「 Took you too long! 」As soon as I open the door, Megu"s fuming in anger.
Edie"s making a blank face.
「 Yeah, sorry that we didn"t contact you, lots of things happened 」
「 That"s right! Yos.h.i.+-kun didn"t come to cla.s.ses no matter how much time pa.s.sed, and when we reached the bakery after school, there was n.o.body there! 」
Megu"s anger doesn"t die down.
「 Therefore, I called Katsuko-oneechan. When I heard that you were here, I came in a hurry. I even brought Yos.h.i.+-kun"s bag! 」
「 Thanks, Megu 」
「 Then, what"s that? You just had s.e.x with Ai-san… 」
I…
「 It"s something Ai and I need from now on… 」
I speak calmly.
「 Yos.h.i.+-kun? 」
Megu"s surprised.
「 Darling"s qi seems to have loosened up, what happened? 」
Oh, Edie found out about the change right away.
Ai"s slacking speed adjusted me to calm down.
「 You"ve been a bit flapping lately… 」
She said with a smile.
「 Well, enough of that, come in… 」
Also…
「 Yukino? You"re here? 」
I looked out and shouted.
「 I am! Shut up! 」
She shouts back.
「 Hey, come up here Yukino 」
「 Huh? 」
「 I want to talk with just us fellow first-years 」
Yukino, Megu, Edie, Ai, and me.
We"re all in our first year.
We"ll be in the same cla.s.s starting tomorrow.
「 Geez, you"re so hopeless 」
Yukino gets up the stairs.
「 What? Everyone"s working down here, and you"re in that room, naked? 」
She looked at me and said.
「 I mean, are you helping out? 」
「 My job is to stay still. I"m pregnant! 」
Well, sure, okay.
「 Come in everyone 」
They enter Ai"s room.
Ai"s sitting down on the bed, naked.
「 Err, good mor…no, good evening 」
Seeing that the sun"s about to set, Ai greets everyone as such.
「 We were together since daytime 」
Edie said in amazement.
「 Ah, T-That"s true, but, somehow, it"s been hours since then 」
Ai said.
There are a lot of turning points in life.
「 I see. A lot happened… 」
Edie, who"s smart, guessed it immediately.
「 Edie, if you find something out, then don"t keep it for yourself! I don"t know what"s going on so explain it to me 」
Megu gets angry again.
「 Hmm, well, it"s a problem of sense, so I can"t explain it that well… 」
Edie makes a troubled face.
「 I get it. There"s n.o.body here who was fussy, so he"s got a good change of pace 」
Yukino said.
「 You see, all of you are always so hasty, do this, do that, talk this, talk that, you don"t ease up unless you decide on things… 」
She"s right.
Everyone"s too smart that they"re fast to decide and to take action.
They decide things in an instant and act it out fast.
「 This idiot only has only his hardworking personality as his redeeming value, he"s desperately trying to catch up. But I guess you"re also tired. What an idiot 」
Yukino laughed.
「 You don"t need to listen to everything Yuzuki or Katsuko says, just half of it and just reply “yes, whatever” on the other half. If you"re trying to understand every single thing they try to tell you, it"s evident that you"ll get exhausted 」
Yukino"s living in the mansion, but she"s keeping distance with everyone.
She"s not trying to get close.
「 I guess if you don"t do that, you"ll get hot-tempered, like Megumi over here 」
「 Y-Yukino, I"m not hot-tempered! 」
Megu protests.
「 No, compared to back then, you surely got hot-tempered 」
Edie said.
「 I see. You"re right. Our conversation"s too fast for Megumi. She can"t catch up, that"s why she gets hot-tempered 」
「 I-I… 」
Megu"s unable to retort.
「 It"s not just Megumi, I"m the same 」
I smiled at Megu.
「 I"m forcing myself to catch up. I"m at the same speed as Megu, but I didn"t understand her. Sorry 」
「 Yos.h.i.+-kun, what do you mean? 」
「 It means the speed on thinking over things 」
I explained.
「 Those who are fast to think, they hear one thing from someone and imagine four, five things from there. Then, they continue to chat, and how do I say it, for example… 」
「 It"s like shogi 」
Edie explains it for me.
