Tokyo: The story begins with a confession.

Page 11

As Okubo Rinto watched Uesugi Kenichi's retreating figure, his eyes flickered. He had no intention of giving up so easily. He had been at Yamato Private Academy for three years, and for two consecutive years he had failed to qualify for the kendo competition, let alone the national tournament. This made him feel very distressed.

This is especially evident when compared to the women's team led by club president Saeko Busujima, even though her family runs a dojo.

But his family is the same. He started practicing kendo under his father's guidance from a young age. He truly loves kendo, and he also loves this school. He wants to win a trophy in the school's empty exhibition hall.

But it would be too difficult for him to do it alone; his personal strength wasn't yet at the level to dominate the competition.

"How about I ask the department head to help me recruit her?" Okubo stood there thinking for a long time and he felt that this method was feasible. After all, young men are attracted to each other, and Busujima is a super beautiful girl with such strong kendo skills. There shouldn't be any boy who could refuse her recruitment, right?

As for whether Saeko Busujima is willing, he doesn't need to worry too much. This kid is so handsome and talented. As the department head, would Saeko Busujima let go of such a talent and not recruit him?

He glanced at the group of people lying on the ground still groaning and kicked them impatiently: "Stop pretending, get up! Everyone's gone and you're still lying there, it's shameful."

After saying that, he shook his head and walked away. Uesugi Kenshin's attack was very measured; for these young men, it only hurt for two days.

After everyone had left, a purple figure walked out from the corner. She stood on the rooftop, quietly watching the direction Uesugi Kenichi had gone, licked her lips, and murmured, "Interesting."

She sensed a very dangerous aura emanating from Uesugi Kenichi, as intimidating as a fierce tiger.

Most importantly, she also sensed a murderous aura, or rather, a malevolent aura, emanating from Uesugi Kenichi—the kind of aura one only feels after someone has killed someone!

……

"Thank you for earlier." Uesugi Kenichi turned around and glanced at the rooftop. It seemed like someone was watching him from there, making him feel uneasy. It seemed to be just his imagination. He looked at Kato Megumi.

"You're welcome. It's fine even without me, Uesugi-kun." Kato Megumi shook her head and chuckled.

"But I really didn't expect you to do something like this?" Uesugi Kenichi chuckled.

"To be honest, I didn't expect it myself." Kato Megumi tucked her short hair behind her ear and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

She followed Uesugi Kenichi and the others openly to the rooftop after they left, and was shocked by what she saw. More than ten people were knocked down by Uesugi Kenichi with just a few punches and kicks. While she was still in a daze, she suddenly saw someone sneaking up and trying to ambush Uesugi Kenichi. She didn't know what she was thinking, but she grabbed a stick and hit him.

She still doesn't understand what she was thinking at the time; it was completely different from her usual self...

Kato Megumi turned to look at Uesugi Kenichi, the boy who had caused a huge sensation at the school in just ten days. Even when she first saw him, her heartstrings were plucked, as if a stone had been thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

After that incident, she tried her best to avoid paying attention to Uesugi Kenichi, feeling that he was like a monster who could steal one's heart with just one glance.

But who would have thought that when the seats were assigned, Uesugi Kenichi would sit right behind her. Although the other girls were incredibly envious, she preferred not to enjoy this treatment. Sitting here reduced her 'invisibility' and made her more vulnerable to being teased by the other girls.

She knew exactly what these high school girls were thinking.

However, to her surprise, Uesugi Kenichi rejected all the girls who pursued him, and his words were extremely cold. He wasn't trying to play hard to get or deliberately keep those girls hanging.

This improved her impression of Uesugi Kenichi considerably, and she began to pay more attention to him in her daily life.

Although it had only been ten days, she had to admit that Uesugi Kenichi was indeed an outstanding person. Putting aside his appearance and his inexplicably high charm, he was very serious in class, polite and humble, spoke gently, and did things in an organized and reasonable manner, which made him convincing.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Uesugi Kenichi asked, noticing Kato Megumi staring at him as he touched his face.

