Chapter Four: Toru’s Decision
Two weeks into living with Aino and Chika, Toru was adjusting to their unusual arrangement.
One Friday after school, Toru headed home alone. The house was within walking distance from school.
Aino had been invited by Chika to go karaoke with some other girls—a rare girls’ night out, excluding Toru. Aino, once an outsider at school, was making progress, thanks to Chika.
Chika had practically become Aino’s best friend.
Their closeness almost made Toru jealous.
The thought crossed his mind: what if Chika stole Aino from him?
Toru chuckled at the idea. If he, Renjō Toru, got caught between a yuri couple like them, he might find himself pushed out.
Theoretically, the Kōnoe and Lyuti families’ political marriage could work with Chika and Aino as a same-sex couple.
Sitting on the living room sofa, Toru mused about what he could do for Aino as her fiancé.
Protecting her was his top priority, but that alone didn’t feel sufficient.
To stand by her side, Toru needed to become someone worthy of her. His grades were decent, and their shared love for books gave them plenty to discuss. But to make her truly happy, he needed to consider their future.
Lost in thought, Toru began to doze off. It was Friday, and the week’s fatigue was catching up.
When he came to, he realized he had been out for a while. A soft sensation jolted him awake.
He was sandwiched between two warm presences.
Two girls sat on the sofa, pressed close enough that their knees touched his. A sweet, floral scent filled the air.
“Aw, Toru-kun’s asleep…” Aino’s voice.
“Let’s let him rest,” Chika replied.
They whispered near his ears, apparently back from karaoke. Toru must have been deeply asleep.
Someone poked his right cheek—likely Aino. Chika sighed, “Stop it, he’s sleeping.”
“But Toru-kun’s so cute! His skin’s so smooth, almost like a girl’s…”
“Well, yeah, Toru’s features are pretty refined,” Chika admitted.
“Wanna try touching him, Chika-san?”
“N-No way I’d…”
“C’mon, you know you want to.”
A hesitant poke grazed Toru’s left cheek. It tickled.
Toru was too embarrassed to admit he was awake.
Aino began stroking his cheek, and Chika whispered, “Aino-san, what if he wakes up?”
“He’s out like a light. Besides, we’re not doing anything wrong.”
“Are we…?”
Toru was flustered, caught between two girls playing with his face. Their sweet breaths tickled his ears, intensifying the situation.
Even Chika started kneading his cheeks gently.
“By the way, Aino-san, the other girls were grilling you at karaoke, huh?” Chika said.
“Yeah, Sakura-san and Akigawa-san spread rumors about Toru-kun and me being engaged. It’s kind of a hassle.”
“They kept asking, ‘What’s your deal with Renjō-kun?’ and you were bragging every time.”
“Hehe, everyone’s so jealous of me!”
“Maybe not everyone, but Toru’s pretty popular. People might be envious.”
“True. Even you might be a little jealous, Chika-san.”
“I’m not jealous! I’m his childhood friend and cousin—I’ve got the upper hand.”
“Whatever you say♪”
They continued chatting about Toru—his favorite foods, the books he read, his interactions with other girls.
Being the sole topic of conversation was mortifying, especially since they thought Toru was asleep.
“Toru-kun’s been working out, hasn’t he? When we were in the sauna, I saw his body…” Aino said.
“You saw him!?” Chika gasped. “That’s not okay!”
“Says the girl who ‘accidentally’ showed herself to Toru-kun in the bathroom~”
“That was an accident!”
“Wanna try bathing together tonight, the three of us?”
Lately, Toru had avoided bathing with Aino or Chika. Chika would likely object, and Toru wasn’t sure he could control himself.
But Chika hesitated, as if considering it. “If it’s the three of us, I guess it’s fine.”
Toru was stunned. If he weren’t pretending to sleep, he would have demanded an explanation.
Aino seemed just as shocked. “Chika-san…? What’s with the change of heart?”
“Is it that surprising?”
“Yes! You were all, ‘No indecent stuff!’ just the other day!”
“I changed my mind. As long as I’m there to supervise, it’s fine.”
“Is that really the issue…?”
Aino, usually the bold one, sounded skeptical.
Chika laughed softly. “I was thinking, being a trio isn’t so bad. I’m really enjoying this life. Don’t you, Aino-san?”
“Yeah, it’s super fun! I’m glad you feel the same, Chika-san.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we could stay like this forever?”
“Huh?”
Toru kept pretending to sleep, but his palms grew sweaty.
Chika explained her polyamory idea to Aino—a plan for a harem, essentially.
A long pause followed.
“Are you really okay with that, Chika-san?” Aino asked.
“I think it’s the best option. If we can handle the Kōnoe family, it’s up to you and Toru. If you agree, it’s a win for everyone.”
“Why suggest something like that? Sharing someone as important as Toru, your childhood friend and cousin—is that really okay with you?”
“I can handle it. Because I like you too, Aino-san. As a friend, of course!”
“So that’s why you want the three of us together…”
Silence fell.
“Is that… not okay?” Chika asked.
“I like you too, Chika-san. But the way I like Toru-kun is different. For you, too, your feelings for Toru and me are separate, right?”
