Chapter 4: Management Game

The next morning.

In the car heading to the academy, I gazed out at the scenery in a daze.

“Izuki-san, are you okay?”

“…Yeah.”

Shizune-san was worried about me, but right now, I couldn’t even muster the energy to fake cheerfulness.

The fact that Suminoe-san had bought my company’s stocks was something Hinako and Shizune knew about. It had been splashed across the game’s news, so Narika, Taishou, Asahi-san, and others knew too. After it happened, they all reached out with calls or messages, full of concern.

“…Izuki?”

Hinako, sitting next to me, looked at me with worried eyes.

I remembered how I’d made everyone worry when I got too absorbed in the game before. …I slapped both cheeks, trying to shake off the gloom.

“I’m fine. I slept on it and calmed down.”

“…Mm.”

Sulking wouldn’t change a thing.

Somehow scraping together some positivity, I got out of the car before Hinako, as usual.

“See you at the academy, Hinako.”

“Mm. Wait for me, okay?”

As I headed toward the academy, I started thinking about my next move.

But as I passed through the school gate and approached the building—.

“Why, good morning, Tomonari-san.”

I came face-to-face with the one girl I least wanted to see right now.

“…Suminoe-san.”

“You look like you have something to say.”

Well, yeah, no kidding.

Glancing around, I noticed classmates subtly watching us. Thanks to the in-game news, plenty of people must’ve pieced together what was going on between me and Suminoe-san.

If I spoke impulsively, I’d probably end up saying something pathetic, so I steadied myself and spoke calmly.

“…That was quite an aggressive move you pulled.”

“I warned you, didn’t I? Don’t regret it.”

Suminoe-san said it without a hint of guilt.

Generally speaking, a company acquisition means gaining control by securing its stocks. There are various ways to do this—negotiating with shareholders to transfer their shares or launching a tender offer bid, a TOB, to buy up shares from multiple shareholders at once.

But the method Suminoe-san used? Hardly standard.

The company she acquired, Tech Capital Inc., is a venture capital firm—a fund specializing in investing in startups. They provide funding to struggling ventures in exchange for stocks, profiting when those ventures grow as expected.

Tomonari Gifts received funding from Tech Capital, and in return, Tech Capital holds a portion of Tomonari Gifts’ stocks.

So, when Suminoe-san acquired Tech Capital, she effectively gained control over the Tomonari Gifts stocks Tech Capital owned… meaning her company now holds a position to essentially dominate Tomonari Gifts.

This—is an indirect acquisition.

It’s the kind of strategy where, if someone won’t listen to you, you go over their head and control their boss instead.

It’s not illegal. But this forceful, money-talks approach? Honestly, it didn’t feel good to be on the receiving end.

“I thought I made it clear I wouldn’t agree to an acquisition…”

“The business world isn’t so sweet that people back off just because you say no.”

That shut me up.

The Tomonari Gifts stocks held by Tech Capital amount to just under forty percent of the total shares.

If they’d taken over half, I’d have been forcibly turned into a subsidiary without question, so I’m barely hanging on by a thread. …No, maybe I’m not even hanging on anymore. Even without full subsidiary status, they’ve got significant voting rights, so Tomonari Gifts’ operational freedom has been drastically reduced.

“Please don’t misunderstand—I didn’t single out your company specifically.”

Suminoe-san said with a composed smile.

“I wanted to bring multiple companies under Tech Capital’s investment portfolio under my control anyway. It’s all to make my company the top player in the IT industry.”

Tech Capital is a company with far more assets than Tomonari Gifts. Acquiring a fund just to indirectly control Tomonari Gifts wouldn’t make sense, so I’d figured there was a bigger goal.

But I hadn’t anticipated the specifics of that goal.

“Hehe… surprised? That I have ambitions?”

“Yeah… is this all for Tennouji-san’s sake too?”

“Of course.”

Suminoe-san began explaining her ambitions.

“In the future, I want to be Tennouji-sama’s right hand. I want to serve someone who will one day make their name known across this country—no, the world—supporting them in both public and private matters. In the Management Game, I’m treating this as practice.”

Suminoe-san’s feelings for Tennouji-san were a bit unhinged, but hearing her words alone, she sounded like a perfectly diligent go-getter.

