Present-day - Sanos apartment - 2015
Sano woke up and spotted a woman with brown hair fast asleep on the edge of his bed. He blinked once and then twice to confirm who it was. Why on earth is Sumire here? He looked around the room and saw his belongings. This is his place, so how come?
"Oh, so you're alive." A familiar voice said from the doorway.
Sano glanced over and spotted violet-colored hair. "Hino, explain."
Hino chuckled. "Isn't this a good thing? You kept stalking her so desperately recently."
"I know she wouldn't come here and help me after what happened the other day."
"Yeah, your right, she owed me a favor, though. Unfortunately for you, I cant take care of people. You have a fever."
"I see." He turned to the girl who was tossing and turning uncomfortably in her sleep.
"Ru...Ru…"
At that comment, Sano almost choked on his cigarette. After having that dream of the past, hearing that name again annoys him.
"It seems she is still traumatized, poor girl."
"Don't be a fool; if she liked him that much, why would she start dating someone four months after the accident? It is all for show."
It is all for show. Sumire is just like the other girls.
Just as he said those words, he found somebody staring at him. It belonged to Sumire. She looked at him with her usual indifferent look.
"You okay?" Hino interjected.
"Mm. I was just tired." Sumire trailed off. She turned to him and suddenly leaned forward. "Excuse me."
Before Sano could react, he felt her hands brush across his forehead. "Hmmm, you still feel hot. I guess you need some medicine; you already slept a lot." She glanced over at the clock. "I guess it can't be helped."
Sumire pulled away and took her phone out. "Hello, Yuhi? Ah, huh, yeah, I think I have to stay for a bit longer." Sumire laughed. "Mmm, I got it."
Sano could not hear their conversation, but he felt his irritation grow. Once again, he has to watch her speak so happily to another man, even though she belongs to him.
"Who said you could stay?" Sano snapped.
"Hey Sano--"
Sumire rolled her eyes and quickly ended her call. "If you want to pass out again or maybe end up in the hospital, then be my guest. But since I started this favor, I will see it through to the end."
What a stubborn woman. But he could indeed end up in the hospital if he sends her away. Hino does not know the first thing about taking care of people. He sent all his servants away too. "Alright, but Hino, you have to leave."
At that comment, he watched his friend frown. "Hey, Sano, that's…"
Sumire sighed. "Just go, look how weak he is. He won't be able to do anything."
"Call me."
"Ah-huh, I will."
Look how friendly she is with Hino too. This girl is just like everybody else; she is just like the others. She acts innocent, but she has multiple guys too.
The moment Hino left, he grabbed Sumire's wrist and pulled her down onto the bed. "Did you think I couldn't do anything to you?"
What a naive girl. Sano thought she changed, and she was tougher now, but it seems like she is still naive.
"Yes, I do."
Huh? Why is she so confident, he already has her pinned do-- Sano felt a sharp pain on his leg and glanced over to see a needle. Sano clenched his teeth. "Damn."
"Don't worry; it will only knock you out for a few seconds."
.........….
When Sano woke up again, he woke up to the smell of porridge and her sweet scent. His gaze fell towards the woman who was busy typing away on her laptop. On his bedside table, there was a tray of food covered. Sano weakly got up and picked up the tray. This movement did not go unnoticed by Sumire.
"Your awake?"
Sano sighed. "It seems I shouldn't underestimate you."
"Mm, but just eat up and have your medicine."
"You're strangely good at taking care of people," Sano commented as he opened up the lid from the porridge.
At that comment, he watched as a weak smile appeared on her face. "Well, I am used to it."
Sano paused, right, of course. According to that report, Tsueno Mamoru would not have lived long anyway. In the short time, she dated him; how much of that time she spent taking care of him? It seems like he has underestimated her a bit.
"Writing a report?"
"No, for work."
"Come over here, let me help you." Sano offered.
Sumire blinked. "Are you trying to trick me again? Just to let you know, I carry a lot of strange things with me these days."
He frowned when he saw how cautious she was. It does make sense that she is behaving this way after what happened. But, it frustrated him. She is right here, and yet he can't do anything, he can't touch her.
"If you think that way, then you can go home."
To his surprise, Sumire suddenly stood up and picked up her laptop and sat down on the spare chair by his bed. She pulled up the mini table and placed her laptop there. "Can you help with this?"
"The finances of the dome construction project?"
"Mmm, my side is in charge of it."
So they lost that major project to .. well that isn't surprising. Sumire is older now, so she must be gradually taking over her family matters now. Back when she lost her parents. The elders of the Ibuki family took over everything and other relatives.
Now that she is older, they must be asking her a lot of things. Sumire could have handled things then since she had the business sense. But they were worried about how the incident affected her.
"So you see...while marginal revenue is possible. The actual price range is too large. I would like to see if we can do this without relying on the data. Unexpected circumstances could appear, lack of production of the materials—more materials needed during the day, etc. The construction will be spread out, but producing certain types of materials will take longer time. So we need to prepare for that situation."
"Hmmm, so you want to deviate from the additional product because you can't determine the costs?"
"Mmmm, if we were selling merchandise, that is fine. But this is for dome construction; we would be talking about materials then. How much would it cost for additional materials? Will we lose or gain revenue by buying one over the other?"
Sano paused. "Hmmm, I see what your thinking then.. let's look at it another way, shall we?"
"Another way?"