45 I have found another way

"it's confirmed that she went to the train station."

it's been two hours since she disappeared. he has been looking for her everywhere. someone people have seen her hail a taxi outside the hospital.

"which train did she take?" he asks mizutani over the phone.

"we don't know yet." mizutani sounds anxious. "it's better if we sue her for breaking the contract and ask the cops to find her."

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"no, keep looking. nobody must find out especially, the media." suing her isn't an answer. "send me the list of the trains that left the station within half an hour after she arrived. look for her friends or relatives who live in other cities. have you sent me the information?"

he hangs up the phone and takes a deep breath. where could she go? what did he do this time? did she hate changing the job that much? she seemed like she cared about takeshi. why would she run away?

"kiyohira, if she wants to leave, don't look for her." his grandmother speaks with a soured face. "ever since she came here, she has been stirring trouble."

his fingers pause on the screen of the phone. "we need her to fix the -"

"i have found another way." his grandmother interrupts him before he can finish.

"what another way?" he takes a seat in front of his grandmother.

grandmother kamiyama stares at her grandson. her grandson's interest in that girl is frightening her. at first, she thought that he just wanted to use that girl to fix what was wronged. after hearing that he has taken her to the same rooftop restaurant where her son used to take his family to celebrate happy happenings in the family, she is afraid that kiyohira is falling for that girl's seduction. she also heard that her grandson personally cooked for hitomi's daughter. she recently found out that he spent the night with that girl at his personal villa before bringing that girl here.

"her father is coming. he would take responsibility for her."

"her father who abandoned her when she was only eight?" kiyohira clenches his fists. "does it makes sense that he wants to take responsibility for her now?"

"does it makes sense that we are taking the responsibility because of her dead mother? we are forced to take the responsibility of a grown-up woman who chose to live that life." grandmother kamiyama scolds him. "it's better if it is her father who handles her. we aren't her family. you have to protect kamiyama groups and your younger brother. because of a woman who isn't even a proper human being, you can't ruin the kamiyama family. remember that she is still your stepsister. takeshi is blood-related to both of you."

kiyohira didn't miss the warning in his grandmother's sharp voice. takeuchi rie is his stepsister. he can't look at her as a man.

grandmother kamiyama glances at him once. he hasn't said anything. he hasn't given up either. her grandson has never been interested in anyone. why is it that girl? hitomi's daughter can never be accepted into the kamiyama family. at this crucial time, it's better if her grandson marries a girl from a powerful family. someone like hashimoto chisa is more suitable. though hashimoto chisa is not linked by blood to the hashimoto family, she is loved and treasured by her stepfather. hashimoto chisa's stepfather was a close friend of kamiyama shintaro. that's how kiyohira and chisa met.

grandmother kamiyama makes a decision silently. she leaves kamiyama alone in the living room. her son made a mistake by falling for hitomi's seductive charms years ago. they are still suffering because of it. she won't let her grandson make the same mistake and bring ruins to kamiyama groups and takeshi.

kiyohira opens the file on his phone. mizutani has sent an investigation report of takeuchi's past. during middle school, drugs were found in her bags. she also mixed aphrodisiac in a boy's drink and tried to **** him. when he resisted, she pushed him out the window. she was reported for bullying younger students and providing prostitution services outside school. she was almost suspended, but she was kept in the school because of her grandfather who paid a huge donation to the school.

bully? prostitution? that doesn't sound like her at all. this is a complete lie.

he checks her grades. until the age of eight, her grades were good. after her parents' divorce, there was a significant drop in her grades. she often went to the hospital for stomach pain to skip school. she hung out in the arcade for gaming. he looks at her medical reports. she is found to visit a therapist weekly from the second year of middle school. she stopped after her grandfather died.

he needs to see that therapist and that boy who was pushed out of the window.

***

"hey, wake up," the old man yells.

he succeeds in waking me up. "what?"

"it's been eight hours. how long are you going to sleep?" he tosses a beer can in my direction. "drink up."

i look at the can to check the expiry date.

"i brought it today." he sips the beer. "can you drink it?"

can i? that's a good question. this reminds me of the time when that boy gave me the drugged juice can. i toss it back at the old man. "don't try to act familiar with me."

"my station is almost here." he pretends like he didn't hear anything. "do you still have my card? if anything happens, give me a call."

"old man!" i glare at him. "why would i give you a call? are you my family?"

"i have chosen you as my patient." he crushes the can. "you told me that you have no one. as a doctor, i feel responsible for my patients. you can give me a call anytime. if i can't come, my student will come to get you. here, i am giving you another card. keep it safe."

he tosses a card in my lap. he gets up and picks up his bag. "you can call me even if you just want to have a drink or wish me on new year day."

the new year is four months away. what is this old man made of? "hey, i am never calling you."

the train stops at the station. he grins and walks away.

good riddance!

i look at the card carefully.

dr. umezaki yushiro.