Act III Engraving
Interview Day Seven.
“I was going to go to the data room this morning to look for some clues, but I can’t believe I overslept.”
Ryunosuke walked to the atrium.
He washed his face at the fountain. This action has now become his morning routine.
“Whew! … ah, crap, my towel…”
“Here, take it and use it!”
“Ah, thanks… Huh?”
The person Ryunosuke saw after wiping his face with the borrowed towel was, in fact, Jubilee.
“Good morning… Ryunosuke-san.”
Ryunosuke stared straight at Jubilee, causing her to blush. Affected by Jubilee’s reaction, Ryunosuke also became embarrassed and his movements suddenly became inflexible.
“Good morning… Good morning… Thank you for the towel, I’ll return it to you after I wash it.”
“No… no need to bother.”
After saying that, Jubilee snatched the towel back into her hands.
Jubilee held the towel tightly to her chest, and Ryuunosuke became more embarrassed as he remembered last night.
“┅But, I’m happy.”
“¡®What do you mean?”
“Since I’ve been here, this is the first time Ms. Jubilee has taken the initiative to greet me.”
“You… don’t make fun of me.”
“No, I didn’t mean that…”
The two were silent for a little while, wondering what kind of topic to continue, when from behind came a grand and spirited voice.
“Ah, Ryuunosuke it’s you, Jubilee you’re here too, good morning everyone!”
There was no one other than Kustoma with such a spirited voice.
Next to her stood someone who on the contrary didn’t look very happy, and that person was Goho.
“Good morning, Kustoma, and Goho…”
“Good morning, Kratie and Goho!”
Ryunosuke and Jubilee also greeted the two of them. Goho, on the other hand, only greeted Jubilee.
“Hey! Hello! Why didn’t you say hello to me, Goho?”
“Oops! So you’re here too Ryunosuke, why didn’t I notice.”
Goho’s back was turned straight away.
Ryunosuke asked Kustoma in a small voice.
“… Kustoma, what happened to Goho?”
“I don’t know, she was fine just now.”
Jubilee shrewdly sensed the discordant atmosphere.
“Ryunosuke and Gaho, you still have to discuss work matters, right, so, we won’t disturb you, Kratie let’s go.”
“Huh? But I just got here!”
“Don’t say it! Go!”
Jubilee pulled Kustoma away, leaving only Goho and Ryunosuke in the atrium.
“¿… what happened? My Lady… Oh, no, Goho!”
Goho tightened his lips and didn’t say a word.
“I don’t suppose, Chief Fujishige said something to you again, did he?”
“Not really! Ryunosuke, where were you all day yesterday?”
“I… I’ve been here all along!”
Thinking about what happened with Jubilee last night, Ryuunosuke couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.
“I haven’t seen you since the day before yesterday after talking things over with the headmaster and Ms. Naomi, although I know you had to go on an interview and had a hard time at work, but…”
“I was thinking that you were busy practicing, Onii-sama, and I happened to be busy too, so…”
“But then you have time to talk to Jubilee!”
At first, Ryunosuke had thought she was going for the big girl temper again, but now he sensed the atmosphere was different.
In Ryunosuke’s mind, one word… ‘jealousy’ came to mind, but he hastily dismissed the thought.
“I guess I only know the Ryunosuke who was at the Kujo’s house, and now the Ryunosuke who’s here flirting with girls isn’t the person I know anymore!”
“Jubilee and I merely ran into each other by chance!”
“But you still have the leisure to chat with her here, and if you’re so free, then why don’t you hurry up and carry out the experiment that mom gave you…”
“An experiment? I don’t mean to trivialize it, it’s just that I’m probably not cut out to be a writer either, anyway…”
Goho’s face suddenly changed.
“Ryunosuke… what do you mean by that?”
“Onii-sama, you’ve heard about what happened before I came to the Kujo family, so if you keep taking care of troublesome people like me, it would be dangerous for you..! It would be dangerous for you…”
“… You mean… you still want to leave me alone!”
Goho bowed his head, his tone rather heavy.
“It turned out that… because of mom, that’s why you stayed by my side…”
“My lady, it’s not like that…”
“・・・ Ryunosuke, you big fool!”
Goho yelled before running off in a huff.
Ryunosuke was taken aback by this sudden action of Goho. At the same time, he understood why Goho reacted the way she did.
※
Ryunosuke spent that day in a daze, wondering if it was because he had been thinking about Goho, and the day passed quickly.
“Never mind… go to bed early today… I have to investigate in the data room early tomorrow morning.”
When he decided to do so, and was about to close the curtains, he saw two figures in the atrium.
(That’s… really… I was planning to go to bed early today, but now that I’ve seen it, how can I sleep if I don’t check it out? Staying in a room with a view of the atrium is a real pain in the ass.) Although he was a bit helpless, Ryunosuke quickly started to change into his outfits.
‘One day, I’m going to fall victim to curiosity.’ Ryunosuke muttered to himself and walked out of the room.
Once they reached the atrium, they could hear Feng Meixiang’s excited voice from afar.
“Don’t think I don’t know about your relationship with the headmaster, you’re trading your body for the position of first female lead!”
It was Pile who confronted Kazamika in the courtyard.
A showdown between Aso Kazamika and Bright Temple Pile, aka the two biggest female stars of ‘Hanabi Kazamatsuri’.
The prancing atmosphere between them made Ryunosuke hesitate to speak.
“Asao, that was just something that happened by chance. The most important thing is that all the viewers they identify with me, my beauty, my temperament, my singing, my dancing, these are all recognized as the best.”
“Damn, how dare you say that…”
“Don’t think because of your mother’s past that women can only get good jobs by selling their bodies!
”
“You, what did you say!”
“Or, do you say that because you can’t get love from a man? The lustful blood that runs through your body must be causing you a lot of pain, I’m sure!”
Ryunosuke learned the amazing truth from the conversation between the two of them.
(Fung Mi-hyang’s mother is… I see. No wonder Pile said that if I investigated Fung Mi-hyang, it would be very bad for Fung Mi-hyang.)
“Gwangmyeongsa… if you insult my mother again…”
Kazamika’s voice trembled as she approached the pile one step at a time.
“Aiya, want to use violence against me, huh? What a shame to be the daughter of a poor family.”
Pile showed a provocative smile as Kazamika raised her hand.
“Temple of Light!”
“Stop! Kazamika!”
Just in the nick of time, Ryunosuke steps in between the two.
“Ryunosuke…”
Ryunosuke turned his back to the pile and pressed his hand against Kazamika’s shoulder.
“Ms. Kazamika, I understand how you feel, but don’t be reckless, I’ll take care of this place, go back to your room first!”
“But…”
Pile continued to use her tactic of sowing discord.
“So it’s a man who was fooled by your sweet words… this kind of thing really does run in the family!”
Kazamika was about to retort back when Ryunosuke stopped her.
“Ms. Kazamika, do you want all your hard work to come to naught in one night?”
“… I know.”
Wind Mika turned to leave the atrium.
Ryunosuke watched Kazamika leave the atrium before turning to face the pile.
“Ms. Pile… people like you…”
Pile didn’t look scared at all. Only a compelling smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
“You act like you hate me!”
“…at least I don’t like the current Ms. Pile.”
“That being said, you saw me when I was doing that thing with Yao, of course you’ll have a bad impression of me.”
“At that time, it was true that you saw… but since it was something that you two mutually agreed upon, I am not in a position to say anything more.”
“So, you hate me because you just heard Kazamika say something about my relationship with the chief?”
“While I don’t think that’s right, I don’t blame you for it, after all, life isn’t perfect in every way.”
“So what exactly is it for, being a female and being hated by a man like you is painful, can you tell me why?”
Ryunosuke thought for a moment as he spoke.
“… Miss Pile, why are you so anxious?”
“Anxious? You mean me?”
“That’s right, you just kept on provoking Fung Mika, if she really did hit you, then you could have kicked her out of Flower Bird Wind and Moon in a fair and square manner, couldn’t you? There’s no need for you to do such a thing at all, you should be competing with her in a dignified manner.”
The smile disappeared from the corners of Pile’s mouth.
“People with high self-esteem distance themselves from others, create a wall to isolate them, and take an unforgivable attitude towards them. However, I don’t hate this kind of person because it also indicates the strength of will of the person.”
“┅┅”
“And you… you already have the ability to take on the role of the first female lead, yet you’re doing things that set others up… I just feel sad for you.”
Suddenly, Pile slapped Ryunosuke across the face.
“Miss… Pile?”
“What do you know, do you think I really have to be the first heroine of the Birds and Flowers?”
Ryunosuke stared blankly at Pile. For the first time, he saw the emotions in Pile’s inner world.
The unstoppable, toe-curling pile began to tell of her past.
Pile’s real name is ‘Kinoshita Pile’ and she is the youngest daughter of the Kinoshita Shipbuilding Consortium. However, when she was a child, a fire broke out in the Imperial Capital, destroying her family, her property, and taking away everything she had. As a young girl, she spent her miserable childhood being sent around in the homes of her many relatives from an early age. That is, until a chance encounter, when she was discovered by the ft. headmaster.
The story she told added to a portion of what Naomi had already told Ryunosuke before, but what Pile then said brought a small shock to Ryunosuke.
“┅The fire that occurred at that time was deliberately set by someone. I don’t know who was behind it, but the investigation of the fire was stopped after only a month.”
“In other words, someone is using their power to carry out that… Ro… but why are you…”
“I’ve been investigating on all sides, and I’m still continuing to do so… so I need some sort of power to help me do this, and being the first female lead is because of that!”
“For you… this is your act of revenge…”
“I don’t care if you want to think that way. I’ll do anything to get power, even to Goho…”
“¿… Goho?”
Pile knew she had said too much, and she was silent for a moment. Then left without saying anything.
Ryunosuke was left alone in the night wind.
Suddenly he remembered something about the magazine she had clipped and carried around with her every inch of the way when he had interviewed the young girl from the mine pit earlier.
(At that time, I thought superficially, ‘the same girl, but her situation is like light and shadow’… Although their circumstances were different, what they all had in common was that they tried to move forward, so what was I like compared to them…)
The cold night wind! It blew so much that Ryunosuke couldn’t help but shiver.
※
Interview Day Eight.
That morning, Ryunosuke hurried towards a certain room.
“Ryunosuke…”
The person who spoke, was Wind Mika.
“Last night… thank you.”
“It’s a small thing, there’s no need for a thank you.”
“But… about my mother…”
“I’m not really interested in that, I’m not here to interview the members of the group about their past. By the way, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Eh, why are you so attractive, Ms. Kazamika?”
It was clear that this was Ryunosuke’s polite words. But for some reason, she showed a rare expression of shame and pardon.
“Don’t you care about those words spoken by Pile, use your strength to fight her squarely!”
Ryunosuke would have liked to talk to Kazamika more, but he had other things on his mind and left in a hurry.
The place he was going to was none other than the foot chief’s room.
The reason is, the matter of him sneaking into the data room early in the morning…
※
It was still light, and Ryunosuke used the weak illumination to scrutinize the shelves in the data room, one by one.
