“…Am I… too unworthy as a man…?”

​

The evening of the ball sports day, I was alone in my room, racking my brains out.

​

The cause of my intense reflection was the kiss on the cheek, the confession, and finally, the kiss on the lips—all of which were initiated by Charlotte-san.

​

Come to think of it, she was also the one who suggested we go to school together.

​

I should be taking the lead as her boyfriend. If this continues, won’t she be bothered…? Should I, at least, be the one to bring up sex? …However, talking about it so soon into our relationship might make Charlotte-san assume I was only interested in her body...

​

That being said, while I was struggling with this, Charlotte-san might take the initiative again… Honestly, I neither knew nor could decide the right course of action to take.

​

“…For now, I should take care of another important matter.”

​

Realising that simply worrying about the situation wouldn't lead me anywhere, I made a conscious decision to shift my focus onto something else.

​

Something that, too, was of equal importance. 

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“Will he answer…?”

​

I dialled a certain person’s number, a tinge of unease surfacing within me.

​

He was someone whom I had tried to avoid dealing with for as long as possible, so naturally, it was my first time calling him in a while.

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“…What do you want?”

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After about three rings, the person I was calling— my foster father, President Himeragi-- picked up the phone.

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“It’s been a while. I called because I wanted to discuss a significant matter.” I replied.

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“Hmm, significant matter? Sounds like something I couldn’t care less about.”

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In his typical fashion, it was clear that this person was deliberately trying to provoke as well as anger me, aiming to bait me into saying something I would later regret. He was completely looking down on me, but it would be foolish to let him get under my skin.

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“Indeed, that may be so. However, it’s an important subject to me, and it’s something that I believe will concern the Himeragi family in the future.”

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“Heh, you already consider yourself part of Himeragi, do you? Well, go ahead then, speak.”

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“I apologise for the late report, but I got a girlfriend about a month ago. Which is why, I-“

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“Hah, ridiculous. Your raison d'etre is to serve the prosperity of the Himeragi Group. I've already found several spouse candidates for that purpose. Break up with that girlfriend of yours or whatever she is immediately.”

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So, he really doesn’t intend to give me a choice, huh? In any case, he had also already identified some potential fiancées for me… It seemed like he had moved much faster than I expected.

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“I have no intention of breaking up with her.”

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“Do you intend to defy me? Who do you think is responsible for the comfortable life you have right now? Have you ever stopped to consider who has been providing for you all these years, an orphan with no blood ties? You may not be officially part of Himeragi yet, but don’t forget: you owe Himeragi.” 

​

His voice carried an absence of any hints of anger as he spoke to me.  There was a detached, matter-of-fact tone to his words, and I could tell he viewed me solely as nothing but a tool.

​

“Of course, I haven’t forgotten your kindness. I intend to repay you for your care by working.”

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“That is why I’m telling you to devote yourself entirely to Himeragi. Well, fine then. The promise I made with you was to let you be free during high school. I’ll overlook the fact that you have a girlfriend for now. But remember, it’s you and that girl who will suffer in the end.”

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After saying that, President Himeragi ended the call. He must’ve thought that further discussion would be pointless.

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The only reason I had access to freedom in my high school years was due to the understanding that my involvement with Himeragi would come after graduation. It was surprising that he hadn't forced us to end our relationship right away, possibly assuming that my concern for her would eventually make me step back. Unfortunately for him, I was no longer so understanding that I would take the route that he anticipated.

​

What’s clear for now was that there wasn’t much time left.

​

If I failed to take action before an official engagement was arranged, I risked antagonising not only Himeragi but also other influential conglomerates. Furthermore, President Himeragi might try to force the fiancée and I to get together. If that happens, Charlotte-san might be harmed. In other words, I needed to come up with a plan as soon as possible—although, honestly speaking, I couldn't deny feeling a certain level of hesitation.

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The reality was that I did owe a considerable debt to the Himeragi Group, especially to Kanon-san, the daughter of the influential family who had been a caretaker for me since my early years. I was able to play soccer thanks to her, and she also provided me with an environment to study in. According to the maid who accompanied me, those expenses were apparently paid for with Kanon-san’s own allowance.

