I live my life in Tokyo

Maybe it is a good choice to maintain the current life step by step. Change? Now it is in the process of change.

The friend beside him brought him an incomparable sense of security. Burying his gratitude to Mai Sakurajima in his heart, Kaede Sakakibara glanced at the still lit Tokyo Skytree outside the window and slowly closed his eyes.

He will eventually grow up with them and move forward hand in hand.

The first weekend of the new semester came quickly. All the students were lying in bed, enjoying the long-lost laziness, except for the senior high school students who got up early to start reviewing and doing exercises.

Sakakibara Feng slept in late, and when he came to the living room, he found breakfast left on the table. He glanced at Yuuki Asuna's room, and there was a sign outside the door saying "Studying". Sakakibara Feng thought for a moment and did not disturb her.

Koichiro Yuki went to the RECT branch in Kyoto to familiarize himself with the work.

Sakakibara Kaede stretched, took out his cell phone, and opened the two addresses he had written in his diary.

The weather is nice today, with the right time, right place and right people.

The young man put on his coat, left a note for Yuuki Asuna, put on his shoes and left home.

One address is an ordinary residential address, and the other address... is it a hospital?

Chapter 8 Swordsman

In order to prepare for this trip, Kaede Sakakibara had made a lot of mental preparations.

Following Sakurajima Mai's suggestion, I sprayed a little subtle fragrance on the collar. The style of my outfit is not exaggerated or expensive, and I look approachable and well-educated.

It is better to leave a good first impression on people. Even if the deal is not reached in the end and they never have any further contact, at least Sakakibara Kaede has tried and he has a clear conscience.

After buying a bouquet of flowers at a flower shop near her home, Kaede Sakakibara took the train, traveling through the city buildings.

It has been a long time since he had such an almost aimless weekend trip. Now the chances of being recognized in public are very high, so he has to imitate Mai Sakurajima and wear a mask every time he goes out.

He doesn't hate enthusiastic fans, but when everyone wants some quiet time, he can't show his versatile self all the time and in all places, and he will get tired eventually.

Sakakibara Kaede yawned and boredly browsed the Sword Art Online guild group on Line. The guild had been established for less than two weeks and was thriving. Among them were Sakakibara Kaede's classmates and hardcore players of the game, who were otakus who played the game every day. Even at breakfast on weekends, some players were already saying good morning to each other in the group.

The young man replied a few words and then focused on the home address.

After getting off the train, Sakakibara Kaede walked out of the station holding flowers and, following the instructions on the map, turned the corner and entered a small community.

"It looks like no one has lived here for a long time..."

Sakakibara Kaede glanced at the dilapidated and weeded small courtyard outside the house and hesitated for a moment. In big cities, people are more concerned about their reputation, and decorating their own courtyards is the first choice - this is the case with the Higuchi family. Their courtyard is full of flowers fluttering in the wind.

The young man went forward and pressed the doorbell. After waiting for a while, no one came to open the door.

"What's going on? Could they have moved away?" Sakakibara Kaede looked at the address on his phone and muttered to himself with some self-mockery.

"Eh—who are you?"

Sakakibara Feng looked away from his phone. An old man with a cane walked out from the house next door. Next to the old man was a girl who looked like a high school student. She spoke to Sakakibara Feng curiously.

After all, Sakakibara Kaede's current outfit is really good, with a mask + sunglasses, and a bouquet of flowers in her hand, which makes people think of a perverted man who follows a girl and wants to confess his love.

"Hello, I'm here to visit relatives, but I haven't been in the area for a few years, so I wonder if they have moved." Sakakibara Kaede didn't finish his words.

"The Konno family?" The girl heard Sakakibara Kaede's polite words, and her previous doubts unconsciously dissipated a little. She whispered to the old man, then raised her head and whispered: "The Konno family is in the hospital. The Konno sisters have been in the hospital for a long time, and Mrs. Konno has been accompanying them in the hospital."

Sakakibara Feng was stunned for a moment, watching the girl bow to him, then help the old man walk away slowly, and stood there in a daze for a while holding a bouquet of flowers.

He pursed his lips, looked at the second line of the address, and set out on the road again with the flowers in his hands.

Unlike the perfect family that Kaede Sakakibara had imagined, he did not expect to be greeted with such news. The sisters from the remarried family had been hospitalized for many years, and their mother was busy in the hospital taking care of them and had never even returned home.

This made the young man feel heavy, and then he felt a little disgusted with his inner sympathy. He did not want to use the word sympathy to describe his feelings. Sympathy is a word that only successful people and those in a high position can use. When they use sympathy, they usually substitute it for the poor people who are lower than them in status. This is sympathy.

Mrs. Konno always stayed by her two daughters' side. Although this was just a hearsay version, it was enough for the young man to respect her. Such maternal love made people feel warm.

"Sakakibara-senpai, what's the situation? How did they react?"