「 Professionals in Shogi can imagine multiple outcomes in a single move. Therefore, they know which moves are the most effective. Professionals can have ten, up to twenty moves ahead, but… 」
「 For amateurs like me, I can only think of “I hope my opponent makes this move” after I make one… I can"t see what"s ahead of that 」
I explain it to Megu.
「 Oh, I get that. If that"s the case, Minaho-oneesan, Katsuko-oneesan, Misuzu-san, Ruriko-san, and even Edie are much smarter than me 」
She doesn"t mention Tsukiko"s name, because Megu belongs in that group currently, and they do have the Miko power.
They can read other people"s minds and can force them to obey, there"s no winning against them in the first place.
「 That doesn"t mean that starting up a fight right away is the right thing to do, don"t you think? 」
Yukino tells Megu.
「 But, it"s frustrating that I can"t win against them in reason 」
Megu looked down.
「 Winning or losing, that"s where you"re wrong 」
Yukino pats Megu"s shoulder.
「 They"re not people you need to fight 」
「 I know that, but… 」
Looking at Megu talking to Yukino. I noticed it.
「 I see. It was thanks to you, Yukino 」
「 Huh, what do you mean? 」
Yukino looked at me.
「 Up until now, yeah, since May, I didn"t break down thanks to Yukino 」
I said. Yukino.
「 Huh? What are you talking about? Are you stupid? No wait, I do know that 」
「 Yeah, I am. I"m an idiot. That"s why I"m completely exhausted, just trying to catch up with everyone"s thoughts. But, back then, Yukino, I talked to you, had s.e.x with you… 」
Back in May, when I felt like I"m suffocating, Yukino"s always there.
「 When I"m with you, I feel at ease. Now I get the reason. Yukino, you"re doing things at your own pace, you never try to catch up with people 」
「 What? Picking a fight? 」
「 When I"m with Yukino, I don"t need to think fast. It makes me feel at ease 」
Yukino"s thoughts never go fast. And, she never tries to drag others.
「 Are you praising me, or mocking me? 」
「 I"m praising you 」
I embraced Yukino and said.
「 If you"re praising me then, sure… 」
Yukino"s always taking things at her pace.
「 You seem to be misunderstanding things, I don"t get it, but…I mean, you don"t have to tell me things… Oh well. That"s okay 」
The way Yukino things moderately is her charm.
「 Then, Ai is much slower than us… 」
I look at Ai on the bed.
「 Huh? You mean she"s worse than an idiot? 」
Yukino said, but…
「 No, that"s not it. Ai thinks a lot, and things happen before she could notice it. She"s a girl who doesn"t move on until she digests all of it, so she"s slow 」
「 You mean an idiot, right? 」
「 No, Yukino… 」
Edie interjects.
「 If Ai were to play Shogi, she"ll think “Why would you move the piece like that?” or “I wonder what kind of wood is used for this piece?” or “why do players take turns moving pieces?” And such. Therefore, she can"t think ahead of shogi 」
「 I mean, that"s an idiot, right? 」
Err.
「 I am an idiot 」
Ai replied.
「 See? The person herself said it. Just say “idiot" 」
Yukino agreed.
「 I get that Darling. When you"re with Ai, you start to think of things that you don"t usually care about like it"s normal 」
「 I mean, Ai"s easygoing flow of thoughts has a meaning to me 」
I look at Ai…
「 Ai takes things slowly. But she"s not an idiot. She observes, thinks. Although, it"s on her pace 」
「 Really? 」
Yukino stares at Ai, but…
「 Maybe, she"ll grow better than anyone of us here 」
Edie said.
「 Makoto"s been holding back Ai until now. I think that Darling can raise Ai better… 」
She smiles.
「 Naturally, it"ll take a lot of time 」
「 No, I don"t mind if it takes time 」
I said.
「 We"re still young, there"s no need to rush 」
「 I agree with that. Yuzuki and everyone else hurries too much. Why is that? 」
Regardless of Ai, Yukino will always complain to Minaho-neesan.
「 I see. I get it. Ai-chan is also someone we have to be considerate about 」
Megu said.
「 Who told you that? 」
I asked Megu.
「 That"s not it. We"re in the same year, and will be cla.s.smates next year… 」
「 So what? 」
Yukino said. I…
「 Let"s make the “Yukkuri club” with the five of us 」1
「 Yukkuri club? 」
「 That"s right, if it"s just the five of us, let"s take it easy. Anything will do 」
「 You mean slow life, slow s.e.x? 」
Edie asks.