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Even though the conglomerate, in and of itself, had been great to me before, they’re still supporting me now. Not to mention, there was someone there who cared for me like how one would care for a younger brother. Could I really just turn against them?

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That would be nothing more than an act of ingratitude.

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“Shit… Why do things always have to be so complicated…” I couldn’t help but grumble to myself. If only the situation were clearer, I wouldn’t be worrying about it to this extent.

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Regardless, there was one thing I’ve made up my mind on.

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That was—prioritising Charlotte-san’s happiness, above all else.

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**

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No matter the cost, I’ll continue to protect her happiness. That was my duty as her boyfriend, right?

“—Akihito-kun, sorry to keep you waiting.”

​

After a few minutes, Charlotte-san and Emma-chan, who had gone back to their room to bathe, returned to mine. As always, both of them looked adorable in their nightgowns.

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“Onii-chan, let’s watch soccer…!”

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The moment Emma-chan settled onto my lap, she held out her hand pleadingly. Recently, she had been watching not just cat videos, but soccer ones as well, seeming to have gotten hooked on the sport while playing with me. Thanks to that, we had been playing outside more often, which was probably a good trend for Emma-chan.

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“Okay, here you go.”

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“Mm, thanks…!”

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As soon as she received the smartphone from me, Emma-chan started to dive into her own searches.. Until not too long ago, I was the one randomly choosing and giving her cat videos to watch, but lately, I’ve been letting her explore by herself as a form of studying.

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She was only able to input in English at the moment, but since she’s learnt the words for “cat” and “soccer” in Japanese, I plan to have her search in Japanese eventually.

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“Emma’s mood has improved, hasn’t it?” Charlotte-san asked, resting her head on my shoulder as we watched over Emma-chan.

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She spoke in Japanese, which meant she probably wanted to talk just between the two of us. This wasn’t an issue, since Emma-chan ignored us while she was watching the videos.

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“Yeah, I was wondering what was gonna happen when we picked her up from the preschool.” I responded.

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“We really went too far, doing it until it got dark.”

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Charlotte-san blushed as her eyes shyly averted away from me. Naturally, Emma-chan was angry with us for picking her up so late. The reason behind that; however, was that Charlotte-san and I couldn’t stop making out. She may be reminiscing about the kiss at this moment.

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…It was so, so soft.

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As I recalled the memory in my head, Charlotte-san suddenly spoke. 

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“Sh-should we turn on the TV?” Charlotte-san asked with a shy smile, probably trying to change the awkward mood.

 

I could hear the voice of a man, who seemed to be about my age, coming from the TV.

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“……..”

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Recognising that voice, I inadvertently turned my gaze towards the screen. And, on it was—

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“Ah, Kannagi-kun…”

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The voice uttering that name wasn't mine; it belonged to Charlotte-san, whose eyes, like mine, were glued to the TV. Sure enough, the person gracing the variety show at the moment was none other than Riku Kannagi, a person of the same age as me. 

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However, he wasn’t a celebrity. Riku was—a soccer player active on the youth team.

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“You know him?” I couldn’t help but ask as she gazed intently at the screen. 

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“Um…”

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Charlotte-san looked around uncomfortably, as if something wasn’t quite right, even though I didn’t think what I asked her was anything strange.

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“Well, I’ve been seeing him on TV quite a lot recently…” Charlotte continued. 

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It was true that Riku had been appearing on TV more recently. In fact, I bet he’s been on shows just as much as your average celebrity, so it wasn’t all that surprising that Charlotte-san would know his name.

“He’s a pretty popular youth player, with good looks and skills, so that might be why he was invited onto the program. He’s even active on streaming sites, too.”

​

Riku was an unnatural existence.

​

Due to him having been called up to represent his generation since high school, even though he wasn’t yet a pro, his fame was that of one. Even those who weren’t soccer fans knew his name and face. His involvement in video streaming likely contributed significantly to that.

​

Furthermore, video streaming services have just as many viewers as television these days. Among students, a significantly larger group is said to prefer watching videos over television.