As soon as he saw the group’s roster, it had Kazamika’s name Yu on it.
It says, ‘Real name, Aso Shizu, birthplace unknown. According to her sponsor at the time of enrollment, her mother was a prostitute who was imprisoned for killing and wounding her father…”
(Are these the two lines that made Kazamika suffer?)
Despite this mental thought, he still had to record the facts, which was the sadness of being an interviewer, I guess.
As he was about to call it a day for a while, he found a copy of the ‘Flower Bird and Moon Dance Troupe Financial Aid Man’.
of the roster.
Ryuunosuke glanced at the cover, and the words he saw gave Ryuunosuke a great shock; the list of financial aid recipients included the name ‘Kujo Xin’.
(‘Kujo Shin’… this name was indeed the teacher’s father… and the previous master of the Kujo family. Why did Teacher never mention anything about the Kujo family’s assistance to Hanabi Kaze…) Upon a closer look at the content of the information, it was revealed that the Kujo family had cut off their financial support to Hanabi Kaze since eight years ago. In Ryunosuke’s memory, it was around the same time as the previous generation’s master passed away.
(The question is, why didn’t the teacher allow me to say the name of the Kujo family in Hanabishi? Since I’m the patron, it’s only natural to come here for an interview…)
As the sky outside the window grew white, sunlight began to illuminate the data room. At this point, Ryunosuke also realized that this interview was actually something else.
(Is there any other reason for me to come to Hanabishi other than to test me?…)*)
In order to find out the real purpose of Saikiko, Ryunosuke went straight to the room of the head of the group, wanting to ask for clarification.
“I’m Ryunosuke… disturbing you.”
Ryunosuke took the liberty of opening the door and entering without waiting for a reply from inside.
“What do you do, I’m busy right now, come back later if you want an interview.”
Ryunosuke didn’t care about the chief’s words as he continued.
“I heard from Light Star Publishing? That the Kujo family… that’s the family of the now-famous Kujo Sakiko, I heard that they financed Hanabi Fukizuki, is that true?”
At this question, the chief’s face immediately changed drastically, and then he excitedly grabbed Ryunosuke’s chest.
“What! Who told you about this…!”
“Oo… that… that’s just a rumor I heard…”
“Nothing of the sort, what exactly is the purpose of your asking about it?”
“I just thought that a writer would also be able to understand something like art and thus invest in it… I just wanted to report on it so that people in the world who embrace their dreams can have hope…”
“Hope? Don’t laugh your ass off! Picturing a dream and practicing it are completely different things!”
The regimental commander realized that he was getting too excited and let go of his hand.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked so much.”
“No… no, I was rude, I’m sorry. It’s just that in the future, I hope you won’t ask anything about internal management.”
“I know, I’ll go out first.”
Ryunosuke left the Headmaster’s room.
The head of the regiment won’t admit to what happened to the Kujo family. But judging by his overreaction, there must be more to it.
Ryunosuke felt things were getting suspicious.
(Should I ask Her Highness next?) No, if the Missus knew, she’d tell me… Why don’t we ask that person?)
※
Ryunosuke came to Naomi’s room.
“Nami-sensei, excuse me, do you have a moment now?”
“Are you here for an interview, or to ask me about Song Spike?”
“You mustn’t joke with me, I’m not here to ask about Song Spike.”
Having just suffered at the headmaster’s expense, Ryunosuke now knew he had to talk about something else first before he made her angry.
This plan worked.
“┅Nami-sensei, how do you take care of yourself and why do you look so young?”
“You don’t joke with older women.”
“I mean it. This kind of touching… Ever since I started working, apart from the writer Kujo Sakiko-sensei, it’s been you. Is it true that women who work with the arts are all so…”
Naomi whooped.
“Ryunosuke, you know Saikiko too?”
“Yes, Kujo-sensei’s works are published by Light Star Publishing… Is it possible that you know her too, Naomi-sensei?”
“Yes, to say we know… it’s better to say we’re friends… ah, no…”
Ryunosuke smoothly steered the conversation to the point.
“Did you two meet because of the financial assistance given by Mr. Kujo’s family to Hanabi Fukizuki? A friendship between a popular author and a currently popular theater company, that’s something that interests us journalists a lot.”
Naomi asks Ryunosuke to keep it a secret and not to report it before she starts telling him about it.
“I wasn’t the one who planned ‘Birds and Flowers’, and neither was Naoya. That person was my wife, Tetsukan… a musician, who came up with the idea of a theater troupe in order to promote good music to the general public…”
The current leaders of the group, Naoya, Nami, and Saikiko, came together in favor of Tetsukan’s idea. Each of them is responsible for music, costumes, dance, and script.
“… But there’s nothing so simple and smooth in the world… In order to set up the ‘Flowers, Birds, Wind and Moon’, a sum of money was needed, and we couldn’t think of any way to raise it…”
“So the Kujo family started funding the Hanabishi at this time, didn’t they?”
“That’s right… but I didn’t realize it would turn out like this.”
“What do you mean?”
Once again, Nami had told Ryunosuke to keep it a secret, and from the look on her face, it seemed as if it was the beginning of another story from what she had just said, as she narrated the story word by word.
“The… there is a condition for the Kujo family to provide the funds… and that condition is that my wife, Tetsukan, must change her name to Kujo Tetsukan.”
“On the condition that my wife, Tieguan, will join the Kujo family? Isn’t this a policy marriage in disguise?”
“The problem was solved, and after that, just as the Hanabishi Bird and Moon was about to start construction…!”
“So, Kujo-sensei’s husband passed away not long after…”
“After that, Saikiko also left Hanabishi… only Naoya and I were left, and together we founded ‘Hanabishi Kaze’ for the sake of the dead man… no, for the sake of Tetsukan and Saikiko.”
The secret of the birth of ‘Hanabi Kazuki’ is a sad story that Ryunosuke did not expect.
“┅Nami-sensei, why are you willing to talk to me about this?”
Instead of answering, Naomi asked Ryunosuke again.
“Goho… Are her parents alive? Is she someone else’s adopted daughter…”
“Huh? I’m not sure about that, but I don’t think it’s someone’s adopted daughter. Why do you ask?”
“It has something to do with what you asked me too. I don’t know why lately, but I’ve been remembering things from the past. That’s why I’ve been talking to you so much.”
Naomi’s eyes looked off into the distance.
“I really don’t know why, but every time I see Goho, there’s a feeling of familiarity… it always reminds me of Tieguan…”
“It’s because you miss the past so much that you feel that way.” Ryunosuke answered her in this hazy way before quickly leaving Nami’s room.
(Nami thought of Tieguan when she saw Missy, that’s for sure! After all, Missy is Mr. Tieguan’s own daughter… Ryunosuke was concerned that Naomi only called Tieguan ‘that man’ once, and at that time, Naomi’s expression seemed to be…)
Ryunosuke speculated wildly in his mind as he pondered what the real relationship between the Kujo family and Hanajima Kazuki really was.
(The ins and outs of financial assistance were probably already known. However, he didn’t know why the head of footwear would not recognize this matter. And why did Kujo-sensei hide this, was it because he didn’t want to remember his dead husband Tieguan’s relationship? And what kind of connection does this have to the stopping of the funding of Hanabishi Kazuki eight years ago.) The more information he got, the more complicated things became instead, and Ryunosuke intuited that he needed to investigate further, so he took action that night.
※
Ryuunosuke hid in the corner of the practice field and waited. His body ached because he had stayed here since the evening.
(If what Kustoma said is correct, the practice ended early today, and there should be some guests coming…)
Gah…
The door to the practice field opened, and the only thing that could be heard was the headmaster saying ‘please enjoy yourself’.
In walked two young girls and a middle-aged man.
One of the young girls was known to be Pile from the curves of her voluptuous body. The other girl was Ayao, who had an unnatural and lewd relationship with Pile in the woods. The middle-aged man, on the other hand, Ryunosuke had not seen at all, and from his clothing it looked like he was probably a guest.
Pile and Xiaoyao each took the middle-aged man’s hand and led him forward. The backs of the three finally disappeared into the Rakugo next to the podium.
Careful not to make a sound, Ryunosuke stepped out on his paralyzed feet, and as soon as he approached the vicinity where the trio had disappeared, he saw only the door to the basement swing open.
Walking down to the basement, Ryunosuke paid more attention, carefully walking down to the basement so as not to draw attention to himself.
(It’s ironic that while the girls are practicing and working hard for their dream of being on stage, the rumored act of hospitality is going on under their feet…)
From somewhere in the basement room came the faint gasp of a young girl.
Ryunosuke felt the need to ascertain what was going on inside, though he had probably guessed a thing or two already, and he peeked in through the open doorway.
“Awwww! So powerful! It’s so thick, so big… ah ah ah, Ojisan…”
“Ayo! I’m not an ojisan. Call me father, I’m a father yo!”
“Yes Father, there… there’s something so hard from Father in… there…”
“That’s it, we’re father and daughter! Little Yao is taking her father’s there with her mouth!”
“Awwww, father’s so big here! Father is still the best!”
What was seen in that room was a middle-aged man whose flab was already flabby, pressing his ugly body against Xiao Yao’s. It had only been a short time since they had entered this room! The man’s thing penetrated Xiaoyao’s body, and her there secreted love juice in response.
“Just the thought of us being father and daughter… Look, your bite there is getting tighter and tighter… what a slutty girl!”
“It’s so comfortable! There, where my father’s belly rubs against my ass…”
“Wow, so my daughter has a lot of feeling there in her ass too!”
“Because… ah… father’s jhansi is getting bigger and bigger inside…”
“Okay, I’ll squirt white semen for you right away… Just wait a little longer, Yoyo!”
“That, how can that be, ah, no, it’s not time to cum!”
Ordinary hugs weren’t enough for him, it took the incestuous relationship of father and daughter to satisfy him.
Ryunosuke saw this kind of thing for the first time, the look of female orgasms, as well as the satisfaction of the males pushing into their loins as well. As the lewd banquet proceeded to its climax, the stake finally appeared.
“Woo hoo hoo, Mr. Hida, you’re happy, aren’t you!”
“Is it a stake? You’ll see, mine is still so spirited here!”
“I am especially for Mr. Hida your preferences, arranged for you yo! If you have any other interests I’ll arrange them all for you as well, and you should know that I made all of these especially for you, not the foot chief, yo! So…”
“I know, you said that in the future you want to hold the real power of the Flower Bird and the Moon, so come along and let me love both of your daughters at once!”
“As you might expect, I actually couldn’t help myself since just now…”
Stake straddled Yoyo’s face and came face to face with the man and started kissing as if he was making a pledge for what the man had just promised. Ravaged by the man’s object and with a pained expression on her face, Yui used her tongue to lick Pile’s private parts.
“Yes… Ah-hoo… Yoyo… tongue further in…”
“Uh-goo, haaaaaaaa… Pile Sister’s nectar, so much, so much, uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh”
“Pile’s boobs are still as soft as ever, look at them pressing against me!”
