Chapter 2| “Choices Forced for the Future”
“—Yawn… So sleepy…”
The morning after talking about dreams with Charlotte-san, I was hit with drowsiness.
I’d gone to bed around the time the sun started rising, and honestly, I hadn’t slept nearly enough.
“To think we’d keep going until morning…”
I couldn’t help but feel happy and oblige when she asked, and with my sense of time completely gone, it was morning before I knew it.
Just how much am I drowning in her, huh?
…That aside, Charlotte-san… could it be she has a strong libido…?
When she keeps asking for kisses that many times, I can’t help but start thinking that way.
It feels like she’d keep going forever unless something stops her.
No, it’s a happy thing, though…
“—Akihito-kun?”
“Wah!?”
“Kyaa!?”
Startled, I turned around to see Charlotte-san jumping in surprise.
I’d been caught off guard by her sudden voice, but it seems I ended up startling her too.
“Sorry, sorry, you’re back, huh?”
Since it’s a day off today, we’re about to head to the park to hang out, so she and the others had gone back to their rooms to change.
By the way, the one who woke Charlotte-san and me up today was Emma-chan.
Usually, she sleeps until we wake her, but today she was super excited to play and got up on her own.
“Were you thinking about something?”
As expected, her intuition is sharp as ever.
“Well, something like that.”
I can’t say it—there’s no way I could admit I was thinking Charlotte-san might have a strong libido.
“…?”
Maybe she noticed I was feeling awkward, because Charlotte-san tilted her head curiously while staring at my face.
She’s got her airheaded moments, but this girl’s usually pretty sharp.
I need to make sure it doesn’t show on my face…
“—Onii-chan, are we still not going…?”
As I averted my gaze from Charlotte-san, I felt a tug-tug on my sleeve.
Looking down, I saw Emma-chan holding a soccer ball, puffing her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
That’s right, we promised to play soccer at the park today.
The reason Emma-chan woke up early probably isn’t just to hang out, but because we’re playing soccer.
It seems soccer’s been her recent obsession.
“Sorry, shall we get going?”
“Yeah! Hug!”
Emma-chan nodded energetically, then spread her arms, asking for a hug.
“We’re just going to the park nearby today, so let’s walk, okay?”
“Muu.”
Lately, I’ve been having Emma-chan walk more for her leg strength.
She seems to understand that properly, because even though she pouts about it, she walks without complaint.
Of course, if I refuse too much, her frustration might build up, so I adjust based on her reactions and how often it happens.
Eventually, there’ll probably come a day when I won’t carry her anymore.
—No, that honestly makes me a little sad.
Maybe this is how a dad feels watching his daughter grow up.
After that, the three of us held hands happily and headed to the park.
◆◆◆
“—Onii-chan, here I go…!”
Emma-chan raised her right hand energetically, checking with me.
She’s really gotten the hang of it.
“Anytime’s fine.”
“Yeah! Ei…!”
From a distance, Emma-chan kicked the ball with force.
The ball landed perfectly at my feet.
“Yup, that was perfect.”
“Ehehe.”
How many five-year-olds out there can kick a soccer ball this precisely?
This kid’s seriously a bundle of talent.
“Emma-chan, next, how about kicking it back directly?”
“Hm?”
Not understanding my suggestion, Emma-chan tilted her head with a blank look.
“Just kick it.”
Thinking it’d be faster to show her, I passed the ball to Emma-chan.
Then, when Emma-chan kicked it back toward me, I returned it directly, landing it right at her feet.
“Ooh…!”
Seeing the ball come back to her without losing momentum, Emma-chan clapped her hands in delight.
As always, she’s a kid with great reactions.
“Next, Emma too…!”
Seeming motivated, she passed the ball to me.
I thought about kicking it back directly, but instead, I stopped it like usual and passed it back to Emma-chan.
And then—
“Ah…!”
Emma-chan, putting too much force into it, kicked the ball in a completely different direction.
“It’s trickier than it looks, huh?”
I ran to stop the ball, then smiled at Emma-chan.
Frustrated that she couldn’t kick it as intended, Emma-chan puffed up her cheeks.
“Muu…”
“It’s okay, once you get used to it, you’ll be able to do it in no time.”
If she can aim and kick a stopped ball where she wants, then once she gets the feel, she’ll manage it directly too.
With Emma-chan, she’ll probably pick it up really fast.
—Sure enough, as I’d thought, after about four direct kicks, Emma-chan’s shots started stabilizing.
