(Chastity Reversed) The Legitimate Wife War: How I, a Harem-Hater, Ended Up Creating an Ultra-Eccentric Harem with a Villainess, a Sadistic Beauty Teacher, a Scheming Classmate... etc. - Chapter 142.2 - Light Through the Clouds

She probably thought it was the same as that time.

Because Akaumi Haruko relied on adults and failed.

But you know.

“It’s different, Tachibana-san. It’s different from Akaumi-san’s time. We’re not relying on some unknown adult teacher. The ones who will help, who are worried about you, are respectable adults we know well. That’s a big difference. Sayaka-san and Rio-san, Ayaka-san, the three fiancées, plus Kazari-san and Kurokawa-san who support us, and my sister too—they’re all good people. And we’re here too. Don’t you think they’re different from dirty adults?”

“Takeda-kun is right. With the daughter of the great Hosho Group, and respectable teachers, there’s no way we’d lose to just one adult, right?”

Aoyama-san laughs boldly, though I don’t know what we’d lose to.

“B-but—”

“Besides, they’re not strangers. The people Takeda-kun just mentioned are family connected through the fiancée system… right?”

If the Tachibana family is a family connected by blood,

then we’re a family bound by law through the fiancée system.

Legally, it’s the same.

“…Still anxious? About expressing your feelings?”

Tachibana-san doesn’t move a muscle.

But not talking means she’s scared.

Anyone would be scared to do something they’ve never done before.

After all, Tachibana-san has even failed at it once.

Akaumi-san failed here.

Maybe that’s why Aoyama-san remains silent.

“Well then, it’s true I can’t do anything for you… but well, if everything goes wrong for you… then I’ll run away with you, even to the ends of the earth.”

“…Eh?”

“Throwing away all ties like family and school, starting fresh. From there we can start over again. Unlike when we were elementary school students, we high school students could do that much, right?”

Aoyama-san casually says something incredible.

But that’s probably what’s good about Aoyama-san. That bright, cheerful side like the sun.

“I probably can’t solve your problems alone—Takeda-kun and other adults will do that. I’m not smart either. But I can stay with you and ease your heart’s anxiety, walk with you through darkness. If it’s a narrow place, I’ll get in too and make it even narrower. If everything fails, I can at least run away together with you.”

“W-why for someone like me… I’m just someone you met in high school.”

“When we met doesn’t matter, right? Because I love you and think of you as my best friend, when my best friend is crying while smiling, I want to do something about it, right?”

Aoyama-san laughs bashfully.

Meanwhile, Tachibana-san still looks down.

“What’s that… really, really… you’re such an idiot, Setsuna.”

“Someone like me has no value, no merit in being together.”

She mutters quietly that it makes no sense.

She’s probably confused because no one has ever cared about her this much before.

“Value or merit has nothing to do with friendship.”

“Really an idiot. What’s that about running away together, staying together—none of that solves anything. It’s all makeshift excuses with no meaning, really an idiot.”

As Mizuri-san’s words won’t stop, Aoyama-san seems to be getting hurt…

“Hey, you don’t have to go that far all of a sudden.”

“…But sometimes living impulsively like Setsuna might not be bad… I wonder? What do you think, Kyo-kun?”

“Being impulsive like Aoyama-san all the time would be something, but…”

I hear Aoyama-san’s “Hey!” but I ignore it.

“But I think everyone, including me of course, would be happier if Tachibana-san showed emotions rather than being reserved and reading the atmosphere. When you’re having a hard time, we want to help, and when there’s something fun, we want to share it with everyone. That’s what we think… so yeah. I think Tachibana-san could stop enduring so much. I like Tachibana-san’s smiling face.”

“What’s that, like a playboy… but to stop enduring… huh.”

That’s harsh calling me a playboy. Surprisingly, Tachibana-san has a foul mouth.

“I want to see more of those genuine emotions.”

Tachibana-san sits on the edge of the breakwater looking up at the night sky, swinging her legs thoughtfully.

“I might have a pretty foul mouth, you know?”

“I know. I’ve experienced how sharp your words get when I pester you. Bring it on?”

Tachibana-san mutters “gross” quietly. But I can tell she’s not serious.

“I might become spoiled, you know? I might cry and wail, or lose it like today.”

“Everyone has things they carry. Let’s overcome them together, right? That’s what the fiancée system is for, and even without that, I personally think Tachibana-san is wonderful.”

“I see…”

After that, it was silent.

Tachibana-san seemed to be organizing her thoughts, and we stayed quiet so as not to disturb her.

“My feelings… huh. I haven’t thought about such things in years.”

While looking up at the night sky, she seemed to be looking back through her memories.

I don’t know how much time passed.

But the words she let slip:

“It… hurt.”

Her feelings leaked out.

After that there were no more words, but tears kept overflowing from her eyes.

Those were the emotions Tachibana-san had been holding in.

Once the dam burst, the tears wouldn’t stop.

But maybe because of her environment until now, she didn’t sob out loud, just quietly shed tears.

Both Aoyama-san and I slowly sat down next to Tachibana-san, flanking her.

So Tachibana-san wouldn’t feel lonely.

“I… wanted to laugh together like in the old days… that was all.”

It goes without saying with whom.

I tried looking up like her.

I could see stars shining through gaps in the clouds.

The trails of countless stars asserting their existence while sparkling, hidden by clouds.

Maybe that’s like Tachibana-san’s heart right now.

Even if everything doesn’t clear up now, if there’s just a small gap, wind and time will slowly blow away the melancholy.

Slowly is fine. There’s no need to rush.

How long did we sit like that? It didn’t feel very long.

Tachibana-san stood up.

“…I think I’ll try talking with mother once.”

“…”

“I’ve never properly conveyed my feelings before, I thought. My feelings—that it hurt, that I wanted to laugh together, that I wanted to be praised—I’ll try saying that.”

“I see.”

Tachibana-san twists her hands.

“If it doesn’t work out, then… I don’t know, but I don’t want pain anymore, so I might run away? I’ll decide then. Maybe sometimes having an empty head like Setsuna isn’t bad. If I properly convey my feelings, mother might return to being gentle like she used to be.”

“I don’t have an empty head… but yeah, I think that’s good.”

Aoyama-san embraces her shoulders with a smile, and I nod too.

“…Besides, if I fail, you two will run away with me, right?”

Tachibana-san shows a teasing smile.

“Of course, I’ll be first to run!”

“What’s that? If we’re running, it should be after me… What about Kyo-kun?”

“I’ll also work together with you somehow. I’ll do something no matter what means I have to use, even if it kills me.”

“When Kyo-kun says it, it seems like it would really happen, which is a bit scary. There are examples.”

Tachibana-san’s tone was gentle.

“But then, it might be worth mustering a little courage just one more time… maybe?”

Tachibana-san smiled.

She spoke while hiding her trembling lips and hands.

As proof of her determination.

I think it’s surely a big decision. So to support that, I looked at her.

“So let’s go home today? And tomorrow, could you two come with me just for the journey to mother’s place? I want you to come with—”

Midway through her words, Tachibana-san rounds her eyes and covers her mouth with her hand.

What?

She’s frozen as if surprised by something.

I turn around too.

There’s the figure of one woman.

Why is she here?

Someone who shouldn’t be here is standing there.

I didn’t think we’d be found out.

Yet for some reason she’s here.

“Mother… san?”

A scream-like voice leaked from Tachibana-san’s voice.

Tachibana Karen—that person was slowly walking toward us on the breakwater.

“Mizuri?”

My mother-in-law’s voice, not loud.

Yet strangely it resonated.

Tachibana Karen herself was there.