In Tokyo: They are heavily dependent on me

Chapter 25. The Water Family

From the time she could remember, Mizukami Orina was absolutely clear about one thing.

As the future heir to the Mizukami family, she has everything she wants in her own hands. In this position, coveted by countless hyenas in the political and financial worlds, her power reigns supreme. She doesn't need to abide by any so-called rules, she never needs to bow her head, she can simply trample them all over.

My father has always done it this way.

Such words permeated her childhood.

Nevertheless, the values ​​taught by their fathers were not passed down.

I want to survive as an "ordinary person".

Although such a view would not be accepted.

As the sole heir of this vast family, such thoughts should not exist, should not even appear in her mind.

[If you wait until one day you wake up and understand the responsibilities you bear, then you will be able to become a qualified head of the family.]

This has been a teaching that has been ingrained in my memory since long ago.

That might just be an escape.

The outstretched right hand froze in mid-air.

Mizukami hesitated for a moment, but still decided to push open the door, stand at the doorway, and look at the man lying on the hospital bed who had once seemed incredibly tall and imposing to her.

"Father."

"You've arrived..."

The fluorescent lights overhead illuminated the entire ward, and the air was filled with the bitter smell of medicine. The instruments placed in the ward kept beeping. Shui Shang sat down by the bed and looked at the oxygen mask covering the man's face, which was covered with a thin, hazy mist. The surface of the mask gradually turned into a cloudy white, lingering on it for a long time and condensing into fine water droplets.

The man in front of her was her father.

"Orina... lately... I've heard a lot about you..."

"You ran away from home, your identity was exposed, and you let people who posed a threat to you and the entire Mizukami family go because you were soft-hearted. I know everything you've done."

The man made a weak sound, his thin, bony right hand, which had been resting on the white sheets, slowly moved, lifting the blanket covering him, and sat up tremblingly.

This man, who once stood behind the scenes and manipulated everything with his invisible fingertips, believed that he had long since taken control of everything in the world. He never imagined that he would meet his daughter again in this way.

Mizukami watched him silently, her face seemingly devoid of any emotion.

Her outstretched right hand froze in mid-air, and she instinctively closed her eyes.

Finally, those hands rested on her shoulders; the touch of those weak, withered hands was icy cold.

"Not bad."

She opened her eyes, her cheeks trembling, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

The thin man began to cough violently, leaning against the bed like a patient in the final moments of his life.

"Have I been too demanding of you all along...?"

In those eyes filled with sorrow, Mizukami saw himself reflected in his father's eyes.

My former self.

"Yes... I should trust my daughter... I'm sorry... My way of disciplining you was usually through scolding and beatings... As a father... I was really incompetent..."

"Orina, you've always harbored resentment towards Father, haven't you...? Perhaps... that's why you want to be an ordinary person... I should have realized this long ago... I'm so sorry..."

"...That's enough."

He stood up on the water, his clenched fists trembling.

If what she experiences is pain, she might get used to it.

However, the man who had never admitted his mistakes was now pleading for her forgiveness in a heartbreaking manner.

This kind of thing... shouldn't have happened.

"I'm going back now."

He stood up on the water.

The moment she opened the door, the voice behind her sounded even older.

"If possible... please bring him to meet me."

"I... haven't seen this side of Orina in front of others for a long time. As her father, I'm a little curious."

------------

"Achoo!"

When the concert was going on for the last song, Hoshino Kaoru woke up from her sleep.

[I hope no one is secretly badmouthing me.]

Thinking this, he looked around, rubbed his nose, and felt that he was sleeping very uncomfortablely.

Before we part ways, I have something important to announce!

In the center of the stage, a tall girl looked sad.

"It's Yui-chan... She's the drummer for LOVE... Look, brother..."

Beside him, Rin opened her mouth wide and kept tugging at his clothes.

"Oh...I'm watching..."

Xun yawned, intending to sleep a little longer.

"We at LOVE have never wanted to be separated from you all and have always wanted to stay with you. However, today we have to announce some sad news for everyone."

The girl on stage took a deep breath.

"This performance will be Minami-chan's last appearance on stage. Starting tomorrow, she will be completely leaving LOVE for personal reasons!"

After he finished speaking, the audience fell silent; the only sound was breathing.

Such a moment did not last long.

"However! LOVE won't disband just like that. Miri and I will carry on this spirit forever! Next week! We'll be releasing a new single, so please look forward to it!"

The cheers grew even louder the next second.

"How could this happen... Minami-chan... I'm quitting LOVE..."

Upon hearing this news, Rin was stunned, her expression one of great anxiety.

This kind of thing... is very common in Japan nowadays.

Members who lack popularity and have low fan support will be dismissed in various ways and replaced by other idols with higher support.

Once dismissed and lacking media publicity, these members quickly disappear from the public eye, eventually becoming underground idols who, in order to make a living, might even film some explicit videos.

In Japan, the idol industry is a brutal and highly competitive one.

Xun yawned, not finding this kind of thing strange at all.

After the concert, it was time to hold an autograph session.

Compared to the other two long lines, Minami-chan's group was noticeably smaller.

Kaoru and Rin waited in line for a while, and soon it was their turn.

"A photo...an autograph...or any questions you may have..."

The girl in front of him didn't even lift her face, mechanically squeezing out a sentence.

Rin excitedly took out her phone and then brought her face close to it.

"Let's take a group photo!"

The flash went off, the group photo was over, and it was Kaoru's turn.

"Ah, it's you. We meet again."

The girl looked up, somewhat surprised, but quickly returned to her work.

"So you like me the most... Well, I'm working now. Do you want an autograph or a photo?"

Rin, who was standing to the side, looked at the scene in front of her and belatedly realized something, clearly surprised.

"elder brother......"

"When did you and Minami-chan meet?!"