Takatsuki-Ouji 4.9

Takatsuki-kun’s hand slowly released Ryu-san’s chest, covering his eyes afterwards.

“It’s fine already. Even if I sigh over it and blame big brother for it, time wouldn’t rewind itself… What’s done is done.”

“Ryo… It’s okay, Ryo. From when Yuu first came here until now, everything has been recorded with a hidden camera. You’ll be able to watch it properly.”

See, right there, and there, and there, and there, he pointed his finger towards the ceiling, the hanging scrolls, the folding screen, and the pot.

Wait a sec Ryu-san. What do you mean? Is it that you’ve prepared these hidden cameras and that you’ve been recording me? That’s like sneak shots* right. It’s a type of crime, isn’t it.

“I’ll drop the disc off to you later, so don’t be sad Ryo.”

“Big brother, please don’t joke with me. Looks like your forte is in making me completely angry.”

“Ryo…?”

“If you’d truly reflected on yourself, then you wouldn’t hand over the disc but the whole data. Only I’m allowed to see Manaka-kun’s cute appearance. Of course that excludes you, big brother. So I’ll collect all the hidden cameras later myself.”

“Ryo! You’re such an oni! A bad, bad devil!” (T/N: Japanese Ogre, go search Ao Oni, it’s a popular game :v)

“You can call me whatever you want. You made me angry enough to be like this.”

“I beg of you, Ryo…! At least, at least the scene where Daigoro mounted Yuu…!”

Takatsuki-kun shakes off Ryu-san who was leaning onto him, giving him a cruel look;

“You’re a foolish person. You investigated about Manaka-kun, and yet, had you realized about my existence and brought this plan up to me, then today might’ve been a three-people enjoyment already. If you’re feeling bitter, then go ahead and blame your own immature abilities.”*

He told him to throw it away.*

“Damn it…!!”

Ryu-san turned towards the nearest wall and started beating it, while Takatsuki-kun came towards me, looking triumphant.

Hey, I wonder if I can say it once more. I wonder if I can tell them what my heart’s thought are once more.

Are they idiots? Are these pair of brothers idiots?

“Manaka-kun, let’s go home.”

Takatsuki-kun grabbed my hand and pulled me up, putting another hand on my waist to support me. And then, for some reason he’d already prepared a T-shirt that’s to my taste and put it on me. The size also fits perfectly.

Thanks, I expressed the little gratitude I had with my usual soft smile. And then, just as we left the room with our hands connected;

“Ryo.”

Ryu-san called in a low voice, stopping us.

“Sure, as you said, I’m to blame. At this time, you should avoid arguing hostilely with me as an individual or even the organization as whole (basically making enemies everywhere). That’s why, I’ll step aside for this time only.”

Sometime ago, because we were joking around a little bit, I couldn’t feel his aura at all, but a profound voice reminded me that Ryu-san was not an ordinary person.

“However, you like Yuu in the same way I like Yuu. Even if you mutually love each other, I will not back down. You and I, we are of the same nature. That’s why I understand.”

““The things that I want, I’ll always get it.””

Both of their voices overlap. And then, Takatsuki-kun who had his back turned towards Ryu-san’s figure gave out a small sigh.

“Of course I understand, we’re brothers after all. Even if I glare at you until the end, none can escape, huh.”

“Exactly. If you understand then it’s okay.”

“But, you know.”

Takatsuki-kun tightened his hold on my hand until it can’t escape, and looked back towards Ryu-san.

“For me, my feelings for Manaka isn’t at the level of ‘want’. We’re not the same.”

He ceased his glare towards Ryu-san.

“For you, you’ll selfishly not give up on Manaka and keep on chasing him. But you see, your enemy isn’t Manaka, but me. If you want to get him, then you’ll have to go through me first. If you come at me with your power as an individual, then I’ll come at you with my own power as an individual; if you come at me with the organization’s power, then I’ll come at you with the organization’s power. You also understand don’t you, the one that old geezer truly wants as a successor. The me who’s stepped back from the annoying successor position, if that old geezer heard a glimmer of the successor topic again, you know who he’ll side with. Based on that, you can have it your way.”*

Takatsuki-kun’s words made Ryu-san’s face scrunch up as if he’s eaten a bitter pill.

As for me, individual stuff or organizational stuff or successor stuff, I can’t understand it; but it seems like this situation wouldn’t be easily settled by the two of them.

