RPAGF Chapter 389 High-Ranking Naoto
Chapter 389 High-Ranking Naoto
The old school building of Sheng Hua College is not far from the cafeteria, with a semi-open corridor in between. People occasionally pass by during lunch break, but it is not as crowded as the main building.
When Reiko reached the small platform at the end of the corridor, she saw a boy standing there in the distance.
The other person was wearing the uniform of the senior division of Shenghua Academy, had a slender figure, and had neatly styled hair.
Reiko stopped in her tracks, and after recognizing who it was, the expression on her face quickly faded.
She turned and left.
"Aesop, since you're here, at least let me finish."
Reiko stopped, but did not turn around immediately.
"I thought that at least my friends would contact me."
The boy walked over from the window, his voice carrying a hint of relaxed laughter.
"That's hurting me. From any perspective, we've known each other for quite a while, haven't we?"
"It's just that you've been spending too much time with Saionji lately, so you probably don't remember other people anymore."
Reiko then turned around.
"High-level Naoto".
When she called out the name, there was no hint of pleasantries in her tone.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Naoto Takashina didn't mind her attitude. He took two steps forward, then stopped at a distance that wasn't too close, as if he didn't want to put too much pressure on her.
"I heard that Saionji is going to apply to the Faculty of Economics at Gakushuin University."
"..."
Reiko did not reply to him.
Naoto Takashina didn't seem to mind and just smiled.
"Are you going to Gakushuin with her too? I remember your entrance exam scores for Tokyo University were pretty good, right? That would be such a shame."
"You don't need to trouble yourself with that."
After finishing her sentence, Reiko prepared to leave again.
Naoto Takashina watched her retreating figure, raising his voice slightly.
"My father has recently heard some unpleasant rumors."
Reiko did not stop immediately.
"Then you should go find your father's secretary, or a journalist from your Qinghe Society."
"Before and after Osawa was taken away, there were several account books of political funds from the Takeshita faction that did not seem to have left their original locations according to formal procedures."
Reiko finally stopped.
The wind blew through the branches outside the covered walkway, and the February sunlight fell on the wooden window frames, still looking quite gentle. Kariko's expression had turned completely cold.
She slowly turned around.
"Are you speaking to me as a classmate, or are you conveying your father's, or the Qinghe Society's, message?"
Naoto Takashina shrugged.
"Of course, today was just a chat among classmates about career paths, wasn't it?"
Reiko looked at him, and after two seconds said, "Then let's just talk about the approach."
Naoto Takashina nodded, seemingly pleased that she was willing to continue listening.
"If Isogawa-san chooses Gakushuin, that's fine. It's just that outsiders will compare your choice with Saionji-san's."
"You should understand that some choices can make it very difficult for your family to turn back."
"Oh?" Reiko's tone softened. "I thought our family's stance was clear enough."
"That's not wise, Aesop."
"Unwise?" Reiko looked at him, as if she had heard a word that was difficult to understand. "You couldn't possibly not know about the alliance between Seibu and Saionji, could you?"
Naoto Takashina's expression finally changed slightly.
This matter has been discussed in Tokyo's business circles and in Nagata-cho for the past few days.
The fact that Seibu Group bowed its head and Yoshiaki Tsutsumi voluntarily gave up the commercial and hotel facilities inside the railway station and the entrance to the stadium area speaks volumes.
Within the Seiwakai, they might still argue that the Saionji family expanded too quickly and that the Kaibu government was too deeply influenced by them. But once a behemoth like the Seibu chooses to bow down, everyone will have to recalculate the weight of the Saionji name.
Naoto Takashina quickly suppressed his anger.
That doesn't prove anything.
Reiko looked at him with an almost incredulous expression.
"The Naoto Takagashira I know wouldn't be so blind as to miss something like this."
Naoto Takashina remained silent.
Reiko took a step forward.
"The Seibu has already bowed down. Naoto Takagata, it's you who need to face reality."
"Or are you trying to embarrass the Kaibu Cabinet?"
This sentence caused the air between the two to freeze for a moment.
Naoto Takashina stared directly into Reiko's eyes for a long while before speaking.
"I think you've misunderstood something, Isogawa-kun. What's happening now has nothing to do with the Saionji family; what matters is you, and those account books."
Reiko sneered.
"Has nothing to do with the Saionji family?"
"At least the Qinghe Association is now discussing how the Isogawa family completed the separation and how they moved into the Prime Minister's residence. After Mr. Osawa's incident, some members of the old faction disappeared too quickly, and some support groups also went quiet too quickly."
"Some people outside said that Mr. Isogawa handed over the political funds flow of the old Takeshita faction, the list of donations to the construction industry, and several accounting records of the support association to the Kaifu official residence. Those materials later became the knife used to purge the Osawa faction, and also the initiation certificate for the Isogawa family to enter the core of the official residence."
Naoto Takashina's tone remained calm, and he didn't even say anything too harsh.
Reiko narrowed her eyes slightly.
This is what the Qinghe Society truly wants to say.
They don't need to prove that the Aesopian family committed any serious crime. Just releasing this information will provide the media with enough nasty headlines.
The Kaifu official residence will be accused of selective purges, the Saionji faction will be accused of using old money as a pretext to take over old money politics, and the Isogawa family will be nailed to the narrative of "betraying their former master in exchange for the official residence position".
These words might not be enough to immediately pull Seiichiro Isogawa down from his official residence.
But it will make many people start to re-examine the Aesop family.
For political families, the most troublesome thing is often not the courts. In court, they can ensure that fairness tilts in their favor to the greatest extent possible, and they can hire the most professional lawyers to argue with the opposing side for a whole year.
However, explaining this kind of thing becomes difficult.