“┅Yes, tonight, Father, you’re going to love me so much, my big breasts and my place too!”
“I’ll make you fly to the clouds… huh? It’s almost time, isn’t it, Yoyo?”
“Yes, yes..! Father’s place is so good, I’ve…”
“Yao if you orgasm like you normally do, you’ll have to swallow all of father’s cum later, okay?”
“Yes! No, if I stir like that, I, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah…”
The rumors were true, and having shown Ryuunosuke another glimpse of Pile’s ambitions here, Ryuunosuke left there and made his way to the atrium. Behind him, the shouts of Pile and Koyo could still be heard.
( ft. The head of the troupe had the members perform that kind of thing for money. Nami was probably kept in the dark about this arrangement… If Onii-sama found out about it, she would be even more angry.) But to Ryunosuke, this kind of thing didn’t surprise him at all. Pile and Koyo were not forced to do that thing, that is to say, it was a wishful thinking, and they took what they wanted from each other, I guess, so Ryunosuke did not feel particularly angry.
(I’m probably like this because I’m in the same category as them… Ms. Kujo, I wonder what she’d think?)
Ryunosuke eliminated those thoughts from his mind entirely as he tried to stomp on them in one fell swoop.
What kind of note is going to be placed on the theme of empty cicadas this time around?
※
Interview Day Nine.
Ryunosuke was in the midst of struggling with the arranged furniture in his room.
“… Damn it, it’s already evening, and I’ve searched all the buildings here… If I can’t even find this place, did someone pick it up?”
The thing Ryunosuke was desperately searching for right now was the notepad of all the records he had made when he entered Hanabi Kazuki. He had wanted to hurry up and organize the information, as Okazaki had a lot of questions to ask him in return when he came to listen to the report this evening, but when he had to use that notepad this morning, he couldn’t find it.
Ryunosuke’s disasters don’t stop there.
A man barged into Ryunosuke’s room without even knocking.
“Ms. Kazamika? I’m sorry, I’m in the middle of something…”
Kazamika ignored Ryuunosuke’s words, only to see her angrily throw something at Ryuunosuke.
“This, this is…”
What Kazamika had thrown over was the very notepad that Ryunosuke had been searching for. Then from what she said, it was clear whether she had read the notebook or not.
“…And you said you had no interest in my past, but what happened? You still went to investigate about my mother!”
Ryunosuke couldn’t defend himself, but he couldn’t stay silent either.
“… I’m sorry. When I said I wasn’t interested, I was actually lying to you…”
“You think I’m the daughter of a whore, too, don’t you! As a reporter, if you can dig up scandals about the members of the Flower Bird and Moonlight Troupe you’ll have achieved your goal…”
“It’s not like that! For me, the past is the past, and you are still you, Kazamika, and it has nothing to do with the past…”
“Enough… I’m so stupid… It turns out that you were so nice to me… for an ulterior motive… I’ll never trust you again… people like you…”
With those words, Kazamika left Ryunosuke’s room. Although Ryunosuke watched the tearful woman leave, he was unable to go after her.
※
Ryunosuke now jumped into the bath tub with a rush of energy, letting his thoughts race.
He wiped his face with hot water, his mind remembering Kazamika’s tearful face.
(I can’t help it if I’m hated by Kazamika. However, I have never looked down on her because of her mother… I really hope that one day she will realize that I am not the kind of person she thinks I am…) As Ryunosuke was about to get up, there was a ‘rattling’ sound.
Ryunosuke looked up and it was Goho, who was standing completely naked in front of Ryunosuke.
“Huh?”
“Huh? … Da… Miss, what brings you here…”
The situation was kinda comical as the two men looked at each other naked for a moment.
What broke the silence between the two was the scream of Goho.
“Ahhhhhhhh!”
After pulling the sliding door shut with force, Goho stormed out without looking back.
“I’m sorry, Miss… but this is a bathhouse for men only, isn’t it…”
After a while, Ryuunosuke looked like he was still trying to explain himself to Goho, and he looked ridiculous too.
※
Ryunosuke sat on a bench in the atrium, enjoying the night breeze.
“┅┅After a bath, the cool breeze is a great pleasure!”
(I didn’t know that Missy had that kind of mark on her abdomen, but of course I didn’t know, how could I have known…)
Realizing Goho’s nakedness for the first time, in a blur, Ryunosuke’s doppelganger unconsciously awoke.
(No, no! What was I thinking, really. How can I think about something like that now when I upset the young lady yesterday…)
At that moment, Ryunosuke remembered what happened to Kazamika, and he thought of a good way to end his feud with her.
“┅・・Feng Mika-san is also a very stubborn person… I can’t help it, let’s wait until after I report to Okazaki, it’s almost time.”
Ryunosuke was planning to go back to his room when he passed through the hall and saw a man and a woman leaning against one another.
“Eh, Ojisan… let me stay with you tonight!”
“Ah, no, that, what should I say…”
“My breasts are beautiful, aren’t they? Ogisan, you can do whatever you want with my boobs as long as you like!”
The man who was being seduced by Kazamika’s mixed-up efforts was none other than Okazaki.
“Come on, let me stay with you… I’m even better than Pile… You have to give me a better role…”
Hearing those words, Ryunosuke realized what was happening in the scene before him that had taken him by surprise. Kazamika had mistaken Okazaki for a guest of financial aid and wanted to use her body for a better role.
This kind of behavior of Kazamika, which Ryunosuke clearly knew was what she hated the most, it was obvious that she was giving up on herself. Seeing Kazamika like this, Ryunosuke felt very sad.
He rushed forward and reflexively slapped Kazamika on the cheek.
“It hurts! What are you, what are you doing!”
“¡Ó That’s what I’m supposed to ask you, isn’t it?”
“None of your business… I’m a whore’s daughter anyway, so what’s the big deal about doing this kind of thing…”
“You’re not that kind of girl at all… Never mind, you come with me!”
Okazaki was still confused as to what was going on, and Ryunosuke asked him to wait for a moment before dragging Kazamika back to his room.
“It hurts, let go!”
“Ah… I’m sorry…”
After Ryunosuke’s hand was released, Kazamika’s angry expression remained unchanged.
Ryunosuke, who was confronting her, was also quite complex, and a heavy atmosphere wafted through the room.
“I’m sorry for hitting you earlier, it’s just, why would you do something like that?”
“That kind of thing? Don’t you say you’re laughing, you think I’m a whore’s daughter anyway, you despise me at all, and here you are saying such grandiose things, you hypocrite!”
As if she had seen her enemy, Kazamika threw all of her anger at Ryunosuke in a brainwave.
Seeing her mother’s hands tied behind her back by the police, the young Kazamika…
The young Kazamika… who was bullied by the neighborhood children who threw stones at her because of her mother…
In the middle of the setting sun, waiting for her mother’s return, the young Kazamika…
All of this was just Ryunosuke’s imagination. Maybe Kazamika’s past wasn’t like this. However, he just couldn’t leave her alone.
“… Wind Mika, what do you think of your mother?”
“Huh…?”
“You are bound by the past, and as a result you have lost yourself… You are just as much a slur on your mother as those ignorant people.”
Kazamika’s expression looked rather confused.
“I know… but the other people, what did they say about my mother, do you understand how I feel mentally?”
“I know, but seeing you like that just now made me really sad, and that’s from my heart.”
“… You don’t have to overestimate me, I want to be held by a man too!”
“Huh? But that’s different from what you did just now, isn’t it…”
Kazamika suddenly started unbuttoning her clothes.
Ryunosuke turned his face away, but from the afterglow it was clear that she had already stripped off all her clothes.
“Kazamika?”
“You keep saying grandiose things, if you don’t hate me because I’m a whore’s daughter, then you’ll hug me!”
Ryunosuke looked into Kazamika’s eyes. As if she was praying, there was a mixture of determination and uneasiness in her eyes. As if by magic, Ryunosuke naturally hugged Kazamika tightly.
“You knew I would hug you… you’re so cunning! Kazamika.”
“Yes, I’m cunning… but that’s all I can do.”
“It’s not very skillful… but, it’s cute.”
After being told by Ryunosuke that she was cute, Kazamika couldn’t help but shy away… Ryunosuke carried her and laid her down on the bed… After carefully undressing Ryunosuke, Kazamika boldly started to caress Ryunosuke’s parting with her lovely lips.
Ryunosuke was inwardly surprised as he let Kazamika act. Tonight, let’s be a passionate lover and heal her inner wounds, just as she wanted.
Ryunosuke’s doppelganger grew another size as Kazamika’s warm tongue wrapped around and compassionately caressed his doppelganger.
Because it was so comfortable, Ryunosuke’s doppelganger kept pulsing in her mouth.
“Uh-goo… woo-hoo, I can feel it moving!”
Ryunosuke gently stroked Kazamika’s head, undoing the hair tie in her hair, her hair cascading down to cover her neck and back.
As if she liked this action of Ryuunosuke, she took Ryuunosuke’s parting deeper, making Ryuunosuke multiply a few sweet pleasures. In between, her tongue didn’t stop licking Ryuunosuke’s parting, and she looked at Ryuunosuke with a few lustful smiles in her eyes.
“Uh-goo, ah-hoo… haaaaaaahhhh… so powerful… so majestic now.”
Looking at Ryunosuke’s spirited doppelganger, Kazamika cast a look of awe and joy. From between her strands came the faint scent of honey. Ryunosuke reached over and once he entered there he only heard a watery sound, it was already dripping wet.
“Ahhhhh, how I want you! It’s already so wet there…”
In line with the movements of Ryunosuke’s fingers, Kazamika naturally swung her waist. Her hand kept holding Ryunosuke’s doppelganger, and that look looked both lewd and beautiful.
“Kazamika, if this continues I…”
“Aaah… I also want to be one with Ryunosuke! I can’t stand it either!”
As sweat drifted from her hair, Kazamika straddled Ryunosuke’s body.
“Aaaaaaahhhh… haaaaahhhh… phew, it’s so deep, it’s inside!”
Kazamika stopped moving when she completely slid Ryunosuke’s doppelganger inside, after which she began to dance her body again obliviously.
“No, I can’t stop, your one is so full inside my body… ah!”
Ryunosuke grabbed Kazamika’s breasts as they bobbed up and down, rubbing her nipples.
Because of this stimulation, Kazamika’s there uncontrollably tightly sucked on Ryuunosuke’s parting, causing Ryuunosuke’s brain marrow to melt.
“Aaah, Ryunosuke… I’m… already close… haaaaahhhhhh!”
As if on the verge of orgasm, Kazamika herself slipped her fingers to the combined area, holding the wet part hostage. Together, they stimulated her swollen stamen.
Because of this boost, Ryunosuke also advanced her womb by pushing his waist from the bottom up.
Because of her orgasm, Kazamika frowned and clenched her lips.
“┅┅I can’t do it anymore, I’m going to cum, Kazamika!”
“Don’t! Call me Shizu, call me Shizu!”
Kazamika wants Ryunosuke to call her by her real name.