That’s all Takatsuki-kun has to say, pulling my hand, we left the room afterwards. We passed by many different people as we left the mansion, and seeing Takatsuki-kun, they all hurriedly bowed their heads. When we left the gates of the mansion, a black-coloured Mercedes Benz was parked there, and Ryu-san’s car’s driver, Hazama-san, stood to its’ side.

“Young master.”

“Hazama-san, it’s been a while.”

“I’m glad that you’re fine.”

“I’m fine. Everyone else also seems well.”

“All of us, we’ve been waiting for the day young master comes home.”

“Big brother is over here.”

“….”

“I’ll come and visit again sometime.”

“… Yes sir, we shall be waiting.”

Hazama-san bowed his head deeply towards Takatsuki-kun, and opened the car’s rear door.

With Takatsuki-kun’s escort-like form pushing me, I got onto the car, and he proceeded to get on after me. From the film-covered car window, I could see dozens of people coming to see us off, and once the car started moving, they all bowed their heads in Takatsuki-kun’s direction at the same time.

Our worlds are different. I can feel it. Between Takatsuki-kun and Ryu-san’s complex world, and my own mediocre world, both are different worlds.

“Scared?”

As if he’d seen through my feelings, Takatsuki-kun asked.

I’d be lying if I said that I’m not scared. Steady eyes on that strong body, just by standing he could emit such an intimidating sense of existence. For someone like that, I’m like a baby, if Takatsuki-kun hadn’t been there, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to escape that mansion.

I gave a small nod. But even though that, that is, saying that I’m scared of Takatsuki-kun, I couldn’t find the right words to say, and I didn’t know what to do, I grasped my knees tightly.

“I’m sorry…”

I looked upwards in surprise as Takatsuki-kun lowered his head, words of apology overflowing from his mouth.

Why, why would Takatsuki-kun feel the need to apologize? Takatsuki-kun was the one who helped me. Takatsuki-kun’s not the bad one, I’m the one who’s such a wimp. Even though nothing was done except for two different worlds brushing each other, those other people, I didn’t see their appearance but I could see that their true nature was without selfishness nor fear. The bad one is my weak heart.

“Mm, please don’t apologize, Takatsuki-kun. The bad one was me, the coward. Besides, I’m sorry for troubling you. Thank you for coming to save me.”

“Manaka-kun…”

Takatsuki-kun gently narrowed his eyes, touching my cheeks;

“(Aah damnit, this is impossible I want to push him down and enter him right now.)”

Idiot! I’m also an idiot for listening to him!

“Young master. Where should our destination be? Shall we head to Manaka-sama’s house to send him off? Or shall we head to your house, young master?”

The driver asked.

“What are you gonna do, Manaka-kun? Should I send you to your house? (Let’s do it at Manaka’s place let’s do it at my place.)”

Eh, it’s been decided that we’ll be doing it? When was it decided, I wonder?

But, whether we do it or not do it nor whether there is the place to do it or not, I still have some words left unsaid that I wanted to tell Takatsuki-kun. I want to properly tell him the feelings that had been realized. I want to tell him that I like him.

Hmm what should I do. Whether my confession takes place at my house or Takatsuki-kun’s house, both are okay. Oh, that’s right, mom did tell me that her yoga circle’s people will be coming to our house this evening. It’s going to get noisy then… I don’t want to feel restless when confessing.

“I wanna go to Takatsuki-kun’s home.”

Un, it’s better than going home.

“Roger that.”

Takatsuki-kun’s face was full of sparkles and smiles at my reply.

T/N: Sneak shots; sneak photography, non-consensual photography. Couldn’t find the word I wanted to use.

“… If you’re feeling bitter, then go ahead and blame your own immature abilities.” Here Takatsuki-kun used ‘onore’, which is a super rude and gangster-y way of calling someone. From nice to rude, the way to calling ‘you’ in Japanese is roughly like this (to my knowledge); Anata (more of an affectionate way)-> omae (commonly used)-> kimi (rude but still acceptable)-> onore.

He told him to throw it away; I don’t know if this is like, Manaka telling him to throw the recordings away before or if it’s Takatsuki-kun.

Btw btw orz, that long sentence about successors and stuff D: Takatsuki-kun talks so much wanna cri.

Prev | Project Page | Next