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Riku's rise to celebrity status was practically destined. With his striking looks, versatile video content spanning beyond soccer, and genuine talent in the sport, it was inevitable. Moreover, his soccer skills were legit. It was honestly another thing about him to envy.

​

“We’re the same age, aren’t we?” 

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“Yeah, but…”

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Charlotte-san seemed to have taken an interest in him, hasn’t she…? Is it because of his resemblance to an idol—a handsome, tall, and kind-hearted man…?!

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“Akihito-kun…?”

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“No, it’s nothing.”

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I brushed it off with a smile when Charlotte-san looked up at me curiously. I wouldn’t let my face or attitude show something so pathetic, after all.

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But still—

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Damn you, Riku…!

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He used to loathe the media and even dodge interviews, so why, on earth, was he enticing Charlotte-san now…?! I started to vent about him in my mind, though of course, I knew it was nothing but a baseless accusation.

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“So, Shimizu-san, this kind of person is to your taste…”

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As I felt a slight tinge of anger towards Riku, Charlotte-san muttered something, her expression undoubtedly serious.

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…Yeah. I have an idea.

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“Charlotte-san.”

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“Kyaa?! Aah, Akihito-kun?!” Charlotte yelped, her face turning a brilliant red as I pulled her head towards me. I may have gone a bit too far.

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As a result, Emma-chan, who was watching her video on my lap, looked up at me in frustration. Charlotte-san’s voice must’ve been too loud for her comfort. Then, realising that I was pulling Charlotte-san in close—

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“Lottie’s cheating! Emma too!!”

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For reasons unknown, fueled with rivalry towards Charlotte-san, she pressed her face against my left cheek, which was left exposed. I now seemed to have unintentionally been sandwiched between two cute girls.

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“Akihito-kun, you’re so bold…” Charlotte-san, in her typical way, had somehow misunderstood why I drew her in…

​

With her face turned bright red, she closed her eyes and slightly puckered her lips as she turned her face towards mine.

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“In front of Emma-chan…?”

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“Ah…”

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Charlotte-san bashfully looked down when I pointed that out. Apparently, she was the type to get so caught up in her thoughts to the point of being oblivious to her surroundings.

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…I did think Emma-chan was making quite a fuss, though.

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“Onii-chan, Emma too…!”

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“Uhm, like this?”

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“Mm!”

​

As she tugged at my clothes, I gently pulled Emma-chan’s head closer, just like I did with Charlotte-san, and the former smiled contentedly. She probably wouldn’t be satisfied unless I gave her the exact same treatment, and that was adorable, so much so that I patted her head soothingly.

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“Ehehe…”

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Emma-chan, who was fond of being patted like this, gave her usual lovely smile in return. However—

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“Hmmm…”

​

Charlotte-san seemed disgruntled. It felt like her jealousy was worsening by the minute, but that too was cute, so I wasn’t about to complain.

​

For the time being, to prevent Emma-chan from noticing and getting anxious, I adjusted her in my arms so that her face was nestled against my chest. She then happily rubbed her face against my chest as I continued to pat her gently.

​

On the other hand, Charlotte-san watched Emma-chan with an envious expression. Really, she was just as much of a baby as her sister. After waiting for Emma-chan to be satisfied and confirming that she had started watching the soccer video again, I reached out to Charlotte-san’s head.

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“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

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I spoke to Charlotte-san in Japanese, so it would be fine even if Emma-chan heard us.

​

“Yes…!”

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Charlotte-san’s eyes sparkled happily, akin to a puppy waiting patiently for something. It even almost seemed as if she was wagging her tail.

​

After that, I continued to stroke Charlotte-san’s head until she, too, was satisfied.

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--Speaking of which, why did I pull her close again?

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**

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“.......”

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Emma-chan had long since fallen asleep by the time the clock struck midnight, and Charlotte-san and I were studying side by side.

​

While indulging in pampering and cuddling with Charlotte-san brought me happiness, studying remained a priority, so we allocated time for it. Lately, our moments of reading manga together had dwindled, replaced by me doting on Charlotte-san. After which, we would dedicate around two hours to studying.