But it was Sakurajima Mai who knew his plan for today, and she left him a private message.

Sakakibara Kaede gave a wry smile and replied to the other party as he stepped on the train, "I didn't see them at home. I'm on my way to the hospital now."

"Hospital? Nothing happened, did it?"

"I don't know. I'll know the situation when I get there."

"Okay, if you have anything, you can share it with me. I am Sakakibara-senpai's support."

Sakakibara Kaede read a hint of innocence and pride in the girl's words and held back the smile on his face.

This was once the place where Chizuru Ichinose's grandmother was hospitalized. When revisiting the place, Kaede Sakakibara felt uneasy.

It is not common to see people dressed like him in the hospital, but it is a very common scene to see him wearing a mask and holding flowers, hiding the solemn or even sad expression on his face, and mustering up the courage to smile and give the bouquet to the patient in the bed.

Kaede Sakakibara knew that Maki Nishikino's mother worked here, but the doctors had their own working hours, and he didn't intend to disturb Aunt Nishikino's work at this time.

Arriving at the inpatient area, Sakakibara Kaede stepped forward and said, "Hello, I'm here to visit the Konno sisters."

"The Konno sisters?" The nurse took a quick look at Sakakibara Kaede and asked with a frown, "Are you their relative?"

The young man knew that working here would make him less patient, so he didn't care about the other person's attitude at all. "He is my brother from a remarried family. Do you need me to show my identity?"

"You need to register."

Kaede Sakakibara took the paper handed to her by the nurse and began to fill in her personal information, which was also for the patient's safety.

When filling out the inpatient consultation form, Sakakibara Kaede was suddenly at a loss. How could he know the other person's condition? He only knew the other person's last name, but he had no idea about his name or what disease he had.

"As a brother, don't you know what disease your sister has?" The nurse glared at the young man, as if she was standing up for the patient.

Sakakibara Kaede was stuck at the first level and smiled bitterly without saying anything.

This is another long story to explain. He just wanted to tell the nurse his version of the story, but the woman was already waving, "Mrs. Konno, is it convenient now? There is a person who wants to visit the patient, but can't tell the patient's information."

"Visiting the patient?"

The young man turned around and saw a woman with long black hair carrying a black plastic bag, as if she was going downstairs to throw away the garbage. After quickly disposing of the garbage, she hurried to the front desk.

Sakakibara Kaede finally had the chance to take a look at the other person's face. This was a woman who looked gentle at first glance. She had dark makeup under her eyes, which seemed to be covering up dark circles. Her expression gave people a feeling of being a little haggard, but also peaceful.

"Sir, who are you?"

Mrs. Konno smiled in confusion. The only people who knew about their current situation were her hometown, and those people regarded her family as a burden and even thought about selling their only house for money. It was impossible for the people there to be kind enough to visit their daughter. Mrs. Konno understood this.

Could it be that they wanted to seize it by force, so they sent a junior here to express their stance and exert pressure?

Thinking of this, Mrs. Konno's brows gradually showed a bit of determination. That place was her and their home, and she would never compromise.

Seeing Mrs. Konno's expression changing again and again, Sakakibara Kaede said softly, "My name is Sakakibara Kaede. I wonder if the name Sakakibara has any impression on you?"

"what!"

"You are... Sakakibara-kun!"

Seeing that the two knew each other, the nurse didn't say much, but just looked at Sakakibara Kaede twice.

Mrs. Konno's face became a little rosier, and her demeanor became more energetic. It seemed that she wanted to leave a good impression on Sakakibara Kaede. "Um... My name is Konno Emi. If you don't mind, Sakakibara-kun can call me Aunt Emi."

The relationship between a stepmother and stepson is the most difficult to get along with, and it is described in great detail in countless anime and comics, with the stepmother being portrayed as a villain who abuses the stepson and is meddling, causing the stepson to decide to leave home early.

It's difficult to maintain an appropriate distance.

Even Sakakibara Kaede couldn't handle this kind of distance, as he had never had this kind of experience.

"Hello, Aunt Huimei."

Konno Emi breathed a sigh of relief. She was a little afraid that Sakakibara Kaede would not give her face.

She was also surprised that Kaede Sakakibara came to visit her. Mrs. Konno had no idea what the other party was thinking.

The young man got the proof from the nurse, and the two walked into the elevator. Konno Emi pressed the elevator button. She felt a little embarrassed about the silence and didn't know how to start.

Sakakibara took off his mask and put his sunglasses on the collar on his chest. "How did Aunt Huimei know my father?"

This question is not strange, and there is nothing wrong with asking it. It is the only way to bring the two people closer together, and it is also the only common topic: father.

"I met Mr. Sakakibara at a patient club half a year ago..." Konno Emi said softly, "He is always very enthusiastic and tries hard to help the patients and their families at the club. Mr. Sakakibara will not refuse anything he can do. It feels like Mr. Sakakibara is repaying something."

