Rich Girl Caretaker Vol. 6 Chapter 4

The Management Tournament

The next morning. I sat in the car on the way to school, staring blankly out the window.

"Itsuki-san, are you alright?"

"...I'm fine."

Shizune-san asked out of concern, but I couldn't even pretend to be energetic.

Hinako and Shizune-san knew what had happened. The news of Suminoe-san's acquisition had been published in-game, so Narika, Taisho, and Asahi-san all knew, too. They had all called or messaged me.

"...Itsuki?"

Hinako, beside me, was also watching me with worry.

I remembered how I'd made them worry when I was the one too invested... I slapped my cheeks, forcing a change in mood.

"I'm fine. I've calmed down after a night's sleep."

"...Okay."

Being depressed wasn't going to help.

I tried to get back into a positive mindset. As usual, I got out of the car before Hinako.

"See you at school, Hinako."

"Mhm. I'll be waiting."

I walked toward the school, thinking about my next move. But, as I passed the gate and approached the building—

"Oh my, Tomonari-kun. Good morning."

I'd run into the very person I least wanted to see.

"...Suminoe-san."

"You look like you have something to say."

Isn't it obvious?

I glanced around. Students were subtly watching us. Thanks to the in-game news, many of them must have realized the situation between us. If I spoke on instinct, I'd say something I'd regret. I controlled myself and spoke calmly.

"...That was a pretty aggressive move."

"I told you, didn't I? 'I hope you don't regret this.'"

Suminoe-san said this without a trace of guilt.

A normal corporate buyout means acquiring a company's shares to gain management rights. There are many ways to do this, like negotiating with shareholders or launching a public takeover bid (TOB) to buy shares from the public. However, Suminoe-san's method was... unusual. The company she acquired, Tech Ventures, was a venture capital firm... an investment company specializing in startups. VCs provide capital to new companies in exchange for shares, profiting when those companies grow. Tomonari Gifts had received funding from Tech Ventures, and in return, they held my stock. And now that Suminoe-san had acquired Tech Ventures, she controlled the Tomonari Gifts stock they held... putting her company in a position to effectively control mine.

This was... an indirect hostile takeover. If you don't listen to me, I'll just buy your boss and control you that way. It wasn't illegal, but it was a pushy, money-flexing move. Honestly, it felt awful.

"I believe I said I wouldn't accept a buyout..."

"The business world isn't so naive that we back down just because you say 'no.'"

I had no response.

Tech Ventures held nearly 40% of Tomonari Gifts' stock. If she had acquired over half, I'd be a subsidiary, no questions asked. So I was still barely hanging on... No, maybe not. Even without being a full subsidiary, having that much of my voting power snatched away meant my freedom to manage Tomonari Gifts had just plummeted.

"Don't misunderstand. I wasn't just targeting your company."

Suminoe-san said with a composed smile.

"I wanted to bring all of Tech Ventures' companies under my umbrella. It's part of my plan to become the leader of the IT industry."

Tech Ventures was a much bigger company than mine. It wouldn't make sense to buy it just to get to me. I had figured she had other motives. But I hadn't expected that.

"Fufufu... Are you surprised I have ambitions?"

"I am... Is that also for Tennouji-san?"

"Of course."

She began to explain.

"I will one day be Tennouji-sama's right hand. She will eventually become a great figure known not just in this country, but around the world. I will support her, in public and in private. This tournament is just practice."

Her feelings were out of control, but her goal, at least, was diligent. Gaining business knowledge would certainly help her. That's why she was expanding SIS.

"Well... I also just wanted to crush you."

—So it was personal. And here I was, taking her seriously.

"Eliminating obstacles is part of the drill. I cannot forgive you for... for seducing Tennouji-sama."

"...Seducing?"

She'd said she hated me, but "seducing" was new. What on earth did she think I was?

"She used to be so much stricter with herself! Behind that elegance, you could feel her relentless diligence... She was always pushing herself to the limit to defeat her rival, Hinako Konohana."

She described the Tennouji-san of the past.

"But she changed—and it's your fault." Suminoe-san glared at me.

"Ever since she met you, she's gotten soft... Specifically, it started around the June mock exams! That's when the signs appeared...!"

Suminoe-san was shaking with rage. That was... frighteningly specific. That was exactly when the marriage interview was resolved. She had changed then, but was it that obvious?

