novelraw Chapter 63: The Satisfied Family of Misae Departs~
Chapter 63: The Satisfied Family of Misae Departs~
Sunday, 8 PM.
Mitsukoshi Department Store.
The Koyama family walked out from the revolving doors, at this moment on everyone's faces overflowed a ruddy flush of being shocked to the point of slight tipsiness.
That was a brilliant radiance of satisfaction, pure and belonging to returning fully loaded.
"Aiya, Hiroshi-kun, this... this is too extravagant, truly too extravagant!"
Within mother Koyama Takasae's voice carried a sweet burden.
She carefully carried that LV Neverfull handbag printed with classic vintage monograms she just got her hands on. That posture, didn't look like carrying a bag, but more like carrying a newly born, tender, and cute baby.
Her other hand also held a few shopping bags printed with 'SHISEIDO' and 'DIOR' logos.
Inside those were top-tier cosmetics and platinum jewelry sufficient for her to straighten her back and talk about for a month at the tea parties of the wives in Kumamoto Prefecture!
"Yeah, Hiroshi-kun, we... we just casually strolling would've been fine, really no need to buy so many things." On eldest sister Masae's face also flushed a good-looking rosy tint.She somewhat embarrassedly hid her identical LV bag behind her back. That reserve belonging to teachers seemed somewhat tottering under the formidable offensive of money.
"Brother-in-law! You are simply my god!"
Only youngest sister Musae, like a little bear having just secretly eaten the whole world's honey, was so happy she couldn't find North.
She carried her new bag in one hand, and held high the Chanel lipstick she just bought in the other, facing those dazzling neon lights belonging to the Tokyo Metropolis under the cover of night, as if admiring a medal symbolizing victory.
At this moment, her dark and glossy large eyes unscrupulously scanned back and forth repeatedly over that handsome, wealthy, and incomparably generous prospective brother-in-law.
That gaze was so burning it seemingly wanted to melt Nohara Hiroshi on the spot.
"I've made my decision! Finding a boyfriend in the future, I must find someone like you, brother-in-law! No! I just want to find you!"
"Cough! Cough cough cough!"
Koyama Yoshiharu walking at the very front was choked by this world-shocking and heaven-shaking declaration from his youngest daughter into a severe coughing fit. That old face which was somewhat ruddy due to a bit of slight tipsiness, instantly flushed into pig liver color.
He glared fiercely at that little girl who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, wanting to use the majesty of a dad and Head Teacher to suppress this unhealthy trend.
Yet when his gaze inadvertently landed on those two heavy quaint wooden boxes printed with the 'Juyondai' characters in his hands, that fire just about to spurt out, like a basin of icy water poured over the head, was instantly extinguished.
It was more than just wine.
That set of handmade suit tailored specifically at the most famous tailor shop in Ginza he wore, that smooth wool fabric, that cut fitting him like a second layer of skin, in a silent yet incomparably clear manner, repeatedly reminded him of a fact——
This young prospective son-in-law, Nohara Hiroshi, truly had capabilities.
And was also truly... willing to spend money.
"Daddy! Musae is just joking!"
Misae, like an old mother hen protecting her chicks, hurriedly blocked between her younger sister and her father.
She knew her youngest sister always loved making jokes.
However, right now on Misae's flushed small face was written full of pride: "Besides, this is all just a token of Hiroshi-kun's feelings, just accept it with peace of mind!"
"Yeah, Uncle and Auntie, it's rare for everyone to make a trip to Tokyo, the most important thing is to be happy." On Nohara Hiroshi's face hung a gentle smile. That posture was so calm it was as if he had merely bought a few bottles of cola at the convenience store downstairs just now.
Of course he was calm.
Just yesterday afternoon, Shueisha's side had already transferred the royalties and manuscript fees of 『YuYu Hakusho』 from last month entirely onto his account without missing a single yen.
Moreover, it was the manuscript fee of a front page!
And also the results of being first in weekly sales and first in positive reviews!
That long string of digits was sufficient for him to walk sideways in any luxury goods store in Tokyo.
Not to mention he had long calculated well in his heart.
That third season of 『Yamishibai』 which was about to become a hot potato, its copyright and adaptation rights, he prepared to name a sky-high price sufficient to make those guys planning to take over 『Yamishibai』 feel so much heartache they'd have nightmares at midnight, yet be forced to pinch their noses and accept.
