23 Watermelon Sugar

A day before the cultural festival, Yasuyuki confronts his own problem and steps up to face it. A confession he'd been trying to do for a long long time.

"Kozue! Th-there's something I want to tell you for a long long time….uhm I've always lived my life with responsibility and pride. I don't care about them anymore! I-I don't mind playing by the rules. I'll still be going to respect tradition, but from now I'll live my life the way I want."

Yasuyuki's family is covered with traditions and policies because as their family is a member of politics, they must be very careful about their manners in public.

"I-I've always like you! I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, back when we were still in middle school, I was amazed by your skills and talents, I like you so much that I can't focus on anything because I keep thinking of you and whenever you're around my heart just won't stop beating, my chest tightens. So please will you go out with me!"

Yasuyuki took a deep breath and lowers his head towards Kozue, and a cold wind brushes between them.

"I-I feel the same way, my day to day life is not complete whenever I don't see you, I can't be with you, I can't hear you. So I've decided to move on from my previous heartbreak and try to get to know you even more. And I found that genuine love and care from you. It would be better if you were by my side." Kozue tried to cover her tears with a smile as she placed Yasu's head to her chest.

Yasu raises his head and acts like they were going to kiss, "Wait, what are you trying to do?" Kozue distances herself while covering Yasu's mouth

"Huh, I thought we were going to kiss?" Yasu still holding on to Kozue's shoulders

"Wh-what kiss? What are you talking about?!" Kozue beat the shit out of Yasu in just their minute of going out. "I never said anything about sexual intercourse, I only said it would be better for you to be by my side." Kozue misunderstood the kiss for being sexual intercourse.

"I-it's anything about sexual intercourse! That's not what it means!" Yasuyuki deserves a raise and a better character profile.

"T-then how a-about, holding hands? I-it's lewd right?"

Kozue is misunderstanding things to the highest level!?

"W-what are you talking about, anyway, I can't do stuff like that because someday, I'll be the man who will lead this city's future!"

That's right, Yasu's father is the Mayor of this city and his mother is the Minister of State for Gender Equality.

Moments later on that same day I received a phone call from Yasu,

'So why did you call me at this hour, Yasu?'

'I have to tell you something, Kozue and I are finally going out.'

'Whoa, seriously this isn't one of your fantasies right?'

'What are you talking about, it's true we decided to tell you guys tomorrow.'

'Nice, congratulations! But you telling that to me on phone just ruined the surprise.'

'I don't think so, I believe she's talking with the other girls on social media right now.'

'I see, anyway congratulations. I'm about to send a group mail anyway for tomorrow's meeting.'

'Come on, be more excited and happy with your reaction!'

'I am not the one who finally found a girlfriend to be excited and happy. I support you no matter what.'

'Well, see you tomorrow.'

'Yeah, see you!'

Then at the clubroom,

"Um…why is the environment feels so hot even its winter?" Hanako and I entered the room and saw Kozue, Nagi, Nami, and Fumi staring menacingly at Yasuyuki.

"Kenji, Hanako, you don't know Yasuyuki committed a serious crime!" This isn't the first time I saw the furious side of Fumi

"Eh, did he kill somebody?" What crime are we talking about here, I have no clue!

"Yasuyuki broke Nagi's heart for cheating on Kozue!" Fumi's eyes are on fire,

Wait a minute, why are you wearing a sadistic teacher's uniform, and WHERE DID YOU GET THAT WHIP!

"Wait, hold on I am confused, Yasu cheated on Nagi to Kozue? How? Nagi and Yasu aren't going out?" Seriously what is going on in this club, I am so confused not to mention I failed our math test earlier.

"Kenji, apparently Nagi and I are going out?" Yasu says in a troubled voice.

"Apparently, what do you mean?" I get myself a cup of tea.

"Remember, that accidental kiss we have, Nagi accepted it as a confession and she came up to me today at the school entrance to say that she accepts me as her boyfriend then I told her everything, and this happened." Yasu's seriously shaking in here.