"And! You two got closer! At the tea parties, your shared glances increased by 2.7 times, and the distance between you when walking shrank by 4 centimeters! You can't hide it from my eyes!!"

Terrifying. This is absolutely terrifying— Any serious atmosphere was gone. Well, she was probably serious...

"You were... watching the tea parties?"

"Of course I was!! I watched while weeping tears of blood!!"

"...Why didn't you just join us?"

"I can't! Talking about school or the tournament is one thing, but if I talked about her private life, I'd be so nervous I'd die!!"

Sigh. I thought you wanted to support her in "public and in private"?

"The old Tennouji-sama never would have allied with Konohana-san... She never would have mixed with a group like that."

That... was probably true. Hinako had said she felt Suminoe-san disliked her... this must be why. She worships Tennouji-san, so she sees Hinako as the enemy.

"So, to bring Tennouji-sama to her senses, I'm going to destroy you... Once she sees you're nothing special, she'll come to her senses. This is my mission as her future right hand."

I understood her motive now. I remembered what Tennouji-san had said.

—But... she respected the 'old' me. She might have mixed feelings about who I am now.

Both Tennouji-san and I thought her change was a good thing. But... here was one person who didn't.

"You don't deserve to stand next to her. ...You should be eliminated from this game as soon as possible."

With that, Suminoe-san turned and walked away.

◆

In the end, I made it through the school day without a single idea. I returned to the estate and continued to rack my brains in my room. This is bad. I need a counter-plan, fast... Driven by this anxiety, I researched ways to escape her control, listing every possible solution I could pull off alone. Just then, a "knock knock" came at the door. I called "Come in," and Hinako entered.

"Good work... I brought you some tea."

"Thank you."

I took the cup and drank slowly. The clean, sweet taste eased the tension coiled deep in my brain.

"...This is even better than before."

"R-Really...!?"

Hinako was shocked by my honest opinion.

"My hard work paid off..."

Seeing her beam with joy made me happy, too. ...She really is talented. Hinako could master just about anything she put her mind to. The problem was, she rarely put her mind to anything. But lately, she'd been more energetic, even at home. Hinako is growing... I can't lose to her.

"This tea was great. Time to get back to work."

I straightened my back and forced out some energy. I turned back to the laptop, and Hinako came over to look.

"Still worrying about... Suminoe-san?"

"Yeah. It's a huge headache."

Or at least, I was, until you came in.

"Mm... Then, leave it to me."

She said, suddenly. My gaze shifted from the screen to Hinako.

"The Suminoe-san problem... I have a good idea."

"A good idea?"

"Mhm. I'll protect you, Itsuki."

Hinako—she said this with a gentle smile.

"We'll do a private placement. Issue new shares to my company... That way, I can make your company my subsidiary and protect you from Suminoe-san."

Thanks to Takuma-san making me study, I understood what she was saying. A private placement... issuing new stock to a specific third party to raise capital. The benefit is giving shares to someone you trust. The risk is that it dilutes the value for existing shareholders, so you have to be careful.

But, on the other hand, it means you can escape the control of existing shareholders. Right now, the largest shareholder of Tomonari Gifts was SIS Co., Ltd.... Suminoe-san. If I did a private placement and issued a massive number of new shares to Hinako, the new top shareholder would be Hinako.

Tomonari Gifts would be under the Konohana Group's umbrella. I'd be free from Suminoe-san. And Hinako already understood my business; she wouldn't try to tie me down. This kind of anti-takeover defense has a special name—

"...A 'White Knight'?"

"Exactly."

Hinako nodded, looking rather pleased. When a company is suffering from a hostile takeover, a friendly acquirer appears to save them. The name... was perfect.

"I'll be your White Knight."

Hinako puffed out her chest proudly. But... for some reason, I couldn't say yes. When I heard her proposal, I was amazed. There's that option! But at the same time...

(...Is this really okay?)

I felt a sense of wrongness. I felt I couldn't take this helping hand. From a business perspective, I should take her help. Suminoe-san herself said being acquired is an honor. And Hinako would be a friendly acquirer. Having the company I'd worked so hard to build be recognized by the world-famous Konohana Group... There's no higher honor. There shouldn't be. And yet... something was holding me back.

(...That's right.)

