The Gods Are Fighting Over Me - Chapter 13
After Takahashi’s death, Lin Jianyue did indeed become her mentor’s most valued student, but she also paid a price; all the work that would have gone to Takahashi was now piled on her desk.
Lin Jianyue’s mentor was a kind woman in her early thirties. She voluntarily took some of the work from Lin Jianyue’s hands, but even so, Lin Jianyue was so busy meeting deadlines and turning in drafts that she didn’t leave her desk for a week.
During this time, Rei Furuya, who had somehow gotten her number, called her.
“Hello, Lin Jianyue. I’d like to meet you. This is about your safety.”
The person didn’t state their identity, but the moment the call connected, Lin Jianyue recognized his unique voice.
She knew what this was about and went straight to the point. “Is this about my Twitter account?”
“You know?”
“Yeah, I just found out this morning.” But she was too busy. Work was falling on her like snowflakes, and she could barely get a good night’s sleep, so she didn’t have time to be upset.
“Are you free to meet today?”
“Sure, where should we “
Lin Jianyue was holding her phone and about to stand up when a message from her mentor popped up on her computer screen, Have you finished the illustration that’s due tomorrow.
She stared at the half-finished product in Photoshop, which only had the base colors filled in. She was silent for a moment, then sat back down. “Amuro-san, are you in a rush? If not, let’s schedule for another time.”
The other end of the telephone was quiet. She could faintly hear the sound of a dog running around the room. After a while, Rei Furuya’s voice came through, sounding a bit helplessly amused. “All right, it’s not a huge rush. I’ll contact you again in a couple of days.”
As he listened to the impatient busy signal on his phone, the “king of part-timers,” Rei Furuya, was speechless. He had never imagined he would be turned down by another “king of part-timers” because of work.
After hanging up, Lin Jianyue went back to revising her drawing. It wasn’t until the clock struck four and the last file was dragged into the email and sent that Lin Jianyue fell onto her bed and turned off her phone.
When she opened her eyes again, the sun was high in the sky, and her phone was vibrating nonstop on her pillow.
It was a text from Yumi Miyamoto.
Lin, wanna come to a mixer tonight?
This one’s a platonic mixer! I invited a friend from the Criminal Investigations Division, a super cool policewoman!
Tanaka’s coming too… but don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him!
Please, please, please. Come on.
Turn him down in person and make him give up.
Don’t worry, my friend is super strong. She’ll protect you.
As Lin Jianyue swiped through the messages, she could almost see Yumi Miyamoto bowing to her phone. She could even guess from the screen full of text what kind of trouble Yumi had been going through with Tanaka.
Lin Jianyue didn’t understand the Japanese custom of writing a hundred words of polite language before sending a message, nor did she understand the convoluted social rules. But she could guess that Yumi Miyamoto was struggling to give Tanaka a firm “no” and was unaware of her aversion to him. She had no choice but to resort to this tactic and ask her to show up.
Lin Jianyue lowered her eyes. After thinking it over, she replied with a single word, Okay.
She didn’t want to make things difficult for her friend.
Besides, she was the one who had willingly agreed to go to the mixer in the first place, and Yumi Miyamoto had kindly accepted her. It wasn’t right to throw this mess at Yumi.
There was another unread message on her phone, from Kenji Hagiwara, sent three hours ago:
The parents of a child I rescued from a kidnapping gave me two movie tickets. It’s for tonight. Wanna go together?
Tonight again?
Lin Jianyue wearily rubbed her temples and chose to decline, No, I have other plans.
As soon as she put down her phone, he instantly replied with a sticker.
It was a sad-looking Border Collie with floppy ears, with a two-parted fringe crudely drawn on its head by Kenji Hagiwara. It looked just like him.
Lin Jianyue stared at the cute and pitiful “Kenji-style” dog sticker on her phone, silent for a long time. Finally, she managed to mumble, “Immature.”
The mixer was in a Western-style restaurant. The crystal chandeliers hung low, but a few of the crystals were missing, a clear sign of poor maintenance.
In the southwest corner, there was a slightly old, white grand piano.
As soon as Lin Jianyue sat down, she saw someone she hadn’t expected: Wataru Takagi.
The man was wearing a sharp suit and talking to the policewoman next to him, his ears a rosy red. The policewoman had a neat bob cut and bright eyes. It must be Miwako Sato.
Lin Jianyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She had been worried that her presence would ruin Wataru Takagi and Miwako Sato’s relationship. Now, it seemed that some things were just meant to be.
“Oh my gosh, Lin, you’re finally here. You have no idea how annoying Tanaka has been. I wouldn’t have invited him to the last mixer if I’d known.” Yumi Miyamoto came out of the restroom, her hands dry, and held Lin Jianyue’s tightly.
She enthusiastically put her arm around Lin Jianyue’s shoulder, about to introduce her to Sato and the others, when the restaurant door was pushed open with a commotion.
