Chapter 20
1532words
The sound of the door lock turning was particularly crisp in the morning quiet.
Arata Nakayama pushed open the glass door, and sunlight poured into this small forty-square-meter office through the blinds that had not yet been fully opened. On the wall, a brand new brass plaque gleamed in the morning light—"New Construction Workshop."
Six months.
Six months ago, he was still that taciturn engineer driven by hatred. Now, he stood in this office of his own and took a deep breath.
The air didn't have that oppressive smell of large corporate offices; instead, there was a faint scent of wooden furniture and the freshness of new renovations.
Arata walked to the window, outside was a quiet street in the suburbs of Tokyo. Not far away was the Umikaze Community Center, the building he had helped design standing quietly in the morning sun.
"I used to always look up at other people's skyscrapers," Xin murmured to himself, "Now I can finally look at this world at eye level."
He turned and walked toward his desk. The desktop was simple: a laptop, several drawing pens, and that precious white architectural model—the materialization of his father's vision.
But today, there was something extra on the desk.
"Rehabilitation Center Preliminary Design—Customized for Children with Special Needs"
Xin picked up this design drawing, the first one he had drawn in six months.
The building design on the paper was gentle and playful, without the hard lines of traditional public buildings. The low-level design ensured wheelchair accessibility, every room had abundant natural light, and the roof garden was specially designed with sensory training areas for children.
"Dad would like this design," Xin said softly.
This wasn't a project that would make big money; the client was a non-profit organization with a pitifully tight budget. But when that social worker named Tanaka approached him, the earnestness in his eyes made it impossible to refuse.
"Mr. Nakayama, these children really need a safe and warm place..."
At that moment, Shin suddenly understood what true meaning was.
Not for revenge, not for fame, not for money. But for those who truly needed help.
The doorbell rang.
"Good morning, boss!"
Hana Sawamura walked in carrying a thick stack of documents, wearing a cheerful smile. Today she was dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants, looking much more relaxed than when she worked at the big company.
"Don't call me boss," Shin put down the blueprint, "we're partners."
"Alright, alright, 'Mr. Partner.'" Hana Sawamura playfully winked and placed the documents on the desk, "All the materials for the rehabilitation center project are here. Budget, materials list, schedule..."
Xin flipped through the documents: "The budget is indeed very tight."
"How tight is it?" Kenji Moriyama's voice came from the doorway.
The old master walked in with a cup of steaming tea and sat down on the sofa. Although he was already fifty-five years old, his mental state was much better than when he worked at Tensei Construction.
"So tight that we might have to pay out of our own pockets," Hana Sawamura said with a bitter smile, "But..."
"But it's worth it," Xin continued, "Master Moriyama, what do you think of this design?"
Moriyama put down his teacup and put on his reading glasses to examine the blueprints carefully.
"Kid, I've been in construction for so many years, and I've never seen a design like this," the old master's voice was somewhat excited, "Look at the angle of this wheelchair ramp, the lighting in this sensory integration training room, and this small theater..."
"Is there a problem?" Xin asked nervously.
"Problem?" Moriyama laughed heartily, "The problem is that it's too good! This is truly architecture designed for people!"
Hana Sawamura also leaned in to look at the blueprint: "Shin, you've designed a small rooftop garden here?"
"Yes," Shin pointed to the blueprint and explained, "Considering that these children spend most of their time indoors, the rooftop garden will allow them to connect with nature. And each season will offer different sensory experiences."
"The cost will increase considerably." Hana Sawamura frowned.
"I've already contacted several landscaping companies," Shin said, "Three of them are willing to provide plants and maintenance services at cost."
"Why?"
"Because they also want to do something for these children."
Master Moriyama gave Shin's shoulder a firm pat: "Good job! This is the kind of engineer I want to follow!"
"What about the specific numbers?" Hana Sawamura opened the budget sheet, "Let's face reality."
The three of them sat around the table and began to discuss each item in detail.
"Foundation engineering, eight million yen."
"Structural engineering, twelve million."