Yes. That's it. Didn't I just tell Tennouji-san? I—I want to stand by Hinako's side. Hinako, Tennouji-san, Narika, Asahi-san, Taisho, Kita... Suminoe-san... I'm doing all this so I can truly be their equal, right? My goal to become a director, to join the student council, to fight in this tournament... it was all for that, wasn't it? ...Then I can't. I can't take her hand now.

My goal is to be her equal... I can't just be protected by her. There are plenty of students at Kiou who admire Hinako... who just stare from afar. It might be rude to say, but I don't want to be one of them. I don't want to admire her from afar, and I don't want to be her servant. I want to be someone worthy of standing next to her.

"...Hinako. I'm sorry." I bowed my head.

"I can't accept your offer."

"..........Eh?"

My answer was so unexpected, she let out a tiny, weak sound.

"Wh-Why...?"

"I don't want to be saved by your kindness."

Her company has no need to acquire mine. This isn't an investment. She's just offering a hand because I'm in trouble. This isn't business... it's just kindness. And that's exactly why I can't accept.

"...I want to be your equal, Hinako."

If I hide under her protection, I'll never be her equal.

"So, can you trust me? I'm going to solve this myself... If I rely on you here, I feel like I'll never be able to stand next to you."

I poured out my feelings. Hinako fell silent...

"............I understand."

After a moment, she lowered her head and walked out of the room. I could see her ears through her hair. They were bright red.

...Did I make her angry? I know she wasn't looking down on me. She was just being kind, and I threw it back in her face. It's no wonder she's upset. But—on this, I couldn't compromise. I'll just have to show her with my actions.

"...Alright!"

I psyched myself up—"Let's go!"—and turned back to the laptop.

◇

Hinako left Itsuki's room, staring at the floor. She walked blankly, staring at the red carpet, and ran head-first into a wall.

"Augh."

"Ojou-sama...?"

Shizune, who was cleaning nearby, noticed her. But Hinako just turned, still staring at her feet...

"Oof."

"O-Ojou-sama? Are you alright? Your room is this way..."

"Nnngh..."

Baffled by Hinako's strange state, Shizune guided her back. Once in her room, Hinako went straight to the bed. She dove under the covers and went still. Shizune looked worried.

"If you're unwell, I'll call the doctor..."

"It's fine... Just... leave me alone..."

This was definitely not an illness. Shizune decided it was best to leave her, and the door clicked shut. Alone, Hinako buried her face in her pillow and kicked her legs up and down.

(Nnghhhhh...!!)

My face is so hot! It's going to explode! My expression must be so weird right now. I didn't want anyone to see. Hinako was at the mercy of the emotion welling up inside her. She replayed the conversation.

—I want to be your equal, Hinako. His words, his voice, his expression...

"He's... He's so cooooooool...!!"

To vent the overwhelming excitement, she kicked her legs. She rubbed her face against the pillow, but the kyaaa wouldn't stop.

(I see... Itsuki... wants to come closer to me...)

It's not just my imagination! He said it! His feelings... I felt them!

"~~~~~~~~~!"

Hinako made an indescribable noise. She hugged her pillow and rolled around on the bed.

(So happy... I'm so happy, so happy, so happy...!!)

I want to scream! This warm feeling... it's overflowing...

(But... Nnghhhhh! I wanted to fight for him, too...!)

A different, more complex feeling bubbled up. Honestly... I never thought he'd refuse.

It wasn't that Hinako underestimated Itsuki, but this time, he was at an absolute disadvantage. SIS was a massive corporation, dozens of times larger than Tomonari Gifts. If he fought them head-on, there was no easy way to win.

That was why she had proposed what she thought was the best solution. It was a plan she'd come up with, thinking it would make Itsuki happy.

(I even freed up a director's position so he could come over...!!)

Hinako had originally planned to enjoy the game with Itsuki if things went well. At school or at home, sitting side-by-side, completely lost in the management tournament... She had pictured this in her mind, her heart fluttering as she made the proposal.

But... Itsuki's words, "I want to be your equal," had made her heart pound, and he looked so cool when he said it.

(...So cool.)

She was thrilled. If that was the case, maybe this was fine, too. It wasn't what she'd expected, but it would surely lead to a happiness greater than she could have imagined.

If she had one lingering concern, it was that she still didn't know what Itsuki planned to do. He said he would solve it himself, but it couldn't be that simple.

(Maybe I should just... arrange things behind the scenes...)

Hinako considered supporting Itsuki secretly, without letting him know. But... since he had asked her to trust him, she didn't want to pull strings from the shadows.

