Faced with Itsuki's confusion, the old man told her, "Your mother was once my student, and also my colleague, and also my wife."
Itsuki's face grew increasingly shocked, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes.
She heard him continue, "That is to say, I am your biological father."
"How can that be?" Itsuki's voice was full of disbelief, her pupils trembling slightly. "I remember Mom told us that before we were born, our biological father had already disappeared without a trace."
Then, Itsuki stared hard at him and called out the name she had never spoken in person. "You... are Jinnosuke-sensei?"
Itsuki rarely heard her deceased mother mention her biological father's name. Though only mentioned a few times, she had firmly remembered this name.
The old man called 'Jinnosuke' nodded, a glint of relief in his eyes, the corners of his mouth pulling into a bitter arc. "I've wanted to see you for a very long time."
His voice became low and hoarse, as if he were the victim. "Even when I traveled around the country as a lecturer, I always thought of you. It wasn't until recently, when I saw Nino on television, that I learned you had come to this country."
Itsuki's expression grew increasingly complex, her lips pressed together slightly. She looked at this white-bearded, out-of-shape old man, and her mind's eye pictured her mother's dying figure in the hospital bed.
And where had this person been when she needed him most?
"What do you want, showing up at this time?" "I heard about you from Mother. I know you hid immediately after learning we were conceived. I—"
Before she could finish, Jinnosuke suddenly knelt down.
Bang.
His head hit the ground heavily, producing a dull thud. His forehead struck the rough stone floor, and blood seeped out.
"I'm sorry... you must have been very hurt, right?" Jinnosuke's voice choked, his shoulders trembling. "I have always regretted it. If I had had the determination and ability back then, I wouldn't have caused you so much trouble. Even so, whenever I think of you, I can't help but be tormented."
Itsuki stood frozen. Watching this white-haired, white-bearded old man kneeling before her, she didn't know what to say.
Jinnosuke continued, "My sins won't disappear. But if you allow it... it's not exactly atonement, but just as a father, I'd like to do something for my daughters, one last time."
Itsuki's brow furrowed, her fingers clutching even tighter. She looked at Jinnosuke, who had raised his head, a bloody trail on his forehead. Her face remained cold, but her tone softened slightly.
"Stop bothering us." She turned her back to him. "We already have a father."
"You mean Nakano Maruo?" Jinnosuke's voice came from behind, carrying a hint of resentment. "He's not a qualified father. Think back, after your mother died, did he take care of you?"
Itsuki's step faltered. But she didn't turn around. "That's none of your business."
With that, she walked away, her back straight, without a moment's hesitation.
Jinnosuke watched her figure and raised his voice, "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk with you. I'll wait here for you every day."
Itsuki didn't answer. Her figure disappeared around the corner of the street. Her eyes were a bit red, but she didn't let the tears fall.
Neither of them noticed that after their conversation ended, another figure emerged from behind them, also taking a bite of a meat bun, muttering to himself, "I've found something interesting."
During dinner that evening, Itsuki barely ate a few bites the entire meal.
She kept her head down, pushing her chopsticks around in her bowl but never lifting food to her mouth.
Normally, when faced with her favorite dishes, she would have been devouring them. But today, those dishes seemed to have lost all appeal.
Her sisters immediately noticed something was wrong with their youngest sister.
"Itsuki, what's wrong?" Ichika put down her chopsticks and asked with concern.
"Itsuki..." Itsuki kept her head down, her voice so low it was almost drowned out by the other girls' chatter. "I just ate too much during the day, so I'm not very hungry tonight."
Ichika, Nino, Miku, and Yotsuba exchanged glances. They knew their sister's appetite very well. Even if she ate too much during the day, she would never eat just this little at night. Itsuki's stomach seemed like it was connected to another dimension.
But seeing that Itsuki was not in high spirits, they didn't press further.
Makoto, sitting at the head of the table, put down his chopsticks. "Just say what's on your mind."
Itsuki looked up at Makoto. Her lips moved several times, wanting to speak but holding back. She thought of her mother's eyes, always full of love. And this man before her, the man she loved, had dismissed her mother with disdain.
She held back her words. Lowering her head, she continued pushing food around in her bowl.
…
The next day.
Itsuki went to the alley behind the Chinese restaurant and met Jinnosuke again.
By this time, Jinnosuke had bandages wrapped around his head, clearly from the injury he sustained when kowtowing the day before.
"..."
Jinnosuke saw her appear, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly raised. "I knew you would come..."
"What exactly do you want?" Itsuki's voice was very calm.
Jinnosuke took a deep breath and straightened his back. "I hope you will give me a chance, let me stay by you five sisters."
His tone was sincere, his gaze burning as he looked at her. "I will become a better father than Nakano Maruo."
Itsuki was silent for a moment. The alley was very quiet, only the occasional sound of a car horn in the distance.
"Why... why did you have to appear before us only now?"
Jinnosuke's gaze grew distant, as if recalling things from long ago. "After we parted, I always thought of you sisters, and was tormented by guilt. Only today have I experienced how wonderful it is to be a father."
He looked up at Itsuki's eyes. "I hope you, Itsuki, will give me a chance to redeem myself with love... we are connected by blood."
Itsuki was silent for a long time. Then she spoke.
"Nakano Maruo is our real father."
"Even though he's not good at communicating with us, he took care of us, us five sisters, carefully in his own way."
She looked into Jinnosuke's eyes, her gaze clear and calm. "The affection and bond between family aren't maintained by blood. They're maintained by love, just like Mom used to say."
Itsuki's firm voice echoed in the alley.
Clap, clap, clap, clap—
Just as the two faced off in silence, applause came from above.
Jinnosuke and Itsuki looked up.
