Iruma-san wants to win the Akutagawa Prize

"I will. Actually, I feel much more at ease now that I can talk to you about this."

This time, Hibiki Iruma did not use the nickname "Pochi", but called Goto Ichiri by his name. After all, it was a habit to some extent that they did not call each other by their names. He had been calling him by the honorific classmate for too long, so it was a little difficult for him to adapt to the change.

"It's okay, Iruma-senpai! Family matters are more important! We can talk about our agreement later! Speaking of which—"

"As for me! I'm planning on going to see Ijichi-san and the others soon, so please don't worry too much about this."

I wish you and your family a speedy recovery! I will miss you, Iruma-senpai!

Kita's reply came soon, and attached was a cute photo of her with her middle finger raised. When he saw the photo, Iruma Hibiki was stunned for a moment, but then he suddenly remembered what happened before, and suddenly understood something, and did not reveal Kita's beautiful misunderstanding.

Then--

Hibiki Iruma looked at Crychic's group chat, which was in chaos because of his departure. Shoko Toyokawa seemed to have finished her work and started talking about his affairs.

Hibiki Iruma suddenly felt a little tired and didn't know how to face everyone in Crychic.

The plane moved slowly and looked like it would take off soon.

“Is it hard to say goodbye to a friend?”

His father's words rang out from beside him, almost accurately seeing through what Hibiki Iruma was thinking at the moment.

"Yeah, but... the situation on grandma's side is more important."

Iruma Hibiki spoke softly.

As if trying to convince himself.

"Regarding matters concerning the Toyokawa family, when you feel it is necessary and appropriate, please ask me and I will tell you. But before that, I will not interfere."

Finally, Yoshiaki Iruma gave Hibiki Iruma an answer to the previous topic.

"But, don't you want the daughter of the Nagasaki family? Hibiki, you can't be a scumbag."

"what are you saying?"

Iruma Hibiki suddenly raised his head and looked at his father in front of him.

But this anger only lasted for a short while, and soon his eyes dimmed.

"I was dumped."

Then he said softly and helplessly.

"You're really useless, kid."

Then, Iruma Hibiki was rubbed hard on the head by Iruma Yoshiaki.

The 1 hour and 10 minute flight was surprisingly quick. As soon as they landed, Hibiki Iruma got into the Maybach sedan that Yoshiaki Iruma had asked someone to prepare in advance and leave near the airport.

Then, braving the heavy rain that continued throughout the night, the Maybach drove through the rain curtain and headed towards Kyoto.

As for Hibiki Iruma, he explained his situation to everyone in Crychic with some difficulty.

finally--

The last person Hibiki Iruma chose to confess to was Nikka Ijichi.

Obviously this is the most important thing, and he has to ask Ichichi Hongxia to take care of everything during his upcoming vacation when he is not in school, but he doesn't know why.

Iruma Hibiki felt that Ijichi Hongka was the most difficult person for him to face at the moment, and the one he was most reluctant to part with.

He closed his eyes slightly amid the noise of heavy rain hitting the car window, and took some time to tell Ijichi Hongxia this extremely simple thing.

[Hibiki, are you on your way to Kyoto now?]

Nagasaki Suyo's private message arrived faster than anyone else's at this time.

【Yes, I have landed at Osaka Airport. 】

Then the conversation over there came to a standstill for a long time.

【Xiangzi plans to suspend the band's activities.】

[Yes, I saw it.]

Iruma Hibiki's calm reply made Nagasaki Suyo, who was curled up on the bed, slightly tense. She hugged the quilt in her arms a little nervously.

[Hibiki, can I... go to Kyoto to see you? ]

【Um? 】

Afterwards, Iruma Hibiki was so surprised by the news about Nagasaki Soyo that all the sleepiness and troubles disappeared in an instant.

Nagasaki Suyo's news slightly crossed the line.

This also slightly surprised Iruma Hibiki.

「I know this will bother Hibiki, but... as for me...」

【Wait for the Sushi world.】

Iruma Hibiki quickly put an end to the topic.

A strange feeling began to spread throughout his body, and he had a bad premonition.

No, this was not a bad premonition at all, but rather something he could figure out.

Nagasaki Suyo's words——

On the other side of the screen, Nagasaki Suyo's pupils without highlights were staring blankly at the screen.

The Nagasaki family's house was brightly lit tonight, but apart from the occasional strange noise that seemed to be haunted, the only sound left was Nagasaki Suyo's own heartbeat.

02 Home? Home… Home!!

When the smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils, Iruma Hibiki realized that he had come to the hospital with his father. After a simple inquiry and registration, they soon entered the ward.

Lying on the hospital bed were his "family members" who seemed a little unfamiliar to Hibiki Iruma.

It's his grandmother, but not entirely.

Which is more important, maintaining blood ties or memory?