It looked like she was making small adjustments by the third try, so she must’ve gotten the hang of it.
After that, we kept kicking the soccer ball back and forth directly, like playing catch, until Emma-chan was satisfied.
This time, almost like playing with my own daughter, was incredibly fun.
Losing this happy time is something I absolutely don’t want.
…A fiancée, huh.
“—Good work out there.”
When Emma-chan and I returned to the bench for a break, Charlotte-san handed me a water bottle.
Just watching must be boring, but she never shows a hint of displeasure—she’s really an amazing girl.
“Thanks.”
“Emma too, here.”
“Nuh, no.”
Emma-chan shook her head to refuse the water bottle and looked at me.
She’s probably waiting for me to sit down.
“Emma-chan, staying hydrated is important, so even if you’re not thirsty, let’s drink, okay?”
As I sat next to Charlotte-san, I said that to Emma-chan.
Emma-chan climbed onto my lap and glanced at the water bottle Charlotte-san was holding.
“Yeah.”
Then, she stretched out both hands toward Charlotte-san, as if saying, “Gimme the water bottle.”
As always, she’s such an obedient kid.
“—Is something worrying you?”
“Huh?”
While I was watching Emma-chan drink, Charlotte-san spoke up.
“You were thinking about something while playing soccer, right? And even earlier today, when we went back to our rooms, you seemed lost in thought.”
True, I was thinking about something back then, but it’s different from what I was pondering this time.
That said, both are hard to explain…
“I’m just a little sleepy.”
I ended up brushing it off like that.
“Shall we go back and take a nap?”
“—!”
A nap—that’s an incredibly tempting offer.
If I nap, Emma-chan will probably join me, and there’s a chance Charlotte-san might too.
That’d be way too blissful.
That said—
“Onii-chan, next, juggling…!”
Since Emma-chan wants to keep playing soccer, it seems tough.
She’s tugging at my clothes eagerly, as if saying, “Hurry, hurry!”
“Emma, we’ve only rested a little. You need to rest properly.”
“I’m fine…!”
Charlotte-san looked troubled as Emma-chan overflowed with energy.
Even if she says she’s fine, it’s natural for those around her to worry.
But it’s cool today, and she’s not moving enough to sweat heavily, so it should be okay to start again soon.
…The three of us napping together will have to wait, though.
“Alright, let’s do a bit more—”
“—Hey, looks like you’re having a blast, Akihito.”
“—!”
A voice suddenly called my name.
Turning around, I saw a guy I hadn’t met in years, grinning happily.
“Riku…”
The guy in front of me—Kannagi Riku—is the most famous soccer player in our age group right now.
“Don’t be so on guard. I didn’t come here to pick a fight or anything.”
“…”
I didn’t respond to Riku’s words and instead shifted my gaze to his side.
There stood Shimizu-san, looking awkward.
What’s their connection?
“Shimizu-san… so that’s how it is…”
Charlotte-san seemed to piece something together, narrowing her eyes sadly.
“Sorry…”
In response, Shimizu-san apologized sheepishly.
What’s going on here?
“Sorry, Akihito-kun. About an hour ago… Shimizu-san asked me on a chat app what I was doing, so I told her I was at the park playing with you guys.”
I see…
So Charlotte-san realized Shimizu-san asked because she was planning to show up here.
Charlotte-san didn’t seem surprised by a celebrity’s arrival, meaning she probably already knew Shimizu-san and Riku were connected.
Is Shimizu-san Riku’s girlfriend?
“Why’d you come here?”
I know about Riku’s success, but he’s someone I haven’t seen in years.
Even if I remember how he used to be, I have to consider he might’ve changed.
Above all, with things tense with the Himeragi conglomerate right now, I can’t just trust people blindly.
There’s no telling where a trap might be.
“I told you, don’t be so wary. I’m really not here for anything bad. I just… heard from Akira that you’ve finally started looking forward, so I came to talk. About something important.”
I couldn’t sense any lies or bad vibes from Riku’s demeanor.
He’s always been a pure, soccer-obsessed guy…
“Muu…”
Probably because we were interrupted.
Emma-chan puffed her cheeks, glaring up at Riku in dissatisfaction.
Noticing this, Riku flashed a friendly smile at Emma-chan.
But Emma-chan—turned her head away with a huff.
It seems she’s sulking, thinking I won’t play soccer with her because of this intruder.
