Chapter 696. Pursuit of Happiness

We’re crazy people

Since we were born.

No, even before our birth, our parents are not normal.

「 I know that I’m not normal 」

Megu speaks calmly.

「 I’m a child of a prostitute, an unwanted child from rape 」

Megu’s born from Shirasaka Sousuke raping her mother.

「 Mama’s last moments were miserable. Even my life as the daughter in Yamamine house is shameful. They took custody of me, and because of that, my adoptive parents were harassed by Shirasaka family 」

In reality, Yamamine house is a distant relative of Shirasaka house, and they were routinely harassed by them.

Adopting Megu who’s the illegitimate daughter of Shirasaka Sousuke is one of those harassments.

Even so, Megu’s adoptive parents raised her kindly.

「 I always had to be a “good girl” so I don’t bother the Yamamine house’s parents. No matter how poor our family was, if I worked hard in my studies and club activities, my classmates and teachers will recognize me. If I do that, it would please my adoptive parents. That is why I’ve been working hard all the time 」

Megu.

「 Therefore, Yukino who has worse grades than me stopped me from entering the public school and made me quit the baseball club, I hated her. I could never forgive her 」

Megu’s actually smart that she could pass a high-level school.

Yukino was jealous of it, so she stopped her from going to a higher-level school and put her on the same high-school as herself.

They were in the same basketball club during middle school.

Megu was better in the middle school club, so Yukino had Megu quit basketball club.

Even though she won’t continue in basketball club herself.

「 Even though she has a lot of the “ordinary happiness” I don’t have, she kept on tormenting me 」

I see.

Yukino, her sister from a different mother, was there,

That is why Megu was longing for “ordinary happiness” too.

「 Therefore, even if she’s in that state now, I don’t feel sorry. Instead, I think “serves you right” 」

Megu said.

「 There are two things you misunderstand 」

Minaho-neesan tells Megu.

「 First of it all, Yukino-san’s house isn’t ordinary at all 」

「 What are you talking about Minaho-san!? She had both parents, and they’re all living together in the same house! They live a fun life every day, isn’t that what an ordinary happy house looks like?! 」

Megu protests.

「 I’m not saying that Shirasaka Sousuke’s house is inferior to an ordinary family. Instead, it’s the opposite 」

Minaho-neesan?

「 That man is a head in a top-notch advertising agency, and a member of Shirasaka clan. They even have a main house in Tokyo. Furthermore, it’s not land or building he inherited from his parents, he bought it himself. Well, he also used the money from Kuromori other than his main business, stil, 」

That’s right, Shirasaka Sousuke isn’t an “ordinary” man.

「 His cars were high-class. He travels abroad every summer and winter vacation. He even has a condo in Hawaii. His wife’s family is also wealthy. His wife herself is a food critic who often appears on media 」

They’re both from the elite class.

「 It’s a big mistake to think of them as “ordinary” 」

「 But 」

Megu doesn’t agree with it.

「 Do you remember what I talked about earlier? “Counting chickens before they’re hatched” Indeed, you may have swapped positions with Yukino-san. You’ve always thought of the possibility that you were the legal daughter of Shirasaka house and Yukino is the illegitimate child because you’ve still received Yukino’s harassment all the time. You wanted to swap positions with Yukino-san, don’t you? 」

Minaho-neesan laughs.

「 But the hard fact says otherwise. Yukino-san is the legal child, and you’re the illegitimate one. That reality will never be reversed 」

「 But it’s still frustrating! Yukino’s always laughing at me, and all I do is endure it. It’s just strange! 」

「 Indeed it is. Isn’t that why you broke free from the curse of Shirasaka Sousuke and the clan, didn’t you? You don’t want to return to Yamamine house because you hate to touch the relationship with Shirasaka house, don’t you?! 」

「 That’s right, I!! 」

「 If that’s the case, stop comparing yourself with Yukino-san!!! 」

Minaho-neesan spoke flatly.

「 Happiness differs on each person. Everyone should have different “happiness” from each other. The “normal happiness” you want doesn’t exist. You should seek happiness in line with your reality 」

「 But, but!! 」

Megu doesn’t agree.

…I

「 Megu in the past only saw Yukino happy in Shirasaka house, right? That’s why you can’t forgive her 」

「 That’s right 」

Megu turns to me.