“Y-Yes, but…! I’m okay with you being by Toru’s side. I think we could all be happy together.”
“You want to keep Toru-kun to yourself, don’t you? But you don’t want to hurt anyone, so you’re suggesting this.”
Chika fell silent, unable to counter Aino’s words.
“Sometimes I wonder,” Aino continued, “I only met Toru-kun recently, but you and Sakura-san have liked him for so long. Is it fair that I’m his fiancée?”
Toru hadn’t known Aino felt that way. It was true that Chika and Asuka had cared for him for years. To Aino, it might feel like she had stolen him away.
“But even so, I want to be Toru-kun’s one and only, his most important person. Even if it hurts you or Sakura-san, that’s the choice I’d make.”
Aino’s voice was clear and resolute.
After a moment, Chika spoke. “You’re right. Sorry, maybe that was a weird thing to say.”
“No, I get that you were thinking of me and Toru-kun when you suggested it.”
“I want you to be happy too, Aino-san. But Toru’s non-negotiable for me. I’m serious about the three of us. But if you want to keep him to yourself… I’ll fight with everything I’ve got.”
“That’s more like it.”
Aino giggled, and Chika joined in with a soft laugh.
“I’ll make Toru-kun mine in the end, but sharing him for now might be fun,” Aino said.
“Huh?”
“Let’s hug him from both sides!”
“W-Won’t that wake him up?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Come on!”
A soft sensation brushed Toru’s cheek—Aino was rubbing her face against his. His heart leaped.
“Try it, Chika-san!”
“B-But…”
“You can do it, right?”
Chika, provoked, seemed to embrace the playful challenge.
A soft sensation brushed Toru’s other cheek. The sweet scent of two beautiful girls made his head spin.
Toru was about to admit he was awake when Aino dropped an even bigger bombshell.
“I’ve let Toru-kun see me naked before… but we’ve never kissed.”
“Tch, obviously!” Chika snapped. “I haven’t kissed Toru either!”
“Since Toru-kun’s asleep, maybe we could sneak a kiss and he’d never know…?”
“N-No way! That’s totally off-limits!”
A soft touch pressed against Toru’s lips, and he bolted upright in shock, colliding head-on with Aino. She yelped, “Oww!” and tumbled to the floor, teary-eyed.
“S-Sorry, Aino-san!” Toru stammered, offering her a hand.
She took it with a delighted grin. “Sorry for startling you.”
“No, it’s fine, but…”
Had she really kissed him?
Toru glanced at Chika, who wore an exasperated expression.
Aino giggled. “I, uh, just pressed my finger to your lips, Toru-kun.”
“Why would you do that?” Toru asked, baffled.
“I just felt like it!”
So, it wasn’t a kiss. Toru felt torn between relief and disappointment.
“But a real kiss might not be too far off,” Aino said with a playful wink.
Toru’s eyes drifted to her glossy, red lips, and his heart raced.
Chika cut in, “Ugh, stop flirting right in front of me!”
In that moment, Toru felt certain his first kiss would be with Aino.
☆
Monday arrived, and classes dragged on as usual, but for Toru, it was like sitting on pins and needles.
The rumor that Toru was dating Aino Lyuti had spread like wildfire through the school.
It didn’t help that they had been spotted eating lunch together in the cafeteria or that Aino’s outburst in the library—“You said you wanted to have kids with me!”—had been overheard. The final nail in the coffin was when Kotoka Akigawa, a classmate, saw them on a date.
Thanks to her, everyone knew they were close.
“I didn’t expect this much attention,” Aino said with a sheepish smile.
They were in the classroom after school, facing each other. Aino had come to Toru’s desk just to chat, which only fueled the rumors.
“Well, you’re the school’s most beautiful girl, Aino-san. No one’s ever heard of you dating anyone before, so…”
“Right? You’re my first, Toru-kun,” she said, leaning in close, whispering with a secretive “Shh♪” vibe.
Toru’s heart skipped a beat.
Indeed, Toru was technically Aino’s first boyfriend.
Though their engagement was for show, not official dating, it was up to Toru to make a decision.
Aino’s feelings for him were clear as day.
Toru knew he needed to be the one to confess.
He was still unsure if he could truly support her. He might fail to protect her or, worse, hurt her. But he wanted to be with her.
The issue was Chika and Asuka.
Toru glanced at Asuka, sitting in the corner. She turned away with a huff, clearly in a bad mood.
“Sakurai-san’s probably jealous of us,” Aino whispered.
“If she is… I feel bad,” Toru muttered.
Asuka had liked him for a long time, and Toru had never noticed.
Aino peered into his eyes. “You know, it could’ve been Sakurai-san sitting here with you instead of me.”
Back when Asuka used to drop by Toru’s desk for their “Defeat Chika Kōnoe!” strategy sessions, those were fun times. If she had confessed then, Toru probably would have said yes. She was a dear friend and an attractive girl—there would have been no reason to refuse. He might have gradually fallen for her.
But that wasn’t what happened. Aino became Toru’s fiancée.
“I owe Sakurai-san a thank you,” Aino said.
“Why’s that?”
“If she’d confessed to you, Toru-kun, there wouldn’t have been room for me.”
