Chapter 197 : What am I to You?

I don’t have a self…?

「…Un, right. You might be right」

I affirm Yukino.

「That’s right…you’ll do anything as long as Yuzuki-sensei orders you? You’re not a human…you’re a robot. A rape robot!」

Yukino…turned to the wall and lied down.

「Yoshida…is that so?」

Michi asks me.

「Un…I’ll do anything Minaho-neesan tells me」

「…Even rape or murder?」

「Yeah…I think so」

When I answered…Yukino…

「Look, it’s as I thought!…You don’t have anything!」

MIchi stares at me.

「…Why?」

「Well…I trust Minaho-neesan」

I answered.

「Minaho-neesan always think about us. If Minaho-neesan tells me to kill someone then that is needed for『Kuromori』…Even if it’s rape, I think that will be the same」

「But…Yuzuki-sensei can make a mistake in her judgement?」

Michi said.

「That would be fine…if Minaho-neesan is about to make an important decision then she’ll definitely ask Margo-san and Katsuko-nee’s opinion. Both of them are much smarter than me and if those three gather then I don’t think they will make a big mistake」

I believe the intellect of the three.

「Also…Nei-san’s also smart. If there’s a problem then we can just contact Nagisa…I don’t need to make a judgement by myself」

Yukino glanced at me.

「Are you an idiot?…You’re just being used by those people…!」

Yukino said…

「Then that’s okay…」

Yukino got startled from my remark…

「But…I’ve already exceeded that level long ago. I’m a member of『Kuromori』…and I really trust them. We’re already sharing a『common destiny』…!」

Me, Megu, Mana…have no choice but to live within『Kuromori』

No…Katsuko-nee and Margo-san are able to demonstrate their ability because they’re within『Kuromori』

Even Nagisa…she didn’t break off from『Kuromori』completely…

Above all…Minaho-neesan is fused with『Kuromori』herself…!

「Then…if Yuzuki-sensei told you to die then you’re going to kill yourself?!」

Yukino asked something obvious again.

「I will…if it’s an order then there’s no helping it!」

Yukino’s trembling.

「Are you mad!?」

…Am I?

No…I don’t think so

「…Yoshida!」

Michi looks at me with a harsh face.

「W-What’s wrong…Michi?!」

「Yoshida…Didn’t you say that you will die for Misuzu-sama’s sake?! Was that a lie?!」

…Err

「Yeah, I will. It’s not pain to die for Misuzu’s sake」

「But, you just said that if Yuzuki-sama orders then you can die anytime…!」

…That is

「Misuzu…no, Misuzu’s already my『family』 Everyone in『Kuromori』is equally important to me. That’s why I’ll protect them to death and I’ll use my own life. Everyone’s the same!」

「…Everyone’s the same?!」

Michi’s face turns steeper…

「Yeah…it’s not just Misuzu. I would die for Megu or Mana’s sake…I’ll bet my life for them. Even for Katsuko-nee or Nagisa…!

「Why can’t Misuzu-sama be the number 1?!」

…Michi?

「Misuzu-sama should be having preferential treatment compared to other women…is that wrong, Yoshida?!」

Michi shouts.

「Misuzu-sama is an angel! There’s none as innocent and cute as here! Yoshida should devote to Misuzu-sama than others and deeply, deeply worship her from the bottom of your heart!」

For Michi…Misuzu’s a noble existence.

But I.

「…No, everyone’s the same. Everyone’s equally important. Everyone’s the first for me…!」

「That’s strange! You should be putting merits and demerits properly!」

…The priority order?

「Oh…if ever we were in a sinking ship…who would you take on the lifeboat first? I do have that priority level…」

「…Misuzu-sama is the first! There’s nothing as important as Misuzu-sama!」

This petite girl worships Misuzu.

「…Who rides first doesn’t matter」

…That’s right.

「I’ll definitely help everyone!」

「…Everyone?」

…Michi’s surprised.

「That’s right! Who cares if I die…if I was left behind the ship and drown…I will save everyone else. Misuzu, Nei-san, Megu, Mana, Katsuko-nee, Nagisa, Margo-san, Minaho-neesan! I will be saving everyone!」

「That’s odd!」

Michi shook her head.

「If there’s someone you can’t help…what would you do?!」

「I don’t think like that! I will save everyone even if I die!」

「Yoshida, you’re absurd…!」

「It’s not absurd!」

Michi and I shout at each other in Yukino’s narrow『confinement room』

「…Why? There’s no man who can love women that evenly!」

Michi told me.

