Chapter 85 Autumn of Speculation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It became October, and the second semester began. Since I am aiming to become a lawyer, I selected the Legal Course¹. Fujita-san and Takahashi-san, whose parents are also lawyers, chose the Legal Course in the same way. If one can graduate early, it is possible to take the bar exam a year sooner, so it becomes necessary to earn the credits required for graduation by the third year. In that regard, Ishii-san from the Watanabe Law Office² was an alumna of the university and had graduated early, so Ishii-san’s advice was quite helpful.
My biggest concern once university started was what kind of face I should make when meeting Fujita-san and Kato-san. Fujita-san interacted with me as if nothing had happened, but she seemed more refreshed compared to before. On the other hand, Kato-san said ‘thank you’ to me, so she must have successfully managed to make her boyfriend finish with a glide³ of her mouth.
Speaking of things that changed, Mitsuhiko started dating Saki-chan. According to what I heard from Emilia, it seems Saki-chan was the one who confessed. When I sent a teasing email to Mitsuhiko, he replied asking who I heard it from, so perhaps he wanted to keep it hidden.
Emilia was decided to go to a powerhouse track and field university in Kansai⁴ as a scholarship student. Since her father is stationed alone in America for work, her mother is apparently going to accompany him. Emilia said she didn’t want to leave here, but Manami and Yuzuki pushed her forward, saying that since she has the talent, she shouldn’t miss the chance. Since it’s a university that has produced top-class Japanese hurdlers, I think it is a good thing for Emilia.
It became November and the university festival was held. Manami said she wanted to go, so I took her. Additionally, Kotoha-chan tagged along for the ride. I wandered around the campus in a ‘flowers in both hands’ kind of situation. Midway through, Manami was invited to enter a beauty contest.
”Is it alright even if I’m not a student here? Besides, I’m not a ‘Miss’ exactly…” Manami said.
Since Manami is married to me, she’s not a Miss, but a Mrs. Manami declined with an apologetic look.
”I can enter in her place!” Kotoha-chan volunteered, but because she looks like a middle schooler, she was told she didn’t meet the qualifications.
Since I was with Manami, I thought that if possible, I didn’t want to run into Fujita-san or Kato-san. However, as is often the case at times like this, my wish was not granted. While we were taking a break at a cafe stall, we ran into the two of them. But the two were perfectly normal toward Manami.
”Fujita-san, did you get prettier?” Manami asked.
”I thought so too when I met her after summer vacation ended,” Kato-san added.
”Once I broke up with my long-distance boyfriend, I felt refreshed, so maybe that’s why,” Fujita-san replied.
”Aren’t you in a new love?” Manami asked.
They say girls get prettier when they fall in love; I, who see her every day, didn’t notice, but perhaps Manami felt something.
”I just broke up, so I don’t think I can consider the next one yet,” Fujita-san said.
”Really? You look so lively to me though,” Kato-san remarked.
”My ex-boyfriend and I were in a toxic cycle, so maybe it’s because those weird entanglements are gone. Misaki, you’ve become brighter too,” Fujita-san noted.
”That’s because things are going well with him!” Kato-san exclaimed.
The reason Fujita-san broke up with her ex was me, and the reason Kato-san is doing well with her guy is because I taught her how to use her mouth, so I listened to the three-way conversation with my heart in my throat.
”Inamori-kun, who is that next to you?”
When I turned around, Miura-san and Takahashi-san were there. And before I knew it, there were six girls around me; this would certainly stand out.
”She’s a child I’m home tutoring.”
”I’m Watanabe Kotoha. I’m a tenth grader. I had Hirokazu-oniichan take my first kiss!”
Don’t drop a bombshell here. Moreover, everyone around us turned to look at once, which was awkward.
”Inamori-kun, what does that mean? Is Manami-san okay with this? It’s cheating!” Takahashi-san said.
”It was a surprise attack…”
”Hirokazu-san has a lot of openings for cute girls, you see. Haha. I’ve heard about it from Hirokazu-san, and Kotoha-chan is like a little sister to us, so I don’t mind at all,” Manami said.