「 But, was Shirasaka Sousuke’s house that happy? 」

「 They were. I’ve always watched them 」

Megu watches Yukino in her beautiful dress at the clan gathering from the lower seat.

She can’t wear clothes other than her school uniform.

Yukino, the favorite of the head of the clan forbid Megu from wearing other clothes.

「 But, we know about Mana 」

「 Mana? 」

Mana’s also a daughter of Shirasaka house, Yukino’s little sister.

「 Mana who had a weak body since childhood was entrusted to some relatives in Shizouka. But, neither Yukino nor her parents came to visit Mana 」

「 That’s 」

「 Shirasaka Sousuke does as he pleases and Yukino’s mother had an affair with the manager. They didn’t care about their home at all 」

「 Even so, they live together with their parents, and they’re happier than me 」

Megu.

「 That’s not it. I had a house to live in, and I’m living with my parents, but I wasn’t happy 」

「 Yoshi-kun 」

「 I’m the proof to that 」

I had a house.

I lived together with my parents.

But, I was alone in the dark in that house.

「 Megumi, I’m not telling you to stop hating on Shirasaka Sousuke. I hate him too. I won’t forgive him even if he’s dead now. I don’t mind you harboring emotions to Yukino-san in the past 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 But, you have a future. You must forget about the bitter past when thinking about the future. If not, you won’t be able to move on 」

「 Future 」

「 That’s what I learned from Yoshinobu. You mustn’t stay strapped in the past, if you want to make your loved ones happy, then you must have the courage to move forward 」

Wait, me?

「 No, I don’t remember saying that though 」

「 You didn’t, but that’s what you do 」

Minaho-neesan smiles.

「 I was thinking of killing myself after I took my revenge on Shirasaka Sousuke, but you gave me a family to live for 」

Family.

「 Before you came, we, Kuromori were just a group of allies who wants to take revenge on Shirasaka Sousuke. You made us family 」

「 No, that’s wrong, we made ourselves family 」

We all lost our biological family,

We were looking for a family because we needed it.

That thought is hidden in our hearts, so we gathered and became a family.

「 Megumi, you do understand what role he plays for our family, don’t you? 」

Megumi doesn’t respond.

「 Oh well. Anyway, the”ordinary happiness” you’ve been thinking about doesn’t exist. If you feel that you’re happy then you’ll be satisfied in any environment you’re in 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 Humans search for happiness even if they already became an emperor who controls the world. On the contrary, someone who’s on the death penalty, about to be executed by hanging his neck on the rope, that person would want to be happy even for one moment. The pursuit of happiness never ends for as long as humans live. We also can’t stop receiving satisfaction, but 」

But?

「 Let’s pursue happiness suitable for our life. For example, me wanting to find a man of my life, marry him and have children with that man, that would be wrong, don’t you think? No matter how much I want it, it is just a dream that will never come true.

That’s.

「 My body can no longer bear a child. That’s the reality. Though I achieved my revenge on Shirasaka Sousuke, I’ve turned a lot of women to prostitutes in the process. I can’t be allowed to return to a normal life. My leg will stay in the underground society until I die, if I try to break out, it would be earlier. That’s my reality. 」

People from the political and business worlds know Minaho-neesan’s other side through the world of the brothel.

Even now, Minaho-neesan can live thanks to Jii-chan’s backing.

Jii-chan’s got strong influence in both the political and financial circles, and he also owns a private army which is Kouzuki SS.

That’s the truth.

「 That is why I look for happiness within the scope of my reality. I’ll never obtain unrealistic happiness, and I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. If I die, it’ll cause trouble 」

「 Minaho-san, why? 」

Megu’s surprised.

「 After all, it’s impossible for you all to become the representative of Kuromori and face the scary people, isn’t it? That’s why I can’t die yet 」

I’m still 16. Katsuko-nee’s just 21.

No, Minaho-neesan’s still 28, even so,

Minaho-neesan has a track record of running the brothel for over ten years.

Her face is known by the heavyweights in the political and financial underground.

「 But, I’m happy. That’s because I have you all 」

She looks at us gently.

「 And I’m also sorry 」

Huh?

「 You too are bound by the reality I’m trapped in. As long as you live in this mansion, no, even if you come out of here, you can’t escape this fate anymore 」

That’s right.