"No, it's nothing." Kato Megumi quickly looked away after waking up. Just like a monster, she had unconsciously stared at his face and become lost in it. It would be better to look at him less in the future, otherwise it would be bad if she got caught up in it.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now." Kato Megumi bowed slightly to Uesugi Kenichi in farewell.

"Wait a moment."

"What's wrong, Uesugi-kun?" Kato Megumi asked, puzzled.

"Here, take this." Uesugi Kenichi opened his bag, took out a wooden carving, and handed it over.

"What's this?" Kato Megumi took it curiously, then froze, her expression turning to one of utter surprise.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Gifts

"this is me?"

She stared at the orange wooden carving in her hand, momentarily stunned. The carving was about twelve centimeters tall, depicting a short-haired girl smiling gently—it was her very likeness, and it looked exquisite.

Her face suddenly flushed, and a hint of shyness appeared in her eyes. She wanted to perfectly capture her image on the wood carving. The owner of the carving must have observed her a lot in his daily life.

“That’s right, this is an apology. I also want to thank you this time.” Uesugi Kenichi chuckled.

“But this is too valuable.” Kato Megumi wanted to refuse immediately. This wood carving was obviously expensive. Not to mention the craftsmanship, the wood alone was worth a lot of money. Moreover, it was carved so lifelike that she recognized herself at first glance. This would be worth a lot of money if it were sold.

When she pushed the wooden carving back, she suddenly remembered that the carving depicted her likeness, and her hand froze in mid-air, unsure of what to do.

Taking it would be too expensive, but not wanting it would mean it's a wood carving of herself...

"Wow, what is this? Uesugi, you actually had something like this hidden away?" Kobayashi Yoshihara, who had been following behind, exclaimed loudly upon seeing the wooden carving in Kato Megumi's hand.

"Let me see," he said, reaching out to take it, but Kato Megumi reflexively dodged.

Kobayashi Yoshihara looked at Kato Megumi's wary gaze and awkwardly scratched his head. Then he looked at Uesugi Kenichi: "Did you carve this wood carving yourself?"

"Yes." Uesugi Kenji nodded.

"Holy crap, you're amazing!" Kobayashi Yoshihara exclaimed dramatically. Although he didn't look very closely, he recognized the sculpture as Kato Megumi from afar. It was astonishing that such a level of sculpture could come from a high school student.

Watanabe Futa glanced enviously at the wooden carving in Kato Megumi's hand, wanting to take a look but unsure how to ask.

"Alright, if you want them, I can carve one for you sometime soon," Uesugi Kenichi said helplessly. Then he looked at Kato Megumi and said, "Take them. Otherwise, they'll just sit on my desk if you give them to me."

Kato Megumi blushed even more. The wooden carving of her likeness was on Uesugi Kenichi's desk, and he looked at it every day. Just thinking about it made him feel embarrassed.

However, what she didn't know was that there was a row of... hanging on Uesugi Kenichi's desk.

"Then I'll accept it, thank you very much." Kato Megumi bowed slightly in thanks.

……

"Uesugi, you better keep your word. I want one too, and I want this style." Kobayashi Yoshihara took out his phone, pulled out a photo, and waved it in front of Uesugi Kenichi.

Kenichi Uesugi rolled his eyes at the photo in front of him, unsure how to comment. In the photo, Yoshihara Kobayashi was wearing a thick red armor, seemingly playing a general from the Warring States period. However, his overly thin frame made him look like a monkey in clothes, laughing uncontrollably.

"Are you sure you want this?"

“That’s right, only this way can show the domineering presence of my master Kobayashi, and only this way can match your supreme skill. Please!” Kobayashi Yoshihara bowed deeply and said solemnly.

"Fine, fine, whatever makes you happy." Uesugi Kenichi was already too tired to deal with him anymore. Anyway, it was given to him, so he might as well do as he pleased.

"What about you?"

"I'm fine with whatever," Watanabe Futa replied immediately, feeling a little embarrassed in front of his best friend.

"If it were me, could you please sculpt a different character for me?" Sato Hideki pushed up his thick glasses. Rather than sculpting himself, it would be better to sculpt a wife for him. If it weren't for the fear of troubling Uesugi Kenichi, it would be best to have one of each of his dozens of wives.