She was right. If Asuka had made a move, things might have been different.
“So, I’m grateful to her. And… I’m sorry, Sakurai-san,” Aino murmured, her voice too soft for Asuka to hear but heavy with meaning she could never say aloud.
“There are so many unfulfilled wishes in this world,” she added.
Toru understood her words. He had once wished to protect Chika, but that wish went unanswered. Now, he couldn’t fulfill Asuka’s either.
“Even so, I want to be the only one for you, Toru-kun,” Aino said softly, almost to herself.
Three classmates—flashy girls high up the school’s social ladder—approached them. “Hey, Lyuti-san! Is it true you’re dating Renjō-kun!?”
They had been buzzing with curiosity all day but had held back. Now, they dove in, bold as ever.
“Nope, not true,” Aino said with a radiant smile, catching Toru off guard. He thought she would play along with the rumors.
“Because Toru-kun and I are engaged,” she added, dropping a bombshell.
The girls froze, stunned.
“E-Engaged…?” one stammered.
“You know, promised to marry each other,” Aino explained casually.
“We get that, but… engaged in high school? Are you okay with that, Lyuti-san?”
“Of course. I love Toru-kun,” she said, blushing but resolute.
The girls erupted in excited chatter.
“But marrying a plain guy like Renjō-kun? That’s surprising…” one started, then clapped a hand over her mouth, realizing her blunder.
They were confident but not cruel—they didn’t mean to offend.
The comment wasn’t wrong. Toru was rather plain.
He gave a wry smile, but Aino puffed out her cheeks. “Toru-kun’s not plain! He’s the cool guy who protects me.”
“S-Sorry,” the girl said, bowing to Aino, then to Toru. “Sorry, Renjō-kun.”
Another girl tapped her cheek thoughtfully. “But Renjō-kun’s kind of a catch, right? Like, with Asuka…”
The others nodded, murmuring agreement.
“Asuka’s crush on him was so obvious.”
“W-Was it…?” Toru muttered, sweating.
Apparently, even outsiders could tell Asuka liked him. Toru’s guilt deepened.
One girl giggled. “Bet there’s other girls crying over you, Renjō-kun.”
“I’ll make sure Aino-san’s not one of them,” Toru said firmly.
The girls grinned, intrigued. “Mutual love, huh?”
“Pretty much,” Toru replied.
Aino whispered, concern in her eyes, “Sorry, Toru-kun. Are you upset that everyone knows we’re engaged?”
“Not at all. It’ll be gossip, but I don’t mind. It’s true, and I’m happy to be your fiancé.”
Aino’s face lit up. “Really?”
A teasing voice piped up, “So sappy!”
But at that perfect moment, another girl appeared. “Sounds like an interesting conversation.”
Everyone turned toward the voice. Standing there was a stunning girl in a pristine uniform.
“Ch-Chika…” Toru stammered.
Chika Kōnoe, student council president, was inexplicably in Toru’s classroom.
“I need to talk to Toru,” she said smoothly, calling him by his first name.
Everyone gaped. Chika was as popular as Aino—a refined Japanese beauty to Aino’s Western charm. They would top any school beauty ranking. Unlike the reserved Aino, Chika was outgoing and the student council president.
Her showing up and calling Toru’s name shocked everyone.
“What’s with the staring?” Chika asked, tilting her head nonchalantly while the class—girls, guys, Aino, and Toru—froze in disbelief.
Mizuki-san, one of the bold girls, hesitantly asked, “Kōnoe-san, are you… close with Renjō-kun?”
Chika shrugged. “Mizuki-san, right? Why do you think that?”
“You remembered my name…” Mizuki-san blushed, clearly awed. Chika was a superstar, even among the popular crowd.
She snapped back to the point. “You called him by his first name.”
“Oh, we’re childhood friends,” Chika said casually, ignoring her own rule about keeping that secret at school.
The class buzzed, eyeing them curiously.
Chika smirked, glancing at Aino and Toru. “More than that, we’re cousins. We lived together until middle school.”
“Living with an opposite-sex cousin? That’s kinda romantic…” Mizuki-san murmured.
“Right?” Chika leaned in eagerly. “We’ve even bathed together.”
Her bombshells kept coming, drawing squeals from the girls and icy glares from jealous guys.
“Chika!” Toru tugged her sleeve in a panic.
She blushed, mumbling, “Oops,” but her reaction only fueled the class’s curiosity.
Suddenly, Aino moved behind Toru, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. A soft sensation pressed against the back of his head, and he flinched.
“A-Aino-san… y-your chest…”
“I’m doing it on purpose. You’re mine, Toru-kun,” she said desperately.
Chika’s bold approach in front of everyone must have alarmed her.
Even Chika looked flustered, averting her eyes. “W-What are you doing!?”
She couldn’t match Aino’s boldness, especially not in public. As the model student, she had an image to uphold.
The class erupted in whispers—“Love triangle!” “Drama!” “That Renjō guy…!”—their eyes filled with a mix of awe and envy.
Toru wanted to bolt.
Chika put her hands on her hips. “Anyway! I need Toru for something. Aino-san, can you let him go?”
