Chapter 87: The Daughter of the Hiratsuka Family
Time: May 31st, Sunday; Location: In front of Chishimaya; Characters: Chishima Akishin, Hiratsuka Shizuka.
A thin veil of mist lingered in the morning air. It had drizzled overnight, leaving the atmosphere exceptionally crisp. Dewdrops still clung to the leaves, shimmering as they caught the light. The sun had only just begun to peek out, bringing with it a gentle, budding warmth.
"Shizuka-chan, sorry to keep you waiting."
Akishin stepped out of Chishimaya carrying two stacked gift boxes. The top box contained his own handmade cookies, while the bottom was filled with tea leaves he had purchased—the same variety Hachiman's parents had bought before. In fact, he had already brewed and finished nearly half of the supply Hachiman's parents gave him.
It was Uji tea, one of the three famous teas of Japan, and it didn't come cheap.
For today's meeting, Akishin had dressed with uncharacteristic seriousness. He wore a suit, a neatly tied necktie, and had swapped his usual footwear for polished leather shoes.
Even though his hair remained in its usual simple, short cut, he looked significantly more put-together, radiating the kind of clean-cut first impression that would win over just about anyone.
Giving himself a small smile in the mirror, he felt he had successfully pulled off the "successful gentleman" look.
Shizuka, who was leaning against her car, watched Akishin emerge in formal wear as if he were off to meet a father-in-law. Her face instantly flushed. She quickly looked away and grumbled, "Why are you dressed so formally? It's just a casual meeting and a meal together."
And yet, a small glimmer of joy was hidden in her eyes. From his appearance alone, she could tell that Akishin was taking this very seriously.
Shizuka had also dressed up today. She wore an elegant white gown paired with a cream-colored blazer. Her long hair was tied back in the middle but allowed to flow slightly at the top.
She wore light makeup; her long eyelashes fluttered softly, and her lips, polished with pink lipstick, looked as moist as a ripe cherry.
On her feet were matching small, cream-colored leather shoes.
The entire ensemble made her look fresh and graceful, like a lily in full bloom.
"Visiting someone requires formality. It's a matter of attitude and etiquette," Akishin said with a smile.
He looked at Shizuka with a gaze full of genuine admiration. No matter how many times he saw her, Shizuka remained stunning, especially when she put in the effort to dress up. He honestly couldn't fathom how other men had failed to successfully approach her over the last seven or eight years.
But because of that, he had been the one lucky enough to wait for her to save him.
Then why didn't you dress this formally for the Kendo Tournament finals?! Shizuka grumbled internally while maintaining a smile. She turned to pull the car door open and asked, "Get in. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"
It was barely eight in the morning. Being Sunday, most living creatures were still fast asleep. If it weren't for her father and mother's relentless nagging, she wouldn't have sought Akishin out this early either.
She really had no choice. Ever since she told her parents two days ago that Akishin was willing to meet them, the old couple had been incredibly hyperactive.
For two days straight, they had peppered her with questions about him. What's his personality like? What about his character?
She didn't want to speak ill of him, so she ended up describing everything quite vividly. Finally, when they heard that Shizuka was the one who had saved Akishin, they dug into his background. Finding out he was an orphan with no complicated social ties only made them more enthusiastic.
She had been back at her parents' house since yesterday afternoon after school ended.
This morning, while she was still dead to the world, her mother had practically dragged her out from under the covers. As soon as she got downstairs, she found her father already in formal attire, sitting in his chair reading the newspaper—the contents of which, naturally, were still centered on Akishin's information.
Then, before she could even have breakfast, her mother had ordered her to go get Akishin. According to her father, today they would be "touring" with Akishin all day to test him directly...
Test him? What does that even mean? I thought this was just a simple meeting!
"Not yet. Your call came in the moment I woke up," Akishin replied. He looked at the red-and-black Aston Martin in front of him and pointed, "We're taking this? What happened to the van from yesterday?"
"Oh, that was actually a rental. This one is my pride and joy—haven't you seen it before?" Shizuka walked to the other side, opened the door, and slid into the driver's seat.
Akishin felt the car was a bit too flashy and bound to draw stares, but since Shizuka didn't seem to mind, he followed suit.
With a shrug, Akishin climbed into the passenger seat with his gift boxes and buckled his seatbelt.
Shizuka glanced at him briefly, then started the engine and pulled away from Konishi Street.
Akishin watched the scenery blur past the window. He could smell a soft, sweet fragrance inside the car—the same scent as before.
"Shizuka-chan, where are we headed this time?"
"To a tea house for breakfast. I don't know the specific name, but it's a place my father found."
"I see." So her father wanted to take him to breakfast! Only... Akishin felt a slight stir in his chest. He was actually feeling a bit nervous.
He stared at the ribbon-tied gift box in his lap, then turned to look at Shizuka's profile and asked, "By the way, Shizuka-chan, I still don't know much about your family. What do your parents do for a living?"
"Ah! That... my mother is a housewife." Shizuka's posture suddenly stiffened. She stared straight at the road with intense seriousness and said, "As for my father... he's just... an employee at an ordinary company."
"Is that so."
Akishin nodded. He felt a bit amused seeing Shizuka looking so tense. He didn't press further. If Shizuka wasn't ready to tell him yet, he wouldn't force it. Everyone has secrets, big or small; he believed that one day Shizuka would tell him in her own time.
Or perhaps, he would find out soon enough on his own.
Shizuka stole a glance at Akishin. Noticing that he had returned to staring out the window, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
It wasn't that she didn't want to tell him; it was more that she was a little afraid to.
The true identity of Hiratsuka Shizuka was the daughter of the Hiratsuka Group. Her father was a genius businessman who had built his empire from scratch during the "Bubble Era," wielding significant influence in Chiba with assets reaching hundreds of billions of yen. Otherwise, how could a mere school teacher afford to drive a sports car worth tens of millions?
A yearly salary of ten million yen was a completely different world from buying a car that cost tens of millions; the maintenance alone was a fortune, let alone the other lifestyle expenses...
Shizuka wasn't afraid that Akishin would be jealous of her wealth. Rather, she feared that Akishin would feel a sense of distance once he knew.
She didn't want their relationship to be tainted by material matters.
Even though her father had built his business in that ruthless era, he didn't have the typical "bad habits" of the upper class. He loved her dearly and supported her decisions, even letting her "play" at being a teacher until now.
His only flaw was the relentless pressure to get her married over the last two years. Her father was desperate for a grandchild, often muttering things like, "Shizuka, I've already started a savings account for my future grandchild..."
Every time his friends' children got married or had kids of their own, she couldn't even bear to look her parents in the eye. It was torture. It was hell...
Thinking about this, Shizuka glanced at Akishin again. Her face flushed red once more, and she quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts.
Another reason she hadn't revealed her identity was her father's request; he was the one who asked that Akishin not be told just yet.
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