After all, in the current entire Tokyo, who didn't know the value of this golden signboard of 『Yamishibai』?
Someone wanted to pick the peaches? Sure.
Use money to exchange.
Using the enemy's money to pay the bills for his own woman and family, this kind of feeling was simply even more satisfying than having his manga land on the weekly number one spot.
Especially knowing the third season of 『Yamishibai』 would definitely encounter Waterloo.
After all, the first and second seasons had already more or less finished narrating the core of 『Yamishibai』, which is urban legends.
Even the TV Tokyo Production Bureau of Neon in his past life suffered a Waterloo.
Thoughts dried up.
Couldn't produce more innovations.
Forced viewership ratings to decline.
It was only the fourth and fifth season, mobilizing more scriptwriters to pool wisdom, adding narrations and open-ended design, as well as deepening the theme 'urban legends' in the fifth season while adding the characteristic of the dark side of human nature.
Then they obtained new viewership ratings once again.
Therefore, Nohara Hiroshi wouldn't believe that the third season of 『Yamishibai』, continuing to follow the traditional train of thoughts, could achieve any great success!
Of course, towards Nohara Hiroshi this didn't matter.
Being able to achieve good results is fine too.
Although the ones producing it were sections from other production bureaus.
But the Father of 『Yamishibai』, isn't it still him Nohara Hiroshi?
At that time he could still obtain considerable good public evaluations.
Of course, if the production fails.
Then it'll be interesting.
After all, Nohara Hiroshi still pinched the fourth and fifth seasons of 『Yamishibai』 in his hands as trump card bombs!
Thinking up to here, the corners of Nohara Hiroshi's mouth curled up.
He was indeed extremely delighted.
...
The black Toyota Crown Majesta exactly like a tamed black giant beast silently glided on the broad avenue heading toward Tokyo Station.
Outside the car window was the bizarre and motley ukiyo-e of this city, while inside the car was a harmonious and warm scene.
The moment of parting will eventually arrive.
Tokyo Station, the platform of the Shinkansen, the sound of the steam whistle prolonged the sorrow of parting.
"Hiroshi-kun, this time... truly thank you so much."
Prospective mother-in-law Koyama Takasae held Nohara Hiroshi's hands. In those eyes always bearing a bit of gentleness, right now flowed fully with unhideable appreciation and satisfaction: "Misae being able to find a boyfriend like you is her blessing. In the future, if this child ever acts willfully, you must be more forgiving ah."
"Hai! Rest assured Auntie, I will take good care of Misae." Nohara Hiroshi slightly bowed, his posture extremely humble.
"Mhm... that..."
Koyama Yoshiharu who always kept a straight face, after remaining silent for a long while, finally squeezed out a few words from his throat.
That voice, although still containing a bit of stiffness belonging to a Head Teacher, was missing a bit of the coldness of rejecting people a thousand miles away: "Hiroshi, next time... next time you come to Kumamoto, remember to... bring Misae along, I like you very much."
Once he finished speaking, seemingly like completing some remarkable mission, he walked into the carriage first without turning his head back.
Only the slightly reddish base of his ears still exposed that bit of reluctance and approval deep within his heart.
"Brother-in-law, goodbye!"
Musae on the other hand was like a colorful butterfly, giving Nohara Hiroshi a huge hug, and whispered exhaling an orchid aroma by his ear: "I will definitely come to Tokyo to find you guys again!"
Nohara Hiroshi only felt a waft of fragrant wind hit his face. Before he could react, that girl had already run far away giggling and joking.
Only eldest sister Masae, when walking in front of him, paused her footsteps.
She looked at this 'brother-in-law' before her who was even a few years younger than herself. On that face always gentle and demure, surfaced a complex look mixing envy with a bit of loss.
"Hiroshi-kun," she spoke softly, a never-before-seen seriousness in her voice: "Thank you for everything you've done for Misae. Please... please definitely make her happy."
"I will." Facing her gaze, Nohara Hiroshi nodded heavily.
The train slowly started, taking away those gazes whether gratified, reluctant, or expectant.
Nohara Hiroshi held Misae's hand, standing on the platform, until that white steel serpent completely disappeared at the end of their lines of sight.
