「…but, how did they know we’re here?」
I asked Margo-san.
We resume our lunch again.
The rest of the lunch Katsuko-nee has prepared was safe because Megu quickly put them in the basket when the fake right wing broke in.
Now, Margo-san who was just rampaging picks a sandwich with us.
「That’s obvious…Minaho’s leaked info gets into them」
Margo-san’s face looks natural.
「Eh…Why?」
Why did she invite the enemy on purpose?
「Well you see…」
Margo-san looks at Yukino…
It must mean not to talk about the 『Shirasaka head house』in front of Yukino.
I nod.
「If have established the fact that the『enemy』has made an attack…we can fight the 『enemy』thoroughly with a cause」
Earlier…Minaho-neesan told the lawyer of Shirasaka family a lot of things.
But, that is just a 『Punishment』against the villain Shirasaka Sousuke…
It’s not a 『declaration of war』against Shirasaka head family…
…But…the fake right wing hired by the Shirasaka family attempted to kidnap Megu.
This is an attack of 『Shirasaka head family』to 『Kuromori』
That’s why will will go on an all-out fight with 『Shirasaka head family』
The one who has crossed the line was 『Shirasaka family』…
Is that what it meant?
「Of course…This leak is concerned with Kouzuki-san too. Those strange fake right wing 『Enemy』who came to us might be mediated by Kouzuki-san from behind」
Margo-san analyzes…
Minaho-neesan has completely obstructed the connections of the underground society to Shirasaka family completely.
And yet…Suddenly an organization cooperating with Shirasaka family appears, those kind of possibilities should be fully considered too.
「…Kouzuki-san thinks of it as an opportunity to introduce each other」
…Introduce each other?
「Me to Kudou-san…and Kudou-san to me… Instead of talking and taking time, it would be easier to understand by showing the fighting ability of each other. How one thinks and how one moves…!」
Margo-san looks at Kudou-san while smiling.
Kudou-san…drinks the tea Megu prepared expressionlessly.
「…It’s inevitable if it’s Kouzuki-sama’s order but…my only master is father. I don’t intend to ask others for their teachings」
She’s a small and cute girl on the outside though…
Her personality is obstinate and stubborn.
「It’s not that I intend to teach you anything…」
Margo-san said clearly.
「But…if you are a pro, you have to work on people from other teams…」
「That’s right Michi! You’re still inexperienced. I think you shouldn’t stick to your own style!」
Misuzu tells Kudou-san.
「But…I’m Kudou Martial artist」
Kudou-san sticks to her own position to the end.
「…Then, you won’t be able to protect anyone, you will also die」
Margo-san…
「…I don’t care about your style…I don’t even care on who you are. If you’re someone who knows what to prioritize…I will accept you」
Kudou-san’s eyes opened wide in surprise.
「But…if you are a foolish and stubborn one…I will knock you out and have Kouzuki-san take you back…」
Margo-san’s spirit makes Kudou-san bend her body straight.
「…Do you intend to eliminate me?」
Calmly…Kudou-san stretches her hand on her bag.
「No matter how combat efficient you are, someone who doesn’t know priorities are just a hindrance…」
Margo-san also raises her feet…
With Margo-san’s muscle strength, she can move to Kudou-san’s place in a moment and attack.
「…Are you saying that I’m hindrance!」
The middle school girl who’s a self-proclaimed a student of old martial arts seems to be offended…
She moves her hand inside the bag immediately…!
…Ah, geez.
…What a troublesome child.
It would be troublesome if she takes out her 『Missile punch』or 『Jupiter Thunderbolt』again.
I grabbed Kudou-san’s hand.
「…Eh?!」
Kudou-san blinks her eyes and looks at me.
「…W-w-w-w-w-w-w-what are you doing?!」
Kudou-san’s face turned red.
「…You’re not allowed to use weapons. Kudou-san, I think you should calm down」
I said.
「I think the same」
Misuzu affirms my words.
「Michi, you’re too bloodthirsty for a guard. Guards don’t stand out that much!」
Yeah…I think so too
This girl likes flashy things.
But…Kudou-san right now isn’t listening to Misuzu.
She’s in a feverish haste looking at my hand holding her down…
「…M-Misuzu-samaaa?!」
「…What’s wrong, Michi?」
Looking at the panicking girl who’s usually expressionless…
Misuzu asks wonderingly.
「T-This man is touching my hand!」
…Ah
…Was it rude of me touching her all this time?
「…Oh, sorry sorry」
I release my hand.
But still…Kudou-san looks at her own hand.