"I-I-I don't know about the kiss or anything about Nagi and Yasu but he confessed to me last night and I accepted it. I'm sorry if I caused a disturbance to your relationship." Kozue panicky voiced out her side.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" I let out a loud laugh and everyone was startled, "This club is funny, I mean the kiss was never a confession, it was an accident by my doing, so Kozue and Yasu did nothing wrong." I slowly explained, "Also Nagi, I'm sorry for breaking your heart with that misunderstanding. I'll atone for my sins by treating all of you yakiniku later. Guys let's settle down now, I'll start the meeting." I ended the discussion and the environment in the club room seems to be calm.

"Excuse me, you guys have a visitor from SAESHA." A teacher informed us about a visitor.

"SAESHA? Mr. Kiichi? Are we meeting him today? I remember nothing about setting a schedule." Hanako looks at me.

"Me too, let's go guys. I think we all need to be there."

Something is off with this surprise visit and I wasn't wrong.

"Ah, are you from the mangaka club? I'm Mr. Nozumi Edonaga your substitute editor." A stranger introduced himself as our substitute editor?

"Substitute Editor, did something happen to Mr. Kiichi?"

I didn't hold back on my thoughts.

"Yes, Mr. Kiichi Naru is admitted to hospital because of a car accident, he got caught by the crash and suffered some injuries although we don't know much of the details yet."

We were all shocked by the news and what caused Mr. Kiichi's absence.

"Wh-what hospital is he admitted to?" I'm in shock and so are the rest of us this is at least what we can do, support and show that we care about him.

"Eh, Kenji are you going to visit but we still have a meeting?" Nami is concern about Mr. Kiichi, I know that.

"Now's not the time for that, we must show support and care to our editor even if it's just a month since we met him and we barely have a meeting with him. He is still our guide for our goal." I clenched my fist and I looked at them.

"Indeed, he is one of us since the day he decided to help us." Yasu and Fumi agreed.

"Sorry, Mr. Nozumi it is not that we doubt you, it's about care and respect for your colleague." I lowered my head at Mr. Nozumi.

"Ah, it's not a problem, I'm just surprised for your love with your editor, only a few of our mangaka's do show respect to us and some think of us as their enemies, so thank you for thinking of Mr. Kiichi as one of your comrades."

We went to visit Mr. Kiichi at the hospital to know more about what happened.

"Oh, thank you for coming to visit, I'd never expect a visitor more than that from the mangaka club." Mr. Kiichi sure is happy to see everyone.

"I'm glad that your injuries weren't that bad, Mr. Kiichi." I placed the food and snacks that we bought.

"I guess, you're not ready to be transported to another world Mr. Kiichi" Yasu jokingly implored.

"HAHAHAHA, sheesh, if it was truck-kun that hit me, then I'd surely be transported to another world, but it was a small van, so I guess I'm just a zombie, but I'm not an idol HAHAHAHA" Mr. Kiichi with his references.

"If it's okay, we would like to know about the accident, did the driver get punished?" Nagi asks while taking candid pictures.

"Yeah, the driver was reported driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, apparently running away from the police for a suspected robbery." Mr. Kiichi sadly replied, "I was supposed to be a meter away from the crash but I saw this mother and child so I jumped in and pushed them away. I'm glad they're okay they just left a while ago." Mr. Kiichi smiled.

"Whoa, it is awesome that you didn't care about your own safety and jumped in to save others' life." I smiled brightly at Mr. Kiichi, "I'm glad that they're okay too."

"You see, I lost my wife and child in a car accident also. I was driving and we had a fight, I lost my cool and slammed on the gas then lost control. I have never driven a car since then I also wonder why I was kept alive, maybe it was God's punishment for me to suffer this loss."

I never know Mr. Kiichi have a bad memory and he is the reason for it.

"Ah, sorry I suddenly made you feel bad about me." Mr. Kiichi ended his story.

"Past is past Mr. Kiichi, and you weren't kept alive for punishment, you were given a chance to atone your sins and you just did it today by saving that mother and child's life." Yasuyuki started clapping his hands for Mr. Kiichi's bravery.

"HAHAHAHA, you're too overreacting with the clap! Thank you for visiting, don't make it too hard for Mr. Edonaga. Good luck! And win Akatsuka!"

"YEAH!" Everyone acknowledges.

We went home and rescheduled the meeting for the mangaka club's activity.