She wants to say "No", but
she is at a loss for words.
「...it's not hard at all. It's natural
to work hard」
「But why is it that Yotsuba is the
only one who works harder than all the other kids?」
「I was born into a family like that,
it's my duty」
「So you were not born in Kurohane's
house because you wanted to be?」
The words pierce her.
「Yotsuba, I heard you say that "I
have nothing to carry". I don't know what you' mean when you talk about
something that doesn't weigh much」
「...stop saying that」
Yotsuba shakes her head and closes
her eyes.
She doesn't want to listen to her
sister, knowing that her attempts to block out her voice are a sign that she's
on to something.
**a
「No. I'm not. I've been trying」
「...for what?」
「...eh?」
From the left.
Chihiro asks quietly.
「I have seen some people who work
harder than others. All of them always had a reason for their efforts. Why did
you work so hard?」
「It was to take over the family」
「What do you want to do now that
you've taken over?」
「I want to help people in need by
investing」
That's right.
That's what Yotsuba had been taught
since she was a child, and yes, it's the right thing to do for her.
That's why she has been working hard
to become a person who can help others.
「Really? But wasn't there anything
else you wanted to do?」
"What else do I want to
do?"
She doesn't have anything like that.
But then Suzu preceded Yotsuba's
words for a moment.
「When you were in middle school, you
used to play tennis every day, but you quit, right?」
「――!?」
This is a memory she had forgotten...
or, rather, was trying to forget.
But now Suzu has dug up the past that
Yotsuba had been pushing to the corner of her memory with pinpoint accuracy.
And she was right, Yotsuba was a
tennis enthusiast in middle school. She thought she was talented, and there was
a time when she wanted to become a pro. Even now, trophies of her good results
in tournaments are still displayed in her house.
But those were the old days.
After all, she gave up tennis as soon
as she entered high school.
Besides, Shibahou Academy did not
have a tennis club, and she did not have enough time to join the local
community or other organizations.
「If you hadn't taken over the family,
you could have played tennis」
「Whose fault is it that...?」
Before she knows it, Yotsuba realized
she had misspoken.
Certainly, Suzu was the reason
Yotsuba had to take over the house.
When the former principal died and
the engagement was broken off, Suzu was free. If Suzu had not been in a state
of depression, it would have been Suzu who got engaged to Principal Ootori. The
succession would have reverted to the eldest daughter again, and Yotsuba could
have lived her life as she wished.
But that way of thinking is an act of
admitting "I am dissatisfied with my current environment".
「Yeah. It's my fault」
Simply, Suzu nodded her head.
「Because of me, Yotsuba has had to
bear things she shouldn't have had to bear. I am sorry. I've put you through a
lot of hardship, trouble, and worry」
「Why...」
"You're apologizing now?"
With the same voice and face as in
the past, Suzu cornered Yotsuba's heart and blamed her.
She cornered the one who's supposed
to be saying the right thing.
She trying to treat Yotsuba like a
spoiled child when she has been an honor student and has been helpful to
everyone.
**b
「It's hard, isn't it? It's okay, you
can complain as much as you want. Because it's my fault. You have the right to
criticize me」
「Do I really want to hear that now?
And if I speak out now, if I give up my role, who will take over the house!?」
Yotsuba stood up, shaking off her
hands from Suzu's laps.
But when she turned around, Suzu was
nowhere to be seen. It was natural. As long as her ability is active, no one
who is not touched by Suzu can recognize her.
Yotsuba cannot hear Suzu's reply.
Instead, it was Chihiro who answered.
「I don't know about that, and it
doesn't matter now」
「...huh」
He saw her with cold eyes.
They were frightening eyes, as if
they could see into the depths of Yotsuba's heart.
And she's not wrong. Because his
[Mind Reading] ability has read some feelings that were brooding in Yotsuba's
heart.
「Kurohane-senpai. No,
"Yotsuba"」
He then called her by her first name,
and just that alone made her heart flutter.
「I don't need your position or
pretense. Let me hear what you really want, what you desire. But then I want
you to be mine」
――The words made a startling
impression on Yotsuba's heart.
Yotsuba's good family background,
good grades, and sociable personality made her popular among the male students.
Yotsuba has received many confessions of love, and some of them have been
similar in tone.
However, Chihiro's words have a
different weight from those spoken by a man who knows nothing about it.
He knows.
He is more deeply involved in
Yotsuba's circumstances and inner life than his parents or Principal Ootori.
Also that imager
He wants Yotsuba even though he has
directly saw the scene of her pleasure in torturing a man.
In addition, the way he says that he
wants Yotsuba seems to be a reflection of Yotsuba herself in her arrogant
attitude - in her "Desire".
Perhaps, he would really affirm
"Yotsuba as she is". That was Yotsuba's thought.
Just as he made his sister, Suzu, who
had abandoned everything and stagnated, fall in love with him.
「...no. I can't do that. It would make
me weak. Besides, Izumi kun has a lover」
「Aika knows all about it and agrees.
Besides, you don't have to think too hard about it. If you feel uncomfortable,
you can think of it as a "deal"」
「Deal」
The word slips into her stubborn
mind.
**c
「Yes. I accept Yotsuba's desire and
cooperate with you so that you can be satisfied. In return, Yotsuba will be
mine」
"But I don't intend to keep you
under my control 24 hours a day. I also not asking you to break off your
engagement to Principal Ootori", Chihiro added that.
――There is no contradiction between
an engagement and a lover's relationship and a master-slave relationship.
What he is saying is that Yotsuba
should keep her engagement, keep jer love for Principal Ootori, and keep
Chihiro at the top of her mind.
「You can continue to be the student
council president and the heir to the family if you want to. Yotsuba's wishes
are not bound. As long as the burden is lifted from your mind, the outcome will
be different even if you do the same thing」
"It's give and take",
Chihiro added.
What Yotsuba gets is peace of mind.
And Yotsuba offers loyalty and
convenience in times of need.
「...It's a nice deal」
「But, you can reject it」
「No」
She shakes her head and replies.
That's a nice deal. But she has
betrayed the trust of everyone around her, asking her to give up her soul for
something as tangible as peace of mind.
And yet, she cannot refuse.
Her heart understands.
If she surrenders herself to him, she
will find peace in her heart.
Yotsuba's desires are acknowledged
and released.
「...let me think about it for a
night...」
That was Yotsuba's answer.
She knew that she was doing what the
other party wanted her to do, but she turned her eyes away from the important
part.
After all, it was her own wish.
