Chapter 271: Sato Shinichi’s Background
“Actually, I really envy you, Kazumi. At least your memories still hold the images of your aunt and uncle, and you know what they did for you.”
Sato Shinichi scratched his dazzling blond hair with his right hand, a naive smile appearing on his face as usual.
“Er… how do I put it? Although I’m very grateful to my parents for bringing me into this world.”
“However, in my memory, there aren’t any images of them at all. Not even a single one.”
The boy’s words surprised Kazumi, or perhaps it was disbelief? Sato Shinichi had never talked to her about his family, but Kazumi had always assumed that her naive benefactor was from a family of heroes with a happy family life.
“So, were your aunt and uncle professional heroes too?”
Looking at the boy on the screen who had slightly lowered his head as if deep in thought, Kazumi felt an inexplicable sense of finding a kindred spirit. After a moment of silence, she continued.
After all, Sato Shinichi’s grandfather was a professional hero, so it was quite possible that his parents were also heroes. Perhaps something unexpected happened during their hero activities, leaving the boy orphaned and raised by his grandfather.
Although she secretly wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about Sato Shinichi’s background, the words that came out of her mouth turned into carefully considered expressions of deep concern.
“No, they… they should be civilians, right?”
Sato Shinichi looked up, a hint of contemplation in his eyes, and answered uncertainly.
“Then you and Grandpa Sato now…”
“I was adopted.”
Hearing the girl’s question, Sato Shinichi replied softly with a composed expression. But his calm words were like a bombshell, exploding in Kazumi’s heart.
In truth, Kazumi had always held a bit of resentment towards Sato Shinichi in the depths of her heart. This wasn’t personal, but rather the envy of an unfortunate person towards a fortunate one.
It was like the ordinary office workers in reality envying the second-generation rich who had everything laid out for them. Kazumi held the same attitude towards this naive boy who seemed to have stepped out of a comic book.
To the worldly-wise Kazumi, these unpolished edges, untouched by the harsh realities of society, felt like a merciless mockery to people like her, mocking them for becoming the very people they once detested.
But what was even more comical was that they had the power to maintain these rough edges. Was that not ridiculous? The reason why naive people are naive is because they have the ability and capital to maintain their naivete.
Those ordinary people who harbored dreams either gradually lost themselves in the currents of society or were engulfed by the merciless waves, eventually having to become sharp and calculating.
Sato Shinichi was adopted?
The girl had thought about many possibilities, but she had never included this one in her speculations. She looked at the boy on the screen with disbelief, but his serious expression assured Kazumi that he wasn’t joking.
“Shinichi…”
Looking at the boy before her, feeling somewhat lost, Kazumi didn’t know how to face the person she once thought of as fortunate. Should she offer comfort, sympathy, or perhaps… schadenfreude?
“It’s okay, Kazumi. I’m not sad about this.”
Hearing Kazumi’s hesitant call, the boy easily sensed her deep concern for him. He smiled reassuringly and continued.
“Or rather, I feel I’m a very lucky person. Grandpa, Aunt Mieko, and Uncle Hetuan, there are so many kind people around me. That’s why I need to repay everyone around me with kindness.”
The exchange of hearts between people is a very pure thing. If someone is willing to open their heart and communicate with you, you probably wouldn’t want to deceive them with false lies.
Actually, Kazumi initially only intended to vent the emotions of her original self due to previous reasons by talking to Sato Shinichi. Although the girl still yearned for emotional connection, if such complex emotions were not dealt with promptly, they could significantly affect her normal thinking, especially when she had important tasks at hand.
On the other hand, Sato Shinichi’s simple and honest behavior also made it difficult for the girl to handle. She just wanted someone to confide in, but now, it seemed like she had lost out on a lot by not exchanging stories, and he had revealed his past so readily.
“Then, don’t you hate them for abandoning you?”
Looking at the boy on the screen with a complex expression, Kazumi couldn’t help but ask.
She had to forgive herself for not being able to fully empathize with Sato Shinichi. While Kazumi Shimizu’s situation was partly influenced by her awakened abilities affecting her personality, childhood had a profound and lasting impact on a person.
