"Nothing much, just that Xiao Ya can be quite dense at times," Riko quipped, rolling her eyes in a playful manner as she emerged from Zhang Fan's embrace. Her flushed cheeks added to her charming demeanor, signalling a return to her usual self.
"Well then, if being dense is my fate, so be it. May I have the honor, Miss Riko, of inviting you to join this blockhead for dinner?" Zhang Fan shrugged nonchalantly, before extending a courteous invitation to Riko. After a whole day of amusement, a dinner seemed like the perfect capstone.
"Humph, considering your sincere request, I shall graciously accept," Riko said, striking a triumphant pose with a hand on her hip, her laughter betraying her delight.
"My utmost gratitude," Zhang Fan responded in kind, taking Riko's hand as they made their way to a nearby restaurant. The place wasn't lavish, but its cozy ambiance was just right.
"Welcome to our... Master?" As Zhang Fan and Riko entered the restaurant, Zhang Fan was surprised to encounter a familiar face from his past.
Kazekage Sayana, his underclassman from Kanagawa Prefectural School, was someone he had effortlessly bested in a training session. Since then, she had been somewhat of a persistent presence in his life, revering him as her master.
"Sayana? What are you doing working here?" Zhang Fan was taken aback. Sayana's family was based in Tokyo, yet she attended school in Kanagawa. Why would she work here?
"Uh... this is part of my training. Yes, my training. I've... taken a break from school," Sayana stammered out the truth under Zhang Fan's intense gaze.
"Quit school?" Zhang Fan frowned. He remembered Sayana's family being quite poor, requiring her to work part-time. But dropping out of school seemed extreme, especially given that she was a descendant of the famed ninja clan, Kazekage, from Japan's Sengoku period. Had the value of ninjas diminished so much?
"Quit this job and return to school immediately," Zhang Fan insisted. He might not have intervened for anyone else, but Sayana held a special place in his heart. Over time, her constant following had become a familiar presence to him, and as her self-proclaimed master, he felt a sense of responsibility towards her.
"But, Master..." Sayana hesitated, her reluctance evident. Whatever her hidden struggles were, Zhang Fan was determined to help now that he was involved.
"Just quit and follow my instructions," he said firmly. Reluctantly, Sayana nodded and went to inform her manager of her decision to leave the temporary job.
"I didn't expect Xiao Ya to have such a beautiful disciple," Riko remarked, slightly jealous. Indeed, despite being only fifteen, Sayana was a stunning beauty with her long, silky black hair, fair and delicate skin, and a potential that promised even more in the future.
"Sayana is my junior from lower grades, and she might even become my battle sister," Zhang Fan explained, smiling. In martial detective high schools, a system existed where senior students would mentor juniors in a one-on-one 'battle siblings' program, forming a voluntary mentor-mentee relationship.
"Jealous of being able to be Xiao Ya's battle sister?" Riko's envy was evident. Sayana had once expressed interest in this arrangement, and now, Zhang Fan couldn't accept her decision to drop out of school.
"It can't be helped since we're in the same grade. While a battle sister might be out of the question, we can still be partners," Zhang Fan suggested cheerfully.
"Partners?" Riko's eyes lit up with an idea, though she kept it to herself.
Soon, Sayana's resignation was complete. Seeing that she hadn't eaten yet, Zhang Fan invited both girls to dine at the restaurant. Sayana ate heartily, raising the question of how long it had been since she had enjoyed a proper meal.
As they dined, Zhang Fan learned of Sayana's family's recent hardships. After he joined the Tokyo Martial Detective High, her father had been severely injured during a mission. The court ruled that her father's negligence caused the mission's failure. The Kazekage family lost the lawsuit, and besides paying a ten million yen penalty to the client, they also faced substantial medical bills for her father's treatment. This plunged Sayana's already struggling family into deeper financial despair, forcing her to quit school and work to pay off this astronomical debt.
"How much are the penalty and your father's medical expenses in total?" Zhang Fan asked after Sayana tearfully recounted her story.
"At least twenty million yen, but our family..." Sayana choked up. Even if they sold their house, she and her mother couldn't raise such a sum.
"I see," Zhang Fan nodded. Twenty million yen was no small amount. His recent mission earnings were only seven million yen, but money was not a major concern for him. Obtaining such funds was relatively easy.
"Riko, I need your help this time," he turned to Riko, causing her to wonder if he was about to ask for a loan. As an orphan, suddenly producing twenty million yen would raise suspicions. Had he already figured out her true identity? She tensed up, her gaze on Zhang Fan serious and guarded.
"Whatever you need, just tell me," Riko responded, maintaining her composure despite her inner turmoil.
"Well, I want to sell this item. Could you help me find a buyer, or perhaps an auction house?" Zhang Fan asked.