kscans

Chapter 143 - I'm Worried About You

"President, how about we grab a drink after this?"

"I'm sorry. I have plans to meet someone today."

Work was over. My secretary, Saeki-chan, invited me out for a drink. I really wanted to accept, but unfortunately, I had prior plans. When I turned her down, Saeki-chan didn't look disappointed at all. Instead, for some reason, she started grinning suggestively.

"Could it be... that certain Hiro-kun, perhaps?"

I suppose I only have my own carelessness to blame for this one. Word about the day we reunited has spread, and now most of the employees see me in that light. The fact that I got divorced after we met again probably added fuel to the fire. Well, they're not exactly wrong. It is true that I am in LOVE with Hiro-kun. Thankfully, no one seems to think I am letting my personal feelings affect business deals, but, well, frankly, this kind of thing is embarrassing. I think it's similar to when elementary and middle school kids get teased with catcalls. Not that I have ever been to elementary or middle school, though.

"Today it's female friends."

" 'Today,' you say... upupu."

"Oh, honestly."

Still, it would be cruel to blame Saeki-chan or the others. After all, if I were in their shoes, I am sure my own nosiness would get the better of me too.

"Let me know if there's any progress."

"Yes, yes. Well then, have a good evening."

I went straight home without any detours. The house was dark, so it seemed Rika was not back yet. Her job was probably running long. I turned on the air conditioner, and as I was relaxing, the intercom rang. The fact that the intercom rang meant it probably was not Rika and the others.

"Yo, mind if I come in, Saionji."

"Pardon the intrusion."

"Of course, please come in."

It was Takahashi-kun and Suzuki-kun. I invited the two of them into the room and served them tea. These two were the female friends I had mentioned. Not that I was the one who invited them, however.

"Here, a little something for you."

"Oh my, you really didn't have to."

"It's just proper when you visit someone's home, you know?"

"Just like Hiro-kun, you two have really grown into fine adults, haven't you."

Even the seemingly serious Suzuki-kun used to be something else back in the day. From my perspective, as the one who always played the sensible straight man... yes, it makes me feel quite sentimental.

"Stop looking at me with those motherly eyes."

"That's right. Satou-kun and Takahashi-kun aside, I was always the responsible one, wasn't I?"

"Hey, wait a minute. Putting Satou and you aside, I was normal, wasn't I?"

"Could you two please stop throwing boomerangs at each other in my living room?"

It is dangerous.

"Jeez... Anyway, I wonder what Sakuya-kun wants to discuss with us."

Takahashi-kun brought it up after taking a sip of tea and a short break. That was right, the one who had gathered us was Sakuya-kun. He had contacted me, Takahashi-kun, and Suzuki-kun through Rika, saying there was something he wanted to discuss. Of course, I readily agreed. I know he is a good kid, he is Hiro-kun's relative, and he has been a great help to Rika, so there was no reason to refuse.

"Since it's us, people he doesn't know very well, it's probably about Hiro-kun."

The fact that it was the three of us meant it was almost certainly related to Hiro-kun. We were about the only adults Sakuya-kun knew who were close to Hiro-kun.

"You think it's that thing? Like, he's troubled because the guy has no tact?"

"No, I doubt it. Hiro-kun is almost overly considerate when it comes to kids."

"Exactly. He seems to be constantly worried about being a bad influence on them."

He has plenty of his strange quirks with his inner circle, or rather, with those he has opened up to, but Sakuya-kun is a child. I do not think it is a matter of tact, since he is careful around children. As the three of us were debating back and forth, I sensed a presence by the entryway. It seemed Rika was home.

"I'm hoooome. Who's there. Who's there. It is I. Rika is home."

Takahashi-kun and Suzuki-kun chuckled at the loud voice that echoed through the house. It is fine when it is just the two of us, but I wish you would be a little calmer when we have guests, Mama.

"Welcome home. And welcome, Sakuya-kun."

"Pardon the intrusion. I am sorry for having you all gather on such short notice."

"It's fine. But it's not good for a child to worry so much, you know."

"I think you could stand to live a little more loosely, y'know?"

"Totally. I think Sacchan and Hikaru-kun could both afford to be a bit less serious."

And you could afford to be a bit more responsible.

"Well, anyway, I'm going to my room, so you all take your time."

She may be a tomboy, but her ability to read the room is one of her better qualities.

"So, Sakuya-kun, what was it you wanted to discuss with us?"

I had Sakuya-kun sit down and got right to the point. With a kid of his personality, it is easier for him to talk if we start the conversation.

"Actually, lately, Hero Uncle hasn't seemed very energetic."

"Satou-kun?"

"Isn't it obvious? His work is supposed to be crazy busy, so it's probably because of that, no?"

I knew about that as well. A little while ago, he had sent me a message complaining, "What is this place, hell?" or something to that effect.

"But you went for drinks with him the other day, didn't you?"

"Yeah. But he said he was just over the hump, so it sounds like he's still busy."

"I thought so too, so I tried casually asking him, 'Work seems tough, doesn't it,' but..."

Apparently, that was not quite the issue.

"On top of being busy with work, he seems to be struggling with something in his personal life... I'm worried..."

That, he said, was why he came to us.

"Ugh..."

The three of us old ladies instinctively pressed our hands to our eyes.

"Um... is something wrong?"

"No... it's just that when you get older, the earnestness of a child like you really gets to you."

"Satou, that guy is one seriously lucky man..."

I am sorry, we probably weirded you out... Well, that aside... hmm, a personal problem, is it.

"I've been holding back on contacting him, thinking he must be busy."

"He didn't seem that way when you were drinking with him, Takahashi-kun?"

"No."

"In that case, I wonder if something happened the day after that."

"He said he got a day off, so that's probably when it was."

Hmm... what should we do.

"For now, let's do this. Let's do something to cheer him up."

"You're right. Since we, or rather, you two, didn't know anything about it, it's doubtful he'd tell us even if we asked him directly."

Or maybe it is something he feels we cannot help him with even if he did tell us. In that case, we should probably focus on cheering him up rather than trying to solve his problem.

"I'm sorry, and thank you very much."

"It's no problem. Hiro-kun is an important person to us too."

"But Saionji-san, what exactly should we do to cheer him up?"

"Well, if we're talking about things that would make him happy."

Alcohol, food, drag queens, women... Oh, he mentioned he sometimes goes to host clubs too, didn't he.

"Shall we put on a private hostess club for him?"

"If we're talking about whether he'd be happy or not, he probably would be..."

I think that is not a bad idea. If we can disregard our own sense of shame, that is.