Epilogue
After Tennouji-san successfully declined the marriage proposal,
a competency exam was held at Kiou Academy.
Unlike regular exams, the competency exam covered fewer subjects. However, being a prestigious school, it still had an overwhelming number of questions, and the exam was conducted over a full three days.
About a week after that,
the results of the competency exam were announced.
“Everyone~! Over here, over here~!”
A large crowd of students had already gathered in front of the bulletin board outside the staff room.
After dropping my things off in the classroom, I headed to the bulletin board with Hinako, where I saw Asahi-san waving at us from a distance.
Standing next to her was Tennouji-san.
“I just ran into Tennouji-san right now!”
As Asahi-san said this, Tennouji-san gave a silent bow.
Then, her gaze shifted to my face.
“Let’s check the results together.”
If I wasn’t imagining things, those words were directed at me personally, not the group.
A wave of tension pressed against my back, and I swallowed hard.
At Kiou Academy, when an exam is held, the names and scores of the top fifty students are publicly announced. My goal was to make it into that top fifty.
Steeling myself, I looked at the bulletin board.
My name was—
“…It’s not there.”
My knees nearly buckled, but I barely managed to hold myself up with sheer willpower.
I hadn’t achieved my goal.
“That’s only natural.”
Tennouji-san spoke beside me as I wallowed in disappointment.
“Every student at this academy has been receiving elite education since childhood. If you aim to catch up to them, you’ll need years of effort.”
She was probably right.
Even so, I wanted to show results.
After all the help Tennouji-san gave me, I couldn’t even bring her good news.
As I stood there in silence, Tennouji-san let out a sigh.
“…Did you score yourself?”
“Huh? No, I didn’t…”
“Based on what I’ve seen, I’d say you were very close. At the very least, in terms of score improvement, you’ve outshone everyone else by far.”
Tennouji-san looked at me with eyes full of praise.
“If you’re still not satisfied… then just keep working hard from here on out.”
Those words instantly lifted my sinking spirits.
Seeing Tennouji-san’s gentle smile, the weight on my heart melted away.
“…You’re right.”
Yeah, that’s it. I just need to keep pushing forward.
After all, Tennouji-san isn’t leaving the academy…
I can channel this frustration into my future efforts.
“Ugh, I’m not on there either. Well, I kinda saw that coming.”
“Yeah, no surprise, I’m not there either.”
“Same here. Not on the list.”
Asahi-san, Taishou, and Narika seemed to have given up from the start.
That left… Hinako and Tennouji-san.
“Konohana-san and Tennouji-san are probably in the single-digit ranks. Hmm… but with this crowd, I can’t quite see from here.”
Asahi-san stood on her tiptoes, trying to peer over the crowd toward the bulletin board.
The names of the top ten students were apparently displayed prominently on a separate board, which had an even larger crowd gathered in front of it.
“Whoa, check this out! Sounds like someone got a perfect score!”
Hearing the chatter from nearby students, Taishou spoke up excitedly.
“A perfect score? Is that rare?”
“Hell yeah! The exams at this academy are insanely tough. Perfect scores almost never happen.”
He was right—the exam questions were incredibly difficult.
For a moment, we all fell silent, our eyes turning to Hinako and Tennouji-san.
If anyone scored perfectly… it had to be one of these two.
“This time, I’ll surpass Konohana Hinako…!”
Tennouji-san muttered under her breath, so softly no one else could hear. But I caught it. I alone knew the determination behind her words.
As a faint tension hung in the air, the students in the crowd noticed Hinako and Tennouji-san and parted to make way. The noisy throng split like the Red Sea before Moses.
The academy’s two great Ojou-sama stood before the bulletin board with serene grace.
When we saw the exam results—our eyes widened in shock.
“This is…”
“W-Wait, two perfect scores…?”
At the very top was Hinako’s name. Just below it was Tennouji-san’s.
But their scores were identical—both a perfect 800 points.
The students around them began clapping for Hinako and Tennouji-san.
Amid the applause, I quietly spoke to Hinako.
“You worked hard too, didn’t you, Hinako?”
“…Mm.”
In her natural tone, Hinako nodded.
“I didn’t want… to lose to either of them.”
She said it with a slightly sulky expression.
Yeah—that makes sense.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. When you think about it, it’s obvious.
Tennouji-san wasn’t the only one who poured everything into this exam.
Hinako had been working just as hard.
“…Hehe.”
Tennouji-san let out a soft laugh.
She hadn’t achieved her goal of surpassing Hinako. But Tennouji-san—
“Ohohoho! That’s what makes you my true rival!”
Tennouji-san laughed, clearly in high spirits.
It was as if she was thrilled at the prospect of continuing her rivalry with Hinako.
“And to my rival, I have a proposal.”
Tennouji-san’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked at Hinako with a hint of nervousness.
“T-Tonight… would you like to come over to my house?”
That evening,
I found myself visiting the Tennouji residence once again.
“From here, we’ll part ways.”
Shizune-san stepped out of the passenger seat and bowed to me and Hinako.
“What will you do, Shizune-san?”
“I’ll accompany Kagen-sama to greet the head of the Tennouji family first. Izuki-sama, please join Ojou-sama later to offer your greetings as well.”
“Got it.”
Behind Shizune-san, Kagen-san was adjusting his tie.
While Hinako and I spoke with Tennouji-san, Kagen-san and Shizune-san would go to greet Masatsugu-san and Hanami-san, the representatives of the Tennouji family.
