Rich Girl Caretaker Vol. 8 Epilogue

Epilogue

The day after the party.

I saw Narika in the hallway when I got to school that morning.

"Narika."

"...Itsuki."

We were the only ones in the hall, and the classroom was still mostly empty.

I'd spoken with Hinako and Shizune-san and come to school earlier than usual. There wasn't any special reason... I just had a feeling Narika would be here early, too. She must be on edge waiting for my answer, so anxious she couldn't help but show up early.

"Can I give you my answer now?"

"...Yeah."

There was still plenty of time before homeroom.

We moved to the deserted stairwell landing. And there—I gave Narika my answer.

I carefully laid out the thoughts I'd organized after talking with Yuri last night. As I spoke, Narika's expression didn't change. But looking closely, I could see she was just suppressing her emotions. Her eyelids and lips were trembling slightly.

"I see..."

When I finished, that was all she said.

"I'm sorry, for giving you such a vague answer."

"Don't be... Honestly, I expected this."

Narika continued,

"I was the one who just charged ahead... This is your busiest time. I knew you probably weren't ready."

Just as Yuri had said, Narika understood. I looked down and apologized again. I felt terrible for forcing her into this position.

"...I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It's not like you told me to give up, right? For me, that's lucky enough."

I had turned her down for my own selfish reasons, but she understood. She wasn't angry. She was even smiling.

This girl... she's usually so timid, but she can be so strong for others. Still, she couldn't hide it completely this time. She probably didn't even notice her own voice was trembling.

"...Alright."

I firmed my resolve, looked straight at her, and said:

"Narika, hit me."

"Huh? H-Hit you?"

"A slap is fine, too. Or just curse me out. So please..."

So please... just don't cry. I kept that last part to myself.

"...Itsuki, don't misunderstand."

Narika seemed to sense what I was thinking and shook her head.

"It would be a lie to say I'm not sad. But... I get it."

Her voice wasn't shaking anymore. She wasn't forcing this. She was speaking from the heart.

"Like I said, I expected this. You want to focus on what's in front of you... But at the same time, I thought... what about me?"

She was right. I have things to do. But... what about her?

"I'm... the same."

Narika looked down, as if gently cradling her own feelings.

"Because you came to Kiou Academy, I started doing things I never could before. I made more friends. My future is becoming clearer. Running for president is part of that."

She looked up at me. Her gaze was steady.

"I have things I have to do, too. Things I want to carry, things I want to achieve... Now is the time for me to focus on that."

Her sharp, dignified eyes pierced me, conveying her feelings directly. Hearing her say it... it made sense. This is Kiou Academy. Everyone here is destined to be a leader, a politician, to carry heavy responsibilities. I'm not the only one fighting. Narika has her own battles right now.

"So, it's okay... I'll just keep this feeling locked away for a while."

She placed her hands on her chest.

"But... I want to say it clearly, one last time."

Narika smiled softly, her lips barely moving.

"I love you."

It was so simple. So unadorned. I already knew... but I couldn't get used to the impact of hearing it. For some reason, it hit me harder than the kiss. Maybe because I knew what was coming, and I heard it again? I had prioritized myself, I couldn't return her feelings, but she still felt this way. If this isn't pure, what is? If this isn't real, what is?

"..."

My eyes burned. It wasn't happiness or embarrassment. It felt rude to have such shallow feelings in the face of her sincerity. I just felt... honored. And I realized... I really can't muster the feelings to match this right now.

"Thank you."

Thank you for feeling this way.

"...I'm sorry."

I'm sorry I can't answer you.

I tried to hold it back, but a few tears escaped. Idiot, I cursed myself. I'm not the one who's supposed to be crying. I wiped my eyes, and when I looked up, Narika was wiping hers, too.

"...Don't cry."

"B-But... you cried..."

Hearing her shaky voice made my eyes well up again.

Just then, we heard students chatting down the stairs. We both flinched, startled, and looked at each other.

"...Pfft."

"Hahaha..."

I don't know who laughed first. The tension broke. We were back to normal.

"I feel better... like I got it all out."

"...Yeah."

That's good. The voices faded. Other students would be arriving. It was time to stop.

"By the way... 'when' is 'when'?"

Narika asked. She meant, when will I be ready?

"This is the busiest time... I'm not sure. But I want to face this when I have a clear view of my own future."

Like, when I've decided what company I'll join, or what kind of company I'll build. That's when I'll have the breathing room.

(...Honestly, I have no idea when that will be. It might not be until after graduation. Then again... it could be next month. Considering the pace of this last half-year, it might come sooner than I think. And I don't want to drag this out with Narika. This is better.)

"I see. Well, in that case, I'm just going to pursue you with everything I've got."

"Huh?"

Her sudden declaration made me just... question.

"B-Because... if I hold back and you fall for someone else, that would suck!"

"No, that's..."

I just turned her down, I'm not...

"...You just said you had things to focus on, too..."

"But I want to date you now."

Eh?

"I just said I understand your feelings. I never said I share them. If I could date you right now, I would."

Th-This girl... she's not holding back at all!

"No, um... If you try to 'tempt' me too much, I... I'll have a problem..."

"Tempt?"