Her loins trembled with joy as her hot flash came out of her in one gush. This vibration sucked in Ryunosuke’s parting even more tightly.
While fast approaching ejaculation, Ryunosuke’s consciousness was completely filled with only Kazamika.
“Gu… Shizuku I’m going to cum inside, Shizuku!”
“I’m so happy… Ryunosuke, Ryunosuke! Aaaaahhhh…”
Just as Kazamika’s waist twisted, Ryunosuke was passionately liberated inside her. Feeling the sensation of the man’s sperm inside her, Kazamika slumped helplessly onto Ryunosuke’s body. Lying on Ryunosuke’s chest, Kazamika looked quite content, and Ryunosuke could feel that she had broken through her former bonds.
“Ryunosuke… thank you!”
Kazamika got out of bed and started to put on her clothes.
“What are you talking about thank you! Have you got it wrong, when a man sleeps with a woman, he must like her to do so no?”
“I’m happy to hear you say that, even if it’s not true… By the way, I have something to tell you.”
Kazamika is talking about the special reception for financial aid recipients, which started eight years ago.
Ryunosuke thought about eight years ago.
(… Isn’t that the same time that the Kujo family stopped supplying money?) “Also, I think maybe it has something to do with the fact that Ms. Naomi said that she didn’t want to have children.”
“You asked Naomi-sensei that question?”
“Yes, but when she said she didn’t want to have a child, there was some sadness in her eyes…”
“That is to say, Nami-sensei, does she have a compelling reason… But, Kazamika, why are you telling me so much.”
“I think you might be able to change the corrupt part of the flower, bird and moon… I intuitively trust you…”
After saying that, Kazamika kissed Ryunosuke, the first kiss between them.
※
Okazaki appeared immediately after Kazamika left the room.
As usual, Ryunosuke began to tell the idea of the novel.
“How about… the story of an independent woman?”
“Huh? Is that all? Are you trying to express a novel like Henrid Ibsen…?”
Confronted by the erudite Okazaki, Ryunosuke asks him this question in return.
“By the way, Chief Okazaki… what exactly is the relationship between the Kujo family and Hanabishi Kazamatsuri… You’ve stayed with the Kujo family since the time of the previous generation of masters, so this is something you should know about, right, the matter of financial assistance?”
“Ah, that’s the first time I’ve heard that, you mean, the Kujo family aids the Hanabishi?”
Ryunosuke knows Okazaki is playing dumb, so he comes up with a ruse to trap him.
“How did you get the bruise on the young lady’s stomach… and what happened there?”
“Wh… what? How do you know… Ryunosuke is it possible that you and Onii-chan…”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything to Goho, but there must be some secret between the Kujo family and Hanabishi Kazuki, if this puts the young lady in danger, then I…”
Okazaki was silent.
“¡Ó Anyway, I’ll report clearly to Saki-chan, I’ll leave now ¡Ó”
So said Ryunosuke before he had to leave.
※
Late night at the Kujo house.
Sakiko sat at her desk, listening to Okazaki’s report.
“Ryunosuke… seems to have realized the true meaning behind this experiment, he seems to be worried about Onii-chan.”
Saikiko set her pen aside.
“I’m done, Okazaki, just finished. This way, it’s almost all ready.”
Tongzaki looked at her with a sullen expression.
“…Ms. Sakiko, you really won’t change your mind?”
Saikiko didn’t answer Okazaki’s question.
“By the way, you said Ryunosuke would be worried about Goho too, Okazaki, and he’s just like you.”
“I think… he’s probably worried that that person will do anything detrimental to Goho-sama.”
“If that did happen, I think Ryunosuke would bring Goho back immediately. Ryunosuke is that kind of man. It’s different from… Tieguan.”
It had been a long time since Hayako had spoken her late husband’s name. At that thought, Okazaki said nothing more. The moonlight illuminated the completed manuscript on the table…
Act IV Kudzu
Interview Day Ten.
“Ah…!”
Ryunosuke suddenly encounters Goho in the hallway.
It was the first time the two of them had been alone together in three days. Except for yesterday’s incident in the bathroom.
Probably because of what happened in the bathroom yesterday, Goho was about to run away when Ryunosuke stopped him.
“Wait, Missy, I have something…”
“You saw it yesterday, didn’t you… my, that… Ryunosuke, honestly.”
Ryunosuke’s mind drifted to Goho’s naked body last night.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see it…”
“Or did you see… the one on your stomach…”
“But, I was suddenly startled by you, and I couldn’t actually see very well…”
“Really? Really?”
Ryunosuke, who had sharp reflexes, actually noticed the mark on Goho’s stomach immediately at that moment, but he decided to lie anyway.
“It’s true, I should’ve looked more closely, what a shame…”
“Idiot! Who told you to say something so revealing, I can’t stand you.”
“I’m sorry… but that’s really the boys’ bathroom.”
“Oo… Even though it’s like that, it’s just as guilty as if you saw it.”
The two people who had been a bit unhappy seemed to have repaired their relationship with each other because of the bathroom incident, so Ryunosuke was finally a bit relieved. As he watched Goho walk towards the practice field, Kazamika’s voice came from behind. As if she had heard the conversation Ryunosuke and the others had just had.
“Are you two flaunting your relationship?”
“Huh? Why are you talking about this all of a sudden?”
“Goho… she loves you.”
“Kazamika, you’re mistaken, how can that be.”
“The question is, how do you feel about it yourself, Ryunosuke?”
“Don’t you joke…”
“Hoo hoo, Ryunosuke, you don’t want to make a girl cry!”
Feng Meixiang turned around and left after saying that, looking at her refreshed appearance, as if she had already stepped out of the shadow of her mother’s matter, because of last night’s incident, it also eliminated the gap between them.
It was just that Ryunosuke was troubled by what she had just said.
(‘Goho loves me’…? ) And how do I feel about it myself. I do like Missy, but I don’t think it’s love…)
As Ryunosuke hugged Jubilee, he realized for the first time that he was thinking of someone, and an image of that person came to his mind.
(‘Knowing and repaying’… I think that’s all I’m doing to be nice to her. No, it’s really because of that. I’m just repaying Ms. Sakiko.)
While thinking about things, Ryunosuke unknowingly walked into the atrium without realizing it himself. Perhaps because of this, the two people who were having a secret conversation inside the atrium didn’t notice his presence either.
“Can… can I say that thing?”
“Pile… you can’t…”
(┅┅This voice, isn’t it the head of feet?)
Ryunosuke reflexively hid behind the thick trees.
“I wonder what Nami-sensei would do if she found out about the financial aid?”
“That’s why I asked you not to tell anyone, isn’t it? I had no choice but to do that kind of thing… for the sake of the development of Hanabishi…”
“Don’t talk so nicely, when you were hugging us, was your psyche also looking out for the future of Flower Bird and Moon? What’s more, I absolutely cannot forgive you for that thing you did!”
The expression on Pile’s face when he mentioned ‘that thing’ was full of anger. Relatively! The foot chief looked very fearful. Ryunosuke sensed that the relationship between the two of them had completely reversed in a big way from when he had seen it.
“What do… Pile, what do you really want?”
“Yeah, what do I want? Surely it won’t just be continuing to be the first female lead like it is now.”
“What does that mean?”
“It doesn’t mean anything. Anyway, I have my way of doing things, and I won’t let go of anything I can utilize… That’s right, I’ll make good use of the power of the Goho… No, the Kujo family as well.”
Ryuunosuke now derived the final conclusion of what Pile had said.
(Pile, you know that Missy is Kujo Gaho?) And the chief knows that too? So the girl they were talking about, ‘investigating that girl’, is Missy?)
“┅There’s really nothing I can do about you. Just, you mustn’t tell anyone, especially not that Ryunosuke…”
“That depends on my pleasure… um, never mind.”
Hearing what Pile said, the headman hung his head and left.
“Destiny is incredible. It’s very cruel, but also very sweet.”
Pile muttered to himself.
“What do you think? Ryunosuke?”
It turns out that Pile had already realized that Ryunosuke was hiding behind the trees.
Ryunosuke wondered if he should pretend he didn’t know anything or break the mold as he slowly stood up.
“… Destiny, I won’t believe it unless I see it with my own eyes.”
“That’s the difference between men and women, I guess. However, I’m at the mercy of fate non-stop, so from now on, I’m going to make my own destiny with my own hands.”
“What a thing for the First Heroine to say. Just now, looking at the way you were talking to the head of ft, I could tell that the situation was already under your control… was it because of ‘that incident’?”
Pile calmly answered Ryunosuke’s question.
“Ryunosuke, don’t mind your own business, Goho will be sad, yo.”
“Goho? You just mentioned her name as well, and I won’t allow anyone to do anything against her.
”
“Geez, I wasn’t planning on hurting her, yo. But…”
Ryunosuke held his guard as Pile continued.
“I am the first heroine of flowers, birds, and wind. So my moods are capricious, depending on the seasons as they change and the weather is cloudy.”
After Pile finished speaking, he turned around and left as if he were exiting a stage. Leaving behind a stunned Ryunosuke.
※
What brought the dazed Ryunosuke back to reality was Nami’s voice.
“Ah, Ryunosuke, so you’re here.”
“Mr…. Nami… Ah, I’m sorry, I was thinking about something… J “I have something to ask you, do you have time now?”
Unlike usual, Naomi’s expression seemed rather helpless, so Ryuunosuke had to nod, so she led him to her room. As if she didn’t want to be seen by others, Nami carefully looked around and locked the door behind her. Looking at Nami, it must not be something ordinary.
“… Ryunosuke, do you know about the wound on Goho’s stomach?”
From what Naomi said, that was something she saw by chance when Goho was changing her clothes. Ryunosuke didn’t know what Naomi’s intention was in asking about it, so anyway, he pretended not to know for the time being.
“No, I don’t know, I can’t have that kind of relationship with Spike.”
“I… I also have… I also have marks on my body from the fire.”
“Traces of fire damage?”
“That’s what scarred me when I lost my daughter.”
“Your daughter? Wait, Nami-sensei, you mean, your child?”
Ryunosuke listened intently to everything that followed.
“Ryunosuke, do you remember when I talked to you about Jubilee at the lake earlier?”
“Remember… Could that be what Nami-sensei meant when she said, “Former lover!”
“Eh, we broke up because we had to realize our dreams, but by that time I was pregnant with that man’s child…”
Naomi begins to tell Ryunosuke about her story.
Naomi was going to have that baby all by herself and raise the child.
But the fire eighteen years ago left Pile with nothing, and at the same time, Naomi lost her child. After that, a heartbroken Naomi marries Naoya, who has always been by her side, but she also decides never to have another child.
Ryunosuke remembered at that moment, the story that Naomi had told him earlier about the establishment of Hanabi Kazuki.
(Is it possible that the person Naomi-sensei loved… was the man who gave up his love for his dream, Kujo-sensei’s late husband, Mr. Tetsukan?)
As soon as Ryunosuke considered Nami’s mood, he couldn’t be bothered to ask the headmaster about it.
