Chapter 1397. School Festival Day 2 / Concerto
「 Jasmine-chan likes Matsumoto Maki-san, right? 」
Mariko told Marika.
Eeeeeh?
「 U-Uhm, I… 」
Marika blushed out of embarra.s.sment.
「 And Matsumoto Maki-san’s also into Jasmine-chan 」
Mariko’s gaze turns to Matsumoto Maki-san.
「 Isn’t that why you decided to go all or nothing with Jasmine-chan’s story, right? 」
Thinking about it again, no matter how much these sisters were in danger of being forced by their grandfather to give up on their music study…
It’s not easy to take on a cla.s.smate’s suggestion and go to someone you don’t know, and ask for a.s.sistance, right?
「 But since it’s Jasmine-chan, someone you care about, you believed her. No, you want to believe her, that’s why you came here today 」
Matsumoto Maki-san.
「 Yes, you’re right 」
She admits what Mariko says about her.
「 I’ve always wanted to be friends with Takahata-san after hearing her play. I like Takahata-san’s piano 」
「 I like Matsumoto-san’s plays too 」
Marika and Matsumoto Maki-san smile at each other.
「 Wait! Wait! You girls! 」
Igarashi Izumi tries to get in between but…
「 You’re for later, so shut up for now 」
She glared and shut her up.
Then.
「 Uhm, Kou-san 」
Marika looked at me.
「 U-Uhm, things may have been out of order, so I’m sorry about that, but please listen 」
「 What is it? 」
That docile Marika’s trying to talk to me earnestly.
「 What I mean, is, uhm, I genuinely want Matsumoto-san to continue playing her piano. Matsumoto-san, and her sister, Miki-san as well. They’re both much more talented in music than me, so they have to continue making progress. It would be a shame if they quit music now. That’s absolutely true 」
I can tell that the Matsumoto siblings are talented too.
「 And so, I’m willing to do anything to help Matsumoto-san pursue music. Anything. So, Kou-kun, please help Matsumoto-san. Please, I’m begging you 」
Marika stood up from her chair and put her hands on the carpet floor in the princ.i.p.al’s office.
Then, she prostrates herself before me.
「 Wait, no, Takahata-san 」
Matsumoto Maki-san followed after Marika and sat in seiza on the carpet.
「 Nee-san 」
Her sister, Miki-san also followed her sister and sat right next to her with her precious violin in her arms.
「 We sisters don’t have that talent that Takahata-san would need to have to go through such lengths 」
「 No, it’s okay, Matsumoto-san 」
「 No, I’ll ask for it myself 」
Matsumoto-san looked up straight at me while sitting
「 I’m unsure who Kuromori-san is, nor what kind of power you have, but since Takahata-san trusts you, I do the same 」
Then.
「 Please help us sisters, no, even if it’s just Miki, please support Miki so she can continue her studies in violin. I don’t care what happens to me, so please 」
Matsumoto Maki-san prostrates herself. She’s rubbing her forehead on the floor.
「 Nee-san, I… 」
「 Miki, Grandfather’s going to sell that violin if you let him, are you okay with that? 」
Miki-san trembles and she looks at her violin.
「 I don’t want that. Never. I don’t want Father’s violin taken away 」
「 Then, you should ask for it 」
Her sister said, Miki-san puts her violin case down and her hand on the floor.
「 I-I…no, I don’t mind what happens to me. Please help us 」
Marika, and the Matsumoto siblings, the three beauties prostrate themselves to me.
I…
「 Frankly, it’s easy to convince Matsumoto-san’s grandfather to give up selling the violin and let Maki-san stay in her high school 」
I could just bring in one of the girls with Miko power, and order Matsumoto-san’s grandfather to forget about his granddaughters.
「 Yes, legally, the violin should be Miki-san’s property as she’s inherited that from her father. If you don’t want your grandfather to meddle with it, then Miki-san can pretend to sell it to Kou, then reorganize it so that Kou’s loaning it to you. Then, we notify Matsumoto-san’s grandfather through a lawyer, and he won’t be able to sell it off anymore 」
Mariko’s got a more realistic approach compared to my ideas.
「 As for Maki-san’s school, it’s okay as long as someone pays for your tuition, right? Your guardian is your mother, not your grandfather. The only problem is money, but that’s something we can fix, see? If you want, I can ask Father to give you music training scholarship from Torii electronics. It’s for college, but since you sisters have the talent, I can talk to grandfather to give you an exception 」
As long as she has the scholarship, Maki-san can continue going to the music school.
But, is that good enough?
「 Mariko, I don’t know much about the music world, but… 」
I sort the thoughts in my head.
