20demayo Page 45
Page 45
"Yamamoto: Mr. Itsuka, the president and all colleagues of the company would like to express our sincerest gratitude for everything you have done for Ms. Mai. Ms. Mai's success proves your foresight, and we believe that you are a gentleman who keeps his promises."
The wording was restrained and respectful, without any threats or urging.
Yuto Itsuka chuckled to himself, then calmly deleted it.
It's time for everything to come to an end.
……
From that day on, Yuto Itsuka began to observe Mai Sakurajima, assessing her ability to live independently as her guardian who was about to embark on a long journey.
He discovered that she had indeed made significant changes.
On set, she would proactively discuss the script with director Fujiwara; she handled the media's cameras with ease; she also began to have her own social circle, going shopping with the crew's makeup artists and receiving dinner invitations from actresses of the same age.
She is reintegrating into this world at an astonishing speed, and radiating brilliance.
He should be happy for her.
He was genuinely happy for her.
But mixed in with this joy was a sense of emptiness and loss.
It's like he poured his heart and soul into raising a fledgling bird, watching it grow its wings and fly into the vast sky that belongs to it, while his nest will soon become empty.
"That's just being pretentious," he muttered to himself.
……
Yuto Itsuka began to teach her some life skills.
"The apartment's electricity and water bills are automatically deducted from this linked credit card, and the bills are sent to this email address every month."
"The convenience store downstairs offers discounts on bento boxes on Wednesdays, but seaweed rice balls are half price after 9 pm, which is even more cost-effective..."
At first, Mai Sakurajima found it amusing, laughing at how he had suddenly become like a nagging old woman, but after it happened a few times, she also realized that something was wrong.
"Yuuto."
That evening, she hugged Itsuka Yuuto from behind as he was teaching her how to unclog the drain by the kitchen sink. "Have you been... bothered by something lately?"
Yuto Itsuka stiffened for a moment, then turned around and smiled, "Yes, you seem to have a lot on your mind."
"What is it?" she asked nervously.
"I'm thinking, my big star is becoming more and more capable. Will she not need me anymore in the future? I feel like I'm about to lose my job. I need to quickly teach her what I know so that I can prove my worth and make her reluctant to let me go."
Sakurajima Mai was amused. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. "I will always need you."
He smiled and didn't say anything more.
……
The day of parting is set for next Monday.
That day was the celebration banquet for "The Sound of the Tide".
Mai Sakurajima, as the female lead, will dress up for the occasion and not return until late at night.
This is a good opportunity for him to leave quietly.
Sunday night became their last dinner together.
Yuto Itsuka prepared a huge table of dishes, all of which were Chinese food that Mai Sakurajima loved: braised beef with potatoes, spicy chicken, mapo tofu, braised eggplant, tomato and egg drop soup...
"Is today a special day?" Mai looked at the table full of dishes, somewhat surprised.
"Celebrating our family's superstar, who's about to sweep all the award ceremonies," Yuto Itsuki said with a smile, pulling out a chair for her.
He ate very little at the meal, but talked a lot.
He talked about his childhood, about burning haystacks and roasting sweet potatoes in the countryside; about sneaking into internet cafes to play games in junior high school and getting a beating from his parents when they found out; and about how he noticed her on the first day of high school.
Mai Sakurajima listened quietly, her eyes filled with a gentle smile. She loved hearing him talk about these things; it made her feel like she was a part of his past.
After dinner, the two snuggled together on the sofa to watch a movie.
Yuto Itsuka held her hand tightly, their fingers intertwined.
He wanted to forever etch the warmth of her palm into his memory.
He didn't pay any attention to what was going on in the movie.
As night deepened, he carried the sleeping Mai back to the bedroom and covered her with a blanket.
He sat on the edge of the bed, greedily sketching her sleeping face in the dim light streaming in from the window.
The girl lay on her side, her body slightly curled up, the moonlight only outlining a small, soft contour, like delicate porcelain immersed in spring water.
He reached out and stopped his fingertips a centimeter away from her cheek.
……
The next evening.
Mai Sakurajima has left the apartment to attend a celebration party, while Yuto Itsuka declined, citing his dislike of crowded places.
He went to the study and placed the printed letter on the living room table.
Then, he opened the wardrobe, took out a backpack that he had prepared beforehand, which contained only a few changes of clothes.
He looked around the apartment, which was filled with their memories.