Next, Naomi’s words touch the core.
“… When I saw that fire wound, it was like seeing my dead daughter…”
“But didn’t your daughter die in that fire…?”
“But there was no body found, plus Goho is almost the same age as my daughter, and most importantly that wound, I…”
“But that alone doesn’t make it certain… Besides, it’s possible that the injuries on Goho’s body came after she grew up…”
“I… just asked Goho herself directly, and she said that she’s had that scar since she’s known…”
“What… can’t it be that you’ve already told Goho what you just told me, Naomi-sensei?…”
Naomi looked like she was over the moon.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it, that’s why…”
Ryunosuke rushed out of the room after explaining to Naomi not to mention this to Goho again.
(Onii-sama also has half-sisters. Kujo-sensei and Nami-sensei and Tetsukan-san… No, is this the right assumption? If that scar is not a coincidence…) However, Ryunosuke did not have time to go into the details right now, but what he was worried about now was the fact that Goho must have been shocked to hear that Nami-sensei, whom he admired, had said that she might be her daughter.
Ryunosuke keeps searching for Goho in Hanabishi.
※
By late afternoon, there was still no sign of Song Spike.
Meeting Kustoma and Jubilee on the way, who also hadn’t seen Goho since this afternoon, it was at this point that Ryuunosuke’s unease shifted to another possibility.
(… although I don’t want to think about such things, but…)
Ryuunosuke walked into the practice field and pressed on, taking a step towards the basement.
(┅It’s possible that the head of feet still has a stake in the ground, tempting Onii-chan with sweet words to receive guests, and in case that’s true, ┅What should I do?)
Gradually, as Ryunosuke went further and further down, the sound of a young girl gasping for air could be heard.
Ryunosuke prayed, peeking in through the crack in the door of the room.
“… That’s right, deeper… That’s good! The wind coloring is very skillful.”
“Ah-hoo, ah-ah, I, I want to… Come on, hurry up and get in there!”
“Look, Chief, she’s twisting herself!”
It was just a young girl named Kaze Kage, and the guest of honor were doing that shit, while the chief stood by and watched them.
“Tonight, you can have as much fun as you want, as you like, wind coloring, you hear me, you have to serve our guest well!”
“Yes… ah-mmm, ah-ha-ah, Ojisan’s is so good… uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh”
“Hey! You’re going to call me brother when you’re holding my stuff!”
“Yes, brother… nasty, there’s something of brother’s inside…”
(Really, first father, now brother, next time I don’t know what…) After making sure that Gaho wasn’t here, Ryunosuke finally felt relieved for the time being.
“Aaahhh, brother, rub it harder there… go deeper, aaahhh, deeper!”
“You slut, the wet, white liquid is all over me.”
“You like it, but the wind coloring is flowing very much, yo!”
“That’s what I’ve specially designated… Hey, hey, there’s special training, isn’t there?”
“I want to! Hurry up and get in… Please, don’t whet my appetite anymore.”
“How dare you ask me, you slut… Chief, hurry up and gag her!”
The regiment leader pulled out his black shiny thing in front of Wind Caiyue. Consumed by desire, she obliviously stuck out her tongue.
“Very good, Windcatcher, lick it well and I’ll make you drink as much cum as you like.”
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…”
“Look, Chief, it’s too lonely just to have only a mouth for her, and this hole in her ass is getting anxious too!”
“It’s still undeveloped there, so you can try it with your fingers first if you like.”
“I can’t… Ghoomnung, I can’t, it hurts, don’t move!”
“Hey, how can your mouth stop, I’m going to penalize you for swallowing my stuff until it goes down your throat.
”
The headmaster who reveled in this lustful feast, it was surprising that Ryunosuke would not look down on him.
(….although all of them were with them for a reason… but who am I to blame the Headmaster… Izumo Ryuunosuke, you…) As Ryuunosuke thought about this, he suddenly felt someone approaching from behind.
When he turned around, it turned out to be Goho on the stairs.
“Lung… mmmmmmm…”
Ryunosuke grabbed a handful of Goho’s mouth, then ran out the door with her in his arms.
※
Only when they reached the atrium did Ryunosuke put Goho down in peace.
“Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Haaah! Ryunosuke what the hell are you doing all of a sudden like this!”
“How did you get there, Missy?”
“I’ve been following you ever since I saw you… By the way, what was that sound just now, and what the hell is going on there?”
“This…”
There was no way Ryunosuke was going to tell the truth to Gaho; instead, he spoke to her in a more aggressive tone.
“… Anyway, that place is not to be approached after evening, got it? If you can’t abide by that, then I’ll tie you back to the Kujo house even if I have to use a rope to do it!”
“You don’t have to be so mean… I know!”
“By the way, where have you been all afternoon today, I’ve been looking for you for ages.”
“… All afternoon, I stayed on the mountain… thinking about something…”
Suddenly, Goho’s expression darkened.
Ryunosuke asked her on purpose even though he knew why.
“Did… did something happen?”
“Ms. Naomi said… I could be her daughter…”
Ryunosuke didn’t pursue the question in detail any further, as it would probably touch that wound that Goho cared about again.
“Strangely enough, when I saw Naomi-sensei, I had a very nostalgic feeling… so I couldn’t immediately tell her that I wasn’t her daughter.”
“What are you talking about? Missy’s mother is Kujo-sensei, isn’t she? J “Well… but why did mom object to me coming here? And why did it turn out that she agreed? That’s not like a normal mom at all.”
Ryunosuke was confused. Should he tell Koho everything he already knew?
“I feel very uneasy… Ryunosuke, do you know something, if you do, tell me, like now, if I don’t know anything I…”
Tears flooded the frames of Goho’s eyes.
Ryunosuke therefore decides to tell Goho all the facts he knows, namely the relationship between the Kujo family and Hanabusa Kazuki, as well as what happened when Hanabusa Kazuki was founded.
Aside from the fact that Tieguan-san didn’t want Goho to know about his triangle with Kujo-sensei and Nami-sensei, he also left out the reception of foreign guests.
“┅So, has the financial assistance stopped since Grandpa’s death? Or is there something else that you don’t know about either, Ryunosuke?”
“This… that’s right, it is my own will that I wish for Onii-chan to leave this place.”
“… Am I really not allowed to stay here anymore… But even with this, I still want to stay in Hanabishi… with Ryunosuke…”
Hearing such a confession from Goho, Ryunosuke couldn’t help but hug her.
“Huh…? Ryunosuke?”
“I understand… don’t worry, I’ll stay by your side.”
“¿… will you protect me?”
“I promise.”
“¿… even if it would go against mom’s wishes, you…?”
“Huh…?”
Ryunosuke’s grip loosened and Goho slipped out of Ryunosuke’s arms.
“Onii-chan…”
Looking at the dazed Ryunosuke, Goho sighed, before smiling slightly.
“Enough, you just said you’d stay by my side, that’s enough.”
At this point, Ryunosuke still didn’t understand what Goho really meant when he said that…
Interview Day Eleven.
Something happened in the evening of that day, as if it was mocking Ryunosuke’s determination to try to protect Goho.
“Ryunosuke, has Goho ever been here?”
As soon as Kustoma entered Ryunosuke’s room, she opened her mouth to ask about Gaho. When Ryunosuke told her that Gaho wasn’t there, Kustoma began to sob and cry.
“Kratie, did something happen to Goho?”
“… At the end of practice, Pile said something to Goho… When I realized it, the two of them had disappeared…”
Before Ryunosuke could finish his sentence with Kustoma, he was already rushing out.
(… What exactly does Pile want to do to Her Highness? Fung Mi-hyang had warned me… Damn it, I forgot to warn the young lady to stay away from Pile yesterday!)
Down the corridor Ryunosuke meets the ft. headmaster, who also begins to feel uneasy when he tells him about Goho’s disappearance.
“Pile, is she hardly… Ryunosuke, let’s go find them both first!”
While searching for Goho in Hanabi Kazamatsuri, Ryunosuke and the headmaster encounter Jubilee.
“What’s the matter, Ryunosuke and the headmaster, why do you look so ugly?”
“Jubilee, have you seen Goho and Pile, both of them?”
“Oh, the two of them just went to the observation deck…”
Before Jubilee could finish her sentence, Ryuunosuke and the chief had already rushed out.
“Pile… that stupid girl…”
“ Chief Ruler, do you realize what Pile is trying to do to Goho…?”
While running up the hill, Ryunosuke questioned the headmaster, who just silently didn’t answer.
“Chief, I’ll say it up front, if anything happens to Goho, I’m not going to let Flower Bird and Moon off the hook so easily.”
“Hmph! You’re finally showing your true colors outside of being a reporter… Ryunosuke, what is the purpose of your visit here…?”
The regimental commander was mid-sentence when the two men were simultaneously startled when they saw the lookout.
“… Stop, Pile, please, let go of me!”
“No, Goho, I’m not letting you go back until you nod your head yes.”
Pile was now standing in front of the broken railing where Ryunosuke had found Jubilee standing earlier, and Pile grabbed Goho to face them.
“Goho!”
“Pile, what the hell do you want?”
Ryunosuke and the headmaster asked this question almost simultaneously.
“Ryunosuke!”
“Goho, your most loyal knight has appeared, it’s a bit of a shame that Nami-sensei isn’t here, but the head of the group that wrote the tragedy script is here, so the people are sort of all here.”
“Ryunosuke!”
“What do you mean by that, Pile!”
As Ryuunosuke tried to get closer, Pile spoke out to stop it.
“Don’t come over! Don’t be in a hurry, the show is just about to start now?”
“Pile, it won’t do you any good if you do that!”
“Who are you to accuse me?”
Hearing the chief’s words, Pile’s expression turned angry.
“You know how hard I’ve worked all the way through this… That murderer who harmed me was you! But from now on, the Hanabishi and the Kujo family will be… because of me…”
Pile said excitedly, and Goho, who was caught in her grip, showed a pained expression.
Ryunosuke clenched his lower lip as the headmaster next to him whispered to him.
“At this rate, we don’t know what kind of things she’ll do in Pile, so you’ll provoke her and distract her, then I’ll take advantage of the gap…”
“But wouldn’t that be too dangerous?”
“It’s better than sitting around now!”
Ryunosuke couldn’t think of any other good way. He nodded to the chief before facing the pile again.
“It’s already at this juncture, what are you two going to discuss now?”
“Pile… Do you know that there is another murderer, who has not arrived?”
“Yes? Then please tell me, but before you do, tell me along with that thing I wanted to ask you yesterday.”
“That?”
“Ryunosuke, I’ve known for a long time that you’re not a reporter for Light Star Publishing. What exactly are you… trying to find out by coming here?”
Ryuunosuke tried to stretch out his conversation with Pile while keeping an eye on the chief’s movements.
“I know, I’ll let you know, but could you let Goho go first, because the whole thing has nothing to do with her.”