...
Inside the First Class carriage of the Shinkansen, roomy independent seats were like small private castles, sealing off all the clamor of the outside world and the exhaustion of the journey.
The Koyama family sank into the soft seats, looking at the scenery rapidly retreating outside the window, a feeling of seemingly passing a lifetime surging up in their hearts.
"Aiya, First Class is still more comfortable!"
Koyama Takasae caressed the delicate leather of the seats, unable to resist exclaiming: "Taking the Business Class when coming over, I already felt it was very good, didn't expect this First Class is simply like a moving hotel room."
She paused, casting a glance at her old partner beside her who was resting with his eyes closed but the corners of his mouth unconsciously perked upwards, laughing: "Look at your father, doesn't say it with his mouth, but who knows how happy he is in his heart. Those two bottles of 『Juyondai』, he was just treating them like some treasures just now, deeply afraid of bumping or knocking them."
Hearing this, Koyama Yoshiharu slowly opened his eyes. On that face always kept straight, a red blush of embarrassment appeared for the first time.
He cleared his throat, attempting to use the majesty of a Head Teacher to cover up his guilty conscience: "Nonsense! I... I just feel that child is somewhat... sensible."
Sensible.
This was already the highest level of evaluation he could give out.
"More than just sensible." Eldest sister Masae looked at her own brand-new LV bag, her eyes revealing a trace of envy even she herself didn't notice: "Hiroshi-kun... is truly a very good man. Considerate, generous, and capable. Misae is truly too lucky to have met him."
Her words instantly silenced the atmosphere inside the carriage.
Koyama Takasae looked at the somewhat lost profile of her eldest daughter, sighing slightly in her heart.
She gently held Masae's hand.
And also gave it a light squeeze, then used a gentle tone only they, mother and daughter, could understand to say:
"Masae ah, Mommy knows you envy Misae. However, everyone has their own fate. Aren't you and that child from the Fujiwara family also getting along very well? Although Fujiwara-kun isn't as... dazzling as Hiroshi-kun, his conduct is steadfast, his work is stable, and he's from a family we know the roots and bottoms of, this is the best choice for leading a life."
Fujiwara, the son of a considerably powerful local council member in Kumamoto Prefecture, was also the near-perfect marriage prospect Koyama Yoshiharu personally picked out for his eldest daughter.
"I know, Mommy."
Hearing this, a gentle and graceful smile blossomed anew on Masae's face, a beauty of being cherished also contained in that smile: "Fujiwara-kun is of course very good to me."
"Yeah, we women must learn to be contented," Koyama Takasae also revealed a gratifying smile.
It was just that at the bottom of Koyama Masae's eyes floated a trace of... desolation.
Fujiwara was indeed very good to her.
It was just that kind of goodness was like a cup of lukewarm plain water, quenches thirst, but one cannot taste the slightest bit of flavor.
Yet the flavors inside could only be known by her alone.
The Koyama Yoshiharu beside them being the head of the family still pretended not to see the conversation between mother and daughter. Turning his head looking out the window, listening to his wife and eldest daughter, he still nodded his head approvingly.
He knew, his eldest daughter always brought him the most peace of mind.
However, when his gaze, fell onto the youngest daughter who was holding a fashion magazine, reading with profound interest, a smile seemingly akin to being infatuated hanging at the corners of her mouth, that heart he just set down, instantly leaped into his throat again.
This worrying little girl...
He looked at Musae's small face bearing seven parts resemblance to Misae, but appearing even more youthful and lively. The worry belonging to old fathers in his heart was incessant like the rainy season of Kumamoto Prefecture in summer.
The pace of change in this era is too fast.
That enormous steel forest of Tokyo full of temptations, whether it was heaven or hell for pure-hearted girls like them coming from small places.
He didn't know, or perhaps didn't want to know.
He only knew, that seemingly unreliable second daughter of his, seemingly found a man capable of holding up a piece of the sky for her within this forest.
While this worrying youngest child...
Koyama Yoshiharu let out a long sigh, feeling his career as a Head Teacher was far from reaching the time where he could retire.
...
The black Toyota Crown smoothly moved forward within the night color.
