Chapter 88: A strange relationship.
[seven]
If Hagiwara Kenmi were a man, or if her dear childhood friend Matsuda Jinko were a man, she would really suspect that the two children in the photo of Morofushi Sora'aki sent her were indeed their illegitimate children.
But they are women—doesn't she know whether she has had children or not? And the longest time Jinko-chan was separated from her seems to have been less than a month. She couldn't possibly not know whether Jinko-chan had a child behind her back.
Even knowing this, it didn't stop Hagiwara Kenmi from developing feelings for the two children in the photo.
—That's a tiny, mini-version of the previous one!
Jinko-chan and she grew up together, and the photos they took when they were little are still well preserved in the family album.
Because she was too lazy to style her hair when she was a child, and she cut her hair short for the convenience of boxing practice, and because it is difficult to tell the gender of a young child, it was impossible to tell the gender of Jinko-chan at all when she was a child, which made Hagiwara Kenmi fall in love with her at first sight.
When the little seven-year-old girl solemnly declared at the family dinner table that she was in love, aside from her parents' reactions, Hagiwara Soku almost broke his chopsticks.
Hagiwara Soku said: If it were my younger brother, I'd rather he be in a relationship than die, but my sister is only seven years old! What ignorant little boy would dare to hold my sister's hand or kiss her?!
Then Hagiwara Soku, eager to get started, staked out the intersection where his younger sister was leaving school, only to be teased by his best friend Shinobu, who warned him that his current behavior would easily get him arrested by the police.
Seeing his younger sister being affectionate with another boy, Hagiwara Soku was furious, causing his friend to take a step back: "A sister complex, how scary."
That's what he said, but Hagiwara Soku didn't do anything on the spot. As a result, that very evening, his sister calmly said at the dinner table, "I've broken up with my boyfriend."
This time, Hagiwara Soku's chopsticks couldn't take the strain and snapped. Before he could even express his opinion, his sister, Kenmi, sighed, "So Jinko-chan is a girl. What a pity."
Hagiwara Soku: What's wrong with my sister? That brat dared to refuse... Hmm? He's a girl, oh well. Come to think of it, that girl's curly hair is actually quite cute.
Then his sister blurted out, "But isn't it even better if it's a girl! That way I can invite Jinko-chan over to play! It's not so convenient with boys, right, Onii-chan~"
Hagiwara Soku smiled and said, "Yeah, that's right. Remember to stay away from those brats, Kenmi."
Hagiwara Kenmi sighed like a little adult and helped her brother get another pair of chopsticks: "Yes, I know, brother."
Sometimes Hagiwara Kenmi even feels like she could write a light novel; she's already thought of a title.
'What Should I Do If My Brother Loves Me Too Much?'
Hagiwara Kenmi was completely unaware that she had displayed the qualities of being a charmer and a master of impartiality since childhood.
Her brother, Hagiwara Soku, also felt he could write a novel titled 'My Sister Has Been A Heartthrob Since Childhood, With Admirers Ranging From Strange Old Men To Kindergarten Children. How Should I Protect Her From A Love Triangle Murder After School?'
Hmm? That's too long. Let's change it to 'What To Do When My Sister Is Too Popular'.
[eight]
It seems I've gone off-topic.
In short, he's a replica of Jinko-chan, who was so cute when they were kids that she totally clicked with her aesthetic and she practically became Jinko-chan's best friend and confidante!
Hagiwara Kenmi has a habit of looking through old photos, and her memory is quite good, so she wouldn't forget what her childhood friend looked like when she was a child. Hagiwara Kenmi is certain that the child looks exactly like her childhood friend when she was a child!
The resemblance was so striking that Hagiwara Kenmi wanted to open Matsuda Jinko's door to see if it was as if her childhood friend had reversed her aging process.
Matsuda Jinko was still asleep, and Hagiwara Kenmi had no intention of waking her up so late at night, since there were only about three hours left until dawn. There was no rush.
It was definitely not her intention to sneak away and pet the cubs a few more times.
Absolutely not!
[Nine]
Morofushi Sora'aki had specifically counted down the time. Their current location wasn't too far from the apartment rented by Hagiwara Kenmi and Matsuda Jinko, but it was definitely not a five-minute walk away...
"Good evening—" Hagiwara Kenmi rolled down the car window, a bright smile on her face. "If it's alright, could you come find me at dawn next time, Sora'aki-chan?"
Morofushi Sora'aki looked at the countdown on his phone: "Four minutes and 56 seconds... You're definitely speeding."
"Don't worry, I wasn't caught on camera," Hagiwara Kenmi replied with a smile.
Morofushi Sora'aki: "I remember you're a police officer."
Hagiwara Kenmi: "That's not the point—"
Hagiwara Kenmi, who was good at racing, looked expectantly at the little boy lying next to Morofushi Sora'aki, and a smile that was almost like that of a strange aunt appeared on her face.
Hagiwara Kenmi: "How rude of me! I'm not old enough to be called 'auntie' yet, am I?"
Morofushi Sora'aki: "So you don't deny the 'strange' thing mentioned earlier, right?"
