Awakening

“Yes.”

“How low are you going to continue picking her up?”

This question has also caused Rumi to eagerly watch.

“It should be another day or two. I think that’s about it.”

“I’m afraid you won’t be able to stop picking her up, after all, she is the sister of teacher Naoko, how bad could she be?” Kazumi said passive-aggressively.

“Hey, don’t speak as if I’m going to buy her goldfish will you (TL: Goldfish is slang for pedo)?” Masashi didn’t understand what was it that made her angry.

“Did you really never attempt with that girl?” Kazumi stared at him.

Truly deadly, even the serious word like ‘attempt’ came out. “Frankly, I have no interest in the little kid.”

“What kind of girl are you interested in? Is it a woman like teacher Naoko?” Kazumi pressed the matter step by step.

“Do I look like I’m horny? How could kids these days ask this kind of question.” Masashi rolled his eyes at her.

“Other people are curious about you. Brother, tell me.” Kazumi used the soft and hard method. Rumi also came helping her launching an offensive eye contact from the side.

“Kazumi, you set a bad example for Rumi.” Masashi wryly smiled.

“Don’t change the subject, quickly talk.”

“I don’t know what kind of woman that I like, at least, for now, I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll meet a woman who I want to be buried together with, it means I’ve found the one.” Masashi said dismissively.

“What kind of answer is this?” Kazumi was very unhappy.

“Well, I’m going back to the classroom, you two also need to hurry up.” After that, he stretched himself and went toward the door.

Kazumi started to pick up the lunch boxes, seeing Rumi in a trance, then patted her on the shoulder, “What are you thinking?”

“I think senpai has something on his mind today.” Rumi woke up from her daze.

“With that fellow’s character, if he refuses to say, nobody could guess what’s in his mind.”

“But you can rest assured, it seems that he doesn’t have any interest in that girl.” Kazumi suddenly turned and grinned at her.

“I....I don’t know what are you talking about, I....need to go....” The Kendo girl blushed like blood, stood up and left in a hurry.

“Little fool, let me tell you, that guy in some ways is quite slow, and sometimes you have to learn to take the initiative. Otherwise, he will never understand.” Kazumi said these words behind her.

Hearing this, Rumi’s body involuntarily paused for a moment and then hastily ran downstairs.

After she left, Kazumi suddenly sighed softly and then continued to clean up.

“You must be proud right? Gennai Masashi.” In the hallway, Masashi encountered a gloomy-faced Nagasaki.

“Today you are just alone? That’s very rare. Where’s your group of fans?”

“All of that is thanks to you.” Nagasaki looked at him coldly.

Masashi looked at him and burst out laughing, “I initially have no feeling at all about it, but seeing you like this, all of a sudden I think that this is something that should be welcomed. I’ve said this before: that was a very poor play. Especially since you used this idiot actor Mizato, that’s the biggest mistake you made.”

“You are right. It was my mistake. But what can you do, as long as I flatly deny it, they can’t possibly deal with me.” Nagasaki sneered.

“I think you misunderstood. I did not think that this would impact you at all. That idiot just happened to be in the doorstep, so I grabbed him to prove my innocence. My account with you hasn’t even started yet.” When it came to the last sentence, Masashi looked at him dismissively.

“You....”

“People have to take responsibility for what they’ve done. I left this sentence to Mizato, and now, I leave it to you.” With that, Masashi bypassed his side and walked to the classroom.

Nagasaki watched him gradually walked away, at that moment, he suddenly felt as if he did something wrong, messing with someone that shouldn’t be messed with.

When he was about to arrive at the classroom, Masashi suddenly changed his mind and without another word, he turned and went downstairs.

When he walked out of the school gate, a blue “BMW” suddenly came toward him.

“Mr. Gennai, if you don’t mind please come aboard.” The car window open, revealing a beautiful bright face of a beauty.

Masashi took one look at her and then opened the front door to sit in.

“Where do you want to go?” Sakurai looked at him and said with a gentle tune.

“Just drive, anywhere you want.” He turned on the radio.

Sakurai no longer spoke, quietly started the car.

“I forgot to appreciate your effort, thank you for helping me deal with Ikeda.” In the moving car, after nearly half an hour of silent, Masashi said something.

“Your welcome, this was what we suppose to do.”

“Do you know what day is today?” Masashi suddenly said some irrelevant words.

Sakurai wanted to say: “Sorry, I can’t think of anything.”

“Today, actually there’s nothing important, it’s just the anniversary of the death of my friend.” Masashi dismissively said.

“I am sorry.”

Masashi smiled, “It has nothing to do with you, you don’t need to apologize. Previously, every year at this time, I would visit her. But I didn’t go this year.

“Do you have some matters that makes you unable to go this year?” Sakurai’s voice was gentle as water.

“No, I have many free times. It’s purely a matter of heart.” Masashi looked at the scenery outside the window in a daze.

Sakurai paused for a moment, and then quietly said: “My father once said, life is but dozens of years. If someone arrives at his or her death door with little remorse, that is a happy thing.”

Masashi said nothing, just quietly looking out of the window.

After what seemed to be a long time, he turned to smile at Sakurai, “Thank You. Perhaps you’re right, things that you want to do, you have to do it. Don’t think too much, or it will only increase your worry. Please, I would like to go home.”

“Alright,” Sakurai smiled at him and put the car back.

Five minutes later, Masashi wearing casual clothes walked out from the house.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” He opened the door again to sit in.

“Where do you want to go now?” Sakurai looked at him.

“Sorry to trouble you, the airport, please. I hope we’re not late.”

“Ok.” Sakurai immediately started the car and sped away toward the airport.

Late at night, in a mountainous area in southern Nepal, a teenager sitting quietly in front of a white tombstone.

Looking at this piece of erect stone, the teenager suddenly remembered an old song that he listened in a church.

I’m not here, please don’t stand at my grave crying, because I’m not sleeping. I’m everywhere along the wind. I’m the glistening white snow. I’m the light of the Sun that brushes the field. I’m the stars in the night sky....

Please don’t stand at my grave crying, because I’m not here, “A Wei, I am Lei Yin....” The boy felt his throat went dry.

“It’s been ten years. I haven’t come to see you in ten years. I have been hesitant to come to see you again. Because I’m not that Lei Yin. I hope that you’re not here either, otherwise, my ash underneath yet I am still here, this is so unfair to you.” Finished this sentence, the boy was silent for a long time.

“No matter what, I still came. Tonight, I’ll be right here with you, just like before, to accompany you to see tomorrow’s sunrise.” With that, the boy quietly drunk the wine, leaning against the stone.

Tonight, the dim light of the night was like a river.