Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! Volume 9 [Parts 1 to 2] by Makishima Suzuki

Author:Makishima Suzuki
Language: eng
Format: epub

I exhaled and could tell I was warmer than usual, a hint of sweet alcohol in my breath. As I picked up my Shaoxing wine, I felt that the chaos from earlier in the night was starting to calm down. Our table was quieter now that the ladies had left their seats to go to the restroom.

When I tipped the cup of amber-colored wine into my mouth, I thought it had been a while since I’d gone out for a drink. Just then, Toru moved closer to me while glancing around. From the look in his eyes, I wondered if he had invited us to dinner because he wanted to discuss whatever he was about to bring up.

“You know, Koto Ward has the second-highest population of foreign people next to Shinjuku,” he said. “But did you know that most of them are Asians, like Chinese and Korean people, and there are barely any Westerners like Mariabelle-chan?”

“Now that you mention it, I don’t see many other than tourists,” I replied.

I ordered another bottle of wine, then Toru poured me the rest of the bottle we were drinking from. Although I gratefully drank more, I was a bit nervous since I felt he was about to ask me about Marie.

“That’s why I thought it was so nice that she learned such proper Japanese,” he added. “I figured either you’re a great teacher, or she must have really wanted to talk to you in your language.”

“She was always a smart one. So, what is it you’re getting at?” I asked, being more direct than usual because of my nerves.

He smiled. “This is just my intuition speaking, but she doesn’t have Japanese citizenship, does she?”

I took another sip of my drink to cover my thumping heart. The drink had a sweetness to it that left a faint sting in my nose, and the high alcohol content wasn’t enough to distract my racing mind. Toru continued smiling, even as his gaze had an air of seriousness.

“Seven months is too long for a homestay program. They’re about two to three months at best. She hasn’t even been going to school in the first place. Besides, there’s no way she would’ve chosen to homestay with a single man in his condo,” he said.

I acknowledged he was right. Claiming that she was a relative from overseas staying over for a homestay program was a terrible idea. I already knew that, but that left me speechless when he laid it out so bluntly.

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” he continued. “I love that you two are friends with my wife, and I want to help you. Or maybe I’m just too curious for my own good.”

He smiled again. I realized there was no hint of hostility directed at me, and the tension in my shoulders relaxed. I finally exhaled what I held in and waited for his next words.

“There are a lot of people without citizenship in Japan right now, and there are some cases where refugees get accepted. I don’t know the details, but your situation is somewhat similar.

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