“No way,” Aino said, clinging tighter.
“Don’t act like a stubborn kid…”
“You’re not gonna steal him, right?”
“I wouldn’t! I just need to talk to him alone.”
“So I’m left out…” Aino said, her voice tinged with loneliness.
Chika panicked. “It’s about the Kōnoe family, not about excluding you!”
“Fine, but…” Aino muttered, “I’m worried.”
Her concern was well-founded.
Chika was about to do something drastic—for Toru and for herself.
She dragged Toru through the school corridors, a spectacle for all to see. As the school’s most famous girl, pursued by countless guys yet never dating, walking with Toru drew every eye.
Nervous under the stares, Toru glanced around. At this elite school, students were studying in self-study rooms, peeking out windows, shocked to see them. Groups of chatty girls and couples flirting in the halls gawked at them like rare animals, whispering rumors.
“Don’t you care about all the stares?” Toru asked.
“What, the attention? Nope. I’m used to it,” Chika said breezily.
“Classic Chika…”
“I’ll have to stand in front of bigger crowds soon.”
She was right. As the future head of the Kōnoe family, she would face employees, media, and investors. High school gossip was nothing by comparison.
“Besides,” she added softly, her cheeks pink, “I don’t mind being linked with you.”
“W-What?” Toru stammered.
“Forget I said that, idiot!” she snapped, flustered.
Her tsundere reaction was adorable, despite her own words. If Toru hadn’t met Aino, if they had mended things sooner, Chika might still be the one he loved.
They crossed a walkway, descended stairs, and reached a dim corner behind the school building.
“We’re here,” Chika said.
“The gym storage?” Toru asked.
It was deserted at this hour, a classic spot for delinquents to “settle scores.” Not that their elite school had many of those.
“A-Are you… gonna rough me up or something?” Toru joked.
Chika glared, smiling. “What do you take me for, Toru?”
Toru shut up. Chika was scary when mad.
“It’s a good place to talk privately. No one’s around,” she said, opening the storage room door.
It was empty, as expected. Only club members might come by later to clean up.
But plenty of students had seen them enter, which could spark more rumors.
Spotting a gym mat, Chika murmured, “Oh, right, this.”
Gym storage rooms had another reputation, thanks to risqué manga. The classic scenario: a guy tempted by a beautiful girl on a gym mat.
Seeing the mat, Toru’s mind wandered to that fantasy.
Shaking off the thought, he asked, “Couldn’t we have talked at home?”
“Not safe. Someone might overhear.”
“What, like the Kōnoe family’s bugging the place?”
Chika nodded. “It’s possible. Toka-san arranged that house, right? She could’ve planted surveillance.”
“Even they wouldn’t go that far… would they?”
Even for the ruthless Kōnoe family, who would stop at nothing, setting up a high school cohabitation arrangement and planting bugs or cameras seemed like a stretch. It bordered on criminal.
But Chika shook her head. “There’s something I can’t explain otherwise.”
“What do you mean?” Toru asked.
“Toka-san found out I suggested… y-you know, that harem life with you and Aino-san!”
“No way… Toka-san would do that?” Toru replied.
“You think she wouldn’t?” Chika countered.
“…I guess with Toka-san, nothing’s surprising,” Toru conceded.
To Toru, Toka was a benefactor. Despite being the Kōnoe family’s secretary, she had extended a hand to him when he was shunned. He had lived comfortably thanks to her guardianship. But she was also fiercely loyal to the Kōnoe head, a workaholic with the nerve to pull off anything, no matter how outrageous.
Chika shrugged. “Basically, Toka-san… the Kōnoe family… they won’t be satisfied until they control us completely.”
“That was kind of expected when they engaged me to Aino-san,” Toru noted.
“Exactly. And it’ll stay that way. If their plans change, they might suddenly demand you break up with Aino-san tomorrow.”
That was a fear Toru harbored. If the political marriage lost its value, Aino and he could be discarded easily. No matter how much they wanted to stay together, marriage might become impossible.
“And I’m even more of a caged bird,” Chika said. “I have no freedom to escape the Kōnoe family’s cage.”
“That’s not true. You’ll be the head someday, Chika. You could seize your freedom with your own power. Unless, of course, you don’t want to be the head.”
Once she became head, Chika would wield ultimate authority over the Kōnoe conglomerate. There would be strings attached, but unlike pawns like Aino and Toru, she would have the power to shape her own fate. And Chika had never doubted her path to leadership.
She gave a lonely smile. “You’re right. I plan to become the head. It’s not that I hate the idea.”
“Then—”
“But if my life’s most important decision is made before I become head, what’s the point?”
“You mean the engagement?” Toru asked.
Chika nodded, looking down. “In a week, it’ll be finalized.”
“That’s… sudden,” Toru said.
“My fiancé’s stationed in London. I’d transfer to a school there, marry right after graduation. Can you believe it?”
“Sounds like something the Kōnoe family would do,” Toru replied.
“They’re completely ignoring my feelings. And obviously, I’d have to move out of the house we’re sharing.”
That made sense. A betrothed young lady living with another guy would be a scandal. But Chika going overseas? That was unexpected.
