Chapter 617: Going to your place tonight?
The night was as dark as ink, with scattered starlight.
Streetlights by the riverbank cast a soft glow.
Kazumi walked along the stone path by the river, a gentle breeze caressing her hair, carrying the refreshing moisture and the scent of grass. It lifted strands of hair from her ears and then let them down tenderly.
The cool summer night breeze was quite comfortable. It dispelled the daytime heat, leaving her skin with a perfect coolness. In the distance, city lights reflected on the river, scattering into a piece of swaying light and shadow, gently rippling with the water.
For Kazumi, who usually disliked going out, enjoying this moment of comfort and tranquility was easy, helping to calm her mind.
Except…
She could vaguely hear a buzzing sound in her ears.
Satō Shin’ichi.
Satō Shin’ichi, who couldn’t stop talking.
He didn’t know what was wrong with the guy today.
He had been talking non-stop since they started eating, and showed no signs of stopping.
First, he smoothly discussed work matters, and then it was unstoppable. He asked countless questions, talking until the restaurant closed, and only then did they leave, still feeling unsatisfied.
Now, he claimed he was going home, but the guy hadn’t even noticed the direction of home. Both of them had walked quite far along the river without realizing it.
“Hey, Satō Shin’ichi, I’m saying, you’re not a disciple of Master Thundery, are you? That method was just a hypothetical inference I came up with when I had free time. Why are you taking it so seriously?”
Kazumi finally understood how firm the young boy’s heroic beliefs were. But whether it was the after-school thought exercises Satō Shin’ichi proposed, or the way he truly immersed himself in it, it was as if he were a high-ranking official of some Hero Association, seriously contemplating the feasibility of the methods he himself proposed.
The problem was, honestly, Kazumi felt a bit reluctant to crush the young man’s beautiful fantasy. Teenagers of seventeen or eighteen are always like this, brimming with passion, reckless, and heedless. Having not experienced the cruelty of reality, they always believe they can achieve great things in the future. And how could a girl who had been through this stage not know that once they truly leave school, all the work would shatter these beautiful fantasies to pieces.
“Well, Satō Shin’ichi, I have no reason to disagree with what you’re saying. If it could really be realized, it might help a lot of people! Even if it’s not the main problem you need to solve right now, it’s still very useful. Kazumi, you’re really amazing! No wonder that old man wanted me to come to you for advice on these matters.”
Kazumi’s praise caused Satō Shin’ichi to pause unconsciously. His eyes sparkled in the night, as if filled with starlight. He gesticulated excitedly and said to Kazumi, “Alright, alright, you keep talking, I’m listening.” The young boy, having snapped back to reality, became excited again. Kazumi sighed, then relaxed, which made Kazumi sigh again.
Satō Shin’ichi thought carefully. Although Kazumi had disdainfully thrown out all these troublesome topics for him to ponder, it actually indicated that Satō Shin’ichi’s future plans were definitely not limited to being an ordinary office worker. Under Kazumi’s systematic explanation and guidance, Satō Shin’ichi finally had some clear plans, and at least he wouldn’t be too embarrassed in some future problems.
And Kazumi learned about the things Satō Shin’ichi had hidden over the years from his words. Satō Shin’ichi’s grandfather was originally a seasoned educator. However, due to an accidental incident, his grandfather died in the line of duty. Satō Shin’ichi’s father, who was Satō Shin’ichi’s dad, resolutely joined the ranks of heroes to follow in his father’s footsteps, becoming a hero. But because Satō Shin’ichi’s father had a rather irascible personality, his actions when handling matters were often impulsive, leading to a not-so-high evaluation among his peers. During Satō Shin’ichi’s childhood, he had once witnessed his father being ridiculed and blamed for failing a mission. Those taunts and accusations, like sharp thorns, pierced deeply into Satō Shin’ichi’s heart. From then on, Satō Shin’ichi secretly resolved to use his own strength to wash away the shame for his father. Satō Shin’ichi decided to become a hero too, hoping his father would be proud of him. And the seemingly “chuunibyo” behavior he exhibited was a disguise he wove to conceal his own inner vulnerability.
“As expected of Satō Shin’ichi, you’ve even woven such a life into a heroic stage.” Kazumi didn’t have much objection to Satō Shin’ichi’s chuunibyo behavior; instead, she gained a deeper understanding of his personality. Behind Satō Shin’ichi’s seemingly erratic actions was a young boy full of a sense of justice and responsibility. Satō Shin’ichi had a burning heart, and was full of kindness towards those around him. And Kazumi also gained a deeper understanding of Satō Shin’ichi’s “pranks” and no longer felt disgusted by his actions.
“Um, Kazumi, do you also think that what Master Thundery proposed before was wrong?” Under the riverbank streetlights in the night, Satō Shin’ichi looked at his petite girlfriend beside him somewhat nervously, a clear unease flickering in his eyes. As for Satō Shin’ichi’s disappointment, the young boy who got carried away with the conversation had modified his previous conversation with Binori Shi and said it. What he received was Kazumi’s objective and rational view.
“Otherwise, you even argued with Satō Shin’ichi’s grandfather about this! I’m telling you, Satō Shin’ichi, you really need to change your temper. If you don’t have all the good cards, the school’s ways won’t work outside.” Kazumi didn’t directly answer Satō Shin’ichi’s question but instead shifted the topic to Satō Shin’ichi’s personality. Satō Shin’ichi froze for a moment, lowered his head, and said nothing. Kazumi’s words were like a sharp knife, piercing Satō Shin’ichi’s heart and making him feel ashamed and unable to face anyone. Satō Shin’ichi knew that Kazumi meant well for him, but he also had his own pride.
“Don’t always think about changing the rules; without rules, how can there be order.” Kazumi said softly, then leaned her head on Satō Shin’ichi’s shoulder, comforting his heart with her gentleness. Satō Shin’ichi’s hand gently caressed Kazumi’s hair, his heart filled with warmth.
“Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s go home.” Kazumi looked up at Satō Shin’ichi, her eyes full of love. Satō Shin’ichi nodded, took Kazumi’s hand, and the two walked slowly on the road home together.
“Satō Shin’ichi, what do you think our future will be like?” Kazumi asked softly, her eyes full of anticipation for the future. Satō Shin’ichi stopped, turned around, and looked at Kazumi, his eyes full of determination.
“No matter what the future holds, I will be with you, walking together all the way.” Satō Shin’ichi said firmly, then hugged Kazumi tightly. Under the moonlight, the two embraced tightly, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.
“How about… going to your place tonight?”
