Chapter 29: about closure and heavy topics
It was a little after the confession.
on a pleasant Sunday afternoon, Sayuki went out to have fun with her friends near the station.
Today, not only Akane and Moe were available, but Miina as well. It was a rare opportunity for all four of them to go out together, so everyone was more excited than usual.
After leaving the karaoke shop, Akane stretched out with a groan.
“Ah, I sang! It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve had fun like this!”
She had recently seemed a bit troubled, but today she was her usual energetic self. A bright smile really suits Akane.
“As expected, you’re good at singing, Sayuki-chan.”
“Really? But I can’t beat Miina.”
With her long history of being a loner, Sayuki also has plenty of experience singing karaoke alone. While she was confident to a certain degree from the practice, she was amazed by Miina’s singing voice, which had a clear quality that was professional-level.
“I like singing too,”
Miina said with a calm expression.
She is also supposed to be a member of Delnkeim, Halvied’s adopted sister, but her true evil princess identity still seems to be unknown to them. Her brother is probably keeping that information from them as well.
“Ngh.”
“Sayuki, is your throat okay?”
“Yes. I just overdid the singing a bit, so it’s tired.”
“I have some cough drops.”
“Thanks, Miina.”
“No problem, nya.”
She occasionally uses that “nya” verbal tic. She probably doesn’t intend to hide it anymore.
She once told,
“I’m on Haru’s side. If he’s satisfied, then that’s what I want, nya.”
In other words, a declaration that she won’t do anything to Halvied’s detriment.
However, she also added, “I think of Sayuki as a dear friend. But I also really like the Leader. So I won’t take an excessive side for either of them, and I’ll act for the sake of both, nya.”
A TV special program about Delnkeim in the past also touched on their Leader, Serrei. It’s unclear if the leader’s really the monstrous being depicted in that illustration. But Miina seems to have a good deal of respect and affection for the leader.
Halvied is also quite devoted towards the Leader. they may have to fight against people like that in the future.
The more they learn about Delnkeim, the more daunting the prospect of fighting them becomes.
But it’s an unavoidable path. On top of that, Sayuki hope we can still go out together like this after the fighting is over.
“Sayuki-chan! Don’t make such a difficult face. You have to take breaks too.”
“That’s right Sayuki-san, let’s have lots of fun today!”
Akane and Moe pulled me out of my sinking thoughts.
Sayuki may try to be the level-headed one of the team, but truthfully, she’s always being helped by everyone.
The problems are piling up. But for today, She’ll have a good time with my beloved friends.
After karaoke, they took a short break and chatted at a cafe called Nil.
“You know, this brand’s new sneakers are super cool.”
“Really? Should we go to the sports store after this then?”
“Can we?”
“Yes. Are you two okay with that, Moe, Miina?”
“Yes!”
“Mm-hmm.”
It seems Akane still likes basketball itself even after injuring her knee and quitting the club, so she regularly goes to sports stores. Since Sayuki also ride road bikes, she often go shopping with her.
“Are you going to join the basketball club in high school, Akane?”
“Hmm, my injury has healed, but I’m really out of practice now.”
“But I saw a story about someone who started playing basketball in high school and made it to the national tournament.”
“Ah, did you see that movie too, Moe-chan?”
The conversation bounced from topic to topic as we ate cake. Just spending time together was plenty fun. Then the topic shifted to Akane’s younger brother.
“Speaking of which, my little brother has been really sassy lately.”
“Akira-kun?”
“Yeah. You were in the same class as him, right Moe-chan?”
“Yes, I talk to him sometimes.”
I’m acquainted with Akane’s brother to some extent. Akira has some difficulties with communication, and while he acts casual around his sister, he gets flustered around Sayuki and Moe. Thanks to that – though it’s an odd way to put it – he’s one of the few boys she can interact with at ease.
“It’s not that we’re on bad terms, but he’s been looking down on me too much lately.”
“My brotherreveres me too much, nya.”
“Ahaha, Haruhiko-san really does dote on you, Miina-chan.”
In contrast to Akane fretting over her cheeky younger brother, Miina puffed out her chest proudly. Her brother complex was still going strong.
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“Sorry for the wait – here are your red tea refills.”
“Thank you, Eiko-senpai.”
The conversation shifted towards Sayuki and Halvied when the waitress Eiko joined us briefly.
