All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

Reishu Hisada would never forget that afternoon ten years ago.

That afternoon, he and his former girlfriend—now his wife—made an incredibly brave decision.

Compared to their carefree classmates who were enjoying their final year of college, Reishu and his girlfriend Mari, who were studying at a university in Kumamoto, Kyushu, had a far less relaxed experience. In fact, they looked more like weary office workers already immersed in the grind of adult life, faces full of worry.

Neither of them wanted to graduate and then stand in long lines to interview for jobs, competing for a chance to work for some company. They also didn’t want their future lives to be ruled by endless overtime in the soul-crushing 996 work culture.

They absolutely didn’t want to spend each night walking side by side down the street with tired bodies, looking for a cramped seat on the last train home. They didn’t want to be too drained to cook, forced to settle for a discounted convenience store meal just to fill their stomachs.

They didn’t want to face baseless scolding from their bosses every day at work, only to respond with forced smiles and submissive bows.

Reishu wanted to give Mari—and their future children—a happy life.

Neither of them wanted the stress of work to rob them of even something as small as a day spent playing with their child.

Fueled by frustration and determination, Reishu and Mari chose to lay the groundwork while still in college. They decided to start their own business and become their own bosses.

Their families weren’t wealthy. In fact, Reishu still had student loans to pay off when he graduated.

The small bubble tea shop they first opened near the university gate was funded through a patchwork of part-time earnings and borrowed money from friends. Rent, renovations, ingredients, equipment, uniforms—all of it came from their blood, sweat, and tears.

After all their efforts, the shop finally opened... only for an earthquake to hit Japan.

Though both of them were physically safe, their newly finished bubble tea shop was reduced to rubble. Their hard work, shattered into scattered fragments.

Even if the shop had survived, who would be coming to buy bubble tea after an earthquake? They couldn’t get a single customer in a day.

And then came even worse news: Mari’s mother was diagnosed with cancer and hospitalized.

Along came the thick stack of medical bills, and the doctor’s grim prognosis—her life was entering a countdown.

They hadn’t even stepped out of the university’s ivory tower, and already, life had hit them from every direction. If not for their inner strength, there might have been headlines in the newspaper about a young couple who took their lives in the rubble of a ruined shop.

But they refused to give in to despair. So, that afternoon, they made a bold, impulsive decision—one that truly changed their lives.

In Kumamoto, there was a family described by many as a dragon king entrenched in Japan’s food industry.

During the worst years of Japan’s economy, this family had managed to dominate the entire food sector.

They were the Hishinaga family.

The Hishinaga family head, Ryu Hishinaga, was known to take walks every day in the park near Kumamoto University.

Facing bankruptcy and Mari’s urgent need for medical treatment, Reishu and Mari decided to take a gamble—could they meet Ryu Hishinaga in person? Could they win investment from the Hishinaga family?

As long as they could get investment, there would be a sliver of hope amidst the despair!

The Hishinaga family had been investing in restaurants for years, though most of their investments had gone to traditional dining establishments—never to a bubble tea shop.

But with the pressure mounting from every direction, Reishu and Mari had no room left to hesitate. They decided to bet everything on this one chance.

If they couldn’t secure an investment—couldn’t get the funding—they wouldn’t stand a chance. No timing, no location, no support. They’d have no choice but to face closure.

There were many rumors about Ryu Hishinaga. Some said he was swift and ruthless, others that he had a keen eye, able to instantly tell whether a restaurant had a future—and would invest accordingly.

In both business and food industry investment, Ryu Hishinaga was like an undefeated general.

Reishu and Mari had very little confidence that they could actually get an investment from him. After all, countless entrepreneurs had tried to win over the Hishinaga family, but very few had succeeded.

Even if the hope was faint, in the face of such overwhelming despair, even a flickering light from a match would make one instinctively reach out and hold it tight.

Reishu and Mari waited anxiously in the park near Kumamoto University for half a month before they finally saw Ryu Hishinaga.

The man’s presence was immense. Even just standing there, his back straight, you could feel the pressure from his very posture. He walked calmly through the park with firm steps, his arms seemingly carrying something. He looked like a retiree enjoying his golden years—but the aura he gave off made it impossible to mistake him for an ordinary old man.

Reishu gritted his teeth and jogged forward. ”M-Mr. Hishinaga, may I have a moment of your time?”

Ryu Hishinaga turned slowly upon hearing his name, gazing at the two young people before him.

Only then did Reishu and Mari realize—he wasn’t carrying something in his arms, but someone: a little girl with snow-white short hair and a soft, pretty face.

Being interrupted during his walk with his beloved granddaughter clearly displeased Ryu Hishinaga. He frowned slightly, his voice cold and distant, laced with an underlying sharpness:

”A moment of my time? I despise people who waste my time for no reason.”

Just one glance from him was enough to make Reishu and Mari feel a crushing pressure. Still, they summoned their courage and bowed deeply.

”We’ve recently opened a bubble tea shop, but due to the earthquake, we’re on the verge of closing... I know you’re not a charity, but please, give us just a few minutes of your time. We’re hoping to earn your investment!”

”Mr. Hishinaga, we’re begging you—please give us a chance!”

Ryu Hishinaga simply looked at them without emotion. He’d met plenty of people asking for investment.

If they wanted his support, they had to promise returns. He wasn’t some benevolent soul helping people chase their dreams.

Just as he was about to turn them down—

”Ah-wah-wah-wah—!”

The little girl in his arms, still too young to speak, caught a whiff of something. Her tiny nose twitched as she spotted the box in Mari’s hands. Her chubby finger pointed at it with an eager cry.