The know-how of growing a company would likely serve her well under Tennouji-san in the future. That might be why Suminoe-san is so focused on expanding SIS.

“Well, I also just plain wanted to take you down.”

—Wait, what?

I felt like an idiot for listening so seriously.

“Eliminating obstacles is part of the practice. I won’t forgive you for seducing Tennouji-sama.”

“…Seducing?”

She’d said she disliked me before, but seducing? That’s news to me.

Just what kind of person does Suminoe-san think I am?

“Until now, Tennouji-sama was far more stoic. Beneath her elegant demeanor was an unmistakable drive, always pushing herself to surpass her rival, Konohana-san.”

Suminoe-san spoke of the Tennouji-san she knew.

“But Tennouji-sama has changed. Because of you.”

Suminoe-san glared at me.

“Ever since meeting you, Tennouji-sama has softened. …Specifically, around the time of the June aptitude test! That’s when signs of change started showing…!”

Suminoe-san clenched her fists, trembling with anger.

That’s terrifyingly specific.

That was exactly when Tennouji-san’s engagement issue I helped resolved. Sure, Tennouji-san changed around then, but was it really so obvious?

“And ever since then, you and Tennouji-sama have grown closer…! The number of times you two make eye contact during after-school tea parties has increased by 2.7 times, and when you walk side by side, the distance between you has shrunk by four centimeters! My eyes don’t miss a thing!!”

Scary, scary, scary, scary—!

The serious atmosphere shattered. I mean, she’s probably dead serious, but…

“You were watching the tea parties, huh…”

“I was watching!! With tears of blood!!”

“…You could just join us normally, you know?”

“I can’t! Talking about school or the game is one thing, but private matters? I’d die of nerves!!”

Weren’t you supposed to support her in public and private?

“The old Tennouji-sama would never have formed an alliance with Konohana-san. Never would she have stooped to such camaraderie.”

That… might be true, as Suminoe-san says.

Hinako once said she thought Suminoe-san might dislike her. …This is probably why. Suminoe-san idolizes Tennouji-san, so deep down, she might see Tennouji-san’s rival, Hinako, as an enemy.

“That’s why I’m bringing you down—to wake Tennouji-sama up. Once it’s clear you’re nothing special, Tennouji-sama will surely come to her senses. This, too, is my duty as her future right hand.”

Hearing Suminoe-san’s goal, I recalled something Tennouji-san had said.

—It’s just… she admired the old me, so she might have mixed feelings about who I am now.

Both I and Tennouji-san herself thought her change was a good thing.

But it seems there’s one person here who despises that change.

“You’re not worthy of standing by Tennouji-sama’s side. You’ll be out of this game in no time.”

With that, Suminoe-san turned on her heel and left.

◆

In the end, I couldn’t come up with any countermeasures against Suminoe-san, and the school day ended.

Even after returning to the mansion, I holed up in my room, thinking alone.

I can’t let this go on—I need a plan, and fast. Driven by that urgency, I researched ways to escape Suminoe-san’s indirect control, listing out anything I could realistically pull off.

Knock knock came a tap at my door.

When I said, “Come in,” Hinako stepped inside.

“Good work today… I brought tea.”

“Thanks.”

I took the cup and sipped slowly.

The crisp sweetness seemed to ease the tension coiled deep in my mind.

“…This is even tastier than before.”

“R-Really…!?”

When I gave my honest opinion, Hinako looked downright shocked.

“All that effort paid off…”

That innocent smile of hers tugged at something deep in my chest.

…She really is talented, isn’t she?

When Hinako puts her mind to it, she can handle just about anything flawlessly. The problem is she rarely puts her mind to it, but lately, she’s been full of energy even after coming back to the mansion.

Hinako’s growing. …I can’t let myself fall behind.

“With delicious tea like this, I guess I’ll push a bit harder.”

I straightened my slouched posture, summoning fresh motivation.

As I turned back to my computer, Hinako came closer, peering at the screen with me.

“Still struggling with the Suminoe-san thing?”

“Yeah. Honestly, it’s giving me a headache.”

Or rather, I’d been clutching my head until Hinako walked in.

“Mm… then leave it to me.”

Out of nowhere, Hinako said that.

I shifted my gaze from the screen to her.

“The Suminoe-san thing… I’ve got a good solution.”

