RBCT Chapter 71 Past Affections, Hard to Rekindle
Chapter 71 Past Affections, Hard to Rekindle
The car slowly drove out of Tokyo and headed towards a more remote, open area. The effects of last night's rain had not yet subsided, and there were still many potholes and puddles on the road. When the car wheels rolled over them, the water splashed high, becoming a gift to the roadside weeds.
Misa sat in the passenger seat, one hand gripping the seatbelt, watching the scenery rushing past the window. She wanted to ask where they were going, but seeing that Rito's expression was indifferent and he didn't seem to want to answer, she obediently shut up and began to tidy her appearance in front of the mirror, making sure she was always in the best condition.
After driving through towering CBDs and low-rise residential areas, and climbing several hills, the car finally stopped at the foot of a hill in a cemetery on the outskirts of the city. At the entrance of the cemetery, there were two rows of tall Keyakizaka trees. In late summer and early autumn, when their leaves were beginning to turn yellow, some had already fallen and dotted the stone path leading to the gate.
Rito took out the chrysanthemums he had prepared in advance from the trunk. Misa had already guessed what he was here for and reached out to take them, but Rito just smiled and shook his head, insisting on holding them in his own hand and stepping forward.
Misa followed behind him, climbing the stone path step by step. She then realized why Rihito had specifically taken her to buy a pair of sneakers before they left. The mountain path here hadn't been well-maintained, and with the rain the previous night, the surface was slippery. If she were still wearing her high heels from last night, she would be finding it extremely difficult to walk. Just as she was feeling relieved, she slipped on a small, moss-covered stone, and a sharp pain shot through her.
"Be careful!"
Fortunately, Rito reacted quickly and grabbed her immediately, preventing her from falling. However, the sprain was irreversible, and Misa's fair ankle quickly swelled up into a large lump. Based on his experience, he estimated that it would hurt for at least several days.
Without blaming the girl for her carelessness, Rito gently rubbed her hand, glanced at the road leading up the mountain, and helped her up, whispering:
"Let me take you down the mountain first. Wait for me in the car."
"No." Misa shook her head decisively. She knew very well that this opportunity to participate in a man's private trip was precious. If it weren't for the afterglow of last night, he would never have specifically invited her. To prove that she could still hold on, she broke free from Rito's support and forced herself to walk a few steps up. Everything seemed normal, but when Rito caught up, the sweat on her forehead said it all.
"Really—" Rito felt both sorry for her and amused. She quickly stopped her reckless challenge, ran up to her, bent down, and gestured for her to come up quickly.
"This..." Misa hesitated instinctively at first, but under Rito's repeated urging, she gritted her teeth and climbed up the black suit.
Although it wasn't the first time they'd been so close, this intimate act in the open still made Misa unconsciously nervous. She kept glancing around, afraid that someone might suddenly pop out of the bushes nearby. Rito noticed her unusual behavior, tightened his grip on her thigh, and reassured her that there was no need to be like this, as this was a private cemetery where very few people frequented.
"Okay." Misa felt a little relieved, and her muscles relaxed as she pressed her face against the back of his neck. She sniffed, able to smell the lingering minty scent of the same shower gel she used on him. She didn't know how many women she was, but she was still in a good mood. A good start is the foundation of everything; one must take things one step at a time, especially for a country girl like her.
"My mother is buried up there." Rito suddenly spoke, his voice sounding like he was reminiscing, but only he knew that he was just telling a story that wasn't his own. "Today is the anniversary of her death. She left us a little early, but thankfully she didn't suffer much, so when we get there, we don't need to be too solemn. Just pay our respects as usual."
Misa didn't speak; she simply tightened her grip on his neck. She wanted to believe that the president had buried his deepest feelings deep within his heart, just as she might never have heard those pleading words from him if she hadn't gotten drunk last night.
