Bab 31: CHAPTER 30 - Time To Be Free (3)
"Okay, then… I'll inform Emi once I have the team ready for you," Sona replied with a smile, clearly intrigued by the situation. She couldn't help but wonder what it was about Ichiro that had sparked such concern from two individuals who typically appeared aloof and indifferent to society. She was also curious about why the son of the late Lady Takahashi was being subjected to abuse. If she were still alive, Lady Takahashi would surely have put an end to it without hesitation. Despite her reputation for kindness, she wasn't one to allow her loved ones to be bullied.
"By the way, in regards to the payment, can you also ask them to make a contract for me and Akihiko-kun?" Ichiro hesitantly requested, feeling somewhat embarrassed by the situation.
"Huh? Why?" Akihiko was taken aback, surprised that Ichiro wanted to formalize their relationship in such a serious manner.
"That's not a problem, but why?" Sona too wondered, her curiosity piqued by Ichiro's request.
"Well, he promised to pay, but I want to make sure that even if we lose, I'll do my very best to repay him, even if it means throwing myself into the battlefield," Ichiro confidently declared his intentions, his resolve unwavering. Death held no fear for him, as he had already experienced it.
"Ha-ha."
The seriousness of the situation was shattered when Akihiko burst into laughter, leaving everyone puzzled. Sona, in particular, was annoyed that Akihiko seemed to find Ichiro's declaration amusing.
"Seriously, what's so funny?" Sona became irritated and playfully hit Akihiko on the shoulder.
"Please, what's that for?" Akihiko responded with annoyance, shooting a harsh look at Sona. "Shouldn't you be hitting him, not me?" he added, glancing at Ichiro disapprovingly.
"Why me?" Ichiro looked utterly bewildered by their exchange.
"Seriously, I don't need your money. If you ever want to repay me, that's fine, but not to the point where you're willing to give up on yourself," Akihiko said firmly. He wanted Ichiro to understand that their friendship meant more to him than financial compensation. Despite everything they had been through, there was still a barrier between them that needed to be broken down.
"That's right. If you need the money, I can cover it. You don't need to pay me back. Unlike him, I'm richer," Emi declared, asserting her status as being above Akihiko in terms of wealth.
"Please, you're only richer than me because you live with your family," Akihiko retorted, acknowledging Emi's financial standing without getting into an argument.
"Fine, fine, that's enough, you two," Sona sighed, not wanting to witness another heated exchange between Akihiko and Emi. She knew that when they fought, things tended to escalate quickly, and something usually got broken in the process.
"Anyways, thank you for your help," Ichiro said, deciding to ignore the ongoing banter between Akihiko and Emi.
"Ignore them. You're welcome, Ichiro-kun. I can call you that, right? We're friends now," Emi replied warmly, extending their newly formed friendship.
Blushing slightly from the unexpected friendship offer, Ichiro stammered, "Sure."
Akihiko, still feeling a twinge of jealousy, interjected, "Hey, can you bring some food instead of cakes? He needs to eat before he goes home."
Emi couldn't help but roll her eyes in exasperation. She viewed Akihiko's behavior as childish, as if he were acting possessive over a toy. She retorted, "Please... How old are you?"
Ichiro could only smile awkwardly, feeling like he was caught in the middle of their antics. Sona, on the other hand, found the whole situation highly amusing and burst into laughter.
After their meal, Ichiro decided it was time to head home. Despite his current condition, he had not gone to the hospital to have his wounds treated. He explained to his friends that they had school the next day, and he planned to see the school doctor then.
"Are you sure you're ready to head home?" Sona asked, her concern evident as she observed the two young men who seemed lost in their thoughts, their worries for Ichiro etched on their faces.
"Hmm, thank you for everything. But, I'll be fine," Ichiro reassured her with a smile. He bid farewell to the three of them and made his way out of the cafe. As he walked down the street, he couldn't help but reflect on the unexpected friendships he had formed. He hadn't anticipated that his quest for freedom would lead him to such valuable connections. As he continued his journey home, one question lingered in his mind: where had he seen Sona before?