「 I feel like in their case, letting them study music isn’t enough, right? 」
I remember the night I first met Marika.
Minaho-neesan let Marika play piano and asked if she wanted to become a professional pianist, saying that she could offer a.s.sistance.
The contents were…
「 I know that Matsumoto-san has great talent, but it’s not enough to go to the music school to hone their talent to become a pianist and violinist. They need to do more than go to a music school to hone that talent, right? 」
「 Oh, you’re right. If they want to become professionals, then school isn’t enough. They need private lessons from a good teacher and win compet.i.tions 」
Yes, that’s what Minaho-neesan said before.
「 Private lessons are expensive, right? 」
「 Indeed. What’s the point if you don’t get a good teacher, and I think those charge a lot. And in compet.i.tions, it’s not just in j.a.pan, eventually, you’ll have to study at a famous foreign music college and win prizes at traditional foreign compet.i.tions 」
If they’re going abroad, then that costs more.
「 Kou’s right. Keeping Miki-san’s violin and supporting Maki-san in her current school won’t be enough 」
Mariko agreed.
「 Matsumoto-san’s so talented that it would be a waste if they don’t become professionals 」
But, it’ll be costly to take that path.
Their grandfather owns a large drugstore chain so he must have money.
But, he’s not interested in music, and deep down, he wants to take control of his granddaughters.
Even if we use the Miko power to order them to give money, it’ll get complicated later on.
It’s not a big deal to alter his mind if we’re just making him give up, on Miki-san’s violin and Maki-san’s school.
If we alter to make him pay a huge amount to let them continue even though he doesn’t want it, then that’ll be a huge burden to their mind.
Altering a mind too deep using the Miko power can break them.
In particular, it’s best to avoid doing anything that could affect one’s personality.
「 I think so too 」
Tsukiko nods.
「 That means, that we need someone to help pay for Matsumoto-san’s studies until she becomes a professional in about ten years 」
If n.o.body’s willing to go that far, then it won’t make sense to maintain the status quo.
「 I-If it’s money, we can return it when we grow up. We’ll work hard to pay it back 」
The little sister desperately pleads.
「 I’m sure that I’ll become a professional and repay it 」
But…
「 I wonder about that? 」
Minaho-neesan, who had been quiet until now, speaks up.
「 It’s true that you have superior talent among the j.a.panese at your age playing the violin. I can recognize that, but who knows if you can continue showing that high-level talent five, or even ten years from now? 」
That’s…
「 It’s a common story, a prodigy in childhood, falls behind their growth and ends up being another ordinary person in adulthood. Besides, I heard that many who go study abroad end up overwhelmed, and ruined by people who are much more talented than they are 」
That’s also true.
「 Above all, it’s also likely that you get ill, or suffer a serious injury that makes it impossible for you to perform in the future. If that happens, all the money spent on you would be wasted, do you understand? 」
「 That’s… 」
Miki-san’s face sinks to gloom.
「 That’s why so many aspiring musicians rely on support from their families. It’s hard to invest in a dream like that without the love from the family 」
「 Indeed. Even those who got their scholarships from Torii electronics also get help from their families, because the scholarship alone isn’t enough 」
Minaho-neesan said. Mariko supplemented.
Then.
「 In other words, Matsumoto-san will have to join our family if they want continued support, is that right? 」
Erica, who’s been quiet next to Marika, speaks out.
「 Indeed. If they’re in the family, then that’s another story 」
Minaho-neesan smiles.
「 But, I think we need to take care of other things before we go to that 」
Minaho-neesan.
「 Kou’s the keystone of our family, so we don’t allow those Kou doesn’t need, nor those who don’t need him 」
Those who I need?
Those who need me?
「 As Marika-san mentioned herself earlier, the order’s messed up. I think that we need to reappraise Marika-san before talking about the Matsumoto siblings 」
Reappraise Marika?
「 Err, what do you mean by that, Minaho-neesan? 」
I asked.
「 U-Uhm 」
Another one who’s been quietly watching the situation, Kurose Anju, raises her hand.
「 I’ve only been here since yesterday, so I don’t know much yet, but I think I’m beginning to understand the peculiarities of the Kuormori house 」
The young bodyguard speaks timidly.
「 And so, I’ve been thinking… 」
Kurose Anju looks at Marika.
「 Uhm, lesbian relationships are okay in Kuromori-sama’s house, right? 」
Huh, lesbian?
No, I’ve had s.e.x with Marika multiple times already.
No, wait.
「 Takahata Marika-san likes Matsumoto Maki-san, right? 」
Kurose Anju looks at Marika and Matsumoto Maki-san.
Marika’s feelings towards Matsumoto-san are…
Yeah, she’s right.