“No relation? Hmph, you really don’t know? Forget it, let me tell you, Goho is Nami-sensei’s…”
At that very moment, the Headmaster rushed towards Pile, and in the nick of time, Ryunosuke ran towards Koho. Suddenly, Pile has a center of gravity that doesn’t spike and falls backward into that broken railing behind him.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…”
“Ah… Oh no, Pile!”
“Goho!”
Ryunosuke reached out and grabbed Goho, who had fallen with the bridge, in one hand.
It was a pity that the pile fell into the tide along with the broken railing. Ryunosuke tightened his grip on Goho’s hand. Pile’s cries became smaller and smaller, and finally the sound of something falling into the lake was heard.
※
Ryunosuke took the frightened Goho back to his room.
“Ryunosuke, I…”
“I know, you don’t have to say anything, that’s all for now.”
The Chief was responsible for finding Pile. Although Ryunosuke was also worried about Pile right now, the only thing to do now was to wait for news from the Chief. Ryunosuke’s hand rested on the trembling Goho’s shoulder, and Goho leaned on Ryunosuke’s hand, and the two of them snuggled together… and so, I don’t know how much time passed.
Ryunosuke listened to the regular seconds of the clock.
Ryunosuke would have diverted his attention if he hadn’t done so! He would have been pulled away by the sound of Goho’s breathing, heartbeat, and the sound of clothes rubbing together beside him.
“Onii-sama, after what happened, let’s go back to the Kujo house…”
“┅No, I’m not going back like this!”
Ryunosuke saw Goho’s stubbornness and remembered what had just happened.
“Did… just now, did Pile say anything to you?”
“Pile, she already knew about me being Kujo Gaho, but she said that in fact I’m Nami-sensei’s daughter…”
“How could that happen…”
Ryunosuke couldn’t say that it was a lie to her either, as he himself felt the possibility existed.
“She also said that many lives were sacrificed because I became the Nine Goho, and I didn’t want to believe her, but…”
Goho stood up and began to remove the clothes from his body.
“Stop, what are you doing…”
“The stake says that someone sent the baby that Naomi-sensei gave birth to the Kujo family, and the proof is that… I didn’t get a chance to tell you yesterday, but I’ve already spoken to Naomi-sensei, and both of us have the same marks on our bodies from the fire…”
Goho pointed nakedly at the bruises on his body.
“I didn’t want you to see such an ugly scar, but… you had already noticed it before. I had to let you know, and I wanted to let you know myself…”
“Enough, no need to say it, I understand you.”
Ryunosuke interrupted Goho. It was all he could do now.
“… Ryunosuke, do you remember… the way I danced by the lake?”
“Remember, remember…”
“At that time I told you that I didn’t want to stay here as Sakiko’s daughter, I wanted to be just me, to be myself. That wasn’t a lie yo, because… because I wanted to be with you.”
Ryunosuke’s eyes widened as he looked at Goho.
“Because, you’re the only one who, despite calling me Onii-chan with your mouth, would actually treat me like a girl, is Ryuunosuke.”
“No, that’s…”
“There’s no need to explain, when I realized my feelings for you I understood at the same time. Why Ryunosuke treated me like a girl… because Ryunosuke was in love with mom.”
Ryunosuke was badly hit by Goho’s words.
He had noticed it himself, but he desperately wanted to forget it. This was only made clear to him when he himself realized how much he was in love with Saikiko. The atmosphere in the room was rather stagnant, the thoughts of each of the two men about the object of their affection surrounding them.
“Please… put your clothes… on.”
But Goho slowly leaned her body into Ryunosuke.
“Our days here at Birds and Flowers will soon come to an end… so I’d like to end by adding one more thing to the list of good memories from amongst these days.”
Goho’s warm body heat traveled to Ryunosuke.
“I can’t ask you to let me take my mother’s place and ask you to like me, but at least… at least for tonight, please just look at me alone.”
“Even if you say so, I…”
Koho kissed Ryuunosuke’s lustful lips.
As Goho was about to kiss Ryunosuke again, Ryunosuke’s hands wrapped around Goho’s back.
Their lips touched and this time their tongues entwined.
For Goho, perhaps she has the intention of trying to bring the object of her affection to her side. For Ryunosuke, hugging Gaho is also a way to say goodbye to his thoughts of Saikiko, so perhaps he’s escaping reality as well.
“Ryunosuke… I hate it! I’ll be embarrassed if I look like this…”
After Ryunosuke had caressed Goho’s entire body, he had her lie down on the bed.
Ryunosuke stood sternly from behind Goho, his eyes falling on the top of her privates.
“Don’t look at me like that… I don’t even… myself…”
On the other side of the room, Goho’s breasts jiggled, and the tiny nipples that had hardened on top of them bounced a little after a light touch with her fingers.
“I can’t… I don’t have the strength… It’s gotten so strange, Ryunosuke…”
“That’s because you’re comfortable with it, and you’ll be made even more comfortable later.”
Ryunosuke’s tongue licked up the love juices in general and reached into Goho’s private parts.
“Ah! Are you licking me with your tongue? Don’t, I hate…”
“Hmph, is Goho’s place dirty?”
Ryunosuke asked her with deliberate impishness, causing Goho to blush.
“Do… do you have to say that?… Hahoo!”
“Goho’s so cute here it makes me want to eat it in one bite.”
Ryunosuke’s tongue went even further inside, and even the pubic hair covering that part of the body reacted. The end of the private part was swollen with blood, and the stamen, which was still covered by the foreskin, was also slightly trembling. Because of the lubrication of the love liquid, Ryunosuke’s fingers could play with it smoothly.
“Haha ah… there… no… my body is numb… uh-haha ah!”
Ryunosuke’s fingers captured the stamen and peeled off the foreskin in one breath, pressing it there with his fingertips.
“ah, ah, ah, haaaaaaaa…”
Gooho’s cries were a mixture of pain and joy, and a white, cloudy liquid oozed from the mouth of her privates. Meeting a mild orgasm, Gohei lay helplessly on the bed.
“Haa… Haa… Ryunosuke, I’m… I’m afraid…”
“Are you afraid of me?”
“No, it’s that I don’t know what to do… I’m becoming unlike myself…”
Ryunosuke tenderly kissed Goho on the cheek.
“Don’t worry, just go with your own feelings, just be yourself…”
Ryunosuke started at her cheek and kissed his way down her neck, her breasts, and caressed her curves.
“Ah, there…”
Koho realizes that Ryunosuke is kissing her bruises.
Ryunosuke didn’t care about her reaction, he just kissed there more carefully and tenderly.
“You don’t have to mind this place, look at it, isn’t it nice when I kiss it like this too?”
“… Well, it just tickles… a feeling of happiness…”
“That’s fine.”
“But… it’s the first time I’ve made that kind of noise… will you think I’m a very slutty girl, Ryunosuke…”
Ryunosuke pulled Goho’s hand towards his own femur in lieu of answering.
“¡¡Ah!”
“So did I. Seeing Goho’s face made me feel the same way.”
“Narwhal… it’s so hard and big, and hot.”
Koho wasn’t sure if she was interested in this or not, only that she stroked it back and forth, and Ryunosuke’s doppelganger reacted in a new way as a result.
“Huh! Why is the front wet.”
“That’s a sign that I’m ready.”
Goho swallowed, then waited silently for Ryunosuke to say the next thing.
“Is… is it okay, Goho?”
After Godou nodded, Ryunosuke immediately hugged her waist. That was in order not to make Gooho feel even more uneasy and fearful. Without hesitation, Ryunosuke pierced through wet center.
“Mmmmmmmmmm Goh! … Gurung, Ryunosuke… it’s so hot, your… uh-huh ah!”
The combined parts were tightly strangled, transmitting Goho’s pain to Ryunosuke.
There was a faint blood on the split that hadn’t fully entered yet.
“Goho, it’s okay, isn’t it? I’ll take my time.”
“It’s okay, don’t worry about me. Maybe we can only be like this tonight… so, Ryunosuke, you try to do it the way you want to do it.”
…Goho, who was shaking her red skirt and screaming Ryunosuke’s name loudly as she ran.
Under the moonlight, there are countless fireflies dancing around the song spikes.
The… shoulders trembled, and Goho, who was flooded with tears, looked at Ryunosuke.
…and, with the remnants of a childish body, the brewing of a womanly Goho.
As all the images focused and merged into one, Ryunosuke’s doppelganger fully entered Goho’s body, his loins colliding with Goho’s.
The ferocious hunk of flesh mercilessly widened the walls of the virginal flesh, and Goho couldn’t help but cry out in agony.
Even so! Ryunosuke’s movements didn’t stop there. As he moved in and out of Goho he also bruised Goho. It was as if there was a hidden meaning to it.
“Aaah… ah… ah… coo… mmmm, ahaha… me, me…”
Finally Goho’s screams were mingled with sounds of joy, and the pain of the broken melon was replaced by pleasure all at once.
“Goho…?”
“Ryunosuke, I… I’m so… hahaha ahm… so comfortable… so comfortable!”
Seeing Goho shy away, Ryunosuke’s limit came early.
“Goho, just a moment…”
“Ryunosuke, let’s…”
Ryunosuke picked up Koho and sat her on his lap facing him, facing each other. At this point, the excitement from the rotation of his waist urged him to release it as soon as possible.
“I can’t! Goho…”
“Aaaaahhhh… Ryunosuke… mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…”
Goho kissed Ryunosuke’s lips tightly as if she wanted to convey her joyful voice to him. Amidst the sound of their tongues entwining, Ryunosuke’s sperm shot into Goho’s body….
※
After it was over, the two lay on the bed wrapped in a quilt together. Ryunosuke stared blankly at the ceiling, while on the sidelines, Goho stroked Ryunosuke’s wounds with her fingers one by one.
“This is the first time I’ve seen Ryunosuke’s body, I didn’t realize you had so many scars.”
“It’s a mark left on my body from all the bad things I’ve done.”
“You never told me these things before.”
Goho suddenly bit Ryunosuke’s shoulder.
“It hurts… what are you doing.”
“I’m going to leave a mark on you, too.”
Seeing the smiling Goho, Ryunosuke had no choice but to smile bitterly.
“Do… do you still want to stay in Hanabishi, Gaho?”
“Um, besides wanting to be with you, I still want to continue studying with Naomi-sensei, and…”
“And there are some mysteries waiting to be solved, aren’t there?”
“Eh, about my birth, just leaving here like this, it’s going to be hard for me to face my mom when I get back without finding out what happened.”
“You can leave it to me regarding this matter. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow I will investigate the truth of the matter clearly, as for whether or not to continue to stay in Flower Bird Wind and Moon, just go back and discuss with your teacher again before saying anything.”
Koho got up and looked at Ryunosuke from above.
“What are you going to do after all this is settled, Ryunosuke?”
“After these trials, I want to go home to my country first, and after that, I haven’t thought about it yet.”
“… this way.”
Goho said only a short sentence, after which she wrapped her quilt around her and turned her back to Ryunosuke.
After a moment, Goho’s faint breathing was heard, and Ryunosuke followed suit, closing his eyes.
※
Interview Day Twelve.
The foot chief came to Ryunosuke’s door early in the morning.
