My love is abyss mode

Chapter 153 The Cocktail Party (4K)

As Kuronuma walked through the hotel's long corridor and arrived at the heavy wooden double doors, he was still worried that Toyama Chitose was being too violent towards Shinkai Shiona.

They may have had a good relationship before, but it's hard to say now, given that they've been through a lot together.

Of course, he would never admit that the distortion of the relationship and the breaking of the bond were related to him.

At the entrance to the banquet hall, a hotel waitress was checking the invitation. Kuronuma didn't show it, and the waitress didn't ask. She simply pushed open a door for him and gestured, "Mr. Shinkai is in the bar inside."

It sounds like the cat has been tricked by the fox again. It's not a good idea to consult Chitose Toyama about anything.

Kuronuma nodded slightly to the waiter and stepped into the banquet hall.

A huge crystal chandelier hangs from the bright ceiling, radiating a magnificent light, while the soft, melodious sound of a cello floats in the air.

The high society party was even more boring than he had imagined.

Men in suits and women in dresses, holding wine glasses, gathered in twos and threes to chat. If you changed their clothes and moved the location to a classroom, it would be no different from a class before morning lessons.

No, strictly speaking, their topic was even more boring.

While mentally comparing the solitary shrine life with the seemingly elegant high-society parties to see which was more boring, Kuronuma Kiba walked to the long table that everyone else ignored and began to choose the buffet food by himself.

"Yo, Kuronuma-kun, long time no see."

He heard a greeting from behind, and he used his fork to pick up a piece of mango mousse and put it in his mouth. It tasted pretty good. He could bring some back for the cat later.

"Many people want to get to know you."

The annoying sound grew closer, and Kuronuma Kiba turned around to look. Nakamura Masayuki was still the same as before, with a slovenly beard and overly long hair that almost covered his small, sagging eyes with bags under his eyes.

He wore a suit today, but no tie, and his usual flashy shirt made him stand out from his surroundings.

"It has indeed been a long time, Uncle."

Kuronuma pointed to the dining table, ignoring his topic, and said rudely, "Please tell the hotel to pack a few of those cakes for me to take home."

"no problem."

Nakamura Masahiko raised his hand and made an "OK" sign, then gestured in a direction with his eyes and said in a low voice, "The chairman of the Kendo Association asked me to try to build a relationship with you. Besides wanting to delete the video circulating online, there must be other troublesome matters."

Following his gaze, Kuronuma saw a bald, middle-aged man talking to two elderly people, followed by a beautiful female secretary.

The four men's gazes kept drifting over, and when they noticed Kuronuma was looking at them, they quickly looked away, all appearing quite guilty.

"Who are those two old men?" Kuronuma asked.

"Matsuo 8th Dan and Muto 8th Dan, upon hearing that you were coming, specially came from Kyushu and Fukuoka."

Nakamura Masayuki scratched his head sheepishly, his smile turning somewhat awkward: "This party was actually arranged by Chitose. She took advantage of your reputation, but I swear on my integrity, she truly admires you. When we first met, I was actually referring to her."

During their first meeting on the streets of Shibuya, Masayuki Nakamura used the term "fan," but he was actually referring to Chitose Toyama.

Hearing the truth, Kuronuma Kiba wasn't surprised. Toyama Chitose had told him about this before; it's impossible for his whole family to be his fans.

"Let's wait until the senior arrives before we talk about it."

Kuronuma withdrew his gaze and looked around the banquet hall, noticing that many people were intentionally casting their eyes at him, suggesting that Toyama Chitose was planning something extraordinary.

“I thought you would be very angry and slam the door and leave,” Nakamura Masayuki said with some surprise.

There's no point in getting angry.

Kuronuma shook his head, looked at the woman carrying a tray as she approached, and said calmly, "I didn't expect this situation. Senpai is just that kind of person."

This is a lesson he learned from cats.

Momoshiro Shirakawa anticipated that Shiona Shinai would make a mistake, but she still chose to try, and after failing the test, she was not angry at all, but instead tried to find a solution.

Kuronuma Kiba really liked her calm and rational way of doing things.

If a cat is faced with this situation, it will likely remain still until it understands Chitose Toyama's motivations before considering how to handle the situation.

"It sounds like you have some prejudice against Chitose."

