Volume 1 Chapter 5 This Is My Path V – That Aside, I’ll Pick Up The Benefits
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
[Part 1/2]
”──Huh?”
Naoshi was speechless from the unexpected words, and Suzuri, with a bright red face, hit her knee in protest.
”Huh? Don’t say so! What’s going on with you? This is just too mean!”
”Uh, no, I mean… Suzuri-chan, do ya like me?”
”Of course, you know that!? We were childhood friends with a first love! We promised to get married when we were kids! But I got rejected when I confessed at 8, 9, and 10 years old! And again at 12 and 13! Even the formal engagement 3 years ago was turned down!”
”And then ya got punched in the gut?”
”It hurt like crazy, but I’m not really mad about that!”
”Well, as long as that’s all good then──ah, ah, ah…?”
Finally, a memory that had always been in Naoshi’s mind started to come back.
His younger cousin.
She had chased after him like a little sister every time they met.
A small princess who was happy with simple promises, which Naoshi, who had no siblings, also thought fondly of.
But that sweet connection was overshadowed by his desire for power, which took away his interest in her.
A certain event from ten years ago shaped the current Kazuramichi Naoshi.
The thirst for strength born from dissatisfaction with the present──though it was necessary and inevitable, Naoshi’s sin was forgetting Suzuri’s feelings as if they were just childish words, not even looking back at her.
In other words, it was just another one of his bad moves.
But isn’t it a bit persistent to confess every year?
And what happened when he was 11?
”Even now, I still cling to the hope of giving handmade chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Do you really want to make fun of me for that?”
While saying this, Suzuri lets out everything she had been holding inside.
He had nothing to say in response.
”No, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry.”
”Die!”
”Ain’t that a bit harsh?”
”Who’s being harsh here?!”
”Is it… me?”
”That’s right, don’t question it!”
(Well, I guess it’s mostly my fault.)
This is way worse than just being terrible.
It seems like he has too many memories that he only remembers when someone mentions them. Did Kazuramichi Naoshi really not care that much back then?
Relationships from childhood are like a minefield. He dug through his memories and even took notes, worried about strange flags, but at that time, he didn’t think about Suzuri at all since she was just his distant cousin.
Maybe his brain is messed up because he’s remembering things from another world. That’s a creepy thought.
Now he understands the head of the Shiun family’s worries and anger. Looking back, his offer seems strange even to him.
But he can’t take it back now.
”Wow, I really did forget about that. Now that ya mention it…”
”Don’t just say ‘speaking of which’! Did you really forget? What kind of person are you?”
”I really did forget, y’know? That must’ve cooled off a hundred years’ worth of love, right?”
”……”
”Hey, why aren’t ya agreein’ with me…?
The silence felt heavy, and her pouty face looking up at me was terrifying.
”Because, it’s too late for that now. If I could just hate you for it, I would…”
He’s not sure why he’s so liked. Maybe there’s something from the past that he forgot.
It’s strange for anyone to have feelings without a reason, but it’s even weirder when it’s directed at Naoshi, who has done some really bad things.
”──Eh? Wait, ya tellin’ me all that chocolate from Shiun-san was made by ya, Suzuri-chan?! This year’s fondant chocolate was way too fancy and tasted dang good!”
He tried to change the subject to calm her down.
But he felt like no matter which way he turned, there would be a landmine waiting for him.
”Why didn’t you say that right away! Do you know how much I worried about it…!”
As expected, she exploded quickly.
He realized he couldn’t escape this situation, huh?
She grabbed his collar and shook him.
”Hey, I sent ya a thank-you note, right? I wrote it out by hand, too!”
”That note was so formal that it could be mistaken for just polite words! I thought it might get thrown away without being eaten…!”
”Aw, come on, even I wouldn’t do that. That’d be a waste! Plus, I did give ya a proper return gift for White Day.”
”Yeah, I got that. The usual cookie set, but…!”
