Tsunagari

Chapter LXVIII.

Saien Natsume couldn't help but gaze at the blonde woman secretly, as they were walking their way together through the village, having just completed all their purchases.

He couldn't understand how Hayate Shigeizumi could have cheated on someone like her. She was so kind. She was such a strong person. She was beautiful both outside and in her heart. She was the incarnation of perfection. She was simply marvelous.

After Ayane, he would never have thought to think of someone as being fantastic as this in his life. But there was no other way to qualify the blonde woman. She was simply outstanding.

Her husband was certainly not able to see straight!

'Uh, Saien, I'm really sorry but do you mind to wait for me here for a minute?' she asked him, suddenly, causing him to break out of his thoughts. 'I need to use...'

Tsubasa Shigeizumi had paused down and was thumbing over her shoulder at the public lavatory.

They were quite far away from the Asagiri home, and the blonde woman couldn't hold it anymore.

'Oh, yes-yes!' he told her, rapidly, and without losing a minute, he took the bags that she was carrying in her arms.

'I'll be out in one minute,' she assured him, her expression a bit embarrassed, and turning around, she hurried for the door of the tiny building.

'Take your time,' he called after her. 'I'll be waiting for you on the side of the building.'

'Hai!'

And on this, he moved onto the small alley on the side to wait for her there, leaning against the side wall.

***

The public lavatory was gender-separated. The female section was a room with three toilet compartments on the one side and a set of lavabos on the other.

Tsubasa made as quickly as possible.

She was washing her hands at one of the lavabos when, abruptly, an unexpected person made eruption in the room. The blonde woman was astounded to see a man in this section, but not as much as she was when she realized that he was someone that she knew.

'Kazetani-san!' she exclaimed. 'What are you doing here?'

The man was aged fifty-two. He was quite short and had broad shoulders. He was clothed in a tie and suit, his gray hair as disheveled as his clothes, giving the impression that he had not been to his house for days.

The man's expression was filled with anguish as he stared at her, moaning out her name. 'Tsubasa-sama!'

Her heart accelerating in her chest, the blonde woman took a few steps backward, getting on her guard.

'I have followed you till here.'

Her heart shook. She continued to back away until she had her back pressed against the back wall of the room, completely alarmed now.

'Tsubasa-sama! You have to give me my job back!' the middle-aged man told her, in a pleading tone, and crossing the distance between them, he clutched at her hands.

'Wha- What are you doing?' Tsubasa stammered, scared. She tried to pull her hands away, but in vain.

'I have dedicated my whole life to the Zaibatsu! You know it! Please, I want to return!'

'You know that I can't do this,' she told him, honestly, in a murmur, in spite of the fright that he was inspiring her. 'You have committed several frauds. But as I already told you, I'm not going to hand you over to the police because I respect your age and time of service. And you can rest assured that your daughter's studies will not be affected by this.'