Chapter 32: Finally Met the Minister
"Actually, Yushiro and I are just friends."
In the end, I was the loser in the confrontation.
Damn it, why do I feel like a scumbag trying to explain why I didn't cheat? Why is Toushirou embarrassed when Yoruichi-san teases him, but when it's my turn, he admits it with such confidence and delivers a straight shot!
"I know." Dong Shilang put the phone he had been holding into his pocket. "I'm just a little unwilling."
The word he used was not "unhappy" or "unhappy", but "unwilling".
"Now that I think about it, I was a bit of an idiot back then."
My heart suddenly felt like it was being pricked. The heat in my body and face also subsided with this small fluctuation.
I think the change in my facial expression must have been very obvious, because Dong Shilang looked at me, then relaxed his brow and smiled.
"Don't look so depressed. This has nothing to do with you. This is my own problem."
"I was under a lot of pressure back then, because I wanted to become stronger." I looked up. It was already late at night, and in this residential area, I could see the stars in the sky. "Captain Kyoraku might have told you that at first, I couldn't control Kagutsuchi's power well."
I didn't dare look at the expressions of the people around me: "Maggot Nest or the captain's last disciple, there are only two paths. I don't want to hurt anyone, especially-"
Dong Shilang gently interrupted me, "Didn't I tell you it's all in the past?"
His words were like a pebble dropped into a lake, causing a small ripple in my heart.
Yes, it's all in the past.
That shy feeling came back. I bit my lip and twirled the hair beside my temples. "So... can we hold hands now?"
"..." He froze for a moment, then stared at me deadpan for a few seconds. I thought he was going to complain again, but in the end, he just held out his hand. "Let's go."
"Hey, Toushirou."
"Um?"
"If you're free this weekend, would you like to come to my house for dinner?"
"OK."
He agreed.
Great! Ah, in that case, we need to get everyone started preparing in advance. I'll tell Ishikirimaru and the others when I get home today!
We chatted casually as it got dark. People in school uniforms and suits were coming and going at the station. Before we knew it, we were already at our doorstep.
"I'm leaving."
"……oh……"
Dong Shilang looked at me and raised an eyebrow: "What's wrong?"
"No, nothing." Actually, I still wanted to stay with him for a while longer, but I felt embarrassed to say it out loud.
“You—”
I was lowering my head when I heard Dong Shilang sigh helplessly, and then the back of my neck was suddenly held down by the other party.
My lips touched something warm and soft, and those green eyes suddenly enlarged and appeared in front of me.
???!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was, I was kissed!!!
"A return gift from last time. Okay, I'm really leaving now. Good night."
"Oh, oh! Good night..."
As I watched the person disappear in front of me, all I could think about was the soft touch of my lips just now.
Ahhhhhhhhhh don't think about it anymore ahhhhhhhhh!!!
I held my breath and slapped my cheeks a few times, then turned around and rang the doorbell.
"I'm back……"
"Welcome back, eh?! Lord, your face is so red, what happened?"
Luanjiang, don't ask me anymore! It's obviously not my first time, why am I still so shy? Woohoo! I really want to bury myself in the ground.
Fortunately, Hasebe was not there, otherwise he would have started wailing again.
I don't know if it's because the swordsmen who came this time were all quite friendly, but when they heard that Toushirou was coming for dinner this weekend, no one seemed to be resistant or even welcoming. This also made me feel much better.
"What good things have happened to you these past two days?"
During the training camp the next morning, even Kirihara noticed it, and when he came to get water after running laps, he didn't forget to ask me a question.
"You look so radiant. Weren't you a little listless just a few days ago?"
"Can't I hide my emotions on my face?"
"So what did you think?" A certain kelp-head rolled his eyes while drinking water. "Everyone can see it. So, has your luck finally turned around and stopped being unlucky? I think Quan is in good shape today too."
"You're thinking this is too easy, Akaye."
As we were chatting, four third-year seniors came over.
"Maybe she's in love, haha."
To this, Kirihara's reaction was: "Nine Pure? How is that possible?"
...Although I know he has no bad intentions, the tone he uses really sounds like he deserves a beating!
"Hey, Akaye, you're not going to find a girlfriend like this."
"Huh? What does this have to do with me finding a girlfriend?"
Marui-senpai choked for a moment, then shook his head with an expression that said, "This kid is hopeless."
"Regardless of whether you're looking for a girlfriend or not, why can't Jiu Jing be in a relationship? She's cute, athletic, and serious about her work. It's not surprising that she has a few suitors, right?"
“…” I don’t know why I suddenly felt a little guilty, after all, it was really because of love.
"Impossible, impossible." Kirihara, oblivious to my guilty conscience, waved his hands and began complaining to the three seniors. "This girl is even more clueless than me, and she has no feminine charm at all. She barely talks to anyone in class besides me and Izumi. Having a boyfriend is out of the question."
"...I say, he's already said this, aren't you going to beat him up?"
I glanced at Senior Niou, who seemed to be enjoying the fun and making trouble. "It's good that what he said wasn't entirely false." Then I silently finished writing down the remaining data on the counting board. "Just don't expect me to cover up for him in front of the deputy minister anymore."
“Hey! It’s over! Forgive me, Jiu Jing—!”
"So you're an idiot, Akaya."
"Puff."
"By the way, our training this afternoon should be over early."
