"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and friends,
Today is a momentous day for all of us gathered here, as we celebrate the grand opening of the Fujinoyama Shopping Hub. This has been a dream that we, the Miyamura family, have cherished for a long time, and today, it has become a reality.
This shopping hub is more than just a marketplace; it's a testament to the spirit of community and the power of collaboration. We are humbled by the incredible support and hard work from our partners, dedicated staff, and the wonderful tenants who have made this dream come true. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you.
Fujinoyama Shopping Hub is not just a shopping destination. It's a place where people from all walks of life can come together, connect, and create memorable experiences. It's a place where you can explore a diverse range of stores, from fashion boutiques to bookshops, from electronics to housewares, and even a variety of eateries offering delicious cuisine.
We aim for Fujinoyama Shopping Hub to be a hub of culture, commerce, and connection. It's a space where you can discover the latest trends, enjoy a meal with friends and family, or simply relax and unwind in the beautifully designed surroundings.
I'd like to express my gratitude to the entire Miyamura team for their hard work, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence. To our tenants, you are the lifeblood of this hub, and we're excited to embark on this journey with you.
As we cut the ribbon today, we're not just opening a shopping hub; we're inaugurating a place where the community can come together, where dreams can take flight, and where memories can be created. We hope that Fujinoyama Shopping Hub becomes an integral part of your lives and the community.
Thank you for being here today to celebrate with us, and I invite you all to explore this magnificent shopping hub. It is our sincere hope that you find joy, satisfaction, and inspiration within these walls.
With that, I officially declare the Fujinoyama Shopping Hub open!
Let the celebrations begin!" .
Izumi and Iori exchanged proud smiles as the crowd's enthusiastic applause filled the grand hall. It was a moment to remember, and they were overjoyed to see Naozumi's speech so well received. The sense of accomplishment and the promise of the Fujinoyama Shopping Hub hung in the air, creating an electric atmosphere. The mall was officially open, and they couldn't wait to see how the journey goes from here on out.
After the speech the party was in full swing, and the Miyamura family was mingling with the guests, basking in the warm atmosphere of congratulatory remarks.
"Congratulations on this amazing mall, Naozumi!"
"Thank you so much, Tanaka-san! We're thrilled to have you here."
"Iori, I heard you played a role in this too. Great job!"
"Oh, well, it was a team effort. Thanks for coming, Yamamoto-san."
"Miyamura-san, your family has outdone themselves with this place."
"We're really touched by your kind words, Sato-san. Please enjoy the party!"
The Miyamura family was beaming with pride as they graciously accepted the congratulations from their guests. The opening of the Fujinoyama Shopping Hub was a resounding success, and they couldn't have been happier.
As they were navigating through the crowd of guests, Naozumi's attention was drawn to a particular corner of the room. He signaled to his family, and they approached the intriguing scene.
In the corner, a man in his early thirties sat at a table, engrossed in conversation. Seated beside him was a strikingly beautiful young lady with thigh-length navy blue hair, tied in two messy low pigtails, and her square fringe framed her bright blue eyes. She had a slim and elegant figure and was thoroughly focused on enjoying her meal.
The Miyamura family drew closer, and the man's gaze shifted to them. Recognition flickered in his eyes. "Mr. Miyamura," he greeted.
Naozumi reciprocated the gesture with a warm handshake. "Mr. Adagaki," he responded.
"Congratulations on the opening," Mr. Adagaki offered his well-wishes.
Naozumi smiled, "Thanks, it was a team effort. I'm pleased you could make it to the party."
Mr. Adagaki's attention shifted towards Izumi, and he greeted him. "It's been a while since we met, hasn't it, Izumi-Kun?" Mr. Adagaki remarked.
Izumi reciprocated with enthusiasm, "Yeah! Long time no see Mr. Adagaki. I'm happy to meet you."
Mr. Adagaki then introduced his daughter. "Izumi-Kun, meet my daughter here, Adagaki Aki. I hope you two become friends."
Izumi nodded and extended a greeting to Aki, "Adagaki-San, it's nice to meet you!"
However, the girl seemed more focused on devouring her food than the introductions. "Huh," Izumi couldn't help but notice her rather voracious appetite.
Leaving the kids at the table, the adults moved away to have their discussion. Izumi, having received no response from Aki, couldn't help but let out a sigh.
*Sigh*
He then moved to sit in the chair across from her. As Aki continued eating voraciously, Izumi sighed again and remarked, "You have quite an appetite."
