Chapter 232 : Yukino’s heart

「Mao, don’t make a fuss!」

Nagisa talks to her young daughter.

「Okaay, Mama!」

Mao-chan runs towards Nagisa.

She clings to Nagisa’s foot.

「Kuroko-chan, you’ll bother the people if you make a noise! Nihihi!」

Mao-chan speaks to Yukino, pretending to be the elder sister.

「I know! Let’s do it later…!」

「Un, let’s play again later! Kuroko-chan!」

…What?

That makes it look like Mao-chan’s looking after Yukino.

No, that’s true in a sense.

Yukino’s life is targeted by Shirasaka head, she has to stay with us.

But…the seniors of『Kuromori』are basically cold towards Yukino…

Yukino herself isn’t good with Minaho-neesan, Katsuko-nee, and Nei-san.

On top of that, her real sister, Mana is the most cruel in responding towards Yukino…

Megu and Yukino have a complex with each other so they don’t speak to each other.

In that case, Yukino doesn’t have anyone to talk with apart from me…

Look…she avoided the other『women』and head straight towards me.

「…Do you like kids?」

It can’t be helped, I’ll talk to her

「I don’t. They’re troublesome…but, I thought I need to get used to them…」

「…Get used?」

Yukino looks at me through the thick black edge glasses.

「Look…I’ll give birth to your child, don’t I?」

…Yukino?

「I already gave up. If I’m abandoned by Shirasaka family, there’s no place for me to return to. I don’t have any other way to live but to stick with you, do I? Then it can’t be helped. I’ll give birth to your baby…」

Yukino owns a bottomless positive spirit.

Her resolution is good.

Knowing that she can no longer live her peaceful life as『Shirasaka Yukino』…She chose to obey us.

「Besides…when Kenji attacked me…」

Yukino said.

「When Kenji touched me, it didn’t feel good at all…he only does things forcefully, it only hurts…it’s inevitably disgusting」

Yukino speaks her discomfort.

「Even my first time with you, it was disgusting at first…but I understand it when Kenji attacked me. When it’s you…you’re at least trying to make me feel good in your own way. You’re a rapist who violated me but…you’re not all bad…」

…I

「I hate a man like you. You don’t look cool…you’re not even intelligent…you’re not from a good family either. There’s no benefit going out with someone like you. I don’t want the class to see me together with you」

「…Right」

「No matter how many times I’m reborn, I’ll never come to love a man like you. You should understand at least that…!」

「…Yeah」

「Great…then, I’ll give birth to your child」

「…Eh?」

「I don’t like you but it can’t be helped. I have no choice but to bear your child so I’ll be sheltered by Yuzuki-sensei from now on」

「U-Un」

「I’m already fine with it. I don’t like you but I think I can love my own child. I’ll raise it with love. When that happens, I would have no other pleasure to live but that…!」

Yukino…she’s been spoiled and raised, she’s selfish and her pride is so high.

But…she’s not an idiot.

She looks at her own situation…she considers her path of living, without despairing.

Yukino’s probably going to be satisfied raising my children for the rest of her life.

…But.

「My, you only need to give birth…!」

Minanho-neesan speaks to Yukino coldly.

「I will be the one to raise the child…Yukino-san will be farewell after giving birth」

Yukino glares at Minaho-neesan..

「Just leave the baby and you will be leaving. Let’s see…if you’re a good girl until then, I’ll give you a bit of bonus when you leave. But, if you stay as a bad child!」

Minaho-neesan’s mouth smiles.

『If you stay as a bad child』means…Minaho-neesan doesn’t acknowledge Yukino at all.

「I’ll have you work on the slums on the southeast Asia I guess…!」

She’ll be sold to the brothels with worst environment…

Such life would be harsher than death…

「No…I don’t want that…!」

Yukino’s eyes are burning in anger.

「Think about it…I think that you’re already pregnant but it takes ten months to give birth. You’ve got a negative evaluation since the start. If you don’t make effort to recover, the plan to sell you overseas won’t change…get ready for it」

「…I won’t forgive you. I’ll never forgive you」

Yukino said.

「My, what a coincidence…I won’t forgive you too as well. You…! I love looking at your face crying in frustration…Yukino-san」

Saying that, Minaho-neesan parted from Yukino.

Tears accumulate in Yukino’s eyes.

「…Yukino」

…I

「…What?!」

Yukino changes the subject of anger to me and she glares at me with teary eyes.

「I like you…」

「…Eh?」

Yukino’s puzzled from what I say.

「Yukino’s a woman who doesn’t lie after all」

「…What?」

「You’re really a woman who doesn’t lie at all…!」

「W-What…?」

Yukino’s puzzled.

