Hayashi Shuichi's heart swelled with emotion, and he couldn't help but open his arms, pulling Fujimine Yukiko into a tight embrace.
The girl hadn't expected such a bold move from him.
Their relationship had always been tinged with ambiguity, but Yukiko was usually the one taking the lead. Hayashi Shuichi rarely initiated like this.
Now, wrapped in his strong arms, feeling the warmth of his chest, Yukiko's mind went blank. Her eyes sparkled with surprise and joy, her cheeks flushing with two rosy patches.
Her hands hovered uncertainly in the air before slowly returning his embrace, sinking into the sudden wave of happiness.
Sharon Vineyard's shirt had been torn to bandage Hayashi Shuichi's wounds, but her trench coat kept her decent.
She buttoned it up to avoid flashing anyone, smoothed her disheveled hair, and climbed out of the silver Ferrari.
But the moment she emerged, she saw Hayashi Shuichi and Yukiko locked in a tight hug.
She'd already sensed their chemistry back at Mihua City Hall.
Before, Sharon had thought Yukiko was foolish for clinging to someone entangled with other girls.
Normally, she'd have watched such a scene with cold indifference, scoffing at their display.
But now, seeing Hayashi Shuichi and Yukiko embracing, Sharon felt an unexpected pang, a discomfort she couldn't place. Her eyes darkened, her lips dipping slightly, a fleeting trace of loneliness crossing her face.
Ignoring the fawning director who rushed to her side, Sharon strode toward the pair, her tone teasing. "Surviving a disaster is worth celebrating, but do you have to cling to each other like this in front of everyone?"
Her words sparked a ripple of good-natured laughter from the curious onlookers.
The sound snapped the two out of their moment. Hayashi Shuichi, thick-skinned as ever, gave a slightly embarrassed smile but brushed it off.
Yukiko, far less composed, flushed crimson. She quickly broke free from his arms, her hands fidgeting with her hem, her head bowed to avoid the crowd's gazes.
"Miss Vineyard, we're so sorry for the scare," the director said, sidling up with a sycophantic grin. "Are you feeling alright? Shall I arrange a car to take you to a hospital?"
"No need, I'm…" Sharon started, but her eyes flicked to Hayashi Shuichi and Yukiko, still holding hands despite having parted. The unexplained irritation flared again. "Get me a car. I'm heading back to Tokyo."
"There's a car available," the director said, surprised. "But after such an ordeal, don't you want to rest?"
"I have business in Tokyo," Sharon said, shaking her head with a hint of impatience.
"Shall I arrange a driver?" the director offered cautiously.
"No, I don't like strangers tagging along. I'll drive myself," Sharon said, then turned to Hayashi Shuichi with a smile. "Kid, weren't you in a rush to get back to Tokyo? Big sis will drive you."
Her "big sis" comment stunned the crowd, especially the film crew, who exchanged bewildered glances.
This American star was notoriously difficult, invited only after exhaustive efforts and connections. At the set, she kept to herself, coming and going as she pleased, even dictating her cameo's filming schedule.
No one in the crew had ever seen her act friendly. Yet here she was, smiling and calling herself "big sis" to a high school boy?
"Hayashi-kun, what's this about?" Yabuuchi Hiromi couldn't help but ask, her curiosity piqued.
On the way to the village, she'd seen how aloof this American star could be. Why the sudden change toward Hayashi Shuichi?
"Well…" Hayashi Shuichi began to explain.
Sharon cut in, looking at Yukiko with a smug smile. "During the landslide, he threw himself in harm's way to save me. Those wounds on his back? He got them protecting me."
"Oh, I see," Hiromi said, nodding in understanding, not thinking much of it.
The others assumed Sharon's friendliness stemmed from gratitude for his rescue.
But Yukiko's eyes narrowed, her brows knitting together in suspicion.
She couldn't shake the feeling that the American star was flaunting something at her.
Her mind flashed back to the sight of Sharon lying beneath Hayashi Shuichi, helping him pull up his pants. There's no way it was just about saving her—something else happened in that car!
"Shuichi's badly hurt. He can't leave now," Yukiko said, stepping protectively in front of him like a hen guarding her chick. "If you're leaving, go by yourself."
"His injuries do look serious," Sharon said, her expression unchanged but her eyes glinting with cunning. "Do you think this little village can handle them? I'm suggesting Tokyo so he can get proper treatment. If those wounds fester, your little… friend could be in real danger."
Yukiko, inexperienced with serious injuries, felt her defenses crumble under Sharon's warning, her suspicion giving way to worry.
She gripped Hayashi Shuichi's hand tightly, her eyes frantic. "Is she right?"
"My back looks bad, but it's just surface wounds," Hayashi Shuichi said, patting her hand reassuringly. "Still, I do need to get back to Tokyo. If Reiko gets home and I'm not there, she'll lose it."
"Even if they're surface wounds, you need to treat them properly," Yukiko insisted, still uneasy.
"I'll hit a hospital in Tokyo. It'll be fine," Hayashi Shuichi said dismissively.
To appease Sharon, the director lent her his own car.
"Shuichi, let's go," Sharon said, dangling the keys.
But the two lingered, reluctant to part.
"Shuichi, I'll call the izakaya tonight," Yukiko whispered. "If you're not feeling well, go to the hospital right away…"
(Chapter End)
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