"I think I'll pass," Tetsuya Ishida said, a little embarrassed.

"It's alright, it won't take long." Uesugi Kenichi chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"Oh, right, don't forget the Shibuya Comic Con the day after tomorrow. If it's all of the same quality as that one, Uesugi, your wood carvings will definitely fetch a good price," Sato Hideki suddenly said, remembering what they had discussed last time.

"Don't worry, I remember." Of course, Uesugi Kenichi remembered. His main purpose in learning sculpting was to make money, so how could he forget something so important?

However, if it's the day after tomorrow, I need to prepare properly tonight and tomorrow.

……

"I'm home." After changing her shoes, Kato Megumi glanced at her mother, who was busy in the kitchen, and went back to her room.

She turned on the light, lay down on the bed, sighed contentedly, and rolled around on the bed a couple of times.

She then picked up the wood carving and examined it carefully.

This feeling was quite novel, a completely different concept from looking at her own photos. She stroked the wood carving, feeling the texture of the wood as it glided across her hand, imagining Uesugi Kenichi carving her face stroke by stroke with a carving knife. She couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.

"Time to eat."

Kato Megumi snapped out of her reverie upon hearing her mother's voice. "Coming," she replied, then got up and glanced into the room. She then solemnly placed the wooden carving on the desk before nodding in satisfaction. As she was leaving, she suddenly wondered what if the wooden carving on the desk had depicted Uesugi Kenichi?

Her face flushed slightly, but she went downstairs with a smile that she herself couldn't quite detect.

But what kind of return gift should I prepare?

How about I make a bento for Uesugi-kun?

……

"Is anyone home? Could you please open the door?"

"Coming." Uesugi Kenichi put down his carving knife and went to open the door.

"The huanghuali wood you requested has been delivered. Would you like me to put it in for you?" a young man wearing a hat asked with a smile.

"No need, I can do it myself," Uesugi Kenichi said with a smile after picking up the pieces of wood that were laid out on the ground and finding that there was no problem.

"Then I'll be going now. Thank you for your patronage. Please let me know if you need anything in the future."

"must."

After seeing the man off, Uesugi Kenichi brought in the pineapple wood. He had bought it from a nearby lumber shop, and the shopkeeper had kindly offered to deliver it to his door. The service was quite good.

The wood he used for the wood carving he gave to Kato Megumi was bought from this shop. Although the quality was average, the price was not expensive, and laymen could not tell the difference between good and bad wood.

These pieces of wood cost him a whopping 8 yen, and if they get smashed this time, he'll be heartbroken for a long time.

After practicing Bajiquan as usual, he ate the bento he had bought on the way back, poured himself a cup of tea, and set out the wood next to the table, ready to start the fight.

He thought for a moment. First, he needed to finish the wood carvings he had promised to Kobayashi Yoshihara and the others, and then he would begin carving the popular characters he had found online.

Time flies when you're completely absorbed in carving...

Only when his shoulders and wrists ached unbearably did Uesugi Kenichi put down his carving knife. Looking at the wooden carvings on the table, a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. There were at least ten; the efficiency was astonishing. These were all money...

He took out another tool from his toolbox to polish the wood carvings. He only breathed a sigh of relief after he finished and arranged all the wood carvings. He stood up and stretched his limbs, and a series of teeth-grinding cracking sounds came from his joints.

He checked the time and it was already 11:30. Just as he was about to wash up and go to bed, he suddenly saw a long message notification on LINE.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Kasumigaoka Utaha

He logged onto LINE, ignored the 99+ friend requests, and then saw that it was that same netizen who had sent him a bunch of messages again.

Juicer Girl: "What are you planning to do since that scumbag is on holiday tomorrow?"

Juicer Girl: "Why aren't you saying anything? Did you get beaten up again and are hiding in some corner crying?"

Juicer: "Looks like my guess was right. That poor scumbag should be lying unconscious in the hospital right now. How pathetic."

Juicer: "If that scumbag really begs me, maybe I can go and soothe your heart and show you what you want to see."

Juicer: "Of course, you'll have to pay a price if you want to see it, but don't worry, it won't be difficult."

……