Sekaiichi Romantica VS. The Real World

Part 1: The Case Of Sekaiichi Nostalgia

Chapter 22: The Last Person I Wanted To See...

*NARRATED IN RITSU'S POV*

I was somehow the chauffeur in this whole drama. I don't even know how I got involved in this. I still cannot stop imagining how weird all of this is. I started acting weird and all giddy whenever Olivia was around me so that she will raise questions. Then, I indirectly make her realize that she is still in love with Yash. Next, she will go and confess whenever she feels ready and then a happy ending would prevail. Moreover, I get the credit for setting these two kids up. But NO! There has to be more twist in this story, doesn't it? We were at the terrace to find out a mystery and settle down an argument, but instead, we are leaving the place with another mystery to solve and to settle things with someone else. And I was supposed to be the future editor of that 'someone else'. As an editor in Marukawa Publishing, I should remain neutral to both sides and stay out of this. And yet, here I am, being a chauffeur to the kids who are a couple of years junior to me and also their backup in this whole plan. I guess my dream of being the editor of a hotshot Mangaka will have to wait longer than I initially speculated. I will call Takano (who is still in Osaka and has filed a long leave of absence) and will speak with him regarding this. I'll just ask Mino to do it for me.

"Alright, here we are!" I sighed as I pressed the brakes and smoothly parked the car in the basement of the building.

As we got off the vehicle, shut the doors and locked the car, June's expression faltered and she started making ominous faces of revolts. She exclaimed with her hands covering her mouth, "Yuck! The famous guy called us here!? This place smells disgusting! The guy has no class?"

"Umm, June? I'm pretty sure that the mall is upstairs. This is just the basement." Ryla responded to June's initial opinion about the man and the establishment that she hasn't even seen.

Neglecting June's feeble-minded criticism, we took the elevator and entered the Wing A of the building. We had no idea how to find him. The mall has 8 wings. Before I could raise the question of how to find him, I noticed that June's eyes were fixated on something and her body was frozen.

*AUTHOR'S NOTE: Read the following lines (which are in bold and italics) while listening to the audio of the video to sense the kind of tension going on between the characters.*

I looked up to see Ijuuin-sensei standing a few feet away from us with his hands in his pockets.

The fraternal twins also immediately recognized him and before I knew it, I was walking forward along with them.

The people from the two sides were walking towards each other, thus closing the gap.

Their footsteps seemed heavy and in slow motion.

Although it may not seem like it, a lot was going on.

The three girls were talking to their biological father and he was talking to them.

It wasn't verbal like how normal conversations customarily transpire.

The messages were going back and forth.