“She’s really honest, huh…”
“It’s your fault for showing up without warning, Riku.”
“If I’d contacted you ahead of time, you wouldn’t have met me, right?”
“…”
True, even if he’d reached out, I probably wouldn’t have agreed to meet.
I’ve been avoiding middle school acquaintances as much as possible.
“What’s this important talk about?”
Curious, I asked, and Riku glanced at Charlotte-san.
“Can we talk alone?”
It seems he doesn’t want her to hear this.
Since I don’t know what it’s about either, that’s probably better… oh well.
“—Riku, I don’t know what you’re going to say, but… keep your promise to me, okay?”
She must’ve had some thoughts about it.
Shimizu-san, who’d been silent, spoke up, glaring at him.
Riku gave a wry smile and nodded, suggesting there’d already been some friction before coming here.
Calling him by his first name means they’re pretty close.
Is she really his girlfriend?
“Um… Shimizu-san, is it okay if I explain?”
Maybe noticing my curiosity about their relationship, Charlotte-san checked with Shimizu-san.
“Ah, well, yeah. There’s no point hiding it when we showed up together…”
Shimizu-san laughed awkwardly, her gaze wandering.
So she’d been intentionally keeping it under wraps until now.
“Aoyagi-kun, we’re cousins.”
When her wandering eyes met mine, Shimizu-san spoke with a serious expression.
“Cousins…”
I see… so Shimizu-san’s unusual hostility toward me was because of Riku.
Though, I never fought with Riku or anything, so her attitude still doesn’t fully make sense.
Still, the world’s surprisingly small…
At least it’s clear now why Charlotte-san was concerned about Riku.
She must’ve known about Shimizu-san and Riku’s connection and was just curious.
“Well, now that things are cleared up with Arisa, shall we move somewhere else?”
“Yeah, sure. Charlotte-san, take care of Emma-chan, okay?”
With that, I stepped away from them with Riku.
Since I’m worried about Charlotte-san and Emma-chan, I won’t leave the park or anything.
“—So, what’s this important talk?”
“Don’t you already have a guess why I’m here?”
“I’m not a mind reader, you know?”
I frowned at Riku’s playful tone.
“Haha, fair enough. There’s only one reason I’d visit you, right? I’ll get straight to the point. Come join my team.”
Riku said that and held out his right hand.
Seems he hasn’t changed much from before.
“You know I quit soccer, right?”
“I know. But you’re looking forward now, aren’t you?”
“I am, but…”
“Then let’s do it together. Your greatest strength is your brain and knowledge. A break doesn’t matter.”
Riku’s been overestimating me ever since our first match.
Because of that, even though he lived in Hiroshima, he’d sometimes visit me during practice breaks.
Usually, it was for recruitment like this, though.
Oh, and he used to contact me a ton back then.
—Yeah, this guy’s persistent.
“Sorry, but I don’t plan on playing soccer. If I had any intention, I’d already be on the same team as Akira, right?”
“Yeah, I figured you’d say that.”
“Then this talk’s—”
“—But are you sure that’s okay?”
As I tried to end the conversation and return to Charlotte-san, Riku lowered his tone a few notches to confirm.
“What do you mean?”
Sensing an unusual atmosphere, I turned back warily.
“That girl, she’s not someone introduced by the Himeragi conglomerate, right?”
“…”
I had a vague idea of what Riku was getting at.
Having stuck around me so much, he knows a lot about me and the Himeragi conglomerate.
“I heard from Arisa, but it seems she really dotes on you, huh? And you care about her a lot too. You’re probably avoiding going pro because it’d cut into your time with her, right?”
“So what if that’s the case?”
“Don’t play dumb, you get it, don’t you? If you want to stay with her, you can’t keep following the Himeragi’s orders.”
Where’d he get this info—no, given he knows my position with the Himeragi conglomerate, it’s not hard to figure out.
Sure enough, the Himeragi president doesn’t approve of my relationship with Charlotte-san.
“A regular person turning the head of a major conglomerate into an enemy will just get sabotaged for life.”
“So, become a pro soccer player?”
“At the very least, our team’s owner is a rival to the Himeragi conglomerate, so you wouldn’t have to worry about pressure. If you’re seriously thinking about a future with her, shouldn’t you consider your options properly?”
“…”
As always, despite his nice-guy vibe, he’s sharp.
Realistically, if I go against them, that president will come at me full force.
That could affect Charlotte-san and Emma-chan too.