「 We’re also members of Kuromori 」

If I were to come out of this mansion, it’s so late to do that though, but still, if I go back to living in Yoshida house, then,

I’d be kidnapped by an underground society right away.

They’d use me as a hostage against MInaho-neesan.

Or possibly ask me for information about Kuromori.

They’d probably torture me. They might even kill me.

「 Megumi, I know how much you want to live a normal happy life with Yoshinobu. I’ve once had the same dream back when I was a prostitute. 」

Minaho-neesan.

「 If I leave this place, then I’m sure that I’ll become happy. I’ll throw away my past as a prostitute and live happily in a distant town. I wished for that. In my case, however, the fact that I could no longer bear a child and my little sister, Naomi died made me abandon such an impossible and naive dream, nevertheless, 」

Minaho-neesan looks at the monitor.

「 Nagisa, Katsuko. Even though Nagisa’s able to turn a new leaf from being a prostitute and she was put in an environment where she could hide her past, and yet, her past chases after her, and she couldn’t move forward 」

After Nagisa left the brothel and became the owner-manager of a flower shop…

She had several matchmaking meetings with men.

But, she hesitated to live while hiding her past as a prostitute.

She wasn’t able to advance her relationship with any men.

「 As for Katsuko, she’s afraid of going out that she can’t leave the mansion. The two of them were finally able to move forward thanks to you 」

Minaho-neesan.

「 Katsuko yesterday shed tears as she watches herself sell the bread she made. She finally dared to stand in front

Huh?

「 She sold the bread she baked and heard the opinion of the students about the taste. She’s never done that before. She was afraid of hearing other people’s evaluation of what she made 」

Katsuko-nee only supports me, she doesn’t stand at the store, and she tries not to show herself to the students as much as possible.

「 Katsuko’s a cowardly girl after all. That’s why she always tries to act bright and cheerful. She’s pretty much like Nei. I mean, Nei’s the one who imitated Katsuko though 」

Katsuko-nee.

「 I think she’s going to be okay now. You and Katsuko are doing well in the bakery. However 」

Minaho-neesan looked at me.

「 Your bakery with Katsuko isn’t an ordinary bakery at all. It has connections with Kuromori, a criminal organization, the police have already investigated it, and security officers from Kouzuki SS are present at all times, that’s the kind of bakery it is 」

We can’t escape from the current reality we have.

「 That’s how it is, Megumi. You’re the same. You’ll never obtain the kind of “ordinary happiness from ordinary life” that you expect. Nikita-san will come over. We can’t break our friendly relations with Miss Cordelia. Misuzu-san as well. Kouzuki house is our lifeline. Or should I say… 」

Minaho-neesan sighed.

「 Misuzu-san and Ruriko-san who was born in Kouzuki house and Michi-san who’s lived as Misuzu-san’s bodyguard understands the pursuit of happiness according to reality more than Megumi. Those girls never wish for anything while ignoring reality. 」

That’s right.

Even with Takakura sisters, Megu shows a dissatisfied look to the end.

Misuzu and everyone else accepted them right away, however.

They know.

If Jii-chan asks for it, then we’ll accept them.

If we accept them anyway, we have to be positive about it.

They show unwavering resolution in response to reality.

「 Mana-san as well. If that girl’s kicked out of here then she has nowhere to go, she has that resolve. Actually, it’s just you who’s running around without seeing the reality 」

Megu;

「 What should I do then, Minaho-san? 」

「 Think of it yourself. I can’t always give you the answers 」

Minaho-neesan speaks coldly.

「 However, if you’re going to stay like that, I’ll take you away as Yoshinobu’s partner for camouflage and will have Hoshizaki Kana do it instead 」

Huh?

「 The current camouflage is useful in keeping Yoshinobu isolated from the other students. Being engaged with Megumi and having the school recognize you two living together, and also being the lone student in bread making course 」

Isolating me?

「 If there were students that are too close to Yoshinobu, it would be dangerous for them. That’s why you need to be a bit of a floating existence in the school. 」 And for that, you must become someone the whole school knows 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 In that sense, Kana-san is much better than Megumi. She’s not an idiot, and she’ll never betray us as long as she benefits from it, she’s also wise to not ask anything that would put her in danger. Above all that, she’s also beautiful. She’s just a perfect sex friend for Yoshinobu in school 」

「 I’ll be his partner in school! 」

Megu said.

