"My child, your apology fills me with terror, and I cannot accept such a grand gift from you." The man who had yanked Minamoto Wakasei back to the ramen stand patted him on the shoulder. "You bear no fault. It is I who have wronged you all. To tell you the truth, the moment I learned the truth, rather than joy, my heart was filled mostly with guilt and remorse."
Minamoto Wakasei wanted to raise his head and look at the old man who had pulled him out of the torrential rain into the ramen stand and spoken these words to him, but there was no need anymore, for the old man standing beside him had already bent down at his waist, inspecting his torn wound and securing the bandages once more.
Minamoto Wakasei still sat in the exact seat he had occupied before stepping out of the ramen stand. Save for the old man moving from behind the food counter to the front, it seemed as though nothing had changed at all. The illusory, fleeting moment left Minamoto Wakasei somewhat dazed.
Chapter 378