「…I wasn’t able to feel the bloodthirst」
Kudou-san mutters.
「…Bloodthirst?」
When I asked, Kudou-san glares at me…!
「Yoshida-sama…which school are you from…?!」
「…School?」
「…Iai? Aikido?」
Kudou-san looks at me with serious eyes.
「No, I’m not doing any martial art though…」
「…There’s no way that’s true!」
Kudou-san shouts!!
「…Normal men can never erase their presence and touch me!!!!」
…Even if you say that.
「Any men…will have a unique presence when they approach me…!」
Kudou-san observes me.
「…When men approach me, they feel a bit nervous…they’re holding a complicated 『thoughts』」
Well…Kudou-san is an amazing beauty…men would be nervous just from looking at her.
「…Especially on the street on the way to school, sometimes, men turn their evil 『thoughts』to me…!」
…Eh?
…E-Evil 『Thoughts』?
「…Could that be a molester?」
I asked it.
「No, there’s no way a vicious man like a molester can get close to a Kudou style practitioner!」
「I-Is that so?」
I see…so you can know『thought』that much
「Yes…I absolutely ride only a female exclusive vehicle when going to school!」
…Err
…Kudou-san
That’s unelated to being a practitioner right?!
「『Evil Thought』is you see…that!」
…That?
「…『Letters』!」
…『letters』?
「Occasionally at the station platform in the morning…a man brings a letter filled with 『evil thought』 while saying 『Uhm, please read this』!」
…T-That’s.
…Could that be?
「Those kind of men emits a very strong wicked 『aura』! And of course…the 『letter’s』content is wriggling with 『Evil thought』as well!」
Kudou-san speaks passionately…
Now then…what should we do?
「That happens three times in a day! There’s also five waiting to ambush me in front of the school gate!」
Yup…She’s popular.
「I think everyone of them are sent out buy a different martial arts group hostile to Kudou style! They intend to exhaust my spirit by throwing their evil 『Thought』!」
…Aaaaaaaaaaa.
…W-What should we do?
「Kudou-san…Could it be that you never read the contents of the letter?」
I try to ask that at least.
「Obviously! Why should I open an envelope filled with such fearsome 『Evil thoughts』!」
…A-As expected.
「Then…How do you dispose of the letters?」
When I asked…Kudou-san’s eyes flared up…!
「…I burn them!」
…Burn…?
「…Such evil『thoughts』needs to be burned by flames of purification…!」
…F-Flames of purification
「For that sake, I always bring this 『Burning Plazma』close to myself…!」
Saying that, Kudou-san takes out a red electric lighter from her pocket.
「…That lighter」
「Yes…with this 『Burning Plazma』I completely purify it with the flames in front of the person who have given it to me…!!!」
…She’s burning it without reading?
…With that 『Burning Plazma』?
「…Misuzu. Uhm, could it be that Kudou-san is…?!」
While we’re amazed from hearing out Kudou-san’s talk…Misuzu from the side calmly drinks her tea.
She’s already used to it.
It seems that she already knows this talk since Kudou-san’s younger times.
「Yes, it is as Danna-sama thinks…Michi has been on an all girl’s school since she was a child. Just like Misuzu…!」
The super ojou-sama school Misuzu is going, I heard that it is complete from nursery to high school…
In short, this girl has no immunity towards men?
「To be honest, Misuzu is surprised as well…This is also my first time seeing Michi talking to a man for a long time…」
…I-Is that so?
「Anyway! Whenever men approaches me, they surely emit evil『thoughts』 I can feel that! Therefore…No man has ever touched me other than my father and brother!」
She’s a boxed lady in some meanings.
Even though she’s swinging iron balls…
No…Speaking of which.
This girl didn’t beat up the men unless she used steel ball or the baton…
She’s avoiding direct contact with her opponent?!
「Even my father nor brother haven’t touched my body for these three years!」
Kudou-san pats her chest.
「Especially father, his『Bloodthirst』is strong so…even now, at times he try to touch me, I can dodge him on whatever situation it is…!」
That’s not martial arts…
That’s just his father wanting skinship from his daughter…
No, it feels pitiful for him so let’s not think about it.
「And yet… Why I wasn’t able to notice Yoshida-sama’s thought and why was he able to touch my hand?!」
The petite beautiful middle school girl stares at my face.
…W-Well
…E-Errr
「…Michi, you don’t get it?」
Misuzu laughs./
「…I don’t. Misuzu-sama. Please teach this one…!」
Kudou-san looks at Misuzu with a serious face.
Misuzu answers with a smile.