Tanaka walked in, holding a bouquet of pink roses. His eyes went straight to Lin Jianyue, and he smiled brightly.
The moment she saw the roses, Lin Jianyue’s temples started to throb. But thankfully, Tanaka hadn’t gone completely crazy and had bought pink roses. If he had come in with a bouquet of red roses, she would have flipped the table and walked out.
“Jianyue, long time no see.” Tanaka held the flowers out to her. “The last mixer was too rushed, and I didn’t get your contact information.”
“I’m sorry,” Lin Jianyue said, not taking the flowers. Her tone was flat. “I was just curious, the last time I came. I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend.”
“We can still be friends, right?” Tanaka was relentless. He pushed the flowers closer to her hands. “I work in the Mobile Unit. If you ever get into danger or trouble, call me. I guarantee I’ll be there immediately.”
Yumi Miyamoto was watching them anxiously. Seeing this, she quickly changed the subject with a laugh. “What do you mean, ‘immediately’? With the traffic in Tokyo… Do you guys in the Mobile Unit like to speed? Your Captain Hagiwara gets speeding tickets from me all the time. Be careful, you don’t get caught by me.”
Tanaka laughed. “Who can compare to the captain? With his driving skills, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were a stunt driver who switched careers to become a police officer.”
“So, calling your captain would be more effective than calling you in an emergency?” Lin Jianyue suddenly spoke, her voice slow and deliberate. “He can get there faster.”
The smile on Tanaka’s face froze. He said dryly, “The captain is a busy man, and he’s high-ranking. He wouldn’t handle a small thing like that.”
Lin Jianyue just smiled, resting her chin in her hand, and didn’t say anything.
Just then, a melody started to play on the stage. A young waiter was sitting behind the piano, playing Moonlight Sonata with graceful ease.
This restaurant was only mid-range. They wouldn’t hire a professional pianist. Most of the time, they would just hire a college student for a low price.
“Does anyone know what brand that piano is?” Tanaka suddenly asked, pointing at the piano with a boastful look in his eyes.
The others shook their heads. Lin Jianyue also remained silent.
But someone clearly didn’t want her to fade into the background.
“Jianyue, do you know?”
Being singled out made Lin Jianyue’s eyes flash with a flicker of discomfort. She calmly and politely kept her smile and slowly shook her head.
“Is it a Yamaha?” Wataru Takagi asked.
“It’s an Etna, a local Japanese brand.” Tanaka proudly lifted his chin. “Etna was a sub-brand launched when Yamaha was competing fiercely with its rivals, but the quality is just as good as the others.”
Wataru Takagi asked curiously, “Tanaka-senpai, you know so much. You must be a great piano player, too.”
Tanaka immediately put on a humble face. “I just studied it as a hobby for seven or eight years. You could say I’m a senior classical music enthusiast. I go to concerts to listen to symphonies sometimes.”
Wataru Takagi was a good audience. His eyes were as clear as a college student’s, and he truly was a pure-hearted and righteous person. “Wow, that’s amazing. I don’t know anything about music.”
“It’s not bad to not know about music. You don’t know how expensive tickets to professional symphonies are. Two years ago, there was a Chinese piano master whose A-seat tickets went from 4,000 yen all the way up to 10,000 yen. In the end, I could only bring myself to buy a B-seat ticket with a bad view.”
Lin Jianyue’s fingers twitched, and her eyes darkened.
Two years ago, a Chinese piano master.
Tanaka didn’t notice her change in mood. He stood up and straightened his tie. “Jianyue, just you wait. I’ll show you what I’ve got.”
He said a few words to the restaurant manager and was actually allowed on stage. Before he sat down, he gave Lin Jianyue a meaningful wink, as if to say, “Watch this.”
Lin Jianyue, as he had wished, rested her chin in her hand and gave him a faint smile.
What’s he going to do?
An amateur who only played the piano in his free time was going to show off his skills to her, someone who had been playing for eighteen years, rain or shine.
The song Tanaka chose was Summer by Joe Hisaishi. When he finished, the audience gave a sparse round of applause.
He walked back with his head held high and sat down across from Lin Jianyue. “Sorry for that. It’s been a while, so I’m a bit rusty.” But his face was filled with satisfaction for his performance.
He pretended to be humble. “What do you think?”
Lin Jianyue gave a meaningful look. “Mr. Tanaka, are you sure you want me to evaluate it?”
“Of course. This song was specially for you.” Tanaka babbled on. “Even though I can’t compare to a master, I think I’m better than a lot of amateurs. And—”
“It’s a classic from Joe Hisaishi. You removed the complicated grace notes. The melody in the right hand is light and lively, and the left hand is simplified to single notes. It’s a beginner-friendly version. Not bad. For an amateur, you barely get a 7 out of 10.”