「 Yoshinobu is in pain when he’s with Megumi. All you do is ask Yoshinobu with your desires. You don’t even think about doing something to make Yoshinobu feel pleasure 」

「 T-That’s not true 」

「 I wonder? Then let’s compare later 」

Minaho-neesan tells Megu.

「 Watch your recent sex with him and Yoshinobi’s sex with Kana-san. He looked like he had way more fun with Kana-san 」

「 That’s not true! 」

「 Just watch it. That’s why I called you to this room 」

This room has a lot of screens.

They can watch me having sex with Kana-senpai earlier today in here.

「 That’s all for now, Yoshinobu. Go back to the dining room. Then, take a rest afterward. Do the rest by tomorrow 」

「 But, Minaho-neesan 」

I feel reluctant leaving Megu behind.

「 I think that the shock would be greater if you leave 」

Is that so?

No.

Sure, recently I’m having sex with Megu out of a sense of duty.

I somehow had to respond to Megu and make her feel pleasure.

Compared to that.

It was fun having sex with Kana-senpai today.

No, not just Kana-senpai. Anya as well.

The two of them have a bright personality.

But, they were gentle that they accepted me.

「 You need them right now. That’s why I had them arranged 」

Minaho-neesan.

「 To you as of now, sex is a duty, it’s likely to become a burden. Everyone except Megumi is worried about it. You’ll understand once you’re back in the dining room 」

Everyone’s worried about me?

「 Go on, Yoshinobu. Leave Megumi to me 」

But.

「 You’ll be meeting Kouzuki-sama by 2pm tomorrow. Therefore, tuning the Takakura sisters can be done by tomorrow instead. They just lost their virginity so they must be tired tonight, let them rest 」

I think so too.

Still, 2pm tomorrow.

Will they be able to stabilize thier Miko power in time?

「 Yeah. Now that you remembered what you should do, your face shows manliness again. Well done 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 Then, what should we do next? 」

「 Discuss the schedule tomorrow with everyone before going to bed 」

I should discuss how to guide the three sisters with Misuzu and everyone.

Also, where would the Takakura sisters sleep.

They should sleep together so they won’t feel lonely.

「 You have some ideas now, then go 」

I stand up from my seat.

Then, I remembered something.

「 Ah wait, earlier, Minaho-neesan mentioned that Megu has two mistakes 」

Come to think of it.

「 I feel like there’s still one that’s not mentioned though 」

Minaho-neesan.

「 Oh that? The other one is about Yukino-san 」

Yukino.

「 Earlier, Megumi damns Yukino-san about having a miserable life now, but 」

Yeah, she mentioned that.

「 Yukino-san now isn’t having a miserable life, to be honest, 」

HUh?

「 No matter how much miserable think Yukino-san is, the other side doesn’t care. No matter how much shame she suffered from, even forcing her to be some celebrity on TV, she’s still doing quite well 」

Yukino.

「 It’s Yukino-san’s talent to have some fun no matter what’s her situation 」

Behind Minaho-neesan;

Megu nods silently.

◇　◇　◇

「 Oh, welcome back, that was long 」

Entering the dining room, I meet Yukino right away.

Yukino’s still talking to Yoshiko-san.

「 What’s the topic now? 」

I asked.

「 Well, you see, we were talking about the shogi women’s organization’s problem, remember? And then this time, there’s a women’s professional bowling team breaking up! 」

Yukino points on her phone.

「 Both were originally from the same organization, so they say “We’ll separate with only women,” and so they did, but I guess it has to be only women, right? 」

「 I don’t know 」

Yoshiko-san laughs.

「 Onii-chan, this way! 」

Mana calls from the table in the inner room.

Looking around, everyone else is here.

「 Seems like an emergency meeting or something. We’re the only ones left out. It’s so sad, isn’t, it Yoshiko-san? 」

「 Well, it can’t be helped 」

「 But in exchange, Katsuko gave us cake. Isn’t Maika calling you over? Hurry up and go 」

「 Y-Yeah 」

When I tried to move;

「 Hey, am I staying here tonight? 」

「 I think, seems like the Yakuza from Kansai are still in rampage 」

I replied.

There’s no personnel from Kouzuki SS to protect Yukino.

They’re all outside it seems.