「Danna-sama doesn’t have any evil thoughts towards you…!」
…No evil thoughts?
「My Danna-sama…completely opens his heart to his allies he can believe in」
「…Is he accepting me as his ally?」
Kudou-san looks at me.
「That’s right. He thinks of Michi as his ally already so he stopped Michi’s hand so you won’t fight Margo-san. That’s the only thought he had… There’s no 『Evil thought』nor 『Blood thirst』so Michi wasn’t able to reject Danna-sama’s hand touching her」
「He doesn’t feel 『Evil thoughts』nor『Blood thirst』towards me?」
「That’s right, for Michi who can feel the 『danger』…you were unconsciously avoiding Danna-sama’s hand right? Your heart felt safety from Danna-sama’s 『Hand』…therefore, Danna-sama was able to touch you…」
Misuzu explained.
「…Is that how it is?」
Kudou-san looks at me with eyes of surprise.
Err…How should I answer her?…
「I don’t intend to fight Kudou-san. You’re protecting Misuzu so I think of you as an ally. Also…As expected, I don’t want you to fight Margo-san who’s my ally as well so I purely wanted to stop Kudou-san…that’s why I hold Kudou-san’s hand. That’s all. There’s no special reason for doing it…!」
…Somehow, it feels strange.
I don’t intend to make an excuse but it looks like I’m making one.
「…I’m very sorry, Yoshida-sama!」
Kusou-san bows her head with her hands on the ground.
「…Eh?!」
「I have never thought Yoshida-sama relies on me that much!」
Haa…Someone save me.
This girl is quite troublesome.1
「Michi…you’re still young. You need to meet various people and learn…」
Misuzu tells Kudou-san.
「That is the same for me. In these several days…I’ve met a lot of people starting from Danna-sama. I was taught various things I never knew about…each and every day」
Misuzu smiles at Kudou-san.
「I love Danna-sama, I respect him. I think he’s a very wonderful man. He’s my pride, my treasure…!」
…Misuzu?
「I also respect Megumi-san the same. I love her. This one has a stronger heart than me…a much more wonderful woman than me」
「That’s not true…」
Megu who’s on the back this all time spoke to Misuzu.
「I respect Misuzu-san more. Misuzu-san’s always bright and cheerful…she’s always bearing kind feelings to everyone around her. I also love Misuzu-san」
… Megu
「You have said 『Let’s get along forever』before, didn’t you? I was very glad that time…very grateful of Misuzu-san」
Megu said.
「Even I always envy Megumi-san’s strength. I also want to throw my family like Megumi-san and jump into Danna-sama to be alone with him…」
「…Misuzu-san」
「But…I don’t have the courage to abandon my house. That’s why I’m envious of your courage. As a person…as a woman…I respect you」
Misuzu said.
「It’s not just Megumi-san…Margo-san’s excellent physical ability and judgement is wonderful…Katsuko-sama’s strong kindness to the core…Nagisa-sama’s broad-mindedness…Nei-san’s brightness…Yuzuki-sama’s iron-like will…everyone is wonderful. Ten times more charming than me, much more intelligent, filled with energy and judgement…!」
Misuzu isn’t a formal member of 『Kuromori』
She’s only related somehow through me.
Misuzu looks at the women of 『Kuromori』like that.
「I feel happy because I was able to meet women who are superior at me at this time. And I think that this inferior me must not grow jealous, nor depressed, accept it upfront and polish myself. I don’t know what will happen in the years ahead but…I want to be a fantastic woman that’s able to stand on par with everyone…!」
Misuzu looks at me.
「…Me too… I want to be with you forever」
Megu said…
「Misuzu-san…I feel the same as well. I’m no match against any of the other women but…I’d do my best to be as strong as everyone someday…if not, I can’t live together with Yoshi-kun…」
…I
「…W-What are you saying? Aren’t Misuzu and Megu much more amazing than I am? You two are charming…strong…kind… Even though I’m the one thinking that I have to do my best so everyone won’t run out of patience for me…!」
Even though I’m the most useless member of the society, a fool, inferior.
Even though I’m just being helped by everyone out of pity…
「…I love you」
Misuzu tells me.
「Danna-sama who does his best like that is what I love the best!」
「I love you too…Yoshi-kun!」
Megu…smiled and said.
「I love you too…Misuzu…Megu…!」
The three of us look at each other.
Then…smiled at each other.
「Hey…Michi」
Misuzu turns to Kudou-san.
「You’re the practitioner of the Kudou style martial art you’re proud of, but…」
Kudou-san looks at Misuzu’s eyes as she listen to her talk.
