182 – Shiraishi in Trouble
The door was opened.
My father was looking out the window.
From there, you could clearly see me and my friends coming out to the front door of the mansion to see them off.
“I heard you have something important to say.”
Only then did my father turn around and gestured bluntly.
“Ah… okay. “Sit comfortably.”
Even though I suggested that, my heart could not be moved.
When your body is tense, it is natural for your mind to harden. My father looked at me silently and sighed softly.
“Okay. “Akira, you can do whatever you want, whether you’re sitting or standing.”
At least my father still seemed to harbor guilt over the series of events surrounding my engagement.
I had no intention of blaming my father for that.
If I hadn’t left home because I was resentful of those events and the engagement, I wouldn’t have been able to meet them and have a relationship like this.
With everyone… And there would have been no need to build a relationship like this with Minsu.
When I thought about it that way, I realized that everything that happened to me was fate.
Destiny.
Him and me.
We are destined to live forever through this meeting.
It is concluded… Forever… ?
I looked at my father, trying to stop myself from being consumed by pointless questions.
“I am ready to hear anything.”
“…… Akira.”
My tone may have been a bit hostile.
My father slightly lowered his head and smiled bitterly as if he had no choice.
“Of course, the reason I called you was to make a suggestion. But….”
My father sat on the sofa and said as he poured alcohol into a glass.
“I have no intention of forcing you like I did when I got engaged. “It’s true.”
After emptying his glass, he looked at me.
“I don’t want to stand in the way of your happiness of living freely now, free from interference from the family or me.”
Look away.
I tried to calm down at the sight of my father looking weak, but I clenched my fists again.
“However, if you want to become the owner of the Shiraishi family in the future, you must be able to give up some things.”
I raised my head.
My father poured alcohol into his glass again and slowly opened his mouth as if he was scolding me.
“Good friends. There are no problems with school life, and I heard that the school festival was successfully completed recently under your leadership, Akira.”
I knew that everyone had heard everything about me.
My father continued speaking in a calm tone.
“If it was your dream to have a pleasant academy life like ordinary people, I think that would have been fulfilled.”
At about that time, I realized what my father was trying to say.
“If you haven’t let go of your goal, I hope you will leave this place and come with me starting next year.”
If he scolded me or got angry as if to force me to get engaged, I would try to fight back as loudly as I did then.
But now, my father understands me more than ever.
Even though he understood, he spoke quietly, as if he was admonishing me.
“Father, I….”
I tried to refuse.
When I think of my current life, the friends I spent with her, and the last person I saw, it’s hard to accept this offer.
“Akira. “I hope you think about it carefully.”
My father opened his mouth first, as if he knew what I was going to say.
“A friend is something you can see as much as you want. I have no intention of saying anything as you continue to meet with them. “In fact, I wish we could continue to be friends.”
“Then…” !”
“However, ideals and goals are different things.”
That’s it….
My ideal is to live happily ever after with the people I like.
“My goal of wanting you to meet a good man and live a comfortable life as a woman also went astray. “It’s my fault for not recognizing people properly.”
As my father drank the glass, he frowned as if he was enduring a bitter taste.
“In that case, I thought I had no choice but to support your goal of ultimately wanting to lead this family as a woman.”
I was surprised by those words.
That was no different from my father acknowledging me.
My heart was pounding with new hopes, but at the same time, an anxious feeling filled my heart.
The anxiety was not a lack of confidence, worrying about whether I could really do it.
In the end, what my father says is….
“To help my daughter achieve her goal… “Start now, so that you can gain experience early and develop performance so that you can become an owner that everyone in the family can understand.”
The need to escape from the current environment.
“I hope you will follow me starting next year.”
You have to break up with them.
“I won’t force you to come to a conclusion right now.”
I couldn’t say anything.
I can’t agree or disagree, I agree with my father’s words, but my heart wants to stay here because of the conflicting feelings of foolishness.
What should I do….
What came to mind at that time was his image.
The man who guided me through my wanderings.