…I

「I do…everyone’s my『family』…!」

…That’s right.

「…『Family』?!」

I look at Michi’s eyes then tell her clearly.

「『Kuromori』is my family」 That’s why I love them all. I will protect them with my life. I will definitely make them happy…everyone’s my『family』…!」

…『Family』

…I finally found my『family』

…The family I should『protect』

「…Misuzu-sama’s a…『family』?!」

Michi’s surprised…

「That’s right! Misuzu’s my『family』 That’s why I love her. I’ll definitely protect her. I’ll make her happy…!」

「Yoshida…you’re insolent」

Michi mutters

「…Fuson?」

「It means that you’re excessively conceited…there’s no way for us commoner to be『family』with a bloodline like Misuzu-sama, do we?」

Michi has been serving Misuzu since childhood.

Naturally, she knows the Kouzuki house well.

「I don’t know about『Kouzuki』house but…Misuzu’s a normal girl. She’s a completely normal human. That’s why she becomes my『family』」

「…What do you mean?」

「Even if you’re not tied by blood…even a complete stranger…when you trust each other then everyone can become a『family』 I came to『Kuromori』and learned that…!」

「Are you really believing such absurd thing? A family with thick relations of other people than the same blood?」

「Yeah…I do」

Because…I

「I believe nothing in the『blood ties』rather…」

…That’s right.

「I’m a child abandoned by my parents… Megu’s the same. Mana too… The parents have a『Blood tie』so they will protect the children?…That’s not true. We have to survive with our own power」

Therefore…we gather.

That is『Kuromori』right now.

「The other people are the same too…Margo-san can’t stay with her own family. Nei-san has her family killed. Katsuko-nee and Nagisa were abducted, turned to a prostitute…and can’t return to their families. Minaho-neesan’s both…abandoned by her father…was kidnapped from her mother…her sister was killed. Everyone lost their true family tied by blood. Therefore…we’re making『Kuromori』our own『family』」

「Misuzu-sama’s different! Misuzu-sama’s family is alive! It’s not just her grandfather, Kouzuki-sama her father and mother are alive as well…Misuzu-sama doesn’t have any complains about her family…!」

「Well…that might be the case but…!」

I have a conviction.

「Our souls call each other. We have a bond that connects us. That’s what I feel」

Oh…so that’s how it is.

The determination hardens inside me.

「Therefore…tonight, I will meet Kouzuki-san and ask him…『Please give me Misuzu』…!」

Michi’s stunned.

「…Are you intending to marry Misuzu-sama?! That’s impossible! Commoners being tied up with Kouzuki family…!」

「Legal marriage might not be possible but that doesn’t matter. I want to be with Misuzu for the rest of my life. That’s all」

「That makes Misuzu-sama pitiful!」

…Michi?

「Unable to wear a bridal gown…even though she’s born as a woman…that’s!」

Really…this warrior like girl…

She’s a woman inside her head.

A fifteen year old normal girl.

Very ordinary…

「But…it’s much better than political marriage, isn’t it?」

「However…the role of a woman born in famous houses is to marry to strengthen relationship between houses」

Michi grasped her hand tightly…and said.

「Who cares about that fate…!」

…I

「She’s already my『woman』 I won’t hand her to anyone…!」

「…Yoshida?」

Michi looks up at me in surprise.

「Excuse me…could you take that boring conversation somewhere I can’t hear?」

Yukino who’s lying down on the floor told me with an amazed expression.

「You decide what you resolve but I have nothing to do with it.1 To be honest…it’s nuisance to hear the absurd reason of an insane criminal!」

…Un, right.

From Yukino’s perspective…I’m only a madman.

I know that too.

…But.

I have no choice but to go this way.

To live as a member of『Kuromori』…

「But…you’re really something to make such incomprehensible conversations every time」

Yukino told me.

「Shouldn’t you just say… 『Shut up idiot, I said I want to do it so shut up!』shouldn’t you?」

…I

「I want to talk properly. I want to understand through a dialog. I’d like us to understand each other」

「…What?」

Yukino asks me with a blank face.

「Right now…it’s with Michi. I want to know what kind of girl she is and what is she thinking」

「Shouldn’t you make her realize what you are thinking first/」

「Well of course…I tell Michi what I think but…I don’t want her to agree with me…it’s not to make her understand either. Rather than that…I want to know Michi’s heart by talking」

「Oh…you want to『peek』into the heart of the woman you’re talking with? You’re completely a vulgar man…」

Yukino snorts her nose…

「Well…you can’t understand unless you see through the heart, can you?」

「…Understand?」

Michi mutters.