Kotoha-chan looked pouting when she heard ‘surprise attack,’ but she smiled happily when Manami called her cute. Just watching Kotoha-chan’s rapidly changing expressions was amusing.
”Manami-san is really broad-minded. The reason I broke up was my ex’s cheating,” Fujita-san said.
”Hirokazu-san has a tendency to not be able to leave people in trouble alone, but I trust him so I don’t worry about it.”
It was a university festival where various speculations were flying about. And it was also a festival where I ended up standing out in a strange way at the university.
As proof of that, when I met Hirose after the festival was over…
”I heard you were surrounded by girls during the school festival. It’s become quite a rumor,” Hirose said, striking up a conversation.
”It’s the usual members.”
”Isn’t there talk that there was a new girl?”
”It’s my wife and Watanabe-sensei’s daughter. I’m tutoring her, so I brought her along.”
”You laid your hands on Lawyer Watanabe’s daughter too?”
”What do you mean ‘too’? It’s only my wife for me.”
”The other day, Takahashi-san was confessed to, but they say she turned him down because she has someone she likes. Isn’t that person you, Inamori?”
”I don’t know anything about that.”
Wait a minute. Is everyone around me thinking I have those kinds of relationships with four people? A lot happened with two of them, but I guess I should just let those who want to talk, talk?
Then, when I went to the home tutoring session…
”Even though I thought it was just Yuzuki-san and Emilia-san, my rivals have increased even more, so I’ll do my best!” Kotoha-chan said.
It seems she’s going to work hard on increasing her femininity rather than studying… sigh. As for me, since her rank in the second semester midterm test dropped slightly from the first semester final test, I want her to work hard on her studies, but…
”I’m married to Manami, so what do you mean by rivals?”
”I can’t get married, but I can become a mistress officially recognized by Manami-oneechan, right?”
Where on earth did she learn a word like mistress? Even though she’s a high schooler, she looks like a middle schooler, so even being told she’d be a mistress didn’t really click.
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Summary:
Inamori begins his legal course at university while dealing with the awkwardness of seeing Fujita-san and Kato-san after their summer interactions. During the university festival, Kotoha causes a scene by claiming Inamori took her first kiss, leading to rumors of him being a womanizer. Despite the drama, Manami remains steadfastly trusting of her husband. Kotoha declares her intent to become Inamori’s ‘recognized mistress’ as she sees more rivals appearing.
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Character Insight:
This chapter highlights Manami’s extraordinary emotional maturity and trust, which acts as a foil to the ‘speculations’ of the other girls and university rumors. Fujita-san shows a ‘refreshed’ growth after breaking her toxic cycle, while Kotoha’s youthful impulsiveness leads her to embrace the scandalous idea of being a mistress just to stay in the competition. Inamori remains somewhat passive, caught in the middle of these shifting female dynamics.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Watanabe – The protagonist’s guardian. He is a lawyer who is skilled at dealing with difficult people and has a history with Yabuta’s father.
• Fujita – A female university student who was part of the same bus hike group as Hirokazu. A beautiful girl who recently broke up with her boyfriend. She claims to have the largest breasts Hirokazu has ever seen. She seeks emotional release and ‘punishment’ from Hirokazu to cope with her guilt.
• Kato – A college classmate who consults Hirokazu for advice on intimate techniques to please her boyfriend. She is described as trusting Hirokazu because he is tight-lipped.
• Mitsuhiko – The protagonist’s childhood friend. Hirokazu’s childhood best friend who attends a different high school known for baseball. He’s a good-natured jock and one of the few people who truly understands Hirokazu.
• Emilia – A second-year student, biracial (French father, Japanese mother), with white skin, dark brown semi-long hair, modest chest, and hazel eyes. A talented hurdler known as the Snow Princess. Looks like bisque doll.
• Saki – A friend of Emilia who finds Hirokazu attractive.
• Kotoha – Junior high school student, middle school 3rd year (short height). Daughter of Watanabe-sensei. Energetic, playful, short hair in a ponytail.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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