The Birth of A Volleyball Legend

After a brief explanation, Yuki figured out that Arina Sugawara's father was an important person who held a high position in the government, and with just one call from him, all of the orphanage's problems would be solved instantly. As for the problems they discussed, of course, it was about money.

Even though he didn't know how Arina Sugawara knew this, after living in the orphanage for almost half a year, Yuki felt how tight the daily budget was for Aiko and the orphanage. Sometimes, there was barely enough for food, leaving them without room to maneuver if something urgent suddenly happened. This situation arose because their request to receive funds from the government hadn't been approved yet. This orphanage was just one of many that had to survive on their own due to complicated bureaucracy.

If Arina Sugawara's father could indeed expedite the process until they finally received the funds, it wasn't difficult for Yuki to guess how big a help that would be for the orphanage. Not only would the constant funding ease Aiko's work, but it would also allow her to repair the building, which had started to deteriorate.

However, there was one thing that Yuki still couldn't comprehend.

"If your father is in such a high position, why didn't you ask for his help when you were in the middle of the muddy situation a few weeks ago, Senpai?" he asked curiously. Kato nodded in agreement, finding it odd as well.

Arina Sugawara went silent for a second before she sighed and asked, "Do you want a formal answer or an honest one?"

At first, Yuki was confused about the difference between the two. However, it didn't take long for him to realize that the formal version was what politicians or celebrities would use to address the surface of an issue without going too deep, while also maintaining their image as good people in front of the public. This meant that while she could be honest in her formal answer, there was likely something she was hiding.

"What would your formal answer be?" Yuki asked curiously.

"Well, I don't want my father to always help me in every step I take. I want to stand on my own and be my own person without any external help from him, and my father also agrees with this," she said in one breath.

Yuki nodded in approval at her answer. It was brief and highlighted her determination to stand on her own, along with her father's supportive nature, while also avoiding the main question—a typical politician's answer. "So, what's the honest answer?" he asked.

Arina Sugawara sighed for a moment before saying, "It's not that he didn't want to help, but he couldn't. Papa's hands are tied, after all."

"Tied?" Yuki furrowed his brows.

"Yes, tied." Arina Sugawara nodded in confirmation. "Like it or not, my papa is a public figure with a high position in the government right now, and in his attempt to climb to this position, there's no way he didn't make an enemy or two along the way. Once someone hears that he used his position to help me solve the orphanage's funding problem, it would look like abuse of power and nepotism. I'm sure those enemies would jump on it immediately, like sharks smelling blood."

That was not the answer Yuki expected, yet he could see why Arina Sugawara's father restrained himself from intervening too much in the internal conflicts at Tsunemori High.

"Senpai…" Kato suddenly chimed in, looking hesitant. "Your father has never done anything bad or illegal, right?"

Both Yuki and Arina Sugawara were stunned by the sudden question, and the latter immediately denied the accusation. "Of course not! What are you talking about, Kato-chan?" she said, a little offended.

"Well, you can't blame her for thinking that way. After all, it's hard to believe a politician can rise without doing something shady," Yuki defended his friend quickly.

"Wow, you sure have a pessimistic view of our government, Kobayashi-kun," her words were laced with a sarcastic tone that was rarely heard from Arina Sugawara. Explore hidden tales at empire

"Well, I just say what I'm thinking," Yuki shrugged.

For a moment, tension brewed as the three of them had a brief staring contest. After a while, Arina Sugawara finally sighed and said, "If it's something in the gray area, then yes, my papa has done that several times. But in terms of something borderline illegal, I swear he has never done that in his life; otherwise, we would have trouble maintaining his public image. It's not easy to cover up one's mistakes from the public, especially when being a politician requires constant scrutiny."

Her explanation was enough to ease the tension, as Kato and Yuki released deep breaths they had not even realized they were holding. Not that they would stop being friends with her, of course, but it would be hard to support her knowing that her father had done something illegal in the past.

"Well, while it's an interesting proposition, I can't decide that on my own," Yuki finally spoke. "You know that the head of the orphanage is Aiko-obaasan, not me, right?" He raised one eyebrow playfully.

"O-Of course I know!" Arina Sugawara said. However, from the sight of her reddened face, Yuki could guess that she had forgotten about that. "I just wanted to tell you about the idea first before I could talk to her!"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Yuki knew full well that it was just an excuse. Still, he didn't call her out on it as he rose from his seat and said, "If you say so, what are you waiting for? Let's talk to Obaasan!"

-0-

"… So, what do you think, Aiko-san?" Arina Sugawara asked while fidgeting with her fingers to hide her nervousness.

In the end, it took fifteen minutes for her to explain the help her family offered to the orphanage, including what they could do, why, and how. Aiko wasn't foolish enough to make an immediate decision, though. She pondered over Arina's words for a few minutes before finally asking, "I'm sorry, Sugawara-san, but what kind of authority do you have over your father's decision?"

"Eh?" Not only Arina Sugawara but also Yuki and Kato were taken aback, having not considered the problem from that point of view.

"I mean, we can talk all day about your father's help for the orphanage, and I would really appreciate it if what you mentioned before could be realized for us. However, if I want to use your father's position to help us, shouldn't I talk to him directly at some point, and not just through you?"

Yuki and Kato stared at each other and facepalmed. Aiko was right. No matter how many promises Arina Sugawara made about helping the orphanage, it ultimately had to be done in her father's name. Of course, Aiko would question her authority first. When the older woman looked at Arina Sugawara, who seemed lost, she sighed for a moment before giving a suggestion.

"How about I invite you and your father here first so we can talk about this further? That way, you won't have to be the middleman between us, and he can see our problems directly and decide what kind of help he wants to offer. Would that be the best approach?"