They remained silent the entire way until they reached the tombstone. Only then did Ritsu put her down. Misa carefully steadied herself, looking at the woman's kind smile on the stone, and silently prayed in her heart: "Ms. Kubo, perhaps in your eyes I have no hope of becoming a member of the Kubo family in this lifetime, but I will do my best to take care of your son. Please allow me to pay my respects to you with him."
Rito had no idea how humble she felt at that moment. After clearing away the fallen leaves around him, he took out some chrysanthemums, gave a bunch to Misa, and planned to offer them as a sacrifice. Suddenly, he noticed that she was deliberately standing half a step behind him.
Rito didn't make a sound, but silently took half a step back to be level with her. But Misa dragged her injured leg and took another half step back, which made him laugh in anger.
Under Misa's astonished gaze, Rito retreated to the very end of the cemetery road, beyond which lay a precipice more than a meter high. He smiled and winked at her, as if to say: "Go ahead and retreat if you dare."
Misa smiled awkwardly and explained in a low voice, "There is an order of seniority and hierarchy. I don't want to put you in a difficult position."
Li Ren glanced at her and said in a calm tone, "Do you know that once a person dies, they automatically lose all their rights? The reason why society still respects them is essentially because it respects the rights of their surviving family members. You're not afraid that I'll be in a difficult position in front of my mother; you're the one making things difficult for me."
With a lack of basic cultural literacy, Senbei, who had been involved in the entertainment industry since she was very young, barely understood what he was saying. She couldn't find a rebuttal for a moment, and after hesitating, she could only awkwardly reply with a "yes." Seeing this, Rito smiled again and returned to her side. The two stood in a straight line and completed the worship.
"Let's go." Having done his part, he squatted down again, carried Misa on his back, and walked back the way they came.
The descent was more difficult than the ascent, requiring greater caution with every step. The slippery rocks, eroded by nature, resembled landmines, making it impossible to distinguish which were safe and which were dangerous. Fortunately, Rito was skilled and daring. Even with Misa constantly pulling him along and reminding him to be careful, he strode confidently down the mountain without stopping, though at the cost of a few noisy complaints.
"We're here now, I told you it's okay."
"You're still laughing? Anyway, you're not the first one to hit the ground, right?"
As the two were joking and laughing, a black Lexus slowly pulled up at the entrance of the cemetery. The window rolled down, revealing Kubo's father's stern face. Rito caught a glimpse of him from afar, quickly wiped the smile off his face, put Misa down, and stood there waiting.
The Dentsu director walked over slowly. His gaze first fell on his son, then shifted to the woman next to Rito. For some reason, he paused for a moment, and his pupils dilated slightly.
"Father." Rito bowed, and Misa quickly followed. He took the opportunity to introduce his father, saying that Misa was an idol under his company. He didn't say much else. Anyway, his father never cared about his private life, except for occasionally asking about Ms. Seki from Fukuoka.
Kubo's father nodded, his gaze lingering on her face for a second before turning to Rito and asking in a slightly weary tone, "How many years has it been since your mother passed away?"
Rito paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "It's the eleventh year, Father."
Kubo's father nodded, saying nothing more, but simply patted his son's shoulder. "It's good that someone came with you." He then looked at Misa, whose face bore a striking resemblance to his deceased wife. He seemed to understand something, and a soft spot in his heart was touched.
Indeed, the passing of a loved one is like a long rainy season. But that's alright, now that someone is helping you take care of him, I can feel more at ease.
The middle-aged man sighed, thinking he understood his son's thoughts. He silently memorized Senbei's face and planned to have someone take good care of her when he got back. After chatting with his son for a few more minutes, he sent the two away, picked up a bouquet of chrysanthemums, and went up the mountain.
After saying goodbye to her father, Rito drove the car back onto the expressway back to Tokyo. Misa remained in the passenger seat, and a feeling of unease welled up inside her as she recalled the strange look Rito's father had given her earlier.
Could it be... perhaps I really do have a chance?