Hearing someone talking about her appetite startled Aki, and she quickly movies her head all around to spot whose voice it was, as she spotted Izumi she turned her attention toward him.
After calming down, She made eye contact with Izumi and questioned, "Who are you?"
Izumi responded, "It's common to give your name first when asking for someone else's name."— he knew her name but said that anyway.
Aki was taken aback by this. "Is that really how it's done?"— she was completely aloof to the World around her.
Izumi sighed once more, saying, "Don't you have an idea of common sense?"
Aki blushed and appeared somewhat flustered by the exchange....
Aki, trying to maintain her composure, retorted, "What makes you worthy to even know my name?!"
Izumi, not one to back down, shot back, "What, do you think I need a certificate of worthiness from a glutton like you?"
"Gl..utt..on? Me?..Glutton" Aki's face reddened with anger.
"Yeah, with your insatiable hunger, it's pretty clear you're a glutton!"
"You're irritating" Aki huffed and stormed away to the second floor.
Izumi, realizing he might have gone too far, followed her to the second-floor balcony. He watched her from a distance, contemplating whether he should apologize for his harsh words.
Watching outside from the balcony Aki, with a lot said out loud "What does he think he is, calling me a glutton? I know I eat a lot, but that doesn't give him any permission to call me that."
Izumi couldn't help but reveal himself, saying, "You look quite cute while pouting."
Aki's eyes widened. "Whaaat!? What are you doing here, you stalker?"
Izumi chuckled, replying, "Who are you calling a stalker? I was just following you to make sure you didn't get lost."
Aki huffed, "I'm not dumb enough to get lost."
Izumi teased, "I'm not so sure about that. You didn't have any clue about your surroundings when you were eating like a glutton."
Aki shot back, "There you go again with that! You're the worst."
As she turned to leave, she unexpectedly kicked a nearby vending machine. This caused an earth vase with cactus on top of it to start falling toward her. Izumi, quick to react, pushed Aki out of the way and just managed to catch the vase before it hit the ground— but he caught the cactus part.
"Safe,"
Aki, who had been pushed forward, turned around in a mix of anger and surprise. However, as she saw Izumi catch the falling cactus, she quickly understood what had happened. Aki rushed towards Izumi, her expression shifting from anger to gratitude. But as she approached, she noticed cactus thornes had pierced Izumi's hand, and blood oozed out from his hand.
Seeing her approach, Izumi asked, "Are you all right"
To which she replied, "I should be the one asking you that," pointing towards the blood.
Izumi responded with a bright smile, "This is nothing as long as you are safe."
Aki fell silent, and a hint of blush appeared on her cheeks.
Izumi's bleeding brought Aki's concern, but his comforting words and bright smile seemed to disarm her. She found herself at a loss for words.
In the ensuing silence, Aki suddenly sat down and took Izumi's hand gently in her own. She retrieved a handkerchief from her pocket and carefully tied it around the injury. Fortunately, the cactus thorn hadn't gone into his skin, making it easier to handle.
Seeing Aki wrapping the handkerchief around his injury, Izumi couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
Aki glanced up at him with a determined look and replied, "I'm helping you, of course. That cactus thorn pricked you because of me."
Izumi was touched by her concern and simply nodded.
After tying the handkerchief, Aki gave a small smile and said, "There, all done. You should be fine now."
Izumi couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks..."
Not sure what to call her, as he just asked her what her name was even after knowing her name— that was awkward, he continued "I appreciate your help."
"Aki" she said with a faint voice.
"What?" Izumi aksed not being able to hear it clearly
Aki hesitated for a moment, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush, and she finally managed to say, "Aki, that's my name, Adagaki Aki. You can call me Aki."
Izumi who knew her name before, didn't mention that and went with the flow, he smiled warmly at Aki and replied, "Then, Aki, thanks for your help. I'm Miyamura Izumi, and you can call me Izumi!"
Their exchange felt like the beginning of something new and exciting, and both of them couldn't help but feel a growing connection between them.
Little did they know that this chance encounter would mark the beginning of a new friendship, one that would change both of their lives in unexpected ways.
[A/N— Finally wrote a normal length chapter (this chapter is 1.7k words), lately I have been bursting out 3K words chaptes.
Aki is finally here, I build it up in like chapter 11/12~ took lot of to get here! time skip will be coming soon, Finally!!!]
{We are targeting for 100 power stones this week so let's do our best to achieve that goal~ Thanks for reading :) }