HA1 15.5 - Forever Farewell

  After the afternoon bath, members of Kirishima Family, Hide, and Takeo immediately rushed to dining hut. It was located 20 meters next to Communal Bath, or just next to the main kitchen.

  The dining hut had a thatched roof, one-meter high bamboo fence, wooden floors, round tables, and chairs. Each table had a capacity of six people and there were 14 tables in total.

  As Hide and Takeo entered the dining hut, from one of the tables Aizawa and Yukino waved their hands vigorously. Both of them wore light blue kimonos with scattered white cherry blossoms. The two were super cheerful and looked like a pair of siblings. Next to them, Shizuka and Kiritani were sitting casually. Without delay Hide and Takeo joint their table.

  In a few minutes, other tables were filled with two adults, two teenagers, and two children. In of the tables, Kubota then put his hands together in front of his chest, followed by everyone.

  "Thanks for the food."

  """"Thanks for the food.""""

  Once the gratitude for the foods was offered, the dinner immediately began. Today menus were wild duck curry cooked with taro instead of potatoes, stir-fried taro leaves, taro croquette, coarsely chopped and pickled taro’s steam, and taro chips.

  Swiftly, Kiritani took two boneless breasts for Aizawa and Yukino, and then she took a piece of wing for herself as she said, "Don't hesitate, the boys on today's hunter duty brought home more than a hundred wild ducks."

  "Wait..." Shizuka turned her gaze to Kiritani as a question mark appeared on her forehead, "How did they manage to bring so many wild ducks home?"

  As he took the wild duck's neck and the last piece of wing Hide explained, "They are good hunters and Kirishima Family make sure that the ecosystem in Hakka Plateau and the valleys around it are able to support various wild game in massive numbers."

  "In current open season, there are at least 10-20 thousand wild ducks in the lakes and rivers on northern valley," Kiritani added.

  Shizuka slightly nodded and said, "I see."

  Dinner then continued in a light and cheerful atmosphere. Hide, Takeo, and Shizuka admitted that the wild duck curry was a superb delicacy. The meat was tender and rich in flavor, while the bones were soft and could be eaten easily.

  However, what really caught their attention was the other menu. Takeo was drowned in enjoying the taro croquette, while Shizuka drowned in eating the stir-fried taro’s leaves which she enjoyed with curry sauce.

  As for Hide, he divided the taro chips and sprinkled them with chili powder, seaweed flakes, and black pepper. Then, he enjoyed the three-flavored taro chips with Aizawa and Yukino. It was so good that the three asked for another serving of taro chips four times.

  At the same time, Kiritani wanted to ask the maid to bring another portion wild duck curry as the other tables had already asked for refills 2-3 times. However, in the end she canceled her intention.

  'I should let them enjoy what they want to enjoy,' Kiritani calmly muttered. After a gentle smile, she then sipped a glass of root beer made of purple grape.

  ---

  After dinner, two tables would be in charge of doing the dish while another two would clean the dining hut. Hide and Takeo wanted to help, but Kiritani forbade them because Kubota wanted to talk to them and Shizuka.

  Kiritani then brought Aizawa and Yukino to the log-house, while Kubota led the three to a stone table in a mini garden. As soon as he sat down, Kubota immediately lit a cigarette, and then he turned his gaze to Hide.

  "Kiddo, I believe you are aware that Elder Taro is our best gunsmith and he really loves back rubbing."

  "Yup."

  "Then, I hope you rubbed his back not because you want to get a gun."

  "I have no intention to visit his workshop, and at the communal bath he was the one who approached me and not the other way around."

  Kubota immediately nodded in satisfaction. "Good, I said to other family members that you all are family from afar so they don't think there is a leak about our family. However, please remember that you are not a member of Kirishima Family."

  "Don't worry. We fully understand our position."

  Kubota nodded one more time and then he said, "Now, let's talk about your request."

  "Okay," Hide replied with a slightly tense tone.

  "My wife has spoken to Family Head. He agreed with your request, but there are a few conditions that you must fulfill."

  In reflex Hide replied, "We are listening."

  "We will adopt Yukino in full, so you don't need compensate us for anything. However, you must completely cut ties with her and Kirishima Family."

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  Hide was silent for a moment before saying, "You are worried that we will use Kirishima Family as a shield for our actions, either for what we have done or what we are going to do."

  "Something like that. Moreover, even though you don't use Kirishima Family as a shield for your actions, that doesn't mean other people will think the same way."

  "I understand."

  "Then, you have time until this weekend to decide."

  "No need, we accept the conditions."

  "Are you sure?"

  Inwardly, Kubota was a bit taken aback. He never thought that Hide would immediately accept the condition. Given that from what he saw, he had a deep attachment to Yukino.

  "I'm," Hide replied firmly.

  "Okay."

  Kubota then got up and left, while the three sunk into deep contemplation. About twenty minutes later, Shizuka turned her eyes to Hide and looked at him deeply.

  "Hide, you just prevented us from seeing Yukino again."

  "I know." Hide took a deep breath before continuing, "If I have other options, no matter how harsh, then right now we have already packed our things and left this place."

  "Maybe, we can change Yukino's appearance, place her in a remote town, and hire a maid to look after her. Then, we'll visit her regularly," Takeo suggested.

  After taking a deep breath Hide replied, "Eight out of ten best private detectives in Nikko are affiliated with mafia families. Don't underestimate their intelligence network."

  "I know we can't take any risk for Yukino's safety, but cutting all connection to her is too much for me," Shizuka said weakly.