Although she has always been praised for her excellent professionalism and rational life planning, whether before joining the group, during her idol career, or after graduation, the premise is that she has never encountered a truly extraordinary opportunity with sky-high returns. Once the rewards in front of her are tempting enough, no matter how small the chance, someone will always want to try it. After all, the underlying code of human beings is gambling, and every choice in life is no different.
"Your father," she began, glancing at Rihito who was driving, then paused before continuing with a hint of nervousness, "has he been pressuring you to get married?"
"No." Rito's expression was calm. He turned the steering wheel, overtook a slowly moving Toyota in front of him, and stared straight ahead. Before she could ask any more questions, he immediately said, "Because I'm getting married in September. The bride is the eldest daughter of the Kyushu Seki family. She even interned at the company before you came here."
Misa paused for a moment, then smiled, but it wasn't a bitter smile, nor was it a forced smile meant to comfort herself. If you had to describe it, it was more like the relieved smile of an idol announcing their graduation. After laughing, she scratched her head, revealing a silly expression that was rarely seen on her face.
"I thought I was really prepared, but when the time came, I didn't expect that all the mental preparation I had was so insignificant."
She spoke in a lighthearted tone about a topic that should have been very serious. Rito was amused by her and said he could understand. She looked like a perfect wife and mother, and since he couldn't fulfill her wishes, he should be the one apologizing.
"Really? I don't think so myself." Xianbei glanced at him, shook her head, and knew that he wasn't telling the truth. The one who really looked like a good wife and mother was Elbow Brother, or Sister-in-law, and even BBA seemed more promising. She and they were not in the same league.
"So what kind of track are you on?" Rihito asked with interest, driving with one hand on the wheel.
"Of course, I'd marry a high-income nouveau riche, preferably an athlete, then keep all the money in my hands, live the life of high society I've always imagined, raise the kids, and live a peaceful life, right?"
She thought for a while, then began to describe it clearly and logically, laughing at herself as she spoke.
"That sounds pretty feasible." Rito thought to herself, "No wonder she's Senbei, she set her life goals so early. No wonder she got married just six months after graduation." Then she teased, "But you forgot one thing: if your husband cheats on you and gets caught, don't forget to apologize."
Hearing him say that, Misa glared at him, annoyed. Although she knew this was typical of the Japanese, she couldn't help but retort:
"And what about you? If you were found out, would you also make the young lady come out and apologize?"
Upon hearing this, Rito's smile vanished. He sighed, slowed the car slightly, took Misa's hand, and gently kissed her ring finger.
"Don't worry, if that day ever comes, I will take full responsibility before the reports are published and I won't implicate you."
Misa paused for a moment, her eyes softening, and she smiled gently. After a long while, she slowly spoke, "Truly, as expected of the man I chose, Kubo Rito."
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Upon entering the city, Rito first delivered the senbei to the block above the Nogizaka dormitory, observed the surrounding situation, and then parked and turned off the engine.
He didn't get out of the car immediately, but reminded Misa to find someone to help her back. After thinking for a while, Xianbei dialed the number of the gentle and honest little princess. After receiving an affirmative answer, he hung up with a smile.
"Black Sugar is indeed a good kid." Rito commented condescendingly. Misa glanced at him, thinking that he hadn't even spoken a few words to the other second-generation members, so what was he pretending to be familiar with? She ignored him. Rito, who had been rebuffed, wasn't angry. While the little princess was going downstairs, he went up to her again and opened Senbei's delicate lips.
After a brief, passionate moment, the two acted decisively without lingering. They straightened their clothes, and Rito pressed the button to open the trunk, saying to her, "Oh, right, I have two bottles of wine here. Take one; I don't have anyone else to deliver it to."
Upon hearing this, Misa, the sake connoisseur, didn't refuse, knowing that what he brought out couldn't be ordinary. She waited expectantly in her seat for a while, and soon he returned to the car with two beautifully packaged bottles of sake. Misa took them and saw that the two bottles were indeed quite different, even their names were different: one was called "Rin-Tune," and the other "Azure Sun." (Actually, they were collaboration sake between Tateishi Rin and Aoki Hina, not particularly high-end.)
