Chapter 634: Resolve and Perseverance
Narration
He sipped the tea, the liquid already cold, but he could still taste a hint of bitterness. As the Old Man put down the teacup, his finger gently traced the rim. His gaze regained its usual clarity.
“Damn girl.”
His voice was low and warm, yet carried an undeniable authority. “Can you take Little Kazumi to the dining hall to rest? Make him a cup of hot tea and let the child calm down.” As he spoke, his gaze swept over Kazumi, who was still squatting behind Satō Shin’ichi, white smoke still rising from the top of her head.
Kusakabe understood and nodded. She also knew that the matter Hamano Tsukasa and Satō Shin’ichi needed to discuss was not something Kazumi should be present for. Kusakabe tiptoed to Kazumi’s side and squatted down, asking, “Kazumi-chan, shall we go to the adjoining lounge to rest first? Here, let me help you up.”
With Kusakabe’s help, Kazumi mechanically stood up, her body still seeming stiff. As she left, she subconsciously turned her head to look at Satō Shin’ichi’s location, her eyes full of worry. The young boy nodded slightly, mouthing silently, “It’s okay.” This subtle action was fully captured by Hamano Tsukasa, and a complex emotion flashed in the old man’s eyes.
As the room door quietly closed, the tea room fell into a brief silence. Hamano Tsukasa slowly stood up, his gaze landing on the tatami mat with a dull thud. He walked to the window and looked at the dry landscape garden in the courtyard, soaked in moonlight, his back appearing especially lonely.
“Shin’ichi.”
Suddenly, the old man’s voice rang out. “Do you know why I’m so against your engagement right now?”
Satō Shin’ichi maintained his kneeling posture, his back ramrod straight. “Because I was too young and didn’t think things through.”
“Yes, and no.” Hamano Tsukasa shook his head and turned around, the moonlight casting uneven shadows on his face. “If I recall correctly, you and Little Kazumi haven’t even been together for a full semester, have you?”
“Four months and five days, Master,” Satō Shin’ichi raised his head, stating the exact number that he constantly updated in his memory every day.
“I know you like her very much, and Kazumi’s feelings for you are evident even to an old man like me. But have you ever considered if it’s too soon to propose such a thing now?”
Shin’ichi lowered his head. “I understand everything you’ve said. Today’s incident… it’s not your fault. It was mainly that child Kazumi…”
Hamano Tsukasa spoke slowly, and then he thought of the thin and small child’s appearance, and couldn’t help but sigh. He continued, “Kazumi’s upbringing is completely different from yours. You can’t treat others by your own standards. Having lost her parents from a young age, she naturally has a fragile and sensitive personality. Combined with her reclusive nature, it’s very normal for her to react this way after encountering Kusakabe.”
“Your actions and choices are considered responsible and mature, but you’ve gone a bit too far, you brat.” The old man walked up to Satō Shin’ichi and tapped the young boy’s forehead gently with his withered fingers. “Marriage is not a child’s game; it cannot be maintained by mere impulse, nor is it a tool for you to appease Kazumi’s uneasy emotions.” Hamano Tsukasa’s voice was low and stern. “You rashly proposed marriage today, and you feel you can’t live without her now, but what about ten years from now? When the burdens of life press down, and the initial passion fades…”
Satō Shin’ichi’s breathing hitched, but he quickly and resolutely raised his head. “Master, I know the difference. Kazumi… is not just a girl who makes my heart flutter, but also someone who can make me a better person. Kazumi is different from me. She is very mature and rational. She always teaches me how to be better, and is very forgiving of my shortcomings. She doesn’t throw tantrums or act difficult like other girls. In this relationship, I actually feel like I’m the one who’s always being taken care of.”
“The initial reason for pursuing her might have been because she had a strong liking for me, but after truly getting to know her, I realized how much she is worth liking. She gives me direction when I don’t know what to do, and comforts me like an elder when I’m sad. In fact, Kazumi knew long ago that I was hiding something from her, but she respected me greatly. She didn’t pry into why I was often absent, and she never worried about my safety. She would just quietly take notes in class… and give me extra tutoring afterward.”
“And that time, Kazumi’s grandfather was also present. It was the first time Kazumi saw Auntie Long Wu. At that time, without knowing whether she was friend or foe, Kazumi instinctively chose to stand in front of me.”
“And also, during the attack on the academy before, even though Kazumi suffered an attack from the enemy, causing her to develop strong aversion towards me, she still held my hand and told me she always believed in me.”
Speaking of Kazumi, the young boy seemed to have unlocked a floodgate, and his every piece of confession, hidden deep in his heart, surfaced as Satō Shin’ichi recounted them. The young boy remembered everything clearly about Kazumi. Satō Shin’ichi became more and more emotional as he spoke, his hands gesturing unconsciously, his eyes shining with bright light. His speed of speech increased, as if he wanted to pour out all the emotions in his heart at once.
Hamano Tsukasa listened quietly, his initially stern gaze gradually softening. The old man stood with his back to the moonlight, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curving upwards, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out. He watched the child he had raised from a young age, his heart’s last worry dissipating as he saw his animated expression when talking about his beloved.
Hamano Tsukasa also strongly approved of Kazumi. Not to mention the various moments between the two that Satō Shin’ichi mentioned, just the fact that she could stand in front of Satō Shin’ichi when Long Wu appeared in her giant dragon form, and that she could still choose to firmly believe in Satō Shin’ichi despite the mental interference from the enemy attack, was enough for Hamano Tsukasa to look at her with newfound respect as an elder. There was nothing the old man wasn’t satisfied with regarding Kazumi; otherwise, he wouldn’t have welcomed the girl to stay at his home so readily before.
Hamano Tsukasa’s real concern was that the brat Satō Shin’ichi might do something thoughtless out of impulse again. However, it now seemed that this fellow had sufficient resolve.
“Enough, enough. You young people can save your conversations for yourselves.” Hamano Tsukasa waved his hand, deliberately putting on a stern face to interrupt. Satō Shin’ichi then realized he had spoken too much and scratched his head sheepishly. But the determination in his eyes did not diminish, and he continued to look directly at his master.
“Go get Little Kazumi. It’s late; you should send her home.” The old man didn’t continue to meet Satō Shin’ichi’s gaze, but instead let out a humph and turned towards the door. A flicker of disappointment crossed the young boy’s eyes, but he also understood Hamano Tsukasa’s temper. If even this attitude couldn’t gain his approval, it meant it was something his master did not agree with.
“Master, can Kazumi stay here tonight? I think it’s a bit late, and she seems a little scared.” Satō Shin’ichi thought of Kazumi’s current state and quickly stood up to catch up with Hamano Tsukasa, asking.
“Slap—”
“Snap—”
The only response to the young boy was a crisp sound like lightning. “You haven’t even officially gotten engaged yet, and you’re always bringing people home. Don’t you remember what I said last time? Send Little Kazumi home safely, do you hear me?” Hamano Tsukasa’s footsteps did not pause at all. The old man’s hunched back cast a long shadow under the dim lights of the hallway, leaving the words drifting back from a distance.
“Wait, wait! Old man, what do you mean?” With astonishing brilliance, he couldn’t help but loudly ask the figure who had already disappeared around the corner of the hallway.
And the only response was the old man’s voice, so faint it was almost inaudible, coming from the end of the corner.
“After mastering the English language, come and talk to me about this matter.”