「 Yes, that 」
I smiled.
「 Edie, I think that you should try slowing down when it"s just us 」
「 Oh, you"re right. You just suddenly jump out. It"s bad for the heart. You might die suddenly if you keep doing that 」
Yukino tells Edie.
「 Mumumu, my heart, and lungs are trained 」
「 What I mean is that it"s okay doing that outside, but how about taking it slow when you"re with your friends? 」
Then, Ai…
「 Guitars make a good sound when the strings aren"t too strained, or too loose 」
「 Yeah, I know that. It"s one of buddha"s teachings 」
Edie replied.
「 Right, I should try to loosen up sometimes 」
She sighed.
「 Michi is a bit of an airhead sometimes, and so I could ease up, but, I might"ve been too strained… 」
Michi gets cut loose when it comes to s.e.x.
You can"t find someone who unleashes that much. Other than Misuzu.
「 But, Yos.h.i.+-kun, if Ai-san and I were slow thinkers, there"s no need to make that kind of group, right? 」
Megu asks.
「 You"re overthinking it, Megu 」
Edie said.
「 That"s right. It"s this idiot who needs this group the most 」
「 Yukino? Why is that? 」
Yukino…
「 I mean, we don"t have to deal with things if they"re troublesome, I mean, the other side will never talk to Megumi or me, who are dim-witted, but… 」
She speaks in disgust.
「 This idiot still wants to get along with those people who love to make schemes, those who have the worst personalities, those who will continue to make lots of cunning plans 」
Err.
Oh, there"s no cameras or mic in here.
We"re in Ai"s house, her room.
「 Minaho"s fondness of making plot won"t get cured. If that happens, Katsuko and everyone else won"t be with her 」
「 He"ll also stay with Misuzu and Ruriko, the wealthy ladies, right? Like that old man from Kouzuki house 」
Yeah, our relations.h.i.+p with Kouzuki house is somewhat troublesome.
「 Nei"s also a mischievous girl 」
Nei, yeah…
「 Then, the Takakura girls. The small girls are cute, but you don"t know what that Tsukiko"s thinking 」
「 Tsukiko-oneesama"s kind! 」
Megu refutes.
「 Megumi, we"re talking about Darling. Tsukiko"s not a bad person, but, having someone who can read one"s mind is a lot of trouble 」
「 I mean, this idiot is a genuine idiot, if he was just an ordinary man, then he"s gone mad by now 」
Huh?
「 You know it"s impossible to deal with people who have that kind of power. Furthermore, there are three of them! Isn"t that great that you"re an idiot? 」
Err.
「 Darling may not be aware, but there"s stress acc.u.mulating 」
Edie said. Megu looked at me in surprise.
「 Darling will always face those troublesome people desperately from now on 」
「 Therefore, you want some time to ease up, don"t you? 」
Yukino asks.
「 I don"t get what you mean by the same speed, but all you want is some ordinary time, right? 」
Like Kuromori, the brothel, or Kouzuki house vs. Kansai Yakuza.
Anyway, I don"t have time for the ordinary.
「 I-I agree 」
Ai speaks from the bed.
「 I-I support the idea 」
She said, then blushed.
「 If Ai can be useful to Yos.h.i.+dkun, then… 」
Then…
「 Oh, I see. It must be fresh for her to be stuck between strange people 」
Yukino smiled wryly.
「 Well, it"s nice and all but I don"t like the name “Yukkuri club” 」
「 Then, what do you want? 」
「 Err, Edie mentioned “slow life, slow s.e.x,” right? 」
Yukino asks Edie.
「 Right 」
「 Then, let"s go with “slow” instead. That sounds healthy, like that salad name, coleslaw? 」
「 That"s got a different spelling 」
Ai said.
「 Slow and coleslaw 」
Edie corrects the p.r.o.nunciation.
「 Then, what about underthrow from baseball? 」
「 Yukino, that"s throw, not slow 」
Megu replied this time.
「 Kukukukukuku 」
Ai laughed.
「 Yukino-san"s so funny 」
Ai smiled. Yukino.
「 Huh, so you can make that face too… 」
Yukino smiled.
「 The rumored cutest girl in our year finally smiled 」
I said. Edie also smiles.
「 Good job, Darling 」
「 I get it. I"m not cute anyway 」
Megu feels down again.