“Izuki… is that a new suit?”
Hinako suddenly asked in a soft voice.
“Yeah. I heard tonight’s dinner is French, so I figured I’d match the vibe with a French-made suit.”
Before leaving the estate, Shizune-san had asked me, “Which suit will you wear?” so I put some thought into coordinating my outfit. I’d worn an Italian suit to the last Konohana family social event, so I wanted a change of pace this time.
Overhearing our conversation, Kagen-san, who was nearby, muttered quietly.
“You’ve polished up nicely.”
“Huh?”
His words were so unexpected that I blinked and asked again.
“…Did you just compliment me?”
“I was praising the Tennouji family’s knack for nurturing talent. Not you.”
With that, Kagen-san turned away and began walking off with Shizune-san.
I wasn’t naive enough to take his words at face value. Still, realizing Kagen-san had acknowledged me in his own way sent a slow wave of satisfaction through me.
All of this was thanks to the time I’d spent with Tennouji-san.
Hinako and I stepped into the Tennouji residence.
“I’ve been waiting for you! Konohana-san, Tomonari-san!”
Tennouji-san greeted us with a radiant smile.
She didn’t look like a refined lady so much as a girl eagerly awaiting her friends.
“Thank you for inviting us today.”
Switching to her Ojou-sama mode, Hinako offered a polite greeting.
“I’ve visited a few times before, but this is the first time I’ve been invited privately. Is there a particular reason?”
“Nothing especially profound.”
Tennouji-san answered with a gentle smile.
“If I had to say… I simply wanted to get closer to you, not as a Tennouji heiress, but as a fellow classmate.”
Hinako’s eyes widened slightly. For Hinako, who was maintaining her Ojou-sama persona, to nearly break character meant Tennouji-san’s words were truly unexpected.
Tennouji-san had changed.
The Tennouji-san standing before us now embraced both her role as the Tennouji heiress and her identity as an ordinary girl.
“…I, too, want to get closer to you, Tennouji-san.”
Suppressing her surprise, Hinako smiled and spoke.
Tennouji-san’s cheeks flushed red.
“W-Well, hearing you say that so directly… it’s a bit embarrassing, isn’t it?”
I watched the two of them, their slightly awkward exchange, from a step back.
Idly shifting my gaze elsewhere—
“Ugh…! Mirei… our Mirei is growing up…!”
“You’re right, dear…! Our daughter looks more radiant than ever…!”
Two doting parents were shedding tears as they watched Tennouji-san.
“Tomonari-kun… no, Izuki-kun.”
Wiping his tears with a handkerchief, Masatsugu-san approached me.
For some reason, he’d changed how he addressed me.
“I heard from Mirei. It seems you were the one who helped her open up about her true feelings.”
“No, I…”
“Mirei has found a good friend. …I see. It really would’ve been a shame for her to leave the academy.”
Masatsugu-san looked at me and Hinako as he spoke.
His calm expression made it clear. More than the family’s affairs, Masatsugu-san truly cared about his daughter, Tennouji Mirei.
“By the way, Izuki-kun. Are you interested in the Tennouji Group?”
“Huh?”
The sudden question made me tilt my head.
“Perhaps that was a bit indirect. Let me ask plainly—would you consider joining our family as a son-in-law?”
“Wha—? No, I mean… huh?”
“It seems Mirei hopes for a love marriage. Right now, you’re the closest male friend she has, aren’t you? So, I’d like to know your intentions—”
“—Father!”
Tennouji-san’s shout echoed through the room.
She must have overheard us. Her face bright red, she stormed over.
“Stop making decisions on your own!”
“B-But, if Izuki-kun were to become our son-in-law someday, he’d need to learn about the Tennouji Group’s operations now—”
“You’re getting way ahead of yourself!”
Perhaps because Tennouji-san had grown more assertive as a daughter, Masatsugu-san’s parental instincts were running wild.
Masatsugu-san’s shoulders slumped, and he fell silent.
“Honestly… I’m so sorry, Tomonari-san.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind…”
Tennouji-san apologized awkwardly, and I gave a wry smile.
“Even as a joke, that caught me off guard.”
At my words, Tennouji-san’s expression turned oddly displeased.
With a slightly pouty look, she said,
“…It might not entirely be a joke, you know.”
“Huh?”
“At the very least, there’s no one of the opposite sex I’m closer to than you right now. Who knows? Perhaps one day, the Tennouji family might formally propose a match with you.”
“…But, I mean… I’m not exactly heir to some big company or anything…”
I whispered so the others wouldn’t hear.
Tennouji-san responded with a confident smile.
“Oh? Do you think my parents care about titles like that?”
They probably don’t…
It’s exactly because they don’t that Tennouji-san was freed from her arranged marriage.
“If a proposal with me were offered, what would you do?”
“What? Well… I’d have to hear your thoughts first…”
“So, if I were enthusiastic about it, you’d accept?”
“T-That’s…”
Unable to even imagine the future Tennouji-san described, I fumbled for a response.
Seeing me flounder, Tennouji-san let out a soft chuckle.
“Just kidding. It’s not fair to corner a con artist like that, is it?”
She said it playfully, clearly enjoying herself.
“But if that day ever comes—”
With her usual air of confidence,
Tennouji-san gently touched my lips with her index finger.
“—I’ll make sure you choose me.”
