The first book is divided into 3 small chapters containing the individual background stories of 3 guys, also depicting the kind of love they have towards Nishioka Nagi.
These 3 guys ; Kusakabe Shuichi, Kusakabe Shuji and Nishioka Takashi secretly fa...
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Accepting Fate
Today is Shuuko's birthday. She is Shuichi's daughter and my niece. I received the birthday invitation yesterday on my way home.
The days go by so fast. It seemed like yesterday was Shuuko's 5th birthday and today she's turning 6. How time flies yet we could never tell what life awaits of us. Looking back, I was just a high school guy who was serious about maintaining my good grades... now I'm an uncle.
Also... a father.
My life is not really that interesting unlike other people. I grew up in a normal family in Yodogawa, Osaka. I was a shy boy and didn't really have confidence but I was active in school and strive hard to maintain good grades. Someone used to say I was popular among girls... but I didn't even go out with anybody. I had no guts to ask anybody out.
A lot of people were quite shocked why an unsociable guy like me suddenly got married and raised a family. They don't know this... I asked the same question to myself. Until now.
Let me repeat what I said. "Time indeed flies so fast." And in my life, I had a hard time catching up. What I thought before could last forever changed in an instant. Yes. My life changed in an instant.
This is my life.
This is the life of Kusakabe Shuji.
As I walked down the sidewalk and overlooking my brother's house a block away, I remembered I was about to join my niece's birthday party. Yet here I was, having these thoughts and looking smugged. I stopped by a parked car, looked myself at the glass and tried wearing a smile.
"Smile, Shu-chan. Don't give them your serious face," I muttered to my reflection and practiced smiling. As much as I wanted to lighten up my expression, I wasn't used to it anymore.
I used to smile more often before. Even laughed. Those days in high school and before that, my childhood had been normal and happy.
But then again... those were in the past.
I sighed and fixed my suit. I had just come straight from the office. Rina fell sick and couldn't make it to the party and I didn't want to bring Keiji. Not that I'm preventing him to bond with his cousin, but he's going to start schooling and I don't want to keep him up late. For sure, my parents and Shuichi will keep me for a long time. They always have a lot of stories to tell.
With that half-smile on my face, I finally marched down and in no time, arrived in front of Shuichi's house. What I didn't know was that I was going to have the biggest surprise standing in front of me that time.
"Shu-chan!" a familiar voice of a girl surprised me, making me stop and look at her. For a second, I didn't recognize her but who could ever forget the most beautiful face in my old neighborhood.
