Chapter 805. Kiyohara Ai / Lock On!

「 What should we do with this girl? She’s much more troublesome than I thought 」

Nei tells Kana-senpai.

「 Sorry, I never thought that she’s this bad 」

Kana-senpai thought that Ai-san is nothing but a docile and cute girl.

「 Sure, she’s a cute girl, but what should we do? 」

「 I-I, uhm 」

Ai-san herself is just grumbling as usual.

「 Leave this to me! That’s the reason why I came here with these girls 」

Katsuko-nee said, and hold Yomi and Luna on the shoulders.

「 Nei-chan and Kana-chan, you two come up with ideas and move on your own. Both of you are smart and have the energy to act. Therefore, I thought that you won’t understand girls who don’t do anything herself 」

Nei.

「 Then that means you know that Ai-chan was like this? Katsuko-oneechan? 」

Katsuko-nee smiled.

「 Naturally. Ojou-sama and I do know about it. We’ve seen a lot of this type of girl after all 」

Seen?

Where?

「 Girls who don’t do anything themselves to survive, those with weak life force. They’re better when someone protects them, but when they lose protection, the fire of life goes away 」

Katsuko-nee stares at Ai-san with a sad look.

「 Nagisa, Ojou-sama, and I have seen them. We had the strong will to live, and so we survived the hardest times of our lives. And then, we’ve seen girls just like Ai-san, die. They were all our friends, no, some left without becoming our friends 」

Katsuko-nee, Nagisa, and Minaho-neesan.

This is from their age as prostitutes.

Those Shirasaka Sousuke kidnapped and turned to prostitutes.

Then, they spend those hellish days in the brothel.

「 That man likes to find the most troublesome things, see? That’s why he wants girls of her type. Once he gets them, he can do whatever he pleases. The girl would give up right away and do whatever the violent men tell her. Then, the fire of life in their soul dies out. To the men, future trouble is gone. They don’t desperately search for an escape from the hell-like how we did 」

Oh, yeah, Shirasaka Sousuke would gladly rape docile girls like Ai-san.

And even if that girl dies, as a result, he’ll never feel guilt from it.

He’s that kind of person.

「 Besides, most of the cute girl types are like her. First, her overall appearance and foundation are attractive. Then, her parents love her so much, and if she’s from a somewhat wealthy family, then she’d be pampered like a kitten from her childhood. And when that happens, the person herself would think that it’s natural that people protect her since that’s how it always been. Unable to do anything in their house, leaving all the work to their mother. And then, they’d always look for someone helping them on everything, and finding someone to rely on, it’s nothing rare 」

Katsuko-nee said.

「 They’re girls who know no hardships, and so they hold that fluffy cuteness in them, but they stand out, and so bad guy catches up to them 」

「 I don’t know anyone like that though? 」

Nei tells Katsuko-nee.

「 Nei-chan’s arrival on the mansion was when Ojou-sama has the hold of the brothel, and Kouzuki-sama already intervenes. That man wasn’t able to bring in girls like her anymore. His methods weren’t profitable in business, after all. Ojou-sama, Kouzuki-sama, and the other auditors pressure that man saying “It’s not going to make profits, rejected” 」

Oh, Shirasaka Sousuke’s methods;

It’s to kidnap and rape girls like Ai-san…

Then, the girl would break down and die…

Minaho-neesan used the reasoning that girls who can’t work for a long time hurts the profits and so it stopped Shirasaka Sousuke from turning girls like Ai-san to prostitutes.

「 Therefore, that man bring those girls not to the brothel but to his second house instead 」

I’ve been to Shirasaka Sousuke’s other house.

Or should I say that we burned his house down and disposed of all of the evidence against us.

Shirasaka Sousuke uses his position as the head of an advertising agency to invite in girls who want to enter the entertainment industry and rape them in his second house.

In short, he enjoyed the rape acts Minaho-neesan obstructed over there.

「 Seriously, it’s only a few years since Ojou-sama had enough power to deal with that man 」

Back then, Shirasaka Sousuke overwhelms them.

