Chapter 234: Kohaku / From Kohaku to Dear Husband (2/2)

When Kohaku asked, the center of the formation began speaking.

We live for Kohaku-tan！

We die for Kohaku-tan！！

We offer everything for Kohaku-tan！！！

「Aren’t some of them a bit off!?」

「They naturally became that way」

「Nah nah nah nah. Uhhh」

Taiyou thought about it.

「Yeah……are you sure this isn’t heading in a bad direction?」

「Objective and method. I merely followed it……」

Kohaku said, staring up at Taiyou.

That mannerism of hers, asking implicitly if it was so bad, neatly stirred up his desire to protect her.

「Uu……」

There was Kohaku with her eyes like that of an abandoned puppy, and there were the utterly malicious gazes that the Kohaku-tan Bodyguards threw at him.

Right now he felt like he was in a bed of nails; surrounded by enemies on all sides.

Simultaneously, it was also a challenge to his own policy.

Objective and method.

Taiyou was always talking about those whenever he had the chance.

If he were to think along the lines of「Stops at nothing to be of use to Taiyou」, there was no way he could blame Kohaku.

Taiyou calmed down, trying to think about va…ri…ou…s…things.

After a bit, he spoke to the Kohaku-tan Bodyguards.

「For the time being, can you guys disperse?」

「Wha-？」

「For the time being――I’d like you to step out. I want to talk to Kohaku-san alone」

He said, looking straight at the top guy.

After a brief moment of being stared at, the male nodded heavily.

「Alright」

「Thanks」

「All forces！　Move out――to the right！」

He said, and the twenty-six boys quickly moved out from behind the school building.

They certainly did have a discipline like that of troops.

「Hmmm」

「This be bad as well？」

While bitterly smiling, he softly hugged the despondent Kohaku to himself.

「Let us be more careful with how we do things」

「But, Danna-sama be always……」

「That might be true, but that’s exactly why……I’d like Kohaku-san to choose a different path; the exact opposite to what I choose」

「Exact opposite？」

「See, Kohaku-san…」

While saying that, he pulled Kohaku even closer.

Hugging the entirety of her young body, he rested her chin on his shoulders.

It was just natural. It was the embrace of comforting a child.

「I think of you as our leader. Of course, more so than me. I even think you’re in a world far removed from Youran. Uhh, I can’t think of the precise wording right now, but do you see what I’m getting at？」

Kohaku wordlessly jerked her chin up, conveying that.

「With the three sisters and I being inexperienced, showing the path to Aoba, stopping Youran when she was prone to rampage from extremity to extremity…I think these are things that no one but Kohaku-tan can accomplish. I really do think that you’re the one who supports us from the roots up」

「……」

「And that Taiyou Castle is no different. You said that you gave that to me, but don’t you realize that even the fact you gave it to me was because you had been maintaining things from the outset?」

「Be that……right」

「It is. See, that’s why I wouldn’t like for you to do the same things as me. Because if the whole family were to do the same thing, we’d easily all be devastated in a pinch」

「Ye be saying ta have diversity in tha genes」

「Skillful as usual, Kohaku-san. You summarized what I harped on and on about in one sentence」

「……Moron」

Kohaku bumped the side of her head into the side of his head.

It was the kind of light biting action that a puppy might do.

It was evident how soft her attitude had become, but Kohaku said nothing.

Taiyou suddenly realized something.

No, he more of felt it.

That was the same atmosphere as when they were in bed at night.

This was the same atmosphere as when she would behave like a spoiled child and plead with him.

Thinking briefly, Taiyou opened his mouth.

He spoke politely as usual, but he spoke with the kind of imperative tone that wouldn’t allow objection.

「Please do as I say」

「Indeed. I understand」

Kohaku, who had sought that, nodded immediately, separating herself from Taiyou.

「Just as Danna-sama says, I be disbanding the Kohaku-tan Bodyguards」

「Sorry about that. I know you went to all the trouble of making that」

「I not be caring」

Kohaku grinned.

Taiyou thought that this would do it for now.

That day after school, in the same area behind the schoolyard.

「The Danna-sama Bodyguards have now gathered」

「The name’s changed！　And there’s more people than before！」

「With that being said, I’ve disbanded the Kohaku-tan Bodyguards, so I now be leaving it to Danna-sama」

「No no no no, that is NOT what I meant!?」

To the unbelievable turn of events, Taiyou made a powerful outburst that could easily enter in the top 3 outbursts of his life.