Chapter 24

It was when I was still a college student.

"Please! Give me your daughter!"

I went to meet Misa's father to ask for his permission to marry her.

However...

"Are you kidding? I'd never give my daughter to someone like you."

"Why... why is that!?"

Misa's father... [Nagano Eirou] (Misa's maiden name was Nagano).

Nagano looked down on me and said,

"You write [this kind of stuff], don't you?"

He threw [it] in front of me.

It was a light novel.

The author's name was... [Okatani].

It was my... pen name.

"Ridiculous, how ridiculous, this thing."

"..."

...This thing.

When he said that, I bit my lip until it bled.

Does he know the effort it took to create just one of these?

Does he know how much time and passion I poured into it before my debut...?

My insides boiled, and I almost lashed out at him.

"Surely you don't plan to make a living off [this] after graduation, do you?"

...But his words made me suddenly calm down.

Making a living as a writer.

How difficult it is.

I know.

Because... I can't write the sequel to that book.

"..."

"Hah! What a foolish man. You have no grasp of reality. I hate dreamy young men like you the most."

I couldn't say anything in response.

Maybe he's right; maybe I don't see reality.

"Anyway, I can't give my precious daughter to a man who wants to make this his lifelong career."

"..."

"If you really want my daughter... How about this. If you get a job at [Takanawa], I might consider it."

Takanawa. Not just in light novels, but in the publishing industry, it's the number one company.

"Of course! A man who can't see reality like you would never be able to do it...!"

I calmed down after being mocked by Misa's father.

I have to get married and support a family.

To support someone, you need money.

You need a stable income.

How unstable a writer's income is...

I was made to realize this by Misa's father's harsh words.

Misa's father is right as a parent.

He doesn't want to give his daughter to a dreamy young man.

He's saying this because he wants his daughter to be happy.

While I think it's wrong to belittle someone, I can understand it.

"..."

At that time, I had two paths.

Hold onto my dreams and live alone.

Give up my dreams and live with my wife in reality.

...I was torn.

"..."

After struggling with the choice between dreams and reality, I chose reality.

At that time, I didn't understand.

What kind of woman Misa was.

That the choice I made was a mistake.

"..."

"Understood."

"Huh?"

Misa's father looked taken aback.

"If I get a job at Takanawa, will you let me marry Misa?"

"A, ah... Hmph! If you can do it, go ahead!"

"Understood."

"Hmph! You say it so easily. A fool who doesn't understand how difficult it is won't get my daughter!"

...I was forced to choose, and in the end, I gave up my ideals.

...And so, the writer [Okatani] died, and the editor [Okaya Masahiko] was born.

★

The story returns to the present.

I went shopping with Akari.

On the way back... I encountered my father-in-law, Misa's father.

"Masahiko! Please! Help reconcile with my daughter...!"

In the evening, on the street, an old man was doing a dogeza.

"...You, stop joking around."

"Akari, stop."

"Akari..."

I know Akari gets angry in situations like this.

She's a kind person.

That's why I stopped her.

"Go home first."

"But..."

"Just go."

This is an adult problem.

It has nothing to do with children.

I don't want this child, who has a bright future, to hear the ugly stories of adults.

I don't want her to lose hope in the future.

Akari should have a bright future, as her name suggests.

"..."

Akari looked at me several times and then walked ahead.

"M, Masahiko... Who is she?"

I don't have to explain everything to this person.

"She's a former student I taught when I was a part-time teacher. We just happened to be together. Is there any relation?"

"N, no... No, that's right... It's impossible. She looks like a little girl."

My father-in-law visibly relaxed...

He's probably inconvenienced because he wants me to reconcile with his daughter and doesn't want me to have a girlfriend.

"Please stand up. You're blocking the street."

"Grr... Don't act so high and mighty..."

I want to say, "Compared to who?" but it doesn't matter.

I want to finish this conversation quickly and go home.

My father-in-law slowly stood up.

"It's been a while, Mr. [Nagano]. So... how did you know I was here? I moved, you know."

"That... It's... Well..."

From his flustered reaction, he probably used some questionable means.

Maybe he hired a private detective.

What a creepy guy...

"That doesn't matter! The main point is... Masahiko, please! Help reconcile with Misa..."

"I'm sorry, but I have no intention of getting back together with Misa."

"What...!?"

"Excuse me."

I bowed and tried to pass by Misa's father.

"Wait...!"

He grabbed my hand.

Sweating and desperate, he said,

"Please! Just once more, just once more, can you give her another chance!?"

"Why? Misa cheated on me. How can I get back together with a woman who betrayed my trust and had another man?"

"That... That... Well, a man should be able to forgive a one-time affair!"

"Can you say the same if your wife cheated on you?"

"Grr...!"

You can't, can you? Don't force me to do something you can't do yourself.

I firmly pushed Misa's father's hand away.

"Misa betrayed me. No matter what you say, I have no intention of getting back together with her. Goodbye."

I tried to walk away without looking back.

"Wait! Just listen...!"

Misa's father clung to my leg.

"Do you know how Misa is doing now?"

"I don't know. I don't care."

