nucmednet Chapter 64 The Beauty of Silence
Chapter 64 The Beauty of Silence
Keyakizaka hasn't debuted yet, so it's not the time to draw cards. Rito declined her invitation, put the tokens back in the box, and said with a smile, "I didn't come for this."
"Yeah, then you go ahead and do your own thing." Meiqing lay sprawled on the ground. She didn't know what material the ground was made of, but it was very soft and she wouldn't slip when she stepped on it. It was much more comfortable than those mattresses that cost hundreds of thousands or millions. She had recently found a new way to help her sleep—switching her consciousness here before going to sleep every day and leaving when she woke up. Her sleep quality had improved significantly.
Rito, unaware that her space had been turned into a girl's bedroom, sat cross-legged on the floor with several newly compiled Keyakizaka debut proposals scattered around her. According to the plan, Keyakizaka should be making their debut this summer. If everything goes smoothly, the third generation members should join as second generation members. She wondered if she would be able to gather the remaining three members and fulfill Mio's wish.
"Oh, right, Riko and Rika went to the hospital to see you. They should be here soon."
Suddenly, Meiqing spoke up.
"Huh? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Rito turned to look at her, his reproach evident in his eyes.
"I forgot," Meiqing shrugged, replying with an innocent look.
"Really, then I'm leaving." Rito originally wanted to check the plan again, but after hearing her say that, he had no choice but to stand up and prepare to leave the space. Meiqing waved her hand with a smile and watched his figure fade away from the consciousness space.
Rito opened his eyes and saw the same white walls and neatly arranged medical equipment in front of him. He touched his still throbbing wound, twisted his body, sat up, took out his phone, and scrolled through Twitter while waiting for the guests to arrive.
A few minutes later, light footsteps came from the direction of the stairs, followed by three knocks on the door, steady and firm.
"Brother Li, may I come in?"
That's Riko's voice.
"Hi, come in."
The door was pushed open a crack, and Riko Endo peeked in halfway to make sure no one was inside before pushing the door open with peace of mind. She ran and jumped to the bedside, pulled up a stool, and sat down.
"Brother Li, are you feeling better?" She sat up straight, adjusted her body angle, and asked in her usual slow and leisurely manner.
"Much better. The doctor said I need to be observed for another day, and I can be discharged the day after tomorrow." It felt quite special to be cared for by Riko. Rito unconsciously became reserved, especially since Riko actually had a very nice womanly vibe when she wasn't smiling, which was exactly the kind of woman Rito feared most.
"That's good." Riko also sensed his unusual behavior, but being a baby, she didn't think too much of it. After chatting for a bit, she glanced at the door, moved her stool closer, and said somewhat mysteriously:
"Riri-kun, Rika-nee has been acting really strange lately. Could you do something about her?"
"Hmm?" Rito frowned. "What's wrong with her now?"
"It's the same old routine, but the symptoms have gotten worse lately. He keeps reminding us that we can't be complacent and that we're becoming parasites that you've raised. He wants to develop his own earning ability and achieve financial independence as soon as possible."
Riko turned her neck, and her flawless beauty shimmered in the sunlight, almost making Rito miss what she was saying.
"Oh, let her say what she wants. Whether you listen or not is up to you. That's always been my attitude."
This wasn't the first time Rito had heard this topic, and her reaction was somewhat lukewarm.
"I know, but she's been getting more and more long-winded lately. I don't know who provoked her. If you ask me, Li Ren, you might as well... you know what I mean?"
Riko pouted and, unusually, spoke ill of someone behind their back. As she finished speaking, the tips of her ears turned slightly red. She held her teacup in both hands, covering half of her face, revealing only her bright eyes. Clearly, she was not yet comfortable with certain sensitive topics, but she still insisted on saying them.
"Huh? Did Odakura teach you that again?" Hearing her say that, Rito's lips twitched. Without a doubt, Riko could not have come up with such a thing on her own. There must be some little genius guiding her from behind.