The high heels she took off in the entryway, the blanket she covered herself with on the sofa, the mint she planted herself on the balcony, and Yukino sleeping soundly on the cat tree...
Everywhere here bears her mark.
And he, the one who built this family with his own hands, is about to become the first person to betray it.
Yuto Itsuka walked to the door and glanced back one last time in the direction of the bedroom.
Goodbye, Mai.
May your future be bright and your life smooth sailing.
I also hope that you... will never forgive me.
He turned the doorknob and left the apartment.
……
Volume 1: Chapter 58: He's a Bastard (Seventh Update)
When Mai Sakurajima returned to her apartment, it was already midnight.
She had drunk some champagne today, and her cheeks were flushed with a beautiful rosy glow, her eyes still brimming with excitement.
At the banquet, she was praised by director Fujiwara, the producer, and countless seniors and colleagues.
She couldn't wait to share all of this with Yuto Itsuka.
I wanted to tell him that Director Fujiwara wanted to cast her in his next film, and the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine personally came to arrange a cover shoot with her.
"I am back!"
With a cheerful, nasal tone, she kicked off her high heels and shouted lightly.
However, the familiar response was not heard.
The living room lights were off, only the bedside lamp in the bedroom was on, with a little light shining through the crack in the door.
Is Yuto already asleep?
Mai didn't change into slippers; she went in barefoot without making a sound.
Yukino lazily raised her head from the cat tree, meowed at her, and then lay back down.
She pushed open the bedroom door; the bed was empty, and the blankets were neatly folded.
He's not in now?
Where would you go so late?
Mai's heart began to sink slowly.
She walked back to the living room, turned on the light, and the bright light instantly dispelled the darkness, making the white envelope on the table stand out starkly.
The handwriting on the envelope was all too familiar to her.
"To Mai (the lady)"
Mai's breath hitched for a moment. She walked over and picked up the envelope with trembling fingertips.
It was very thin, with only one sheet of paper inside. She took a deep breath and tore it open.
To Mai:
"By the time you read this letter, I will have already left."
"Please forgive me for saying goodbye in such an irresponsible way. I tried to come up with many reasons for leaving, such as making up a lie and portraying myself as a scumbag so that you could forget me faster. But when I picked up the pen, I found that I couldn't even write a single word to deceive you."
"So, I've decided to tell you part of the truth."
"Mai, our meeting did indeed stem from a somewhat absurd game. Initially, I approached you with impure motives, employing all sorts of despicable, even shameless, methods."
"I was like a clumsy actor, playing a deeply affectionate role on the stage of your life, and at one point I was quite pleased with myself for it."
"But as you said, my performance also had its flaws."
"I failed to uphold my duty as an actor, and I took the role too seriously, developing feelings for the female lead within my own script."
"I'm so addicted to it that I can't pull myself out."
"Our inglorious beginning is a shadow that I can never erase from my heart. It makes me unworthy to stay by your side in such an intimate way."
"You are a bird that belongs to the sky, and you should not be bound by my temporary nest."
"You have regained your ability to perceive the world, and it's time for me, the 'lighthouse keeper,' to step down."
"The game is over."
May your future be bright and your life be smooth sailing.
"Itsukawa Yuuto's masterpiece"
The letter slipped limply from her fingers and drifted gently onto the carpet.
Mai Sakurajima stood there, stunned.
he's gone?
Her mind went blank; she couldn't process the sudden information.
She didn't believe it.
This must be a new prank, just like when he faked illness and pretended to commit suicide before.
She began frantically searching the apartment.
His clothes were still in the closet, even her favorite gray hooded sweatshirt was still hanging there.
In the study, his computer was still on the table, and his thermos was placed next to it.
His toothbrush and towel were still in the bathroom.
Everything is exactly the same as before he left. How could he have left? He didn't take anything with him.
"Yuto!" She finally couldn't hold back anymore and called out his name in a tearful voice, "Come out! Come out now!"
No one responded.
She rushed into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
It was filled with her favorite ingredients: beef, chicken, tofu... Each item was carefully wrapped in plastic wrap and labeled with a date.
He's not kidding.
He really is gone.
The self that said "I will always need you" is like a huge joke.
The version of myself who dreamed of the future at the victory celebration looked like a ridiculous clown.
It turns out that last night's sumptuous dinner was the last supper.
It turns out that the childhood memories he spoke of were the last things he left her about "Yuto Itsuka".