「I think it’s not bad…you don’t have to rely on the power you have acquired but look for something you need to learn in the future」
…What you need to learn in the future
「We’re still young after all…」
Misuzu smiles kindly.
「You need to have feelings of respect even to the people who don’t have power currently…you also need to learn from the people you respect」
Misuzu’s words sinks inside Kudou-san…
「…『Learn』?」
「That’s right…Humans are evolving creatures. Unable to do it yesterday, able to do it today…tomorrow they’ll be good at it. You have to think about improving yourself like that…!」
Misuzu said.
「Can I say something?」
Margo-san interrupts the conversation of the two.
「Yes please」
Misuzu accepts happily.
「Kudou-san…You’re small and you don’t have the power and weight so how about select a method of attack for the current you?」
Margo-san seems to be talking about the 『combat efficiency』and 『strategy』in a way easy to understand for Kudou-san.
「…Yes, that is right」
「Then…Kudou-san, how old are you right now?」
「…15 years old」
「You’re not growing taller anymore?」
「No…I’ve grown taller by five centimeters since last year」
「…Do you have no intentions of growing taller in the future?」
「…What do you mean by that?」
Kudou-san seems to be annoyed again.
「Well…If the you right now don’t intend go grow taller, I can’t see you practicing your current techniques」
…True.
The 『Chains and steel ball』the 『Missile Punch』and the 『Baton』
She has to think of what to do to remove the disadvantage of her small body.
「That…this is the only thing I can do right now…」
Kudou-san objects making an unpleasant face.
「Hmm, then every time you grow taller and heavier…You have to look for a strategy suitable for that figure from scratch again…」
「…That is」
Kudou-san fell silent.
「Of course…if you do that, you won’t reach the time to make it suitable. You won’t be able to master one technique seriously」
「…That is not」
「It was okay with the small fry like today but…incomplete techniques like that won’t go through the real 『enemy』 You do know that much right?」
「…Yes」
Kudou-san looks down
「That’s is why we all spend years to polish our techniques. Even I’m the same…I’m quite big after all. Making tight turns don’t work. And my main job is to guard Minaho and Nei. I have to polish my hand to hand combat as I use my body to protect them. I train everyday with that kind of thought」
Margo-san said.
「Kudou-san…you should have a mental image of your ideal figure after a few years…」
「…My ideal in the future?」
「That’s right…you’re a middle school student currently, imagine your ideal self in the future and think what you should do to achieve that. What kind of training you should do…what kind of experience you have to acquire…」
Kudou-san exhales.
「I…have never though of that myself until now. My father always thinks 『Just do what you can right now』, 『Keep yourself in the best state at the moment』」
Margo-san laughs.
「What Kudou-san’s father said and what I just said isn’t that different」
「…Eh?」
Kudou-san’s surprised.
「Kudou-san…Your father’s word of 『Accepting』is different」
Suddenly…Misuzu shouts
「I see…so that’s why!」
…Misuzu?
「This is why my grandfather…he understood that Michi has already reached her limit of understanding under Kudou-san…that’s why he sent out Michi to train outside…!」
Train…outside?
「…There are a lot of opinions from various people in the world. Just like how my world has expanded when I met Danna-sama…Michi should also meet various people too…!」
「…Misuzu-sama?」
Misuzu smiles and speaks to Kudou-san.
「First…you should embrace the thought of respecting the people much more excellent that yourself. Learn from those people’s perspective and thought…Michi’s outlook on the world has changed because of Margo-san’s opinion, right?」
「…Yes」
「Go and change even more. I will be the same…!」
Misuzu looks at me.
「After coming to love Danna-sama…everyday is a heart throbbing experience. Anything makes my heart throb for the first time in my life. When you experience those heart throbbing things…that will become an experience. Even if it won’t make your heart throb on the second time it would feel comfortable…but you see」
Misuzu laughs.
「The throbbing won’t be lost. Once you experience something heart throbbing…something new will make your heart throb again in the future! I’m very happy right now. Being together with Danna-sama…I always come with something new to make my heart throb! I’m sure, I will continue to feel this heart throbbing for all my life…!!!」
…Misuzu!
「That’s why…Michi should also feel her heart throb while learning with us!」
…Kudou-san.
「Yes…Understood. Misuzu-sama」
She answers.
「What’s with you people…Are you really idiots?!」
Yukino who’s been hanging her head all this time ahead of us has said.
「I’m fed up with this already! Let me go already! I already had enough going through this idiocy! I can’t endure this already!」
1. Dareka tasukete ↩