When God closes a door for you, He also seals the chimney shut.
Sakiko Toyokawa genuinely wanted to dive headfirst into a main thoroughfare and get flattened by a dump truck.
"Ugh—" The completely dejected Sakiko suddenly felt a warmth on her back as Miki Kashiwagi's long trench coat was draped over her, still retaining its lingering warmth. Sakiko suddenly felt a wave of relief; her sole comfort at this moment was that there was still one reliable adult willing to accompany her. "Thank you, Dr. Kashiwagi. I'd like to calm down for a moment now."
"Well, you'll have to find another place for that. Or do you want to be blown into the sky by the typhoon?" Miki Kashiwagi stood up, took out her phone, and dialed someone's number. Once connected, she launched into what was, to Sakiko, a coded conversation.
"Is the Beer Hag there? Emergency SOS, the situation is roughly like this... Thanks a bunch, sis, you're my own big sister! Are you in Tokyo right now? ... Great, I'm very close to you right now, no need to send a car, I'll be there in twenty minutes... Get the drinks ready, we're having hot pot tonight, and call Monkey and Luk-zai. It's a deal, don't you dare stand me up!"
After finishing the call, Miki Kashiwagi turned her gaze back to Sakiko, who was still squatting gloomily by the roadside.
"Let's go. Stay at my friend's place for the night." Miki Kashiwagi helped Sakiko up, took her by the forearm, and walked toward the bustling district of Ginza, bringing a sudden flush of red to Sakiko's pretty face.
"Please let go of me, I will walk with you—"
...
"What a nice environment, Beer Hag." In the neon-lit pedestrian street of Ginza stood a four-story corner building with wide doorways. The first floor housed a somewhat quiet café called Rising, right next to a bustling gastropub called OnlyWines. A frosted glass door connected these two different worlds. A tall woman wearing revealing clothes, draped in a short mink coat and heavily made up, stood at the entrance of the café. The moment she spotted Miki Kashiwagi, she ran over. The two slapped each other on the shoulder and exchanged pleasantries, though Sakiko couldn't understand a word and could only stand awkwardly to the side.
"I have a name, you know, Dr. Kashiwagi." The tall woman looked Miki Kashiwagi up and down—no, in front of a fellow hometown native, calling her Miki Kashiwagi was much more appropriate. "Look at you, a boss now, a mentor now. This humble concubine doesn't know what's going on, so please open your golden mouth and beg for my help, Boss Kashiwagi." She then turned her gaze to Toyokawa Sakiko, who was standing somewhat flustered behind Miki Kashiwagi, and teased her with a grin. "Oh my, what a pretty young lady... *Ahem*, can you tell me your name, little sister?"
Miki Kashiwagi was momentarily speechless. Does this person change her face without dropping a single beat?
"Nice to meet you, my name is Sakiko Toyokawa."
"Nice to meet you, Toyokawa-san. My name is Li Xiao, a fellow hometown native and schoolmate of Miki Kashiwagi. Just call me by my Jianghu name, Chiyo Xiao, hehe." Li Xiao took Sakiko's hand and led her into the café, where the soft orange lighting was easy on the eyes. "Please come in, Sakiko-san."
Such a formidable woman! She was about to be drowned by all this enthusiasm!
"This little shop does coffee and desserts, beverage business, as well as short-term and long-term lodging. Hot water is available on the upper floors around the clock—after all, the whole building belongs to yours truly."
"I've heard about your recent situation from Dr. Kashiwagi. If your family suddenly has to go on a business trip and you have nowhere to go, it's fine for you to stay with us for a while. You're Dr. Kashiwagi's student, so I'll definitely take good care of you."
"Well, that's settled. I have to go next door to take care of business. Ke-zai, you take good care of her. The keys are in the cabinet, and we'll have hot pot sharp at twelve. Have a good rest, Sakiko-san, mua~"
Li Xiao went next door to the bar to tend to customers. There were no patrons in the shop, and the business sign on the door had been flipped to read "Close". Miki Kashiwagi poured two cups of hot milk—one for herself and one for Sakiko.
"Thank you." Sakiko suddenly bowed solemnly to Miki Kashiwagi. "Thank you for finding me a temporary place to stay. I will definitely repay you in the future."
A favor was a favor; if she were to accept someone else's help with a clear conscience, she wouldn't be Sakiko Toyokawa.
"Talking about favors makes us sound like strangers. Friends are supposed to help each other, aren't we friends?"
