Kentaro was determined to keep his bizarre encounter a secret, not wanting to burden his mother with worry. So he chose to remain silent, unaware that his plans would soon be disrupted by an unexpected visitor at their doorstep the following morning.

"Isn't Chairman Nakamura an esteemed guest at the mansion?" Izumi asked, already ushering the man into their humble cottage while Misa scurried off to the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea.

Perched in the cozy living room, Ryuji Nakamura surveyed his surroundings with a smile, his eyes brimming with warmth. "Indeed, I am, but I came to visit a little friend."

Accompanying him was a golden retriever, which sat obediently at its master's feet, its tail swishing slowly and rhythmically.

"A friend?" Izumi's confusion lingered as Misa returned, placing the prepared tea before their guest.

"Please excuse us, but the lady of the house is unwell, which is why she couldn't greet you personally," Misa explained politely.

"Yes, I've heard about her condition," Ryuji acknowledged, taking a sip of his tea. "In fact, her well-being is part of the reason for my visit today."

The two maids exchanged bewildered glances. How did Yumiko's identity become known by this affluent elder? And what compelled him to personally visit their home at such an early hour?

Suddenly, a drowsy child's voice emerged from the doorway.

"Aunt Izumi, Mommy wants soft-boiled eggs for breakfast, and..." Kentaro, still yawning, entered the living room. He'd yet to finish speaking when his eyes widened suddenly, as he fixated on the unexpected sight before him.

He had never anticipated the old man's sudden arrival at their home.

"Ah, Ginger, there you are. I've been waiting," Ryuji beamed.

Misa and Izumi froze, their eyes darting between the child and the man-dog duo seated across from them.

The little friend Mr. Nakamura had referred to... was Kentaro?

Even the golden retriever wagged its tail with newfound vigor, as if ecstatic upon spotting the familiar child.

"... Who are you?" Kentaro inquired, his tone surprisingly calm.

Ryuji, taken aback by this unexpected blow to his heart, took a moment to compose himself. Letting out an incredulous laugh, he replied, "It hasn't even been twenty-four hours, and you're already forgetting faces."

Kentaro then turned to Misa and Izumi, seeking clarification. "Who is this?"

"Hey, have you really forgotten your savior?" Ryuji felt a sense of injustice. "Are you doing this on purpose?"

The child pondered for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Oh?"

"Exactly—" Ryuji began to explain.

"Peach," Kentaro interrupted, shifting his attention to the dog. "Hi."

Even the two spectators were left dumbfounded. Ryuji Nakamura commanded respect, to the point where even the Harada family dared not cross him. His presence exuded wealth and power wherever he went.

Yet this tiny zygote dared to show such disrespect?

Misa felt a cold sweat trickle down her back, desperately attempting to defuse the situation. "Mr. Nakamura, please forgive our little one. He's still young, and..."

To everyone's surprise, Ryuji erupted into hearty laughter, leaving the room's occupants utterly flabbergasted.

Even the dog gazed up at its master, as if witnessing an alien transformation. It had never seen Ryuji so joyous since arriving here.

After indulging in a good laugh, Ryuji regained his composure, wiping away a tear. "Yesterday, you refused to touch the ground until my two little buddies were gone. I'm amazed that you not only remembered their names but also distinguished between them in such a short time. No wonder they've taken a liking to you."

Peach and Spot were brothers, and only their master could easily tell them apart. To others, it would indeed be a challenge. Yet Kentaro had effortlessly discerned the differences between them, despite their initial encounter.

"It's not difficult," Kentaro remarked, momentarily forgetting his act of feigned ignorance.

"Oh?" Ryuji leaned forward, his hand propping his chin, visibly intrigued. "Why is that?"

"Their fur is completely different. Peach has a lighter coat, while Spot's is darker," Kentaro explained. "And their noses have difference colors too. Peach has a peach-colored nose, while Spot's nose is black with white spots. See, I even saw through your horrible naming tactics."

Ryuji was genuinely impressed by the child's astute observations. "You could tell all that from just one glance?"

"Yeah, it's..." Kentaro paused, suddenly remembering his role, and covered his mouth, pretending ignorance once more.

Misa and Izumi, who had been utterly clueless throughout the entire exchange, snapped out of their daze when Kentaro started pretending again.

"Why are you acting oblivious when you clearly know this man?" Izumi fumed.

Kentaro crossed his arms and puffed his cheeks in a sulk, too embarrassed to say anything more.