Then, Minaho-neesan took control of the management of the brothel and then asked for the support of the former prostitutes before Shirasaka Sousuke took over, and calling back the old customers.

Shirasaka Sousuke’s influence slowly weakened.

When Margo-san and Nei started living in the mansion, Minaho-neesan’s influence is stronger.

Then, last May, the revenge on Shirasaka Sousuke’s finally achieved.

It’s been 16-years since Minaho-neesan became a prostitute.

「 Seriously, everything that happened five years ago in that mansion was messed up 」

Katsuko-nee.

「 I have some memories of them. Girls who are nothing but cute, their mind and body were gnawed, and they died 」

It’s not all people who tried to survive the pain from the brothel like Katsuko-nee.

There’s a lot who died too.

「 Therefore, I know that girls like her are troublesome, but… I couldn’t just hate her. Instead, I feel guilt. I didn’t want to abandon them, but I couldn’t help them. Those girls and this one are alike. Especially that cowered look in her eyes 」

Katsuko-nee’s eyes as she looks at Ai-san are gentle.

「 U-Uhm, Katsuko-san. I don’t know much about Katsuko-san’s back story, but… Or should I say that I don’t want to know them, still… 」

Kana-senpai speaks.

Kana-senpai knows that I get along with Shirasaka Sousuke’s daughter, Yukino.

Perhaps, she’s guessed that we’re related to Shirasaka Sousuke’s incident and his death.

But, Kana-senpai chose to become our friend.

Furthermore, she doesn’t want to know our secrets.

Instead, she stands in the “I better not know what I shouldn’t know.”

I think that the sense of balance of hers is amazing.

「 But, I get what Ai’s problem thanks to your story. I really understand it now 」

The conversation goes back to Ai-san.

「 Well, indeed, there’s not many like Ai who is strongly reliant on others, but I think there’s a lot of girls who feel like her to a greater or lesser extent 」

「 You’re right, the thought of “Someone will always come to help,” or “Naturally, people help me,” and they don’t think of doing anything themselves. But instead, they wait for others to come to them. Even so, they make that kind of eyes looking around saying “Hurry up and notice that I’m trouble” 」

Nei said.

「 Yes, that. There girls who give out that “love” beam to the guys and wait for them to confess. Despite that, when they break up, the excuse would be “That person asked to go out with me and so I did” 」

「 Oh I get that, I remember a former classmate of mine, but she’s now in the third year. She’d consult a guy saying, “My current boyfriend is like a stalker, I’m scared,” and then she’d start dating that guy. She abandons her current boyfriend. “I found someone better than you, bye-bye,” something like that. But, after a few months of her new boyfriend, she’d talk to another guy and say the same thing, “My current boyfriend is like a stalker, I’m scared.” 」

「 Aah! I get that! That’s the girl from the dancing club, right? 」

「 Yes, that girl! 」

Kana-senpai and Nei are getting excited about their conversation.

「 “I wonder why all the boyfriends I had were stalkers,” she says, but, you know? 」

「 That’s her fault! She’s dating a boyfriend and yet, she’s starting to recruit a new boyfriend! And that’s why the boyfriend begins stalking her, you don’t know what she’ll do if you don’t watch her after all 」

「 Yeah, that girl’s like an ant lion’s larva pit 」

Oh, it’s not “My previous boyfriends were stalkers,” but…

She turned the boyfriends she dated as stalkers…

「 That woman causes a lot of trouble 」

「 Yeah because of that girl eating up all the boys, the guys had a worse relationship with other people and I heard that two clubs got abolished because of it 」

Kana-senpai said.

「 Ai, you can’t become like that 」

Kana-senpai looked at AI-san, but…

「 Uuu, I-I… 」

「 Err, she’s different from that girl. Besides, she’s not a strange girl like everyone says she is, it’s all wrong. So she says 」

Luna speaks for Ai-san.

「 “Why is everyone bullying me? I hate everyone” She thinks 」

Hmmm.

What do we do with this?

「 Well, that senior is out of the question, but Katsuko-san, what happens to the girls like Ai again? 」

Kana-senpai asks Katsuko-nee.

