Takatsuki-Ouji 3.9

Bocthan?

Young master? Obotchan?

Wait what?

That Shibasaki guy bowed towards Takatsuki-kun.

Eh? Ehh?! Who is this person, does Takatsuki-kun know him?! Such a scary-looking person? Furthermore, he bowed his head towards Takatsuki-kun? Ehh? Eeeh?!

Takatsuki-kun seemed to realize my confusion and rubbed my head.

“This is Shibasaki-san. He’s one of my grandfather’s employee.”

“Takatsuki-kun’s grandfather’s…?”

“Yup. Isn’t that right?”

Takatsuki-kun looked towards Shibasaki-san for confirmation.

“Y-yes, that’s correct. I’m indebted to young master’s old man.”

Old man? Hm? I wonder who Takatsuki-kun’s dad is? Old man, though? Dad? Hm?

“So it’s like that. That’s why, don’t worry, okay?”

“Um, sure… Ah, I’m Manaka Yu, nice to meet you. I’m also indebted to Takatsuki-kun.”

“So you’re young master’s friend? These people seems to have given you trouble, I truly apologize for that.”

Shibasaki-san bows deeply.

“N-no, I was just a little bit surprised, that’s all. Nothing really happened so we’re okay.”

“That’s a relief. If young master’s friend got hurt because of us, then we wouldn’t be able to see the light of day tomorrow.”

There was laughter and smiles, and I don’t really understand why but I joined in, laughing and smiling along.

“Hey! You guys, bow your heads!”

Shibasaki-san, who had been smiling all this time, suddenly called the dragon tattoo and his men behind him. Said men rushed to obey Shibasaki-san’s order and lowered their heads, shouting, “We’re sorry!”

“Well then, Manaka-kun. We should get going.”

“Ah, un.”

I bowed to Shibasaki-san and the other men, excusing ourselves before catching up to Takatsuki-kun who’d walked ahead.

When I was trying to catch up to Takatsuki-kun, he saw my arm. Seeing him staring at them, my line of sight followed his.

It was the part that that man grabbed. It looked a bit red and swollen. On the street, I stroked my arm and felt the swollen part throb.

I heard someone click their tongue from above. When I looked up, I saw Takatsuki-kun stare at my arms with a sharp glare that I’ve never seen before.

Then, without turning to look behind;

“Shibasaki.”

With a low voice that I’ve only ever heard in his head before, he called Shibasaki-san’s name.

“… Y-yes.”

Shibasaki-san, who was called out, for some reason sounded impatient.

“Discipline them properly, don’t cut any slack.”

With that said, Shibasaki-san had a complicated expression, as if suffering something grave, bowed, “Understood.”

After that, Takatsuki-kun wouldn’t let go of my hand, all along the journey to the (train) station. Strangely, I couldn’t hear anything from Takatsuki-kun’s mind. It was embarrassing, so I tried again and again to get him to let go, but every time I tried, his grip became tighter and tighter, so I gave up so that his grip would loosen.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hm? What for?”

“You got injured because of me…”

“This? This is just a small injury, not a big deal. It’s not Takatsuki-kun’s fault.”

Besides, it felt like I was being saved by Takatsuki-kun. Then, as if in a tea ceremony, Takatsuki-kun lowered his brows, looking very apologetic.

“This was so useless.”

This, as in whatever he bought back at the discount store. He handed the purchase bag to me.

I looked inside.

“Security buzzer…?”

I took out the item inside, written on the package was kids security buzzer, complete with kuma (bear) pictures on it.

“I thought, if Manaka-kun had this, I wouldn’t worry too much.”

Did he go to the discount store just to buy this? For me? This Takatsuki-kun asked for this fancy security buzzer at the register and bought it?

But even so, a security buzzer is a bit… I cannot imagine what I’d use this for.

“… Pfft, pffhahahahahahahaaha! Takatsuki-kun, you went through the trouble of buying this for me? Ahahahah! But, I’m a high school student you know? Ahahah and moreover I’m a guy! I’ve never seen a high school student who has a security buzzer ahahahahah!”

I laughed so much that my stomach hurts.

Please, no more. Whether Takatsuki-kun may or may not be an official yakuza, whether or not his body is so obviously not an amateur at fighting, whether he’s a simple guy or someone very different from the general populace, none of that matters. Takatsuki-kun is definitely a kind person who earnestly thinks about me and my safety, there is no mistake.

Watching Takatsuki-kun’s embarrassed and troubled face, I thought so.

Prince Takatsuki And The Way Home

END

T/N: In this chapter… there was this confusing part, right? The one with Takatsuki-kun saying that Shibasaki-san being his grandfather’s employee, but then Manaka-kun associates it with old man, dad, and stuff. Oyaji means old man, and it’s a rude way to address the older people, and could mean both grandfather and father. I mean, I was confused with that, it didn’t make much sense to me (/v-“)

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