Chapter 156: Getting Close to Him

"What? You want to resign?"

Faced with her superior's astonished expression, Maehara Kumina unexpectedly felt a glimmer of satisfaction. She nodded and bowed. "Yes, I have thought about it very carefully."

"Why on earth?" The section chief was utterly bewildered. "We are one of the top-ranking major banks in the world! The department manager was just about to announce today that if you could get that Tao Dajiro to mortgage his land with our bank, you would be promoted to assistant manager ahead of schedule."

Maehara Kumina smiled with her lips pressed together. So it was still because of Tao-kun after all.

Was that why they had left her alone last night to face them?

Maehara Kumina said no more. She bowed and said, "In any case, I have made up my mind. Section Chief, please make the arrangements for the handover of the documents."

"—Kumina, what on earth has happened?"

Remembering Tao Zhiming's instructions, Maehara Kumina felt a wave of playful mischief. She smiled and replied, "Actually, thanks to Tao-kun's high regard, I have decided to join Tao-kun's company and take charge of financial matters. Perhaps we will still have business dealings with the bank later on, so I will have to ask for your continued support!"

The section chief's expression froze right there.

What did that mean? A former subordinate was going to become a client that he would have to treat with the utmost seriousness in the future?

The crucial issue was... the section chief asked uncertainly, "Perhaps?"

"Yes, the chairman hasn't completely decided yet regarding the company and employee accounts, as well as loans, and which bank to cooperate with," Maehara Kumina said with a quite serious expression. "Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Mitsui, Japan Post Bank... many major banks have arranged dedicated personnel to contact the chairman. You know, the chairman is still in university, so for the time being, I am organizing everyone's opinions to make it easier for the chairman to make a decision."

The section chief was momentarily at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond to her.

Maehara Kumina continued, "Section Chief, having worked at Long-Term Credit Bank for quite some time, I still suggest that you make a formal and serious report to the department manager. For major institutions like Mitsubishi and Sumitomo, secretaries to the board's executive directors are already in contact with me. After all, the chairman's primary personal account is currently here at Long-Term Credit Bank, so he should still give priority to this place. Of course, that is on the condition that the cooperation terms are no less favorable than those of other banks..."

"—So you have truly decided to leave Long-Term Credit Bank?" the section chief confirmed, "to take on a financial role over at Tao-kun's side?"

"I am currently Chairman's Financial Secretary," Maehara Kumina bowed. "Please take care of me."

"—" The section chief's head was still a bit spinning. After a long moment, he managed to say, "First... organize your current work documents and hand them over to me..."

But the more important matter was to quickly report to the department manager.

How could such a sudden change have occurred?

In the future, should he contact Tao Dajiro, or Maehara Kumina?

If that were the case... would the jokes and hints he had made to her in the past be held against him in her heart?

Watching his retreating figure as he hurried off to make his report, Maehara Kumina felt an even deeper sense of satisfaction.

For such a long time, as a newcomer, she had been doing tedious and meaningless tasks.

Being transferred to her current department and assigned a new client was merely because they thought her appearance could be of use.

The section chief had told her more than once that sometimes beauty was also a weapon that could make her career in the workplace much easier.

When she had gone all out to help Tao-kun buy a car, she had been misunderstood, told that she should instead try to build private contact with Tao-kun.

At the bank, even now, she was always expected to do secretary-like work, handling all sorts of miscellaneous chores for the section chief.

Since she was going to be a secretary anyway, why not do it for that man?

Having pondered for so many days and made her decision, Maehara Kumina felt she was no longer the clueless young girl who had just graduated.

Even if beauty was a weapon, it had to be used with great care!

...

"—Father, what did you say?"

Sitting opposite Ueda Masahiro, Ueda Kana found it hard to believe. She raised her head to look straight into her father's eyes, wanting to confirm his expression.

Ueda Masahiro remained silent, avoiding his daughter's gaze.

He slowly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then said, "This matter is very important to your father."

Ueda Kana shook her head. "Do you know what this means to me?"

"There are no other demands," Ueda Masahiro finally looked into her eyes. "You are classmates with him, and fellow kendo practitioners. Let him be inclined to consider Mitsubishi's terms because of his affection and friendship with you. That is all."

"That is all?" Ueda Kana muttered the words back, then suddenly burst into laughter.

Formal, solemn, and in a rare, equal tone, the demand he had put to her turned out to be just that.

Spend more time contacting Tao Dajiro; he was a friend worth making.

Was that really the meaning? Ueda Kana was not stupid.

Yet precisely because of this, Ueda Kana's long-repressed rebellious streak erupted. She stared at her father and said, "You've already told me yourself—that is a matter that could sway the allegiance of trillions in interests. Someone as clever as her would make an irrational decision just for the sake of mere classmate friendship? Is there really no good way for the big shots you've always associated with to influence his choice through me?"

Ueda Masahiro kept silent. Such was the reality.

Sumitomo was currently in the most advantageous position.

Ueda Kana laughed out of anger, her tone weary and cynical. "How far do you want me to go? Give him ambiguous feelings, or simply crawl into his bed? Does the Mori family know about your decision?"