「 Well, sooner or later, a guy would push her enough that they start dating. Guys who look after girls with a weak will and cute like her. It’s mostly guys who just want sex 」

Guys who just want sex?

「 Guys like them are cunning. If it’s a smart guy, then he’ll lay the groundwork, asking someone influential to her, for example, Kana-san, and have you mediate between him and her. He’ll create an outer moat to corner this girl 」

Moat? Corner?

「 And then, when nobody would protect this girl, she’d succumb to the advances of the assertive man. She doesn’t have the strength to oppose nor immunity against guys like those 」

Yeah, she’s the type who approaches guys who look strong and would protect her.

She’ll fall right away for self-assured guys.

「 And once that happens, her first sexual experience happens. And then, the guy would wash her away 」

「 No, uhm, I-I won’t do that 」

「 Really? I think that Katsuko-san’s guess is right about you 」

Kana-senpai tells Ai-san.

「 Uuuuuuu 」

「 Well, just listen. But, even after dating and having sex with the guy, he’s still not a man she likes, or should I say that even when she starts liking a person, she’d never devote herself, and so her relationship won’t last long with anyone. Well, since the other party is just a guy who wants to have sex, he only thinks, “I’ll have a round with her since she’s cute.” A man who is cunning and is self-centered. Once he had enough, he’ll throw you away. It would be something like “I had fun in sex, but that’s enough now” 」

「 Oh, that definitely sounds like how they would say it 」

Kana-senpai nods.

「 Then, after one guy, a second one would appear before her. “I’m also open,” something like that. Then, your body would be passed among men. All of them just want to play, you’d become a toy for guys who want to have sex. And sooner or later, you’ll enter the group of men who only want sex and get told “You go here next” and become a public toilet 」

「 T-That’s not 」

「 I wonder? I think it’s a realistic possibility 」

Kana-senpai tells the worried Ai-san.

Katsuko-nee…

「 Sooner or later, when the boys are done playing with you, you’ll lose that cuteness. Well, you’ll stay beautiful but disgraceful. You’ll become like flamingoes caged in the zoo. You’re gorgeous back then, and that’s why the misery stands out 」

「 That’s realistic 」

Kana-senpai said. Ai-san looks horrified.

「 Well, even so, your mother looking after you had to be lively. But, once you lose the people who protect you, you’ll inevitably degrade. You can’t do anything, clothes, makeup, and in the years to come, you’ll lose that youth 」

Katsuko-nee corners Ai-san.

「 Right, if you were to marry at age 25, then it would be different. Furthermore, if your mother could find a rich man as your partner, then you could reach the goal with the remaining cuteness you still have 」

「 M-Marriage? 25-years old? 」

「 That’s right. With that kind of cuteness you have, 25-years old is your limit. If you’re any older than that, only perverts will like that cowering character that you have. Kana-san, do you like perverts? 」

Katsuko-nee asks Kana-senpai.

「 No thanks 」

Err.

「 Nei-chan, give Kana-chan a cushion 」

「 Okay, Katsuko-oneechan 」

Nei hands Kana-senpai a cushion just close to her.

「 Thanks 」

Kana-senpai then pushes that cushion with her ass.

「 Then, what about you, Ai? 」

「 Err 」

Katsuko-nee continues…

「 If you manage to get married, and rely on your husband in exchange of your mother, then you’re in luck 」

「 M-Me? Marriage? Luck? 」

「 Ah, I guess it doesn’t work out in the end 」

「 Eeeeeeeeeee??? 」

Ai-san’s speechless from what Katsuko-nee said.

「 Hmmm. In your case, your married life won’t last long. I mean, you only love yourself. Once your husband notices that you don’t like him, then naturally, the husband would divorce you. Especially if it’s a rich man, if you weren’t good enough, then he’d just look for another 」

Katsuko-nee continues to use logic to corner Ai-san.

「 See? A former actor, IT director, or a businessman seem to divorce the women they married, right? In the end, a rich man won’t do. Besides, no matter how cool the man looks like today when the push comes to shove, your mother cannot protect you anymore. When those men feel heavy, they will cut you off right away. Even your marriage partner is still a stranger 」

「 Ah, uuuuuu!!! 」

Ai-san feels down.