The lights inside the car weren't turned on. Only the faint blue light from the dashboard and the brilliantly colored neon outside the window rendered this small space akin to a flowing dream.
Misae didn't say anything.
She was leaning her small head gently upon Nohara Hiroshi's shoulder right now, like a kitten having found the warmest harbor, satisfied yet languid.
She could smell that faint scent, mixing tobacco and cologne, belonging to mature men on his body.
This scent was very familiar.
Making her feel incomparably at ease.
"What're you thinking about?" Nohara Hiroshi kept his eyes aimed forward. His voice was gentle like the jazz music flowing inside the car.
"Mhm..." Misae rubbed against his shoulder, her voice sounding sweet and glutinous with a nasal tone: "Thinking, I seemingly... am the world's most blissful girl."
She raised her head, those large eyes still sparkling brightly in the darkness looking unblinkingly at him.
That gaze was like a lake brimming with starlight.
"Hiroshi-kun, did you know? My dad he... actually rarely praises people. Today in the car, he secretly told me, you are 'a man who can be entrusted with'."
She paused, a shy red blush floating up her face, her voice as soft as a mosquito stringently rubbing: "He also said... for us... to settle down marriage matters earlier."
Hearing this, Nohara Hiroshi was also slightly stunned, then a brilliant smile blossomed on his face: "Isn't this right and proper?"
He didn't expect that stubborn father-in-law would actually surrender so quickly.
Handing the cute Misae over to himself.
It seems his 'RPG Strategy' (Rare Precious Gifts), was outstandingly effective.
After all, others didn't know, but the Koyama family and Nohara Hiroshi himself were quite clear about it.
He was... a full six years older than Misae!
Currently Misae was only 18 nominal years old.
He himself was 24 nominal years old.
Sometimes Nohara Hiroshi truly felt fortunate this was Neon, after all Neon girls could get marriage certificates at 16...
"Aiya! What's right and proper about this ah?" Misae lightly bit her lower lip at this time, extremely shy.
"Then in that case——" Nohara Hiroshi purposefully prolonged his voice upon seeing Misae's bashful appearance.
Turning his head, on that close at hand so tender it seemingly could break upon being blown upon small face, he saw his own clear reflection: "What do you think? My destined Madam Nohara?"
"I... I..." Misae's face was blushing so hard it almost dripped blood. She buried her head even deeper, that voice, almost squeezed out of her chest cavity: "I... I'll listen entirely to you..."
Nohara Hiroshi merely felt a surge of heat rush straight from the bottom of his heart to the top of his head. He forcefully turned the steering wheel, and that black giant beast silently turned into a quiet riverside road rarely traveled by people.
He stopped the car.
The world instantly fell silent, leaving only the sound of river water gently slapping against the embankment in the evening wind, and the clearly audible heartbeats of the two people getting faster and faster.
He turned around, pulling that little woman already disoriented and infatuated tightly into his embrace.
"Then... let's get down to some... serious business first." His voice was hoarse, like a match igniting a fuse.
"Ah... yamete... this is... outside..."
Misae's protests were very soon drowned out within that torrential passionate kiss carrying a bit of alcohol smell.
Outside the car window, was the gentle and resplendent lights of Tokyo Tower.
Inside the car window, were two young souls within this huge and cold city, using the most primitive and burning hot manner, nestling together, warming each other.
This is a small yet incomparably firm castle belonging to them.
While the king of the castle, after finishing enjoying his spoils, had already started calculating the next, even more magnificent war inside his mind.
'Phew——'
Nohara Hiroshi comfortably smoked a cigarette, sitting on the spacious backseat, holding the Misae buried into his chest in his arms.
He looked at the piece of profound night sky outside the window, his gaze calm and sharp.
Tomorrow is Monday.
It's time for him... the Section Chief of this Nohara Hiroshi Special Section, to strictly, walk towards an even more brilliant stage!
Thinking about the many news he heard previously inside the TV Tokyo Production Bureau.
Thinking about Deputy Director Asumi's pointers to himself.
Nohara Hiroshi slightly narrowed his eyes.
"That S-class live-action horror project?"
He murmured softly.
Nohara Hiroshi had already, based on many matters, guessed a certain possibility in advance, and also made preparations ahead of time——
He chuckled softly, slowly spitting out a name: "...『Tales of the Unusual』."