"Nngghhh..."

She was overjoyed by what Itsuki had said. But... was it really okay to leave things like this? The question spun in her head.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Ojou-sama, are you really alright?"

"...I'm fine. You can come in."

Hearing Shizune's voice, Hinako gave her permission. Shizune entered the room, came to Hinako's side, and placed a palm on her forehead.

"...It seems you're fine."

She confirmed Hinako didn't have a fever and sighed in relief.

"I'm fine."

"But your face is very red."

"Th-That's... not important."

Hinako became embarrassed and looked away.

"Was Itsuki-san happy you brought him tea?"

"Mhm. He said it was better than before... Ehehe."

This also made Hinako beam. Hearing Hinako's words, Shizune's expression softened, as if she was sharing the joy.

"Your hard work paid off, then."

"It's all thanks to you teaching me so patiently... Thank you."

Shizune was always busy, yet she had kindly taught Hinako how to make tea, right to the end. Hinako looked Shizune straight in the eye and thanked her. In response, Shizune put a hand to her forehead and looked up...

"...It's good to be alive."

She was moved to her very core. Hinako hadn't thought her thanks was that dramatic... but she decided she would try to express her gratitude more often.

"But, I think Itsuki looks forward to your tea, too. Next time, you should make it for him, not me."

"That's fine... Are you sure?"

"Mhm. I'd feel bad if I was the only one who was so happy."

Hinako didn't want to take away Itsuki's happiness. Near the end of summer break, that worry had intensified, making her sick for a short time. Was she stealing Itsuki's cherished normal life...? She didn't want to feel that anxiety ever again. Even if Itsuki said it was fine, she had to be more considerate.

"...I understand." Shizune nodded.

"Is he still struggling with the acquisition?"

"Yes. But he said he wants to solve it himself."

"I see... In that case, out of respect for his spirit, I won't be too hard on him. In truth, this wasn't his mistake so much as the other party being more aggressive than anticipated."

"Mhm... Itsuki studies hard. He knew about White Knights."

Hinako also believed Itsuki wasn't at fault. The fact that he knew about private placements and White Knights meant he must have been properly studying M&A and stock. If he had only started learning after Suminoe's hostile takeover, his knowledge seemed too broad.

"By the way, I heard from the other maids that Itsuki-san was doing something with Waka-sama in the office, right when the tournament started."

"Itsuki and... him?"

Hinako pictured her brother's cunning smile.

"Waka-sama said he was 'helping him with work.' Perhaps he gave Itsuki-san some advice... Since it's him, I hope there isn't some ulterior motive."

Shizune, having been thoroughly manipulated by Takuma in the past, found it hard to trust him. Hinako was suspicious, too.

"...Shizune."

"Yes."

Hinako did her best to have as little contact with her brother as possible. But, if Itsuki was about to fall into her brother's clutches, she had to set aside those feelings.

"Call him."

Shizune nodded and took her phone from her pocket. Hinako took the phone as it was dialing. At the same time, she hit the 'Enter' key on her laptop.

"I just sent the data to your tablet. Take it to Itsuki... I think... this much help should be okay."

"Understood... Is it alright if I'm not here?"

"Mhm... We're just... having a sibling chat."

But they weren't normal siblings. Shizune looked worried, but in the end, she perhaps chose to trust Hinako.

She bowed respectfully and left the room.

'Shizune?' Her brother's voice came from the phone.

"...It's me."

'Hinako, huh. How rare. What's up?'

His voice was as nonchalant and breezy as ever. She couldn't read him at all, but he could see right through her... It was completely unfair.

"What are you planning to do with Itsuki?" Hinako asked, point-blank.

"I know you gave him ideas... What are you planning?"

'...Who knows? That's up to Itsuki-kun.'

Hearing this vague answer, Hinako pressed her lips together. ...So annoying. Takuma seemed to sense her mood and laughed, clearly entertained.

'Don't worry. I just... sparked his talent.'

"Talent...?"

Hinako repeated. Takuma said:

'He's—my kind.'

◆

A little while after Hinako left my room. I was still thinking about a counter-plan to Suminoe-san's takeover when there was another knock.

"Pardon me."

"Shizune-san, what's up?"

"Well, Ojou-sama was acting a bit strange, so I came to investigate."

"Huh?"

Strange...? So I did make her angry?

