CHAPTER 733: CHAPTER 450: WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF

Grandma Hamada muttered, leaning on her cane:

"Yes, it’s passed down from the older generation, and in a few years, it might be gone. If you miss it, it’ll be such a pity..."

"It really brings back memories. Back then, my husband and I also got together during the fireworks festival. They say that if lovers confess during the fireworks display, they’ll receive the Sea God’s blessing, and when their loved ones go out to sea for fishing, they won’t encounter storms..."

"Now it seems like it’s the commercial street hosting the celebration, right? It’s changed entirely, unlike before. The organizers use tradition as a gimmick, printing things like ’can increase confession success rate’ on the posters, so I don’t really want to go..."

"But it’s quite suitable for young people like you. Even Fushimi-kun and the others went, you should go take a look too..."

Minamoto Tamako’s expression changed several times. She finally recalled that she had clamored for a ceremonious confession, and then Fushimi-kun invited her to see the fireworks season.

She suddenly understood everything.

Maybe Fushimi-kun is still waiting for her at the fireworks festival...

Minamoto Tamako stood up abruptly and started running: "Sorry, Grandma, I have something to do!"

She rushed outside, got on her motorcycle, kicked it into gear, and realized she didn’t know where the fireworks festival was, so she shouted, "Grandma, where is the bonfire party held?"

"Just continue down this slope to the beach by the sea!" Grandma Hamada shouted.

"Thank you!"

Minamoto Tamako waved her hand, then twisted the throttle, lowered her body against the motorcycle, and sped off again.

Grandma Hamada shuffled up the slope, watching the taillights of the motorcycle disappear into the distance. She couldn’t help but sigh, "Ah, youth..."

...

Meanwhile, at the bullet train station.

Fushimi Roku stood with Taira Sakurako at the entrance with his suitcase in hand.

Otaru Station is located in the Tenjin area, famous for its canal and Ishikari Bay sea view, known as the "Sea View Gateway" on the Hokkaido Shinkansen, where you can see an extensive coastline.

The sea beneath the night was exceptionally tranquil. The sound of the train arriving echoed, with the announcer instructing passengers to board or alight orderly. Travelers from afar and those about to go far gathered here, hurried in their pace, with no one paying attention to the two standing at the entrance.

"Are we just going back like this?" asked Taira Sakurako.

"What else?" Fushimi Roku felt slightly agitated.

He waited four days, but Minamoto Tamako hadn’t even gone home, not a single call, just a text saying sorry.

He even called Kujo Yua, tried beating around the bush for half a day, and finally concluded—Minamoto Tamako really was going to break up with him.

What else could he do? He could only return to Tokyo with his tail between his legs.

Suddenly, fireworks bloomed in the distance, their sound drowned in the sea breeze. Taira Sakurako saw them and asked, "Want to check out the bonfire party?"

"What’s there to see, let’s go." Fushimi Roku urged with his words, but didn’t move.

Taira Sakurako was rather obedient; she really went, stepping into the station, finding her carriage according to the ticket. Fushimi Roku dragged his suitcase, following behind her.

"Six...seven...eight...ah, here we are."

Taira Sakurako entered the carriage, found her seat, and sat down. She turned her head and saw Fushimi Roku hadn’t come in, staring at her through the train glass.

"Why aren’t you getting on the train?" Taira Sakurako asked.

"What’s the rush, it hasn’t departed yet." Fushimi Roku was somewhat annoyed, quickened his pace, got into the carriage, stashed his luggage in the rack, and went back out: "I’m going out for a smoke."

"If you don’t want to leave, just wait a bit." Taira Sakurako said.

Fushimi Roku was irritated by her words and retorted, "Why are you acting like nothing’s happening? Aren’t you usually very close with Tamako?"

"Tamako will come find me in the future. If she doesn’t, I can just go find her." Taira Sakurako didn’t care: "Anyway, I won’t be dating her, nothing to be sad about."

"Traitor." Fushimi Roku snorted, holding a cigarette in his mouth.

Just as he was about to light it, a train attendant came over, saying that smoking was prohibited there and he’d have to go to the designated smoking room in the restroom.

With about ten minutes left before departure, Fushimi Roku didn’t argue, choosing to be a civilized passenger, went to the smoking room in the restroom, and lit a cigarette.