"It's all good," Ryuji chuckled, finishing his tea with a carefree demeanor. "I actually swung by to pay a visit to little Ginger and his mother. Is that alright?"

The question was aimed at the child, who regarded Ryuji skeptically before finally leading him to his mother's bedroom.

Yumiko hadn't expected any visitors at all and was peacefully engrossed in a book, when a knock emanated from her slightly ajar door. Spotting an unfamiliar face, she prepared to rise from the bed and offer a proper greeting.

"No need to fuss, please," Ryuji kindly interjected.

Yumiko felt a mix of embarrassment and unease. This was her first encounter with this person, and he seemed rather important.

"Did you come from the mansion, Mr....?" she stumbled, unsure of how to address him.

Izumi and Misa had already gone back to their cleaning duties, leaving Yumiko feeling a bit foolish for her lack of awareness, with no one around to introduce this person to her.

"Ryuji Nakamura, and yes, I did come from the mansion. But I'm just a guest there," he explained.

Yumiko's face paled considerably upon hearing the first statement, but she relaxed upon hearing the second part. However, her complexion turned ashen once again in the next moment.

Ryuji Nakamura? The same Mr. Nakamura from Kyoto who possessed a fortune?

Two days before, Izumi and Misa had informed her that an important guest had arrived at the mansion, but she hadn't been particularly eager to inquire about the details. After all, the affairs of the main family were of no concern to her.

So why was this man here now?

"Don't worry, I mean no harm," Ryuji assured her, having perceived her guarded expression. "I happened to meet your son yesterday and assisted him in finding his way home. It was during our brief encounter that I learned something concerning. May I see your hand? I wish to check your pulse."

Seated beside his mother, Kentaro reassured her upon sensing her hesitation. "He won't do anything bad. He just places his fingers there like a fortune-teller."

Of course, a five-year-old was still a five-year-old.

Yet Ken's words were sufficient to convince the woman, who then extended her hand and waited.

True to his word, Ryuji simply took her pulse and nodded to himself.

"I see. And what kind of medication are you taking?" he inquired.

Yumiko requested her son to fetch the package before presenting it to Ryuji.

"This is what I was prescribed long ago when my health first started to decline. It was two years after giving birth," Yumiko explained, offering a bitter smile. "Considering my current condition, maybe I wouldn't have made it this far if not for this."

"Hmm," Ryuji mused, rising from his seat with the package after perusing its contents. He nonchalantly stuffed it into his coat. "I'm going to dispose of this."

Yumiko was bewildered. "S-Sir?"

Kentaro instantly sprang to his feet as soon as he witnessed the man 'stealing' his mother's medication, fuming, "Hey, that's ours!"

"Did the person who gave you this medication intend for you to get better or meet your demise sooner?" Ryuji questioned.

The young woman's heart skipped a beat. "W-What do you mean?"

Ryuji strolled over to the desk and began scribbling on a scrap of paper he had found. Even as he did so, he continued to explain, "Your lungs are suffering from severe fermentation, and the chemicals in your 'medication' are exacerbating the issue. No wonder you haven't been improving. You would have been much better off without taking it in the first place."

"But... but the Harada family doctor assured me I would recover," Yumiko stated.

"A pity. Perhaps the doctor's expertise was severely lacking, who knows," Ryuji shrugged before recalling something else. "Did the same doctor prescribe medication for your son as well?"

Yumiko nodded slowly.

"That explains it," he remarked, continuing to write before summoning Kentaro, who had trailed behind in the conversation a long time ago. "Little Ginger, bring your medication as well."

"Huh? But that's—"

"Don't you dislike it? Just bring it here," Ryuji interrupted before the boy could voice his complete protest.

Kentaro glanced at his mother, who simply gave him a nod of approval. Reluctantly, he left the room to retrieve it, his steps heavy with hesitation.

"Miss Nomura, can you fathom why the Haradas sought to discard you?" Ryuji inquired, his note now completed.

The news of the Haradas' betrayal struck Yumiko with a devastating blow, leaving her momentarily speechless. After a few minutes of composing herself, she murmured, "It's... it's probably..."

"Your son?" Ryuji raised an insightful eyebrow, earning a puzzled look from Yumiko. Confidently, he continued, "He's Satoshi's, isn't he?"

She neither confirmed nor denied it, but Yumiko felt her throat tighten, suffocating her words.

"I understand," Ryuji sighed sympathetically. "You must have endured unimaginable hardships."

