Although She's a Beautiful Student Council President Who Maintains Her Coolness Towards Everyone, She Wants to Act Spoiled and Lovesick Around Him, Who is Misunderstood by Everyone as a Delinquent - Chapter 49: Hope

“I knew I’d be disillusioned and punished… But even so, I still want to continue dating Riku-kun.”

After Shizuku’s father left, the living room was enveloped in silence.

Being alone in this space allowed her true feelings to spill out…

(All I can do now is hope for a light punishment… I don’t want to be separated from Riku-kun…)

The probability of a light punishment given his anger was close to zero. Despite knowing that, Shizuku had no choice but to hope.

Shizuku had talked back to her father for the first time. She expressed her feelings… Having done everything she could, she can only leave it to time now.

“Sh-Shizuku-neesan…”

“…Rin.”

At that moment, Rinka appeared in the living room without making a sound. The fact that she showed up after their father had left meant she must have witnessed the scene earlier.

“Please use this… Your cheek is swollen…”

“I can’t believe you saw the one thing I didn’t want you to see…”

Rinka looked a little out of breath. In her hand, she held a thin cloth and a soft ice pack. She quickly prepared it for Shizuku. Such thoughtfulness gently wrapped around the wound from earlier.

“Thank you, Rin… But this is a natural consequence. It’s a fact that I broke the tradition…”

“…”

“I prepared myself to face something like this from Father when I started dating Riku-kun… So, I’m fine.”

“Please don’t say that while crying…”

“…Huh!?”

At Rinka’s words, Shizuku touched her eyes. It was only then that she realized… Tears have been unconsciously streaming down her face.

“Wh-why… Th-they won’t stop… Hicc*”

“Shizuku-neesan. If you’re in pain, please say so. I’m on your side…”

“Thank… you…”

Rinka sat down on a chair and hugged Shizuku, who was crying, trying to comfort her.

The pain of not being allowed to date someone by even her own blood-related father must be unimaginable. Even if it’s due to tradition.

“First, you need to rest… That’s what you need…”

“…”

“Next, it’s my turn to do my best, right?”

“Just don’t… push yourself.”

“Yes, I’ll just accept your feelings for now.”

With Shizuku’s tear-streaked face in her arms, Rinka smiled and responded.

*****

The time was 11 PM. There was hardly any traffic, the city lights were out, and everything was quiet.

Knock, knock.

A small knocking sound echoed several times in one room.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Rinka. I have something to talk to you about, Mother.”

“Come in.”

“…Excuse me.”

Having received permission from her mother, Rinka puts her hand on the doorknob and slowly enters the room. This room is her mother’s private quarters, a perfect space for discussing important matters.

“Fufu, I knew you’d choose this time, Rinka-chan.”

“Thank you. It’s the only time I can talk to you alone, Mother…”

“Your father is in his office, working on his documents at this time.”

“Yes.”

Rinka’s and Shizuku’s mother, Reika Kujo, had a sharper mind than both of them. From the tone of her voice, it seems she expected Rinka to come at this late hour.

And she probably knows what happened to Shizuku in the living room as well.

“Rinka-chan, before you bring up the main topic, there’s something I have to tell you. This is also connected to your main point.”

“W-What is it?”

There was a pause of several seconds before the reply came.

“I can’t help Shizuku-chan, and I can’t persuade your father.”

“What!?”

The words that suddenly came from Reika, Shizuku’s mother, instantly extinguished the expectations and hopes that Rinka had been holding onto.

“Shizuku-chan broke the family’s rules. No matter what the circumstances, it’s something that should never be done. You understand that it’s something that can’t be complained about even if she’s disowned, don’t you, Rinka-chan?”

“But…!”

“But?”

“…”

Rinka couldn’t find any more words to argue. That’s right. her words were valid – and Rinka knew it. In other words, she was acting based solely on her feelings.

“You see, Rinka-chan, our family is different from ordinary families. As a member of a distinguished family, this is how I should be as a mother.”

“What about your feelings, Mother!? Is this really okay!?”

“If my feelings are different from what I said… what will happen?”

“!”

Her voice was laced with thorns, and her gaze seemed to glare at Rinka as if a switch had been flipped. That alone was enough to make her lose all her momentum.

[As a member of a distinguished family, this is how I should be as a mother.]

Reika, her mother, had already said this. It implied that there was nothing that could be done with just “feelings.”

“I’m going to say something cruel now. You, as Shizuku-chan’s sister, listen carefully.”

Unconsciously, Rinka held her breath as Reika, emitting an aura that allowed no objections, began to speak.

“Shizuku-chan will face one of three outcomes: a forced arranged marriage and engagement, being sent overseas for many years or even decades to break up with her current boyfriend, or being disowned by the family.”

In the end, if nothing is done, things will turn out just as Reika said. There is no doubt that it will become one of these three.

“And the pressure from our family will be put on the boyfriend she is dating. It’s partly his fault for breaking the rules… It’s only natural for your father to see it that way and try to make him take responsibility for deceiving Shizuku-chan… That also serves the role of preserving the dignity of our distinguished family.”

“What!? D-Do you even know what would happen to Shizuku-neesan if you do that!?”

If this happens, Shizuku, who had dated Riku, will be burdened with feelings far beyond guilt.

Trying to make Riku take responsibility would involve his entire family, and it would become a factor in destroying their household.

It’s not hard to imagine that Shizuku, who has a strong sense of responsibility, would be broken.

“It’s you who needs to understand. There’s no helping hand for someone who has broken the rules… unless someone changes.”

Unlike Rinka, who was carried away by her emotions, Reika remained expressionless and only presented the facts.

“I’ve had enough… I was foolish to rely on you, Mother.”

“Wait.”

“…Excuse me.”

Ignoring her mother’s words, Rinka left the room.

*****

(She didn’t understand anything… Even though she raised us this far…)

Rinka, filled with anger towards her mother Reika, returned to her room. On her desk, there was a folded letter.

“What… is this?”

Silently, Rinka opened the letter and slowly read the written words.

When she finished reading everything, Rinka unconsciously opened her eyes wide.

The letter contained the following:

[This is the direct phone number to your father’s father. If you have the determination, use it.]

There was no doubt that the handwriting was Reika’s. And Rinka understood everything.

[It’s you who needs to understand. There’s no helping hand for someone who has broken the rules… unless someone changes.]

It seemed like an added statement. It meant that Reika herself was the one who needed to change.

Reika was trying to act not as a mother of a distinguished family but as a normal mother.

Anticipating Rinka’s every move, Reika had the servants place this letter.

It was clear that this was Reika’s response because she couldn’t say she would “help” Shizuku and Rinka due to her circumstances.

“I really can’t compete with you… Thank you, Mother.”

After inputting the phone number written in the letter into her smartphone, Rinka deeply bowed her head.

And then, when Rinka was parting,

[I’ve been trying to persuade father for years… about Riku-kun.]

Such words were left hanging in the air.