“Chika—”
“Of course I hate it!” she snapped, hugging herself tightly. “But there’s nothing I can do.”
It was too cruel. From the kidnapping incident to now, Chika had faced nothing but injustice.
She lifted her gaze, staring straight at Toru. “I want to stay here. We finally reconciled, Toru. I want to be with you more. And with Aino-san, my dear friend… I want to keep having fun together.”
“Thanks, Chika. I… I’d miss you if you left,” Toru admitted, unable to hold back.
With Aino in his life, Toru couldn’t return Chika’s feelings or agree to her polyamory idea. His words were irresponsible, but Chika smiled, tears glistening in her eyes.
“It means a lot to hear you say that.”
“Let’s figure out a way to cancel the engagement. I’ll do anything I can for you.”
“…Anything?” she asked softly.
“Of course. You’re my precious childhood friend.”
“Good. Because I brought you here for something I want you to do.”
She nodded, then shrugged off her uniform blazer, letting it fall to the floor. She untied her blouse’s ribbon and started unbuttoning it. A glimpse of her cleavage and a cute pink bra sent Toru into a panic.
“C-Chika!?”
“You’ll do anything, right?”
She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Toru. The soft press of her chest spiked his heart rate. Losing her balance, she toppled him onto the gym mat, straddling him. Her eyes, shimmering with a seductive glint, gazed down at him.
(What’s gotten into her!?)
Aino was shy in public but bold with Toru. Chika was sociable but usually bashful around him, always flustered by Aino’s provocative moves and lagging a step behind. But now? She was like a different person.
Her cheeks flushed, Chika gently stroked Toru’s chest. “There’s one surefire way to break my engagement.”
Toru thought for a moment, then realized what she meant, his eyes widening in shock.
Pressing her lower body against his, she leaned in, whispering in his ear. “Sleep with me. I wouldn’t mind if it’s with you, Toru.”
“N-No way I can do that!”
“Why not? You’re all lovey-dovey with Aino-san.”
“That’s different…”
“Am I not exciting enough?”
As she spoke, she shrugged off her blouse entirely, revealing her bra and ample chest. Toru’s heart skipped a beat as he stared.
“If I said my cousin pinned me down, we had sex, and I got pregnant… that’d definitely end the engagement,” she said.
“W-Would it…?”
“Families obsessed with political marriages care about virginity. You get that, right?”
She was probably right, but it was such an extreme solution. Getting pregnant to break an engagement? It seemed unrealistic.
When Toru expressed that, Chika shook her head. “If you’re willing, it can be reality. The key’s in your hands.”
“I’d use that key for anything else, but… not for something like this.”
“What, you don’t want to do naughty things with me?” she asked, her voice small. “Won’t you help me?”
She was still pinning him down, her question barely a whisper.
Toru wanted to help her. He had failed to save her during the kidnapping. If she was in trouble now, he wanted to be there for her.
(But sex? That’s…)
Anything else, he would do without hesitation. But this would betray Aino.
Yet his body reacted instinctively to Chika’s touch. Despite their clothes, their lower bodies were pressed together, and she noticed immediately, her face flushing deeper.
“P-Pervert!” she squeaked.
“Who’s the pervert here!?”
“You’re saying I’m the bad one!?”
“You’re the one doing this, Chika…”
She seemed to realize how brazen she was being, her actions straight out of a femme fatale playbook—half-naked in a bra, straddling a guy, seducing him in the school gym storage.
As a refined young lady of a noble family, this “shameless” behavior wasn’t like her. Yet she didn’t move, staying atop him.
“You’re getting… turned on by me,” she murmured.
“I’m a guy. A half-naked beauty coming onto me? Of course I’m rattled.”
“Hmm. So you think I’m cute?”
“Anyone would think you’re cute, Chika.”
“I don’t care about anyone else. What do you think? Did you… think I was cute back then too?”
“Always. I’ve always thought you were cute.”
Her face lit up with a radiant smile. “Good. I knew it. Thank you. I’ve wanted to do this with you for a long time.”
Her delicate fingers grazed Toru’s chest, sending his heart racing.
“A long time…?”
“Since middle school,” she said. “I’m not the prim and proper girl you think I am.”
So, even when she was a frail, timid thirteen-year-old, she had fantasized about doing this with Toru? He was stunned.
Chika giggled softly, then slowly removed her bra. Her pale, full breasts spilled into view, their pink tips standing enticingly.
She lowered her gaze, embarrassed, then pressed her upper body against his. The weight of her chest against him, the closeness of her breath—it was overwhelming.
“If it’s you, Toru, I’m okay with anything,” she whispered in his ear.
“I won’t do anything.”
“Even though you’re turned on?”
“Being turned on doesn’t mean I have to act on it. That’s what makes us human.”
“Please, Toru… Save me,” she pleaded, her voice frail.
Toru hadn’t saved her from the kidnappers. He had fled, leaving her behind. That guilt weighed heavily. If he gave in to her now, to his desires, he could save her temporarily.
(But then what?)
Her engagement would be broken, as she wanted. But if she got pregnant, what would happen?