「No…you’re selfish, always looking down on me but…you only saying what you think from the bottom of your heart. When crying, angry…you only say what you truly think」

「Isn’t that obvious?」

「No…you see, other people lie quite a lot」

Mana…when she was Maika’s saying things she doesn’t mean in order to improve her position.

Megu tried to deceive herself to accept the fate.

That’s what normal humans are.

They desperately lie to be thought as a good person by others, be included in groups with power.

Even if you lie to your own heart…you’re actually trying to compromise

That is the sense of balance to gain peace of mind.

It’s never condemnation.

…But.

Shirasaka Yukino’s different.

This woman…when it was exposed to the world that her parent is a criminal, her rape was broadcasted…she has the『ego』that won’t yield to reality.

Living frankly according to her heart…she has the conviction, not needing to match her own world to the situation of reality.

Even if she lose her house, position, honor, friends, even family…Yukino will still have『Yukino』left in her.

Yukino believes in the woman ego named『Shirasaka Yukino』…

Therefore, Yukino’s never pessimistic. She won’t despair.

She won’t waver no matter what, she’ll only think how to survive possitively.

Yukino will always be『Yukino』in her heart.

Yukino is a woman that won’t be beaten by loneliness…

「I respect you. How you are. To be honest, I think you’re amazing」

「W-What…what are you praising about, I don’t get you at all.」

…Un., Yukino herself won’t understand it.

She only thinks of it as normal.

「Besides…I won’t come to like you even if you praise me!」

「Un…I know」

For Yukino who’s heart is『Yukino』…Yoshida has been excluded as a『love interest』

Therefore…no matter how much the situation changes, Yukino will never love me.

Even if she have sex with me and give birth to my child…she’ll won’t think『It can’t be helped, I’ll love you』or『I’ll make an effort to like you』

Yukino’s『Yukino』won’t take a step forward…

…Therefore

Yukino wo’t have a place in『Kuromori』

Here…Minaho-neesan is the leader of the organization.

Everyone trusts Minaho-neesan…it’s an organization that mutually cooperates with each other.

But…Yukino.

Yukino’s only a one woman team

Yukino will only live in a world where Yukino’s the center and her own selfishness is the only thing allowed.

…Just like Shirasaka house yesterday.

「Yukino…what would you do?」

I asked unconsciously.

「…What?」

Yukino shows a nonchalant face.

「What will you do in the future?」

Yukino laughed.

「You’re not in a position you can worry about other people are you?」

…Well yeah.

「Yuzuki sensei said those things but…I understood that she’s fairly a sweet person these past few days. It’ll be fine. She won’t sell me away」

…No

I’m also watching Minaho-neesa’s cruel revenge against Shirasaka Sousuke…

「I don’t think she’ll throw me out naked… I’ll still be 16 after ten months. I can start over if I want. Even without Shirasaka house, if I rely on Ichikawa-ojiisama, I’ll manage somehow…」

Yukino doesn’t know that old man Ichikawa has abandoned Mana.

「After a year, I can enter high school again…I can change my name. I’ll abandon my name『Shirasaka YUkino』 Then, I’ll fall in love. This time…it’ll be true love」

Yukio’s positive no matter what.

On the contrary…it hurts my heart.

「Hey…how long are you going to talk to that person」

Megu sticks to me.

「That’s right…you can just leave that person alone!」

Mana also brings her body to me.

「Yoshi-kun has us okay」

Megu’s words are heavy.

I can’t live for myself like Yukino.

I’m responsible for my women.

These『women』…I must make them happy.

「I wish we can know if you’re already pregnant…when that happens, Onii-chan don’t need to have sex with Yukino-san anymore」

Mana glares at her sister.

「…What’s with that?」

Yukino opposes.

「Oh, Yukino-san…do you want to have sex with Onii-chan that much?」

Mana clings to my chest and provokes Yukino even more.

「…I want to」

Yukino answered calmly.

「Because, that man’s skill in sex is his only worth. Maika, aren’t you sticking to that guy because of that?!」

Mana rages

「I’m not!」

「Mana…stop that」

Megu holds back Mana…

「No matter how much you explain it, Yukino-san won’t understand out『bonds』 She won’t understand Yoshi-kun’s charm no matter what you say…」

「I do know his charm you know」

Yukino smiles.

「…You do?」

「Un. First, he’s a man below average from top to toe…even he himself knows that much so he’s trying to devote himself to me and you guys. You all feel pleased being spoiled by this guy, right?」

…Yukino

「It’s not…I」

「Maika and you didn’t have a man to spoil you, so you feel ecstatic, aren’t you? Well, isn’t that great? This kind of man is just perfect for girls like you. Isn’t that great? You found a man who loves you…!」

Yukino speaks with the most poisonous tongue against her sisters connected by blood.