To be honest, Iruma Hibiki actually has a deeper impression of his family before he traveled through time. Perhaps humans also have an impression similar to that of birds when they are young, that is, Iruma Hibiki actually does not have too deep feelings or attachments to his current family, whether it is his critically ill grandmother or his father or mother beside him.

5 2 6 6 5 2 2 5 1

Instead, he felt that he was just an adopted son of this family.

His real home is actually in that international metropolis across the sea.

Therefore, facing his critically ill grandmother, Iruma Hibiki felt ashamed that he only had basic sympathy and sadness, but no real sense of his family's impending death.

In other words, for him in his previous life, the departure of his family was also very unfamiliar.

Hibiki Iruma deliberately moved a little further away from the hospital bed and just helped his father with the various things that had accumulated. After a while, the doctor came in and began to arrange the next surgery.

What? I can't eat from tonight.

Risks of surgery.

Finally, in front of Iruma Hibiki, Iruma Yoshiaki signed his name on a document.

"Hibiki, could you go to the nearby drugstore and help pick up some necessities? And have you had dinner yet? Do you want me to have someone bring it over later?"

"I haven't had time to eat yet. Please order some for me. Do you want to stay with me tonight?"

"of course."

"Is everything okay at work?"

Iruma Hibiki continued to ask.

"I've already turned down all the things over there. Of course, if I say it has no impact... it definitely doesn't have no impact."

In front of Iruma Hibiki, Iruma Yoshiaki put on a smile that was very familiar to him.

He remembered that when he was very young, he was considered an abnormal human being or an abnormal child. His father smiled at him like this, then gave up his original work and took care of him until he got a little better and finally entered junior high school smoothly. Only then did he turn around and then -

In just three years, before Iruma Hibiki entered high school, the man before him had already become a towering figure.

Even by chance, he did not disgrace the name "Iruma" at all.

"But Xiang, remember, nothing is more important than family. If you've chosen someone, you must shoulder your responsibilities and take good care of them no matter what."

"I see. What do you want to buy?"

Hibiki Iruma asked, interrupting what Yoshiaki Iruma was about to say next.

He stared at the old man on the bed again.

As for the memories of his grandmother, Hibiki Iruma's memories are actually more superficial, because he only has memories of living with his grandmother in the countryside near Kyoto when he was a child and his so-called condition was relatively stable.

When I was in elementary school, I would come back once every summer vacation.

I haven't been back since junior high school.

My father also suggested taking my grandmother to live in Tokyo, but the old lady later refused, saying that there was no one to take care of the family land and it was hard to leave her hometown.

And after all, for the elderly, it is indeed easy to feel uncomfortable and depressed when changing the environment.

Therefore, towards the relatives in front of him, Iruma Hibiki only feels [strange].

The ward is on the 7th floor.

Although the floor is not high, you still have to wait a long time for the hospital elevator.

It was only then that Iruma Hibiki noticed the sign "Oncology Department" on the hospital's section.

Ding--

With a crisp prompt sound, the elevator arrived.

Iruma Hibiki went downstairs, then walked towards the drugstore with white lights on the street holding an umbrella in the heavy rain that had been going on all day.

Then, his cell phone rang with a classic ringtone. By the way, he had never changed the ringtone on his cell phone because there was no need.

"ring?"

The voice coming from the other end of the phone was Nagasaki Suyo's.

"Su Shi..."

Iruma Hibiki was a little surprised, as he originally thought it was a call from his father or mother.

"I'm sorry, I didn't disturb you, did I? How is your grandma?"

"I do not know."

Iruma Hibiki responded.

"But she seems to be lying in bed, looking very serious. She has surgery tomorrow. My father has already signed the operation form, so -"

Then, in just a moment, he realized that he had said a little too much.

Is it a little too much?

But at this moment, Iruma Hibiki had a desire to talk, and Nagasaki Soyo was just the right person.

"Sorry, I just talked about my own things."

"It's okay, Xiang, you can talk to me for as long as you want. I will stay by Xiang's side."

[Because I have nowhere else to go except by Xiang's side.]

Nagasaki Suyo didn't say the second half of her sentence.

She just felt uneasy and scared. She thought that the existence of her home collapsed again and again, making her become too entangled and obsessed with the person in front of her, and she had a twisted obsession and attachment in the process.

Perhaps these emotions are far from love.

But for those who cannot understand and accept the relationship that "no one can live without each other", they just need to comfort themselves that this is love.

If Hibiki Iruma were to shake off Nagasaki Soyo's hand again, she thought, she would probably lose the courage to continue living, right?

Nagasaki Suyo sat up from the bed, looked down from the floor-to-ceiling window, and felt a little dizzy.

"Sushi, you said you wanted to come to Kyoto...it would be better to give it more thought."

"I've already thought about it, Hibiki."

There was a hint of firmness in Nagasaki Motoyo's answer, as if she was worried that Iruma Hibiki would misunderstand her, and she was a little too forceful.