Anticipating his question, Chika said, “It’s fine. If I get pregnant, I’ll handle it. It’d be convenient, even. You don’t have to take responsibility. I just want my first to be you.”
“But that’d be my child too. I can’t just ignore that.”
“Then marry me and raise it together?” she asked.
Toru froze. He couldn’t. Aino was in his life.
Seeing his reaction, Chika panicked. “I’m kidding! I wouldn’t ask that! Just… be with me here. You can marry Aino-san.”
Her voice trembled, her face on the verge of tears. She wanted to marry Toru—he could see it in her eyes. He knew her well enough to tell.
Her chest, her breath, her words, her expression—they were driving him wild. His rationality teetered against desire. He could take her, his precious cousin, right there, and make her his.
Toru was at a crossroads.
He grabbed Chika’s arms. She froze, surprised. Rising, he flipped her onto the mat, pinning her down. She didn’t resist, lying back, her breasts swaying.
A half-naked girl lay beneath him in the school gym storage. Her skirt rode up, revealing pale thighs and a glimpse of her panties. Her bare chest dazzled his eyes.
The thrill of taboo made his heart pound.
Chika squeezed her eyes shut, letting out a soft “Ah…”
She was expecting Toru to make her his, to conceive a child.
If he did, everything would change. He could save her, indulging his desires with this beautiful girl.
(But…)
His hands stopped. Instead, he gently stroked her hair.
Sensing the shift, Chika opened her eyes, confused. “Toru…?”
Her voice called his name. This girl was his precious childhood friend, his cousin.
But Toru had regained his composure. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“Why not!? Am I not attractive enough?” she asked, hurt.
Toru shook his head frantically. “That’s not it. You’re beautiful, Chika…”
His eyes lingered on her chest, her legs. She noticed, blushing.
“…It has to be Aino-san, doesn’t it?”
“If I did this with you, your engagement might end. But what about mine with Aino-san?”
“Oh…” she gasped.
If the Kōnoe family—and by extension, the Lyuti family—found out Toru slept with Chika, his engagement to Aino could collapse. It wasn’t guaranteed, but it would destabilize things. He wouldn’t be able to fulfill Aino’s wishes or protect her.
Chika’s expectations and Aino’s desires couldn’t coexist.
Did Chika not consider this, or did she know and stay silent? Toru didn’t know.
Either way, he couldn’t comply.
“You won’t save me again?” she asked, her voice piercing his heart.
A beautiful girl, his precious cousin, wanted him to hold her. It was her only path to freedom, and she was attracted to him. Yet Toru couldn’t save her, just like during the kidnapping.
Tears streamed down Chika’s face as she sobbed. For the shy Chika to act so boldly and be rejected must have hurt deeply.
Still, Toru couldn’t touch her.
Toru had vowed to protect Aino. Even if he married her, failing to save Chika would remain a thorn in his heart forever.
Toru was cornered, unsure what to do.
That’s when a goddess of salvation appeared.
The storage room door swung open, sunlight flooding in. A blonde, blue-eyed beauty stepped inside.
“Toru-kun, Chika-san… if you’re gonna do naughty things, why not do them at home?”
Aino giggled as she spoke, her voice light and teasing.
“A-Aino-san!?” Toru yelped, scrambling to his feet.
Chika, flustered, sat up and covered her chest with her hands. “This isn’t what it looks like! I-I mean…”
Her attempt at an excuse faltered, unable to find words. From any angle, it appeared that Toru had pinned Chika down with that intent. Of course, Aino likely knew Chika had dragged him there and tried to seduce him.
But Aino just laughed softly. “Don’t look so guilty. I was listening at the door the whole time, so I know what’s going on.”
“You were eavesdropping!?” Chika gasped.
“I couldn’t help it. Sorry! But you were trying to steal a march on me, weren’t you, Chika-san?”
Aino’s eyes narrowed playfully. Chika stammered, “W-Well, yeah, but…” unable to argue.
She had no ground to stand on, and neither did Toru. If a fiancée went into a storage room alone with a rival, anyone would be curious.
Aino didn’t seem angry. In fact, she was in an oddly great mood.
“Toru-kun, I need to talk to you alone. Is that okay?”
“Of course. I was thinking we needed to talk too.”
“Good,” Aino said, glancing at Chika.
Chika met her gaze. “W-What about me…?”
“I need to speak with Toru-kun alone. About how to help you, Chika-san.”
“Really…?” Chika asked, skeptical.
“Don’t worry. I’m not gonna push Toru-kun to make babies with me like someone did,” Aino teased.
Chika’s face flushed crimson. “Don’t make me sound like a pervert!”
“Aren’t you?”
“I-It’s just…”
“I get it. I want Toru-kun to do naughty things with me too, so we’re the same,” Aino said gently.
Was she really not upset? And what did she mean by “helping Chika”?
For now, Aino and Toru left the storage room. Chika stayed behind to fix her clothes, promising to follow later.
Aino looked up at Toru, her smile shy. “Wanna take a walk around school?”
“That’ll just fuel the rumors.”
“Is that bad?”
“Not at all.”
After declaring their engagement in front of the class, it was too late to care. Besides, having Aino as his fiancée wasn’t something to hide—it was something to be proud of.
