Tokyo Three Generations

But no matter which call she made before, Ai-yin's condition was never as bad as it was today.

Aine's voice was so weak that it could no longer be described as "weak and powerless," but rather made people wonder if she would be able to catch her breath later.

Even if she didn't say it, you could tell she was definitely sick, and quite seriously so.

"What happened? Does he have a high fever? Why did he get sick?"

"Yes...yes, I have a high fever," Aine answered softly. "I don't know why, maybe...it's just a bit of a change in environment."

Jun Takasaki's brows furrowed even more.

"Did you take your medicine?"

"Well, I went to see the school doctor this afternoon and took some medicine." Aine coughed lightly twice. "However, I'm still feeling quite unwell."

She had clearly taken medication and was now in a daze, a sight that only made Takasaki Jun more worried.

Back in China, she had her parents taking care of her at home and herself looking after her at school, so her life was almost carefree. Jun Takasaki couldn't even remember having any serious illnesses before; at most, she only had the flu occasionally.

Unexpectedly, things turned out like this shortly after I arrived in the UK.

Aiyin is all alone now. If we leave her in England and leave her unattended, her condition will worsen. What will we do then?

The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became, but he dared not show these emotions in front of Aine, so keeping them inside made him even more miserable.

"Aine, take good care of yourself." Left with no other choice, he could only offer these unhelpful platitudes. "It's just a bit of a change in environment; with proper care, you'll recover quickly..."

"Yes, thank you for your comfort." Even though she was seriously ill, Chihaya Aine still thanked him obediently. "Actually... I'm feeling better now. I just wanted to make a phone call to ease my mind..."

That being said, her listless and weak appearance made it hard to be optimistic.

“If you need me to chat with you, I can, for as long as I want,” Jun Takasaki said patiently. “However, Aine… we’ve been in contact several times recently, but maybe it’s just my imagination, but each time I feel like your situation is getting worse… and it really worries me.”

Perhaps struck by the phrase "I feel like your situation is getting worse every time," Aine fell silent again.

Then, Jun Takasaki heard a very low sob, as if Aine Chihaya was suppressing her own tears.

She really cried.

Sigh, what a lovely little princess, now she's in a foreign land thousands of miles away, ignored by her classmates, gone from a campus idol to a nobody, and now she even has to be so careful when she cries, afraid of worrying him... He didn't dare to think any further.

"It's okay...it's okay. Don't worry about me so much." After a long while, Aine managed to speak, sobbing and coughing, "Brother Chun, I'm just so lonely here. It's like...like I've been swallowed by some swamp. The scenery around our school is beautiful, with forests, crystal-clear streams, meticulously maintained gardens, and beautiful Gothic churches, but it doesn't seem to move me at all. It's like I'm in some wasteland..."

Aine's description was so vivid and engaging that even Jun Takasaki couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

She regretted it, absolutely.

To avoid upsetting Aine even more, he pretended not to hear her sobs and simply sighed softly, "Even the most beautiful scenery needs someone with a calm mind to appreciate it... Sometimes you also need someone to appreciate it with."

“Yes, that’s exactly right.” Chihaya Aine immediately agreed.

Then, she was moved to recall past events.

“Brother Chun, we talked about our trips to the amusement park together before, right?” Her enthusiasm seemed to have increased, and her voice became a little stronger. “Let’s talk about similar things. Do you remember when we went on a trip to Hawaii with our mothers? We wandered around the beach, and you carried me for a long way… I remember, the sun was so bright that day, and the sea was such a deep blue, just like the sky…”

I was leaning on your shoulder when I saw a lot of people surfing on the distant sea. The waves rose and fell, breaking into foam that reflected the sunlight, making everything shimmer... like a swarm of fireflies..."

As Ai Yin murmured, seemingly savoring the memory, she ended her recollection with a final sentence, "We walked so far back then, it's amazing how strong you were at such a young age."

Junya Takasaki couldn't help but feel a sense of longing, as he also recalled the happiness of that time.

"I actually got a little tired quite quickly, but the thought of not showing weakness in front of you made me grit my teeth and persevere... Ah, that was the age when I was most concerned about saving face, it's kind of funny to think about it now. But it was also quite interesting."

Ah, the carefree days of childhood are the most cherished, but what can we do? People eventually grow up, and no one can live in the past forever.

Moreover, Aine suddenly remembered these things probably because the scene reminded her of painful memories.

In England, where it's rainy every day, what she misses most now is naturally the sunshine and the beach.

And the carefree joy of childhood.

The more Ai Yin recalled the past, the more her heart ached.

She's already in this state, why continue?

Or rather, what's the point of continuing?

Perhaps it's time for all of this to end.

