"I..."
In the hospital.
Aiya Yayoi sat on the long bench outside the consultation room, anxiously saying to Hayato, who had come with her, "Could I be pregnant?"
After she spoke, a crisp, dry retching sound followed.
Hayato looked at Aiya Yayoi with a disgusted expression, then glanced at the registration slip in his hand:
"We registered for 'Gastroenterology,' not 'Prenatal Care'... You're just simply greedy and ate too much, causing stomach discomfort. It has nothing to do with your uterus."
"Tch..."
Aiya Yayoi pouted, somewhat displeased, and said, "I just wanted to say that... You clearly don't want to be a child's father."
"Firstly, I'm always very careful," Hayato said.
"Emmm..." Aiya Yayoi narrowed her eyes and asked again, "What if I really hit the jackpot?"
"What else can we do?" Hayato looked at Aiya Yayoi helplessly. He might seem penniless now, but if he wanted to make money, he could still find several ways, and he could definitely afford to raise a child.
Hayato understood the meaning in the young man's eyes. She smiled gleefully, then denied it:
"Hmph, I won't give birth. If I did, I'd really turn into a haggard old mother... Right now, I'm still chasing the tail of youth."
"I also dislike children," Hayato said.
Just then, someone came to queue outside, and Aiya Yayoi quickly quieted down.
She still cared about her reputation, so she couldn't discuss such taboo topics in front of outsiders...
Hayato also enjoyed the peace and quiet, closing his eyes to rest.
But after a while, before Aiya Yayoi's number was called, Hayato patted his shoulder twice again.
"Huh, isn't that..."
"Ah?"
Hayato looked in the direction Hayato was pointing.
"Miyajima?" Hayato said.
It was indeed Miyajima Sakura, jogging down the corridor.
Her face held an anxious expression.
"What's wrong with her?" Hayato asked.
"I don't know," Hayato said.
Just as he was about to stand up, Aiya Yayoi pushed him first. "Hurry up and ask her," Hayato said.
"...Oh." Hayato rubbed his head.
Aiya Yayoi smiled softly at the young man's back.
She didn't long for children; sometimes, just having him accompany her like this, even for a moment, was enough to satisfy her.
She crossed her arms and began to look around aimlessly.
Hayato's pace, to be honest, was not as fast as Miyajima Sakura's.
The reason he could catch up over such a distance was simply that Miyajima Sakura couldn't rudely run at full speed in the corridor.
But Hayato was different.
He was shameless.
So, with a wind almost lifting the nurses' skirts, he ran to Miyajima Sakura's side.
"Miyajima Senior--"
Miyajima Sakura was slightly surprised.
She turned around.
Seeing Hayato, she first showed a hint of joy, but then her face was clouded with gloom.
"Lin-kun..."
"What's wrong?" Hayato asked, it looked like something was amiss.
"Grandpa he..." Miyajima Sakura was on the verge of tears.
...
"Huh!? What are you doing here!?"
In the ward on the sixteenth floor of the inpatient department, Miyajima Kiichiro was talking with Miyajima Tsubaki. When he saw his granddaughter walk in, he was about to say something when he saw Hayato greet him with a "Yo" from behind her.
Miyajima Kiichiro had already changed into a blue and white hospital gown.
Such a color scheme would certainly be endearing if used on panties, but as clothing, it was somewhat unfortunate.
"Yo, isn't that Mr. Kiichiro? You've gotten so weak after a while?" <-- Hayato originally wanted to say this, but out of consideration for his daughter and granddaughter, he didn't say it, instead looking at him mischievously.
Miyajima Kiichiro felt a surge of shame and anger.
In fact, before this, Hayato had already inquired about the old man's injuries from Miyajima Sakura. Miyajima Sakura had given the doctor's professional answer: "External injuries, but he strained his back. Since he's old, it's best to stay in the hospital for a few days of observation"... But overall, it wasn't a major problem.
However, his face was bruised, and with bandages around his neck and such, he still looked quite impressive.
"It's fate, I suppose," Hayato smiled.
Then he looked at Miyajima Tsubaki; the latter greeted him reservedly but with a worried expression, saying nothing.
Compared to Miyajima Kiichiro, the "patient" who looked vibrant, the two uninjured women looked even more troubled.
"...Um,"
Hayato then asked, "Can I talk to Mr. Kiichiro alone?"
Miyajima Tsubaki wanted to ask what they were going to talk about that they couldn't hear.
But after Miyajima Kiichiro paused, he nodded, signaling his daughter and granddaughter to leave.
"I also have something to tell you," Miyajima Kiichiro said.
Tsubaki and Sakura then left one after another.
Before Tsubaki left, she looked at the two men, one old and one young, with a rather complex expression.
After they closed the door, Hayato casually sat down on a nearby chair.
"A private room, the old man is quite rich."
Kiichiro's vibrant expression immediately vanished, replaced by a dark one. It was clear that he was pretending to be strong so as not to worry the women in his family. "Stop messing around..." Miyajima Kiichiro said, "...What do you want to talk to me about?"
"Who beat you up like this?" Hayato asked.
... Miyajima Kiichiro seemed unwilling to answer; he pursed his lips.
"Snake Mound George?" Hayato asked again.
"How did you..." Miyajima Kiichiro was astonished.
Actually, Hayato hadn't explicitly heard that name.
He had only pieced together this image from a few simple descriptions given by Miyajima Sakura. To be honest, he hadn't initially thought of Snake Mound, as there were countless blond-haired people in this world, yet their appearance was quite uniform.
But when he heard Miyajima Sakura say that the blond-haired man was accompanied by a man who looked like a Peerless villain, Hayato was certain.
It's confirmed, this must be Snake Mound George's doing.
"But I've fought him; he's not your match..." Hayato said.
Hearing the young man in front of him say that he had fought Snake Mound George, Miyajima Kiichiro's expression became even more surprised.
"Did he get a hold of some dirt on you?" Hayato said, examining the man in front of him again: "Tell me about it, don't be shy. It's natural for men to have dirt on them..."
Miyajima Kiichiro suddenly smiled:
"Do you really want to hear it?"
"Of course," Hayato said.
Miyajima Kiichiro narrowed his eyes: "Actually, what I want to tell you is also about this... If you like Sakura, I think you have the right to know about our Miyajima family's affairs. But, I warn you, this is a quagmire, and you need to think carefully. If you're scared after hearing it, you can leave anytime, I won't blame you. Of course..."
"I'd prefer you protect Sakura"... Miyajima Kiichiro originally wanted to say this.
But everyone's life is precious.
He didn't want to put too much pressure on this unrelated young man.
"I will protect Miyajima Senior," Hayato, however, spoke Miyajima Kiichiro's innermost thoughts.
Miyajima Kiichiro was stunned, then seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as if a great burden had been lifted.
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