Chapter 774: Irreplaceable (END)
Many things happened after that day.
However, as they decided to be together once again, they spent a steamy night and a day in Asahikawa for almost a few days. With the cold temperature of the Hokkaido winter, staying side by side felt so much more comfortable. Still, while his body was okay since he was many times stronger than an average adult, Chihiro was still a normal human, so she needed to rest.
Even so, the days that they spent those days were irreplaceable.
Still, even though they had decided to be together once again, Chihiro decided to stay in Asahikawa, at least until he graduated. Even though he had reassured her that everything would be alright, it wouldn't hurt to be careful, right?
More importantly, if she was in Asahikawa, they could go on a date whenever they could without being afraid of the others. This was something impossible to do in Tokyo, but in Asahikawa, it was possible. She also felt that she would be ungrateful if she left so soon, especially when the school had accepted her so kindly. Lastly, it felt great to monopolize him, and to hug him in this cold temperature felt so comfortable.
Shishio also didn't mind since it wasn't like they couldn't meet each other. He also didn't mind visiting Asahikawa, especially when he realized that there were many girls that could trigger his system in this town. While he felt weird, he didn't overthink.
With that said, everyone also knew about their relationship, and naturally, they were all dumbfounded when they learned about their relationship. However, when they thought about his personality, they could only stare at him while rolling their eyes.
As of now, they were a bit dreaded since they were afraid that their mothers might be attacked by him.
'Hey!'
He wanted to change his image in their minds, but he knew that it was impossible. In their eyes, he was a pervert. This made him sigh since he was just a man in love. He was just being true to his penis.
However, with that problem, everything became clear, and everything felt so comfortable.
Yet, it didn't mean that his problem had ended.
There were many problems that they encountered, such as the demolition of Sakurasou.
With the transfer of Chihiro to Asahikawa, the school also used this chance to demolish Sakurasou, telling all the tenants to move,
Shishio understood this because he knew Sakurasou's building was quite old. Therefore, it was better to demolish it and build a new building or just sell it since the ones who lived in Sakurasou were nothing but troubled students.
If it was in the original, everyone in the Sakurasou would gather their power together, trying to stop the demolition of Sakurasou, using their youth and passion to move everyone's heart since this place contained a lot of precious memories all they so didn't want this place to be destroyed.
However, did someone forget about Shishio?
Shishio was the owner of Suimei, but he decided to buy Sakurasou, owning it as his private property together with Shiina since they used their money from a manga to buy this place.
To be honest, he knew that compared to her, his feeling toward this place was quite lacking. After all, Sakurasou was nothing but a building. Nothing is permanent—everything in existence changes. Even if Sakurasaou was demolished, he was ready with it since what was important was the memory.
However, for Shiina, this was a special place since this was the place where she met him.
Even if she used all of her money, she was going to protect Sakurasou.
With that being said, they were in trouble since with them, as the new owner, they didn't have time to manage this place. In the end, Ritsu recommended the little sister of her grandfather, who was kind of a cute old lady. They agreed without hesitation since this cute old lady somehow kind of fit with the atmosphere of Suimei.
More importantly, this old lady could handle Shiro-san, which was kind of amazing.
They felt like this old lady seemed to be born for this kind of job.
With that said, this wasn't the only problem since in February, when Misaki graduated, she stood in front of everyone and confessed her life to him while also giving him a proposal to marry.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Shishio was also speechless.
Yet, without a doubt, this year's graduation would be unforgettable for all of them.
Still, even if Misaki graduated, she didn't move away. No, she moved away to the house next to Sakurasou since she wanted to live like a newlywed with Shishio. She wanted to be like a wife who lived a gray life because her husband often went to his mistress.
With that kind of setting, Misaki somehow became more creative with her anime.
"..." Shishio.
As for the university, Misaki went to Suimei University.
With that decision, everyone also decided to stay in Tokyo after they graduated from high school.
Now the real problem is, how was his relationship with his parents?
Strangely enough, they didn't disown him and even let him do whatever he wanted.
Why?
Because he was known as the strongest man on earth.
The rules of this country, or the world, simply couldn't bind him.
The system had given him a lot of things.
If he couldn't use it to keep and protect everything around him, he was simply an idiot.
With all of those problems solved, the time continued to pass, and it was already the end of March.
It had been almost a year since Shishio stayed in Tokyo, and in a few weeks, he would become the second year.