It’s already far from being ordinary cla.s.smates, or friends.
That’s love.
I’m sure.
「 And, Matsumoto Maki-san also likes Takahata Marika-san. 」 Isn’t that right? 」
Recalling their expressions from the conversation earlier and…
I see. I get it.
「 The two of you have been mutually interested in each other, and today, you became more aware, and after that piano performance, it’s clear that the two of you figured out that you love each other, right? 」
Err.
Remembering it now…
「 The two of you say “I like how you play the piano. I want to play together with you forever,” wasn’t that just a confession? 」
That’s…
「 Just take the piano out of that line and you’ll see what I mean 」
Yeah, “I like your piano” goes to “I like you”
And “I want to play with you forever,” becomes “I want to be with you forever”
「 But if they prefer the same s.e.x, isn’t it hard for them to join Kuromori-sama’s family? 」
Kurose Anju said, but…
「 You don’t get it 」
Mariko stares at Kurose Anju.
「 Everyone already knows that Marika-san’s bis.e.xual 」
Huh, really?
I just thought that their friendship is too thick, but…
It didn’t come to me to the point where I thought Marika might be into girls.
Last night, I just had s.e.x with Marika.
「 But you see, everyone in our family is more or less into girls too 」
Mariko said.
「 You won’t get such an all-girl group gets along that well without that see? Even I love Momoko-oneesama just as much as Kou, and I also love other girls 」
True, Michi loves Misuzu.
And Misuzu was formerly Nagisa’s pet, and she even tried to take Karen as hers.
Ruriko’s having s.e.x with me but doesn’t want to talk to other men.
Mitama and Kinuka are definitely lesbian for Arisu and Misato.
Motoko and Kurumi’s relationship too.
「 Kana’s the only one who’s pure straight in our family I think. That’s why I like her. You can talk to her as a friendly girl and nothing else 」
Mariko said.
Right, Kana-senpai’s definitely cheerful when it comes to girls
「 That’s why you don’t have to worry about those who don’t get it Jasmine-chan. You’re already part of our precious family 」
Mariko also loves Marika as family.
But.
「 But, Mariko, I feel like there’s a difference between “also preferring girls” to “preferring girls” 」
I speak out my suspicion.
「 Look, Marika’s quite the docile girl. Maybe, she actually doesn’t want to do it with guys, but she had no choice 」
There’s also the fact that she got to see her sister, Erica, who had been separated from her for many years.
Since Erica’s my s.e.x slave, maybe she thought that she had no choice but to become my s.e.x slave too even though she doesn’t want to have s.e.x with me.
Speaking of which, whenever I had s.e.x with Marika, it was always with Erica.
Well, it’s because Marika’s got time constraints that she can only come to the mansion on the weekends.
Maybe she’s trying to hide her disgust from having s.e.x with me by doing it together with her beloved sister?
「 That’s not the case 」
Tsukiko speaks up.
「 Marika-san’s just embarra.s.sed to talk about it herself, and since it’s not an area she’s familiar with, I’ll talk instead 」
She probably hasn’t figured out her preferences yet.
Tsukiko, who can read minds, can explain it objectively.
「 Marika-san indeed has a strong preference towards women, but her love and respect for Kou-sama are deep. She enjoys her physical contact with Kou-sama. There’s no need to worry about that 」
So Marika isn’t exclusive to liking girls?
「 Besides, if Marika-san was reluctant with Kou-sama in the first place, she can’t hide it from me 」
Tsukiko and the Takakura shrine maidens always keep our mental conditions in check.
「 It’s not just us, but Kyouko-sama’s also very concerned with our problems 」
I see.
Kyouko-san’s a lesbian, and she checked if the thirteen girl a.s.sa.s.sins she brought from Southeast Asia aren’t bis.e.xual.
「 Uhm, I’m sorry 」
Marika speaks to me.
「 I truly respect Kou-san, and I won’t forget my grat.i.tude to you, and I’ve sworn to serve Kou-san for the rest of my life 」
Matusmoto Maki-san stares at Marika.
「 And, I don’t hate it. I love the time I spend with Erica-san when serving Kou-san. I believe that it’s a precious time for me 」
「 You should be clear about it, Marika-oneesama 」
Erica said.
「 Erica loves Kou-san. I know that I’m loved, so I have nothing to complain about in my life. I’ll do my best in serving too. Or should I say that I want to learn more 」
Erica smiled at me.
「 Okay, Onee-sama’s next 」
「 I… 」
Marika’s embarra.s.sed, but she speaks with conviction.
「 I like Kou-san. I’ll stay by your side forever. No, please let me 」
Saying that Matsumoto Maki-san’s face turns cloudy.