"I'm joking. Well, she was acting strange, but it doesn't seem to be a bad thing, so don't worry."

"O-Oh, I see..."

If Shizune-san said it was fine, then I guess I didn't need to worry.

"Ojou-sama wanted you to have this."

She said, handing me a tablet computer.

"This is..."

"Company intelligence Ojou-sama has gathered. It's much more detailed than what's publicly available... She said this much help should be fine."

"...Thank you."

"Please thank Ojou-sama later."

I would, of course. This, at least, wasn't a one-sided handout. Even among the tea party alliance members, this level of information sharing was normal. I'd do the same. Grateful for Hinako's consideration, I looked at the data.

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm looking for a company to help me block the takeover, so this information is perfect."

I answered, scrolling through the files. The tablet contained data on dozens, even hundreds, of companies. Hinako's success in the game wasn't just luck or family connections; it was this kind of steady, hard work.

"...Companies are fascinating."

I said, taking notes with one hand as I scrolled.

"Corporate philosophies, investor relations... when you look from every angle, you start to see the company's real nature... You can even see the kind of person the manager is."

You can't be fooled by the word "company." In the end, companies and services are made by people. There's always a living, breathing person behind the mechanized data.

"If you look at the data, you can faintly see their face, their thoughts... and after that, you just have to confirm if you're a good match..."

Just doing that... makes negotiations go smoothly. It was the same feeling I'd had with Takuma-san's email, and when I'd found Tennouji-san's alliance partner. The person hidden behind the data gradually becomes clear.

"Itsuki-san, that..."

Beside me, Shizune-san's expression suddenly turned grave.

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing significant..." She said, hesitating.

"What you just said... sounded an awful lot like something Waka-sama would say..."

◆

Takuma continued on the phone, clearly enjoying himself.

'You know my talent, right? Emotional intelligence... My EQ is abnormally high. I can vaguely sense what people are thinking.'

Hinako knew. They were family, after all. She had heard about her brother's talent many times.

"Meaning... a mind-reading pervert."

'How cruel. I'm called a genius, you know.'

He said that, but he didn't seem to care.

'One day, I asked Itsuki-kun to organize some data. In an instant, he saw right through my lies... He just said, "That's not what you really think, is it?" Just like that.'

This must be what Shizune was talking about. When they were working together, Takuma had sensed some kind of talent in Itsuki.

'He can see if data is true or false.' Takuma stated it simply.

'Strictly speaking, he senses the hidden truth. When he sees disguised information, he can feel, not logically deduce, that "this data is wrong." Conversely, even if the data itself is flawed, he can find a trustworthy partner.'

Takuma explained it calmly, but Hinako couldn't easily accept it. That means... Itsuki has the same talent as him?

"...One person who can do that kind of voodoo is enough."

'But to us, it's not voodoo.'

Hinako frowned. She hated him saying "us"... as if Itsuki was already on his side.

'For example, when a classmate invites you to a tea party, how do you judge if they're being polite or sincere?'

"I... just... naturally know."

'Exactly. "Naturally." It's a vague baseline, but strangely, we're usually right.' Takuma continued:

'Our "natural" field is just... wider. Just as you can tell if someone is sincere, we can tell if information is true or false.'

Hinako knew about Takuma's talent, but this was the first time she'd heard it explained in such detail. It sounded... logical, but he was a notoriously smooth talker, so she didn't buy it completely. Hinako knew full well that Takuma Konohana's talent couldn't be dismissed as just "good intuition."

He could provide people with what they needed, play the part they wanted to see, and sometimes bring up topics others avoided just to smooth a negotiation. He'd used this to gain the approval of the Konohana Group directors at an unnatural speed... If it weren't for his tendency to vanish on a whim, he'd undoubtedly be championed as the next head of the family.

"...But, he never showed any signs of this before."

'Right. So I was probably the catalyst.'

Takuma answered her.

'For him... just knowing someone like me exists, and talking to me, was probably a good stimulus.'

Hinako thought that was possible. Takuma was, for better or worse, special. He wasn't an ordinary person. Many people had been influenced by him and changed their paths... Shizune was one of them. Maybe Itsuki had been stimulated by Takuma, and his talent had awakened.

"...So you're the culprit?"

'Hey, hey, it's not a bad thing. He should be calling me 'Master,' really.'

Hinako could hear his wry laugh.

