August 28. 20**.

Monte Carlo. Monaco.

Doors of the elevator opened, and I stepped out at one of the floors of a hotel.

I was so tired that I just wanted to reach a bed and fall asleep.

‘Room 702… Room 702… Here?’

The moment I opened the door I smelled tobacco, and saw a middle-aged man smoking handrolled cigarettes made from 100$ banknotes. Immediately after puffing, the man looked at me.

“Ah, here you are, my little Angel!!!” He threw the remnants of the cigarette into an ashtray and spread his arms to hug me.

“Are you high, Old man? And what’s with those bills I see?” I was too tired, so I just closed the door and threw away the luggage on my way to an armchair.

“Himeko, don’t be so stingy. It’s been so long since we last seen each other, my Sweet. And no, I was not in the Netherlands.” He brought another cigarette to his nose and started sniffing.

“See? This is the smell of success!” He giggled, like an absolute idiot.

“Aha? Then I don’t need to gift you a red envelope?” In the next second, the man’s hands were in front of me, ready to accept my good will.

“You are still the same… Father…” I put a check on his hands. The amount should be sufficient for the next month at least. Unless he moves out to another place, except for Las Vegas.

“The same lovely young guy who gave you life~?” He grinned.

“No, the same money-grubbing old fart who f* my mom.” Without saying a word, Father pulled something out from a plastic bag and handed it over.

“Thanks.” It saved me the trouble of searching for painkillers in the night.

“Are you going to stay for tomorrow?” (F)

“Sure as hell – no~♪☆.” I called for somebody to bring me water through an app, and while I waited I was preparing all of my accessories.

“They sure are taking their time.”

“Yet they are calling it 5-star hotel.” (F)

“Well, if you look like a stupid Chinese tourist from America – of course they would act like this.”

“Come on, I am just your average entrepreneur. I wasn’t living among rich since my childhood.” (F)

“Farce, who was the reason I couldn’t enjoy wine for the last two years?”

“Yeah, and who was the reason you didn’t shame yourself in public?” (F)

‘Knock-knock’

“Enter.” A maid brought some water, and seeing our peculiar situation she thought I am Father’s mistress. Though it is the other way around.

“Don’t even start it. The worst sin I experienced here was gambling.” (F)

“Uhu.” After the last person to come here today left I finally could remove the eye lenses.

“I still wonder if it was even worth all the effort? You have such beautiful eyes, yet…” I stopped him, before he spouted something.

“Yet what?”

“Just who was your actual father? Miki is yet to confess who was that beautiful guy who made you!” Father giggled, and stared into my eyes.

I may be the only one in our family who hates them.

Memorable. Flashy. Exotic. Foreign. Alien.

It is still a mystery for us how the hell I was born pure-blooded Japanese, and have zero resemblance with my parents.

“Enough! Time out! Let’s just talk about something else.” (F)

“Ok. How is your company faring~♪☆?” The best way to take it back at my Father was to remind him about the current situation he faces. Faces for the past 16 years.

“W-w-well… N-not all of us are born geniuses!” It was my turn to smirk.

“Su-re~♪☆☆☆.”

“Show some filial piety! Have you brought something to brighten up you Daddy’s life~?” Once again, my Father prepared to use the best he could receive with no money paid.

“Yeah, yeah…” I gave him the prototype model of the oncoming flagship smartphone, contacts of a famous designer who should’ve finished making clothes for him, and keys from a car that just arrived to Marseilles.

"Is that the newest~?! It's great to be the first to receive!" (F)

"The second."

"Seriously...? Don't tell me, you finally made friends?!" (F)

“Filial piety shown. Now, I’m going to sleep.”

Another surprise happened when I opened the door to the bedroom, and saw a double bed.

“Seriously?! You gambled so much that you had no money to book a room with two bedrooms?!”

“Oh, let’s just spend our time together, like we use to~!” Father hugged me, and pushed me inside.

‘Used to, ha…’

What we used to is not going to come back.