His Cute Wife is a Little Crazy

Chapter 648: DISAPPOINTMENT

Shio Emi felt that weird skip in her heart again.

There was something about the man before her that made her feel unsettled. The problem was she did not dislike that unsettling feeling. Usually, she was clear and firm in everything she did. She never wavered and always held conviction.

She never did or said anything she was not sure about, and she had never been uncertain about anything in her life.

Now, she was feeling like her feet were not so firm on the ground. It was like she was walking from firm land to the sandy shores and towards the ocean. She should have been scared and ready to run for the hills.

But she did not want to.

She found the uneasiness a little interesting. It was as if she was discovering something new about life and herself. It had been a while since she found something exciting she did not know or understand.

And she was a sucker for learning.

.....

But she could not explore this strangeness for now. The most critical thing at this moment was helping the man before her who wanted to connect with his niece and be a good parent. That was her most important mission.

“Mr Yagi...” She started.

“Please, call me Seiryo.” Yagi interrupted her.

Emi opened and closed her mouth with a little shyness. “I do not think it would be appropriate.”

Yagi resisted the urge to smile. He was pleased that she did not say no directly. She was just a little awkward about being too familiar with him from the get-go. He could help her get more comfortable with him.

“Well, you should know that too much formality will breed distance. If you call me by my name, I will feel closer to you and your teachings.” He said with a challenging smile.

Emi could see that the man was trying to bait her, but she was not a child. She could beat him at his own game, especially if he wanted to make her feel embarrassed.

She raised her head a little higher. “You are right, Seiryo.”

Yagi felt something shift inside him as she said his name. And he was not without a physical reaction. Her tongue seemed to roll around his name and pour out like the finest silk. He wondered what else that tongue could do.

He cleared his throat as he struggled to get the image of his beautiful teacher in other positions, besides sitting calmly behind a school desk, from his mind.

“Please continue, Teacher Emi.” He said.

Emi was satisfied and felt like she had somehow won the underlying challenge in the exchange.

“You cannot deal with Misaki like you would an ordinary child. You need to know that she is reacting like a child, but that does not mean she does not understand what is going on around her. I have observed her over the past few months, and I have seen that she has a very low level of trust towards people.” Emi looked at Yagi with accusation.

Yagi frowned. He did not understand why Misaki would struggle with trust. He had made sure that she was always safe and protected, and she never lacked anything that would leave her feeling disappointed.

“Please explain further.” He still said calmly.

“What I mean is that she does not believe in people. Most children her age will trust their friends, teachers, parents and sometimes, strangers. Misaki is highly suspicious of everything people say, including her closest friends.” Emi explained.

“Well, I would not go as far as calling them her friends. They are more like her most loyal followers at this point. She does not take it kindly if someone does not follow through with what they tell her. I will not go into details, but she has made one of her classmates a pariah over a very small matter.” She sighed.

Yagi could not believe that his sweet niece had become a bully. Could it be that the blood of the yakuza could not be suppressed even with everything he had done to protect her?

“What can I do?” He asked. “I do not want her to grow up like that. I am sure that you have heard a little about me. That is not what I want for her.”

Emi frowned. “I am not someone who puts stock in rumours, Seiryo. I can see you are interested in being a good father, and it is not too late. As I said, Misaki is a good girl beneath it all. But you must understand that her mistrust must have come from somewhere.”

“You mean me?” Yagi said.

“You are not a bad student. She has probably experienced a lot of disappointment from the people closest to her. And from what I have seen, you are it.” Emi said. “If she has seen you fail her, she will always assume that everyone around will fail her.”

“I try to give her everything,” Yagi responded weakly.

“But you have never given her your presence.” Emi could not help the sharpness in her voice. “I have been trying to get you to come here to discuss her progress for two months without success. She was sure you would not come even today. She might have all material things, but she would probably exchange it for your love and attention.”

Yagi felt weaker than he had in his entire life. And he had been shot, stabbed and beaten countless times in his life. Yet, he had never felt so helpless in his life. He had not only failed Misaki. He had also failed his big brother.

He lowered his head into his hands in a rare outward show of weakness.

Shio Emi sighed, stood up, walked around her desk and stood next to Yagi. She placed her hand on his muscular back in a physical show of comfort. It was rare in Blue Monarch to see a parent who cared this much about their child, beyond grades and reputation.

The touch was like a resuscitating electrical charge for Yagi. He looked up at her with burning eyes. The look caused her to feel awkward, so she took a step back, taking her warm hand with her. It was a great loss for Yagi.

“I know you want to make things right. But for now, do not try to make grand gestures for Misaki.” Emi said. “If you want to start building trust with her, begin with small things. Just try to be there for her. And if you must make promises, make very small ones.”

Yagi was confused and felt like the advice did not seem right coming from Emi. She looked like someone who was enthusiastic and saw the best in people. She should have been campaigning for family dinners and a trip to Sanrio Puroland.