「I want to understand Michi」

「Me…?」

Yukino laughs.

「Can’t you just know that by just looking…this girl is just an idiot escort girl who loves the lady from Kouzuki-house? You don’t get that?」

「No…that’s not it」

I said.

「You shouldn’t judge people from their surface…You see, Michi is」

I look at Michi.

Michi looks at me.

「A lovely girl…a fifteen year old girl who exerts herself to the hardest」

Yukino laughs.

「What’s that! What? You’re intending to seduce this child now?…You’re loose!」

Michi…

「…Don’t laugh」

She strikes the electric baton in front of Yukino’s eyes…!

A spark shines for a moment…1

「…Hiii!」

Yukino’s face cramped.

「My father has taught me『No matter what…don’t laugh at a person who does with utmost effort』…」

Then, she looks at me.

「I don’t know how Yoshida thinks. To be honest, I can only imagine it being reckless and absurd…but, I know that Yoshida is diligent」

…Michi?

「Therefore…I put the insolent remark about Misuzu-sama deep in my chest. Anyway…Yoshida, serve Misuzu-sama from now on. It’s certain that Misuzu-sama likes Yoshida… If Yoshida won’t betray Misuzu-sama…then I will forgive his existence. I will also look over his fornication with the other『women』…」

…I

「I will never betray Misuzu. I swear」

I swore to Michi.

「Then, Yoshida…please tell me one thing」

Michi asks me with a serious face

She shows the electric baton to Yukino…

「What does Yoshida think with this woman?」

…Yukino?

「This woman should be our『enemy』 That’s what I have heard」

「Y-Yeah…Yukino is Shirasaka Sousuke’s daughter…she’s taking a rebellious attitude towards us all the time so…I think that there’s no mistake that she’s an『enemy』」

At least…she’s not an ally.

「Then why…does Yoshida treat this woman as gentle as towards other women?」

…I?

…am I kind to Yukino?

「Don’t be ridiculous! This man raped me! Dozens of times!! There’s no way this guy is gentle to me!」

Yukino screams.

That’s right…it is as Yukino says.

「A woman raped with hostility can’t do something like this」

Michi said.

「I was able to watch the rape videos with father multiple times. That is to make me understand what kind of humiliation would I take if I was caught by the enemy…it’s to understand how brutal human『enemies are』 Recalling it now, I still feel sick. I felt intense hatred towards men from watching those videos」

…Kudou papa.

Another biased education again.

Showing that thing to a middle school girl…

That’s why Michi became a lesbian…

「I don’t see any blue bruise in your skin…not even a single teeth was broken…!」

Michi told Yukino.

「I was raped by this guy more than thirty times!」

Yukino still argue with Michi.

「But…has your genitalia been assaulted enough that it tore?…」

…Err

What kind of video did she watch…?

「Rather…you understand that Yoshida won’t be rough…you trust Yoshida as a sexual partner」

Yukino trusts me?

「…There’s no way that’s true. There’s no way I trust him…!」

Yukino looks down…

Michi continues her speech.

「Your interaction with Yoshida just earlier…I’ve been watching that in the camera. You seem to be enjoying having sex with Yoshida…don’t you?」

「…There’s no way I’m enjoying it! I really hate being embraced by this guy! I hate it so much I can’t endure it!」

Yukino tries to deny it but…

「…That’s a lie. You’re telling lies!」

Michi sees through it.

「Also, Yoshida…why are you seriously serving this woman just like how you do with Misuzu-sama and other women?」

I’m serving Yukino?

「Why are you working so hard so this woman feels pleasure? If you rape her then it’s fine if Yoshida seeks pleasure one-sidedly. No…if this woman doesn’t suffer physically or mentally then she’s not raped!」

That’s true but…

「Rather…Yoshida’s sex is mentally and physically relieving this woman…I see it with my eyes」

…Err.

「What is Yoshida’s relationship with this woman? What is this woman’s existence to Yoshida?」

Michi cross examines me intensely…

…But

The answer can’t come up inside me.

I look at Yukino.

Yukino’s looking at me.

What are we?

At first…it was just a rape victim and the rapist.

But now…

It is as Michi says…Yukino seems to be enjoying sex with me.

And…I certainly have sex with the same attitude I have towards my other『women』

What is that?

For me, Yukino is…

For Yukino, I…

「No…but, Michi」

I open up my mouth

「But…I won’t have sex with Yukino anymore…」

Yukino looks up at me startled.

