The performance ended with the death of the human trafficker. Katakura Hayabusa got out of the car, satisfied.
“Sorry, this dirty blood on me has soiled your car. But if you want compensation, I might not be able to afford it.”
“It’s no problem, Katakura. A car is just a means of transportation. If it’s dirty, we’ll just buy a new one.” Tsukiyuki Rio leaned against Gao Sijin’s chest, as if savoring the splendid show. “Rather, thank you for letting Gao-kun and me watch such a brilliant performance.”
“If not for your help, I might have been turned into goods by the old man, or killed, right?” Katakura Hayabusa pouted. “I have to say, the old man was pretty strong.”
“From now on, please continue to do the illustrations for Gao-kun’s works.”
“Got it. I’m not the type to take a favor and then not do the work. You gave me the chance to personally off the old man. No matter what, you are my benefactors. I will do my best in charge of Teacher Gao Sijin’s works.”
He headed toward his apartment building. When he lived alone before, the place didn’t feel too small, but now with his younger sister Kazue, he might need to consider renting a two-bedroom place.
“I’m hungry.”
He went to the 7-Eleven and bought five rice balls and a bento, plus a few bottles of soda. That would be breakfast.
When he came out, a sparrow landed on his shoulder.
——Thank you, Hayabusa.
“Eh?” Aunt Keiko’s voice suddenly appeared in his mind.
“Are you Aunt Keiko?”
The sparrow tilted its little head.
“Aunt Keiko, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you back then.” Katakura Hayabusa’s hand gently stroked the gray feathers. “I’m sorry you got sold by the old man…”
The sparrow flapped its wings and flew around Hayabusa, as if advising him not to be sad about it.
“Aunt Keiko, can I call you Mom?”
The sparrow chirped. Hayabusa could no longer hear Aunt Keiko’s voice, but he could vaguely feel that the sparrow was nodding.
“Let’s go home together, Mom. After this, I’ll go to high school properly. With my grades, I might not get into a good university, but I’ll work hard. I’ll also take good care of Kazue, my younger sister.”
He returned to the apartment. The sparrow stayed on his shoulder the whole time.
He unlocked the door. On the large bed laid out on the living room floor, his girlfriend Miyo and his sister Kazue were sleeping together, looking like real sisters. If Junko saw this, she’d be jealous.
“I’m home.”
“You’re back?”
Yajima Miyo opened her eyes blearily. Seeing Katakura Hayabusa covered in blood, she immediately jumped up in surprise, her eyes instantly moist, and she asked:
“What on earth happened? Why do you have so many injuries?”
“Don’t cry. Scars are a man’s medals. Be proud of me.” Katakura Hayabusa stroked Miyo’s hair. “Miyo, your sister has been rescued from the human traffickers. You should get a call from your parents soon.”
“Junko was really found?”
“Ah, yeah.”
The sound of voices woke Kazue, who had been sound asleep. The little girl opened her eyes. Her hair had been shaved off before, but fortunately, wigs exist. So now Kazue could have any style and color of hair.
Now she looked like a little princess. The chestnut wig had a black bow tied in it, matching Kazue’s face shape and looking very cute.
The sparrow flew in circles in front of Kazue. Kazue’s originally pale face regained some color, and light returned to her eyes.
She opened her small mouth, seeming to want to say something.
“Don’t push yourself.”
Katakura Hayabusa smiled.
“B… Brother…”
Kazue’s thin lips murmured.
“What did you say?”
Before Hayabusa could react, Kazue immediately threw herself into his arms, crying a flood of tears. While crying, she mumbled something in a language Hayabusa couldn’t understand at all. Probably a South Asian language.
“Kazue, that weird old man who hurt you and Aunt Keiko is dead. I beat him to death with my fists, punch after punch. So? Isn’t your big brother amazing? I went through a lot of trouble to kill that old man.”
He felt his sister’s delicate body and strong heartbeat, and for the first time, he realized that being alive could be such a wonderful thing.
“Alright, stop clinging. Big brother is all dirty, so I need to take a shower first.”
At that moment, girlfriend Miyo’s phone rang. After answering, she followed her parents’ instructions and turned on the TV.
The morning news was reporting on a human trafficking case jointly cracked by the Taoka Group, Kira Group, Shokaku Society, and other yakuza organizations. The news anchor read out the list of rescued persons. When the anchor read Yajima Junko, girlfriend Miyo knelt on the ground and shouted loudly:
“That’s wonderful, truly wonderful!”
“Miyo, everything is over now.”
Katakura Hayabusa thought that he was the most seriously injured, yet now he had to take on the role of comforting everyone.
But this feeling was quite enjoyable for him.
“Hayabusa, Kazue, I’m going home.”
Miyo wiped her moist eyes with a tissue and choked out.
“Yeah, go home early to welcome Junko. She must really want to see you. Oh, and starting in February, I’m going to prepare for school.”
“Hayabusa, you’re finally willing to go to school?”
“Please take care of me from now on.”
“Hmph, cut that out. You better not trick me. I’ll come to your place every day to supervise you going to school together.”
“I don’t want you coming to my place! You’re my girlfriend, after all. I should be the one waiting at your doorstep.”
The two smiled at each other, then Miyo pushed open the door and left the apartment.
After killing the old man, Katakura Hayabusa’s heart was healed. Now he felt incredibly happy. Looking ahead, life was filled with the warm color called hope.
“I’m going to take a shower. We’ll eat soon.”
Kazue nodded nervously. The sparrow landed on Kazue’s fingertip. Surely, Kazue’s consciousness recovery was also thanks to Aunt Keiko.
After washing off the mixture of the old man’s blood and brain matter, Katakura Hayabusa threw the clothes directly into a garbage bag, dried off, and came out of the bathroom.
From now on, he decided to live a happy life with Kazue and Aunt Keiko.
“Kazue, where’s Mom?”
Kazue shook her head, pointed out the window, and said in somewhat stuttering Japanese:
“Mom… said she will… keep watching us.”
“Is that so? Well, that’s fine.”
Though a small regret lingered in his heart, compared to the current happiness, it was insignificant.
“Goodbye, Mother Keiko.”
Katakura Hayabusa opened the window and shouted loudly to the azure sky.
