Day Seventy…
~~*****~~
"This reminds me, I need to go home and see my sister," Jane mentioned, breaking the silence. She leaned closer to Stephen, her words meant for his ears alone. "Go and comfort your best friend. He might be heartbroken to hear this."
Stephen nodded, his gaze shifting to Nathan, who remained standing with an expressionless face.
"I'll take you home," Cherry offered.
"Huh? You just got here. Are you leaving so soon?" Aiden asked Cherry with a hint of disappointment.
Cherry nodded and replied casually, "Yes… because you've already ruined the mood."
Aiden pouted, feeling apologetic toward Nathan. As the two ladies left the shooting range, Stephen wrapped his arm around Nathan's shoulders and patted Aiden on the back. "Let's go. It's been so long since the last time we hung out together, just the three of us," Stephen suggested, heeding Jane's advice to comfort Nathan.
Nathan nodded in response, helpless to the situation. Maybe spending time with his best friends would help him clear his mind and make sense of the complex emotions he was experiencing because of Jane. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way, but he couldn't control his emotions or how they seemed to be entangled with Jane.
Meanwhile, Jane and Cherry made their way to the Hiroshi villa. Jane had kept her return a secret from her father and sister, planning to surprise them. It wasn't long before they arrived at the grand mansion, and it was Mr. Kazuki who spotted them first.
"Lady Jane! You've returned!" he exclaimed with joy in his voice.
"Hello, Uncle. Yes, I'm back," Jane greeted with a warm smile, wrapping her arms around him for a quick hug.
"Of course, everyone has missed you dearly," Mr. Kazuki replied, his tone filled with genuine concern. "You made us worry when you left without informing us. Your father even mobilized his men to search for you. Please, Jane, don't do that again. Don't disappear without a word," he implored, treating her as if she were his own daughter.
"I promise. It won't happen again," Jane replied, reassuring the old man.
"By the way, my son has returned, but that stubborn boy of mine has managed to get himself into trouble once more," Mr. Kazuki sighed, shaking his head in mild exasperation.
"He came back to the country with injuries, and now he's admitted to City Hospital. If you find the time, please pay him a visit and give him a good lecture for me. It seems he no longer listens to his old man," Mr. Kazuki grumbled about his son, Tatsumi. However, he couldn't help but smile slightly, knowing that this was also a subtle strategy to encourage Jane and Tatsumi to grow closer and spend more time together.
On the other hand, Jane was taken aback when she heard that Tatsumi had been injured. A surge of worry and guilt washed over her. 'Tatsumi got injured? I wonder if he encountered the members of King Stallion,' she thought to herself, her mind racing with concern.
'It's my fault for letting him undertake this dangerous mission.' Jane began to blame herself for what had happened to Tatsumi, feeling a heavy sense of responsibility weighing on her.
"Okay, Uncle. I'll drop by the hospital later," Jane responded, putting on a faint smile. She also needed to hear an update from him. She wondered if Tatsumi got a clue about the identity of the King.
"Come inside, Lady Jane. Your father and your sister will be delighted to see you, and they have some good news for you," Mr. Kazuki warmly invited them into the house. "Miss Cherry, it's good to see you." Mr. Kazuki also acknowledged Cherry's presence.
As they made their way to the entrance, he suddenly recalled something important. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention that your childhood friend has arrived as well. You'll get to meet Hanabi. She's acting as your sister's bodyguard," Mr. Kazuki informed Jane with a smile.
"Hanabi," Jane whispered the name, a faint sense of familiarity tugging at the corners of her mind.
While she couldn't recall her directly, the name resonated with some distant memory. Her father had mentioned Hanabi to her before, speaking highly of her. Jane was eager to meet this childhood friend, realizing that her father entrusted her with an important task: ensuring Abigail's safety. It was evident that Hanabi was someone her father deeply relied on.
ραΠdαsΝοvel.cοm As they stepped into the living room, Hanabi and Abigail coincidentally walked by, meeting each other. The moment Abigail laid eyes on her elder sister, her face lit up with pure joy and excitement.
"Sister!" Abigail exclaimed, her voice filled with enthusiasm, and she dashed toward Jane. Without hesitation, she embraced Jane tightly, conveying her deep affection and gratitude. Abigail knew she owed Jane a great deal. It was through Jane's efforts that she and Dave managed to reconcile and find their way back to each other.
"I missed you so much!" Abigail added before releasing Jane from her embrace.
Soon, Jane and Hanabi's eyes locked onto each other, creating a moment that felt surreal. Hanabi couldn't help but stand still, her gaze fixed on Jane as if she were completely starstruck by the sight before her. It had been an incredibly long time since their last encounter, and the nostalgia washed over her like a tidal wave.
In her childhood, Hanabi had idolized Jane. Jane was her ultimate inspiration, the role model she aspired to emulate. Meeting her now, after all these years, filled Hanabi with a sense of wonder and admiration that words couldn't fully capture.
"Jane," Hanabi whispered her name.
Jane's lips curved into a warm, friendly smile as she took the first steps to close their gaps. She approached Hanabi first and hugged her. "It's good to see you again, my old friend."
Upon hearing Jane's words, Hanabi's typically cold and indifferent expression transformed into one of warmth and admiration. A blush crept onto her cheeks, and her heart fluttered at Jane's last remark. She couldn't help but break into a foolishly delighted smile, completely fangirling over their reunion.
"My friend… You're finally back…" she softly mumbled, returning Jane's hug with heartfelt warmth. This moment had been long-awaited by Hanabi, who, like Mr. Hiroshi, had spent a lot of effort just to find the missing Jane. Her unwavering belief that Jane was alive had finally come to fruition.
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