Just like investing in stocks, if a stock is destined to keep falling, then no matter how reluctant you are, you should cut your losses and leave the market. If you keep adding to your position because you are concerned about "sunk costs", you will only make your losses expand indefinitely.

If it's a gamble you're destined to lose, the faster you move, the less you'll lose.

So, is defeat truly inevitable now?

Jun Takasaki reviewed the situation and carefully considered Aine's current predicament and possible solutions.

Finally, he came to a conclusion.

—It's really over, and there's no need to place any more bets.

If Aine continues to linger there, it will only cause her further physical and mental torment.

She's clearly showing signs of developing Yu Yu's tendencies now. If this continues, she might really develop severe depression, and then everything will be beyond repair.

If she grits her teeth and endures it, she might be able to finish her studies, but by then she will be covered in wounds. Even if she gets a degree from Oxford or Cambridge, will it be worth it?

At least in his view, it was not worth it at all.

"Brother Chun, why aren't you saying anything?" Just then, because of his continued silence, Aine asked cautiously, "Is something wrong? If you are, then I can hang up now..."

“I have nothing else on my mind, I’m thinking about you,” Jun Takasaki replied.

Then, he took a deep breath. "I was thinking, maybe... maybe it would be better if you came back."

"Huh...?" Aine suddenly took a deep breath. "Why...why do you say that?"

“Isn’t it already obvious?” Jun Takasaki sighed. “Aine, that school may be good, but it’s not right for you. What you need is attention, to be pampered, to be treated as someone important, but you’re destined not to get that there… You’re already well aware of that yourself.”

Undoubtedly, you might think you can endure it, and I believe you really can… But I want to ask you, why endure it? You clearly have other choices, why make yourself suffer like this? As long as you come back, you can still be the radiant Chihaya Aine, the Aine who is loved and cherished by everyone. I think that kind of life is more suitable for you.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Both of them knew that Jun Takasaki was right.

However, pride and shame made it difficult for Chihaya Aine to face reality.

"I...I can hold on a little longer," she whispered. "Maybe I'll pull through?"

"It's already like this, why insist? Aine, you only live once, especially your youth. You can't force yourself to endure hardship and sacrifice your youth for a completely unnecessary struggle." Takasaki Jun's emotions began to rise, and his words became more direct. "I know you don't want to give up, that's only natural. No one wants to admit they made the wrong choice. But... there's no way around it, sometimes we just make mistakes in life! So what if we make a mistake? As long as we turn back in time, we can still choose the right path to follow. The important thing is to make a decisive choice, and I hope you make that choice."

……

There was no reply on the other end of the phone.

“Aine, stop running away, come back! Let’s just pretend this was a nightmare, and then start afresh. Everything will be alright, as long as you come back,” Jun Takasaki urged again.

Then, he made up his mind, "Consider it fulfilling my wish... Come back quickly. If you agree, I'll go to England right away and help you withdraw from school."

"Huh? You..." Aine was clearly shocked. "You want me to come back?"

“Yes, that’s my wish. If you’re willing to find someone to take responsibility, then I’ll take that responsibility.” Jun Takasaki answered decisively. “I’ll talk to your parents. As long as you give your nod, I’ll take care of the rest.”

Sometimes, when faced with important choices, many people instinctively hope that someone will help them decide, so they can give up agonizing over it, stop thinking, and just obediently listen.

And now, it seems that Chihaya Aine has finally received that decision.

It may be a little late, but it's not too late after all.

It seems that the detours in her life are about to be corrected at this moment.

"Waaah... um..." A suppressed sob came from the phone, which quickly grew louder and louder, eventually turning into a cathartic outburst of crying.

The crying was both a regret for one's mistake and a sense of utterly exhausted satisfaction.

The nightmare has finally come to an end...

Jun Takasaki didn't say anything more, because he knew that what Aine needed most right now was to vent.

Although it was a sad moment, he had to admit that Ai-yin's sobbing was really a bit heartbreaking, reminding him of how Ai-yin used to cry when she was little, and even making him feel a little nostalgic.

After crying for a long time, Aine seemed to finally pull herself together a little, and then spoke haltingly through sobs.

"Okay, come and help me with the paperwork. I...I miss you so much."

Then, remembering something, she immediately instructed, "Also, you're not allowed to laugh at me after we meet. If you laugh at me, I won't come back; I'd rather die here!"

Seeing her still acting childish at this moment, Jun Takasaki was both amused and exasperated.

However, he could understand that Ai Yin was naturally thin-skinned, and now she had encountered the most devastating failure in her life so far. She must be extremely tense and absolutely could not be stimulated again in the short term.

As long as she is willing to cut her losses in time, these are all minor details.

