After I Rescued a Beautiful Woman From a Stalker, She Started Spoiling Me and Turning Me Into a No-Good Freeloader

This novel is completed. Hope you've enjoyed the translation~~
Please consider supporting by donating to my ko-fi

Chapter 34 – My True Feelings

Wherever I go, I can’t help but be spoiled by Sumire-san.

Why is she so mature and thinks so much about me even though she’s only 20 years old?

Certainly, I might have just listened to Ijichi’s words without responding.

I’ve been letting myself be dictated by the other’s words due to my own weakness.

It’s not right as an adult to be treated so well and not reciprocate.

And I never even thought that Ijichi would come after me.

I always thought of myself as someone she used to showcase her talents.

That’s why I never thought that she would come to ask me to come back.

Certainly, I’ve never been interested in people and have just done my job as I was told.

I guess I didn’t really understand the person I worked with for ten years.

Because Sumire-san had told me to remain calm, I was able to calmly ask questions to myself.

The words Ijichi said to Sumire-san earlier made me think.

“I-I’ve been taking care of him all this time! Since his student days when he couldn’t do anything and his illustrations were terrible, I taught him how to draw, paid him a salary, and took care of him for ten years! I fed him, I provided for his livelihood!”

Despite thinking like that, I was fired without knowing anything and left with grievances.

Certainly, I need to settle this.

“Ijichi-sensei. Once again, I’m not your employee. Since it’s a freelance contract, I’m free to leave whenever I want. Above all, the words you say are enough to confirm my dismissal. I had confirmed multiple times when resigning and took all my belongings with me.”

“B-but that has happened many times before!”

“Yes. That’s why this time was the limit of my patience. And, I am truly grateful to you for teaching me how to draw and for taking care of me for the past ten years.”

I bowed my head again.

“But I will never come back to you. I have decided to leave and do my own thing.”

“You can’t do that! You have to be under me!”

Ijichi’s face was all wet and she looked like she was crying.

For the first time, I recognized Ijichi as a weak woman.

I’ve come to understand what feelings she had towards me. I never really saw Ijichi for who she was, and what remains in my memory is…

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to be around you anymore. It’s true that I was indebted to you, but all of your yelling, hysterical outbursts, and unpredictable changes in your tone were painful to me. In the ten years I listened to your voice, I never felt happy. My heart was broken, and I couldn’t even attend my parents’ funeral. In the midst of pushing myself, I was tormented by your voice. Please, I beg you, set me free.”

I was finally able to convey my feelings to her.

Ijichi shook her head in tears, but I couldn’t say anything kind to her.

“I’ve quit working under Ijichi-sensei. I will become independent and do my best on my own. Please support me. And once again, thank you, Ijichi-sensei.”

I won’t look back anymore.

I returned to Sumire-san’s side and held her hand.

“Sumire-san. Thank you. And sorry to have kept you waiting.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“I told her what I wanted to say. And I listened to her feelings.”

“Hi-Himoda.”

I think this was the first time Ijichi-sensei called me by my name.

I was always called by other names, such as “you” or just calling me with “oi.”

“Sensei. Goodbye. I don’t want to see you ever again.”

I have no intention of saying anything more.

I left the park with Sumire-san.

“Sumire-san. Please give me a moment.”

“Yes.”

When we left the park, I took out my phone and called the number of the mediator who sent me a DM.

“Hello! I’m a mediator for XXX publishing! Who am I speaking with?”

“It’s been a while. Mediator-san. It’s Himoda.”

“Eh! Himoda-kun! Where are you now!?”

“Um, I just met and talked with Ijichi-sensei. Now that we’ve said what we needed to, would you please come and pick her up? She’s at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.”

“…I see. Got it. But I’ll have to register this number.”

“Yes. I may ask for your assistance again in the future.”

“Fufu, that’s a promise!”

As I asked the mediator to pick up Ijichi-sensei, a single tear flowed from my eyes.

Maybe it was because I felt like I was denying the path I had taken up until now.

“Sorry I made you wait.”

“Are you okay, Youichi-san?”

“Yes. In fact, I feel refreshed. It’s all thanks to Sumire-san. I was able to talk to Ijichi-sensei, and I was able to convey my feelings.”

If it weren’t for Sumire-san, I might have been swayed by Ijichi-sensei’s words and returned to my old workplace.

“Huh?”

Sumire-san hugged me.

“I was also worried that Youichi-san might still have feelings for that person in his heart.”