If she, in her previous life, were in Sato Shinichi’s situation, she might not have become a misanthropic and gloomy person, but she certainly wouldn’t have developed the sunny and enthusiastic personality of the boy.
“No.”
“As you said, Kazumi, they did the best they could for us. I think they must have had their own difficulties too.”
Sato Shinichi shook his head and looked at Kazumi with a determined gaze.
“Now I have family and friends who care about me, goals I want to achieve and strive for, and people I want to protect even with my life. I don’t resent anything, because I’m already very happy now.”
“Who… who asked you to risk your life?!”
The boy’s fiery gaze seemed to pierce through the screen. Upon hearing the last sentence, Kazumi felt her cheeks heat up at an inexplicable speed. She couldn’t help but turn her head away, avoiding his gaze, and pretended to be looking for something somewhere else, hiding behind the screen.
She probably underestimated Sato Shinichi’s earnestness. Kazumi could understand his willingness to reveal his past after hearing her inner thoughts, after all, couples naturally yearn for deeper communication.
But the problem was, who taught him this serious way of saying absurd things? Was it some gentle male lead from an anime?
Hiding behind the screen, Kazumi fanned her face, her mind racing with disjointed thoughts. She didn’t know why she was doing this, perhaps she just didn’t want to show him her blushing shyness.
“Kazumi, are you still there?”
Seeing the girl on the other end of the screen busy with something, Sato Shinichi couldn’t help but ask.
“Mm, I just accidentally dropped something.”
Hearing Sato Shinichi’s greeting, Kazumi quickly sat up straight and looked at him with her usual calm expression, but a trace of redness still lingered on her cheeks, making it particularly noticeable.
“Oh.”
Sato Shinichi didn’t doubt the girl’s explanation. At least Kazumi seemed much better now than when they first connected on the call. It seemed his comfort had been somewhat effective. Suddenly remembering something, Sato Shinichi’s gaze shifted as he continued to look at the girl.
“By the way, Kazumi, are you free this weekend?”
“This weekend…”
The boy’s question wasn’t sudden. Kazumi thought he probably felt that comforting her through the screen was a bit weak and wanted to ask her out to relax or something.
But the problem was that the specific time for the transaction with Masashi Sakuraba hadn’t been set yet. According to the other party, the action would take place within the next few days, so it was inconvenient for Kazumi to give Sato Shinichi a definitive answer at this moment.
She definitely didn’t want a contact from an organization to suddenly call her for a mission while she was on a date.
No, no, relaxing! Relaxing isn’t a date!
Forcing her drifting thoughts back to reality with reason, Kazumi gave a apologetic smile to her “dog-like” boyfriend.
“Sorry, President Kurokawa needs me this weekend. It seems to be a welcome party for new members or something?”
Joining the student council with Kurokawa Iori’s name wasn’t without its benefits. At least she could come up with a somewhat reasonable excuse to decline now. Otherwise, Kazumi really didn’t know what reason to use to refuse Sato Shinichi’s invitation.
After all, given how well the boy knew her, excuses like accompanying friends or relatives wouldn’t work. Using a part-time job as a shield also had the possibility of being exposed. With the student council’s name, she could make her daytime activities more convenient in the future.
“Shinichi, thank you. Maybe I’m just feeling a bit down right now, and talking to you made me feel much better. You don’t need to specially take me out to relax because of this.”
“Mm, okay… I’m glad you’re okay, Kazumi.”
Seeing that his girlfriend’s mood had improved, Sato Shinichi nodded reassuringly, picked up the water cup beside him, took a sip, and muttered with a hint of regret.
“Well, in that case, I’ll only be able to visit Kiyomizu-san alone. I originally wanted to ask you to come along…”
“Saturday or Sunday?”
Before Sato Shinichi could even put down the cup in his hand, the girl’s cold voice sounded in his ears. However, beneath the surface of her calmness, there seemed to be a hint of… killing intent?
“Kazumi? Didn’t you say you were busy this weekend?”
“I’m free now!”
(Ps: Writing dialogue is really difficult. I feel like I get stuck for hours when writing this kind of plot and can’t even write a chapter.)
(Ps2: A novel from the cat station is in the top five of the bestseller list. Who says writing novels doesn’t have a market!! Roar!! I want to start a new one.)