“By the way Sayuki, how are things with Haru-san?”
Miina asked with her usual blank expression.
“Ooh, I’m curious about that too!”
“Me too!”
Akane chimed in teasingly, while Moe leaned forward with pure curiosity. Only Eiko had a complex look on her face.
“Well, sort of? We’ve met up and gone out together since then, I guess?”
Halvied seems to find Japanese culture fascinating coming from another dimension, so he was really happy when Sayuki showed him around. While her confession didn’t fully succeed, their interactions have increased a bit and our relationship is good, she think.
“Ooh, looks like spring has come for Haru-san too.”
“But is it okay? Sayuki-chan, your family is super rich, right? Don’t your parents make a fuss about it?”
“Ah, I saw on TV that rich families like that often have arranged marriages for the heir, right?”
They looked at her with some concern in their eyes.
It’s true that Sayuki father is the president and CEO of a major corporation. While being rich is envied, it also comes with its own troubles.
“As the daughter of the Kannazuki family, there are some constraints. But I’m also aware of my position.”
“Does that mean…if they say something, you’ll give up on Halvied-san?”
Miina and Moe reacted sharply to Akane’s question, probably thinking it was disrespectful to Halvied.
But there’s no need to worry.
“No. I’ve already persuaded my father on this.”
That’s right, Sayuki revealed the relationship with Halvied to her father and pressed him, asking “Am I to be used for political purposes?”
If Sayuki could date, but then partway through was told “For the family’s sake, you must get engaged to another man” that would be a problem.
Sayuki wanted to be clear about that situation from the start.
Of course, since this is all her own selfishness, Sayuki declared that she would accept it if they decided to cut ties.
“Naturally, my father was against it at first. But in the end, he accepted it. There will be no arranged marriages for political reasons. If I prove myself capable, I’ll be trained as the next company president. Otherwise, they’ll appoint someone else.”
Of course, in the latter case, the assets I would inherit would be greatly reduced, he said.
But he showed compassion to his selfish daughter, so I’m grateful to my father for that.
I think I handled things well by taking action before any arranged marriage was brought up. Miina also nodded in satisfaction.
“Say, Sayuki-chan? You’re still not actually dating Haru-san yet, right?”
Eiko asked with a puzzled look.
“Huh? No, of course not.”
While we’ve gone on dates, I’m holding off on an actual relationship until everything is resolved.
But if we do start dating, I don’t want to be forced to break up due to family circumstances. I don’t want that kind of emotional upheaval. It’s better to eliminate that possibility from the start.
(I tried my best.)
I puffed out my chest a bit proudly, but for some reason Eiko and Akane started whispering conspiratorially.
“Hey Akane-chan, isn’t she taking this a bit too far? They’re not even dating yet, right?”
“Ah, you think so too, Eiko-san? Actually, I’ve noticed that too recently. The other day, she was staring intently when Halvied-san was with that beautiful foreign woman.”
“Even though Lety-san is going to marry Master…this seems like a worrying sign.”
“Well, that statement was a bit questionable too.”
Their reactions were different than I expected. After more whispering, Eiko looked directly at me.
“Sayuki-chan. Don’t you have any doubts about your own behavior?”
“Eh, eh? Not particularly…I’m just glad I didn’t cause Halvied-san any worry.”
“Err, for example, what if a boy in your class asked you out? What do you do then?”
“Of course I turn them all down, and I avoid being alone with any boys at all.”
“Eeh…”
Eiko’s facial muscles twitched. In contrast, Moe was nodding vigorously in agreement.
“That’s important, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I think so too.”
I smiled at Moe, who was firmly agreeing with me. Akane muttered something about “feeling weirdly left out” watching from the side, but I can assert that I’m not doing anything wrong.
Halvied has feelings for me. It’s not my intent to make him fret needlessly.
There’s an idea that making your lover jealous shows they care, but I want the person I like to always feel at ease.
And if he pats my head occasionally, I’d be even happier.
“I see…Sayuki-chan, why don’t we give you a little psychological test?”
“A psychological test?”
“Yeah, you should try it. For the future. Seriously, for real.”
Pushed by her forceful suggestion despite my doubts, I nodded.
Looking satisfied, Eiko declared loudly:
“Alright then, let’s begin…the Psychology Test, Weight of Love Edition!”
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