Chapter 229 The Healing Power Of Love

Liverpool Bookstore, Sakura City.

Uda Tomiji looked at the book in his hands with shining eyes.

He was even more excited than when he got his [Naruto] volume!

It could not be helped, the synopsis of this book [Tree of Joy] said that the novel was a collection of the day-to-day life inside an orphanage.

Uda's childhood and teenage years were lived inside the Green Kite Orphanage, so when he saw this synopsis, he could not help but get excited.

He never read a book about the day-to-day life inside an orphanage, and with this life history, he wanted to read it as soon as possible!

"I will take this one too." He said to the clerk beside him.

"Great! Can I help you with anything else?" Karen asked with a professional voice.

"Can you show me where I can pay?" Uda asked with an avid face.

He wanted to pay for the books and start reading this book which incited his curiosity.

A while later, Uda paid for the mangas and novels and exited the bookstore.

He called a cab and gave the address of the bank where he worked to the driver.

He could take the subway or the bus, but he wanted somewhere quiet where he could head the novel.

So, as the taxi driver drove the car through the streets of Sakura City, Uda was in the backseat reading the [Tree of Joy] novel.

And as soon as he started reading, he forgot where he was and who he was.

It seemed that he was inside the orphanage being described in the book.

And his history of living in an orphanage contributed to deepening his immersion.

The first tale was intriguing and funny.

He laughed as he read some parts and when he finished the tale, he wanted to read the next!

It could not be helped, he remembered some of his past as he read the tale which made him like the story even more.

But as he moved his hand to flip the page so that he could read the next tale, he heard the taxi driver saying that they had arrived.

Uda thanked the driver and paid the fare before he got out of the car.

He entered the bank through the employees' entrance and arrived in the lounge reserved for the employees.

He still had some time before his shift, so he started reading the novel again.

It was only when he saw that he had to worry to get to his station that he put aside the novel.

Throughout the rest of the day, Uda worked without any problems, but his mind was obsessed with the thought of finishing the [Tree of Joy] novel.

But he did not dare to slack on his work.

It was due to his work ethic and perseverance that he was able to get such a good job, so he was unwilling to slack in his work.

Even if the only thing he wanted during all his shift was to take the novel from his bag and start reading it.

During his lunchtime, he got some snacks from the vending machine and started reading the novel again.

He was too engrossed in the novel to care about buying a better meal.

But even when lunchtime was over, he had not finished reading, so he was forced to keep it in his bag as he went back to work.

Uda worked professionally as he did every day, but only he knew that his mind was in the book inside his bag.

When his shift ended later that day, he heaved a sigh of relief.

He looked at the waning light in the skies and thought, 'I could visit the orphanage today. I can have dinner with them.'?

He often went to the orphanage to play with the kids or just share a meal with them.

Because he did not have any other family, he treated the matron, the caretakers, and the children as his family.

So, it was no surprise for him to visit them.

Actually, most of the people who grew up in the orphanage were like that.

Their only family was in the orphanage.

Uda took this decision after thinking for a while, so he walked toward the subway station near the bank where he worked.

Because it was rush time, Uda could not read the novel as the subway moved through the underground tunnels.

But he did not care much because after reading some tales in the novel, Uda was missing the orphanage and his family.

The novel evoked a feeling in him that made him want to spend time with the children and the caretakers.

Sometime later, Uda exited the subway and the station and walked toward the orphanage nearby.

He arrived in front of a building with gothic architecture.

The gates of the building were closed and no one could enter.

But that was normal, after all, there were defenseless kids there and if there was a maniac, these gates could protect them.

Uda rang the doorbell and waited.

10 seconds later, the intercom lit up and an aged voice sounded from it.

"Who is it?" The voice said.

"Aunt Jackie, it's me, Uda." He said with a smile on his face.

"Humph, if it is not the ingrate who had not visited us in two weeks." Aunt Jackie snorted grumpily as she opened the gate for him.

Uda smiled when he heard her words and quickly entered the building and closed the gate behind him.

Uda walked into the building and saw a middle-aged lady seated at the front counter of the building.

She was Aunt Jackie, she was responsible for the security and entrance of the orphanage.

Uda knew that although she was grumpy, she had the sweetest heart of them all.

She loved the kids in the orphanage with all her heart and she took the task of securing the building very seriously.

When she saw Uda entering, she snorted and turned her face away.

Uda laughed when he saw her behavior before he ran into her and hugged her.

He kissed her on her cheek and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Jackie!" He exclaimed.

Although Aunt Jackie did not want to give in, a smile could not help but creep into her lips.

She was the perfect example of a tsundere person.

And her weak spot was the kids in the orphanage and the kids she saw growing up.

Aunt Jackie saw Uda growing up, so she naturally saw him as her kid.

But her tsundere personality would not allow her to say it.

,m But Uda knew that his Aunt Jackie was like that, so he just smiled as he saw her behavior.

"You brat! You better go to the kitchen and help the girls prepare dinner." She berated suddenly.

Uda laughed and obeyed his aunt.

He left the front desk and walked toward the kitchen, he would see Aunt Jackie at dinnertime.

As he walked through the corridors, he saw some caretakers and teenagers walking around.

Uda greeted everyone with a wide smile on his face.

It was only when he was at the orphanage that he truly felt at home.

The smell of the furniture, the sound of children playing, the vision of so many mother figures that saw him grow up, and many other features made this place, his favorite place in the world.

It is an odd thing to find oneself an orphan with living parents, all bonds broken. It happens more often than people realize.

Everyone needs that unconditional love and advice that comes from a place of love.

And it was this love that every child and teenager living in this orphanage received.

Even though they lost everything, each one of them found love to fill their broke and empty hearts.

The love to make them feel loved again.

The power to heal.