Chapter 20 (1/2)

Tsubaki and her schoolmates currently have come for one of the primary school’s seasonal events, autumn-leaf viewing.

Although it was called an autumn-leaf viewing, Tsubaki with her schoolmates who was still in the lower grades is not actually going climbing a mountain to have one.

The school has arranged that the lower grades and middle grades’ students’ autumn-leaf viewing to be held at a reserved ground within a city park, while only the upper grades’ students who could enjoy an autumn-leaf viewing at a mountain after climbing one.

“The leaves color really turned beautifully.” (Tsubaki)

“Looking at this scenery with tea in hand, how luxurious.” (Anna)

Seated on a bench that far from the rest, Tsubaki and Anna were admiring the red colored Maple’s leaves with a cup of tea in hand.

This would be perfect if only there’s a maple-shaped steamed bun here, thought Tsubaki as she and Anna exchanging look without a word.

While the two were enjoying their time in leisure like that, there was a shrill voice of the female students who could be heard coming from behind them.

“Mizushima-sama. What do you think about this view? You find it beautiful as well, do you not?”

“Yes” (Kyousuke)

“Mizushima-sama, I have prepared tea for you over there, please help yourself.”

“I don’t need it” (Kyousuke)

“Do you mind having some tea cakes? I heard they were made in maple’s shapes.”

“Is that so.” (Kyousuke)

And there it goes our peaceful time, thought Tsubaki with a sullen face.

“As always, there’s harem wherever he goes.” (Anna)

“He could at least try to compliment them a little” (Tsubaki)

“Yeah, that is impossible for him, you know?” (Anna)

Looking at the view of Kyousuke who was surrounded by the female students, Tsubaki and Anna let their thoughts known to each other.

Because she did not want to garner unnecessary hatred of the female students by sticking close with Kyousuke all day long, Tsubaki has moderately taken a distance from him. But, every time she was not around him, the female students would immediately swarm him.

It is exactly like a saying “When the cat’s away the mice will play.”

And by the time Kyousuke began to move, the female students also began their grand marching.

Seeing that the girls would tagging along with him wherever he goes, Kyousuke’s mood had kept worsening by minutes. And Tsubaki had perceived this as well.

And then Kyousuke, who was already at the limit of his patience, walk towards Tsubaki and Anna at a rather fast pace.

Come on, you could at least hold on for a little while. Thought Tsubaki as she found Kyousuke to be a little pathetic. However, she also believed this might be the best he can do for now. While saying “Heave-ho”, Tsubaki immediately stands up from the bench, goes passes through Kyousuke and confronts the female students who were after him.

“Everyone, could you please restrain yourselves? I believe Kyousuke-san wants to enjoy the autumn-leaf viewing in his leisure.” (Tsubaki)

“Ara, Asahina-san. How about you who should restrain yourself? You just wanted to have Mizushima-sama all for yourself, are you not?” (Chizuru)

Perhaps for Chizuru, who was a well-bred girl, it was immodest to hitting on a man. That was why she was only watching Kyousuke from a distance all this time.

Even until now, she was only watching the female students chasing after Kyousuke with an indifferent eye, but it’s all change when Tsubaki took a step forward.

“Then Toudou-san, please imagine this. You wanted to spend your time in leisure by watching this scenery. However, there are a lot of people who keep pestering you with question after question. Now, can you keep your patience at that moment?” (Tsubaki)

“That is…” (Chizuru)

“By no means, I am telling you to stop talking to him. It’s just, could you please not overstep the line? You must have known what I mean, no?” (Tsubaki)

Found what Tsubaki said was a sound argument, Chizuru was frustrated and it had shown on her face. However, she regains her composure and returns to her usual self just in a second.

“If that is so, you could have explained that to others before all of this happen, could you not?” (Chizuru)

Said Chizuru as she immediately turned back and go to the place where her followers had been waiting.

Looking at her retreating figures, Tsubaki was filled with guilt as she had consciously using Chizuru’s strong sense of justice for her own ends.

Tsubaki wished for Kyousuke to be able to handle this all by himself, but because he had always been watching his mother’s sickly figure lying on top of bed since his childhood, it has instilled an image of woman as a weak creature in him. That was why he could not be firm toward women and could not tell the female students to buzz off.

Although Kyousuke took a cold attitude toward them and always gave a curt reply, for these girls who were in love with him, every time he happened to answer their question, their reaction was “KYAAA–!! No way, did you hear that? Mizushima-sama is talking to me!”, and this had made him wonder why they did not get his message and keep after him. Kyousuke still doesn’t know that the mental strength of women in love was as strong as steel.

Seeing Tsubaki was on her way back to the bench after finished her conversation with Chizuru, Kyousuke, who was seated on the bench, then look up to her with a somewhat uncomfortable expression.

“You saved me there.” (Kyousuke)

“Please do manage it by yourself if they were only that many.” (Tsubaki)

“Girls are scary when they come in a group, you know.” (Kyousuke)

“How pathetic.” (Tsubaki)

Why you suddenly turned into a sheep that was thrown out at a pack of wolves? Doesn’t it was supposed to be the other way around? Thought Tsubaki in wonder.

In contrast with Tsubaki who was disappointed in Kyousuke, Anna was rather supportive and indirectly back him up.

“It can’t be helped. After all, the impression of women you leave in Mizushima-sama was strong.” (Anna)

“Tsubaki is not so thirsty like them… No, in Tsubaki’s case she is gluttonous?” (Kyousuke)

“Women in general, are carnivores, please keep that in mind.” (Tsubaki)

“Why there are no normal girls around me?” (Kyousuke)

Kyousuke was about dropping his shoulders, but since he was the poster boy of the Mizushima, he could not show any unsightly behavior in public.

But, he’s still not capable of doing it so perfectly like an adult so his sadness was shown a little on his face.

Wanted to change his mood, Kyousuke then asked Tsubaki about Sumire.

“By the way, how is Sumire recently? Could she walk already?” (Kyousuke)

“Ee. She can walk already, although she still has to hold onto things around her. And recently my mother is leading her by let Sumire hold onto her hands to have walking practice.” (Tsubaki)

“I see. Are you going to bring her along at the Mizushima party this year?” (Kyousuke)

“I believe as long as she is not in kindergarten yet it’s still impossible. My mother and Sumire would be absent, and only me and my father would be attending this year as well.” (Tsubaki)

In December every year, the Mizushima house would sponsor a party and it had become one of the Mizushima house customs.

Because there was a possibility for Yuriko and Tsubaki to had a confrontation with Naoko and Mio in a party, they had arranged so Yuriko and Tsubaki to only attend a party that was sponsored either by the Mizushima house or the Asahina house.

The attendees of the party sponsored by the Mizushima house are mostly the executives of the Mizushima company together with their family and the president of their partnered companies. While the attendees of the party sponsored by the Asahina house are limited to relatives only. Thus the people Yuriko and Tsubaki met there were trusted peoples by both houses respectively.

And for a party that was sponsored by the Asahina company’s business partner, usually would be attended by her father alone.

While enjoying the tea and teacakes, Tsubaki was interested in Kyousuke about his friendship with Leon that happened on the summer vacation where they had exchanged their email addresses, so she began to change the subject.

“By the way, Kyousuke-san. What happens with Leon after that?” (Tsubaki)