"Misa is in debt! She's working in the sex industry to pay it off...!"

"So what? I told you, I don't care."

...Debt. She's working in the sex industry to pay off her debt.

So what?

It's none of my business. It's not related to me, yet...

For some reason, I felt like the book by [Okatani], which I had given up, was lying at my feet.

"I can't bear to see her suffer! Please! You're the only one who can save her from hell, Masahiko!"

"It's none of my business..."

"Didn't you once choose her over your foolish dreams!? Didn't you choose her even though you gave up your dreams!?"

...Giving up my dreams.

Yes... When I chose Misa, I also gave up something important to me.

I gave up my path as a writer to choose Misa.

...That, like her betrayal, is a fact.

"I..."

"Stop joking around!"

"Akari..."

I turned around, and there was a beautiful blonde girl... Akari.

Akari had tears in her eyes, but her beautiful face was twisted with anger.

"You want to help your daughter? Stop joking around! It's her own responsibility!"

"B, but my foolish daughter...?"

"She accumulated the debt herself after we broke up! What does it have to do with Akari!?"

"But... The shock of breaking up with you... led to the debt..."

"First of all, the reason for the breakup was your foolish daughter's infidelity! She got what she deserved!"

"Ugh..."

Misa's father was losing the argument.

Akari's anger hadn't subsided, and she raised her voice.

"If you feel sorry for your daughter, you should pay off her debt! Why are you relying on others!?"

"Well, I..."

"You're just thinking that it would be easier and less painful for you if Akari, who works for a big company, reconciled with her, right!?"

"Ugh... Shut up!"

Caught off guard, Misa's father raised his voice and stood up.

Akari flinched but stood her ground.

"Don't butt into adult conversations, you brat!"

"Shouting at a child... Aren't you ashamed as an adult?"

"Ugh..."

"Exploiting someone's kindness and pushing your daughter's mistakes onto others... Is that what adults do?"

Misa's father clenched his fists.

"Don't act so high and mighty...! You're just a kid, a girl... You're so arrogant!"

Smack...!

Slap...!

"You, you!"

"Akari..."

I stopped Misa's father's punch.

"Enough."

I twisted his arm and put him in a fireman's carry.

"Ugh...!"

"Wow... Akari, do you do judo?"

"Well... It's like riding an old horse."

I can't say I learned judo and correspondence karate because I thought they might be good for light novel material.

I continued to apply the joint lock.

"Ouch. It hurts!"

"Shut up! It's the lowest to raise a hand to an unrelated child."

"Shut up! Don't order me around, you brat... Ouch!"

I applied the lock harder.

"Don't lay a hand on her."

"Okay, okay! Let me go!"

I released Misa's father.

"Akari...!"

Akari clung to my arm.

Her body was shaking.

"I'm sorry for scaring you."

She was shouted at and almost hit by an adult.

It's natural to be scared. ...I shouldn't have involved a child. I need to reflect on this.

"You...!"

Misa's father stood up.

"Who is that woman?"

"She's important to me."

"Akari..."

Akari clung to me again.

I gently stroked her hair.

"If you do something like this again, I'll step in."

"But..."

"Misa's situation is your responsibility, as Akari said. I'm no longer involved with Misa, and I have no intention of getting involved with her or you in the future."

"But..."

"Go away. Don't bring your dirty adult problems to this child again."

Akari clung to me, trembling.

I don't want to cast a shadow over this bright child.

I don't want her to hear adult problems like this again.

"..."

Misa's father fell silent.

It's time to leave.

"Stay away from us."

"Damn you, you brat! How dare you...!"

He tried to punch me again... but at that moment...

Someone stepped in front of me.

He clenched his fist...

"Ugh...!"

He punched Misa's father in the face.

Misa's father flew away like a ball and passed out.

"Who... who are you?"

Akari asked the man cautiously.

A tall man in a black suit stood in front of us.

"I'm just a passing Terminator."

"A Terminator...? Well, you do look like one..."

"Akari, that's rude. Sorry."

"No, it's fine."

The self-proclaimed Terminator picked up the unconscious Misa's father.

"I just happened to pass by. I overheard your conversation and couldn't help but intervene."

"Mr. Terminator, how do you know Akari's name?"

"Eh? Well, because I'm a Terminator?"

"Huh...?"

The man coughed.

"This man's actions were unbearable. Don't you think [punishment] is necessary?"

"...No, I still think raising a hand is wrong."

The man hesitated, "Y, you're right..."

Despite his tough appearance, he seems timid.

"Sorry, but I'm a Terminator."

"Is that all you can say?"

Akari's words made the man speechless.

"Anyway, since I raised my hand, I'll take responsibility and take him to the [hospital]. I'll handle [the rest]."

"Akari, do you want to leave it to him? I want to go home."

I thought about going to the hospital too.

But Akari was pulling my arm.

Well, it's a problem that he hit someone, but he tried to protect us from a violent man.

While his actions are suspicious, he doesn't seem like a bad person.

I'll leave it to him.

"I'll take you up on that."

"Leave it to me! Goodbye."

He bowed and left in a limousine.