But if I can succeed in soccer, Riku’s team owner might protect me.
It’s the same everywhere—people will support you as long as you’re useful.
“That incident—most people in the soccer world should know about it. They wouldn’t accept me joining, right?”
“I’ve already talked to the coach about that. I can’t go into details, but you’re not the type to ruin a team, and I’ll take responsibility if anything happens. The coach was already interested in you, so it went smoothly.”
“Even if the youth team coach agrees, it’s no good if the top team—the pro coach—doesn’t approve, right?”
You can join the youth team and perform, but if the top team coach doesn’t allow it, you can’t move up.
Meaning, I couldn’t go pro.
“Oh, I didn’t mention, huh? I’ve been promoted to the top team next season. So naturally, I talked to the top team coach. Well, he used to be the youth coach, though. Putting you straight into the top team isn’t possible, but he promised promotion if you perform in the youth team.”
That surprised me a bit.
I knew he was talented and that he’s been shining as the ace striker for the generational national team.
Even so, getting promoted to a top J1 League team fighting for the championship while still in high school is insane.
“Congrats—but if that’s the case, don’t you have better things to do than hang around here? A brutal fight for a regular spot’s waiting, so shouldn’t you be practicing? Plus, your media exposure’s been crazy lately—”
“Hey, hey, don’t change the subject. For me, recruiting you is more important than my practice. There’s no way I’d let someone nicknamed ‘The Pitch Dominator’ slip away.”
Riku grinned at me.
In response, I—
“No, don’t bring up that nickname…! You guys are just messing with me, aren’t you!?”
I protested with all my might.
It’s apparently spread beyond my old teammates, and it’s giving me a headache.
Seriously, who came up with it…!?
It’s reputation damage at this point!
I couldn’t help but inwardly fume over that bitter nickname.
“I think it’s a cool nickname, though.”
“What part of it is cool!?”
“Oh well. More importantly, we’re fully prepared to welcome you, so think it over seriously. For your cute girlfriend’s sake too, right?”
Riku said that and glanced at Charlotte-san, who was talking with Shimizu-san at the bench.
Naturally, I looked too—and ended up locking eyes with her perfectly.
She was listening to our conversation, wasn’t she?
That girl’s got freakishly good hearing…
“…Yeah, let me think about it.”
What Riku’s saying makes sense.
If I’m going against the Himeragi conglomerate, a backer is essential.
I’ve got doubts about whether I’ve really got the skill to go pro, but it’s a thankful offer to protect my future with Charlotte-san.
But if I aim for pro, I’d have to pour almost all my time into soccer—maybe even more than I could manage.
I’d barely have any time with Charlotte-san and the others.
Wouldn’t that defeat the whole purpose?
“Heh, just getting you to consider it is a big win. If there was no chance, you’d have shot me down flat.”
“…For now, are we done? Let’s head back to Charlotte-san and the others.”
I turned my back on the amused Riku and started walking.
Then—
“Yeah…!”
As if she’d been waiting forever, Emma-chan spread her arms to appeal to me.
I knew she meant “Carry me!” so I gently picked her up.
“Ahh, seriously?”
Seeing me do that, Riku let out a troubled voice.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, when the time comes, I’ll edit her out. Alright, cheese!”
“Huh!? Hey!”
Riku suddenly put his arm around my shoulder and snapped a selfie of the three of us with his phone’s front camera.
I raised my voice in protest.
“Riku…!”
And then Shimizu-san raised her voice too.
She’s usually pretty calm, so she’s a bit scary when mad.
“Both of you, don’t get so upset.”
“You’re doing too much on your own! You promised not to be pushy or cause trouble!”
So that’s what Shimizu-san’s promise was about.
She’s definitely a stickler for rules…
“It’s just one photo, isn’t it?”
“Can you say that after looking at her face!?”
Shimizu-san pointed at Emma-chan, whom I was holding.
As for Emma-chan, she was puffing her cheeks and glaring at Riku in dissatisfaction.
…Yeah, that’s the face of someone who totally hates him.
“This might be the first time a girl’s hated me.”
“Enough with the flirting brag, just stop doing weird stuff. This kid doesn’t like being forced or loud noises.”
“Got it, sorry. Uh—Emma-chan, right?”
“Hate…!”
Against Riku’s friendly smile, Emma-chan pointed at him sharply and let out her frustration.
She’d been interrupted since he arrived, and it seems her anger finally exploded.
