Chapter 399: So Embarrassed I Want to Jump Off a Building
The final exam ended.
Sakurai Saki and four of the five Nakano sisters onto the road returning to Kyoto.
He returned to Kyoto during the summer vacation, first to be with his mother, second because he had agreed to Miku's invitation.
But there was one thing Sakurai Saki did not expect.
The seat he bought happened to be right next to someone.
"Nakano-san, what a coincidence."
After a very long silence, Sakurai Saki faced the man sitting directly opposite him.
"Mm."
Nakano Maruo replied coldly, showing no intention of talking much.
The young man, who in his heart had once been a very outstanding youth, had now turned into a shameless brat clinging to his daughter.
"Do you mind your daughter having male friends?"
"... I don't mind." Of course Nakano Maruo wouldn't care about such trivial things.
But you already have a girlfriend, yet you're still teasing my daughter—are you sure you just want to be friends, brat?
He had once ordered an investigation; even after finishing his tutoring job, this Student Council General Affairs of Shuchiin continued to stay in contact with the five sisters.
"Nakano-san, maybe you don't know, but actually Ichika and I have filmed kissing scenes before..." After saying that, Sakurai Saki smiled and added another line for this father: "And not just once. I guess that's fine, right?"
On Nakano Maruo's stiff face appeared a trace of displeasure.
A few seconds later, he heard another sentence:
"Right, it was after I already had a girlfriend."
Nakano Maruo had the urge to immediately call and stop Nakano Ichika from continuing her acting career.
But after thinking for a moment, he eventually held himself back.
"It's fine, that's just work." This line from Nakano Maruo sounded as if it was squeezed out from between his teeth.
Sakurai Saki had the illusion that if he said one more word, this man would swallow him alive.
Truly a terrifying father.
When the five sisters all get married, perhaps he will lock himself in his room to drink and cry all night...
"In the last exam, their grades weren't bad. Even without me, their results are steadily rising; maybe it's thanks to me occasionally tutoring them for free over the phone?" Sakurai Saki said with a tone full of emotion.
The hand Nakano Maruo used to hold the newspaper tightened around the edge; Sakurai Saki noticed he was using force.
"Ohya, Nakano-san, what's wrong?"
"Sakurai-kun, so you're this irritating—before this, I never noticed."
"Aiyaya, sorry, but thanks for the compliment~"
Sakurai Saki's punchable tone made Nakano Maruo even angrier.
This bastard!
Why can't my daughters open their eyes?!
Just earlier at the station, she was still smiling and chatting with him.
While the two were talking, Nino walked over with a bag of snacks.
They were right in front of the train car.
"Sakurai-san, what are you talking about with my dad?"
"Nothing, just talking about your grades in this final exam."
"..." Nakano Maruo silently nodded.
If he had to put it clearly, this brat seemed to be deliberately provoking him, always bringing up topics related to his daughters.
"Oh, seeing you two talk so happily, I thought it must be something interesting." Nakano Nino opened the snack bag and took one out. "These salted-egg-yolk flavored chips are super good."
Sakurai Saki glanced at Nakano Maruo sitting opposite him, then slowly opened his mouth and bit the chip that Nino held out.
Even Nino didn't react in time—she hadn't been intending to feed him.
Because her father was still right there.
"It really does taste good." Sakurai Saki nodded to himself.
"I— I'll head back, you eat the chips first." Nino's face turned red, she handed him the bag of chips and hurried back to her seat.
...
Sakurai Saki was eating potato chips, looking relaxed as he tilted his face toward the window. From afar, the peak of Mount Fuji could be seen.
The journey was still very long.
"Sakurai-kun, can I consider your earlier behavior a provocation?" The corners of Nakano Maruo's mouth lifted into a smile filled with danger.
He felt the dignity of a father had been trampled on.
"Nakano-san, friends sharing snacks with each other is completely normal, isn't it?"
"The thickness of your skin truly exceeds my imagination."
"Restricting your daughters' social interactions—fathers like that haven't been suitable for modern society in a long time. Nakano-san, this is the Reiwa era, the Heian period ended 840 years ago, why is your mindset still so outdated?"
"I am simply carrying out pest prevention."
Pest prevention? Heh~, I haven't even finished destroying things yet.
Sakurai Saki was about to say something when he saw Itsuki walking over.
Why are these girls coming one after another?
"Itsuki, what's wrong?"
"Nothing much, I just wanted to ask— I remember that Hikaru-kun, your younger brother, is currently living in Kyoto, right?"
"... Seems like it?" Sakurai Saki mumbled.
What Hikaru-kun? He doesn't exist in the first place.
But something like this—unless something goes terribly wrong—Sakurai Saki wouldn't dare reveal even if he died.
Too embarrassing!
"What do you mean 'seems like it?' You have to answer me clearly. I bought the type of donut he likes this time, so can you help me give it to him later?"
"Kids shouldn't eat too many sweets."
[Kaka~ I want to eat!! Master, hurry up and accept them!]
Shinobu~ shut up.
[... Being mean to me—hmph! I'm angry! I won't talk to you anymore! Unless you take all these donuts and offer them to me as tribute, hmph!]
"Give it here, I'll help you pass it to him."
"Alright." Nakano Itsuki also didn't insist on meeting directly.
...
Getting off the train.
Sakurai Saki pulled his suitcase. Before he could even leave the station, Miku grabbed his hand and pulled him into a quieter corner.
"Saki-kun, at 9 a.m. the day after tomorrow, can we meet at the place where we first met?"
Miku spoke directly, with no intention of going in circles.
"Umu."
"The thing you're hiding from Itsuki—when do you plan to tell her?" Miku suddenly asked.
"What?"
"The first time you met me, the clothes you were wearing were the ones you bought together with Itsuki and the others that day, right?" Miku began to deduce, "And also, six years ago, aside from me, no one saw you—whether tourists or the shop owners."
"When buying snacks, I paid every time. I once even suspected that you were just my hallucination..."
"Miku, are you saying that I'm actually an Esper who, aside from having my body shrunk, also possesses the power to travel through time?"
"Saki-kun." Miku smiled. "Do you know what 'covering your head while your tail sticks out' means?"
The fashion six years ago was completely different from now; a boy wearing that style simply could not have existed at that time.
"Fine, I really am not a normal person." Sakurai Saki didn't expect her to deduce it on her own.
The clothes back then being remembered by Miku was indeed a huge flaw.
He slowly explained that trip—excluding anything related to the sisters' mother.
...
Nearby, Itsuki, who had just realized someone was missing, vaguely caught sight of Miku.
Mou~, disappearing so suddenly—doesn't Miku know that doing that makes everyone worried?
As she approached, Itsuki happened to hear a short part of their conversation.
"The matter of you and your 'younger brother' Hikaru being the same person—it's better if you explain clearly to Itsuki sooner. She talked quite a lot about him on the train just now."
"Forget it, even if I tell her, she might not believe it, or she might refuse to accept it. After all, a lot happened that day."
Just hearing that much—
Itsuki's expression completely froze.
If Sakurai Saki and Hikaru-kun were the same person…?Then what on earth had she done?!
She bathed twice with him there, hugged him to sleep once!And secretly kissed him too...
Aaaaa!! I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead!!
Thinking about all the "benefits" she had given that day, Itsuki felt she no longer had the face to continue living on this earth.
She squatted down on the ground, in front of everyone, holding her head and curling up, as if blue smoke was rising from the top of her head.
...