ALL NOVEL Chapter 598: Who will be crowned?
Chapter 598: Who will be crowned?
Cameramen and reporters lined up in front of the entrance. Although the event was still to start, they had to arrive early to set up the equipment.
So, right now, they were working earnestly.
With the sun on the verge of setting, the sky had transformed into a tapestry of fading light and deepening colors. Hues of orange, pink, and purple stretched across the horizon.
Working diligently, the reporters were eager to capture the event that was about to begin.
Among them was a rather young-looking man. With all the work he had put into setting up the equipment, he appeared rather dirty.
"Ken, are you done?"
The young man named Ken had just finished setting the lights. He had just graduated high school and worked for an event company.
Ken's rugged hair fluttered with the gentle breeze, dancing freely like the blades of grass against the wind.
Wiping the jewel-bead-like sweat from his forehead, he turned around. Before him stood a familiar figure with a flat cap.
"Yeah, almost done, Miyagi-san," he said.
Miyagi, a middle-aged man with a rather distinct appearance had a single large mole beneath his left eye.
Miyagi looked at Ken with a smile and said gruffly, "Others will handle the rest. Let's head out to eat something first."
Ken, naturally was hesitant about the offer. But he was aware of the personality of the man before him. In the company he worked for, Miyagi was a respected senior.
And he often looked out for him. Right now, even if he were to reject the offer, Miyagi would probably drag him with him.
So, he couldn't refute it even if he wanted to.
Nodding his head, he dusted his clothes and walked to Miyagi. The two then headed to a restaurant nearby. It was a local restaurant without anything fancy.
The food was cheap and the place was bustling with the chatters of the men in black with briefcases. After a long strenuous day at work, these salarymen often gathered in such places to talk about their day and relieve the stress.
Accompanied by cheap alcohol and cheap food, they chatted with their colleagues. It was one of the few moments in their life that provided them a moment of respite.
The restaurant was dimly lit in yellow. Steam oozed out of the kitchen and the hot food on the table. The place was also covered in a sparse layer of smoke, mostly from the cigarette.
Ken and Miyagi quickly found a table in the corner.
Shortly after they arrived, a waiter arrived to take their order.
"I'll have some grilled chicken and Yakisoba. What about you, Ken?"
Ken looked at the menu and immediately picked a dish, "I'll have a bowl of Yakisoba and some croquettes."
Confirming the order, the waiter said, "A plate full of grilled chicken, two bowls of Yakisoba, and a plate of croquettes. Anything else, sir?"
"Oh, yeah. Can I also have a bottle of alcohol?" Miyagi said.
Ken, however, frowned upon hearing the order. Then he furrowed his brow as he complained, "Miyagi-san, we still have work to do."
He was reminding Miyagi that they hadn't finished their job and they'd have to return to their post almost immediately after eating.
Miyagi, let out a hearty laugh, "Hahaha..., don't worry I can handle this much. Don't you know me?"
Even so, Ken squinched his eyes and looked at him with eyes full of disapproval.
Succumbing to the gaze of Ken, Miyagi quickly changed the order, "Excuse me. Can I only have a glass full of alcohol instead?"
The waiter nodded. Then he proceeded to the kitchen.
"You should control your drinking habit, Miyagi-san," Ken said concernedly.
Miyagi let out a hearty laugh, "Hahaha... Don't worry. I'm gonna be fine."
If it weren't for the admiration he had for Miyagi, Ken wouldn't even have bothered. But since he admired the man before him, he naturally cared for him.
Having run from the house, Miyagi was like a father figure to him. From the moment he had joined the company, Miyagi had treated him more like a son than a coworker.
So, he has grown attached to this man with tanned skin that had been tanned working under the sun for a long time and a rather withered face and hands full of callouses from the hard work he had endured.
The line of work they were involved in often required them to carry heavy equipment. But Miyagi always looked out for people like him who couldn't handle those heavy equipment.
Not only that he also treated them to dinner and lunch.
Although he had a rather nasty habit of drinking, he was a faithful husband and a loving father. He was in his late thirties, married, and had a son about 8 years old.
"Ken, who do you think would win the MVP award this year?" Miyagi asked.
Their order had already arrived and the two were slurping on their food. Suddenly, however,
Miyagi brought up the topic of the event they were handling that evening.
Ken thought for a while before answering, "I think it will go to Yuya Osako. He won the award the previous year too. So, it wouldn't surprise me if he wins again."
"Oh!," Miyagi felt intrigued. "But why not Hiro?" he followed with a question.
"You know it too. The people of the association won't make it happen. They're too old- fashioned. They'll probably think that giving him the award would lower their reputation or something," Ken answered then proceeded to gulp the leftover soup in the bowl.
Miyagi couldn't refute the words spoken by Ken, "Exactly. That's precisely why we still lag. Although traditional thinking has solidified our foundation we fail to evolve forward. Sigh... If only our system could evolve..."
Upon hearing him, Ken couldn't help but dazedly stare at him.
Noticing Ken's stare, Miyagi asked, "Did I say something weird?"
Ken said with a solemn expression, "No. I just didn't think that you could think such
progressively."
Once again, Miyagi let out a hearty laugh, "Hahaha. But even so, I think that Hiro will win
tonight."
Ken, however, couldn't bring himself to agree. So, he refused, "No chance."
Letting out a wry smile, Miyagi said, "Then want to make a bet?"