「You don’t get it at all. Yoshi-kun’s charm is…」

「I don’t know, I don’t even want to know!」

Yukino rejects it thoroughly.

「The ones worth of my love are only good looking people with both standing and talent. This man…is really only just sex…!」

This can’t continue.

Yukino, Megu, and Mana’s conflict will only get worse.

「Hey, it’s about time you end that talk soon」

Nei-san enters in between

「At first, I was listening because it’s an interesting opinion but…what’s ahead is only just parallel lines」

「It can’t be helped…there’s no way you can understand my feelings!」

Yukino who’s emotions have fired up…exposes her hatred.

「You see…Kuroko-chan」

「What?」

「You’re Kishima Kuroko-chan right now!」

Nei-san pierces Yukino’s heart with sharp words!

It’s been a long while since she stared at Yukino with her delinquent girl mode.

「…Y-Yes?」

「If you continue…I’ll make you go around the imperial palace with a placard saying『I’m Shirasaka Sousuke’s daughter』」

…Yukino.

「I-I’ll shut up…I just have to stay silent don’t I?」

As usual, she’s weak to the pressure of the older ones like Nei-san.

「Megu-chan and Mana-chan too…you don’t need to fight Kuroko-chan every single time」

「That’s…we just」

「We’re not fighting with her」

「What do you think, Yo-chan?」

Nei-san turned to me.

「Megu and Mana…I think they both hold too much negative emotions towards Yukino. Well, I can understand that it’s due to the various things that happened before but…」

Megu’s been bullied by Yukino since forever…

Mana…she’s her sister but she’s hardly cares about.

「You’re picking fault at Yukino at everything…!」

「But, Yoshi-kun」

「But…Onii-chan!」

The two doesn’t agree.

「No…you pick on Yukino at everything more than you think. Try to ignore her for a bit. Yukino’s a『Yukino』either way」

I said.

「Yukino’s a…『Yukino』?」

Megu looks at me with a curious face.

「Yukino won’t step outside the thought other than herself so it’s『Yukino』 It’s impossible to accompany her. Yukino’s outlook of the world won’t change unless Yukino’s own world is destroyed」

「But…isn’t that just crazy?」

Mana tells me.

「Everything she says about Onii-chan is horrible. I won’t forgive it」

「…Mana」

I embrace Mana.

「You don’t need to forgive her…You just have to stop picking a fight with Yukino every single time」

「…But」

「What kind of man I am…what is our relationship, it’s okay as long as we ourselves know, right? There’s no need to explain it to other people and ask them to understand」

「…Onii-chan」

「No matter who we meet…whatever happens with us, and what are our relationship right now…they won’t understand no matter how much you explain it in words」

「…Un」

「I love you…that’s all there is to it」

「You’re right…Got it」

Mana agrees.

「Megu too…do you feel uneasy if you don’t pick on everything Yukino does?」

「…A bit」

「What are you uneasy about?」

「Yukino’s much more beautiful than me. I feel like she’ll steal Yoshi-kun away from me…」

「That’s not true」

I said clearly.

「Yukino doesn’t like me. No matter how many times she’s reborn, she won’t come to like me…didn’t she just say that earlier?」

「But…Yoshi-kun likes Yukino, right?」

…Megu

「Didn’t I say it a while ago?…」

…I

「I certainly like Yukino but…she’s not as important as you」

「…Eh?」

「It’s priority level…if we’re on a sinking ship, I’ll put Megu and Mana on the lifeboat first. I’ll put Yukino as last…」

Hearing what I said…Yukino’s face turned gloomy.

「Really…Yoshi-kun?」

「Yeah…did I ever lie to Megu?」

Megu…

「Got it…I won’t bump with Yukino anymore. I’ll ignore everything she says」

「Un, right. We’ll just leave out Yukino-san. Ignore her」

Mana still doubts.

Well, it’s better than them fighting upfront.

「…Very well, I don’t care. I feel much more refreshed when I don’t talk to you…!」

She said grumbling.

「Now…there’s 15 minutes before the opening. Let’s enter the theater soon」

Minaho-neesan call us out.

「Okay~」

Mao-chan speaks.

「Megu-chana nd Mana-chan, could you reserve the seats for our number? We don’t need to seat on one lump, instead of lining up in a row, we should seat on three rows」

Margo-san said.

「Got it. Mana, let’s go」

「Un!」

I look at Michi…

「We have Margo-san here…Michi, go with Megu and Mana」

「Certainly」

Megu, Mana and Michi trio runs to the theater.

「…Yoshida-kun, it’s about the priority level earlier」

Margo-san talks to me.

「Megumi-chan and Mana-chan would be on the lifeboat first and Yukino would be the last. I do understand that but…」

Margo-san looks at Yukino with a smile.

