Just Think It As Something He Owed Me

After almost eleven hours, Hisaki finally stepped onto the land where she felt belonged.

Kaagawa City was the main city within Kaagawa Prefecture. It was on the southern tip of the mainland. Konomiya Town was among the towns facing the beautiful coastline of Kaagawa City.

It turned out that Ms. Kubota was the daughter of the Sakurasou Inn's previous owner. When Hisaki first came here, the owner had changed to someone else.

Her mother-in-law, Mrs. Saeki also had quit her job there a few years before. She was already in the nursing home at the time of Hisaki's arrival.

Speaking of her mother-in-law, Mrs. Saeki was able to get a job at the inn because her former boss suggested her to the Kubota family.

Before she and Heisuke fled from their hometown, Mrs. Saeki worked at an inn to make ends meet. Thus, she already had the required skills.

Hisaki faintly remembered the main reason the Kubota family left the inn business here and moved to the capital city. The matriarch, Ms. Kubota's grandmother fell gravely ill suddenly.

At that time, the hospitals in this area were still behind the ones in the capital. It was said that the Kubota family opened another inn there because it was hard to go back and forth since the distance was huge.

Although they needed to start over, the business managed to stabilize within a couple of years.

"Hisaki, just go and have a rest ah. You must have been so tired by now."

After dinner, Mrs. Ikeda didn't allow Hisaki to wash the dishes. She playfully nagged at her and chased her to her room.

"This is not much," Hisaki answered with a smile. She continued washing the dirty bowls and plates, "Aunt Takako, your cooking is so delicious. At least, let me do this."

"No, no. Your job is to rest," Mayuka chimed in. She nudged Hisaki at the elbow, "I can see your eyes drooping by now. If Mari knows that we make you wash the dishes, she'll nag us."

"Aiya, then don't report to her," replied Hisaki playfully.

Mrs. Ikeda and Ikeda Mayuka told Hisaki to not be so formal with them. Because she was Mari's best friend, they treated Hisaki like their own relative. All of them changed the way they addressed each other.

Hisaki hadn't met Mr. Ikeda. He was abroad for a medical conference. The middle-aged man was also a doctor, the same as his wife.

Under the mother and daughter's insistence, Hisaki finally surrendered. She returned to the room where she would stay for the time being.

The Ikeda family home was a traditional courtyard house. To give Hisaki some privacy, Mrs. Ikeda told Hisaki to use the west wing. She could have a bedroom, a bathroom and a small balcony facing the yard all to herself.

Hisaki had to admit that she was actually tired. She had been on her guard from the moment she left her house this morning. Meeting Igarashi Keigo and having a nightmare of him exhausted her mind.

To be honest, Hisaki had a doubt. She couldn't help but dread the possibility of failure might occur.

Fortunately, she safely arrived here.

Hisaki had taken a bath before having dinner. She sat on the futon that lay in the middle of the small room. Before she went to sleep, she had to check the situation at home.

[Hisaki: How's everything at home? Has Grandfather caught on my absence? Please tell Mom and Dad that I'm good]

Hisaki didn't dare to make a call to Takuya. She was afraid if her call came when Takuya was in close proximity to their grandfather. A few texts were already enough.

Yet, she made a call to Mari. The line was connected after three ringing sounds.

"Hisaki, what are you doing now? Resting in the room?" Mari's voice echoed from the end of the line. She sounded worried.

Hisaki chuckled softly, "Yes, I'm sleepy already but, have to check on the situation. How? Did something big happen now?"

"Hahaha! The news spread all over the town! My father caught that scum and his lackeys at the auction. They also got to apprehend a few others. That trash young master would need to stay the night in jail."

Mari began explaining the details to Hisaki.

The black market auction was just a small one. Although Igarashi Keigo was a rich man in their poor town, his influence was just minuscule to the other giants in different cities.

He only brought a few less valuable relics to the event. The others were stored inside an old warehouse that belonged to his family. He was waiting to bring them to the capital.

"The punishment for stealing cultural relics might put him in prison for more than three decades. In some cases, the perpetrator could be life-imprisoned. You don't have to worry about him bothering your family."

Hisaki knew she should be happy but, a pang of guilt struck her conscience.

It was fine for her to do this, right? Although Hisaki didn't expect her plan would put Igarashi Keigo behind bars for decades, she felt both relieved and guilty at the same time.

'No, no, let's not think like that.'

Hisaki quickly reassured herself.

If she didn't do this, she would be the one who suffered. Even in her previous life, she managed to divorce Igarashi Keigo because there were other criminal charges waiting for him.

Hisaki didn't doubt any possibility of him trying to track her down if he was a free man. Fortunately, a severe punishment awaited him.

'Just think of it as something he owed me in my previous life.'

"Mari, please thank Uncle Satoshi for me."

If not for Mari's father's help, this matter might haven't ended.

"Well, my dad has been saying he needs to thank you instead. He still keeps his promise. He didn't expose your identity as the informant even when his boss asked him. I heard the Cultural Heritage Association actually wants to reward you for your contribution."

Hisaki laughed hearing Mari's words. She responded, "Freeing me from that trash is enough for me. Ah, when would you go back to college?"

The important matter regarding Mari had completely slipped Hisaki's mind. She had yet to warn Mari about the one who betrayed her.

"I'll go back in three weeks. Why?" responded Mari.

Hisaki bit her lower lip. She hesitantly asked, "Well... Do you have any close friends there?"

"I do have good friends over there. Do you wanna get to know them? I have a few good and capable lads if you wanna me to introduce them to you."

"That's not what I mean! En... Just forget it. I'll go to sleep first."

Hisaki decided to drop the subject for a while. She had to carefully broach this subject with Mari.

"Bye-bye, you really need to rest well tonight," Mari hummed in agreement, "Talk to you again. Good night!"

"Good night. Thanks again, Mari."

Hisaki threw her body on the futon. Her eyes fell on the full moon outside the window. The twinkling stars that surrounded the moon reminded her of the night before she returned to the past.