Erii and I prepared to leave the house. We bought flight tickets to Kyoto and will be staying there for two days. Ryo was jealous of us when we told him that we will be going on a trip to Kyoto. We cheered him by getting him a souvenir from Kyoto that he wants. I entrusted him my restaurant on his hand for the next two days, and he gladly accepted it.
We arrived at the airport and immediately checked in. Erii is so excited about this trip because she was the one who planned this trip. Once we got into the plane and sat on our seats, she grabbed her favorite snack and listened to the music on her phone. Erii told me the plan for today and I listened to it without worrying about anything. Then the plane took off.
We finally arrived in Kyoto. We left the airport and went to the hotel she booked for us.
We are at the front of the hotel, it surprised us that there's a photo shooting session near the hotel, and we see Ritsu on the set. We are watching her and Erii is mesmerized by Ritsu's poses.
After Ritsu is done with her session. She noticed that Erii and I are in the crowd. She was about to approach us but immediately surrounded by her fans. She talked to them and gave her signature to them. Then she approached us. She says,
"Good morning, Norl-Kun, Erii-chan. Why are you guys here in Kyoto?"
Erii replies,
"We are on a trip, Miyazaki-San."
Ritsu says,
"I see, well then, you guys should enjoy your time in Kyoto rather than wasting your time watching my session."
Erii shakes her head and replies,
"Mmm, would you like to join us, Miyazaki-San? We don't know anything about Kyoto since this is our first time coming here. Since Miyazaki-San seems like know a lot about Kyoto than us."
Ritsu replies,
"Ohh? Well then, if you're okay with it, I'll be your tour guide since I don't have any more shooting."
Erii and I nod with excitement. Ritsu continues,
"Then I'll see you guys soon. Ohh, where are you guys staying at?"
I reply,
"It's that hotel over there."
I pointed at the hotel we are about to check-in. Ritsu looked at the hotel and nodded. She replies,
"Then let's meet up at the lobby in your hotel at 12 p.m. how about that?"
Erii replies,
"Okay, Miyazaki-San. We can have lunch together."
Ritsu smiles and nods. She says,
"Alright, I have to go back and finish the photo shooting for today. I'll see you guys later, bye-bye."
We nodded and Ritsu left to do another session.
We explored the area near the hotel to see if there's anything interesting and then we checked in the hotel, after that, we left to the lobby and wait for Ritsu. Erii says,
"Aze, I have been thinking about what you said the other day. Do you really want to do that?"
I reply,
"You shouldn't have to think about it. It was a mistake to tell you that in the first place. So you don't have to worry about it."
Erii stood up and approached me. She looked at me and then she asks,
"A mistake? So you're telling me to forget all about it because you thought it was a mistake to tell me that?"
I reply,
"It was... Erii, for your own sake, please forget about it."
Erii sighed and sat down. She asks,
"What do you mean by that?"
I reply,
"They killed both of my parents like it was nothing, Erii. What do you think will happen to you if I'm going to find the culprit behind my parents' death? They will come to find you."
Erii says,
"Then don't!"
I say,
"You're telling me to not find the killer of my parents? Do you know how much pain I have been suffering since my parents' death? Do you know the feeling of losing someone important to you?"
Erii replies,
"I don't know! But what makes us different from each other? You're just a 16 years old kid like me! Do you think you can do something more than I could do?"
I say,
"There isn't... but I have nothing to lose in the first place."
Erii replies,
"What do you mean? You're important to me..."
Erii's eyes are watering and I'm wiping her eyes with my handkerchief. When I'm about to say something I hear a voice from behind,
"It seems that I came in the middle of something... Should I go and wait for you both to get done with that first?"
I turned around and Ritsu stood there with her smile. Erii wiped her eyes. She replies,
"It's nothing, Miyazaki-San... let's get going!"
Erii smiles and approaches Ritsu. Ritsu looks at me and smiles.
On our way out from the hotel, Ritsu says,
"Ohh, someone is going to join us. Is that okay?"
Erii and I are looking at each other and then Ritsu is waving at someone. We are surprised to see Renjiro is here in Kyoto as well. Erii asks,
"Eh? Hasegawa-San?"
Ritus asks,
"Ohh? you guys know him?"
I reply,
"Yeah... something like that."
Renjiro approached Ritsu and she wrapped herself in his arm and leaned on him. Renjiro says,
"What are you guys doing here?"
I reply,
"That's not the important thing to ask... The more important thing is... Hasegawa-San, are you dating with Miyazaki-San?"
Ritsu is smiling and nodding. Erii and I are looking at each other with disbelieve. I fell on my knees and says,
"Damnit... if I knew she had a thing with a younger man, I should've done my best to get her..."
Erii pinched my ears and lifted me up. She says,
"So you regret dating with me?"
I reply,
"No... maybe a bit after I realized that I had a chance with Miyazaki-San but I didn't take it..."
Erii kicked me on my shin bone. Ritsu laughed and Renjiro chuckled at us. Ritsu then says,
"They're on a trip, like us. It seems that we are going to do a double date."
I still couldn't believe that Renjiro is dating Ritsu. She's three years older than us, and why did she chose him and not someone else? Is she really in love with him?
Renjiro says,
"Shall we get going? Rit-chan is starving and so do I."
Erii and I nod.
On our way to the place we are planning to go for lunch, Erii is observing Renjiro and Ritsu from behind. I pinch her cheek and shake my head. Erii asks,
"Miyazaki-San, how did you guys met and how did you and Hasegawa-San end up together?"
Ritsu replies,
"Hmm, that's something I can't answer. Maybe someday."
Her expression told me that it has something to do with the Hasegawa family. Even Renjiro glanced at Ritsu when she was talking about it.
We are in front of a fancy sushi restaurant. Dozens of people are in line to get inside the restaurant. Ritsu is waving at the clerk to greet her. The clerk is approaching us and then says,
"Ahh! Miyazaki-San. Welcome! Table for four?"
All the customers that are outside waiting in line are looking at us. Ritsu replies,
"Yes, but we just arrived here. There are so many people are waiting in line, so we will wait as well."
Ritsu turned towards the customers and bows. She apologized for the misunderstanding. All the customers suddenly recognized her and they all immediately ran towards her and asked for her signature. Then they all agreed to let us go in first since they got precious moments with Ritsu. After that, we all went inside the restaurant.
When we were eating, Renjiro was glancing at me and Erii the entire time. When our eye's met, he raised his eyebrow, and then he left to the bathroom. Not long after that, I also went to the bathroom. Renjiro waited for me. I approached him and then he asks,
"How much did she knows?"
I reply,
"Not much. I only told them my plan to avenge my parents."
Renjiro leans on the wall and asks,
"Are you planning to get her involved with this?"
I reply,
"No, I don't want her to be part of this."
Renjiro says,
"I see..."
He grabbed something in his pocket and gave it to me. It's an envelope and when I opened it, I'm shocked and looked at him with disbelief. I ask,
"What's this?"
Renjiro replies,
"It wasn't one of us. We got it from some dogs we took care of. It was in his pocket."
Inside the envelope are photos of me and Erii. There is also a photo of Ryo in there. Renjiro sighed and continues,
"It's too late for them to not get involved in this. Their lives are in danger as we speak. I can guarantee Yamaguchi-San's safety, but not Inoue-Kun. What is your call?"
I sighed and reply,
"Are you sure you can make her safe from this?"
Renjiro replies,
"Of course. I promise with my life as the next successor of the Hasegawa family."
I rub my face and say,
"I'll explain everything to her... Is it okay to reveal your family identity to her?"
Renjiro nodded.