Souvenir - Chapter 6.4

What do you think we need to do… for ‘us’ to be happy?”

You absentmindedly touched his earlobe—a habit of his when he was troubled.

“Hey… this just won’t line up…”

Suu, as always when she visited, was fidgeting with a Rubik’s Cube, growing frustrated as she struggled to align the colors. Every time she came over, she would stare at it, perfectly solved, then twist and turn it from every angle, only to sigh in defeat before handing it to me.

“You still have so much to experience and so many things to learn as you grow up,” I told her gently. “Your feelings for your father… they’re precious, and it’s okay to treasure them. But I don’t think you should take them too seriously just yet.”

“You’re just another person who doesn’t understand,” she pouted.

“Don’t say that,” I replied with a small smile. “I really do want to understand how you feel. I’d love to hear more about it sometime.”

“Okay,” she nodded, her expression softening.

To be honest, I couldn’t understand her feelings at all. Yet, at the same time, I had this strange urge to grasp the unfamiliar emotions that had just surfaced within me. Deep down, I already had an idea of what they were—but there was a part of me that refused to acknowledge them.

As I documented the events of the day in my report, I tugged hard at my earlobe. This was a habit of mine—a way to momentarily break free from my usual composed self.

“I want to take it apart…”

I picked up the Rubik’s Cube that Suu had been playing with earlier and retrieved a spatula-like tool from my drawer. It resembled the kind of palette knife an artist would use to spread paint across a canvas. I turned the second layer from the top 45 degrees, wedged a small, folded rectangular piece of thick paper into the gap, and inserted the spatula into the space. With a slight twist, I popped out the first cube piece.

I had done this so many times before that the puzzle had become easier to dismantle.

Once the pieces were scattered, I methodically reassembled the cube, aligning the colors perfectly once again.

“Maybe… rules never really existed to begin with. Thinking they do is nothing more than an illusion.”

You flicked the completed Rubik’s Cube with his finger, letting out a small chuckle.

Things that can be taken apart and rearranged at will are beautiful.

But the things that refuse to conform—those are the ones that bring the most satisfaction when finally tamed.

I had always lived my life by rearranging everything exactly the way I wanted.

A vivid image of Suu’s pure, emerald-green eyes flashed through his mind.

Absentmindedly, You reached for his earlobe again.

It was the moment when the truest emotions within him began to awaken.

“So, what do you think of that father and daughter?”

Or asked as he slowly turned the lazy Susan on the table, his voice casual yet probing.

Today, I had joined him for dinner at a high-end Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. I had only been to this area a handful of times before.

“They’re an interesting family, to say the least. A single father, no bl00d relation between them. But he’s a lawyer—sharp, competent. Why exactly did you assign them to me?”

Ou smirked. “The mapo tofu here is excellent.”

“Yes, but it’s incredibly spicy.”

I didn’t particularly like spicy food, but I could tolerate it. This dish was Sichuan-style, which meant it was scorching hot. It paired well with beer, though I reminded myself not to drink too much.

I wasn’t the type to get drunk easily, but something about showing any vulnerability in front of Ou made me hesitate. There was always a sense that he had an ulterior motive, something lurking beneath the surface.

We hadn’t yet reached a level of trust I would call solid.

Was it simply because of the difference in our backgrounds?

Or was it something deeper—an instinct whispering caution?

“He’s half Japanese and half American, but right now, he’s the only Japanese client I have left. Though, to be precise, he’s not really Japanese.”

Ou took a sip of Shaoxing wine as he spoke.

“I had a long-standing relationship with his father’s home doctor. But to be honest, I’m thinking about closing this practice soon. I want to focus more on my new research.”

“Is that why you assigned them to me?”

“That’s part of it. But you came here to gain experience, didn’t you? And besides, you’re Japanese. I thought you might have something in common with him.”

“Something in common…?”

“I’m hoping to expand my current research in your homeland someday.”

Ou tilted his glass of Shaoxing wine, his voice relaxed yet deliberate.