People are in Mygo, and I can write their personalities.

What are you doing here?

"I've come to see your incompetent father. He suddenly gave me a passionate speech the other day; surely he'll be able to make some changes these days?"

Toyokawa Sadaharu couldn't understand his true feelings for his son-in-law. He certainly didn't think much of him, but after all, it was the man his daughter had chosen. No matter how much he objected, he knew over the years that although the man wasn't very capable, he at least didn't have many bad intentions.

If their family weren't the Toyokawa family, but just an ordinary family, their qualities would actually be enough to make them his son-in-law.

But the reality is that the Toyokawa family is not an ordinary family. Even someone like him, who also married into the family, only managed to gain most of the power of speech by relying on his own abilities and... outlasting everyone else.

Kiyoshi Toyokawa is clearly not a qualified successor.

"Father has definitely changed! He's started working and is diligently learning the management skills he's been studying. He's definitely capable of doing the things you think he can't!"

"..."

Toyokawa Sadaharu didn't make any sarcastic remarks. He just glanced at his granddaughter with some complicated feelings. Of course, in fact, in the Toyokawa family, Shoko was the most qualified person to inherit the family business.

She can call herself "grandpa," but she feels awkward calling the other person "granddaughter."

"Since that's the case, then I won't say anything more. But I'll say it again: once you truly understand what kind of person your father is, you'll regret your past choices. At that point, whether you choose to stay here or go home is up to you."

Instead of going to Xiangzi's hut to check on the situation, Toyokawa Sadaharu rolled up the car window and told the driver to speed up and leave.

"Dad will change..."

With this thought in mind, which she herself was unsure whether she should believe, Toyokawa Shoko quickly arrived at her front door.

Trembling, he took out the key and opened the door. The room was dark, but a smell of despair wafted out... it was the smell of alcohol.

He took off his shoes and took a few more steps forward. Then Xiangzi saw many cigarette butts in the ashtray and his father lying drunk beside him.

With a thud, Xiangzi knelt down on the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"Why...why?!?"

Chapter 15 Would You Be Your Own Father? (1/2)

When Toyokawa Kiyotaka is drunk, he is unable to think clearly, but in the time before he gets completely drunk, he thinks a lot.

He certainly thought about the agreement he had made with Xiangzi over the past few days, but in his current view, the most puzzling thing was why he had done such a thing.

He actually... dared to say such unrealistic things when there was absolutely no possibility of changing the status quo.

If he could have done those things, he probably would have succeeded long ago.

Despite lacking the necessary skills, the repeated setbacks and the negative feedback from the huge psychological gap had completely eroded his self-confidence.

Can he really achieve financial freedom by working at a convenience store? How can he possibly compete with those who are truly talented and have better opportunities by using his limited free time to learn about financial management?

Even if he read those books, so what? Would anyone need a loser like him to manage a company? He's nothing but a stray dog ​​kicked out of the Toyokawa family; who would value him? Even his father-in-law has given up on him…

Admit it, he can't change the status quo, nor can he get his daughter, who's gotten used to the life of a pampered young lady, back to her previous lifestyle. He can only suffer with his daughter; there's nothing else he can do.

Perhaps letting his daughter completely lose faith in him and give up on him is the best choice.

A profound emptiness and despondency overwhelmed him as he worked at the convenience store, leading him to instinctively pick up a beer to fill the void in his heart.

Without hesitation, he quit his job after only a few days, and then, feeling guilty and dragging his disheveled body, returned to his equally disheveled home.

Until her consciousness became unclear, she vaguely heard the sound of the door opening and someone coming in.

"Bastard... bastard, bastard! You're an incorrigible bastard!!!"

Toyokawa Shoko no longer had the desire to go over and shake her father to bring him back to reality; she now only felt that she had completely lost trust in her father.

If the improvement of the past few days was merely an illusion created by Nanami Natsuki using her special ability, and only the current dejection was the man's true state, then she would rather not have seen the illusion of the past few days, at least she wouldn't have developed any unrealistic fantasies because of it.

Fortunately... she never seemed to completely believe that everything would turn out well, so Xiangzi continued to work these past two days and had no intention of giving up the other part-time jobs she had taken on.

He clearly didn't fully trust his father's actions, but now he's saved Xiangzi.

Otherwise, if she gives up her part-time job and tries to find a suitable job again, it might be another series of unpleasant experiences.

Kneeling on the ground in a daze, Toyokawa Shoko felt that she wasn't crying. She was just simply tired. She didn't want to get up and embrace reality. Instead, she ridiculously wanted to wait for a miracle to happen.

Is it a miracle...

Xiangzi suddenly thought of that gothic girl with a terrible personality, Nanami Natsuki, whom she only knew by her name and a phone number, and knew nothing more about her.

If it were her... she would probably create a new miracle, right?

And the price is only three months of not being able to speak or hear—Xiangzi used to find it terrifying, but now he doesn't think so anymore—this deal should be considered very worthwhile, right?

So, should she contact him? Should she... admit that she lost to that gothic girl and completely fell into the trap she had woven for her?

"Dong Dong Dong~"

"..."

"Dong Dong Dong~"

Two knocks on the door, spaced a few seconds apart, finally snapped Toyokawa Shoko out of her daze, but she was hesitant to go out and open the door.