She thinks that the simulation points out her future.

This girl is mentally weak.

「 And when you divorce, you’re already over your 20’s and probably at your 30’s. So, what do you think will happen by then? 」

「 Uuuuu 」

「 You’re played around by the guys who only wanted sex, and is also a divorcee. Your skin is no longer tense, and that cuteness you have is only a fragment of what you have right now. Your parents are probably too old that they can’t help you. Who do you think will take care of that kind of woman? What’s left is to grow old and ugly, right? Would you just give up and die? 」

Oh.

Women at age 20 or 30s are still beautiful.

But, for Ai-san…

Ai-san, who is filled with cuteness at her age…

She trusts what Katsuko-nee tells her right away.

「 Ah, ah, ah, I, auuuu 」

「 She’s asking, “What should I do?” 」

Luna reports.

「 I don’t know. It’s your life. It’s nothing I should care about 」

Katsuko-nee laughed and pushes Ai-san away.

「 H-Hoshizaki-s-senpai… 」

AI-san turns to Kana-senpai, but…

「 Sorry. I’m not responsible for you, nor I don’t want to. I mean, once you start going with guys who only want sex, I’ll cut all my relationship with you 」

Kana-senpai is cold to Ai-san.

「 Auuuu, uhm, but, I… 」

「 I won’t date those people, she says 」

Luna speaks for Ai-san.

「 Sure, for now, but what about the future? After all, Ai relies on others all the time 」

Kana-senpai said.

「 Yeah, that’s right. Ai-chan always cowers and wait for someone to help her, but if you put it the other way, that means you show that you’re weak to other people, don’t you? 」

Nei said.

「 And since you show that you’re weak, people who prey on vulnerable people will surely come. Once you give them a chance, they’ll naturally come. This world is a harsh one after all 」

「 Right. In Ai’s case, you were lucky so far. But that won’t happen all the time. Bad people are everywhere 」

Yeah.

For example, the people surrounding Ai-san right now.

We’re all bad people.

「 B-But, Uhm, I… 」

「 Ah, don’t say it, we don’t care about your opinion at all 」

Nei smiled.

「 I mean, you can’t do anything yourself anyway, Ai-chan. Look at what just happened, you showed your weak self to us, and we somehow helped you, right? And you don’t think of changing yourself in any way 」

「 Auuuu 」

「 Rather than that, this girl doesn’t seem to understand what’s wrong with her, why she has to change, or how she could turn herself 」

Luna reads Ai-san’s mind.

「 Well, she’s never been cornered and have her reflect on how her life has been so far 」

Nei said. Then she looked at me.

「 And so, it’s impossible for this girl to reform herself. Yo-chan 」

Ai-san…

Katsuko-nee gave her a simulation of her future…

Then, she feels uneasy,

But…

That doesn’t mean that she’ll change her way of life.

Thinking more about her life and acting on it, for example.

She doesn’t think that way.

「 In the end, this girl doesn’t live by her reason. When she senses that “Ah, I might be in danger,” then someone comes to save her. That’s how she was raised 」

「 Right, Ai doesn’t do anything by herself 」

Nei and Kana-senpai said.

「 Then, what do we do? Should we just leave Ai-san, abandon her? 」

I said. Ai-san trembles.

No, she doesn’t understand what we’re talking about.

She only reacted to the word “abandon”

「 That’s your choice 」

Katsuko-nee said.

「 Do you want this girl? Or not? 」

Huh?

「 Ai-san can be compared to a 500 yen coin on the road 」

Ai-san is a 500 yen coin?

「 As you can see, she’s cute right now. If you leave her alone, then her cuteness will wither soon enough, but if she’s with us, she’ll surely shine more 」

That’s…

「 Earlier, I said, “It’s your life” to her, but in the end, she’ll fail at it. You already know why, don’t you? 」

I look at Ai-san.

She does nothing but looks down.

She never looks at anyone.

As usual, she makes the appeal that she’s a weak girl.

She just waits for someone to help her, it doesn’t matter who it is.