「Because…Yukino said『This is the last』earlier」

That’s why…I won’t have sex with Yukino anymore…

Yukino turned her face away.

「That’s not possible…!」

Michi told me.

「I can’t think of this woman coming out of her relationship with Yoshida!」

…Yukino?

「If this woman asks for a fornication in this situation…what will Yoshida do?」

If Yukino asks to have sex with me again?

At that time…I

『…Okay, that’s enouugh!!!!』

Katsuko-nee’s voice come from the speaker…?!

『Kudou-san…thank you for posing the problem!』

Katsuko-nee’s voice seems to be having fun.

Oh…Michi and I going to Yukino’s place…

…was according to Minaho-neesan’s『plan』

To have Michi who’s fretting about Misuzu pick on me…

『That will be enough for now…everyone needs some time to cool down their heads…!』

Katsuko-nee says.

『Think about each other’s opinion. Then, think about the contents of what was said again. That’s for the three of you…!』

…Eh?

It’s not Yukino and I…

Katsuko-nee is telling Michi to think again about the content of the conversation too?

『People try to dodge their true intention through different words…to fool themselves. Try to face your true self…!2』

Katsuko-nee’s voice is kind.

『Anyway…Yukino-san, please take a meal. Both of you come back. It’s about time we move on to the next step…!』

…From here.

…What’s going to happen?

◇　◇　◇

Yukino who’s lying down…I told her「anyway, just eat」and left the『confinement room』

Michi seems to be thinking about something.

I’m also thinking of various things.

Coming back to the『monitor room』…Margo-san and Minaho-neesan are back

Katsuko-nee, Nei-san, Mana, Margo-san, Minaho-neesan, Michi, me…

Excluding Megu who’s in her club activity, we’re gathered.

「I’ve recorded what you said a while ago and sent it to Misuzu-san」

Suddenly…Katsuko-nee said.

「Eh…about what?」

「Well…the one where you said you’ll go to Kouzuki-sama and say『Please give me Misuzu』, dear」

Uwa…that one?

「Later…please clearly tell Misuzu from your own mouth. That’s a proposal after all…!」

Minaho-neesan smiles.

「But is that okay?…Onii-chan telling Kouzuki-sama that…won’t that be a bad for Yuzuki-san and Kouzuki-sama?」

Mana asksed Minaho-neesan in worry.

「What comes at that time will happen… I’m Yoshida-kun and Misuzu-san’s ally」

Saying that makes me happy.

「Well, in the end, there’s no choice but to do it!」

Then…Nei-san.

「Yeah, I also like Misuzu-san too」

Margo-san said.

「Everyone, you don’t get it at all!」

Michi’s angry.

「Kouzuki-sama isn’t a mild gentleman! Apart from being Misuzu-sama’s lover…saying『Please give me Misuzu』!」

This girl’s sense of values seems to be firmly fixed.

「We know that even if you don’t tell u」

Minaho-neesan lightly replied to Michi.

「But…『Kuromori』isn’t such a mild organization as well…」

Minaho-neesan’s cold eyes look at Michi.

「…I-I’m sorry for being rude」

Michi bows her head.

「It’s fine…this is all because of Yoshida-kun after all」

…My fault?

「Normally, Kudou-san who has a shy personality doesn’t easily open up her mind with others is now talking her feelings to us familiarly… If it wasn’t for Yoshida-kun, that won’t happen」

「Ah…sorry」

When I apologized…Minaho-neesan giggled.

「No you see…I’m praising you」

…Eh?

「You’re really good at opening up girl’s hearts.3 」

I don’t get it myself.

However, I feel like I’m offending Michi…

「Now then…should we proced to the next stage?」

Minaho-neesan looks at Katsuko-nee.

「Yes…Ojou-sama!」

Katsuko-nee operates then a video appears on the monitor.

…That is.

「This is Endou-kun twenty minutes ago…!」

Endou in the screen…and the two seniors in baseball club…

They’re beating him up…!

『Hey…bastard, doing something like this…!』

Endou crouching on the ground is suffering.

『Are you going to tell the school, the police, the Baseball league?』

The member named Sugiyama…said while laughing.

『Oh, it’s not that we care if the baseball club pulls us out』

Koizumi says while kicking Endou’s abdomen…

『We’re not regulars even after two years…we can’t participate from the start!』

『That’s why…if you want to inform them then you can do as much as you want!』

Sugiyama’s fist drives to Endou’s jaw again…!

1. Actually, you will ↩

2. PERSONA!!! ↩

3. And legs ↩