Tanaka’s face turned a little ugly. “Even though it’s simplified, calling it a ‘beginner’s version’ is a bit much… And how can it only be a 7? Jianyue, you don’t really know the nuances, so—”
Lin Jianyue just smiled and didn’t say anything. She stood up.
She walked to the stage, bowed elegantly to the audience—or rather, the diners—and then sat down.
Lin Jianyue also played Summer, but the more complex, original version.
Her right hand moved quickly in the high notes, and her left hand had to make large leaps in the bass notes, her fingers stretching to octaves or even tenths. Her occasional hand-crossing was done with effortless grace.
The whole piece was rich with melody, like a summer day filled with the chirping of birds and the song of cicadas, with the laziness of an afternoon and the sweetness of a chilled watermelon.
When the song finished, the room fell into a dead silence. Two seconds later, the applause erupted like thunder. Some people stood up and clapped with their arms raised high. Some whistled in approval. Even Miwako Sato and the others looked shocked, mechanically clapping.
Lin Jianyue gave an elegant bow and walked off the stage.
She hated the piano. She hated those nights her father forced her to practice, but her muscle memory didn’t lie. Music had long been ingrained in her bones, a part of her bl00d that she couldn’t shake off, no matter how much she loathed it.
When Lin Jianyue sat down, Tanaka’s face was as black as a pot, and everyone else was in shock.
Lin Jianyue pretended to be humble, her eyes filled with a smile. “I don’t really know the brands of pianos, but…”
She paused and looked up at Tanaka. “No matter where I go, someone will always prepare the best piano for me. So I only need to know the pianos at the top of the pyramid.”
As soon as she finished, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Rei Furuya: 『Are you free now? Let’s meet?』
Lin Jianyue replied: 『Yes.』
『I’ll have Hagiwara pick you up. Send him the address.』
After sending the message, Lin Jianyue looked back at Tanaka. “Mr. Tanaka, with all due respect, if you were really into classical music, you would know my father’s name. He was invited to perform at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall last year.”
Lin Jianyue hated her father, even despised him, but she had to admit his talent. He truly deserved the title of a prodigy from a musical family.
Tanaka had already vaguely guessed the truth. His face went from pale to red. Then, grinding his back teeth, he asked, “Your father is…?”
Lin Jianyue slowly said her father’s name, and as she had hoped, she saw Tanaka’s eyes widen in terror.
From his expression, Lin Jianyue knew he recognized her father’s name, and the expensive ticket he had fought so hard to get was most likely for her father’s performance.
There was a brief silence, and an awkward atmosphere settled between them. Lin Jianyue ate the sliced steak while counting the minutes until Kenji Hagiwara arrived.
A few minutes later, a familiar voice came from behind Lin Jianyue, with a hint of a laugh. “Jianyue, I’m here to pick you up.”
Kenji Hagiwara appeared in front of them, led by a waiter. He was wearing a sharp suit, and beneath his white shirt were muscles that were full of potential.
Kenji Hagiwara stood by the table, his eyes scanning the pink roses on the table, then landing on Lin Jianyue’s face, his eyes filled with an undeniable smile. “Looks like I came at the perfect time.”
He picked up the bouquet of roses. “Are these yours, Jianyue?”
Lin Jianyue first nodded, then shook her head. “They’re from Mr. Tanaka, but I didn’t accept them.”
“Oh—” Kenji Hagiwara drew out the word. “What a beautiful bouquet.” Then he smiled at Tanaka.
He was smiling, but the murky, ominous emotions in his eyes were like dark clouds pressing down on Tanaka. But from this angle, Lin Jianyue could only see the dark hair on the back of his head.
Tanaka sweated and lowered his head, avoiding Kenji Hagiwara’s gaze. “It’s… It’s all a misunderstanding.”
Kenji Hagiwara picked up the bouquet. “That’s great. Pink roses. The flower language is gratitude and friendship. Did Jianyue-chan help you with something, Tanaka?”
He lowered his head to take a light sniff, then smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Since it’s a thank-you gift, I have to accept it on Jianyue-chan’s behalf~”
“…” Lin Jianyue stared silently at Kenji Hagiwara. He felt a little strange, but at the same time, it made perfect sense.
She stood up and bowed in apology to the remaining people at the table, explaining that she had to leave. When she straightened up, she met Yumi Miyamoto’s shocked expression, as if she could swallow a whole egg.
“I’ll be leaving now.”
Lin Jianyue didn’t explain any further and turned to leave.
The evening breeze outside the restaurant was cool. She followed Kenji Hagiwara and got into the car with him.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To Rei’s safe house,” Kenji Hagiwara turned his head. The light from a street lamp fell into his eyes, making them sparkle. “But before that, want to get some ice cream? I know a place that’s open late, and it’s on the way.”
Lin Jianyue looked at the smile in his eyes and suddenly remembered the dog sticker. She was silent for a moment, and her voice softened. “Okay, let’s get some ice cream.”
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