Chapter 636: The Transaction with Kusakabe Sakura
Sato Shin’ichi blinked his eyes.
He tilted his head, a vacant expression on his face.
“Hey, why are you apologizing to me, Sakura-nee?”
Kusakabe Sakura looked at the dull-witted young boy before her and couldn’t help but sigh, pressing a hand to her forehead.
“Honestly…”
She pouted, crossing her arms. Her expression showed disappointment.
“Hey, I thought your actions earlier were really cool. Why are you back to being an idiot? Where did that mature man who rushed home carrying Kazumi go?”
“Ah… that. Seeing Kazumi like that, my body just reacted instinctively.”
Rarely receiving such praise from Kusakabe Sakura, Sato Shin’ichi scratched the back of his head sheepishly. His golden short hair swayed gently in the night wind as he spoke.
“I get it, I’m not here this late just to eat your lovey-dovey food. I know you and Kazumi have a good relationship, I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Kusakabe Sakura couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Sato Shin’ichi’s words, which were brimming with the sickening sweet scent of love. She quickly waved her hands to interrupt him before he could continue.
“In any case… this matter today is also my responsibility. I didn’t quite understand Shimizu-‘s personality and made such a joke, which led to this incident. I’m sorry, Shin’ichi.”
Kusakabe Sakura took a deep breath, her hands pressed tightly together in front of her, her fingertips turning slightly white from the force. Her crimson eyes stared directly at Sato Shin’ichi. The glow of the streetlamp illuminated her serious face. Her usually perky pink ahoge hung down limply.
“Sakura-nee…”
Sato Shin’ichi stared blankly at Kusakabe Sakura, who rarely showed such a serious expression. He remembered that this sister, with whom he had grown up, was always full of energy and carefree. It was rare for her to apologize so solemnly.
“It’s fine, it’s fine! How long do you want me to bow? Honestly, you make your Sakura-nee look so disheveled after not seeing me for so long!”
Just as Sato Shin’ichi, feeling a bit helpless, was about to help the girl up, Kusakabe Sakura suddenly straightened up, her playful expression returning to her face. She exaggeratedly rubbed her lower back and made a funny face.
“Sakura-nee, that’s no way to apologize!”
Sato Shin’ichi was amused by her sudden change of demeanor. This was indeed the Kusakabe Sakura he remembered.
“Hey, hey, let’s just say you forgive me. So, Shin’ichi, you’re planning to get engaged to Kazumi? You’re still so young, isn’t that illegal?”
Kusakabe Sakura didn’t pay attention to Sato Shin’ichi’s strange expression. Her demeanor instantly shifted to that of a gossip monger. She leaned closer, full of curiosity, wanting to learn something she hadn’t heard from Hamano Tsukasa during their conversation.
Sato Shin’ichi was left speechless by her sudden shift in topic, unsure whether to laugh or cry. “Sakura-nee, you changed the subject way too fast!”
“Enough nonsense!” Kusakabe Sakura bent over, her pink ahoge shaking with excitement. “I took the risk of being mistaken for a suspicious person to defend you. Can’t I even hear this bit of gossip?”
“Uh… Well, the Old Man eventually agreed to my suggestion, but he asked me to bring it up again after I obtain my Professional Hero qualifications.”
Kusakabe Sakura’s words were reasonable, and Sato Shin’ichi found it difficult to refuse her “not too unreasonable” request. After a moment’s pause, he told her Hamano Tsukasa’s final answer.
“Ah, let me see… Professional Hero qualifications. Although you’re on missions now, you can’t truly get the certificate from school until you graduate. So, if I do the math… you’ll be about 17 or 18 then. Hmm, once you’re an adult, it shouldn’t be illegal. As expected of Grandpa Hamano, he’s arranged everything perfectly.”
Kusakabe Sakura counted on her fingers, her pink eyebrows slightly raised, calculating seriously before nodding with a thoughtful expression.
Kusakabe Sakura’s reaction left Sato Shin’ichi somewhat speechless. What did she mean by “it won’t be illegal then”? *Sakura-nee, isn’t your focus a bit strange?*
“Hahaha, I’m not thinking too far off. You want to get engaged to Kazumi, but you also need to consider Kazumi’s feelings, right? If this engagement is brought up in front of others, people will gossip about her. I think Grandpa Hamano’s solution is good. Once you graduate and are in a stable position, you won’t have these worries anymore.”
Seeing Sato Shin’ichi’s expression, as if he had eaten a fly, Kusakabe Sakura gloated. Sato Shin’ichi almost choked on his own saliva.
“Sakura-nee, you think so too…”
Hearing Kusakabe Sakura’s thoughts, which were consistent with Hamano Tsukasa’s proposal, Sato Shin’ichi’s expression gradually became serious. The night wind blew through his golden short hair, and the light in the young boy’s eyes shone brighter than the streetlamp.
“Actually… I know it’s a bit too early to talk about engagement. It’s just that seeing Kazumi so sad, I… I got hot-headed, is that it?”
Kusakabe Sakura winked mischievously, looking at Sato Shin’ichi as she continued.
“Let’s put that aside for now. Regarding how you plan to interact with Kazumi? It’s not just me she’s concerned about. Or rather, I’m just a small part of it. The real conflict for Shin’ichi stems from the feeling that the gap between you is too great right now. For a girl, without a genuine way to resolve such worries and unease…”
The girl’s words once again plunged Sato Shin’ichi into silence. Then, he looked up, his face unusually serious. He looked at Kusakabe Sakura before him.
“I’ve thought about it, Sakura-nee, but this matter might require your help.”
“Me?”
Kusakabe Sakura looked puzzled. But seeing the young boy’s serious demeanor, she didn’t joke around. She patiently waited for Sato Shin’ichi’s next words.
Sato Shin’ichi took a deep breath, his gaze becoming exceptionally focused. The night wind rustled his clothes, and the young boy stood straight, like a drawn sword.
“I don’t have many valuable possessions. The only thing I can boast of is my identity as the Old Man’s disciple. The Old Man always said I should take over his mantle and become someone who can change this era. Although I don’t quite understand what that means…”, he paused, his eyes flashing with absolute confidence, “I believe I can definitely do it!”
“So… I want to exchange a promise for the future – anything that doesn’t violate my principles.”
Sato Shin’ichi suddenly bowed deeply. The drawn sword seemed to bend at that moment, but the young boy’s imposing aura remained unwavering and sincere.
“Please trouble Sakura-nee to convey to Grandpa Kusakabe that I wish to exchange for a [Seed of Fire].”
