I waited for a minute before squeezing her hand, reminding her that I was here and I wouldn’t be leaving. Tsuba took a shuddering breath before continuing.
“They’re asking for repaynt. And my dad... he had nothing anymore. The only saving grace is that... they’re not loan sharks. Just your regular creditors that the bank handed the debt to after he defaulted. But they’re still relentless. Calls at all hours. Letters. People showing up at the apartnt.”
She swallowed hard as her fingers tightened around mine.
“One of them... he’s the worst. He cos by every week. Big guy. Always wearing the sa cheap suit, which slls like cigarette smoke and cheap cologne. When he realized my dad wouldn’t be able to pay, he... stopped asking for money anymore.”
Her voice dropped to barely a whisper.
“He started saying things. That maybe there’s another way I could ‘help’ my dad pay off what he owes. That I’m young. Pretty. That I could work it off... on my back after a year or two. He said he’s going to hire as his secretary.”
I couldn’t help but feel my blood boil upon hearing that but I remained calm. She didn’t really need to get mad for her. But instead, she wanted soone to hear her out, to listen to her airing out her frustration and desperation.
From the words she just uttered, although it sounded like that creditor was willing to have her work for it and even wanted to wait until she was of age, it was easy to tell that he also wanted what many n would want from a cornered girl like her.
“I see. I understand now why you sounded so desperate. You’ve been put into this situation outside of your control. And you’ve been carrying it alone for months.”
Tsuba’s shoulders curled inward, like she was trying to make herself smaller.
“Your parents failed you. I could understand the attempt your father made in order to pick himself back up. But now, he failed to get a new job and turned more into alcohol. That... that is unforgivable. He shouldn’t have left you fending off those creditors on your own. You’re supposed to be protected by him and yet...”
I let out a sigh here as I felt helpless. I’m lucky I have very supportive parents. But fate had drawn this girl a terrible card.
“Alright, I know you also want to help your father. You probably feel like you can’t abandon him after your mother did it first. But Tsuba, you should think of yourself first.”
She looked in the eye and nodded before putting on a bitter smile, “This part of you hasn’t changed. You still have that ability to see through , even if I don’t say it out loud. Uhm... of course, except for the fact that I started catching feelings for you back then. Other than that, you had this subtle way of being able to say and do the right things.”
I let the silence sit for a second. The rabbit in the nearest cage thumped once, like it was telling us to get on with it.
“Tsuba,” I finally said, “I’m not the sa idiot who let you disappear without a fight. And I’m definitely not letting so creditor corner you with the debt of your father and decide your future for you.”
“I... I’m ashad. I... I didn’t really an to ask you for help when I called you. I just want to see you again... To recall what it’s like when life is still bright for .”
“Mhm. I get it. You still feel guilty that you disappeared on . That your intention for eting isn’t about this problem at all. But Tsuba, do you think I can ignore it now that you told your situation?”
“That... Y-you’re right.” The girl’s voice cracked on the last syllable, like the admission cost her the last of her armor. She tried to pull her hand back, but I didn’t let her. Not this ti.
I kept my grip gentle but firm.
“Tsuba, look at .”
It took a few seconds, but she finally lifted her head. Gray eyes glassy, lower lip caught between her teeth hard enough to leave marks. The bruise peeked out again when her hair shifted. Red and swollen. Not a garden fall. Not even close.
My stomach twisted, but I kept my face calm.
“You’re not asking for anything,” I said quietly. “I’m offering. There’s a difference.”
She laughed, wet and broken. “You don’t even know how much it is.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It’s a lot, Ruki. More than what those of our age can earn.”
“I know. I’m also still dependent on my parents, but Tsuba. Aren’t you looking for an opportunity? If you’re trying to look for a job, the interest must’ve been manageable, right?”
Like she said while the creditors were hounding their door, they’re not the illegal kind. And there’s only one who seed to find promise in what she could be in the future.
“From what I learned from Mizuki, if there are multiple creditors, either the bank has split the debt and sold it off in chunks, or your dad borrowed from different places. Either way, they can’t touch you directly until you’re of age, and even then, filial debt laws are shaky.”
“The one who keeps coming, the cigarette-stink suit guy, he’s the only real problem. The others will wait if soone starts paying even a little every month.”
Tsuba stared at like I’d started speaking another language.
“You... you really did change,” she whispered. “The old Ruki would’ve just punched the guy and called it a day.”
“Well, the old Ruki would’ve made everything worse,” I corrected. “New Ruki has slightly better tools. I told you, right? I am planning to marry everyone. I can’t do that if I don’t start building up my foundation at this ti.”
“So cool...” Although she probably ant to mutter that quietly, the girl ended up saying it loud enough for to hear.
I couldn’t help but smile at that. “Heh. I’m not that cool. I just learned from the best. And I have a lot of people relying on now. Including you, if you let .”
Tsuba’s eyes widened again, the tears finally spilling over. She didn’t wipe them away this ti. She just stared at like she was trying to morize this version of , afraid I’d disappear if she blinked.
“You... you’d really do that? For ?”
“Mhm. I told you, I rember everything about you. And I owe you more than I can ever repay. This is the least I can do.”
She laughed through the tears, the sound shaky but real. “You’re still an idiot. A bigger one now.”
“Yeah. But I’m your idiot if you want to be.”
That did it.
Tsuba launched herself across the small table, nearly knocking over the empty glasses. I caught her just in ti, pulling her into my lap as she buried her face in my neck. Her whole body shook with silent sobs, fingers clutching my shirt like she was afraid I’d vanish.
The old couple peeked out from behind the counter, saw us, and imdiately pretended they hadn’t. The rabbit thumped once in approval.
I held her tight, one hand stroking her back, the other tangled in her hair.
“Shh. I’ve got you. No one’s touching you. Not while I’m here.”
She cried harder at that, but it wasn’t the broken kind anymore. It was relief. Like a dam finally cracking after holding back too long.
When the sobs finally quieted to hiccups, she pulled back just enough to look at . Her eyes were red, nose runny, hair a ss. Yet, she’d never looked more beautiful.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I... I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, you don’t have to thank . I haven’t done anything yet. But I can introduce you to soone. I an, you probably want to work for it rather than let shoulder everything.”
“Stop pulling the words I haven’t said yet, idiot Ruki... But you’re right. I’d hate myself if I just let you make all my problems disappear. You’re not a genie.”
“A genie, huh? Well, but you can make a wish and I’ll do my best to grant it, no matter how long.”
She wiped her face with the sleeve of her hoodie, sniffling one last ti before the corner of her mouth lifted, small, crooked, real.
“Then... my first wish is stupidly simple.”
Tsuba took a shaky breath, gray eyes locking onto mine like she was afraid I’d laugh.
“Hold until we leave this shop. Just... don’t let go. I missed that the most.”
I didn’t answer with words. I just threaded our fingers together again, tighter this ti, palm to palm, and stood up, pulling her gently to her feet.
The old woman appeared as if by magic, two small paper bags in hand.
“On the house, she mouthed with a wink, pressing them into my free hand. Rabbit-shaped cookies, still warm.
Tsuba stared at them, then at the old couple, then at like she couldn’t quite process the kindness.
“Alright, granted. Think carefully about the other two wishes. But Tsuba, I still want you to clear one thing for .”
“I know. You’re curious about this, right?” She pointed at her swollen temple. “It was Dad. He threw a bottle at . Two nights ago.”
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