But…
「 And, I love Matsumoto Maki-san just as much. I love her. I want to be with Maki-san for the rest of my life 」
「 Takahata-san? 」
Maki-san’s surprised, looking at Marika’s face.
「 I’m sorry, but I’m a greedy woman. I want Maki-san, but I’ll treasure you. I love you after all 」
「 I… 」
As soon as Matsumoto Maki-san and Marika stare at each other…
「 No! You can’t do that!! 」
Igarashi Izumi-san shouts, unable to hold it any longer.
「 Maki’s mine! I won’t give her to you!! 」
She stood up and tried to grab Marika, but…
Clap.
Marika clapped her hand and Igarashi Izumi-san fell to the floor, unconscious.
「 Igarashi-san?! 」
Matsumoto Maki-san’s surprised, but…
「 Don’t worry about her. She’s just unconscious 」
Tsukiko explained.
「 Oh, while Jasmine-chan and Matsumoto Maki-san are in love with each other, Igarashi-san’s got a one-sided love for Matsumoto Maki-san 」
Mariko mutters.
「 Indeed, the line where she asked to come with them because she wants to get to know the TV people is a lie. She’s just worried about Matsumoto Maki-san, and that’s why she came after her 」
Tsukiko knew from the start.
Oh, the cla.s.smates know about the predicament of the Matsumoto siblings.
So, after hearing that Marika’s taking the Matsumoto siblings to see someone today, she’s worried about Maki-san and followed along forcibly.
「 She’s been into Matsumoto Maki-san since they enrolled 」
Tsukiko said.
「 So, what’s with that bad getup though? 」
Mariko asks Tsukiko.
「 It seems that if Marika introduces Matsumoto Maki-san to someone undesirable, she’d get in between and destroy the conversation 」
「 What? I don’t get it 」
Mariko said, but…
「 I get that, Igarashi-san’s trying to be the delinquent girl in her own way 」
I looked at Marika.
「 What kind of girl Igarashi-san usually is? 」
「 Normal, just an ordinary girl. 」 If I recall, her father works at a trading company 」
I see.
「 That means, that Igarashi-san’s just a normal young girl who attends a music school. It’s just her vision narrows when it comes to Matsumoto Maki-san that she dressed up stupid like this
「 Yes, her true nature is cute 」
Tsukiko said.
「 She also has a strong preference toward women, but she’s not purely lesbian. I think in her case, it’s just a strong longing for someone of the same s.e.x during p.u.b.erty 」
She admired Matsumoto Maki-san so much that she went off on such a crazy tangent just for her.
「 And, it’s not just her, Matsumoto Maki-san too 」
Tsukiko?
「 She’s not strictly into the same s.e.x. She’s just like Marika-san. She likes women, but she can also love men 」
Tsukiko looked at Matsumoto Maki-san.
◇ ◇ ◇
「 Wake up 」
Tsukiko calls Igarashi Izumi
「 Ugh, uuuuu 」
Igarashi Izumi regained her consciousness.
「 I’ll take her downstairs and have her wash her makeup 」
The princ.i.p.al’s office has access to the hidden staircase.
We have enough equipment there that we can confine ourselves for a few days and monitor the mansion and the school.
Of course, that includes toilets and shower rooms.
Tsukiko’s in the Nadeshiko department together with the prost.i.tute cadets, so I guess she’s been in the bas.e.m.e.nt with Minaho-neesan
「 If you’d please, Tsukiko-san 」
Minaho-neesan presses the switch hidden in the princ.i.p.al’s desk and the door to the bas.e.m.e.nt opens.
「 Okay, I think the conversation will go along better without me for a while 」
The Matsumoto siblings can’t be at ease talking to us if Tsukiko, who can read minds, and control people, remains.
「 If you’d excuse me then, let’s go 」
「 Okay 」
Tsukiko takes Igarashi Izumi.
「 It’s our turn to talk now 」
I look at the Matsumoto siblings who look worried.
「 I don’t think Matsumoto-san can understand what our family is like unless I tell you how Marika and Erica joined our family 」
「 Indeed, I’ll tell them the story 」
Mariko said.
「 Go back to your seats. We can’t talk like this 」
Marika and the Matsumoto siblings are sitting on the floor.
「 That’s right. Marika-oneesama, Matsumoto-san, take a seat 」
Erica said with a bright smile.
「 Matsumoto-san. 」
Marika looked at Maki-san, then…
「 I understand. Give us a moment, Miki 」
「 Yes, Nee-san 」
The three returned to their seats.
「 Well then, let’s start with Erica’s side! 」
Erica started the conversation with energy.