Chapter 958: Visiting an Old Friend (III)

In the end, Higo enjoyed this visit to the Yabu residence more than he would ever admit it.

Everyone there was so kind and approachable, treating Higo as if he were their own family.

He also got to know the family well here, from how the couple met for the first time in a basketball game since Koji was a player and Misaki was the cheerleader when they were in high school to their decision to fly here when the opportunity knocked on their door.

Honestly, the boy learned a lot about how to maintain a relationship with them, as they had known each other for more than 20 years at this point.

Higo also took his time helping Chiaki build the LEGO. Even though she probably could do it by herself, the girl insisted that her big brother had to help, forcing him to spend the whole evening with her.

Not that Higo was complaining, of course.

In his mind, this was just another round of practice for when he had a child in the future. It also helped that Chiaki was so smart and cute, making the experience quite enjoyable.

Still, in his mind, Higo couldn't help but wonder, 'If Kumiko-chan and I have a child together in the future… Will they be as cute as her?'

He blushed furiously at that image, where they would spend their life raising the children that would resemble them from head to toe.

Of course, it was just a pure fantasy right now, and Higo didn't dare to push further for something like that to happen.

At least, the boy felt like he wasn't ready for the responsibility yet, so it was better to wait until his mind was mature enough to accept the hardship of adult life.

In the end, Higo stayed for quite a while, even having a dinner together with the Yabu family as Misaki cooked probably the best steak that he had ever tasted in his life.

Still, once the dinner was done, he had to go back to Gelsenkirchen, as the boy didn't want to impose on the family for too long.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay at least for a night?" Koji asked, watching Higo put his shoes on. "It is dark and snowy outside, and the terrain will be terrible as well. It will be better to go back tomorrow morning, and Chiaki will also love your presence here."

"Yes, Ryu-nii! You can sleep with me in my room!" Chiaki added while showing her doe eyes to convince Higo to accept the offer.

Well, it would be a lie if Higo said that he wasn't moved by her cuteness. Unfortunately, Higo had never intended to stay for more than a night, so he didn't have anything other than the car right now.

In the end, the boy also didn't want to impose for too long, so he shook his head firmly.

"I am so sorry, Chiaki-chan, but I cannot stay for too long today. What about I come back another day? I will also bring another set of LEGO, one from Rapunzel! Do you like that?"

Chiaki didn't say anything else here. If anything, her eyes went teary, and Higo couldn't help but feel his heart clench, unable to see the scene in front of him.

Fortunately, her father took over the situation before Higo folded under that stare.

"Your brother still has a lot of things to do back home, Chiaki-chan… How about we visit him once the situation is getting better?"

At least, this prospect was enough to make her eyes light up, and soon enough, the heavy atmosphere was gone among them.

Higo himself also let out a relieved sigh, finding himself finally able to walk away from the building without any burden.

"Don't worry, the next visit, I will get you another set of LEGO, okay?"

"Promise?" She offered her pinky high.

Higo snorted a little, entangling it with his. "Sure, I promise."

Soon enough, Higo had already found himself back in the car, looking at the three members of the Yabu family waving from the rearview mirror.

"Goodbye, Ryu-nii! See you later!"

"Be careful on the road, Ryusuke! Don't speed up out of nowhere!"

"If you are tired, just come back again! I will whip something good for you!"

The smile on Higo's face became wider as he waved at them enthusiastically and shouted with the window open, "Well, see you later, everyone! Thank you for the hospitality!"

Once he was done with this, the boy hit the accelerator immediately, and the image of the Yabu family gradually disappeared from his line of sight.

Now, the boy was greeted by the cold, dark, and empty road in front of him, as the only thing that could be heard there was a mix of his car's engine and the wind that kept getting louder outside.

Still, Higo didn't mind it too much. No, the boy still smiled, feeling his heart warmed by this little visit to probably his number one fan in the world.

Oh, he didn't refer to this to Koji, but more like the little angel there, Chiaki.

The girl's eyes always shone brightly whenever she talked to him, and every little success that she had during their time building the LEGO set together would always end up with her squealing and celebrating it with him, not even her parents.

The boy would never admit it out loud, but he cherished every single second of his interaction with Chiaki today. Somehow, her giggle, exaggerated exclamation, and expression were enough to brighten his day after having to travel more than 20 kilometers to get there.

'Yeah, maybe I could invite Kumiko-chan to come as well once she is back, huh? That would be a proper outing for us all…' He muttered inwardly.

As the car kept going through the darkness, the boy still maintained the same smile on his face. It only took one day for him to recharge his energy to the peak again, and now, he was ready to be back on the pitch more than ever.