"Hehe." Riko chuckled sheepishly, neither denying it nor denying it. She simply said with a smile, "I think it's great. Isn't Rika-nee lacking a sense of security? Rito-nii, you can definitely give her that."
"Tsk, little brats shouldn't meddle in adult matters." Rito shook his head speechlessly, thinking that he already had several difficult women around him. Rika, who was all bark and no bite, had little chance of winning against anyone. But she was also bad at games and loved to play. He wouldn't keep a powder keg that would only escalate conflicts and that he couldn't handle. Wouldn't that just be waiting for her to explode on the spot?
Riko was just joking around out of boredom. Since Rito wouldn't listen, she didn't really intend to be a go-between for her Rika-nee. She just laughed it off and moved on. She didn't think the man in the hospital bed would ever abandon them. There was no particular reason, it was just that all her memories started from the first time she saw him. Perhaps subconsciously, she had already regarded him as the foundation of her world—not many people worry about the earth exploding all the time, right?
"Aigoo, Riko, you're right to think that way." Rito patted Riko's head with a sigh, delighted by her trust. "Don't worry, even if I really get stabbed to death one day, I've already left enough backup plans to ensure you can live freely."
"Hmph, Rito-san, are you scared now? If you're going to target your own idol, you should be prepared for this."
Riko didn't take his promise seriously and even teased him in return, which made Rito smile bitterly and mutter some nonsense about his personality to get out of the predicament.
As the two were chatting and laughing, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside. The door was pushed open abruptly, and Ishimori Rika, who had been away for some unknown reason, arrived a step late. She was wearing a navy blue duffle coat with her long hair draped over her shoulders. She was still out of breath when she saw Rito's hand on Riko's head, and her eyebrows immediately rose.
Rushing over in two strides, Rika slapped Rito's hand away, then pulled Riko behind her, fiercely protecting her.
"Kubo Rito! Where are you putting your hands?!"
"It was just a pat on the head, you're being too sensitive." Rito innocently shrugged.
"Who told you to touch her like that!" Rika turned around and looked Riko up and down, making sure the baby's clothes were intact and her face had a normal rosy glow before she breathed a sigh of relief, but she still wasn't letting her guard down. She stood in front of Riko like a protective mother hen, glaring at him, "Riko isn't one of your idols, don't even think about using that on her, understand?"
"Rika-nee, it's not that exaggerated..." Riko whispered behind her.
"Don't speak yet," Rika interrupted her without turning her head. "Riko, you're still young, listen to me."
Riko peeked half her face out from behind Rika's shoulder, gave Rito a helpless look, and playfully stuck out her tongue. Then she gently pulled her hand away from Rika's and patted her shoulder.
"I'm going to the restroom."
After saying that, she tiptoed out of the room. The door closed gently behind her, leaving only Rito and Rika in the room.
Rika remained in the same protective posture as before, her arms dangling in mid-air, looking a bit silly. Rito beckoned her with his finger, signaling her not to stand there like an idiot.
Rika didn't sit in the chair he pointed to. She walked to the window, leaned against the windowsill, crossed her arms, and struck a pose that suggested she wasn't a woman who could be summoned at a moment's notice. The afternoon sun shone in from behind her, enveloping her in a warm golden halo.
"Rika Ishimori, I will not abandon any of you, no matter what you think." Rito didn't care, leaning against the headboard, adopting a very serious tone, and waited a while before speaking.
Rika didn't turn around, just leaned against the window, with all living beings crawling at her feet, and Tokyo Tower seemed to be under her control. Even Nijubashi didn't seem so dignified.
Liren didn't care whether she was listening or not, and just kept talking to himself: "Maybe you have a lot of doubts about me, don't believe that a free lunch will fall from the sky, or are worried about something else, but I really just want to see you all doing well, that's all."
"That's all? Don't you have any thoughts about men?" Rika finally spoke, her voice tinged with sarcasm.
"Well, it would be a lie to say there aren't any, but it only applies to a few specific people."
"I bet it's Riko."
Faced with Rika's whispered words, whether out of jealousy or sarcasm, Rito forced a wry smile and retorted softly, "Anyway, you're not here."