He puffed away, finished in a few minutes, then sat quietly for a moment on the toilet. When he heard the announcement for impending departure, he pushed the restroom door open and walked towards the train.

At that moment, his phone rang.

Fushimi Roku took out his phone, glanced down, it was a call from Kujo Yua. He hesitated for a second, clicked to answer, and said while walking, "Hello, what’s up..."

"Tamako might be coming to see you, it’s not very safe on the road—" Kujo Yua said halfway, as if suddenly recalling something, added, "Oh right, she didn’t mention breaking up with you, I’m not clear on the specifics either."

Fushimi Roku stopped in his tracks: "Wait, you didn’t say that before."

Kujo Yua asked in return, "What did I say before?"

Fushimi Roku said, "You said she might want a new life..." Before he could finish, he realized: "You’re messing with me?!"

"You didn’t make yourself clear, and you’re acting all coy for a big guy, blaming me for not telling you the truth? What do you expect me to say? If you like guessing, then go ahead and guess." Kujo Yua didn’t mind, mercilessly giving him a tip: "Fushimi-kun, a piece of advice for you, playing hard to get is quite disgusting."

Fushimi Roku hung up the phone, raised his head, the train door was about to close, the conductor urging him to get inside quickly.

Taira Sakurako sat in the seat, waving at him, not a beckoning wave, more like shooing away a fly impatiently: "If you want to go, then go quickly!"

"And you..." Fushimi Roku was somewhat worried.

"I’ll have Uncle Kazama pick me up."

Taira Sakurako outwardly displayed a ’I support your pursuit of love’ stance but was actually already envisioning the joy of playing video games alone at home... If Fushimi Roku and Minamoto Tamako could stay in Hokkaido for a few more days, she’d call Mako and Mai over for a pizza party at the apartment.

Nobody watching was the best.

Fushimi Roku nodded, turned around and ran, the conductor chasing from behind, shouting that children couldn’t ride the train alone. Fushimi Roku didn’t care, knowing the conductor would report it, train personnel along the way would certainly look after Taira Sakurako, nothing to worry too much about.

He ran out of the station, hailed a taxi at random, heading straight for the Kujo Family, unsurprisingly stopped at the gate.

The security wouldn’t let him in.

Not only that, but there were more security guards at the gate now, with batons patrolling on their belts, staff clearing the lawn and shattered glass. A row of scaffolding was set up outside the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor of the mansion, with construction workers repairing the glass, aiming to restore it before dawn.

Fushimi Roku stood in the middle of the road, facing the heavy iron gate. He didn’t know if Minamoto Tamako was inside. For this, he lit another cigarette, the flame of the lighter flickering on the long street before going out.

"Open the gate." He said.

The guard kept a stern face, pressed the doorbell intercom button. Kujo Hikari’s voice came through, filled with schadenfreude: "Scram!"

"Is Tamako inside?" Fushimi Roku exhaled a cloud of smoke: "If not, I’ll leave."

Kujo Hikari didn’t answer, instead said, "You should know your place, the family has already arranged a marriage for her, well-matched families, unlike trash like you..."

Fushimi Roku threw the half-burnt cigarette butt on the ground, crushed it with his toe.

Kujo Hikari continued to sneer, stuck in his room without any entertainment, he could only stare at the gate monitor, hoping for someone to help. Just when he saw Fushimi Roku coming to the gate, naturally, he wouldn’t miss the chance for revenge.

"I advise you to worry about yourself! Daring to meddle in the Kujo Family’s affairs, Runichiro’s already on his way to find you!"

Kujo Hikari finished, hoping to see fear and anxiety on his face. He stared at the screen, only to see Fushimi Roku approaching, leaning slightly towards the surveillance camera, like greeting an old friend:

"Wait for me, I’ll be in to find you soon."

The instant he finished speaking, the surveillance camera suddenly exploded, the screen going black immediately. Fushimi Roku swung his fist, turned his body, and with a backhand punch, shattered the booth glass, grabbing the guard’s neck with one hand, repeating two words:

"Open the gate!"

The veins on the back of his hand bulged, glaring at the guard: "Don’t make me say it a third time!"