“There, there.”
I patted Emma-chan’s head to calm her while looking at Riku, who seemed a bit dejected.
“She’s young, so she’s honest.”
“That’s not helping!?”
Riku widened his eyes and retorted in shock.
Well, I didn’t mean to help anyway.
The grumpy Emma-chan rubbed her face against my chest.
The loud voice just now must’ve bothered her.
“If you’re done talking, let’s go already!”
A slightly ticked-off Shimizu-san tried dragging Riku away by the arm.
This might be the first time I’ve seen her this mad.
But Riku’s body is well-trained despite his looks.
He’s not someone a weaker girl could drag off easily.
“You won’t budge…!”
Shimizu-san let out a frustrated cry as she pulled with all her might, but Riku didn’t move.
“Don’t be mean, just go with her.”
Feeling bad watching her, I gave Riku’s back a light push.
“No, it’s not me being mean—I just don’t feel like leaving yet…”
“Wasn’t the talk over?”
“Not the talk—it’s lunchtime, isn’t it? Since we’re here, how about together?”
Riku invited us with an innocent smile.
He’s got a surprisingly airheaded side too.
I looked at Emma-chan in my arms.
“Emma-chan, are you hungry?”
“Nuh… Soccer…”
Seems she’s not hungry and still wants to play soccer.
Even if it’s a misunderstanding, she’s taken a dislike to Riku, so it’s probably best not to hang out together.
“Sorry, let’s do it another time.”
“…Got it, okay.”
Surprisingly, Riku backed off easily.
Did he finally realize it’s a bad idea to make an enemy of Emma-chan?
“Sorry, Charlotte-san, Aoyagi-kun. We interrupted your fun.”
“No, you’re always helping us out, so please don’t worry about it.”
Charlotte-san responded maturely, smiling at Shimizu-san.
They must’ve patched things up while Riku and I were talking.
—After that, Shimizu-san and Riku left, and Emma-chan and I enjoyed some more soccer.
◆◆◆
“—Hey, Charlotte-san. If I said I was going to aim to be a pro soccer player, what would you do?”
After Emma-chan fell asleep—while Charlotte-san sat on my lap—I brought up what I’d discussed with Riku.
I really want to talk it over with someone I can consult.
Charlotte-san, perhaps having her own thoughts, got off my lap, straightened her back, and looked at me.
“Seeing Akihito-kun play soccer would be really cool, and I’d love to watch. But—if you’re aiming for it out of obligation rather than your own feelings, I’d be against it.”
I don’t think she’s ever opposed something so clearly before.
Even with stuff I did at school, she never said it so directly.
I could tell she was serious, but there’s probably more to it.
She must’ve overheard my talk with Riku.
“Akihito-kun, please lie down.”
“…Huh?”
Being suddenly told to lie down, I looked at Charlotte-san in confusion.
“Please.”
With her saying it so seriously, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse.
I lay down as Charlotte-san requested.
Then—
“Your head, over here, please.”
She gently held my head and placed it on something incredibly soft.
Wait, this is…
“Sometimes, I’ll be the one to spoil you.”
Charlotte-san’s cheeks turned red as she gazed down at me.
Right now—I’m getting a lap pillow from her.
It feels incredibly blissful.
…Would it be okay to turn my face and press my cheek against her thigh?
“Um… if you could say something…”
As I focused on the lap pillow, Charlotte-san looked at me shyly.
My silence must’ve made her super embarrassed.
“Sorry, I was just a bit surprised.”
“You’re always the one spoiling me, so…”
Saying that, Charlotte-san started stroking my head.
Her gentle, careful movements tickled a little.
“I know you’re always thinking about me and Emma, Akihito-kun. I also know things are tough with your family situation right now. But—please don’t ignore your own feelings. Like I’ve said, if there’s a problem, let’s think it through together and overcome it. And—”
Charlotte-san paused there, then for some reason brought her face close to my ear.
Because of that, a certain precious part of a girl pressed firmly against my face.
But Charlotte-san didn’t seem to notice.
“I… just being with Akihito-kun is enough for me. I don’t want anything else.”
The words whispered gently in my ear were so full of warmth.
The pressure lifted from my face, and when I saw Charlotte-san’s face, it was bright red.
My face is probably bright red too.
The words she whispered had that much impact.
—Naturally, after this, I couldn’t focus on studying, so I ended up cuddling with Charlotte-san and falling asleep.
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