"You!" Rika turned to look at him, seemingly angry, but then she realized it was strange to be angry about this, as if she were confessing her feelings to him. So she quickly stopped, cursed him as a pervert, turned around, and strode out of the room.
As Rikka's figure, swift as the wind, disappeared into the depths of the corridor, Rito shook his head and smiled. She was beautiful, but she thought too much and had too many concerns. In the end, she was not as attractive to him as Riko Mio, who possessed a clear and pure heart.
"I wish it were a pomelo," he said, picking up his phone and continuing to scroll through Twitter.
About half a minute later, the door was gently pushed open. Riko peeked in through the crack, her gaze sweeping around the room, only to see Rito standing by the window. She blinked.
"Where's Rika-nee?"
Rito gestured with his lip towards the door.
Riko followed his gaze to the empty doorway, then looked back at Rito's thoughtful expression, and suddenly seemed to understand something. She didn't ask why, nor did she rush to chase after him. Instead, she gently covered her mouth and chuckled.
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As promised, the day after tomorrow arrived. The good doctor kept his promise. On January 3rd, Rito left the hospital on time and returned home. Nanamin also came back today. She had heard that he was injured and wanted to come and pick him up, but Rito calculated that the time was a bit rushed, so he asked her to wait for him at home.
When he returned to Songtao's mansion, there was a pair of familiar ankle boots in the entryway. The aroma of kelp tea from Hokkaido wafted from the living room, along with the sound of someone coughing softly. Everything pointed to that woman.
"Nanamin, I miss you so much~"
Li Ren knew he had gotten himself into serious trouble, so he rushed in, hoping to take the initiative and get a lenient outcome. But before he could finish speaking, his ear was grabbed by a cold hand.
"Kubo Rito." Nana Min's voice was unhurried, but her grip on his hand didn't loosen at all. "You knew to notify Airi when you got to the hospital, but you didn't notify me, right? It seems you don't consider me your family member. In that case, I'll just move out today."
"Ouch, ouch, ouch—I just didn't want you to worry in Asahikawa—"
"Hmm, you're so thoughtful." She let go of his hand, curled up her legs, rested her chin on her knees, and turned her head to look at him. This posture made her look several years younger than usual, and there was a clear sense of fatigue in her eyes. "It's best if you don't let me know you're dead. Just call me after you've been cremated and I'm collecting your ashes."
"You went home for a while, how come your mouth has become so sharp? Did you practice on your younger brother?" Rito put his arm around her shoulder and let her lean on him. "I know I was wrong, I won't do it again."
Nana Min didn't reply, but buried her face in his collarbone and took a deep breath. Their breaths mingled, seemingly carrying the chill of the north.
"How dare you mention my brother? Who told you to give him New Year's money? He's still in school, what does he need so much money for?" Gently pushing him away, Nana Min took an envelope from her bag and stuffed it into his hand. "I've already given you your share, take this back."
Rito glanced down at the envelope and suddenly couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't for herself, but for the boy with the same high nose bridge that she had met in the rest area—having such an older sister, she didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing.
"I understand." He kissed Nana Min lightly on the forehead, took the envelope and tossed it aside. There were plenty of ways to help his brother-in-law, so there was no need to dwell on this. It had been a while since he had seen Nana Min, and he couldn't resist the urge to relive their past.
"Hmm, your injury—" Nanamin didn't object to his actions, but she was a little worried about his wound.
"It's okay, the doctor said not to be too strenuous." Rito turned over and whispered something in Nanamin's ear. Nanamin blushed and lowered her head half-heartedly.
Soon, Knight Nanamin logged in for the first time.
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As 2013 began, before spring had fully arrived in Tokyo, the footsteps of Keyakizaka had already begun to sound.
Rito tasked Airi with handling all the preliminary procedures—name registration, trademark application, long-term lease agreement for the venue, and coordination with Sony for publicity. With Nogizaka's successful example, although they still had some reservations about Keyakizaka's concept, they expressed their full cooperation. Konno Yoshio was appointed as the head of Nogizaka, while Rito focused his main energy on the members.