There was Makoto, sitting on the roof of the restaurant, legs crossed, looking down at them from above. Sunlight fell on him, giving his figure a golden outline.
"Well said." The corners of Makoto's mouth lifted slightly, a hint of approval in his eyes.
Itsuki was very surprised. "M-Makoto-kun? What are you doing here?"
Jinnosuke, on the other hand, was so frightened he fell to his knees, his body limp and weak as if drained of strength.
Makoto had displayed his power before the world more than once. It was only natural for Jinnosuke to feel such fear.
Moreover, showing up before his daughter after so many years, his ultimate goal was to latch onto this man's thigh.
Just then, a figure stepped out from behind Makoto.
Ace.
He crossed his arms and looked coldly at Jinnosuke. "Originally, I planned to kill this guy with my own hands yesterday," Ace said coldly, then changed tack. "But then I thought someone else would be more suitable, so I changed my mind."
Makoto smiled at Itsuki. "You're finally not being an ungrateful daughter."
Itsuki was furious. "Who are you calling an ungrateful daughter?"
Just then, another figure walked into the alley.
The two turned to look—
Nakano Maruo.
"Father?" Itsuki looked at the approaching Maruo in disbelief.
Then, Itsuki realized, recalling what Ace had just said, she muttered, "Could it be... Ace meant..."
Ace added, "Yeah, who's more suitable than him to kill this bastard, just like Roger?"
Itsuki immediately understood and asked Ace, "You saw everything... yesterday?"
Ace nodded. "But Commander only came because he noticed you were acting strange, so he came to check. I didn't tell him."
At these words, Itsuki looked at Makoto in shock. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat felt blocked. Her eyes finally reddened, tears welling up.
Maruo walked up to Jinnosuke and looked down at the old man who had taken his beloved teacher from him.
"Long time no see, Jinnosuke-sensei." Maruo said calmly. "I thank you very much."
Jinnosuke looked up, stunned.
The corners of Maruo's mouth lifted slightly. This expression rarely appeared on his face. "It's precisely because of your irresponsible behavior that I was able to meet my daughters."
He looked into Jinnosuke's eyes and spoke deliberately, word by word.
Jinnosuke's face went pale, then flushed, still stubborn. "Irresponsible? You're not much better. I've investigated. After you brought the girls home, you didn't do much to help them, did you?"
Maruo's gaze dimmed for a moment.
He knew he hadn't done enough. He knew he wasn't a qualified father.
Hearing this, Ace couldn't help but draw his blade.
Makoto raised his hand, smiling, and stopped him.
"At least you provided for them. No matter what, you're still better than someone who only provided the seed."
Everyone's attention turned back to Makoto.
Makoto said that although he looked down on Maruo's 'nice guy' behavior, he had indeed fulfilled his duty as a father.
Then, Makoto jumped down from the roof and glanced at Maruo. "I'll leave the rest to you."
With that, Makoto turned and walked away.
Itsuki was still frozen, unable to snap out of it.
Until Makoto had walked a few steps and half-turned to her, saying, "What are you standing there for? Want to watch your biological father get killed?"
Makoto had always hated the term 'biological father', but Jinnosuke truly deserved those two words.
Itsuki finally snapped out of it and hurried after Makoto. Before leaving, she turned, pulled a face, stuck out her tongue at Jinnosuke, and made an ugly face.
Ace jumped over to Maruo's side and handed him his supreme grade sword.
Makoto led Itsuki out of the alley, then took a wrapped meat bun from his pocket, unwrapped it and handed it to her.
Itsuki's eyes reddened again. She took a small bite. She kept her head down, the tears finally falling, dripping onto the bun, forming small wet patches.
"What's wrong?" Makoto asked.
Itsuki shook her head and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"I..." Her voice was a bit choked. "It's just... thank you..."
Makoto didn't answer, just reached out and ruffled her hair.
Itsuki's tears fell even harder. She looked up at Makoto.
"Makoto-kun..."
"Hmm?"
Itsuki bit her lip, summoning all her courage. "I like you."
Makoto froze for a moment. Then, he smiled.
Itsuki threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
Makoto put his arms around her, gently patting her back.
Itsuki buried her face deeper.
Just then, a scream came from the alley.
"Aaaaaah—"
Itsuki couldn't help shivering. Although she had long been used to such scenes in the One Piece World, hearing her own biological father become part of it still filled her with fear.
Makoto held Itsuki tighter. "It's okay."
Just then, across the street, the Kessoku Band quartet happened to witness the scene.
Because they had gotten in with Makoto, they no longer kept their Pokémon in their Poké Balls all the time, but let them out regularly.
Right now, Ditto was lying on top of Bocchi's head.
Pikachu was lying on Nijika's shoulder, just like Ash and Pikachu.
Azumarill was padding along at Yamada Ryo's feet, owner and servant, in perfect sync as they ate grass.
Braixen trotted behind Ikuyo.
That's right, after this period of training with Makoto, their Pokémon had all evolved.
Pichu had evolved into Pikachu.
Marill had evolved into Azumarill.
Fennekin had evolved into Braixen.
"..."
Ikuyo covered her mouth. "How romantic!"
Nijika's face turned bright red.
Yamada Ryo was expressionless, but her ears were red.
Bocchi squealed 'Wah!' and covered her eyes, peeking through her fingers.
Then, under the blushing gazes of the Kessoku Band quartet, Makoto lifted Itsuki's chin and slowly pressed their lips together.
The four girls, who had never been in a romantic relationship, blushed even deeper.
Only Yamada Ryo remained relatively calm, but her red ears still betrayed her true feelings.
Though if they had known that in the alley next to them, the girl's biological father had just been chopped into mincemeat, they probably wouldn't have found the scene so romantic.