Early July
The summer sky is clear, even in the evening. As the sun sets, a luxury sports car speeds down the Keiyo Expressway. Hiratsuka Ryosuke sits in the passenger seat, gazing at the fiery clouds in the distance.
In the past month, besides his regular special training with Himura-sensei, Ryosuke's life has been filled with ordinary, mundane things. The most significant event was the publication of Your Lie in April, which resulted in the Funakawa Publishing team receiving a flood of razor blades from readers. Other than that, nothing extraordinary has happened.
People live within time, and life is a continuous flow. In a way, every ordinary day we live is a continuous miracle.
"Are you feeling homesick, Ryo-chan?" Hiratsuka Shizuka, who is driving, notices Ryosuke's pensive expression out of the corner of her eye. She asks with a relaxed smile. Usually, Ryosuke falls asleep in the car on the way back to Chiba. Today, he seems to have something on his mind, and her sharp observational skills pick up on it.
"Shizuka-san, why did you decide to attend Yukinoshita Haruno's birthday party?" Today, Ryosuke finally voices his question. This kind of party happens every year, and their family in Chiba isn't short on people. His sister has never come home for one before, especially since the Obon Festival is coming up soon. Ryosuke has always returned to Chiba for the Obon Festival and New Year.
"Dad told me to bring you back," Shizuka says calmly. Ryosuke's brows twitch slightly. Father? The man who always exudes a lion's authority and rarely smiles. Perhaps because his late mother's death is connected to Ryosuke, they never had a close relationship when he was a child. What could be the reason their father specifically asked Shizuka to bring him home this time?
Shizuka drives very slowly on this trip to Chiba. But Tokyo is so close that even with her slow driving, the city of Chiba soon appears on the horizon.
The Hiratsuka House, Chiba
A traditional Japanese-style mansion sits at the foot of a mountain. This is the home of the leader of Chiba's largest yakuza organization—the Hiratsuka family.
Shizuka slides open the courtyard gate, and she and Ryosuke walk in. The courtyard is beautifully landscaped with a rock garden and a pond. The shishiodoshi—a bamboo water fountain—by the pond makes a clear, clacking sound from time to time, calming the restlessness of the summer heat.
"Young mistress! Young master! Welcome home!" a booming voice breaks the tranquility. A man in a black suit is trimming bushes in the courtyard. When he sees them, he immediately bows. Shizuka waves her hand casually. "Just keep doing what you're doing. Don't worry about us."
"Yes!" The nameless subordinate stands up straight like a well-oiled machine and goes back to trimming the bushes.
The brother and sister don't go to their rooms. Instead, they head to the reception room. "Tsk, the old man is so extra. That's why I don't like this place," Shizuka says, toying with a lock of her hair, a hint of annoyance in her voice. Ryosuke doesn't reply. He just sits upright on the floor. Even though their last name is Hiratsuka, if they haven't been home in a while, the first place they see their father is the reception room, as if they are guests from far away. The spacious Hiratsuka house in Chiba isn't as warm as their Tokyo apartment. The room's layout is simple. A calligraphy scroll with the characters for "Jin-gi" (Benevolence and Justice) hangs on the wall. Besides a table in the center, there's only a suit of samurai armor and a sword stand against the wall.
Knock, knock, knock.
Unrushed footsteps are heard outside the door.
Whoosh.
The paper door slides open. A tall, serious-looking man in a black kimono with a side part walks in. He sits across from the siblings, and Shizuka's lazy posture disappears.
"Father," the siblings say in unison.
This man is the current head of the Hiratsuka family, known to the locals as "The Lion"—Hiratsuka Gen.
"Welcome home, Little Shizuka, Ryosuke," Hiratsuka Gen says in a deep, booming voice. He looks at Ryosuke. "Ryosuke, I heard you've been writing novels?"
Huh? He didn't ask Shizuka first? It's strange, but Ryosuke understands his father's meaning. He looks him in the eye and says seriously, "It's just a hobby. I haven't forgotten my responsibilities."
Hiratsuka Gen nods. He looks at Shizuka as if he's about to say something but can't find the words. He sighs, as if giving up on something. The strange moment in Shizuka's eyes makes her a little annoyed. "Hey, old man, just say what you want to say. Why are you being so wishy-washy?"
Hiratsuka Gen sighs again, as if he's given up on a certain goal. Is this day finally here? The strict, serious man looks at Shizuka with a hint of pity. His serious expression softens, and a weak smile appears on his face. "Little Shizuka, it's okay. Even if no one wants you in the future, this will always be your home."
Shizuka's brow furrows. Something feels off. She sensed it when he first asked about Ryosuke. Normally, he would be pressuring her to get married, but now he's acting like he's given up.
Hiratsuka Gen says with a hint of guilt, "Actually, I've already given up on finding you a husband in the Kanto region. So a while ago, when I visited an old friend in Kyoto, I tried to find someone for you among your peers. At first, when I showed them your photo, their eyes were filled with joy. But when they found out your name was Hiratsuka Shizuka, they ran away so fast..." Hiratsuka Gen says, cautiously testing the waters. "Is it possible, and I'm just saying it's possible, that there are no men in families similar to ours in all of Japan who are willing to marry you?"
Shizuka's eyes lose their light, and her body seems to fade. She turns her back to her father and brother, hugs her knees, and draws circles on the floor.
Seeing his sister's pitiful state, Ryosuke feels his father has gone too far. He puts his hands on the table, about to stand up and argue. What's wrong with Shizuka-san? All she does is smoke, drink, speed, hit people, and act like a hot-blooded manga idiot... Ryosuke stops himself and sits back down. Even with all that, his sister is a good person. He can't bear to see her like this. He gently pats her back.
She slowly looks up, her eyes filled with a pitiful expression. Ryosuke says gently, "It's okay. My promise to you is forever, sis."
Shizuka can't hold it in anymore and hugs Ryosuke. "Waaah! Ryo-chan, the old man is too much!"
After a while, Shizuka calms down. Hiratsuka Gen clears his throat and becomes serious again. "Ryosuke, do you know why I asked you to come home?" Ryosuke shakes his head.
"I have never forced you two to do anything since you were little. I didn't say anything when Little Shizuka took you to Tokyo. For a family like ours, I've been lenient enough with you two."
His tone is calm. Then he changes the subject. "There's more than one city councilor in Chiba, and I'm not afraid of the Yukinoshita family." Finally, Hiratsuka Gen looks at Ryosuke and says slowly, word by word, "But the Yukinoshita family has no male heirs in this generation. If you can... Ryosuke, I hope you can get closer to them."