Yukino shows a『what』face and Margo-san averted her eyes.

「Where would be Yoshida-kun himself be at that time?」

…Eh?

「If you put Yukino-san on the lifeboat…is Yoshida-kun himself on the lifeboat already or he’s still in the sinking ship?」

…I

「…On the sinking ship」

Margo-san laughs and speaks to Yukino.

「That’s how it is…Yukino-san won’t be abandoned by Yoshida-kun at least」

Yukino looks at me with an「Ah?!」surprised face.

「In my case…I’ll get on the lifeboat at last…if there’s a gap then I’ll let Yukino-chan on board!」

Nei-san said.

「I’ll never let her in the lifeboat. I’ll be watching Yukino-sama sinking from the lifeboat. Oh well, I’ll give her at least a floating wheel」

Nagisa said.

「I’ll tie up Yukino-san on the bottom of the ship with a chain so Yukino-san can’t run away, then I’ll ride the lifeboat. I hate uncertain things」

Katsuko-nee said.

「What about Minaho」

Margo-san asks, Minaho-neesan…

「If it was me, I’ll push down Yukino-san down the sea even if the ship isn’t sinking. Let’s see…I’ll aim at the waters where the sharks lurk around」

Their assumptions are already different.

Hmmm.

Everyone’s harsh towards Yukino.

「Very well! If you tie me up with chains, I’ll get out of it. I’ll desperately swim if I’m pushed on the sea. If sharks attack, then I’ll go faster than them…! I’ll definitely live! I’ll never be killed by you people!

I think this unchaste vigor is really amazing.

「Before you think about that, you should take good care of Yoshida-kun…」

Margo-san said as she laugh.

「Eh?…What?!」

Yukino doesn’t seem to get it.

「If you don’t understand then it’s fine. That is what Yukino-san makes herself…!」

Margo-san said.

Then, she pat my shoulder.

「Yoshida-kun’s having a big problem too」

…I

「Should we go now?」

Minaho-neesan speaks and everybody leaves the lobby sofa.

◇　◇　◇

「This way, Onii-chan!」

Mana waves her hand.

Around ten columns from the front of the first floor seat…Mana and others reserve the seats.

Huh…

Even though there’s considerable number of audience coming in, the audience seats aren’t filled that much.

I look around…

「There’s not much people who would watch『symposiums』like today from start to end」

Minaho-neesan explained.

「Right, there’s a lot of people who will only come to watch the dance of the『performer』they know」

…Is that so?

「Rather…it’s more important to greet and interact with people from various famous families in the lobby」

Katsuko-nee said.,

I see…various famous people are coming.

After coming to watch their daughter or granddaughter’s presentation…and interact with various people while they’re at it.

「As expected, it’ll become overcrowded when it’s the dance of the headmaster」

Nagisa said.

「Konpeki Nadeshiko-sensei is a candidate for human national treasure」

I don’t know why traditional Japanese dance is a national treasure but…

I’m sure it’s amazing.

「That’s how it is…we’ll stay in the theater」

Minaho-neesan said.

「Thanks to Nagisa, we were able to greet the old guests of the mansion…what’s left is fore them to spread out words」

「Un…we don’t need to move any further than this」

Margo-san analyzes.

「We don’t need to talk to the other side we don’t have business with…it’s better not to talk to the individuals but just take a seat, it’s easier to have them point at and say『That’s Kuromori Minaho』」

Minaho-neesan seems to have been preparing to become a spectacle.

「Either way…for the top of the『Kuromori』organization to appear, it’s showing that we’re completely separate from Shirasaka Sousuke」

There’s no way people related to Shirasaka Sousuke show up in such a public place.

「Besides, unless we have Kouzuki-sama’s permission, we can’t stay in this theater…everyone knows that」

Un…security’s done by Kouzuki security service.

If we’re related to Shirasaka Sousuke…then we would’ve been kicked out long time ago.

「With that said…we will be making a show in here, you should stay a bit away」

Minaho-neesan said.

Minaho-neesan, Katsuko-nee, Nagisa and Mao-chan sits side by side.

Margo-san and Nei-san seats behind them, pretending to be a『guard』and『attendant』

Speaking of which…even at the sofa lobby.

Minaho-neesan and others are sitting apart from us『the young class』on purpose.

They only come close to us when they’ve got business with us.

「No way…let’s sit together」

Minaho-neesan replies to Megu.

「You cant…if you sit together with us, they might misunderstand that you’re a new『woman』in the brothel you know?」

Minaho-neesan calmly said.

「Megu, let’s sit here」

A sit somewhat across the aisle…

「…But, Yoshi-kun」

At that time…cheers rose from outside the theater.

…What?

The entrance is making a noise.

「…Kouzuki『Kakka』has arrived」

Margo-san said.