She looked genuinely confused.

"You think... I'm 'tempting' you?"

Of course you are— My expression must have given me away. Narika's face lit up with a wicked grin.

"Ooh, good to know... So if I keep 'tempting' you, you won't be able to resist and you'll fall for me."

Crap. I dug my own grave.

"Well then, no time like the present."

That's way too fast!

At least wait a bit... Ignoring me, she closed the distance.

"N-Narika, wait..."

I backed up until I hit the wall. She put one hand on the wall, trapping me—and leaned in. What is this? Oh, right—a kabe-don.

"...Huh?"

"I don't really get it, but a lot of people seem to like it when I do this."

Narika said, just staring at me. My heart wasn't pounding... my brain was just short-circuiting. I never thought I'd be in a kabe-don, much less be the one getting kabe-doned.

It was so weird it actually made me calm down. I just looked at her face. It was still youthful, but sharp and dignified. She was the type who could charm anyone, male or female. And she was blushing.

"...Narika."

"..."

"...You're blushing."

She went bright red and backed away.

"Ngh. It's not as easy when it's you..."

"When it's... me?"

I had a bad feeling.

"W-Wait, have you done this to other people?"

"Huh? Yeah, sometimes the other girls ask me to. Not this intense, though... Is it some kind of new game?"

No way! I screamed internally. But then I remembered... what had I just thought? Sharp and dignified... could charm anyone, male or female...

"Onee-sama!"

A voice from the hall. It was... that girl from after the tournament. The one who'd approached Narika just like this.

"...Good timing."

Narika said to the girl.

"I have something important to tell you."

"Eh... Is-Is it... about that...?"

"Yeah."

Narika nodded firmly.

"I'm sorry. I can't return your feelings."

"...Huh?"

The girl was stunned. That was... definitely an answer to a confession.

"I-I see... I understand..."

The girl's eyes filled with tears, but she nodded.

(Uh—so...)

The person who confessed to Narika wasn't Kita. It was her. All these girls calling her "Onee-sama"... and when she "kabe-don"s them, they... actually fall for her?

As I was processing this, someone walked past me.

(...Suminoe-san?)

She must have just arrived. She walked right over to the rejected girl... and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know just how you feel."

You know WHAT? The teary-eyed girl grasped Suminoe-san's hand. What am I even watching right now...?

"...Narika."

I said the only thing I could.

"No more kabe-dons."

"Kabe...? What's that?"

◇

At the same time, Maki Minato was organizing documents in the student council room.

There were hundreds of reports from candidates and officers. It was far too much information just to "get to know" someone, but considering its real purpose was a background check, this volume was necessary.

She finished with Mirei Tennouji's file and moved on to the next. Itsuki Tomonari. The male student the VP was so interested in.

(...I wonder if Tomonari-kun found someone to talk to.)

He was so sincere, anyone would be willing to listen if he just asked. He could get through this on his own. The reports made him seem like the type to bottle things up. That's why she'd advised him to find someone to confide in...

(Hmm... He tries too hard.)

It was just a gut feeling, but the more she read, the more Itsuki Tomonari seemed overly serious. He was a transfer student, so he'd had to work hard to catch up, but he had friends now. He'd caught up in his classes. He had a warm place to belong, so why was he still trying so hard...?

Maki's family, the Rakuou Group, was massive but had a shorter history than the other families. Because she was a bit of an outsider, she'd noticed that the Kiou students, while diligent, weren't particularly ambitious. That was because their tracks were already laid. They'd known it their whole lives, so they unconsciously assumed their futures were, to some extent, already secured.

But Itsuki Tomonari had an intense ambition, as if he couldn't see any tracks at all.

And... why did he want to join the student council? He said he wanted to be a consultant... but why would the heir to a major IT firm choose that path? He seemed so determined, but the source of his ambition was invisible. That's what was unnerving. What, or who, was he pushing so hard for?

"...I should just ask."

Maki's fingers tapped her phone. A moment later, the call connected.

"Sorry to call so early. Is this a bad time?"

'...I thought I told you not to contact me so often.'

"I'm sorry, but I have a question."

The voice on the other end was clearly annoyed, but this was expected. She pressed on.

"You know Itsuki Tomonari, don't you? I need to know more about him—"

'I'm afraid I can't answer that.'

The voice was flat.

"...May I ask why?"

'It's personal information. I must protect my precious apprentice.'

'Bullshit,' Maki thought. He'd leak any secret if it suited him.

"...Did you not 'treasure' your last apprentice?"

'That was your fault. You didn't give me a reason to... I'm busy. Goodbye.'

The call clicked off. He hadn't even waited for a reply.

Maki sighed, looking down at the report. Itsuki Tomonari. Kiou Academy, second year. Candidate for Vice President. And... his apprentice.

(...I really am jealous, aren't I.)

Maki had been his apprentice, too. But she'd been discarded before she could finish... It was only natural to feel this way, right? A student council president shouldn't act like this. But... when it came to Itsuki Tomonari, she couldn't stay impartial.

"...If you lose... I wonder what expression he'll make."

Maki thought of her former master, the one who refused to even look at her now. The Kiou Academy student council election was about to begin.

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