Chapter 495
The title of Chapter 495 was used in the previous chapter.
Half an hour later, Kazuya Miwa ended the call.
He was about to complain when he turned around and found that his only listener, Aoyagi Akimitsu, was no longer on the sofa.
The knitting needles and yarn were put back into the bag, and the little jacket was thrown into the trash can. The Scottish cat was still there, and when it saw Kazuya Miwa looking at it, it meowed at him.
"..."
Hearing the noise from the kitchen, Kazuya Miwa stuffed his phone into his pocket and walked over there.
Aoyagi Akimitsu was busy at the kitchen counter, pounding several pieces of meat in the prepared sauce before scooping them all out and placing them on an iron plate.
Dressed as an old lady, he was shorter than Kazuya Miwa, wearing an apron, his hair piled up and mostly gray, and his wrists, exposed under the sleeves, were as thin and withered as withered wood.
But Kazuya Miwa knew that all of this was just a facade; a change in appearance did not mean a change in inner ability. The Aoyagi Akimitsu in front of him was still the dangerous individual who could smash an entire solid wood table with a single punch.
"Are you starting to prepare dinner now?" Kazuya Miwa asked, puzzled.
“Yes.” Aoyagi Akimitsu spoke in an old man’s voice: “The meat needs to be marinated for several hours in advance to absorb the flavor. This is a dish I just learned to make, and it’s my first time. If you think it’s good, let me know.”
"……Row."
Kazuya Miwa scratched his head, his mood somewhat complicated.
It has been a month since Aoyagi Akimitsu last left.
Although he didn't go to Gunma in person, he knew from some news this month that his teammate and the red team player had done a lot of things.
As a result, after Aoyagi Akimitsu returned, he acted as if nothing had happened, staying in his apartment for a whole month without going out again, and even had the leisure to learn to cook new dishes.
This mentality is simply...
Looking at him, and then at himself, Kazuya Miwa sighed silently.
As if noticing his actions, Aoyagi Akimitsu casually asked, "What's wrong? Not doing well at work lately?"
His tone was as kind as an old lady who genuinely cares about her grandson, which gave Kazuya Miwa goosebumps. He answered truthfully, "No, it's just that I have a disagreement with the screenwriter."
Aoyagi Akimitsu turned to look at him and asked kindly, "It's been so long and you still haven't finalized the new script? If you encounter any difficulties, I can offer you some advice."
"No, no, no need."
Kazuya Miwa shook his head repeatedly.
Whether it was because the air conditioning was too cold or because he instinctively sensed danger, he felt a chill run down his back.
"It's a relationship issue. She and I have different opinions about the characters' romantic storylines. You... uh, I probably can't offer any advice on that."
Actually, Miwa didn't really want to talk to Aoyagi Akihiro about the details of his work. Thinking of the scene he had just seen, he changed the subject: "By the way, why did you lose that little outfit for the cat? It was all knitted."
"I only realized the color was wrong after I finished knitting it," Aoyagi Akimitsu said helplessly. "It has nothing to do with you. If you really have nothing to do, help me water the flowers by the door. It's hot lately, so please take good care of them."
"it is good."
Miwa Kazuya felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He picked up a simple watering can next to the refrigerator, filled it with some water, and strode out of the kitchen.
The apartment building has a poor orientation, so the kitchen and living room get almost no sunlight, and you have to turn on the lights even during the day.
Kazuya Miwa walked towards the entrance with a watering can in his hand. As he passed the trash can, he glanced again at the jacket that was supposedly the wrong color.
It's light blue, which looks pretty good, but I don't know what's wrong with it.
Just then, a blast of cool air from the air conditioner above blew onto Kazuya Miwa, causing him to shiver silently.
...Never mind, don't overthink it.
He had never figured out what this teammate was thinking or what he wanted to do even after working with him for over two years.
Anyway, he doesn't seem to have any ill intentions towards me. I haven't done anything to him in all this time we've known each other, so there's no need to overthink it.
After comforting himself for who knows how many times this month, Kazuya Miwa opened the door.
The summer sun and heatwave hit him head-on, and the extreme contrast made Kazuya Miwa feel dizzy.
He was about to lift the watering can when he caught a glimpse of the elevator doors opening at the end of the corridor. A young man in a light blue short-sleeved uniform stepped out. He was about twenty years old and looked very young. He seemed to have just come back from outside; his forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and his clothes were stained with a dark patch.
Kazuya Miwa initially thought it was one of his neighbors, but after looking at it closely for a moment, he realized he didn't recognize it at all.
He wasn't a deliveryman; that uniform looked more like...
The man also spotted Miwa Kazuya at a glance, since this was the only house on the corridor with its door open, and there were many eye-catching flower pots placed at the entrance.
He strode over here, and when he got closer, Kazuya Miwa realized that he was holding a stack of flyers.
"Hello, I am Yano Izumi, a patrol officer from the nearby police station."
They really are police officers.
Upon recognizing the police uniform, Miwa Kazuya felt the surname sounded vaguely familiar. He instinctively tensed up and asked with a hint of wariness, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
The young patrolman, oblivious to his attitude, handed over the flyer with a friendly smile.
"Here's the thing, there have been several burglaries in the neighborhood recently, so our police station has decided to conduct a safety awareness campaign for the residents of this area. This is a leaflet we printed, which contains some important information."
Kazuya Miwa took the flyer, which indeed contained some measures, and he felt relieved for the time being.
"Thank you, I'll be careful," he said politely.
The patrolman named Yano Izumi did not leave. He stared at Miwa Kazuya's obviously out-of-season long sleeves and trousers, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"Sir, may I ask you...?"
"—Kazuya, who's here?"
Kazuya Miwa slowly turned around.
Aoyagi Akimitsu had left the kitchen at some point and was now standing in the living room.
The slightly hunched figure was backlit, his face obscured by shadows, as he walked toward them, wiping his hands on his apron.
He walked to the door, looked at the young policeman standing there, and smiled.
Kazuya Miwa's heart skipped a beat.
……
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
It was late at night in Toronto, which is thirteen time zones away from Tokyo.
Sugitani Hagaku had no classes the next morning, so she was still awake. She sat at her desk in her pajamas, the light from her laptop illuminating her face. She browsed the latest Japanese news, her brow furrowing more and more with each page.
"Om-"
Suddenly, my phone vibrated.
She picked it up and saw that it was a message from the boss of the place where she worked part-time.
I'll need your help at the ranch again tomorrow; the company suddenly received a large order for beef...
After reading it, Sugitani Hagaku quickly replied to the other party.
……
Sugiya Yoko.
Female, one of the players, ID: Lazy, random player.
The animal messengers are the ox and the horse.
This year marks the beginning of the story, and also the third year since she fled Japan.
She doesn't plan to go back for the time being. (End of Chapter)