"Business is business, you are my teacher... and also a friend." Sakiko blushed slightly, lowering her head to take a sip of hot milk.
"What are your plans for the next step? Are you looking for a new part-time job?"
"Well, this place is a bit far from school, so I want to find a job near the school. That way it'll be more flexible, and it'll be much more convenient even if I don't live here anymore."
"And what about your father?"
"He's an adult, he should be able to take care of himself. I've decided that I won't go back until he finds a proper job. I'm going to work hard to earn money to pay Boss Chiyo for the rent."
Miki Kashiwagi nodded with satisfaction. If the original Sakiko had this kind of backbone, MyGO!!!!! might not have even made it to episode 8.
"Let me make a suggestion. Don't you play the piano?" Miki Kashiwagi pointed next door. Through the glass, a bar resident singer and several instrumentalists could be faintly seen performing on a semi-circular small stage to liven up the atmosphere. "As far as I know, there are quite a few customers from six to ten in the evening. The bands booked by the boss usually start after ten. Although minors aren't allowed in bars, being a staff member is probably different."
"W-Wouldn't that be illegal?"
"How was the pay at your previous job?"
"...... Six hours a day, 1100 yen per hour."
"Mmm-hmm?" Miki Kashiwagi raised an eyebrow, implying that for a minor, wasn't that just as illegal?
"...... I will seriously consider it."
"Good. From here on out is adults-only territory. Will you be joining?"
Meaning: it's time for you to go rest.
She got a set of staff work clothes for Sakiko and opened up a room on the second floor. Though small, it was clean, with a few art photo frames hanging on the white walls. The water heater in the bathroom flashed a green light.
After finishing her wash, Sakiko curled up in bed, pulling the covers over her head. Because of her illness, she quickly fell asleep.
Sakiko had a dream. In the dream, Miki Kashiwagi and her friends were drinking together while she gracefully played the piano on stage. When the song ended, all the customers in the bar stood up, applauding and cheering for her. Her father suddenly barged in, tearfully repenting his dereliction of duty as a father, claiming he had already found a new job and begging Sakiko for forgiveness. But Sakiko didn't even spare him a glance; she took Miki Kashiwagi's hand, walked out like a princess, got into the stretched limousine parked at the entrance, and returned to her loyal Toyokawa Family.
From then on, Sakiko and Miki Kashiwagi played piano four-hands together every day and enjoyed meals cooked by Miki Kashiwagi every night, living happily day after day...
"Hehe, playing the piano together, hehe..."
...
The weekend passed quickly. Monday daytime was overcast and rainy. Soyo Nagasaki, dressed and groomed impeccably, stepped out of her forty-fifth-floor duplex penthouse and stood gracefully in the elevator.
The elevator stopped on the twenty-first floor. The doors opened, and a well-dressed, tall, and thin man walked in, carrying a brown suitcase and talking on the phone.
Seeing Soyo, the man gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, and Soyo bowed in response. Setting down his suitcase, the man finished his call and said in a low voice to Soyo, "I'm terribly sorry, please give me a moment."
"It's fine, I'll hold the elevator for you," Soyo replied politely, her voice soft and sweet.
"Thank you very much." With that, a phrase popped out of the man's mouth that instantly tightened Soyo's nerves and made her pupils dilate in shock.
"Sakiko-san, how have these past two days been?"
The elevator was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, save for the man's steady breathing and the faint response coming from the other end of the phone.
"Thanks to your concern, Dr. Kashiwagi, I've been doing well living at Boss Chiyo's place. I found a job handing out flyers in a mascot costume at the shopping street near the school."
"Ah, well congratulations then, but please don't forget to come to school today. How is your recovery?"
"I've fully recovered and can come to school today, though the weather is bad, so I might be a little late."
"Alright. Remember to come find me to clear your absence when you arrive."
The phone call ended, but Soyo's heart was like an earthquake, various thoughts suddenly flooding her mind.
How does this man know Sakiko? Why is he acting so familiar with Sakiko? Was Sakiko quitting Crychic related to this person...
"Miss, we're on the first floor."
"Huh? Oh... I'm sorry, I don't know what happened, I just zoned out for a moment. How rude of me."
It wasn't until the elevator had been stopped on the first floor for quite a while, and the man had repeatedly pressed the elevator's open button for Soyo and couldn't help but remind her, that Soyo snapped out of it and awkwardly apologized. Only, her gaze and tone suddenly turned coy and affected.
Miki Kashiwagi: O.o?
Why did this person suddenly start putting on that fake, cutesy voice?