Ryunosuke, careful not to wake up Goho, got out of bed and walked outside.
“What happened to her… did…”
“No, thankfully it wasn’t life threatening. Luckily she fell into the head of the lake and only suffered minor injuries. It’s been taken to the hospital at the bottom of the hill now.”
“That puts my mind at ease.”
The regimental commander looked past Ryunosuke to the bed.
“Please keep what happened yesterday to yourselves, it’s best to forget about it.”
“Is that an order, or is that your hope?”
“You don’t have to say it so seriously, it’s just that it’s an extraordinary time for flowers and birds, and I don’t want to cause unnecessary commotion at this time… even if I ask you to, Ryunosuke.”
Looking at the headmaster’s deep line , in order to not let Goho fall into danger again, Ryunosuke could understand the headmaster’s meaning. After the headmaster left, Goho, who was hiding under the covers, spoke.
“Luckily, there’s nothing wrong with the pile…”
“Why, you’re awake, are you worried about…”
“Because now the first female lead of Hanabusa can’t make her debut, that must be troubling for the headmaster.
”
“In that case, you’ll be worried about this too.”
Ryunosuke felt the same way in his heart, except that he thought there might be something else behind this, and what exactly was the chief’s reason for wanting to exclude Pile?
※
After lunch, Ryunosuke came to say hello to Naomi.
“… I’ll finish my interview work today and go back to Lightstar Publishing tomorrow.”
“Then it will be a much lonelier place.”
“As for whether or not Goho will still stay, she will have to wait until she goes back to talk to her family before she can make a decision. But she herself still wants to stay in Hanabishi and learn more from you.”
“Well, I’ll just wait for her good news.”
As he was about to leave the room, Ryunosuke deliberately acted as if he had just remembered.
“Ah, yes… there’s a chance I’ll run into Kujo-sensei when I go back to Lightstar Publishing, is there anything you’d like me to pass on for you.”
“That’s true… I haven’t seen Saki-chan and I since Tieguan’s funeral… By the way, her adopted daughter is almost of marriageable age, so remember to ask her to let me know if her daughter wants to get married.”
“Adopted daughter? Is Kujo-sensei’s daughter her adopted daughter?”
“Ah, I seem to be talking too much again. When Sakako was young, I don’t know if it was because of illness or something else, but in any case she was unable to have children, so when I heard that she had a daughter, I was thinking that it must have been her adopted daughter…”
While Ryunosuke dealt with Naomi, saying that he wouldn’t tell anyone else about it, on the other hand, in his mind he realized the truth of a certain matter now.
※
“The next time I see you, I’ll be a woman that Ryunosuke won’t recognize… A very feminine woman, so look forward to it!”
“… It’s so hard to leave. Truly, the memories of that… that night are still in my body…”
“┅・・Truly, you come and go so quickly, just like a gust of wind, although it’s a slight breeze, but it changes the flowers, birds, wind and moon, as well as me, because of it… You must come to the next public performance, yo!”
Ryunosuke says goodbye to Kustoma, Jubilee, and Kazamika one by one, and he realizes once again how strong the three of them are, and thus inspires Ryunosuke’s determination to work harder.
At night Ryunosuke was alone in his room talking to himself as he waited to report to Okazaki.
“‘Empty Cicada’… ‘Modern Man’… a survivor in this world… a thinking ’empty cicada’ who inherits the dreams of the departed and survives in this world ‘…”
The complex intelligence in Ryunosuke’s head now became just a clue.
（The man that Naomi-sensei loved must have been Mr. Tetsukan. But Mr. Tieguan married Mr. Kujo in order to set up the Hanabi Fureai. At that time, Naomi already had Tieguan’s child in her womb. (Nami, who had given birth to a child by herself, lost the child in the fire… and the child turned out to be ‘Kujo Gaho’… The problem lies with the person who created the fire…) Ryunosuke remembered what he had heard yesterday from Pile, who was also a victim of the fire, and she had said in passing about the ‘ Tragedy Script’.
(… Pile once said that there was a very powerful person behind the fire. Since Goho was an adopted daughter, and knew about the relationship between the Kujo family’s previous generations… there was some kind of connection between their previous generations, and, the only person who didn’t like Nami and Tieguan’s child… there was only him, the one who had ‘scripted the tragedy’.) He decided that tomorrow he would ask the last person about this. Although he already had an idea in his mind, he couldn’t feel comfortable without asking.
(Mr. Kujo… Did you know about this? Is that why you sent me here? Why did you pick me to know these secrets?)
Just as Ryunosuke was lost in thought, he heard a knock on the door.
“┅What’s wrong, Ryunosuke, you don’t seem to have much energy!”
Once the door opened, Okazaki asked Ryunosuke.
“No, nothing… By the way, I’ll be going back to the Kujo house tomorrow.”
“Have you already come up with an idea for the story? Two weeks is a little short.”
Ryunosuke didn’t answer, but he suddenly spoke up.
“Yesterday, I slept with Goho.”
“What…!”
Only to see Okazaki’s face go green and white for a moment, Ryunosuke continued.
“I don’t know if I can really love Goho right now. But tomorrow I want to make everything that happened in the past at Hanabishi Kazuki clear. I have to do this for Goho’s sake… Please go back and tell your teacher this.”
Okazaki listened, then returned to his usual calm demeanor and went back.
“Please don’t forget that Ms. Sakiko entrusted you with everything…”
Ryunosuke looked at Okazaki in front of him, and he sensed that in addition to his loyalty to the Kujo family, there was also a similar adoration for Saikiko that existed to his own.
※
Late night at the Kujo house.
Okazaki hadn’t come back yet, and Saikiko was alone in her study, looking at a photo album.
One by one she looked at the pictures of Goho as a child.
“Goho… my Goho…”
Saikiko fought back tears and controlled her excitement as she flipped the photo book back to the first page. There was a picture pinned there that was even older than Goho’s.
A picture of two young men and two women, four of them together…
final part of the puzzle
Last day of interviews.
The early morning sunlight shining on the lake made Yosuke feel a little harsh.
He held his arms high and breathed hard and deep, feeling the cells in his body fill with oxygen.
Nosuke went to the lake after getting up in the morning.
Saw the boat tied to a stake, rocking and bobbing on the lake.
He thought back to the fifth day of the interview, when he had been here on the boat with Song Spike.
He dipped his hand in the lake water, which was just as cold as the water Goho had splashed on him then. He scooped up the water and slapped his face, the cool breeze from the lake felt so refreshing, and all at once his whole being awakened.
“… Next, it’s time to go there.”
Nosuke stood up and left the lake. His destination was the foot chief’s room.
(All questions should be answered just by asking him.) This was the conclusion that Nosuke made, and it was the last thing he did at Hanabi Fengyue.
As soon as Nozuke stepped into the hall, Goho was already there waiting for him.
“Good morning, Goho.”
“Y… Yosuke! It’s late, I’ve been looking for you for a long time!”
Seeing that Goho was back to being as loquacious as before, Nosuke’s heart was slightly more relieved.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… By the way, did you say hello to Ms. Naomi?”
“Uh-huh, not yet…”
Goho was now stuck on the fact that Nami-sensei could be her mother, so her answer was a bit vague.
“Don’t think about that for now, at least these days, Nami-sensei has taught you a lot of things as well as taken care of you, for that alone you should go and say goodbye to her as well, got it?”
“I… I see, why are you treating me like a child again.”
Goho beamed and walked towards Nami’s room.
Nosuke, on the other hand, was heading towards the ft. headmaster’s room. When he could see the Ruler’s room from afar, he didn’t know who had rushed out of it.
“Huh? That’s, hardly…”
Looking at that person’s back it looked like it was Pile. Although her face was bandaged and she couldn’t be sure of the person’s appearance, but judging from her body shape, it should be Pile.
(But isn’t she in the hospital now… why is she here?…) Nosuke felt something strange was going on, so he walked faster towards the headmaster’s room, and as soon as he entered the door, he saw blood all over the floor. So…
“┅ ft. Headmaster!”
“Oooo… you, it’s you.”
A large amount of blood flowed out of the chief’s chest, splattering everywhere even on the walls.
“Pull yourself together, I’ll call the doctor now…”
The head of the group grabbed the hand of Nosuke who was about to turn around and go to the doctor.
“It’s no use… Hahahaha ah… I have something to tell you… It’ll be easier for me to let it out.”
“I see… Chief Fujishige.”
“Before that I have something to ask you… you, who are you… why did you come to Flower Bird Wind and Moon?”
“It’s true that I’m not a reporter from Lightstar Publishing, I’m a protégé of Kujo-sensei, and this time I’m here on Kujo-sensei’s orders.”
“Saeki-chan’s… so, you’re Saeki-chan’s… oooh-goo!”
Blood spurted from the regimental commander’s mouth, but there was a look of contentment in his eyes from Ansho.
“I fell in love with Naomi as soon as I met her… For someone like me, who demands perfection in everything, Naomi’s smile is as warm and welcoming as a spring breeze… So when Tetsukan married Sakiko for the sake of Hanabusa, I thought I’d be happy ever after… But…”
“┅Nami, however, is pregnant with Tieguan’s child. You know about this, don’t you?”
“Ah, I was just about to go crazy with jealousy after I found out about that incident. After that Tieguan died because of a train accident, and that’s when my whole being fell into despair. Why do you know? Because for Naomi, Tieguan was a permanent shadow in her heart! And when she saw the child they shared…”
When he thought of how the headmaster felt when he decided not to have children after they got married and Nami decided not to have children, Nosuke could feel the headmaster’s sadness at that time.
“At that time it was as if I was possessed by a demon… I was willing to go to any lengths to get Nami’s heart, no matter what the means, so I told the Kujo family of my attempts.”
“! Is that what started the Imperial Capital fire incident?”
“For the Kujo family, there is also someone who can succeed their family, and for me, there is also the possibility of making Tieguan’s image disappear in front of Nami, and all we are exchanging is that the Kujo family has to invest a large amount of money in Hanabi Kazehaya.”
“So the financial assistance, it stopped when the previous generation of the Kujo family died?”
“It was stopped by the later heir, Sawaki-chan. I can’t ask Sakako to continue to supply us with funds in case if Naomi finds out about this…”
“In order to fill the lack of funds, so you started asking the female members of the troupe to entertain the guests, didn’t you?”
“You already know, huh? It’s so true that Hayako trusts you.”
An ironic smile was seen in the chief’s bitter expression.
“What a stroke of serpentine I was, I realized after that! At that time, the Kujo family and Pile’s family, Kinoshita Shipbuilding, had a business dispute, and I was actually used in that fire, and as a result, I became Pile’s greatest enemy.
”
“So… the person who assassinated you just now was…”
“I had asked her to look into Goho’s origins, but I didn’t realize that she knew everything… Even the arsonist of the fire, who was me, she found out…”
What Nosuke had just seen was indeed a stake, and at this time, Nosuke’s heart felt even more uneasy.