Inside the box were the signature milk tea and desserts from their shop. Of course, they had brought their best products to impress a potential investor.

Most women have a maternal instinct that gradually develops over time. And even under so much stress, when Mari saw the adorable round face of little Kotomi, she couldn’t help but smile softly.

She carefully took one small cake from the box—originally meant for Ryu Hishinaga to sample—and gently extended it toward the girl.

”Would you like to eat this, little one?”

”Ah-wah-wah-wah!!” Little Kotomi’s cute face was practically shouting I want to eat that! At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if she suddenly started speaking full sentences.

Ryu Hishinaga let out a small cough, and instantly, bodyguards appeared from the shadows. After inspecting the cake for poison or danger, they finally let little Kotomi take it into her chubby hands.

Little Kotomi didn’t hold back at all, burying her face in the cake, completely immersed in the sweetness.

As Kotomi ate, Ryu Hishinaga lifted his gaze and glanced at the couple.

”You have five minutes.”

”Yes! Thank you very much!”

Ryu Hishinaga’s response meant there was still a chance. Reishu’s face lit up with hope, and he quickly began to explain their plan to start with a bubble tea shop and gradually build a branded tea beverage business.

The plan was very detailed, and if executed step by step, it indeed had high potential to develop into a widely recognized tea brand. Even Ryu Hishinaga found himself nodding slightly, inwardly impressed.

For two university students to come up with such a comprehensive branding strategy—it was impressive.

From their presentation, he could tell that these two students, clearly talented in business and entrepreneurship, were now facing failure not due to incompetence, but due to bad timing.

They had no background or connections. And just as they were starting out, they got hit by an earthquake. Not a single customer all day.

After listening to Reishu’s explanation and their vision for the tea brand, Ryu Hishinaga handed over two business cards and an envelope. Before turning to leave, he said:

”Go home and prepare properly. Once you’re ready, use this card to come find me at the Hishinaga family. Then we can have a proper discussion about the tea market’s future.”

Then, he turned to Mari and added, ”There’s not much in that envelope, but it should cover your mother’s medical expenses for the next three months.”

Stunned by the sudden turn of events and the cards in their hands, Reishu and Mari stood frozen for five minutes before finally bowing deeply and exclaiming with joy:

”Yes! Thank you so much!”

Reishu and Mari truly had talent for business. Within a month, after presenting a refined breakdown of the tea market and their startup plan, Ryu Hishinaga granted them their first investment.

That investment allowed their shop to survive its most difficult days, rise from the ashes, and get back on track.

The money Ryu Hishinaga gave upfront also let Mari’s mother receive timely medical care. Unfortunately, she still passed away in her hospital bed...

Reishu’s bubble tea business grew stronger. One year after their graduation, Ryu Hishinaga followed up with a second investment.

This time, it was a whopping 1.7 billion yen.

”Your goal is simple: to become Japan’s number one tea brand.”

That was the objective Ryu Hishinaga set as their investor.

After Reishu and Mari married, Mari stepped away from the company to focus on being a homemaker and raising their children, becoming a supportive and devoted wife.

Meanwhile, Reishu spent eight years advancing steadily, step by step, to fulfill the goal Ryu Hishinaga had given him.

Today, while new tea brands continue to pop up like mushrooms after the rain—flashing across the market like meteors, only to quickly vanish—only one brand has remained unshaken at the top: Snow Deer City.

Whether it was someone trying bubble tea for the first time or a regular customer who bought drinks weekly, whenever people craved something sweet, the first name they thought of was always Snow Deer City—with its affordable prices and that catchy, brain-sticking jingle.

Their fate had truly changed.

Even now, as the president and vice president of a tea company worth over 10 billion yen, the Hisada couple never forgot the kindness Ryu Hishinaga had shown them. They had kept in close contact over the years.

Naturally, they also remembered Kotomi Izumi and Aimi Izumi very clearly.

Looking back, if little Kotomi hadn’t been tempted by cake, they might not have even gotten those few precious minutes to plead their case before Ryu Hishinaga.

The Izumi and Hishinaga families had always cherished Kotomi and Aimi dearly, holding them in the palms of their hands.

Among both families, many loved to call Kotomi the little princess. Her beauty had already blossomed when she was just a child—standing there like a princess from a fairytale, radiant and breathtaking.

Aimi was no different. But when others referred to both her and her sister as little princesses, Aimi strongly objected, shouting: ”I don’t want to be a princess! I want to be the little prince who marries Kotomi!”

Of course, when Aimi said that, the adults just laughed it off as childish nonsense.

Her grandmother even teased her, smiling: ”Alright, little Aimi. Grandma will back you up. When you two grow up, I’ll host your wedding with little Kotomi!”

When Aimi heard that, she grinned from ear to ear for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, little Kotomi was too focused on her snacks to hear a word of what Aimi and Grandma were saying.

”Little Princess, it’s been a while. I never thought I’d run into you in Kyoto,” Reishu Hisada quickly stepped forward to greet Kotomi.

To the Hisada couple, Kotomi was no less of a benefactor than Ryu Hishinaga himself.

It’s no exaggeration to say—without Kotomi, there would be no Snow Deer City today.

”Uncle Reishu? You’re here for the art exhibit too?”

”Something like that. Ever since Jasmine heard about it, she’s been insisting on coming. I didn’t expect to see you here. Did you come to Kyoto alone? What about Mr. Izumi and the others?” Reishu asked curiously.

”I got lucky and had one of my paintings selected for the first National Art Exhibition. I’m here today to visit the gallery. It’s such a surreal feeling—to see my own work displayed in a formal exhibition,” Kotomi replied with a bright smile.

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