“I already heard about it, and today I also realized it while looking at them….”
Seeing that I couldn’t say anything, my father added one thing.
“That man… “You have a girlfriend.”
“Ah….”
“I didn’t want to say it like this. However, it is not good to waste time dwelling on something you cannot hold on to.”
I kept falling apart, but with that one last word, I was completely shattered.
“I hope you make a wise choice.”
I left the room without any rebuttal or answer.
***
“Indeed! “You’re studying here!”
“Shiraishi, be quiet…” .”
I followed the person who was embarrassed and raised his finger to his mouth, so I covered his mouth.
“It’s quiet in the library….”
For a moment, I nodded as I looked at the person who was embarrassed by the attention of the crowd.
I see. Be quiet in the library.
I learned another thing.
The space where I read books has always been in my personal study or my room, so this was my first time coming to a place like this.
When I sat down, Minsu went around the edge of the desk and sat across from me.
There were plenty of empty seats, and even though I deliberately sat in empty seats on both sides….
I was a bit disappointed, but I decided to put it down after realizing that it was for studying purposes.
For me too, if Minsu was right next to me, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my studies.
When I raise my head, I make eye contact with Minsu.
Minsu muttered ‘Fighting’ and clenched his fists.
As if I agreed with him, I clenched his fist and lifted his arm as hard as I could.
As attention was focused again, Minsu cleared his throat, bowed his head, and began studying.
I see, in a place like this, you have to be careful not only with your voice but also with your actions.
I learned another thing.
It was a subject I had already mastered and didn’t need to be reviewed, but as I solved the same part with Minsu, I glanced at him from time to time.
I wanted to talk to you, but I wouldn’t be able to because this is a library.
You have to be careful about moving your body and drawing attention.
I had no choice but to look at the workbook that I solved all of in just a few minutes, and all I could see was that person.
Ah… You’re still solving that problem.
I hastily typed the answer and moved on, but the sight of him holding his head for several minutes and trying to read the other side of even such an easy problem really touched my heart.
He is like Minsu, who works hard and treats everything seriously.
As I watched him secretly, Minsu began to nod off with his head down.
Ah, it’s a brief siesta time.
I also think that I need enough time to rest after finishing work.
Of course, I solved the whole thing in 6 minutes, so there was nothing more to do.
This must be a much-needed break for Minsu, who has been concentrating for an hour.
The sight of him sleeping with his head bobbing back and forth was very cute.
To the point where I couldn’t help but smile.
However, even after 10 minutes, he did not wake up.
No, I have to wake him up….
With that in mind, I got up and slowly approached that person.
I guess this is something that can be done.
Because I approached secretly without making a sound.
I reached out my hand and shook Minsu’s shoulder.
“Mr. Minsu….”
I whispered quietly.
“…… Wake up. “It’s past nap time.”
However, Mr. Minsu, who was lying down on his desk with his arms folded, did not get up at all.
It’s a big deal.
How tired you must have been to get such a deep sleep in the library….
I was concerned about his health and decided not to wake him up any more.
But….
I squatted down next to him and quietly looked at his sleeping face.
“…… Mr. Minsu.”
What should I do?
That wasn’t something I could tell anyone anymore.
This is my goal. My choice.
I was slowly realizing that ideals are just ideals, facing the reality and goals before my eyes.
But now….
For now.
It was already late, and there was no one in the deserted library.
‘Chuwup’
I stuck my head out and carefully kissed his cheek.
I covered my mouth like a kid playing a prank that should never be caught, and looked around to see what was happening.
“Just one more time…” .”
Once again, I stretched out my body to the sleeping person.
“Please forgive me….”
At that moment, the hair that had fallen behind his ear skimmed his nose.
“…… What.”
He opened his eyes.
I quickly turned around and pretended to look out the window.
After getting up, Minsu rubbed his nose and looked around him for a moment, but then he started studying again.
But now I couldn’t go back to my seat and sit down.
Because my face reflected through the window was so red that anyone could see it.