​

I respected Charlotte-san’s wishes, since she wanted it that way. Of course, we still read manga or watch anime together sometimes, but it seemed like she preferred being pampered.

​

--I really wanted to increase our study time, but ever since we started sleeping together, Charlotte-san would stay up late if I did the same, and that would lead to her lacking sleep as well. Thus, I ensured we wrapped up our study session by 12:30 a.m.

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As a way to compensate, I occasionally engaged in my own studies while Emma-chan was learning Japanese, and at other times while she was watching videos.

​

“........”

​

Hm? What’s this?

​

For some reason, it felt like Charlotte-san was glancing over at me. I couldn’t quite tell since I only caught glimpses of her from the corner of my eye, but she appeared to be trying to get a read on me. Should I speak to her?

​

As I was pondering this, Charlotte-san began to approach me in a slow and cautious manner, before gently attaching herself to my arm. “Charlotte-san?”

​

She seemed troubled and her gaze wandered when I spoke to her. Perhaps she still hasn’t had her fill of being pampered? But, lately, we’ve gotten carried away with it, to the extent that our study time had been cut short...

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“.........”

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As I contemplated if I should just go with the flow and cut our study time short, Charlotte-san looked at me intently with a longing expression. It was impossible. I just couldn’t ignore her when she looked at me like that.

​

 “—Come here.”

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I placed my mechanical pencil on the desk and spread my arms, and Charlotte-san’s expression brightened up right after.

​

“Is-is it really okay?”

​

“Of course it’s okay. Let’s end our study session for today.”

​

That’s right, if Charlotte-san desired it, I was eager to comply as her boyfriend. I'd rather face any hardships later on my own than let her feel lonely. Besides, cuddling with Charlotte-san brought me the greatest joy.

 

“In that case... I’ll gratefully take you up on your offer...” She declared as she maintained a composed exterior, though in truth, she was fidgeting in impatience as she climbed onto my lap.

​

Cute.

​

“Aren’t you sleepy?” I asked her. 

​

“My chest feels warm and I’m really happy so... not at all.”

​

Why does she always say such adorable things? It just made me want to spoil her.

​

“Ah....mm.”

​

In response to my gentle head stroke, Charlotte-san twitched, possibly because it tickled..

But soon after, she smiled and went, “ehehe...”, and seeing her this happy, I couldn’t help but feel the same way.

​

After a while, Charlotte-san, seemingly satisfied, looked up at me.

​

“Akihito-kun.”

​

“Hm?”

​

“Do you have any dreams, Akihito-kun?”

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“Why’re you asking all of a sudden?”

​

“Well... I’ve always wanted to have this conversation with you...”

​

In other words, to her it seemed like a good time to ask.

​

“Dreams, huh... In the past, it was to go pro with Akira... but now, I haven’t really thought about what I want to do.”

​

With the path to becoming a professional soccer player closed off, I hadn't had the luxury of pondering the future since. Besides, it wasn’t like I would probably have many options for the future.

​

“Akihito-kun...” Charlotte started. 

​

“Don’t look so sad. I’ve come to terms with it, so don’t worry.”

​

“But...”

​

“More importantly, what about you, Charlotte-san? Do you have any ambitions?”

​

Thinking that she would remain downcast, I asked about Charlotte-san’s aspirations.

​

“I...”

​

Charlotte-san stole a quick glance at me before blushing and shyly looking away, her hand flying to cover her mouth in embarrassment. 

​

....What was she thinking of?

​

“Charlotte-san?”

​

“Um... There’s one thing that I’ve wanted to be since I was little.”

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“What is it?”

​

​

​

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“A bride...”

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With a bashful smile, Charlotte-san responded before covering her face with her hands. Yet, unable to resist her curiosity about my reaction, she peeked at me through her delicate fingers, her eyes sparkling with affection.

​

I mean, seriously...!

​

She was just too cute!

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TL/N: Raison d'être: The claimed reason for the existence of something or someone; the sole or ultimate purpose of something or someone. (literally "reason to be")

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TL/N #2: All dialogues where Emma is actively speaking uses a slightly different font as they’re conversing in English; all other dialogues using the same font as the body text are originally in Japanese

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