When Ichiro arrived home, he wasn't surprised to see a crowd of servants gathered outside their gate. As he approached, all the servants rushed toward him, their expressions a mix of anxiety and annoyance.
"Where have you been?"
"We've been looking for you."
"Seriously!"
Ichiro's smirking expression seemed to annoy all of them further. He took a moment to relish in the commotion he had caused, realizing that it had brought him to this point. At this juncture, he didn't care about their reactions. All he needed to focus on was giving his best. Both Akihiko and Emi had already noticed his improvements, and soon everyone else would too. Therefore, his primary goal was to concentrate on his training.
"The master has been looking for you," one of the servants informed him.
"What for?" Ichiro glanced arrogantly at the servants. He knew they wouldn't dare do anything to him.
"He wishes to speak with you."
"Oh, tell him I'm tired after my visit to Akihiko-kun's place," Ichiro replied dismissively, waving his hand in the air as he headed back to his room.
The servants left behind exchanged worried glances, wondering how they would explain this to the master. They were certain he wouldn't be pleased...
"What do you mean he's not coming here?" Tomoko screamed in annoyance. She had suspected something was amiss when she noticed the servants walking with their heads hung low.
"Please, Madam, calm down."
"Madam, you can't throw that."
Tomoko was in a rage, having just broken one of the expensive vases in the living room after learning about the situation. Meanwhile, Hiroshi paced back and forth, nervously biting his nails. 'What should I do?' he thought, desperately trying to come up with a plan to regain control over Ichiro. His original plan was to let him go when the time came and keep the majority of the family fortune for himself. Now, it seemed like everything was falling apart.
"See, this is all your fault. Abusing that kid wasn't the right thing to do!" Tomoko screamed at her husband, unleashing her pent-up frustration.
"Abused? I never even touched him. It was all of you…" Hiroshi retorted defensively, maintaining his stance that he had never laid a hand on the boy. However, he couldn't deny that he had allowed everyone else, including the servants, to mistreat Ichiro.
"Once he gains everything, what will become of us?" She angrily continued to point her finger, placing the blame squarely on Hiroshi for their predicament.
"Shut up! I'm trying to think!" Hiroshi snapped back, his anger flaring at the unfair blame being thrust upon him. He felt a deep sense of confusion regarding their son's actions. When their son had returned after going to look for Ichiro, Hiroshi had questioned him about it. His son's response had baffled him even more, as the boy had claimed that the person he found wasn't Ichiro. Unfortunately, Hiroshi had to leave the next day, leaving the mystery unresolved.
"Could what Ryoma said be true?" Hiroshi mumbled to himself, deep in thought.
"What?" Tomoko asked, her confusion growing.
"He said that Ichiro isn't Ichiro," Hiroshi replied cryptically.
"What do you mean?" She pressed for more information, still puzzled by the situation.
"What if the Ichiro in front of us isn't the real Ichiro? What if the real Ichiro actually died back then, and the person posing as Ichiro is an imposter," Hiroshi speculated.
"Then?" Tomoko's eyes gleamed with a sinister light as they both began to entertain dark thoughts of what might be possible.
Their conversation took a twisted turn as they contemplated the idea of Ichiro being an imposter. It was a disturbing notion that opened up a world of sinister possibilities.
"What if this imposter has been scheming to steal the family fortune?" Tomoko whispered, her voice trembling with excitement at the wicked possibilities.
Hiroshi's eyes gleamed with a malevolent light. "Yes, yes. And once we expose this fraud, we can ensure that our wealth remains within our grasp."
The two of them began crafting a sinister plan. They decided to secretly investigate Ichiro's past and gather any evidence that could support their theory. If their suspicions turned out to be true, they would take swift and ruthless action to protect their family's fortune.
Little did they know that their unfounded suspicions and their thirst for wealth would set them on a dangerous and destructive path, leading to unforeseen consequences for everyone involved.
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