During this time, the streets of Tokyo were tinted with cherry blossoms.
This time while he was doing it with his women yesterday, he still gave them time to rest since, in the morning, they decided to have a "Hanami," which was a flower-viewing tradition to enjoy the transient beauty of cherry blossoms.
To be honest, they were quite late, but they weren't in a hurry. If they were like any of those people, they wouldn't get a place to sit down to approach the cherry blossoms, but with Shishio, they didn't need to worry about that.
When he woke up with his women, the world outside was brimming with sunlight. The houses in the neighborhood were misty in the spring haze, and every one of their windows caught the sun and sparkled pleasantly. Here and there, in the spaces between the mixed-used buildings, he could see cherry blossoms in full bloom.
They had a light breakfast with lightly buttered toast and a cafe au lait with plenty of milk. This breakfast might not be enough for him, but they had prepared many foods for the "Hanami," so he was going to fill his stomach at that time.
'Should this be the so-called dango before flowers?'
He preferred food instead of flowers, but a combination of the two might be able to create something that he didn't expect.
As they washed the dishes, they thought that it was their time to walk out. They didn't go in the car but instead walked on foot since the location was relatively close. It was also a good way to burn calories since they knew that they would eat a lot of food later.
Shishio put on a light jacket and walked behind everyone while observing everything as he stepped forward. It was a pleasant day, with a gentle wind that ruffled his hair every so often, and the air held the scent of morning.
Watching all of his women, he suddenly got nostalgia from when he arrived in Tokyo for the first time, being troubled by his past, overcoming his past, and making many important connections with a lot of women.
All of them had become irreplaceable for him, and he treasured all of them.
Yet, he had to say, he still thought about his girlfriend from his previous life.
He wondered what she was doing now.
He was living well in this world, but what about her? Was she living well? He wasn't sure, but unless he made a machine to travel to another world, it was impossible for him to know about her condition.
Still, he had to say Tokyo was a special place; he also realized that every time of day had its own smell in this city. Early morning had a unique scent that told of the rest of the day, while the scent of the evening gently brought the day to an end. The starry night sky had its own scent, and so did the cloudy skies. The smells were a mixture of people, the city, and the workings of nature.
As they walked slowly through the residential neighborhoods, with their complicated tangles of narrow streets. When he got thirsty, he bought oolong tea from a vending machine. Everyone also followed before they continued their trip. The street was relatively quiet. The sky behind them was a clear pale blue, as if someone had dissolved blue paint in plenty of water, and a few white clouds were being swept along by the wind.
They reached a railroad crossing. A large cherry tree stood beside it, and the surrounding asphalt was pure white with fallen blossoms.
As he watched the petals drift slowly down, out of nowhere, he thought.
"That's five centimeters per second!"
Before he said anything, Nana chirped.
Everyone also talked about Shishio's first story ever written since this situation reminded them of the situation in that book, but the crossing's alarm began to sound, echoing around them, dyed with nostalgia by the spring air.
From up ahead, a woman was walking in their direction. The pleasant clicks of her white mules on the concrete joined the rhythm of the crossing alarm. In the center of the crossing, the two passed each other.
At that moment, a faint light flickered in his heart.
When he passed through the crossing, he was dumbfounded. He felt like his heart was beating so fast, as if he saw something impossible. He turned back and looked at her. She turned his way, too, but when their eyes were about to meet at that moment, an Odakyu Line express train passed and hid them from each other.
He didn't move and stood there, and he had a feeling that woman also did the same.
With anticipation growing in his heart, the train passed, and their eyes met each other.
The crossing's alarm still echoed, but they felt like the world was in silence.
The sky was blue, the wind was cool, and the beautifully clear air held the scent of early spring.
The two couldn't contain their emotions and ran toward each other.
NOTE:
That's it. That's the end. Thank you.
To be honest, when I wrote this story, this was the ending that I had imagined, so I am pretty satisfied with it. Naturally, some of you may not, but well, this is the best I can do currently.
As for who is that woman at the end? There is no need for me to spill it, right?
As for my feelings? I am not sure. I feel conflicted somehow and also feel relief.
However, thank you for following me on this journey.
Lastly, let me prepare a poem for you:
Finishing a novel
It's a single milepost
On a barren journey.
Neither is it joyful,
Nor is it sorrowful.
Once again, thank you.