”What, was it no good? I ain’t askin’ ya to make somethin’ by hand, y’know. Those cookies were pricey!”
”That’s fine, but giving cookies as a return gift means we’re just friends. If you like someone, you should give them candy.”
”Uh, I didn’t know about that rule…”
For a moment, he thought about blaming his family for not suggesting something more neutral, but he realized they were likely considering Naoshi’s feelings since he had turned down the engagement.
Now, he was starting to feel scared about how everyone in the house would react to the situation.
No matter how one looked at it, he was just playing with Suzuri’s feelings, and now he was going to be called a heartless person by his own family.
”──Hold on a sec. Don’t this change the whole meaning of what I said about discipline for ya, Suzuri-chan?”
Punishment s*x with someone you’re not interested in is a punishment, but if it’s someone you’ve had a crush on for ten years, isn’t it just a game?
”If that’s the case, then what? I told you earlier that I was looking forward to it.”
It was Naoshi’s turn to frown at Suzuri’s complete lack of guilt.
”You’re bein’ way too calculatin’, honestly, it’s kinda creepy… like you’re obsessed.”
”Don’t say rude things. This is pure love, okay?”
”That ain’t the pure love I know… Wait, ya sayin’ this was all planned from the get-go?”
”No, I’m sorry that it’s gotten to the point where 8 families are involved. That was just something I couldn’t stand.”
”That’s still not okay! What are ya doin’? But wait, so Suzuri-chan is my black-haired, ponytail-wearin’, warrior-type, tsundere younger childhood friend who likes me?”
”Don’t put me in weird categories. Also, I’m more of a straightforward cool type.”
”This makes sense, huh?”
He thought about how this was definitely a niche type of situation as he looked back at what was happening.
There were a lot of unexpected things, but aside from Suzuri’s pride probably being really hurt, it wasn’t such a bad situation.
Naoshi just had to make sure that the head of the Shiun family didn’t have to worry about his daughter becoming a pawn for Kazuramichi.
”……”
She, who glances at him with eyes now shining with expectation, doesn’t seem to be feeling bad at all. The flag hasn’t been resolved, even though she is making moves that would lower her favorability, so she is probably just that kind of person.
Well, if he were to touch her, this virgin who is all twisted up might become a twisted, mentally unstable girlfriend, which would be a problem.
Still, the importance of Shiun Suzuri as an exorcist has only increased.
”Well, if ya think about it, it’s just right. Even if it’s a bit harsh, I reckon Suzuri-chan won’t hold a grudge against me ’cause of your crush on me.”
”Wait, I thought we were going to regret our past misdeeds, and I was going to accept your feelings and be happily married.”
”Misdeeds, huh. Haha, you’re funny.”
”──Um, Nao-nii? I’m still a virgin, haven’t you forgotten? If you’re going to do it, please be careful…”
”Oh, that’s a familiar way of callin’ me. But listen, Suzuri-chan. This is what Yuki-kun said: ‘If ya wanna become an exorcist, give up on ordinary dreams.’”
”That’s for other people. No matter what the head of the Touma family says, this is my problem with Nao-nii.”
”Then I’ll say it my way? ──You’ve been doin’ whatever ya want, and now you’re spoutin’ this sweet talk. There ain’t no connection between our past and this mess. I’ve been stuck wastin’ my time with those old geezers, and if ya keep draggin’ this out, I’ll let the dog have ya.”
”Ugh, I’m… sorry…”
”That’s fine──well, no matter what Suzuri-chan says, I’ll make sure it’ll be a first time you won’t forget.”
”I, I just apologized, right!?”
”If apologies were enough, we wouldn’t need the police, seriously.”
”What about your remorse for trampling on my maiden heart?”
”Then, I’ll make up for it by makin’ ya no longer a maiden. Will that make ya happy? I won’t tear it with a toy or anything.”
”I’m not happy with the way you say that… oh.”
Suzuri, who seemed dissatisfied and pouted her mouth, was easily pushed down without much resistance.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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