Um?
"Because the regulars have to go to the hospital." Senior Yagyu paused, "The county tournament is about to start, and we have to go visit the captain. Jiu Jing, are you going?"
"Headmaster Yukimura?" Speaking of which, since I joined the tennis club, I haven't seen the talented captain who's been hospitalized for a long time. Rikkai University's tennis club doesn't have a head coach because the training plan is all run by Headmaster Yukimura himself. "Okay."
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, Sanada, we were just discussing visiting the patient this afternoon." Marui-san pointed at me. "It just so happens that Jiu Jing can go, too. Let's treat it as a ceremony to officially become the manager."
"Huh? Have I passed the test?"
"I guess so. Of course, it won't work if the minister disagrees."
"I see." Minister Yukimura's reputation is really high. I'm also looking forward to meeting him.
Vice Minister Sanada adjusted his hat. "Well, don't be too nervous. I've already told him. He might ask you some basic questions about training. Just tell him what you learned during the regular training camp."
"Pfft, the deputy minister is giving you some special treatment, go and thank him."
"It's just a reminder. You guys, you don't have any training this afternoon and you're still chatting at this hour. You're too lax! Get training now!"
Senior Sanada shouted with a dark face, and everyone scattered like birds and beasts, each taking their tennis rackets to go for morning exercises.
The new phone I bought yesterday came in handy today. This afternoon, I called my fellow swordsmen at home to let them know about my plans after school. After school, I followed Kirihara and the third-year regulars to Tokyo General Hospital, where Yukimura was working.
Yes, our minister is currently in Tokyo receiving medical treatment.
According to Senior Yanagi, before his illness began, Yukimura had been receiving simple treatment at a hospital in Kanagawa. However, when his condition worsened, he was transferred directly to the larger Tokyo General Hospital, which boasted better medical technology. This was also the reason for his temporary suspension from school.
I'd always assumed the tennis club's president, someone who could convince Sanada-senpai to single-handedly take on the entire club's training schedule, would be, at best, a sturdy-looking athlete. So, when I walked into the ward and saw the fair-skinned boy with iris-colored hair sitting by the window, I was stunned.
"You're here, welcome. Sorry I couldn't go out to greet you."
"It's okay, there are a lot of people outside."
"Haha, that's it."
In a nutshell, the tennis club captain, Yukimura Seiichi, is a fair-skinned, beautiful boy who looks like a plant.
What’s even more amazing is that I actually know him!
"Yukimura, this is Jiu Jingyan, a second-year student who came to the tennis club as a manager after you were hospitalized. She's a classmate of Akagi."
Director Yukimura had a pair of gentle brown eyes. After hearing what Sanada-senpai said, he looked at me and smiled: "So, you are Jiu Jing..."
"Long time no see, Yukimura-senpai."
"Huh? Jiu Jing, didn't you say you didn't know our minister?"
I looked at Akaya, then at Yukimura who was still smiling, feeling a little awkward: "That's a long story."
To be exact, until today, I had no idea that the man with whom I had a brief conversation was named Yukimura.
"Headmaster Yukimura... isn't he a member of the Gardening Club?"
"I'm the beautification committee member, but gardening is also my personal interest, so I tend to the flower garden on the rooftop." The iris-haired boy spoke at a steady pace. "Sanada told me before that the girl who's going to be the manager has red hair, and I was wondering if it was you. What a coincidence."
"Minister, have you met Jiu Jing before?"
"Well, we met twice while taking care of the flowers and plants on the roof, and we even chatted, right?"
"Yeah." We were having a very pleasant chat.
"Wait, wait, wait, since you know each other, why don't you ask each other's name?!"
I glanced at Kirihara and said, "It was mainly because we happened to meet twice, and both of us talked about gardening." Yukimura, who was sitting by the window, had a calm smile and said, "I was thinking that if we have the chance to meet again, I would ask for your name." As a result, after that time, I never met this senior who was very interested in art and flowers in the rooftop flower bed again.
"Yukimura, could it be..."
"Yes, Sanada. It was around the time I was receiving treatment at the hospital in Kanagawa. I could still go to school, but I didn't participate in many activities." Yukimura stood up and tugged at his woolen coat. "I was actually hoping to ask her name if we ever met again, but the next day her condition worsened and she was transferred to a hospital in Tokyo."
The room fell silent for a moment.
It could be said to be a coincidence, or it could be said to be a misfortune. Since then, I've experienced kidnapping, searching for my father, encountering the port mafia, and encountering Arrancar, and I've long since forgotten this little incident.
I didn't expect that the good-tempered and beautiful senior I met by chance turned out to be the talented captain of the tennis club. I have to say that fate is really a wonderful thing.
"It's a good thing to be destined to meet you, but as the head of the tennis club, I can't give you a backdoor."
Minister Yukimura was not as tall as Vice Minister Sanada, but when he narrowed his eyes slightly, his aura seemed to overwhelm the other party.
"Do you mind if I test you?"
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The author has something to say: To be honest, I have looked at many color pictures and found that Yukimura's eye color is different in the comics and animation (looking up)
Finally decided to follow the color comics, cough cough cough
They had met in the flower bed several times before, but neither of them remembered each other's name.
As we all know, Homura is not very sensitive to handsome guys (dog head).
The next update will be at 6pm!
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