Tech Hero in Another World
Chapter 122: [121] Kiriya’s past (2)

Chapter 122: [121] Kiriya’s past (2)

The following year, Kiriya found Ren sitting in the park, looking downcast—a rare sight, considering how Ren always carried an endless spark of energy.

Ren stared blankly at the blanket of fallen leaves rustling in the autumn breeze. The light in his eyes, normally so alive, had dimmed. He looked... heavy. A feeling not often seen on the face of someone usually bursting with wild ideas and tireless enthusiasm. Kiriya, watching from the swing beside him, let out a soft sigh before breaking the silence.

"Hey, it’s not like you to be like this. Something wrong?" he asked gently, half out of concern, half out of a desire to be there for his friend.

Ren took a long breath, then leaned forward slightly, as if trying to shrink into the wind’s chill. "Haah, yeah... I had a fight with my dad," he said quietly.

Kiriya blinked in surprise but held back from jumping to conclusions. He knew Ren’s family dynamics were... different. He simply nodded, giving Ren space to continue.

"Why?" Kiriya asked after several seconds of stillness.

"Huh?" Ren turned to him, unsure whether to share the wound. But eventually, he exhaled again. "You heard right... My dad works at JAXA. He used to be a university lecturer, but in the past few years..." His eyes fixated on the shedding trees above—an early sign of fall in the city park.

Kiriya was stunned, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Hey, if it’s adult stuff, maybe we—" he began, before Ren cut him off.

"Shouldn’t get involved? Yeah, I agree. Adults have their own problems—but the worst part is when they take it out on us." Ren’s voice was heavy. Not because of a dramatic event, but because of love, expectations, and burdens too large for such young shoulders.

"What did he do to you?" Kiriya asked, softly but firmly.

"He didn’t do anything," Ren shook his head quickly. "But I can see it in his eyes—he’s afraid." The air shifted in that moment—not just sorrow, but the weight of something sacred being strained. The gaze of a father... the most sacred thing in a household.

"Afraid? Of who?" Kiriya asked, voice completely non-judgmental—though his heart ached to understand more. Ren swallowed hard, lowered his gaze, and finally spoke.

"I..." he paused, his voice small, as if even naming it gave it power.

Kiriya bit his lip, trying to understand the mind of a friend who often thought more like a grown scientist than an eleven-year-old boy. He remembered how Ren was constantly surrounded by praise and accolades—as a science prodigy, a gadget creator, top of the class—yet all that made many of his peers feel lesser.

Ren had been called weird, kept at arm’s length for being too smart. And the most painful realization? That fear had seeped into his own home—his parents, once proud, now quietly losing confidence... in the shadow of their own son’s brilliance.

Kiriya let out a long breath. "I don’t really know what to say... But, what if you made a mistake?" he asked softly.

Ren blinked. "A mistake?" he echoed.

"Yeah," Kiriya said. "You seem perfect to everyone. Perfect grades, perfect skills, you even talk like an adult. No other eleven-year-old is like that." He stared out into the space between them, then turned to Ren. "I... I just want you to know that being perfect isn’t always a burden. But sometimes, it’s too much."

Ren gave a faint smile, a little light returning to his eyes. "And no other eleven-year-old gives advice like that," he said.

Kiriya smiled shyly, then reached over and gently patted his friend’s shoulder. "Come on," he said quietly. "It’s because of you that I can even think like this."

At those words, Ren lowered his head for a moment, then looked up at Kiriya with a small but grateful smile. In the chaos of his restless, gifted mind, his friend had always been the anchor. Under the fading glow of the sunset, in that little city park, the two boys stood tall once again—ready to carry the weight of growing up together.

---

A week later, Kiriya stepped into his favorite mini-mart—a familiar step into the buzz of a Sunday afternoon. It was almost ritual. In the corner, he spotted Ren sitting casually on a plastic chair, quietly enjoying a plate of bright-colored sweets.

"Yo, I haven’t seen you all week," he called out cheerfully, his voice cutting through the calm of the small store.

Ren looked up and offered a faint smile. He swallowed his mouthful with soft composure, then let out a long breath before replying in a quiet but steady tone. "Kiriya... Yeah, I’ve been kind of busy with stuff at home." His gaze drifted out the glass window, watching cars pass by. There was weariness in his expression, but also peace—like the storm had already passed.

Kiriya approached and sat beside him, pulling over an empty chair. "Hey, what happened?" he asked with concern, brows furrowing slightly—a sign of quiet empathy. He knew his friend wasn’t the type to look drained unless something serious was going on.