"Decoration and equipment, six million."
"It adds up to twenty-six million," Hana Sawamura calculated, "but the client can only pay eighteen million."
"A shortfall of eight million." Xin frowned.
"I can forgo my technical consultant fee," Moriyama volunteered.
"No," Xin shook his head, "Your experience is invaluable, you shouldn't receive a penny less than what you deserve."
"What should we do then?" Hana Sawamura chewed on her pen.
Xin pondered for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up: "I have an idea."
"What idea?"
"Crowdfunding."
"Crowdfunding?"
"Yes," Xin became excited, "The internet is so developed now, we can tell the story of this project to more people. If everyone contributes a little, we can raise the remaining funds."
Hana Sawamura seemed thoughtful: "That's a good idea, but it needs good promotional planning."
"I'll take care of it," Xin said, "In the past six months, I've learned many things I didn't understand before. How to deal with the media, how to tell a moving story..."
Moriyama laughed heartily: "Kid, it seems that incident wasn't necessarily a bad thing for you."
"Indeed," Xin nodded, "Revenge taught me how to fight, but now I want to use these skills in the right place."
In the afternoon, the three people began to busy themselves.
Hana Sawamura was creating a PowerPoint presentation for the project introduction on her computer, Master Moriyama was revising the construction plan, while Xin started writing copy for the crowdfunding page.
"How to build a warm home for children with special needs..." Xin typed on the keyboard, "This is not just a building, but a hope..."
"Xin." Hana Sawamura looked up, "You've really changed a lot."
"How so?"
"The old you had only hatred in your eyes. The current you has light in them."
Xin stopped typing and looked out the window. The sun was setting, and the glass curtain wall of the Umikaze Community Center reflected golden rays of light.
"Revenge indeed helped me find justice, but creation is what gave me meaning." Xin turned to look at his two companions, "And besides, I'm no longer alone."
"Deciding to work with you back then was truly the right choice." Master Moriyama raised his teacup, "Come, let's toast to our workshop!"
"Toasting with teacups?" Hana Sawamura laughed.
"Tea is good too," Xin picked up his water glass, "To those who need us, cheers!"
The three cups clinked together, making a crisp sound.
At eight in the evening, the office was still brightly lit.
Xin stood by the window, holding the white architectural model in his hand.
"Dad, can you see?" he said softly, "I finally understand your ideal from back then. It wasn't about building the tallest building, it wasn't about making the most money, but about bringing a little bit of goodness to this world."
Hana Sawamura walked up beside him: "What are you thinking about?"
"Thinking about the future." Arata said, "Kokonogi has been sentenced, Amami Construction has gone bankrupt, and the revenge story has completely ended. But our story is just beginning."
"Do you think we can succeed?"
"We definitely can." Arata's tone was firm, "Because we're doing the right thing. And for the right things, there will always be people who support us."
Master Moriyama packed up the blueprints, preparing to leave: "Boys, see you tomorrow. Remember, we're not just building structures, we're building hope."
"See you tomorrow, Master Moriyama."
After the old master left, only Arata and Hana Sawamura remained in the office.
"Hana," Arata suddenly spoke up, "thank you."
"Thank me for what?"
"Thank you for being willing to start over with me. Giving up a stable job at a big company to come to this small workshop..."
"Idiot," Hana Sawamura chuckled, "We're partners, don't talk about thanks. Besides..."
She paused, looking into Arata's eyes:
"Working alongside a true craftsman is far more meaningful than drawing blueprints in those cold buildings."
Xin felt a warmth spreading in his heart.
Yes, his revenge was over, but his path as a craftsman was just beginning to unfold. A path truly dedicated to creating for "people."
He was no longer that lonely avenger; he had found genuine companions. Together, they would build their future upon the ruins.
A future that belonged to everyone who needed help.
As night fell, Tokyo's neon lights began to illuminate one by one. But in this small workshop, the light of hope ignited by these three people might shine brighter than any neon sign.
Tomorrow, the sun would rise again. And their craftsman's journey would continue to extend into the dawn.