The moment I pushed open the door to the practice room, a murderous aura hit me. A dozen or so trainees were having their final group rehearsal. The dance teacher stood in front of the mirror, tapping out the beat with a metronome. The girls' movements were perfectly synchronized, and the rhythmic slapping of their sneakers on the floor, combined with their powerful singing, made it feel like I had entered a gang's hideout. It was quite intimidating.
Hirate Yurina stood in the very center of the front row. Even though everyone had improved, she was still the most outstanding one. But what pleased Rito the most was the expression on her face—she wasn't mechanically performing the movements, but rather enjoying herself. It was a kind of enjoyment that was immersing her in her own world and completely forgetting herself.
The emperor of the stage truly lives up to his name.
Li Ren secretly admired her, saying that she had already praised her too much and there was no need to say more. She just needed to watch how Ping Jie would dominate the market in the second half of the year.
He withdrew his gaze, clapped his hands, and the music stopped at the right moment. All eyes converged, forming a heavy encirclement, but he was already used to it. He walked to the front of the practice room and his gaze swept over every face—these girls, who had been honing, training, and waiting since last summer, all looked up at him at this moment, their eyes filled with expectation, nervousness, and long-suppressed desire.
"I've seen the results of everyone's practice." He paused. "This summer, Keyakizaka46 will officially debut."
The practice room was silent for about a second. Then everyone erupted. Some screamed, some jumped up and hugged the person next to them, and some covered their faces and squatted on the ground crying. Rihito let them make a fuss for a while, then raised his hand to signal for quiet.
Once everyone had stood in their places again, his gaze passed over Hirate and Zono in the front row—the tentative center positions for the Wild and Rational groups—and over Chestnut and Big Duck in the second row—he had high hopes for the two of them. The overall quality of the members selected this time was relatively low, and they might have to take on more important roles. His gaze fell on the girl in the corner who was clapping along with everyone but didn't seem that happy.
"Kosaka, come here for a second."
Xiaosaka Yu was stunned for a moment before running quickly through the crowd to stand in front of him. It was clear that she had become much prettier and didn't look much like the girl who had beaten Nana.
Rito led her to the corridor outside the practice room, clearly having something important to tell her.
"President?" she asked cautiously, looking somewhat uneasy.
"Get ready." Rito didn't beat around the bush and told her the next steps directly. "Because you didn't participate in the final audition, I won't let you join Keyakizaka directly. But don't worry, I plan to create a new group for you called Hiragana Keyakizaka. You can work there first, and then we'll consider having you do both. As for the members of Hiragana Keyakizaka, we'll recruit more after Keyakizaka debuts."
Kousaka was quite shocked by Rito's novel and bold arrangement. Her eyes widened even more, her mouth opened and closed slightly, and she looked like a fish out of water, trying to breathe through her mouth but failing repeatedly.
"I...I can't do it." She waved her hands repeatedly. "I haven't even caught up with the other members yet, let alone take on this kind of responsibility..."
Li Ren interrupted her, his tone calm but unquestionable: "I don't care what you think, I care what I think. This is settled, unless you say you're not going to be an idol anymore."
Nao Kosaka stared at him, her eyes brimming with tears, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her shoulders trembling slightly. Rito looked at her for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed, reaching out to gently pat her shoulder.
"Just kidding, don't worry, I've arranged everything. Your workload will be strictly controlled, you just need to focus on the stage. If you encounter any difficulties, come to me. You know I've always had high hopes for you."
Nao Kosaka bit her lip and nodded forcefully. Tears finally fell, but she didn't make a sound. She wiped her face hastily with her sleeve, then bowed deeply to Rito. Her voice was hoarse but firm.
"I will not let you down."
Rito nodded, turned and left, hoping that in this timeline, Hinata-zaka would have a mother who could accompany them further.