「 I know AI-san"s popularity, and Yukino"s also beautiful 」
「 You don"t have to flatter me, I"m always beautiful 」
Megu complains to Yukino.
「 Recently, my pregnancy is elevating my beauty further. That"s what Francie told me. You know, I"m famous among those with weird fetish right now 」
Weird fetish? You mean the guys who get aroused with pregnant women?
「 Besides, Edie"s also a beauty 」
Edie"s got a frank personality, so you hardly worry about her, but…
She"s an extreme beauty when she"s quiet.
A New Orleans" beauty with brown skin and blue eyes.
「 Megumi"s also beautiful… 」
「 I-I"m not! 」
「 That"s not true. The way you present yourself is the problem 」
Yukino said.
「 That"s not true, Nei-oneesan"s teaching me in fas.h.i.+on and make-up now… 」
Megu"s been working hard since last May.
「 I guess that"s why you flopped 」
「 W-Why? Nei-oneesan"s extremely beautiful
「 That one"s too far! You two have different foundations, Megumi it"s wrong to try to get like Nei 」
「 T-That"s… 」
Yukino smiles.
「 It can"t be helped, I"ll be the one to teach you instead 」
「 Yukino will? 」
「 I mean, we"re sisters. Don"t we look the same? I think that I"m a better teacher than Nei… 」
「 Right… 」
Megu agreed.
「 Mana"s becoming even more beautiful but, I"ll never match up to her 」
Megu also feels insecure with Mana…
「 Maika"s got nothing to do with this, it"s the difference of resolve 」
Huh, Yukino?
「 You know, that girl thinks that she"ll die if this idiot abandons her. That"s why she"s doing her best to death 」
「 W-Why? 」
Megu"s surprised.
「 There"s no need to be so desperate that you"re expecting to die, right? 」
「 That"s Megumi"s difference with us 」
Yukino said.
「 Among us sisters, you"re the daughter of someone who looked after Yuzuki, right? That means Megumi"s always been a friend 」
I-I see.
「 Think about it, like, people who are always on the verge of death, the thought that they"ll die in a moment 」
Yukino"s threatened multiple times. She saw the merciless execution of her father.
「 Maika and I can"t part from this idiot even if we die. Well, even we do understand that there"s n.o.body who loves us for real other than this one, but, if he were to abandon us, we would die 」
Yukino.
「 I mean, I"m glad that I could call him an idiot. This idiot won"t get angry even if I hit him. I"m happy that it"s this idiot. If it weren"t him, then Maika and I would"ve become toys for perverts 」
Minaho-neesan"s serious about it.
「 You know, if you asked for it, I"d wait for you with my three fingers pressed on the floor, or even try to learn how to cook 」
Yukino tells me.
「 No, you don"t have to 」
I replied.
「 Right, you have lots of women who can do that already 」
She speaks slightly regretful.
「 I"m okay to have Yukino by my side 」
「 What"s that? 」
「 Just seeing Yukino relieves me. I"m just happy that you"re still alive. It makes me happy 」
「 Huh? 」
Tears gather in Yukino"s eyes.
「 Sometimes, I had dreams that Yukino died. Then when I wake up, I recall that Yukino"s still alive. It relieves me 」
Yukino"s alive and here right now.
I think that it"s a miracle.
Thinking about what happened last May…
「 Stop that! Don"t say that! 」
Yukino cries.
「 You"re making me remember things! 」
「 Sorry 」
「 You"re so stupid! 」
Edie hands Yukino a handkerchief.
「 I think that Yukino also needs this “slow club.” Megumi too 」
Edie looks at Megu.
「 Me? 」
「 It"s the first time where you talked, dropping all the pretense. You don"t have this chance as there are too many people in the mansion 」
She"s definitely right.
「 Megumi can stay on Tsukiko"s group, just like usual. But, you"ll also join this "slow club" Just like how I"m with Margo and Nei in combat team, and I"ll still train with Michi. But, we"re members of the bakery and slow club 」
One person joining multiple groups.
「 I think that this will make the family stronger. 」
Connecting people, interlacing the warp and woof…
「 Darling"s the center of the spider net! 」
Before long, everyone"s connected like a spider thread.
「 Now then, let"s all strip 」
I said.
「 This is the formation of our club, so let"s do it all together! 」