Epilogue: A Resolution

“So, how’d it go? Your date with Ojou-sama and Diva-sama.”

The day after my trip to the theme park with Ojou and Otoha-san.

As soon as I arrived at school, Yukimichi was already asking me about the outing. I don’t remember telling him about it, but from the looks of it, word gets around to him.

“I must have done something wrong… Towards the end, they both seemed pretty down.”

“Ah… I see. Just from that, I’ve pretty much pieced together what happened.”

I was completely clueless, but it seemed like a lot of things were clicking into place for Yukimichi.

That’s what you’d expect from the guy who knows everything, I suppose. I really wish I could learn his observation skills.

“…”

“So, what’s on your mind?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s no point in hiding it. It’s totally obvious that something’s bugging you.”

…I can’t win. Not against him.

“Well, I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

“On your mind?”

“Yeah… To be honest, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just getting in Ojou’s way.”

“I see… So this is the kind of situation where you use the phrase, ‘save your sleep-talking for when you’re asleep.’ Ya learn something new every day.”

“I’m being serious here!”

“Give me a break! Try putting yourself in my shoes, having to listen to this nonsense!”

What does he mean, nonsense? I’m genuinely agonizing over this.

“…Well, it is the first time you’ve ever said anything like this. I guess I can hear you out.”

“…I appreciate it.”

He might be an idiot in a lot of ways, but Yukimichi always ends up hearing me out.

“I’ve served at Ojou’s side all this time, and I thought I was supporting her. But now I’m thinking that in doing so, I might have been hindering her growth.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“I’m wondering if the reason Ojou never made many friends is that I was too overprotective. I mean, now she has Otoha-san and the people she got close with during the ball game tournament, but all of that happened when I wasn’t so involved.”

“Well… there’s a lot I could say to that, but I can kinda see where you’re coming from. But why the sudden change of heart? Did something happen?”

“You could say that… I had an opportunity to see a side of myself I never knew existed, like my possessiveness towards Ojou.”

“Ohh. And what happened, specifically?”

“Uhm… When I slept in the same bed as Ojou…”

“Hold on a sec.”

He stopped me right as I was getting started. If you’re going to cut me off, at least let the story get going first.

“What is it?”

“Explain the situation.”

“It was what Ojou requested as a reward.”

“Wow, Tendou-san… She must have really worked hard for that…”

“? Yeah, she did. She gave her all at the ball game tournament.”

“Well, whatever. I won’t say another word. So, what happened?”

“…I was a little mean to her.”

“You were a little mean to her???”

Yukimichi parroted my words.

His eyes were wide, as if he couldn’t comprehend what he had just heard.

“…Hey. If you keep stopping me like that, I’ll never get my story out.”

“Got it. Okay. I’ll just keep quiet until you’re done talking, so just go ahead.”

Yukimichi covered his mouth with his hand, settling into a listening posture.

Seeing that, I finally told him everything—about how I’d been mean to Ojou… how I’d let my possessive side show, and also what happened at the theme park.

“—And that’s the gist of it.”

“Dude, at this point, you couldn’t even complain if you were crucified for that.”

“Why not!?”

“Any guy who doesn’t get it deserves to be stoned by every man in the world!”

“Honestly… you’re as dramatic as ever.”

“Alright, I held back! I really held back, me! I can’t believe I didn’t swing this fist! I deserve a medal for this!”

There are times when talking with Yukimichi just doesn’t get you anywhere. It’s a bad habit of his.

“I mean, dude… if you’re gonna go that far, you might as well just embrace her.”

“Embrace her? You mean, Ojou?”

“No. It’s fine. It’s nothing. Forget it… Anyway. So I get that you have a sadistic and possessive side. That’s fine, but what are you so worried about?”

“…………This is still just an idea I’m kicking around in my head, but…”

After thinking it over all night, coming to school, and talking with him like this.

My head has cooled, but my thoughts haven’t changed. So this is probably something that’s already decided within me. It’s what I’ve resolved to do.

“You know… I think I’m going to try leaving the Tendou household for a while.”

“…”

“…At least give me some kind of reaction.”

“…Nah. Sorry. That was so out of left field, I was genuinely surprised.”

“Honestly, I’m surprised at myself. I’d never even considered something like this until recently.”

I had always just assumed that I would be by Ojou’s side forever.

“That whole incident at the theme park made me realize just how immature I am. I might have been taking the environment of the Tendou household for granted. I need to take this opportunity to re-evaluate myself and become someone worthy of supporting Ojou. I can’t let my immaturity hinder her growth.”

“I gotta say, your world’s-most-pointless loyalty is truly something to behold.”

“The ‘pointless’ part is uncalled for. You don’t need to say ‘pointless’.”

“But will they even allow it?”

“Who knows. I’m still just thinking about it, and it would mean I couldn’t take care of Ojou for a while. If I don’t get permission, then I’ll just have to find another way to better myself for her sake… Besides, it would only be temporary.”

“Temporary, you say… Come to think of it, summer vacation is starting soon.”

“Yeah. I’m hoping I can manage something during summer vacation. So, if I do get permission… I’ll need you to lend me a hand. I’ve never lived on my own before.”

“Well, it sounds like it’d be interesting to watch, so I wouldn’t mind helping you out. But… I wonder how this is all going to turn out…”

☆

—And that was the conversation I was listening to from the classroom hallway.

To be precise, I was reading their lips to understand their conversation, but that’s a minor detail.

“…Eito is… leaving the Tendou household…”

It came through loud and clear that he was thinking about me, in his own way.

But the shock of it was far greater. I had never even considered a life where Eito wasn’t by my side, even for a limited time.

In the end, it all depends on whether I grant my permission or not, but… I don’t want to stand in Eito’s way with my own selfishness. If he really were to ask, I’d probably put on a brave face, complain a little, and let him go…

…No. There’s no point in only thinking about the negatives.

I should try to be a little more positive. In a way, this might be an opportunity.

I once tried to make Eito more aware of me by putting a little distance between us. It was an attempt I had to abandon after it attracted that outrageous thieving cat, Otoha… but this might be a good chance to try it again.

As for putting distance between us, last time was a bit half-hearted.

…………There’s a chance more thieving cats will appear, but that’s just how it is. They’ll probably show up even if I do nothing. They were showing up even when he was by my side. At this point, another ten or twenty of them is just a rounding error. That’s how insignificant a number like that has become.

“I’ll turn this crisis into an opportunity…!”

I clenched my fist, my resolve hardening.

—And so, summer vacation began.