Nakamura Masayuki said with a hint of helplessness, then turned to look at the woman who was walking towards him and introduced her with a smile: "This is my wife, Toyama Koto."

"Aunt Yuanshan, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Kuronuma greeted Toyama Koto politely. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder evening gown, and her short purple hair was the same color as Toyama Chitose's.

"Please allow me to apologize to you on behalf of my daughter for what happened tonight."

Kotoko Toyama nodded slightly, handed him the wine glass from the tray, and said with a slightly apologetic tone, "I tried to persuade Chitose, but she was determined to do it her own way. I can't guess what she's so anxious about. If you have any complaints, you can tell me, and the Toyama family will compensate you for your losses."

Faced with her politeness and courtesy, even if one were truly angry, it would be difficult to lash out at her now.

Kuronuma Kiba took the wine glass handed to him, took a sip of the well-stirred iced cola, and gave an indifferent smile: "It's okay, my senior and I are friends, and she will definitely give me a reason that I can accept."

"It is Chisei's good fortune to have such a considerate friend as you."

Koto's voice softened a bit more as she handed the tray to Masayuki Nakamura, glaring at him fiercely: "What are you still doing here? Go and turn those annoying guys away for Koya."

"Should I go?" Nakamura Masayuki pointed to the tip of his nose, widened his eyes, and asked in a surprised tone.

"Do you expect me to go?"

"Okay, I told you I shouldn't have come."

After he walked away complaining, Toyama Koto's gaze returned to Kuronuma Kiba, her eyes filled with a complex expression: "Although I don't know Chitose's plans, I roughly understand her purpose. My father is too stubborn."

“Old men are all like that, most of them like to lecture, which is annoying.” Kuronuma Kiba nodded in agreement. It might sound rude, but it was the truth, and he wasn’t one to care about manners—it wouldn’t matter now, since he had indeed slashed Toyama Jusaburo’s face three times back in Izu.

Kotoko Toyama chuckled softly, led Kiba Kuronuma towards the small bar at the back, and continued:
“My father, even after the dojo closed, stubbornly believed that kendo needed to be passed down. Masayuki even went to learn kendo, but later he got really angry. Chitose probably wanted to resolve this once and for all, so that she could focus on music and other things she likes without being bothered by family matters.”

No wonder Shirakawa Momo said that after discussing it with Chitose, the senior only gave the cat an answer now; she's probably been preparing for the party recently.

Thinking about this, Kuronuma also thought about how his senior was so busy, yet she still remembered to call him to let him relax, and suddenly felt a little speechless.

"I won't go in with you. Mr. Shinkai has been very worried ever since he found out about you and Shionai."

Hearing Kotoko say this, Kuronuma Kiba's lips curled into a disdainful smile, and his eyes flashed with coldness: "He's a far cry from Uncle Nakamura, even though they both married into the family."

"Ya Xing is too childish. Mr. Xin Hai's approach is much more mature."

"I understand. There's no right or wrong. If we really have to say, it's that woman's fault."

"Xiaoya is quite mature too. It's a pity that Qian Sui has never beaten Xiao Liang. That kid is too amazing."

Kotomi Toyama sighed, then smiled again, her beautiful eyes looking at Kiba Kuronuma with admiration. She said in a playful tone, "However, this is all your own business as young people. Whatever decision Chitose makes, I will support her. If you really want to say something, be careful, or Masayuki might come after you."

"Uncle Nakamura looks weak." Kuronuma shrugged indifferently, pushed open the door of the small bar, and went inside.

The bar was dimly lit. A man wearing only a white shirt sat on a bar stool at the bar, drinking alone in silence, his suit jacket casually tossed aside on the sofa.

Kuronuma sat down beside him, sighed with a complex expression, and looked out the window, which was covered by green plants. Rain continued to drip, forming thin streams on the clean glass.

"I don't want to blame you for anything; after all, men make mistakes sometimes."

He swallowed a mouthful of cola and said to Shinkai Hideaki with a hint of helplessness, "You've actually done more than enough for Shionai. Let's forget about the house. Shionai's mental health is very serious right now. What are your thoughts on that?"

Hideaki Shinkai picked up a half-full glass of whiskey, stared at the amber liquid for a long time, and then managed to utter a difficult sound from his throat: "I want to make it up to her as much as possible. It may be difficult, but I have already confessed what happened back then to my wife, and she did not make things difficult for me."