Ren sipped some water from a plastic cup, then shook his head. For a moment, silence. Then he spoke, stepping gently into the heart of what he had to say. "Well... like you suggested, I tried making a ’mistake’ in the lab." His voice was calm, but laced with the restrained embarrassment of someone trying to admit something personal. "And... it exploded—just a small blast, but it caused a bit of a fire and woke the whole house."

Kiriya swallowed, unable to hide his expression. "Oh..." he muttered, concern in his voice. "That sounds... bad."

Ren shrugged, exhaling slowly. "Bad? Not as bad as you’d think—but my mom totally flipped. She scolded me for hours. My dad... he just asked what I was working on." Again, his eyes drifted into memory. "I told him I was revising one of his old journals—he laughed, said that was great, and that made my mom even angrier. She didn’t stop yelling the entire night."

Kiriya tilted his head, watching him with sympathy. "And... then what?"

Ren gave a soft smile, his eyes reflecting a trace of emotion. "Then... the best part happened—we were okay. My dad smiled at breakfast. He started talking about his old experiments again, just like before. And... this week, we’re getting a special little visitor at home."

Kiriya’s eyebrows shot up. "Huh!?" he blurted, loud and full of joy. "You’re getting a little sibling!?"

Ren nodded lightly, a note of calm in his voice. "Looks like it. It’s been a long week for me. And Mom said—no more labs near the house. At all."

Kiriya stared at him, his chest swelling with happiness and relief for his friend. "Eeh?... That’s great news—for you, and... your lab."

Ren set down his plate of sweets and looked at Kiriya, his eyes suddenly glowing with a new spark. "I’m thinking of moving my lab to that empty mansion on the edge of town," he said quietly. "It’s not just any house—but I need more space for my experiments. Somewhere I won’t be interrupted."

Kiriya’s face shifted, unsure. "Wait, are you serious? A mansion? And you think you can afford that on your own?"

Ren shrugged again, his smile unreadable. "Money? Don’t worry. I’ve been doubling my allowance through the internet—trading both physical and digital. Same as my automation experiments." His eyes lit up when talking about things other than science for once.

Kiriya stared blankly, reprocessing Ren’s capabilities. "Ah yeah... I get it," he said flatly, masking his shock. "But a mansion? That’s like... adult-level stuff. You’re still a kid, you know?"

Ren took another sip of water, his throat moving slightly. "Yeah—I’m frustrated. Not just about space, but about freedom to experiment. My house is becoming a problem—my dad’s starting to get suspicious, and the shed’s off-limits now." He sighed deeply. "That mansion’s big. It’s been empty for years. And I’m figuring out a way to get it."

Kiriya clenched his fist, trying to understand. "So... you need help? From my dad?" he asked, voice low but warm.

Ren locked eyes with him. "I don’t want to worry our parents. If yours gets concerned, my project’s done. So... I want your help—not directly, but as a bridge. I’m thinking maybe your dad could be my contract partner. He knows how to handle these things—he’s smart with paperwork and legal stuff."

Kiriya’s eyes widened. "My dad? Partner with you? Ren, we’re kids! How can you expect him to agree to something like this?"

Ren smiled confidently, then outlined his plan. "Your dad knows real estate and legal procedures. I’m talking long-term lease. We’ll put down an initial deposit, then fix a rental agreement—I promise to handle all the operational costs. You know how good I am at multiplying money... So please, help me."

"Haah, Ren... I don’t even know how to convince him..." Kiriya sighed.

Ren leaned back in the mini-mart chair, that confident smile never fading. He looked straight at Kiriya—with the eyes of a young scientist who had already run every calculation in his head.

"Just tell him your genius friend needs a hand," Ren said casually, but his words carried a weight of unshakable conviction. "Your dad will understand—especially after hearing the numbers."

Kiriya frowned—until Ren whispered the figure into his ear.

"EH!? Are you serious!? That much!?" he blurted, almost choking on his gum.

Ren simply nodded. "Yup. Consider it a gesture of gratitude for helping save my future—and the future of technology, of course."

Kiriya shook his head, caught somewhere between awe and panic. "That’s way too much, Ren... And also, you’re insane. You’ve got that kind of money?"

Ren let out a small laugh, as if money was just a tool in the sandbox of his ideas. "Yeah, it all started just to buy materials. But now? I can get more, and sharing it’s no big deal—as long as the goal is clear."

Kiriya sighed. "You really are... a kind-hearted monster." He looked into his friend’s eyes for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright. I’ll try talking to my dad."