Life in Tokyo starting as a child star

Kitazumi's debt collection journey did not go smoothly.

He stayed until seven or eight o'clock in the evening, and Hanako Nanase still didn't show up.

Beicheng really has the patience to wear it out with Nanase Hanako.

Recovery of loan sharks.

This is a victory or defeat between the dregs of society through their patience and mental strength.

And he has won countless such victories.

This time will be no exception.

After returning home, he simply took a shower and then lay back on the bed.

Recalling Nanase Karin's concerned smile, he couldn't sleep.

He knew it clearly.

Nanase Karin is not herself.

He just saw the illusion of his childhood self from Nanase Kari, that's all.

That lonely self, trapped in the rainy night.

That's right, that's it.

but.

Kitaki blocked his ears.

Quarrel.

It was too noisy.

The sound of heavy rain in my ears.

It was too noisy.

It kept him from sleeping.

The next day, Kitumi Minoru, who bought something to eat at a convenience store, arrived at Nanase's house early.

but--

"Brother Beicheng, do you want to continue playing with me today?"

Inside the dirty room.

There was still only Nanase Karin's figure.

The difference from yesterday was that today she took the initiative to come closer as soon as she saw Kitumi Minoru.

The figure she took the initiative to stick to was thin and small, as if a gust of wind could blow her down.

Such a staggering figure actively approached.

There was a ripple in Kitumi Minoru's heart that was filled with deathly silence.

He supported the girl, but did not dare to look at her innocent eyes.

He was afraid that his mind would be attracted by these eyes, which would prevent him from being able to carry out the next work.

"Huali, where is your mother?"

Still the problem.

"I don't know. Mother hasn't come back yet."

Um.?

Haven't been back for two days in a row?

Kitaki Minoru frowned.

This is not a good sign for debt collectors.

He originally planned to think about it carefully, but before he had time to think about it, he heard the protest coming from the belly of Nanase Karin in front of him.

"." Beicheng Shi.

He asked with a sigh.

"How long has it been since you last eaten?"

"Probably yesterday morning, I ate a piece of bread that my mother gave me."

Haven't you already eaten for twenty-four hours?

Right.

It is difficult for a child to survive alone at home without the care of his parents.

When the word 'parent' comes to mind.

Kitumi Minoru's face darkened, and he reached out and touched Nanase Karin's head.

"Let's go, there's a family restaurant open down there, I'll treat you to something to eat."

"Really? Great! Brother Beicheng is such a good person!"

Nanase Karin hugged Kitumi Minoru's thigh and made a sound of joy.

"A good person?"

The girl's innocent tone was like a sarcastic sharp knife inserted into Beicheng Minoru's ears.

He laughed to himself.

"I'm not a good person."

There is a wide variety of dishes on the menu.

Nanase Karin's eyes were dazzled.

Kitaki Minoru was already prepared for bleeding.

But what surprised him was this.

Nanase Karin did not choose expensive dishes.

She just picked a piece of cheap fried rice and a glass of boiling water, that's all.

Beicheng Minoru was a little strange and asked her why, but she just moved her face closer to her in embarrassment.

"Everything here is so expensive, Brother Beicheng."

That's right.

For as long as she can remember, she has only eaten cheap lunch boxes from convenience stores. When she ran out of food, she would eat some bread slices to satisfy her hunger. At such a young age, she had never eaten anything so expensive.

The long 0's on the small menu were enough to make her eyes wander.

She felt a little sorry for Kitazumi's wallet. After reading the menu, she was going to drag Kitumi out.

If she hadn't been stopped by Kitaki Minoru, she wouldn't have sat down.

She was a little restless, and she clutched Kitumi Minoru's arm uneasily while waiting for her meal to be served.

I was afraid that I would be punished by God for spending so much money on Beicheng Minoru all at once.

Even when the fried rice was served, she didn't move her chopsticks for a long time. Instead, she looked at Kitumi Minoru with her face half raised as if asking for instructions.

Beicheng Shi's heart softened a little.

Once upon a time, he looked up like this and looked at his mother's face.

"Eat. Brother still has the money to eat once in a while."

"Thank you brother."

With Kitami Minoru's permission, Nanase Karin swallowed, picked up the spoon, said "I'm going to start" and started eating.

She didn't eat quickly, but her little mouth was full, her cute cheeks were swollen, like a hamster, and she felt like she couldn't chew anything.

"Eat slowly, don't choke."

After taking a sip of water, Kitaki Minoru who was standing by the side reminded him.

"It's delicious. Thank you, Brother Beicheng. Brother Beicheng will eat it too."

Nanase Karin scooped up a full spoonful of fried rice and handed it to Kitaki Minoru.

Kitazumi originally wanted to say that he had eaten it this morning.

But he looked at the way Nanase Karin looked at him eagerly.

The words reached his lips and he swallowed them again.

He nodded and ate the fried rice that was handed to him.

Honestly.

The taste of this fried rice was really beyond his imagination.

Just a very average level.

There is obviously a big gap between what Nanase Karin calls "delicious".

Moreover, there was obviously too much salt, and the rice was a bit greasy, making it difficult to eat.

Even someone like Kitaki Minoru, who is not very picky about food, couldn't help but frown.

But

Looking at Nanase Karin who was eating with gusto, even reluctant to drop a few grains of rice.