Reiko's fingers gently tightened around the edge of the route survey form.
"so what?"
Naoto Takashina saw her action but didn't point it out.
"Please pass on a message, Aesop. These are things that neither you nor I can decide."
"The Qinghe Society does not require the Isogawa family to oppose anyone, nor does it require you to make any extreme choices immediately. It's just that sometimes, remaining silent is safer than continuing to move forward."
"silence?"
Reiko chewed on the word.
"You want to shut up Grandfather in the official residence."
Naoto Takashina neither admitted nor denied it.
"I'm just saying that many people want the Kaifu Cabinet to return to where it belongs. A cabinet can't always be led by outsiders."
"People outside?" Reiko looked at him. "You mean the Saionji family?"
Naoto Takashina avoided using this name.
"What I'm saying is that politics should be handled by politicians."
This statement sounds very much like what the Qinghe Society would say.
Reiko suddenly found it somewhat amusing.
If it were a few years ago, she might have thought there was some truth to that statement.
Politicians deal with politics, business people deal with business people, bureaucrats deal with bureaucrats, and students in schools only need to think about exams and clubs.
But after seeing so many things with Satsuki, she found it hard to believe in such clean dividing lines anymore.
When Ichiro Osawa fell from grace, were politicians dealing with politics?
When Seibu bowed his head, was the business world only dealing with its own problems?
When her grandfather entered the official residence, was the Isogawa family truly chosen solely because of their political abilities?
Everyone knows the answers to these questions; it's just a matter of who's more willing to put them in a more palatable way.
"Takashina Naoto." Reiko looked at him. "Having students spread such things at school doesn't seem like the decency the Seiwakai usually talks about."
Naoto Takashina's gaze darkened slightly.
"I'm just reminding you that a lot of people are watching Gakushuin."
"Then let them see."
After finishing her sentence, Reiko turned and left.
This time, Naoto Takashina did not call out to her again.
He stood at the end of the corridor, watching Reiko's figure disappear through the boundary between sunlight and shadow, heading back towards the cafeteria.
He glanced down at the courtyard outside the window, his voice so low that only he could hear it.
"Isochuan-kun, do we really have to get to this point?"
……
When Reiko returned to the cafeteria, Satsuki and Ayako had already found seats.
The cafeteria at Seiwa Academy was more spacious than those at ordinary schools, with a row of well-lit seats by the window. Satsuki sat at one of the tables, looking down intently at the menu.
Her expression was very focused; someone who didn't know better might have thought she was reviewing an investment prospectus, except that the menu didn't list project returns and cash flow.
Ayako stood to the side holding a tray, looking somewhat nervous.
"Saionji-kun, if you're not comfortable with this, I can ask someone to help you..."
"No need." Satsuki looked up and said with a smile, "I just want to see what the school cafeteria looks like."
"What would you like to eat?"
"This curry rice looks quite ordinary."
Ayako couldn't immediately tell whether the comment was a positive or negative one.
"The curry rice in the school cafeteria... is really just average."
Satsuki nodded.
"Then this one will do."
Reiko walked over just in time to hear those words. She sat down opposite Satsuki, her expression already back to normal.
Satsuki glanced at her, asked nothing, and simply pushed the menu a little closer.
"Reiko, what would you like to eat?"
Reiko looked at her and paused for half a second.
"Just like you."
Satsuki looked at her and smiled faintly upon hearing this.
"Is that so?"
Ayako didn't notice anything amiss, and just said with a sigh of relief, "Then I'll order the same thing."
"You guys are making me feel like I'm leading everyone astray," Satsuki laughed. "What if it doesn't taste good?"
After Reiko sat down, she placed her textbook and route survey form next to the tray.
The form has been filled out.
The first aspiration column reads "Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Gakushuin University".
Satsuki glanced at it.
"The Faculty of Law, it's a lot like you."
Reiko tucked the form under her textbook, her tone returning to its usual lightheartedness.
"Well, it's easier to understand when adults lie if you study political science."
Ayako wanted to laugh, but then felt that it wasn't appropriate to laugh in the cafeteria, so she lowered her head and tidied her tray.
Satsuki burst out laughing.
"Then you'll be very busy in the future."
Reiko looked at her.
"When have I ever not been busy while following Saionji-kun?"
Satsuki did not answer.
The sounds of students lining up to order food came from the cafeteria window. Some people walked by carrying set meals and desserts, while others were so surprised to see Satsuki sitting in the cafeteria that they almost stopped in their tracks. The cafeteria became more lively than usual because of her presence, yet no one dared to get too close.
Satsuki picked up the spoon and looked down at the curry rice that had just been served.
The cafeteria at Shenghua College is certainly not bad.
The rice was served neatly, the curry sauce was just the right consistency, and the side dishes were beautifully cut. It couldn't compare to the meticulousness of the Saionji main house kitchen, where you could tell at a glance that someone was specifically watching over each step, but it was certainly not a perfunctory lunch for students.
This dining style was quite novel for Satsuki.
I carried my own tray, found my own seat, and was surrounded by classmates. At the next table, people were discussing graduation and university, and in the distance, someone was sneaking a peek while refilling their water bottle.
This is more interesting than the curry rice itself.
She took a bite.
Then he nodded very seriously.
"not bad."
Ayako finally felt a little relieved.
Reiko, who was standing to the side, also put away the form, picked up a spoon, and took a bite.
"It's actually not bad."
Satsuki looked at her with a smile.
"Your tone just now sounded like you were making a political compromise."
Reiko almost choked.
Ayako finally couldn't help but laugh.
The three of them stopped talking about Gakushuin or any political disputes and instead started chatting about various interesting things that happened at school.
At least for now, they are just a few students enjoying curry rice.
There are 30 minutes left in the lunch break.