'You get it, right? It's undoubtedly a talent for management. After all, if you know someone's true intentions, you can avoid risk and uncover hidden profits.'

Coming from Takuma, who had actually used this talent to get ahead, it was very persuasive.

'Unfortunately, he lacks a ruthless streak. If he could use this talent... he could even grasp an opponent's weakness. If he could do that... he could become me.'

Hearing that, Hinako was reminded of her brother's true nature. He simply believed his way of life was correct, so he wanted to guide Itsuki down the same path. He probably thought it was an act of kindness. He didn't care one bit about what Itsuki himself wanted.

"...He doesn't need it."

Hinako's mind filled with thoughts of Itsuki... of the person she cherished. Itsuki always protected her. He was always gentle, always watching over her, even though she was lazy, carried a troublesome burden, and was recently a mess of emotions. That gentle face couldn't be allowed to disappear.

"Itsuki doesn't need to be ruthless."

Hinako said, her voice stronger than usual.

'Business requires ruthlessness. If Itsuki-kun would just abandon his sentimentality, he'd be a first-rate manager. He could easily be Konohana Group director—'

"That doesn't matter." Hinako cut him off.

"Itsuki won't become like you. He's not like you, using people as pawns."

Takuma often used people to get his way. Hinako knew what happened to those victims. Some lost their families, others their dreams. At first, they all followed Takuma with bright eyes, but in the end, only Takuma was left smiling. It wasn't that he didn't understand the human heart; he was more sensitive to it than anyone. Which meant... he knew exactly how people felt, and chose to cut them loose. ...Maybe because he could see so much, it all just seemed boring. Takuma Konohana always scoffed at the feelings of others.

'Not like me, huh... What do you know about Itsuki-kun, to be so sure?'

"I don't need to know everything to know this."

Hinako said calmly.

"You don't have Mirei Tennouji by your side."

She pictured the noble, stubborn, and honest girl.

"You don't have Narika Miyakojima by your side."

She pictured the clumsy, but earnest girl who always tried her best.

"You don't have Yuri Hirano by your side."

She pictured the warm, caring, and genuine girl.

"And you don't have Katsuya Taisho or Karen Asahi."

'...Those are his friends.'

"Yes. Friends."

She pictured the two class clowns who silently supported everyone. ...She couldn't help but feel the ratio of women was a little high, which was... annoying, but she'd ignore it for now. The important thing was that Itsuki had friends.

"You only form relationships based on mutual interest. That's why you only have business partners... But Itsuki is different. He fights for other people. That's why he's surrounded by friends." Therefore—

"Itsuki's path in life is already different from yours... It's pointless to tempt him. He has plenty of people who will stop him."

Hinako wasn't afraid for Itsuki's future. She firmly believed he would be fine. She trusted him not to become like Takuma.

'Mmm, a real shame. He has such a talent for business... Personally, I was hoping he'd be my right hand in the future.'

"He won't be. Find someone else."

See? In the end, this man only thinks about himself.

'...Fine. Think what you want.' Takuma muttered.

'Ah, I should get back to work. Are we done?'

"Mhm."

Hinako understood her brother's scheme. He wanted a Takuma Konohana 2.0. He wanted to create a copy of himself, a right-hand man he could order around. If Itsuki wanted that, Hinako wouldn't stop him. But if he didn't... it was her mission to stop it.

(...Huh?)

As she thought this, Hinako suddenly realized something. If Itsuki has the same talent as my brother... If he's extremely sensitive to other people's feelings... ...Does Itsuki know how I feel about him...?

"...Ah."

'Hm?'

Hinako's tone suddenly became meek, confusing Takuma.

"Itsuki... he can't read minds like you, can he..."

'Hm. He's not that sharp yet. And he hasn't noticed your 'love,' either.'

"Eh?"

Hinako froze, having been read so easily.

"Wh-What... do you mean...?"

'Oh, come on, everyone notices. You think you're hiding it?'

"Sh-Sh-Sh-Shut up...!!"

Even though she knew it was pointless, Hinako tried to deny it. Her brother just laughed.

'We have our blind spots, too. He doesn't seem to have a clue... He's probably dense about his own feelings, too.'

One day, Itsuki's childhood friend, Yuri, had mentioned that while Itsuki was a nice guy, he often ignored his own needs. At the time, Hinako had felt incredibly sad hearing that... but right now, she wasn't ready. She was, just for a moment, a little relieved.

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