"Mr. Sakakibara often visits different hospitals to learn about the latest progress of the disease. Although he is very busy with work, he has also visited Aiko and Komonji several times. Ah, they are my daughters."

Sakakibara Kaede nodded. He was not surprised by the story of love growing over time, but he didn't know that his father was still active in the patient association.

Is repayment an apology to the mother lying alone in the hospital bed?

If I stay by my mother's bedside, I won't have money for her medical expenses. If I make money to pay for her medical expenses, I won't be able to stay by her bedside.

Sakakibara Feng didn't like the word "repay". In his mind, he always thought, why do we know how to cherish something only after we lose it? Isn't it enough to just work hard to get it so that we don't lose it?

Ideals are beautiful and can even be used as chicken soup, but there is no choice in the adult world.

He fell into a state of double self-loathing, feeling that what his father did was not good enough at the time, but at the same time understanding his father's decision.

Sakakibara Kaede gave a helpless smile. The former was a young man who was still growing up, while the latter was a man who was struggling in society.

"What's wrong with the two sisters?"

The two stood outside the ward. Sakakibara Kaede asked questions and Mrs. Konno answered whatever she heard. Her attitude was so calm that Mrs. Konno Emi didn't know what Sakakibara Kaede was thinking behind that smile.

After learning that it was a non-fatal infectious disease, all that was needed was a few surgeries and rest and observation. The young man breathed a sigh of relief. Although they had no relationship before, his presence today meant that he took the initiative to build a closer relationship - even if not, Sakakibara Kaede, who viewed the world with kindness, did not want to hear that the two sisters were seriously ill.

Now, at least, there is hope for recovery.

The door beside me moved smoothly, and a girl in a wheelchair covered in saline slid out, "Mom?"

"Aizi, don't move during the IV drip. It's not good for your health." Konno Emi quickly stood up and stopped the black-haired girl. She held the armrest of the wheelchair and touched the girl's forehead with her hand. After a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Although the high fever has subsided, you still need to rest. Didn't the doctor say that yesterday?"

"Hehe, I'm sorry, Mom. It's so boring lying on the bed and watching the computer." The black-haired girl smiled brightly. At this moment, the room seemed to be filled with sunshine. Sakakibara Feng felt it. Even though she was sick, she was still smiling actively. It was positive energy.

"By the way, mom, who is this?" The girl turned to Sakakibara Kaede in confusion, with a hint of doubt in her eyes.

Konno Emi stroked the girl's bony wrist, quietly wiped away the tears from her eyes, and chuckled, "This is Mr. Sakakibara's son, Sakakibara Kaede. He is your future brother."

"Hey, so it's my brother?" The girl smiled and introduced herself. "My name is Konno Aiko. If I'm still in school this year, I should be a senior high school student."

"Can I just call you brother?"

"Hey, please call me that."

The young man was infected by her sunny mood. In a place like the hospital where people experience life and death, this ray of sunshine is always so precious.

"Where's Mumianji?"

"Just woke up."

Konno Emi smiled at Sakakibara Kaede and said, "Aiko has a younger sister named Kimonoki, who is one year younger than Aiko and cannot walk yet."

She pushed the wheelchair into the ward where they were staying. Sakakibara Kaede put the bouquet of flowers in her hand into the vase, adding a touch of spring color to the room - behind the curtain, there was a steady breathing sound.

"Mom...are there any guests?"

Unlike her older sister Aiko, her younger sister Kimonoki's voice sounded weak and hoarse.

Gently pulling open the curtain, Konno Emi leaned over cautiously and placed the kettle in front of Kimonoki's lips.

"Do you feel better?"

"Well, thank you, mom."

Konno Emi stood aside, smiled and scratched her little daughter's nose, then half moved aside, "Yes, there is a guest. This is Mr. Sakakibara's son, Sakakibara Kaede, and also Kapok Ji's future brother."

"Hello, my name is Sakakibara Kaede. Can I just call you Kapok Ji from now on?"

Lying on the bed was a slightly thin girl with fair skin and bright eyes.

Her eyes give people a sense of determination and perseverance - to use a recently popular term from the Sword Art Online online game, perhaps this is the look of a swordsman.

Hearing this voice, she was distracted for a moment, then her lips moved slightly and she asked tentatively, "Qingfeng?"

"Eh? Yuuki?"

Happy New Year, fellow book lovers!

Note 1: Here I set Konno Aiko and Konno Kapok to be just suffering from highly infectious diseases, which are not fatal.

Note 2: Kapokki and Yuki are pronounced the same, both are Yūki, the same as Asuna-Asuna

She deserves a happy, fulfilling life. I don't want her to turn into a swordsman from another world and sleep under a tree forever.

Note 3: Asakura Toru is the heroine, hehehehe

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