This is just a plate of ordinary fried rice.

The Nanase Karanashi in front of her was eating with gusto.

When was the last time she had a decent meal?

Kitazumi didn't know.

Watch her look satisfied as she swallows every grain of rice.

He knew it.

She can't survive long alone in this cold society.

The chaotic morning wind blew the leaves randomly.

It was just as chaotic as Kitumi Minoru's mood.

The rainstorm in my ears became even louder.

In the next few weeks, Kitazumi would go to Nanase Karin's house almost every day.

But sadly.

In the empty room, there was still only that little figure.

The little girl seemed to have developed a habit.

She would smile and say 'welcome back' to Kitami Minoru.

He would also chase after Minoru Beicheng for a long distance when he was leaving, just to say out of breath, "See you tomorrow, Brother Beicheng."

That was the only greeting that Kitachi Minoru heard, apart from curses and insults, like a family member since he could remember.

He develops a complicated connection with the little girl.

He also knows that if he wants to keep his current life unchanged, he must not have too much involvement with the other party.

The more you get involved, the more you get stuck.

If you invest in it, your emotions will turn into poison that penetrates your intestines.

Just like now.

Walking out of Nanase Karin's home again, Kitumi Minoru blew out a smoke ring.

Thinking of the cute way the other person hugged me and refused to let go, and even helped her take a bath.

Kitaki couldn't help but smile.

The bathing here, of course, refers to Nanase Karin wearing a bath towel and wrapping her whole body - although Kitazumi is not interested in children's figures, it doesn't matter what she sees.

"See you tomorrow?"

Kitami Minoru was about to stamp out the cigarette, but he hesitated and walked towards the trash can next to the convenience store.

Recently, he noticed a change in himself.

After being abandoned by her mother, her blood has always been in a cold state. Kitazumi, who has never cared about other people's opinions, has the idea of ​​"wanting to become better" for the first time.

He began to look forward to tomorrow.

Even if tomorrow is unknown.

This is a danger signal.

For a person at the bottom of society, especially a gangster who wears his head on his belt, having this kind of pity for others can sometimes be fatal.

Ding ding ding——

The phone rings rapidly.

Interrupting Kitaki Minoru's thinking.

He looked subconsciously and realized that it was a call from his direct gang leader.

Without hesitation, Kitaki picked it up.

"Hello - Beicheng?"

"It's me, Team Leader Kirishima."

"I heard from members of the group that you seem to be having some trouble collecting debts recently?"

"." Beicheng Minoru's eyes flickered and he spoke calmly.

"It's like this. I've been staying at the borrower's house recently, but the borrower seems to have left Tokyo. It may be a bit troublesome to pursue this loan."

He intentionally or unintentionally concealed the existence of Nanase Kari.

"Occasionally there are people like this."

Kirishima over there was not surprised, and his tone was calmer.

"Since this loan cannot be recovered for the time being, then don't pursue it. Speaking of which, I heard that this woman Hanako Nanase seems to have a daughter at home?"

".There is one."

The other party has figured out the details of the Nanase family, and Kitumi Minoru does not continue to hide it.

Because in his opinion.

Nanase Hanako's debt is basically equivalent to a dead loan that cannot be recovered.

So what if she has a daughter?

The Five Peace Club can't let Nanase Karin, who is less than eight years old, work part-time to pay back the money, right?

He thought so.

Then--

"In this case, Beicheng, please bring that child back tomorrow."

On the other side of the phone, there was the voice of the other party mumbling to himself.

"Speaking of which, a child's corneas and kidneys are quite valuable, right? Hmm."

"Beicheng is the most promising young man in our group. Work hard and don't let me down."

The call was cut off.

Until then, Kitaki Minoru had already realized it at this time.

He had spent too much time with Nanase Karin.

It’s been so long that I’ve forgotten what the dark side of the bottom of society looks like.

So-called gangsters.

This is not an organization that listens to borrowers so gently.

If you can't pay it back, sell it.

If you can't sell it, grab it.

If you can't grab it, use other precious things as collateral.

This is the reality of the underworld.

A piece of brown sugar can't be pulled off or shaken off, it will always stick to it.

The more you get involved, the more you fall into.

Emotions invested in someone can turn into poison that penetrates the intestines.

In the darkness, the dim street lights were bright, just like his mood at this time, they could not illuminate the way back or the way forward.

Beicheng was silent, and no one could see his expression clearly.

Only the red cigarette butt in his hand was particularly conspicuous in the summer night.

at the same time.

In the dirty room on the other side.

Nanase Karin put a small cream cake in the refrigerator.

This was the birthday cake she bought for Kita Chengshi with all the money she had secretly saved.

A total of 956 yen.

When she counted it to the store owner, she counted it very clearly, just like when Kita Chengshi mentioned his birthday, she remembered it all at once.

"Will Brother Kita Cheng be happy?"

Put this birthday cake in the refrigerator.

Nanase Karin's white and tender little hands were on the window.

She looked at the night sky above her head happily.

She had never looked forward to tomorrow so much.

Thanks to Wu Xiao Bi Kuang Tai Shu Yu, Xiang Si Ji Sui Nian, Zi Yu Zi Le Shu Ren, Ri Jin Chang An Yuan, Duan Mu Ci 10086, and Shu You 20220317195439095 for their rewards! Thank you very much!