"Was it a voluntary confession, or a forced confession?"

"No, it's not my fault. It's all that woman's fault. She kept threatening me with Xina. A few years ago, when I learned about Xina's situation, I thought about telling her, but she never wanted to give Xina back to me. She will be punished as she deserves."

Hearing his increasingly hoarse voice, Kuronuma sneered, his black eyes shooting out a cold gaze: "I don't blame you because it's pointless, but that doesn't mean you're innocent."

"I--"

"So, what other use do you think you have besides being a sacrifice?"

Seeing that Kuronuma seemed determined not to let him go, Shinkai Hideaki clenched the cup in his hand, remained silent for a few minutes, and then slumped down, powerless.

All resistance and struggle were meaningless; in the face of the conglomerate, the entire Shinkai family was far too insignificant.

His arms began to tremble involuntarily, as if he had thought of something terrible.

Seeing this, Kuronuma Kiba smiled disdainfully, the coldness in his eyes fading, leaving only sarcasm: "You may have misunderstood. Although I am here at this party representing the Hatsushino family, I am not sitting next to you as a son-in-law of a zaibatsu. I don't care about those trivial matters. I just want to know your true thoughts."

Even without relying on the Hatsushino family, he could make Shinkai Hideo lose everything; it wouldn't be difficult for him.

"About what?" Shinkai asked eagerly, as if he had seen hope again.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice to make Shionai stronger?" Kuronuma Kiba's smile turned sinister, his deep pupils like those of a demon.

Upon hearing this question, Hideo Shinkai looked troubled, clearly unable to provide an answer immediately.

Seeing the hesitation in his eyes, and the uncertainty in his hand holding the wine glass, Kuronuma Kiba gently patted his shoulder, softening his tone and coaxing him:

“Mr. Shinkai, I have truly wasted a lot of energy on Shionai, and others have sacrificed even more for her, almost giving their own lives. Logically and emotionally, as her father, you shouldn't hesitate now, right?”

That's true, but—

"No buts."

Kuronuma shook his head, interrupting Shinkai Hideo, and said coldly, "I hope that when needed, you can give everything for your daughter without hesitation, instead of being pale and helpless like a child who has made a mistake. Aunt Toyama told me that you are very mature, and mature people should understand that people always have to pay for their own actions."

Shinkai Hideo swallowed hard, not daring to look up and meet Kuronuma's cold, dark eyes. A sense of oppression washed over him, and his heart pounded in his chest like a drumbeat.

It is no exaggeration to say that his current achievements would not have been possible with just the resources and support of the Shinkai family.

Shinkai Hideo believed he had seen all sorts of things, experienced many storms, and met many important figures, but no one had ever put so much pressure on him as this young man beside him.

It was as if if he dared to say "no," everything he currently possessed would instantly vanish into thin air.

"Yes, if I have the chance, I will do everything I can to make it up to Shionai."

After he said those words, the air that had been frozen for some time finally began to circulate again, and Shinkai Hideo finally heard the pattering rain again.

"You're lucky. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, you still have time to prepare after the party ends today." Kuronuma Kiba got up from the bar and walked to the refrigerator in the corner. Sure enough, he saw canned cola inside.

He took out a can, pulled off the metal tab, threw it in the trash can, and then walked towards the door of the small bar with the Coke: "I'll contact you if I need anything."

Only after the door closed did Shinkai Hideo let out a long sigh of relief and drink the half-glass of whiskey in his glass.

Kuronuma Kiba couldn't help but feel disappointed by Shinkai Hideo's performance. This man was utterly insincere. For example, his "voluntary confession" was nothing more than knowing that he and Shinkai Shiona had something to do with each other and that he could no longer hide it.

He originally thought that Hideo Shinkai was willing to buy a house for Shinkai Shiona and Matsuzaka Kanon to live in, and pay a large sum of money every month, because he had some conscience.

It now seems that Shinkai Hideo was just trying to keep them calm in order to prevent any unforeseen bad situations from happening.

This man is utterly rotten.

However, as long as Shinkai Hideo is willing to cooperate, Shinkai Shiona's problem will eventually become simple.

As Kuronuma Kiba returned to the banquet hall, he had just reached the long dining table and was considering what to eat when Toyama Chitose walked straight over and took his arm.

(End of this chapter)