"I like this bottle. The black mold candy is here, I'm off."
Misa glanced at the alcohol content of the two bottles of wine and decisively chose the more mellow Cangyang. Seeing the little princess running towards her in the distance, she quickly got out of the car and said goodbye to Rito.
The little princess helped her into the elevator, but Misa declined her offer to take her upstairs. She went in alone with the wine in her arms. Only then could she finally release the joy she felt last night, the joy of being the first to charge into the enemy's territory. She hummed a song, stroking the wine bottle in her arms, her mood extremely high, until the elevator doors opened and she saw that unbelievably beautiful face.
"Misa?" Bai Ma looked at her with some surprise, her face showing signs of sleeplessness. She casually asked, "Where did you go last night? I knocked on the door but you didn't answer, and you didn't answer the phone either."
Before Misa could answer, Shirama's gaze had already passed over her shoulder and landed on the bottle of sake in her hand. Her eyes widened for a moment, as if she felt she had seen it somewhere before. Just as Misa subconsciously hid the sake behind her back, her memory bank finally connected successfully, and her expression changed instantly.
"Misa," Bai Ma stared into her eyes, the corners of her mouth still curved slightly, but it was no longer a smile; it was a more complex expression, somewhere between confusion and hurt. "Where did you go last night?"
Misa looked into Bai Ma's eyes. Bai Ma was a good colleague, a good friend, and a good woman. Unfortunately, fighting for a man wasn't like being an idol where everyone could unite. The moment she left home last night, she was prepared for this day to come. With a slightly hoarse voice from shouting last night, she whispered that it was nothing, then, clutching her wine bottle, she brushed past Bai Ma, opened the door to her apartment, and vanished without a trace.
About an hour later, her phone rang. It was Li Ren calling to ask if she had taken her medication. He was well aware that the two of them hadn't used protection last night.
"No, I'll go buy it later." Misa sat on the floor leaning against the door, looking down at the off-white linen dress she was wearing, rubbing her stomach with her hand, and said softly.
"No, we'll be in big trouble if someone recognizes us. I'll have Airi bring it over; she works at the company, not far from where you are."
"I understand." Misa didn't refuse; this was indeed the best solution.
Forty minutes later, there was a knock on her door. It was Suzuki Airi, the president's assistant, wearing a crisp white shirt and dark trousers, carrying a white paper bag without any logo, and looking rather grumpy. Misa could tell she was in a bad mood.
"Eto, the president asked me to bring this to you." She shoved the paper bag through the door, and Misa was about to thank her when she heard her voice again:
"What happened last night was my fault. Thank you for helping me find the flaws in my work."
Misa frowned, took the paper bag, and didn't retaliate. She simply bowed slightly and said thank you, but Airi found it even more annoying. She snorted coldly, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
Watching the assistant's aggressive back, Misa gave a bitter smile, knowing that her opportunistic intrusion had offended the University of Tokyo student who had always protected the president from harassment. She could understand some of the assistant's thoughts, but whether the assistant could understand her was beyond her control.
After seeing Airi off, Misa smoothed her long hair and was about to close the door when a pair of clean, white hands with distinct knuckles reached out from behind the door frame, stopping her. Just as she was about to go out to see who it was, the hand grabbed the white paper bag in her hand. She immediately sensed something was wrong and pulled back, but the other person didn't let go. The paper bag tore open, and a box of clearly labeled medicine fell to the ground with a thud.
Mai Shiraishi came out from behind the door, picked up the medicine, and handed it to Misa Eto. The two looked at each other for a long time but said nothing. Finally, Misa took the box and said an apology in a barely audible voice. The door slowly closed, and the two leaned against the door panels on one side and slowly sat down. Although they were very close, they both felt as if the other was on the other side of the earth.