi’s good friend, so it’s only natural to eat together.”
Fukada Akihiko looked at the young man, inwardly noting his satisfaction. He was sunny, generous, and his personality complemented Kazumi’s perfectly. After her childhood experiences, she really needed someone like him to dispel the shadows in her heart.
Except for his height, which was a bit lacking, his occasional glances towards his daughter proved that this young man was indeed quite interested in her.
Fukada Akihiko nodded with some satisfaction, responding while planning to investigate Sato Shinichi’s background later.
“Um, Uncle Fukada, may I ask who you and Kiyomizu-san are…?”
As the meal was almost finished, and despite Mr. Fukada’s enthusiasm and elder-like demeanor, both Kiyomizu-san and his grandfather were just eating by themselves, listening to their conversation.
Sato Shinichi couldn’t hold back his curiosity and finally asked the question that had been on his mind.
“Um…”
Hearing Sato Shinichi’s question, Fukada Akihiko looked at Su Jun beside him with some hesitation, unsure whether to reveal the truth.
“Uncle Fukada is a very good friend of my parents. He took care of me after my parents passed away.”
Su Jun stopped what she was doing, looked up at Sato Shinichi opposite her, and explained in detail.
“Ah! I’m so sorry! I asked something I shouldn’t have!”
Hearing Su Jun’s explanation, Sato Shinichi suddenly understood. No wonder Su Jun had told him she was going to eat with an elder. It seemed he had misunderstood her. A wave of guilt washed over him, and he quickly apologized sincerely.
“It’s okay. It happened a long time ago, and Sato-kun brought it up because you didn’t know.”
Seeing Sato Shinichi apologize at lightning speed again, Su Jun’s lips curved into a slight smile. Although her boyfriend’s behavior indeed deserved the title of a rare creature at school, this reaction at least proved that he didn’t have any special agenda for coming here.
“Kiyomizu-san, Uncle Fukada! Please let me pay for this meal, as compensation for my offense towards Kiyomizu-san!”
Sato Shinichi bowed sincerely towards Su Jun and said, then turned and walked outside.
Su Jun looked at Fukada Akihiko’s pleased expression, her eyes twinkled, and she also informed him, stood up, and walked outside.
Only Fukada Akihiko and Hamano Tsukasa, who was sitting opposite him, were left in the chair.
As Su Jun left, the small private room fell silent again, leaving only the sizzling sound of the grill paper on the plate.
To avoid an awkward atmosphere, Fukada Akihiko subconsciously tried find a topic to chat with the old man, but unexpectedly, Hamano Tsukasa, who had been sitting opposite him and had hardly said anything, spoke first.
“May I ask, Mr. Fukada, where do you work?”
“Ahahahahaha, embarrassed, embarrassed. I’m currently at Maeyu Machine…”
“The water in the [Dark] Organization is much deeper than you can imagine!”