“Pile she now hates Naomi and Gaho because the fire was started because of both of them…”
“So… now, the stakes are not…”
“I’m begging you, please protect Naomi and Gaho, Yosuke… please, protect Naomi… and her beloved Hanabishi Kazuki…”
These were the chief’s last words.
Nosuke saluted the man who had loved Nanami even before he died, and then rushed out of the room.
“What’s wrong, Yosuke? Why do you look so pale…”
“Ah, Kazamika, go call a doctor and…”
He meets Kazamika down the hall, and just as Nosuke is about to tell her what happened, he suddenly hears a woman screaming from the tailor’s room.
(Goho… Nami-sensei… wait for me!)
As soon as he kicked open the door to the tailor’s room, he saw that Stake had a knife in his hand, and Nami had tailor’s scissors in her hand.
Both of their hands were covered in blood, and a large amount of blood flowed from their abdomens.
Goho, on the other hand, stood in shock.
In a flash, Nozuke stepped in front of Goho to protect her, and Pile glared at Nozuke at that moment. The bandages on her face had come loose and hung down when she had gotten tangled up with Naomi earlier, and her ugly face could be seen.
“Pile… that’s the wound you got when you fell from the cliff…”
“Don’t look, aaaaahhhh!”
Pile’s yell rang through the house.
“My beautiful face… Since then I can’t be the first actress anymore… If it wasn’t for that fire… My life wouldn’t have been… All because of you, all because of you, Goho! If only you hadn’t been born, if you hadn’t appeared in this world…”
“Pile, don’t let the tragedy happen again… you still have a chance to start over…”
What Nosuke said, Pile couldn’t hear at all.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it!”
Pile took the knife in his hand and slashed hard into his neck.
Blood spilled on the wall on the spot.
When Nosuke held Pile’s body as it slowly slid to the ground, she had already broken.
The way she looked reminded Yosuke of a blooming flower withering away.
“… Naomi-sensei, Naomi-sensei, pull yourself together!”
I don’t know if it was the sight of Pile’s death that brought Goho back to her senses, but she crouched down and clung to Naomi.
After making Pile sleep quietly on the ground, Nosuke ran towards Nami. Seeing her bleeding heavily, Nami’s lamp of life looked like it was about to go out.
Before she was about to break, Naomi finally spoke.
“Goho… are you okay?”
“Naomi-sensei, I’m fine, it’s because you protected me that I…”
From the conversation between the two, it was revealed that the person whom Pile had tried to assassinate just now was actually Goho.
“Goho… I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Teacher, please, stop talking.”
“It doesn’t matter. Listen carefully… You have to continue practicing singing and dancing… You have a rare talent… And then, hopefully, one day… you’ll be able to appear on the stage of the Bird and Flower Festival…”
“Ms. Naomi… I…”
“… Naoya, he did some things wrong… but he was genuinely thinking about the flowers and birds… you have to understand, don’t blame him…”
Nosuke was confused.
Before Nami died, why didn’t she tell Koho that she was her real daughter?
Finally Nosuke spoke up.
“Goho you promise to help Sensei realize her dream!”
“… Nami-sensei, I will go back to Hanabishi… When I go on stage, Nami-sensei, you must be there with me… So you can’t die now, you can’t die!”
I don’t know if she heard Goho’s promise, but Naomi closed her eyes peacefully.
“Oooo… why… why… why… Yosuke, answer me!”
Yosuke couldn’t say anything. Beside the sobbing Goho, Yosuke kept pounding his fists on the wall, over and over, over and over….
(I… I can’t do anything to help… I… what am I here for…) Next to the blood splattered on the wall, the blood seeping out of Nosuke’s fist newly leaked onto the wall… as if telling regrets…
※
After that, it was police work. Nosuke recounted the events of the day carefully, and as for the rest he didn’t mention a single thing.
(…everything will wait until we meet Mr. Kujo!) By the time he finally left the police station, it was already time to pick up the night.
Nozuke and Okazaki, who had come to greet them, went back to Kuna’s house with Goho.
Late night at the Kujo house.
In the study, Nozuke, Koho and Saikiko faced off.
“So much has happened… It’s been hard on you, Yosuke.”
Sakiko stood at the side edge of the den with her back to them.
“Is… is that all?”
Nosuke spoke up.
“If you’re referring to the trial thing, that was just my excuse, Nosuke, it’s your freedom to stay or leave the Kujo house in the future.”
“That’s not what I’m asking!”
Goho followed Nosuke’s question and she opened her mouth.
“Mom… Am I really Naomi-sensei’s daughter?”
Hayako sighed and turned her head.
“That’s right, I did have another reason for wanting you two to go to Hanabishi. Gaho and Nosuke, you can both leave the baggage of the past behind and move forward… young people are really different.”
Sakiko walked inside and sat down in front of the desk.
“I’ll tell you all the facts. First of all, Goho… you are indeed Nami’s daughter. A daughter born of her and Tieguan.”
After saying that, Hayako took a picture and showed it to both of them.
That photo was the one that Noriko Hayashi had clipped to the first page of her photo album last night.
That’s a picture of Saikiko, Tetsukan, Nami, and Naoya taken when they were young.
“At that time, we were all young. Together, we pursued the dream of flowers and birds, but, for some reason, those days ended.”
“Is it because of the lack of funds to set up Flower Bird and Moon…?”
“No, it’s not, the real reason is within me.”
Seeing Nosuke’s confused look, Saikiko told him the answer directly.
“┅I unintentionally discovered the fact that both Tieguan and Naomi were in love with each other. However, I am also deeply in love with Tieguan, and no matter what means I take, I will take Tieguan for myself.”
“Teacher, it’s hard to…”
“Yes, in order to be able to fund the Hanabi Kazamatsuri, I asked my father to make the Tieguans liable to the Kujo family. Capriciously asking my parents to do something that bothers them, as if it’s a tradition of the Kujo family.”
“How could… how could mom…”
“Tieguan chose to marry me for the sake of his dream, and even then I was happy, but perhaps it was retribution… Not long afterward he died in an accident… My father, who couldn’t bear to see me sad and despondent over Tieguan, told me one day that a distant relative’s child was going to be adopted by me, and so he brought Goho back to me to be adopted.”
Inside the quiet study, Hayako continued her day of confession.
“… I only realized all of this after my father’s death. My father’s diary contained information about the Great Fire of the Imperial City… and the truth of all that had happened. While agonizing over the truth of what happened, I watched Goho slowly grow into a woman, and I didn’t want to return Tieguan’s daughter to Naomi… so I cut off all assistance to Hanabishi Kazuki… and that’s because, deep down, I still hated Naomi.”
Nosuke saw the opportunity to preemptively ask.
“Sensei… shaku chief and Nami-sensei and they were all still thinking about Hanabishi before they died, and it was a dream shared by the four of you, Mr. Tetsukan and Sensei, and Hanabishi was a product of your common endeavor.”
“¿… like this?”
Saikiko blandly replied back, and Nosuke was furious at her for being so cold.
“Teacher, why do you want us to go to Hanabishi?”
“Lately I’ve been hearing rumors about Birds of a Feather, and when I learned that this was happening because I stopped aid funding, I knew I was wrong. But I had no right to stop them.”
Saikiko looked at Goho and Yosuke.
“That’s why I’ve left it to you two young men to discover that fact.”
Goho said with tears in his eyes.
“But because of this, the headmaster and Ms. Naomi and Pile, because of this…”
“Yes, I’ve caused trouble for most people, so I can only…”
Halfway through her sentence, Saikiko suddenly had a trickle of blood coming out of her mouth.
Nosuke looked at the tea Saikiko had just drunk.
“Teacher, could it be that what you just drank was poison…”
“Don’t… why, why did mom do such a stupid thing…”
Looking at Goho, who was hugging her tightly, Saikiko spoke slowly.
“… At first, I wanted to tell the police what happened… but now that it’s come to this, I have no choice but to do so, Goho…”
Nozuke exclaimed.
“Teacher, you are despicable!”
“Nosuke, I’m counting on you for the future…”
“I don’t want to hear such things! If you think you’ve done wrong, you can make amends for the dead… you can revitalize the flowers and birds…”
“Perhaps… but, Yosuke, as a writer and artist… just be honest about your work… that’s my last gift to you.”
“I don’t understand… I don’t understand…. Teacher, why did you save me in the first place? And for what reason did you want me to get involved in this matter this time?”
“… I guess you’re a different person from me and Tieguan… you don’t weigh dreams and love on a scale… maybe that’s one of our interests as writers.”
After saying that, Saikiko used the last of her strength to gently stroke Goho’s head.
“I’m sorry, Goho… I can’t be a good and competent mother…”
“Nothing like that! I’ll always be mom’s daughter… I’m Kujo Gaho…”
“Thank you, Goho… my beloved Goho…”
Looking at the two snuggled together, Nozuke sensed that even without blood ties, there was still some kind of kinship connection between them.
At this time, Yosuke also realized that Saikiko did not have him in her heart at all. In Goho’s hands, Saikiko quietly closed her eyes…
concluding remarks
After Saikiko’s funeral, Okazaki, in order to put an end to his love for Saikiko, turns himself in to the police and takes all the blame for the fire in the Imperial City eighteen years ago. Afterwards, Gaho, who is left alone, inherits the property of the Kujo family and reorganizes the Hanabizuki. The separated members of the troupe have also returned, with Kazamika at the center, and now Yosuke is supporting Gaho with the rumors he interviewed to make the troupe a subject.
The first public performance of the freshmen’s Flora and Fauna is finally about to take the stage.
The theme is ‘Empty Cicada’, a posthumous work by Saikiko. It is a work completed by Saikiko when Nozuke and Gaho traveled to Hanabi Kazamatsuri, and it was also her first opera book.
Then, the music, costumes, and part of the dance movements are each using the legacy of Kujo Tetsumi, Shaku Naoya, and Shaku Nami.
The day of the public performance finally arrived. However, there was no sign of Nosuke at the scene.
At this time, the Nozomu were in the middle of a mountain somewhere, slowly making their way to the top.
Nosuke is on his way to travel. The purpose of the trip is for the subject left to him by the dead Saikiko, and the ’empty cicada’ that he has to complete himself.
He couldn’t go back and face Goho, he thought, until the work was finished.
(‘Someone who doesn’t weigh dreams and love on a scale’…?) Nosuke thought to himself that Saikiko had overestimated him. It’s just that he didn’t have either of those things yet. Nosuke took a breath of the fresh mountain air and looked around.
(┅・・Also in the mountains, this place has a completely different feeling from the Hanabishi. Think about it. It’s as if you’re living a dreamy life there, as if you’re detached from reality.)
When I think of the three young girls I met there, Kustoma, Jubilee, and Kazamika.
‘Be confident!’
‘Don’t get caught up in the past!’
‘Don’t lose yourself!’
This was Nosuke’s advice to them… but now he himself needed these words very much. Suddenly Nosuke remembered some sentences.
“Dreams revisited, blooming love… Time passes, flowers bloom…”
This is the last line of Hayako’s ‘Empty Cicada’.
[Book Ends]