With a package in hand, Kentaro bounded back into the room and handed it over to Ryuji. Innocently, he asked, "Are you going to throw mine away too?"

Ryuji affectionately patted the young boy's head. "Do you not want me to?"

Kentaro pondered for a moment before expressing, "I want to exchange it for mommy's. If you take it away, she'll get worse."

Ryuji's response was gentle yet firm. "If I take this away, she'll get better."

"Hmm, how do you know? Are you a doctor?" The skeptical five-year-old challenged him.

Ryuji inwardly appreciated the child's vigilance. "Ah, didn't you want to inform those two aunties about what your mother's meal? Did you forget?"

"That's right, soft-boiled eggs and toast!" Kentaro exclaimed, his attention swiftly redirected. He darted out of the room to complete his mission.

"Your son is remarkably bright for his age," Ryuji commented, turning his attention back to Yumiko.

The woman smiled knowingly, though a touch of sadness crept in. "If what you said about our medication is true, why didn't they dispose of us sooner? Why make us suffer?"

Ryuji explained, shaking his head disapprovingly, "It's quite simple, really. I've been in the business field for a long time, and my seasoned eyes have witnessed countless despicable acts over the years. One way to avoid being labeled as 'murderers' is to make it appear as though you succumbed to natural causes, sabotaging your medication being one method. They would simply make it seem as if you couldn't fight your illness any longer."

"Oh..."

"How long have you been trapped in isolation like this?" Mr. Nakamura inquired.

"A little over five years," Yumiko revealed. "The Haradas wanted to ensure that no one from the outside knew of our existence, so they kept us hidden away. But somehow you... Wait, do they know you're here? You mentioned being a guest at the mansion."

"They may have realized it by now," Ryuji acknowledged, retrieving a wooden tube from his pocket. He folded the note he had written and placed it inside before calling over Peach. "Go deliver this to either Yuichiro or Sakuraku."

Obediently, the retriever accepted the tube in its mouth and dashed out of the room, swiftly leaving the cottage behind.

Yumiko watched in awe. "That was..."

"My apologies for not introducing him earlier," Ryuji chuckled. "That was Peach, a dear friend of mine."

Yumiko hadn't expected a man who seemingly had everything to consider a dog his friend rather than a mere pet.

She smiled warmly. "You must truly trust him."

"Of course, he's one of the few beings I do trust. Him and his brother," Ryuji replied.

Meanwhile, Kentaro burst into the room, exclaiming, "Hey, mister! Peach ran away as if he was being chased just now. Did something happen? He had something in his mouth!"

"It's alright. I assigned him an important task. Soon, one of my companions should arrive with a few things," Ryuji assured him, mentally calculating the time required for the preparation. "Then it will take approximately half an hour to create the medicine and such..."

"Medicine?" Kentaro inquired.

Ryuji snapped out of his thoughts, realizing he had accidentally spoken aloud. However, he saw no need to conceal his intentions and informed the child, "Yes. I am going to brew medicine for you and your mother."

Yumiko gasped, "Mr. Nakamura, you really don't have to..."

Ryuji settled into a chair beside the bed and chuckled. "Are you worried about my intentions?"

"No, no, you've misunderstood me!" the woman quickly shook his head, face guilty. Dropping her gaze, she fidgeted with her hands on her lap, "The Haradas though..."

"You fear they might attempt something?" Ryuji remarked with a snort. "Even after uncovering their secret, they wouldn't dare resort to underhanded tricks."

Yumiko marveled at his unwavering confidence.

"It's a shame I came unprepared. If I had known about the suffering innocent souls here, I would have done more to assist you," Ryuji lamented sincerely.

Despite the genuine tone in Ryuji's voice, Kentaro suddenly retorted, "You're so weird, mister."

Chairman Nakamura was at a loss. Why did this child take pleasure in piercing the kind man's heart?

Yumiko hurriedly waved her hands apologetically. "I'm sorry, Kentaro has a habit of speaking without filter. I have no idea where he even picked it up."

"It's alright. I should be accustomed to it by now," Ryuji replied with a hint of dejection.

Kentaro hadn't meant it seriously, of course. He simply wasn't accustomed to meeting someone from the outside world who showed genuine kindness. Everyone he had encountered in his upbringing, including that stingy family doctor and the insignificant workers he occasionally met in the fields, had always looked down on him and his mother.

But now, this person—someone who didn't even reside in the mansion—truly wanted to help them, despite meeting them for the first time.

Mr. Nakamura really was a strange man.

~~~~~~