All she does is wait.

She couldn’t possibly survive with this.

「 Girls like this exist. And girls who are have nothing but cuteness are abundant. You can’t save them. After all, they don’t try to protect themselves. They can’t understand why they have to do that after all 」

Katsuko-nee tells me.

「 And so, we’re giving up on Ai-san? 」

Leaving her alone?

「 No. You all first need to understand that people who can’t do anything exists 」

Nei and Kana-senpai, Edie, Yomi, and Luna nodded.

「 But, Ai-san’s cuteness has its worth, right? Just like how the 500 yen coin has worth. This girl just fell down on the road. Would you pick her up? 」

Me? Pick Ai-san up?

「 If you don’t, someone else will. Maybe it’s a bastard who wants nothing but sex, or perhaps, she gets lucky and finds a good person. We don’t know 」

「 Ah, Katsuko-oneechan, I think it’ll be the former 」

「 I’m betting my money on that too 」

Nei and Kana-senpai said.

「 Well, either way, someone will pick her up if you don’t. And you have nothing to do whether she becomes happy or unhappy in the end. After all, you didn’t pick her up 」

Yeah.

「 But, you can decide right now. Would you pick this girl with nothing but cuteness at hand and is worth only a 500 yen coin, or abandon her, you can decide 」

「 U-Uhm, I-i 」

Ai-san’s trying to say something.

「 Sorry, she’s just panicking. I can’t read her thoughts 」

Oh, she’s feeling it.

She knows that she’s in danger if this goes on.

「 But, even if you say picking her up… 」

What happens after I pick Ai-san up?

「 Do you not get it? Yo-chan, we have Yomi and the girls 」

Yomi.

「 Okay, Yoim’s turn! 」

Yomi smiled.

「 Ai-chan doesn’t have a “Self” She doesn’t have any imagination or plans on what she wants to do, or become. She’s just a girl who imagines “it would be nice if this happens” and does nothing else 」

Nei’s right.

That is why I, we can’t just do nothing about Ai-san.

Ai-san doesn’t have anything.

We could have the guy Ai-san likes and his girlfriend break up, then…

Have Ai-san date that guy, but…

Ai-san will never be thankful.

She’s a girl who thinks that her wishes will come true someday.

「 That’s why we can’t do anything about it 」

I thought.

「 Huh, what? Yomi can do something 」

Huh?

「 Yomi can change the consciousness of this girl 」

Using her Miko power?

「 I can change this girl into a different person. Someone Sensei wants… 」

What I want.

「 That’s right. This girl who has no redeeming features but to look cute can change into whatever you want 」

Katsuko-nee?

「 But, that’s… 」

Is that okay?

「 Didn’t I tell you? This girl’s worth is only of a 500-yen coin. You’re to choose whether you pick her up or not. 」

I…

「 But, if you don’t pick her up, someone else will. Don’t feel sorry for her. This girl has the problem of having nothing 」

I look at Ai-san.

As usual, she’s looking down, trembling.

She’s not afraid of the conversation.

She’s just afraid of the tension of the situation.

「 If you don’t want her, then that’s okay. Nei-chan and I will take her away. We don’t care whatever happens to this girl next 」

Katsuko-nee looks tells me.

「 You’ve been urged with this choice multiple times. Do you want to pick her up or not? Think of it and decide 」

I…

「 Yo-chan, just be honest 」

Nei?

「 Look at Ai-chan 」

I look at Ai-san.

「 She’s cute, right? Do you want to have sex with her? 」

Ai-san looked at me in surprise.

Oh, so that’s how her eyes look.

Looking at it directly.

She has two beautiful pupils.

I want to see her make a face of pleasure in sex.

That’s not all.

I want to see Ai-san smile.

「 I want to have sex with her 」

I said.

「 So, I’ll pick Ai-san up

At that moment.

「 I’ve been waiting for that! 」

Yomi claps her hands.

Luna touches Yomi’s hand and pours in her power.

「 Huh?! 」

AI-san looked at Yomi’s eyes in surprise…

「 LOCK ON~ 」

She activates her Miko power.