In her opinion, the person outside the door was most likely her maternal grandfather. It would be too easy for the Toyokawa family to investigate her father's recent movements, so the fact that her father went to work at the convenience store and then quit to return home could not be kept secret.

He's only coming back to her now because he wants to see his most embarrassing and pathetic side and take this opportunity to completely erase the value of all the efforts she made before.

Xiangzi refused to open the door; she didn't want to give up... even though there was no hope of persevering anymore.

But that's just the kind of person she is. Even if she doesn't admit it, Toyokawa Shoko is stubborn and never easily admits her mistakes on anything she's insisted on for a long time.

"Dong Dong Dong~"

This time, after the knock, a clear female voice called out, "Xiao Xiang? Are you home? Open the door, the community is here to bring you warmth!"

"..."

It's her?!

Although Xiangzi did not answer the person outside, the panicked look on her face betrayed her inner emotions.

Yes... Nanami Natsuki definitely wouldn't let her off so easily. Even if she didn't call the other party immediately, given that devilish personality of the other party, she would definitely take the initiative to come to her door to provoke her...

And the most crucial problem is... she can't escape this plague god even if she wants to! This witch seems to be able to directly pinpoint her current location.

As if echoing Xiangzi's inner grumbling, Nanami Natsuki, seeing that Xiangzi ignored her, continued cheerfully outside the door:

"Little Xiang, stop hiding. I can find you no matter where you run~ Facing me honestly is the best option... Hmm? Finally opening the door?"

"..."

Toyokawa Shoko tried her best to appear to have a normal expression, but she couldn't quite hide the rejection she felt towards Nanami Natsuki in her eyes.

"What are you trying to do? Even if you know where I am... it's really going too far to disturb my life like this! I'm calling the police! I really am calling the police!"

"Hmm?" Nanami Natsuki was going all out, since she'd never really cared about saving face anyway. "If you call the police, I'll tell them your father sexually harassed me, and I'm here at your doorstep demanding an explanation."

"Just wait and see whether the police will believe me, who looks so pitiful, or your father, who has a long criminal record."

"No way?! How can you, a girl, be so shameless!"

How can I deal with this? She's been so shameless. Xiangzi feels like he has no way to deal with her except to fight her to the death.

"What good is having a face? Do you really want to suffer for the sake of saving face, turning yourself from a rich young lady into a poor student taking care of a drunken father?"

"You! You investigated me?!"

"...Please, how many people in Tokyo don't know about the Toyokawa Group? And you have such a spoiled princess attitude."

Shoko Toyokawa was speechless, so she simply avoided a direct answer and asked, "So... you're just going to keep blocking the door like this?!"

"Of course not, I'm not that cheap. I'm always rushing to find people to do business with and I get treated coldly."

"I just wanted to conduct a survey because I felt that the last trial period was over and I thought a responsible businessman should come back to see the user feedback."

"That's all?"

"Yeah, and by the way, I'm just asking if you want to continue our deal. If you really refuse, I won't bother you anymore. Do you think I like you? Don't kid me."

Actually, it's not entirely like what Nanami Natsuki said. At least compared to that savage woman, Suze, Shoko is much easier to control.

"I……"

"Don't rush to refuse, because this time our deal won't be like the last one. This time..."

Nanami Natsuki's gaze passed over Shoko and landed on Toyokawa Kiyotaka, who was already completely drunk. A smug smile curled at the corner of her lips. "This time I'm going to try a different approach. After all, even if you make your father more positive, with his abilities, he'll only keep hitting walls, right?"

"...What do you want to do?"

Seeing that Xiangzi didn't deny it, Nanami Natsuki became even more smug.

"Xiao Xiang, I think you are so much better than your father. Putting aside your good looks, your willingness to work to take care of your father and never giving up no matter how hard or tiring it is is commendable."

"What exactly are you trying to say?! Don't think I'll be happy just because you compliment me a few times!"

"Would you be willing... to temporarily switch identities with your father?"

www.shub23.com

"...Huh?"

Chapter 16 I Promise! (2/2)

"Switching identities?!"

Toyokawa Shoko never expected that Nanami Natsuki would say something so unbelievable right from the start.

Oh no... I should say that every word this guy said challenged her understanding, only this time it was even more extreme than the last.

"Actually, I went to observe your father's movements tonight. I saw him working at a convenience store, but he suddenly became a different person around 8 pm."

"It's all your fault..."

Xiangzi muttered to herself, even though she knew that Nanami Natsuki had simply returned her former father.

"Let me think about it. You must be very resentful and disappointed in your father right now, right? You think he is a hopeless person. Even though that beautiful and kind girl, Nanami Natsuki, gave him a chance to change, he still didn't seize it."

"……shameless."

You call yourself a kind and good girl? Well... she is indeed very pretty, after all, when she first met Nanami Natsuki, she did feel some guilt because of her father's troubles.

"You would definitely think that if you had the identity of an adult, and could do whatever you want without being restricted by age, you would definitely do better than your father, and even make those who once looked down on your father look at him with new respect."

"Ah... although I don't know if you have any conflicts with your father or the Toyokawa family, from the information I've gathered, I know that the Toyokawa family is at least alive and well for now. Your father's miserable situation can only mean he's been abandoned by the family, right?"

"you……"

"So you must have thought that if it were you, you could definitely be a good father and make positive changes, and then let the Toyokawa family re-evaluate your father, so that everything would move in a better direction."