  "I don't like it either. If I can't check on her condition, it will deeply worry me," Takeo said in a slightly irritated tone.

  After a deep sigh Hide said, "Believe me, it's also so damn frustrating for me."

  Actually, Hide has other options. By using all the money they got at Villa Tigera, he could change his ID along with Yukino and Aizawa. Then, the three of them would go abroad through illegal routes via 2-3 countries, and arrive in the destination country as its citizens.

  In the new place, Hide had to start from scratch to raise money. But he didn't mind, just as he didn't mind leaving his personal life and his father at Nikko. However, he could not leave Takeo and his family to their own fate.

  'If only I have six months to raise some money, I will be able to adopt Yukino and take her away without sacrificing Takeo and his family.'

  As he clenched his fists, inwardly Hide gritted his teeth.

  ---

  In the log-house, Kiritani accompanied Aizawa and Yukino playing poker. Turned out, the three were strong poker players. To make sure their opponent couldn't read their play, the three had their own weapons that they deployed as if their life was on the line.

  Kiritani would make a face with a constant gentle smile no matter what card she got. Therefore, if someone tried to read her card through her facial expressions, their souls would be sucked by her beauty instead of getting a clue.

  Yukino would make a cute Chihuahua face. She was so cute to the point people who saw her would definitely think that she was a reincarnation of a Chihuahua goddess.

  As for Aizawa, she made a perfectly expressionless face. It was an expression that would reflexively appear when she was doing a solo study. Kaede Sensei was the first person who discovered it and taught Aizawa to use it in poker.

  However, the ultimate weapons of the three poker players immediately collapsed when Hide, Takeo, and Shizuka entered the log-house.

  With a full of consideration, Kiritani immediately took her leave. Without delay, Hide, Takeo, and Shizuka approached Yukino and Aizawa. Using the gentlest tone possible, Hide explained to Yukino that Kirishima Family will fully adopt her, and Hide saw a deep of sadness on Yukino's eyes as he mentioned the condition for the adoption.

  However, Yukino skillfully hid her feeling. With a calm that even adults rarely showed, she then asked, "Is Yukino really not allowed to meet Big Bro Hide, Big Bro Takeo, Big Sis Shizuka, and Little Sis Aizawa if I join Kirishima Family?"

  "Unfortunately, those are the conditions they put forward," Hide replied as complicated emotion surfaced on his face.

  "Okay." After a cheerful smile Yukino continued, "I'll sleep first then."

  When Yukino turned around and walked towards her sleeping sheet, somehow her back clearly showed a deep impression of loneliness.

  In reflex, Hide wanted to explain that he, Takeo, and Shizuka had no intention of abandoning her. However, he failed to say any words while in his chest he felt a crushing tightness. In the end, Hide could only close his lips tightly. For the first time in his second life, he lost his composure.

  Meanwhile, even if Aizawa could not fully grasp the situation, she understood that after this she would not be able to meet Yukino. Without delay, she immediately followed Yukino and slipped into her sleeping sheet. Yukino then hugged her tightly.

  As for Takeo and Shizuka, the two could only sit in silence. This was the first time they realized that their attachment to Yukino was deeper than they thought. Therefore, the farewell with her was more painful than they anticipated.

  ---

  After breakfast, Hide and the others immediately said their goodbye to Yukino. Hide, Takeo, Shizuka, and Aizawa took their turns hugging her and kissing each other's cheeks.

  As she hugged Aizawa, Yukino softly whispered, "Someday, I will look for you and we will play together again, Lil Sis."

  "Mhm," In reflex Aizawa tightened her embrace.

  Then, in a drop dead serious tone Kiritani said, "Please believe in us, we will raise Yukino as our own daughter."

  Although his heart was still bitter, Hide managed to force a smile and replied, "We believe in you."

  Kiritani, Kubota, and Yukino then escorted Hide and the others to the front yard where a van was waiting for them. It had been decided that Hide's group would cut off any contact with Kirishima Family, so only a servant and not Kubota would escort them to Kano Central Station.

  From the van's window, Aizawa waved to Yukino. She kept waving until the van turned in a corner and Yukino was out of sight, then she sat quietly between Hide and Shizuka, and a few seconds later she began to sob.

  'This kid is really weak to a farewell.'

  Gently, Hide wiped Aizawa's tears and snot, while the journey to Kano Central Station continued in gloomy silence.

  ---

  By using the bullet train, Hide and the rest arrived at Nichiko at 23:00. In front of Nichiko Central Station, while carrying Aizawa who was fast asleep, Hide explained to Takeo and Shizuka. First, Takeo had to track Takeshi Torumada using cellular tracking. Takeshi was a lethal threat to Shizuka, so Hide had to eliminate him as soon as possible.

  Second, Takeo and Shizuka had to return the Green SUV undetected so in the future they could still borrow cars from the same illegal parking lot again.

  Then, Hide casually said, "I hope you won't be scolded by your parents."

  "After I said we have to meet our supervisor from Elven Robotic in Hakaido, my parents only said I had to take care of our job seriously," Takeo replied.

  "I said I need to do self-training for the next competition and my father asked no question after that," Shizuka replied.

  "Glad to hear that." Hide slightly smiled before continuing, "Then, see you tomorrow in school and be ready to receive the wrath of our homeroom teacher."

  ""Roger.""

  A moment later, Hide got into a taxi with Aizawa who was still fast asleep, while Takeo and Shizuka got into another taxi. The journey to their homes then began.

  *****