「 I see. Okay then. Ah, but I don’t want to be in the same room as Megumi! Hear that?! 」

「 The other side thinks the same way. You’ll get your room, don’t worry 」

I said, then head to the table with everyone in it.

Nei, Misuzu, Ruriko, Michi, Edie, Mana, Agnes, Tsukiko, Yomiko, and Luna.

They’re all here.

「 Here, black tea 」

Katsuko-nee comes over.

「 First of all, Kou-sama, I’ve discussed this with everyone, however, 」

Tsukiko asks me.

「 Even if everything goes well and we manage to use our Miko powers freely then we’ll try to hide it as much as possible 」

I see.

They have reached the same conclusion as Minaho-neesan.

「 Yeah, Minaho-neesan mentioned it too. It would be better if the power isn’t publicly known 」

Bad people will only target them if they become known.

「 I’ll talk to Jii-chan tomorrow about it. Misuzu, Ruriko, explain it together with me. Thanks 」

I don’t think I can talk this out alone.

「 Certainly 」

Even so,

This is only a ‘what if’ the Miko power is stable.

「 Then, naturally, we would only use this power when we have Kou-sama’s permission 」

「 But, we’d like to set up some exceptions to that 」

Yomiko said.

「 Exceptions? 」

「 First would be to keep our hearts connected with Kou-sama. Uhm, that’s because we’re anxious 」

Yeah, of course.

They’d want to know what I think during my meeting with Jii-chan or something.

They’ll be able to support when I made a mistake in my talk.

「 That’s great. Either way, whatever I think comes out of my face no matter what 」

I promised.

Tsukiko looked relieved.

「 As for the second one, we would like to have permission to use our power when we feel that we’re in a crisis 」

「 Naturally, you can use that without my permission when that happens 」

The Yakuza still aims at the sisters.

If the situation becomes dangerous, then;

You can use your Tsuki power to read people’s mind and Yomi power to make them obey.

Safety is the highest priority.

「 As for their relationships in school 」

Relationships

「 Uhm, Nii-san, I surely think that I’ll be in the same school as Agnes, but 」

Luna said.

「 Please do it that way, Agnes can’t go to school alone, I think 」

And since they’re both 12 years old.

I want Luna to help Agnes.

「 If that’s the case, Agnes-san, no, it’s also my first time in a school in Tokyo. Just imagining it feels scary 」

I see.

I guess we have to think of how we deal with that too.

Agnes has blonde hair and blue hair like she’s a foreigner.

But, I think that it would be impossible for her to obtain common sense before she enters school.

「 Yeah, you’re right. I’ll leave it to Luna’s judgment 」

I can’t go to Luna’s class of course.

「 May I as well? 」

Yomiko?

「 Sensei, I think I’d go to the same middle school as Mana-san 」

Yeah, they’re of the same age.

「 I could solve Sensei’s worries about Mana-san 」

Huh?

「 I just have to make the people think that Mana-san is a girl who moved from Kyoto just like me, right? 」

Yeah.

Mana’s afraid of meeting people who know her past.

That she’d be recognized as Shirasaka Maika.

「 How about we make Mana-san our little sister then? 」

Yomiko?

「 Let’s have Mana-san as Luna’s Onee-san too. That doesn’t sound strange, does it? 」

Y-Yeah.

Err.

「 What do you think, Mana? 」

「 I won’t be afraid if I’m with Yomiko-san 」

I see. Okay then.

「 Yomi, thanks. Talk it out with the two of you, okay? 」

「 Yes, certainly 」

If Yomiko’s power can be a guarantee to give Mana the courage to attend a new school life.

「 Lastly, 」

Tsukiko speaks.

「 We would like to be useful to Kou-sama 」

Useful to me?

「 Uhm, if you have our power, Kou-sama, you can get anything 」

Huh?

「 We can read people’s mind and make them follow us. Whoever it is 」

W-What?

You mean?

If I thought “Wow, that’s a good woman, I’d like to have sex with her,” then?

「 Yes. If there are any women you prefer to have sex with, then we’ll deliver it to you right away 」

Tsukiko replied after reading my mind.

「 Hey, don’t read my mind on that part! 」

「 No, Kou-sama, you promised that you won’t mind if I read your mind all the time 」

Ah.

「 We’d always be connected to Kou-sama’s heart all the time 」

If there is a woman I’d like to have sex with, then they’d all…

「 Yes, that’s right!!! 」