A few days later, Shiori returned from Sendai. Instead of reporting to her manager first, she went straight to Rito's office, carrying a bulging paper bag and wearing a rustic, country-style smile. To put it bluntly, she looked like a country girl visiting Tokyo for the first time.
"President, I brought you some Sendai specialties!"
Rito stroked his chin, opened the paper bag and glanced inside—dried beef tongue, edamame mochi, and a bottle of homemade plum wine that looked rather suspicious. He picked up the bottle of plum wine, examined the label, and looked up at her.
"Will this wine cause any problems?"
"President~ This was brewed by my mom, don't worry. My relatives already tested it for poison during the New Year, it won't kill you." Shiori sat down opposite him, resting her chin on her hands, her eyes curving into two crescent moons. "The dried beef tongue was bought from the best specialty store in Sendai. I queued for ages, and a fan even recognized me. Tell me you're really touched, right?"
"I'm so touched." Rito said in a monotone tone, picked up a piece of dried beef tongue, put it in his mouth and chewed it, then nodded sincerely, "This is really good."
Shiori laughed heartily and said she would bring him more next time she went home. Rito quickly declined, afraid that this kind of thing would become a regular gift and they would get tired of eating it. The two of them tugged at each other a little, and Rito glanced at the time and decided to go eat.
"Have you eaten yet? Want to eat together?"
"Then I won't stand on ceremony." Shi Xuli wasn't embarrassed at all, and stood up without hesitation.
Li Ren took her to the barbecue restaurant near the company that he often went to. There weren't many people there, so it seemed that quite a few villagers hadn't returned yet.
Halfway through the meal, the charcoal fire weakened, leaving only a few pieces of pork belly sizzling on the grill. Shi Xuli put down her chopsticks, held her barley tea cup with both hands, and suddenly spoke.
"President, I had a dream on New Year's Day morning."
Li Ren paused slightly in his hand as he picked up the meat, then continued as if nothing had happened. He had sensed something from the girl's tone, but after experiencing so much, he had learned to face it calmly.
"Nogizaka46 is in my dreams too." Shiori's gaze fell on the grill, her voice soft, as if recalling something very distant. "But the members are very different now—there are people we don't know, and there are fewer people we do know. I'm the center, standing right in the middle."
"Is this some kind of hint you're trying to give me? But unfortunately, I don't plan on having you standing there anytime soon."
"I wasn't alone in my dream." Shiori shook her head, raising her eyes to look at him. Against the dim light of the charcoal fire, something slowly flowed deep within her pupils. "There was another girl next to me, also in the center position, just like me. Her name is... Yamashita Mizuki."
Rito paused for a moment with the tongs in his hand, then let them fall freely, hitting the grill rack with a loud thud.
"That's interesting. What do you want to say?" His face darkened, and he looked around nervously.
Shi Xuli took everything in, said nothing, simply put down her chopsticks, and silently leaned on his shoulder.
"Shiori?" Rito asked, somewhat caught off guard.
She didn't answer, but simply rested quietly on his shoulder.
After waiting a while and confirming that the system had not issued any warnings, Li Ren finally breathed a sigh of relief, turned to look at Xu Xian, wrapped a piece of grilled meat in lettuce, and held it to her mouth.
"Are you full?"
Shi Xuli lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him for two seconds. She didn't take the lettuce-wrapped meat. She lowered her head, opened her mouth, and bit the meat—along with his hand.
"hiss--"
The girl's canine teeth were still very sharp, piercing through the skin of his hand, causing Rito to gasp in pain. When she released her grip, a bloody ring of teeth marks remained on his hand, a scar that would surely last for a while. Rito thought that no one would believe he had been bitten by a human; perhaps saying he had been bitten by a dog would be easier to explain.
Shiori straightened up and grinned as if showing off, her teeth still bearing a faint pinkish tinge. Rito knew it was her own blood and laughed in exasperation.
"Let me see her this year, or there won't be any dried beef tongue next year."
She licked the blood off her teeth little by little, then swallowed it along with her saliva, smiling through her tears as she spoke. The charcoal fire crackled a few last times under the grill before falling silent.