“Thank god it all worked out. Seriously, thank god,” Komatsu repeated for the umpteenth time, red-faced and misty-eyed as he held his beer mug.
“Wait, Komatsu, are you okay?” Rikyu asked, startled.
“Already drunk, old man?” Ensho gave an exasperated shrug.
Holmes chuckled. “He was fraught with worry over you.”
We were at a Chinese restaurant on Kiyamachi Street, and the table in our private room was adorned with dumplings, xiaolongbao, fried rice, and mapo tofu.
After talking to Ensho at Toyokuni Shrine, I had gone with him to find Holmes, who had immediately smiled and agreed to my suggestion. Honestly, that had surprised me because I had been expecting him to say, “Why should we have to cancel our date to celebrate with Ensho?”
Meanwhile, Ensho had chuckled and said, “He was expecting the worst when he saw us come back together. Didn’t you see the look on his face? And now he’s overjoyed ’cause it ain’t what he was thinking.”
I didn’t know what he meant by “the worst,” but thinking about it, Holmes’s jaw had dropped when he saw us walking toward him. Had he been imagining a hostile mood between me and Ensho?
Anyway, that was what led to us toasting Ensho’s accomplishment and my completion of the internship. We’d chosen a Chinese restaurant because Komatsu was lamenting not getting a chance to eat casual Chinese food in Hong Kong.
“But still,” Komatsu said, putting down his mug and looking at Ensho, “a hundred and sixty million yen?! What does it feel like to have that much money?”
Ensho frowned in annoyance. “It’s not like I’m getting all of it.”
Holmes chuckled. “If you aren’t careful, most of it will go to taxes. You should consult an accountant.”
“Oh!” Komatsu’s eyes lit up. “Kiddo, you’re gonna become a tax accountant, right? Why don’t you help Ensho?”
“I’m not certified yet, so I’m not allowed to,” Holmes said nonchalantly, sipping his beer.
Ensho grinned. “But it’s fine if there’s no money involved, yeah?”
Holmes narrowed his eyes coldly, then sighed. “I suppose so. I can provide advice free of charge for now if you promise to enlist my services when I become a tax accountant.”
“Hell yeah.” Ensho clenched his fist.
They do get along after all, I thought.
“Oh, right, Aoi,” said Rikyu. “How was the internship?”
“I learned a lot,” I said. “The deputy director is such an amazing person.”
Holmes flinched. “When the internship ended, did you receive the deputy director’s personal contact information or anything like that?”
“No,” I replied. “But if possible, I’d like to have another chat next time I visit KNM.”
“I imagine the deputy director will be very busy, though.”
“I think so too. Plus, the job involves a lot of business trips. But I can’t help but admire that wealth of knowledge, sense of humor, and childlike spirit...”
“A childlike spirit, you say?”
“Something you ain’t got,” Ensho said bluntly.
“Actually, I’ve always said that I have the body of an adult but the mind of a child,” Holmes replied, placing a hand on his chest.
“Huh?” Rikyu blurted. “What’re you talking about, Kiyo?”
“That’s, like, the worst thing you can say,” Ensho retorted.
Are they all drunk? I wondered. “Anyway, meeting her made me wish I could become a wonderful woman like her.”
Holmes froze. “Oh, is that so? I hope you’ll be able to see her when you go to KNM.”
“Isn’t that the opposite of what you were just saying, kiddo?” Komatsu asked.
“Can you be quiet?”
I guess they really are drunk.
“Oh, right.” Komatsu looked up. “Ensho, where are you living now? You moved out of that apartment, didn’t you?”
“Ah, yeah,” said Ensho. “They’re demolishing it ’cause it’s falling apart.”
“I see,” I said.
“I’m staying at a business hotel for now,” Ensho continued.
“I guess I shouldn’t be saying this to a rich person, but it kinda feels like a waste,” said Komatsu, averting his gaze. “My second floor’s still open, so you can come back whenever you want.”
“Thanks,” Ensho replied with a shy and awkward look on his face.
After that, we had a lot of fun chatting and drinking before calling it a night. Komatsu and Ensho went to the Komatsu Detective Agency, while Rikyu headed for the Hankyu line station. Holmes and I strolled north along the Takase River.
“Today was supposed to be a wrap-up party for you, Aoi,” Holmes muttered, sounding mildly dissatisfied.
I giggled. “But it was, wasn’t it? Everyone congratulated me.”
“You really never change. Well, once again, congratulations on completing your internship,” he said, peering into my face.
“Thank you,” I said shyly.
“Did it make you want to get a job at KNM?”
“That would be amazing, but even if that opportunity doesn’t come, I’ve found what I want to do as a career.”
I wanted to become an art manager, and to achieve that, I wanted to see the world. Meeting Holmes had provided me with a blessed environment, and for a long time, I’d felt guilty that I had come so far through luck alone, not knowledge or ability. But I still wanted to move forward, even if I had to carry that guilty conscience while doing so. I couldn’t expect doors to open if I hesitated to seize any opportunity I could get. By being proactive, I hoped to one day be able to help people make their dreams come true.
I looked at Holmes and took a deep breath. “I’m thinking of taking Sally up on her offer after I graduate.”
“By all means, please do.” He smiled and nodded. “I’ll be rooting for you.”
“Thank you.”
My heart felt like it was on fire. As tears welled up in my eyes, Holmes gently wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
“Um, H— Kiyotaka.”
He looked down at me, confused by my sudden correction.
“If it’s okay...”
“Yes?” he replied with uncertainty in his eyes.
“After I graduate, will you marry me?”
“Huh?” His eyes widened.
“Kurishiro is married. Her husband works in the same field, but they don’t live together.”
Kurishiro had told me that she hadn’t originally been interested in marriage as a system. But after meeting her current partner, she had decided that she wanted to form a family with him. Her words had struck a chord with me: “Most of all, it’s reassuring to have someone whom society recognizes as your partner. It stops people from making advances on you for fun, like an invisible but firm barrier. It feels like he’s protecting me even when we’re apart.”
“So before going to Sally, I want to be united with you in a public, socially recognized way,” I continued. “I want to have a firm bond with you before setting off on my journey.”
Holmes pulled me into a tight embrace. “Thank you, Aoi. I’m so happy.”
I felt his body tremble slightly. Perhaps he was crying. I looked up and cupped his cheeks in my hands. His tearful smile moved my heart.
Marriage will turn our invisible connection into a firm bond recognized by all. “Let’s get married when I graduate,” I whispered before we shared a kiss.
“I’ll always be waiting for you at Teramachi-Sanjo,” he said. “And if anything should happen to you, I will come running to your rescue no matter where in the world you are.”
“Thank you.” I smiled.
That late summer night, we vowed to spend our entire lives together. A bright future awaited us.