"Kana!" Unable to bear her such direct defiance, Ueda Masahiro said in a deep voice, "How could you think such a thing!"

"Then what else?" Grief filled Ueda Kana's heart. "When I was little and didn't like kendo, you made me practice! Now that I love kendo, you want me to give it up. I hate Mori Jiro, yet you say he is outstanding! For the sake of that piece of land, you expect me—while bound by an engagement to the Mori family—to actively approach another man. In the end, to you, I am merely a tool to restore the glory of the Ueda family. Since I am a tool, wouldn't it be better to spell it out clearly? I have the resolution for that..."

Ueda Masahiro's shoulders slumped by a fraction. After a long silence, he said, "Kana, it is not like that..."

"Then what is it like?" This time, Ueda Kana was stubborn as never before. Like a swordsman who had spotted an opening in her opponent's defense, she wanted to unleash her most fierce attack.

Ueda Masahiro's eyes turned toward a samurai sword by the wall, and he said softly, "You do not know what kind of crisis our country is facing right now..."

"Family! Country! In your heart, there has never been a father or a daughter!" Ueda Kana erupted, standing up and walking toward the practice hall. "Let us settle this in a match! If you want me to become the sword in your hand, you can only subdue me with absolute force. Make me fail, make me despair, make me sink utterly into terror!"

Ueda Masahiro covered his face in pain.

Stopping in her tracks, Ueda Kana turned back to look at her father, her eyes reflecting sorrow. "If my brother had not suffered that misfortune, would I be able to live a happier life than this?"

Ueda Masahiro's back trembled.

"If my brother were still here, perhaps you would care more about the family. But now there is only me, and in the future, even the Ueda surname will cease to exist. So you always start talking about the country," Ueda Kana said calmly. "For the sake of the country, men can make sacrifices. As a daughter, of course I can play my due part. Father, you gave me life. To fulfill your dream, I have the resolve for it."

She paused for a moment before adding, "But I need to use the sword to confirm your true intentions. Father, please fight me."

Inside the practice hall, Ueda Kana changed into her training gear and put on her protective armor. She sat for a long time in the increasingly stifling May heat, but her father did not enter.

Sweat and tears mingled beneath the armor. Just as she began to harbor a fleeting hope that her father cared about her feelings after all, Ueda Masahiro walked in fully armored.

A chill ran through Ueda Kana's heart. She slowly stood up and tightened her grip on the bamboo sword.

Acting as though he had calmed down, Ueda Masahiro entered and first bowed to Ueda Kana.

Through the grill of her mask, watching her father bow his head to her, Ueda Kana smiled. "I understand, Father."

"You do not understand," Ueda Masahiro's muffled voice came from beneath his mask. "Everything I have done is still for your sake."

"But you are never willing to tell me!"

"The Mori family has great potential, but without my help, they could not grow rapidly. Entering the Mori family, you will receive the utmost respect."

"But I do not like Mori Jiro, not one bit!"

"Without the engagement to the Mori family, or the engagement to the Iwasaki family, how could I refuse?"

"Engagement! Engagement!" Ueda Kana suddenly let out a shrill cry, stepped forward, and began to rain blows down upon him. "I was so young, what did I understand? My entire life has already been decided for me! Why must there be engagements? Why must the Ueda family restore its former status? Why not wait until I grew up, or at least ask me? Why? Why?!"

Ueda Masahiro stood motionless, letting her bamboo sword strike him repeatedly.

Gradually, Ueda Kana's blows grew weaker. She crumpled, sinking to her knees on the floor as she sobbed.

Ueda Masahiro slowly crouched down, removed her headgear, and looked at his daughter.

"Trust your father. This is the best future for you. People age easily; when you grow a little older, you will understand."

Tearfully laughing through her crying, Ueda Kana propped herself up with her bamboo sword and stood. "I already understand. You truly love me, and I love you too. Therefore, whatever you expect of me, I will earnestly carry out."

She took two steps back, bowed, and said, "Then, I will go prepare and head to school."

Ueda Masahiro said nothing more, watching with a heavy, gloomy gaze as his daughter's figure departed.

After a long while, Ueda Ueda Haruko walked into the practice hall, removed his armor with a heart full of ache, and choked back tears as she asked, "Why on earth could you not simply explain the reason clearly to her?"

Ueda Masahiro sat down slowly, remaining silent.

"Kana is a good child. Why make both yourself and her suffer like this?" Haruko wiped away his sweat, then wiped her own tears.

"This is something I must endure..." Ueda Masahiro finally spoke. "But soon, very soon, I will no longer need to bear this, and neither will she..."

Why her father was doing all this—Ueda Kana felt she had figured it out.

For the sake of that so-called mission of the Kasumigaoka Association, he had turned into a man who had forgotten all familial affection.

Perhaps from the day her brother met his disaster, there had no longer been any room for the happiness she desired in his future.

Everything was solely for the mission of the Kasumigaoka Association, so that he could leave his name in history, just like the ancestors he constantly obsessed over.