After he finished sending the email, Kazuya was thinking about whether he should get another job. Otherwise, no matter how frugal he was, one salary would be too little for two people.
Haruka quickly sent an email back. It was a row of dots, showing she seemed speechless. Followed by another email with a very bad tone, "Hurry up and return my bike. Are you addicted to riding? If you want to ride, buy one yourself!"
Kazuya was free to do his own things as long as he gave advance notice. Haruka couldn't find fault with him, but she felt unhappy and had to find some other reason to vent her anger on him.
Kazuya didn't care about her. Compared to before, her attitude now was considered to be good. He stood up and looked at the small room and then at Yoko squatting aside quietly packing things... Don't think about the future now, where to let Yoko sleep tonight was a problem.
Yoko was probably only a head taller than Doraemon. That guy can sleep in the closet so Yoko can probably do it. But she had to be suffocated to death in such a hot summer!
Kazuya thought for a while, moved the desk out, got rid of the chair, moved the TV to a corner, then used a piece of cloth and divided the room into two halves.
It was hung parallel with the door and the innermost part was reserved for Yoko. She could come in and out at will. Kazuya only needed that layer of curtains to give her a private space. Normally, he would roll up the curtain and put a small square table for learning and eating.
Kazuya was busy for more than two hours and Yoko also tried her best to help. He stitched the edge of the thick cloth and looked around when everything was arranged neatly. He nodded with satisfaction.
They lived like this for the time being and planned to move as soon as they got the money, so that they didn't have to stay here with someone knew them. Even though Naotaka had asked his firends, it would be also mess if someone gossiped. After a long time, people might discuss about the stories a between high school student and an elementary school student. It was not surprising to be reported. For those people, it was just a matter of words. Maybe they felt like they have done a great thing!
Human beings have such rich imaginations. When they see arms, they think of thighs. When they think of thighs, they think of things about men and women!
For Kazuya, even if they were reported, it was expected and he would bear the consequences. People only live for two to thirty thousand days. There is always something that he wants to do and must do. If he doesn't have the guts, no matter how talented he is, he's still a waste.
Kazuya looked at the new layout in the apartment and then looked at Yoko who was standing silently beside him, and laughed dumbly. Yoko is not as big-hearted as him. She had been in a state of uneasiness and depression.
It was not her fault. No matter how much she didn't like her mother, her mother was her mother. Anyone else would feel uncomfortable if she was thrown away like garbage by her mother. What's more, she didn't have the slightest ability to protect herself now. She even felt fearful just for the unknown future.
Kazuya held her thin shoulders and said softly: "Don't think about it, Yoko. The worse the situation gets, the more we must live a good life!"
He used to encourage himself like this, and now he gave these words to Yoko.
"Yes, Onisan!" Yoko nodded and responded softly.
"Then let's eat?"
"Yes, Onisan. Let's eat!"
Yoko also brought a lot of belongings, such as some kitchen utensils, oil, salt, soy and vinegar, a very old rice cooker, more than half a bag of rice, and two jars, one large and one small etc.
She ignored the injury on her hands and cook rice. Kazuya let her do it, thinking that it would be a good idea to distract her. He set the table and found that it suddenly felt like home.
He didn't sit there and wait, but reorganized the schedule in his mind, sorted things into priorities and made a plan to deal with them one by one.
Yoko quickly cooked the rice. She first filled a large bowl for Kazuya, and then a small bowl for herself. Then she knelt down and sat at the corner of the small square table, looking very embarrassed. She was already very familiar with Kazuya, but now their relationship suddenly seemed to become estranged again after this thing happened.
They were in a special situation and had to live a country style in a modern big city. Kazuya clapped his hands lightly and picked a chopstick of pickles: "Let's eat, Yoko."
Yoko nodded silently, lowered her head and took her chopsticks to count the rice grains one by one. She obviously had no appetite.
Kazuya looked at her andasked: "Yoko, do you have no confidence in your brother?"
"No!" Yoko was startled and denied it, but then slowly lowered her head. After a long silence, she began to cry again, "Onisan, should I go to the welfare service?"
She kept thinking and finally felt that she couldn't drag Kazuya to the worse situation with her after much deliberation. If she was sent to the welfare service, at least they would be able to leave a good memory.
This would make her life less cold. At least there was someone who valued her and was willing to protect her from the wind and rain! At least there was one person who brought color to her life and conveyed warmth to her like a ray of sunshine!
Maybe a superfluous person like me shouldn't have been born as my mother said. Having such a heart-warming memory is enough. Returning to my original destiny may be the right choice.
Yoko knelt there and wept silently. Her small body looked lonely and helpless. The pale white lights shone directly on her but she was gray, without any color in her whole body, as if a shadow was slowly closing in and devoured her.
Kazuya put down his chopsticks and asked seriously: "Do you want to go, Yoko? I respect your opinion if you want to go!"
The word "want" stuck in her's throat. Of course she didn't want to go, but it wasn't a question of whether she wanted to go or not.
Kazuya waited for a while, then burst into laughter. He flicked her forehead and said seriously: "Yoko, don't look down on me. I am not an ordinary person! Swordsmanship, physical, chemistry, laundry, cooking, physiognomy, healing, driving trucks, flying planes, robbing banks, speaking eight foreign languages, reaching up to the heavens to embrace the moon, down to..."
His series of boasting words sent Yoko into confusion. She was stunned and just stared at him blankly. He also looked back at her and continued in a firm tone: " ... Down to diving. I want to say that your brother me know everything and is omnipotent... Of course it is impossible. But it is just to support a little girl like you, I am not afraid of five more! "
Yoko was dumbfounded for three minutes before hesitatingly asked: "Five? Onisan..."
Kazuya was not completely boasting. Although five is definitely not possible, but if only Yoko one, she was now in the period of compulsory education and the tuition fee wasn't high. The most important thing is to pay more in food. If he cuts off some study time to make money, he thought it won't be a big problem based on his strength. What's more, there was a game system!
As for Yoko in the future when she is out of the scope of compulsory education, he won't be as poor as he is now. With three to five years left, his life should have improved even if he doesn't focus on making money.
Kazuya picked up his bowl and said with certainty: "It's true, Yoko! In fact, I know how to tell fortune. I have already seen that you are destined to be rich and powerful! I'm raising you here now, and you won't be able to be free unless you give me 3 million yen in the future."
Yoko slowly opened her mouth, unable to figure out what the current situation was. Onisan said it like he was joking, but his expression didn't look like it.
After all, she was still young, and being disturbed by Kazuya in such a way, her sadness gradually turned into confusion. She murmured: "Onisan, I can't give you that much money..."