"How could I possibly laugh at you? I'd be too worried about you to care." He immediately assured me, "Wait for me, I'll take care of everything. Just leave it to me."

"Hmm... I've always believed in you." Aine answered firmly on the phone, followed by a feeling of relief and exhaustion. "Brother Chun, I'm going to rest now, I'm really sleepy."

Goodnight.

113, The Nightmare Ends

Jun Takasaki has always been a man of action. He had hesitated a bit before because he was concerned about Aine's feelings, but after getting Aine's approval, he had no more doubts.

All he had to do now was bring Ai-yin home while there was still time.

That day, after returning home, he went straight to his mother.

"Mom, there's something very important I want to discuss with you."

"What's the matter, son? Why are you taking it so seriously?" Takasaki Mio asked.

"I...I plan to go to England to help Aine withdraw from school and then bring her back." Without the slightest hesitation or apprehension, Jun Takasaki stated his plan directly.

"What?" Takasaki Mio was surprised. "Why...why are you suddenly dropping out of school?"

"It wasn't exactly sudden."

Then, Jun Takasaki told his mother about Aine's recent experiences and her current serious illness and impending death.

"It's already like this..." When she heard that Aine was in such a terrible state, Takasaki Mio couldn't help but gasp.

Aiyin was a child she had watched grow up, and she treated her like a daughter. Now that she had become like this, it was impossible for her not to feel heartbroken.

Moreover, when she went to study abroad, Mio Takasaki expressed her support, and now, looking back, she inevitably feels a little guilty.

“This child…this child was fine before, how come she couldn’t hold on after only being out for a short time?” After a moment of silence, Takasaki Mio couldn’t help but sigh, “I really didn’t expect this to happen.”

“Everyone has their own comfort zone. Aine’s excellent performance in the past only shows that she was more adapted to the environment here. It’s normal that she can’t adapt to the UK now,” Jun Takasaki replied calmly.

Mio Takasaki felt both heartache and helplessness, but a sliver of hope lingered in her heart.

"Can't we hold on a little longer? Maybe we're just in the adjustment period..." she asked hesitantly.

“Mom, don’t forget, Ai-yin’s study abroad is just a means, not an end. She’s studying abroad to live a more fulfilling life, not to force herself to suffer!” Takasaki Jun retorted without backing down. “Maybe she hasn’t reached her limit yet and can hold on a little longer, but what is the purpose of this persistence? Is it just to suffer more in an environment she can’t stand? I think that’s enough, let’s stop here.”

This was the first time Takasaki Mio had encountered such a strong attitude from her son, and now she understood—she absolutely had to intervene.

Trusting her son, she finally extinguished the last glimmer of hope in her heart and slowly nodded.

“Okay, if that’s your opinion, then I support you. After all, you’ve spent far more time with Aine than I have, and you know her much better than I do… Perhaps this is the best that can be done for this child, so let her come back.”

She sighed again as she spoke.

What she thought would be a brilliant academic career came to an abrupt end at the very first step must have been heartbreaking for Ai Yin.

After a moment of sadness, she cheered up again.

Did you force her to make this decision?

"Yes, I told her there was no need to waste any more time and I wanted her to come back as soon as possible. I was even prepared to threaten her that if she didn't listen to me, we would break off all ties... Fortunately, I convinced her before it came to that."

“You’ve made such a big decision for her, so you’ll have to bear a lot of responsibility from now on,” the mother reminded her. “At least you should provide a solution for the aftermath, right? You can’t just call her back like this.”

“That’s why I’ve come to discuss this with you…” Jun Takasaki nodded. “Let’s make arrangements for her return as soon as possible.”

“I could put in a good word for her and get her transferred back to your school,” Takasaki Mio said hesitantly. “But Aine is so shy, would she really be willing to go back?”

…Both of them attended the same high school, which means many of Ai-yin's classmates went directly to the high school section. Ai-yin's classmates probably all know about her studying abroad. How will she face them when she returns to the high school? Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

"Could you contact another school?" he asked quickly.

“That’s possible…” Takasaki Mio nodded first, then changed the subject, “However, in such a rush, I’m afraid we won’t be able to find such a good school, and the quality will be much lower.”

At this point, she frowned worriedly again, "Going to a less prestigious school has seriously affected her mindset. Will this impact Aiyin's future studies? What if she doesn't get into a good school? That would be a real problem..."

“Aine is very smart. As long as she returns to a familiar environment, it doesn’t matter if the school is not good. She can still become a top student again.” Jun Takasaki was full of confidence. “Even in the worst-case scenario, as we said before, our family can support her for the rest of her life. Aine is easy to take care of. She doesn’t like luxury and doesn’t have any particularly expensive hobbies.”