They headed toward the rooftop, walking through the school. Aino suddenly linked her arm with Toru’s, exclaiming, “Here we go!”
Toru was startled. Normally, he would have been a blushing mess, but not today.
Instead, he entwined his arm with hers.
Aino’s eyes widened, then she beamed, delighted. “What’s this? You’re not embarrassed for once!”
“I just thought I should do what I can for you, Aino-san.”
Aino had given Toru so much. She had helped him rediscover himself, to accept who he was. He wanted to do the same for her.
She smiled warmly. “Thanks.”
They walked in silence for a bit. Club members on the field, girls chatting in the halls—everyone stared. Aino, the school’s most beautiful girl with her blonde hair and blue eyes, was impossible to miss. By tomorrow, the whole school might know they were dating.
They climbed the stairs and reached the rooftop. A refreshing breeze greeted them.
The rooftop was a classic spot for couples to flirt after school. Other pairs were there, including a famous senior-year couple known for their looks.
The view was nice, though the nearby temple—once tied to the Owari domain’s lords—loomed large.
They let go of each other’s arms and approached the railing. Aino turned to Toru, her sapphire eyes locking onto his.
“You turned down Chika-san’s request, didn’t you, Toru-kun?”
“Yeah. You heard, so you know… I couldn’t agree to it.”
Chika’s plan—getting pregnant to break her engagement—Toru had rejected for Aino’s sake.
Aino nodded. “I was so happy. It showed me I’m the most important to you.”
Her words made Toru flush, and she looked embarrassed too.
“But,” she continued, “that’s not enough.”
“What do you mean?”
Toru didn’t follow. Was she saying it wasn’t enough because Chika still needed help?
When he asked, Aino shook her head. “Half-right, half-wrong. I’m worried about Chika-san, of course. She’s my friend, and I care about her. But… I’m most worried about you, Toru-kun.”
“Me?”
“Yes. My second-biggest wish is to have you all to myself, to be with you forever. But my greatest wish is something else.”
What could it be? Enjoying school? Saving her family’s company? Eating good food? None seemed like her top priority.
As if reading his thoughts, Aino stepped closer and whispered, “I want you to be happy, Toru-kun.”
Her words caught Toru off guard, his heart racing.
He met her gaze, and she giggled, “Ehehe.”
“I want to be by your side,” she said. “But it’s meaningless if the person I love isn’t happy.”
“You mean—”
“If you can’t save Chika-san, you’ll regret it, just like before.”
She was right. Letting Chika go and continuing his engagement with Aino would be easy. Doing nothing ensured their peaceful cohabitation, at least for now. Toru had thought Aino wanted that—Chika gone, just the two of them.
But…
“I don’t want to see you blaming yourself, hurting over regret. I want to be with a Toru-kun who’s smiling happily,” Aino said.
“So you’ll help Chika?”
“I want to keep you to myself. But for your happiness, I’m willing to sacrifice that wish.”
Toru was starting to understand.
“So… you’re okay with me doing… naughty things with Chika?” he asked hesitantly.
Chika’s plan had involved sex, even pregnancy, to solve her problem. Could Aino accept that?
She shook her head vigorously. “No way! I’m gonna be the first to have your baby, Toru-kun!”
Her outburst drew stares from the other couples. Blushing, she cleared her throat, but it was too late to play it off.
“A-Anyway,” she continued, “I don’t think you and Chika-san need to go that far. Just pretending you’re lovers might be enough.”
“You’re right…”
Why had Chika gone so extreme, then? One reason: she wanted a surefire way. The other? She probably just wanted to get intimate with Toru, stealing a march on Aino.
Aino seemed to agree, nodding. “Chika-san’s sneaky and naughty. I get how she feels, though.”
“Haha.”
“She was troubling you, though. I wouldn’t do that,” Aino said with a giggle.
Toru understood her point. Chika loved him, but her approach was selfish, not considering his feelings or his relationship with Aino.
Aino was different. She was thinking about Toru’s bond with Chika and what would make him happiest.
(Aino-san’s sneaky in her own way.)
Not in a bad way, of course. Her words and actions made her indispensable to Toru. She was incredibly wise.
And she loved him.
“If we leak a scandal to the press about us three living together, it could work,” Aino suggested. “It’d be juicy gossip, especially with Chika-san, the Kōnoe family’s next head.”
That would be tabloid gold. Aino and Toru were one thing, but a scandal involving Nagoya’s biggest conglomerate’s heir?
“But that could end our engagement too,” Toru pointed out.
“Engagement isn’t everything,” Aino said, her eyes hopeful.
Right. They had been engaged for show until now. But now…
“Aino-san, I have something important to say.”
“O-Okay…” she replied, her gaze nervous.
Toru was still scared. Aino had become so vital to him. If he failed to protect her, if he lost her…
But his desire outweighed that fear.
He took a deep breath. “I understand what you meant by those words.”
“Huh?”
“You know, Mina rakastan sinua.”
In the library, Aino had whispered those Finnish words, promising to tell him their meaning when they married. But the previous day, Toru had found out, flipping through a Finnish phrasebook at the bookstore.