Hagiwara Kenmi picked up the curly-haired child, finally revealing some of her police officer demeanor: "Where did these two children come from? Where are their parents? Why haven't they woken up yet? They don't look like they're asleep."
Morofushi Sora'aki spoke the lie with a straight face: "Well, they were kidnapped, and I rescued them. And they have no parents."
Hagiwara Kenmi believed him without hesitation: "Okay, then I've decided to adopt this child!"
Morofushi Sora'aki pointed to the one in his arms: "This one?"
Looking at the face that resembled her own when she was a child, Hagiwara Kenmi sighed, "This face is so familiar, it looks so much like my brother. I'm getting a little tired of seeing it since I was little. Let's talk about it later."
Morofushi Sora'aki: What a double standard.
Hagiwara Kenmi smiled and said, "I can hear you."
Morofushi Sora'aki looked away.
[ten]
Whether Hagiwara Kenmi believed it or not is not important. Anyway, it's too late now. No matter what, we have to wait until Matsuda Jinko gets up tomorrow morning.
Adoption was just a casual remark; if possible, we should find parents first... even though looking at this face...
Hagiwara Kenmi touched her face, doubting herself, "Did I really not lose my memory seven or eight years ago? Or are Jinko-chan and I actually some kind of alien creature capable of splitting and reproducing on our own?"
Morofushi Sora'aki commented: "You watch too many TV dramas."
Holding the shrunken Hagiwara Kenji, Morofushi Sora'aki once again reflected in his mind, feeling as if he had forgotten something.
[eleven]
The poor, forgotten older brother, Morofushi Hiromitsu, is still tied up, but he now has a new, tied-up companion.
"Haha, Akai, what a coincidence." Morofushi Hiromitsu's face was full of a smile without any gloom.
Akai Shuu: "..."
No matter how powerful she was, she couldn't possibly have defeated two codenamed members while injured. Of course, she also left some marks on the other two women.
Morofushi Hiromitsu's smile was extremely gentle. "Um, ladies—I have something to say to you privately. Could you please untie me temporarily?"
Then he received a fierce look from Miss Bourbon.
Morofushi Hiromitsu could only sigh, "Sigh, gaining trust from 'zero' onwards is really difficult."
"I wish someone like a 'hero' would come and save me right now."
Morofushi Hiromitsu didn't deliberately emphasize any word, but the sentence still caught the attention of Miss Bourbon and Miss Scotch.
The two ladies glanced discreetly at Morofushi Hiromitsu, whose smile remained unchanged, and then heard him continue, "Speaking of which, I have a very important childhood friend."
"Oh, right, Akai, I forgot to ask, how is Miyano-san doing these days?"
Akai Shuu: "...?"
Bourbon: "...?!?"
Scotch was also surprised.
Akai Shuu: "What?"
Morofushi Hiromitsu looked puzzled: "Hmm? I remember your mother or father had a relative, right? Their family name is Miyano, right? I also remember they had two children?"
"If I remember correctly, their family used to run a clinic, and they were doctors."
Before the three could react, Akai Shuu's phone rang.
Bourbon picked up her phone and glanced at the caller ID; it was Miyano Akira.
Before Bourbon dialed the number, he said to Akai Shuu, "You know what you should and shouldn't say."
Before Bourbon and Scotch could deal with her immediately, Akai Shuu, vaguely aware of something, did not refuse and nodded helplessly.
After the call connected, Miyano Akira gave a brief greeting, and their conversation wasn't particularly affectionate.
Miyano Akira is a gentle and considerate man who is not too proactive in relationships; instead, Akai Shuu tends to take the lead more often.
Sensing the hesitation in Miyano Akira's tone, Akai Shuu, under Bourbon's wary gaze, took the initiative to speak: "What's wrong? Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Um..." Miyano Akira exhaled, "It's very impolite of me, but may I borrow your DNA to test our kinship?"
Everyone present, including Akai Shuu: "...?!"
Akai Shuu: "Hmm?"
Miyano Akira's voice was no longer hesitant, but serious as he said, "Because I think it's better to get your permission first. May I do this?"
Akai Shuu: "At least give me a reason."
Miyano Akira paused for a moment, then said, "I also have a question... Did we know each other before?"
The more Morofushi Hiromitsu listened, the more something seemed off. Akai Shuuichi, having grown up freely in America, was prone to making misunderstandings with his words, and at first, he didn't realize what was going on.
In addition, he knew from the beginning that Akai Shuuichi and Miyano Akemi were cousins, so he naturally put himself in that situation. But now, the more he listened, the more something seemed off.
After the call ended, Morofushi Hiromitsu hesitated before asking, "...Are you and that gentleman in a relationship?"
Akai Shuu: "That's right, what's the problem?"
"But..." Morofushi Hiromitsu's pupils widened in shock as he exclaimed, "Aren't you siblings... oh no, aren't you cousins?!"
The others present were once again stunned by the sheer amount of information that Morofushi Hiromitsu had just blurted out.
"What did you say?!"
[twelve]
"Do you think it's possible that this child is related to my brother?" Hagiwara Kenmi asked. "My brother and I look quite alike."
Morofushi Sora'aki tilted his head and suddenly realized, "...Brother."
He seemed to remember something he had forgotten.