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Chapter 21: News

The person that Eru called out was their uncle, Chitanda Tanisuke. He is certainly a Chitanda family member, however, he is not a high ranking businessman of the Chitanda, since he doesn’t usually manage anything day-to-day.

Kana noticed that the man who sat with his uncle was the number one person responsible for managing the Kamiyama Grains¹. Kamiyama Grains belongs to Kamiyama city’s City Hall. It is a company in charge of managing the government’s granary, however, they can’t be considered a government organization.

Thus, Kana said that Oriki’s deduction was half wrong.

While Eru was still chatting with Chitanda Tanisuke, a blond-haired tall girl emerged from inside the shop.

“Oriki-kun, Kana”

“Kirisaki-san.”

“A, I already called you personally, yet you are still late. This young lady is not impressed.”

“Haa? Are you senile? I already told you that I might be 10 minutes late, how am I still late?”

Kana and Chitoge have only met, but have started bickering.

“Kirisaki-san.”

“Chitoge-chan.”

Satoshi and Mayaka returned and smilingly called her.

“Fukube-san, Ibara-san,” Chitoge clasped her hands together, and spoke embarrassingly, “I’m clearly not a Classic Literature Club member, yet I still freeload in your celebration party.”

“No need to worry. We had to invite you. Chitoge-chan, you helped a lot during the cultural festival,” Mayaka laughed.

“What a polite excuse,” Kana scoffed. “I’m not a member either.”

“Hey, you looking for a fight?”

“Because I don’t want to see your face.”

“You think I want to see yours either?”

“Sit over here, idiot.”

“Why should I listen to you!”

“Hehe, you really have no sense. Those two are couples, you don’t want to be a third wheel, right?”

Mayaka and Satoshi felt a little awkward after hearing her remark. Chitoge saw their expressions and understood the situation, so she sat down next to Kana.

A staff arrived with the food that Eru had picked. The staff also opened the table’s grill. Mayaka and the girls start grilling the meat. Oil drizzled out of the the meat as it is grilled, killing Kana’s appetite. She only looked at and eat her plate of watermelon.

“Chitoge,” Eru called out after she returned.

“E-chan.” After the kidnapping incident, Chitoge and Eru absurdly became good friends. Kana felt a little complicated about it. The wound on her shoulder hasn’t even healed, yet Eru already relied on the help of a personal enemy.

“Sis, sis, uncle told me something,” Eru moved to sit beside her, she cast her eyes low. She whispered, “Momokawa-Oneesan’s father passed away.”

“Oh?” Kana sounded surprised, “So he finally rolled over?”

“Sis!” Eru rose her tone a little, “He is still Momokawa-Oneesan’s father, watch your tone.”

Mayaka and Fukube has returned and heard it, so Mayaka curiously asked, “Momokawa-Oneesan? Is it Momokawa Wakana-senpai?”

Eru nodded, “Yes, it’s Wakana-senpai.”

“Eh? No way…” Mayaka wanted to say “poor thing,” but felt it might not be quite right. “I heard that Momokawa-senpai only had a father when she was small, and now even her father has passed away, she must feel very hurt.”

“Raised by her only parent, Momokawa-senpai must be really close to him,” Fukube chipped in.

Chitoge also vigorously nodded.

“Where did you guys get this understanding?” Kana curiously asked.

Oriki was the one who answered, “It’s probably from a show on Chiba TV, I also felt curious. Momokawa-senpai’s father didn’t seem very close to his daughter, to the point that he got his daughter’s year wrong in the TV show.”

“Well, that’s not rare,” Fukube laughed, “My dad also often thinks that I’m still in middle school.”

“This is different,” Oriki shook his head, “Satoshi, uncle has to go to work every day, and sometimes has to go on a business trip too. It’s usually aunty that takes care of you, right? I believe that aunty wouldn’t mistake your current grade.”

Fukube nodded, “Nn, mom hasn’t until now.”

“With that same line of reasoning, if Momokawa-senpai’s father has raised her, then he wouldn’t have made this rudimentary mistake either.”

“So Momokawa-senpai was not close with her father?” Mayaka sounded suspicious.

“It’s more than that, they are distant,” Kana said, “I can even say that the early death of that dregs to society has freed Momokawa. That trash can’t do anything other than to get drunk and to gamble. After losing, he would take her tuition money and household fund from his side gig to pay off his debt.”

Kana’s story and her own impression contrasted each other so much that Mayaka found it hard to believe. She turned to Eru to seek for confirmation.

Eru hesitated for a moment, and then said, “I heard from Tanisuke-Ojiisan, her father has owed money to a lot of loan sharks, and he was killed by gangsters under a bridge.”

The abrupt change from a warm plot line of a single father that raised his genius daughter alone to a bloody plot line made Chitoge felt awkward, although only Kana and Eru knew that she’s a young lady of a crime syndicate.

Kana picked a shrimp, and then handed Chitoge her bowl, “Help me peel this.”

“O,” Chitoge blankly answered and then obediently started peeling. Oriki was so surprised that he blinked thrice.

Eru knew that this topic wasn’t appropriate for the occasion, “Um, eh, let’s not talk about this anymore, let’s change topic, how are your exams?²”

It was as if cold breeze had just blown over.

Mayaka, who has been grilling the meat, stopped her hand, Fukube’s chopsticks have also stopped in his lip, Oriki’s corner of mouth twitched.

“Ne, ne,” Kana patted her little sister’s thigh, and sincerely and earnestly said, “Eru, not everyone like to talk about this topic, especially during their vacation.”

“It’s exactly that!” × 4

Kana’s pocket suddenly vibrated. She fished out her phone and then saw that it was Wakana.

“Hey, this is Kana,” she answered.

“……”

“Hey hey, is this Momokawa?”

“……”

“Hey, speak, Momokawa.”

“Nn……” the other side had finally spoken.

“Momokawa, did something happen?” she puckered her brow.

“No- nothing.” It was quiet, but it was definitely her voice.

“Nothing, so why did you call?” Kana said.

“Oh, I’m hanging up,” Momokawa said.

Kana almost swear at her, but the call was cut off before she could open her mouth.

“Was that Momokawa-Oneesan on the phone?” Eru asked. Mayaka and the others also looked curious.

Kana nodded.

“Did she say what happened?” Eru curiously asked.

Kana shrugged, “That mental case didn’t say anything.” Despite saying that, internally, she felt indescribable anxiety.

1. Richie: Funny name, I know, but this is the best I can come up with how little I know about the company.
2. Richie: Wow, amazing alternative.

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