“It means ‘I love you,’ right?”
“…!” Aino squirmed, blushing furiously. After all her bold moves, it was amusing that a love confession embarrassed her now.
But her shyness faded quickly, because Toru said the same.
“I love you too, Aino-san.”
She gasped, then smiled, tears brimming. “How much do you love me?”
“A ton. So much.”
“I’m so happy… More than you love Chika-san?”
“Of course.”
His answer was instant. Toru needed Aino, not Chika.
“Because of you, I can be myself,” he said.
“And because of you, I can be myself too,” Aino replied, looking up at him with a playful smile. “Hey, pamper me a little.”
Toru pulled her into a tight hug. Her petite frame fit perfectly in his arms.
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Aino relaxed, letting her weight rest against him, and whispered, “We’re boyfriend and girlfriend now, right?”
“Yeah. And next…”
“Husband and wife,” she finished, giggling.
And so, Aino and Toru moved from “fiancés” to “lovers.”
☆
The problems were piling up.
As an ordinary high schooler, Toru had complicated ties with Chika and Asuka. They would soon learn that Aino and he were officially a couple now. Their reactions were a source of concern for him.
More urgently, Chika’s engagement issue needed resolution.
Chika was probably already home.
Aino and Toru needed to talk with her to figure out a way to break her engagement. Announcing their three-way cohabitation to her fiancé or the press might jeopardize Toru’s engagement with Aino as well.
But now, Aino and Toru had a new bond to hold onto.
On the way home, Aino clung to Toru, pressing herself close, her chest brushing against him. His heart raced just walking with his new girlfriend. Her boldness threw him off more than usual, likely because he was hyper-aware of her as his lover.
It was making things… difficult.
His physical reaction was becoming noticeable.
Getting this excited just walking with someone he loved? Perhaps Toru was a bit of a pervert.
Then Aino dropped a bombshell. “I wanna hold your hand, Toru-kun.”
Toru’s hands were stuffed in his pockets. She reached for one, trying to slip hers in.
“A-Aino-san, that’s…” Toru stammered.
“Is it bad?”
“Well…”
His sensitive area was somewhat pronounced at the moment. Her hand might brush against it.
“It’s okay, right?”
Before Toru could answer, Aino slid her hand into his pocket, grazing him as expected.
She blushed, murmuring, “Oh…”
“T-Toru-kun…”
“It’s just… biology,” Toru mumbled.
“You’re getting excited just walking with me? That’s kinda sweet,” she said, not pulling her hand away but deliberately teasing him.
“Aino-san, s-stop…” Toru pleaded.
“Nope!” she giggled, playfully prodding him. “Take that!”
Toru couldn’t just let her have her way. They were near home on a quiet street, so he seized his chance. While she was distracted, exclaiming, “Wow, it’s hard!” he slipped his other hand under her skirt, brushing her rear.
“Eek! H-Hey!” Aino squeaked.
“Payback,” Toru said. “I’ll stop if you don’t like it.”
“I-It’s not that I don’t like it… ah!”
His hand grazed her panties. She puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him. “You’re such a pervert, Toru-kun!”
“Look who’s talking, Aino-san…”
Stubbornly, they kept at it—she teased his lower half, he teased hers. It was less erotic and more like playful mischief. They both burst into giggles.
“Wow, you two are having fun!” a bright voice called out.
They froze, yanking their hands away. Turning, they saw a stunning woman in a black pantsuit—Toka Tokieda, the Kōnoe family’s secretary and Toru’s guardian.
“Toka-san! What’re you doing here?” Toru asked.
“Just checking on my cute little protégé. Looks like you’re doing great!” she said, laughing as if it were the funniest thing.
Realizing she had seen their antics, Aino and Toru exchanged glances, their faces burning.
But there was no time to be embarrassed. Toru had something to discuss with her.
“Toka-san, about Chika’s engagement…”
“Oh, that? I figured you’d feel bad for poor Chika-chan and want to help.”
“Well, yeah.”
“You’re too kind, Toru-kun. You should just let her deal with it,” she said coldly, surprising Toru. He had thought Toka and Chika, the current head’s secretary and the next head, were on good terms.
“Actually, her fiancé’s an acquaintance from my university days,” Toka added.
Her alma mater was a prestigious national university in Kyoto’s Sakyō ward. If that was true, this could be simple. If Toka negotiated, they might cancel Chika’s engagement with minimal fallout, keeping Toru’s engagement to Aino intact and letting Chika stay with them.
Toka seemed to read his mind. “I can arrange it, but there’s one condition.”
She leaned close, her lips near Toru’s ear, a hint of perfume making his heart skip. “You don’t want to take over the Kōnoe family, do you, Toru-kun?”
“What?”
“The next head is chosen from those with Kōnoe blood. You’re eligible.”
Her expression was deadly serious. Normally, she was a carefree, approachable “big sister,” but Toka’s true nature was that of a sharp, capable businesswoman.
“Renjō Toru-kun, if you aim to lead the Kōnoe family, I’ll back you. First, I’ll free Chika-chan from her unwanted engagement and make her your ally.”
“Why…?”
“I want to change the Kōnoe family,” she said firmly.
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