“A solution?”

“Mm. I’ll protect you, Izuki.”

Hinako said it with a gentle smile.

“Do a third-party allotment and give my company some shares. …If you do, I’ll make your company a subsidiary and protect it from Suminoe-san.”

Thanks to Takuma-san’s advice to study up on stocks, I understood what Hinako was suggesting.

A third-party allotment is a fundraising method where new shares are issued to a specific third party in exchange for funds.

It has the advantage of letting you hand shares to a trusted party, but issuing a large number of new shares dilutes the ownership percentage of existing shareholders. Shareholders who once had a say in management could lose influence due to their reduced stake, so you have to consider their rights carefully.

But on the flip side, it also means you can escape the control of those existing shareholders.

Right now, Tomonari Gifts’ largest shareholder is SIS Inc.—in other words, Suminoe-san.

If I issue a ton of new shares to Hinako through a third-party allotment, the largest shareholder would shift from Suminoe-san to Hinako, and Tomonari Gifts would fall under the Konohana Group’s protection. That would free me from Suminoe-san’s control. In exchange, I’d be part of the Konohana Group, but since Hinako knows what I want to do, she wouldn’t tie me down.

This kind of anti-takeover strategy has a specific name.

“…A white knight, right?”

“Yup.”

Hinako nodded, looking somewhat pleased.

When a company is suffering under a hostile takeover, a friendly acquirer swoops in to save the day. For a company in need of rescue, it’s not an overly dramatic term—it’s spot-on.

“I’ll be your white knight.”

Hinako puffed out her chest proudly.

But for some reason… I couldn’t immediately nod in agreement.

Hearing Hinako’s proposal, I was inwardly shocked, thinking, That’s an option!

But at the same time…

(…Is that okay?)

Something felt off.

I had a gut feeling I shouldn’t take this outstretched hand.

For the company’s sake, letting Hinako help here would be the smart move. Like Suminoe-san said, it’s an honor for a venture to be approached for an M&A. I turned down Suminoe-san’s offer because our visions didn’t align, but Hinako knows Tomonari Gifts and me, its founder, inside and out. She’s a friendly acquirer.

The company I’ve poured my heart into is being scouted by the prestigious Konohana Group. There’s no greater honor. …There shouldn’t be.

And yet, something still nagged at me…

(…Oh.)

That’s it.

Exactly.

Didn’t I just talk about this with Tennouji-san recently?

I want to stand by Hinako’s side.

Hinako, Tennouji-san, Narika, Asahi-san, Taishou, Kita, and… even Suminoe-san. I’m working hard right now to truly stand as their equal.

That’s why I’m aiming to be an executive in the Konohana Group, why I’m striving for the student council, why I’m giving my all in the Management Game—every bit of it is for that goal.

…Then, no way.

I can’t take Hinako’s hand here.

I’m aiming to be her equal—how can I let myself be one-sidedly protected like this?

“…Sorry, Hinako.”

I bowed my head and said it.

“I don’t want to accept that proposal.”

“…Huh?”

Maybe it was a completely unexpected response, because Hinako let out a faint sound.

“W-Why…?”

“I can’t let myself be saved out of pity.”

To begin with, there’s no reason for Hinako’s company to acquire mine. It’s not like she sees my company as an investment opportunity either. Hinako’s just reaching out because she sees I’m in trouble, plain and simple.

In other words, this isn’t business or anything—it’s just pity.

That’s exactly why I can’t accept it.

“…I want to be your equal, Hinako.”

If I fall under Hinako’s protection, I’ll never be her equal.

At Kiou Academy, tons of students admire Hinako. They always watch her from a distance, staring dreamily or singing her praises.

But, and maybe this sounds rude, I don’t want to be like them.

I don’t want to just admire her from afar. I don’t want to be her follower.

I want to be someone worthy of standing by Hinako’s side.

“So, can you trust me? I’ll handle this on my own somehow. …If I rely on you here, I feel like I’ll never be able to stand by your side.”

I poured out my feelings.

Hinako stayed silent for a moment, then…

“…Okay.”

With her head lowered, Hinako left the room.

Through the gaps in her hair, I saw her ears, bright red.

…Did I make her mad?

I know Hinako doesn’t look down on me.

She reached out to me out of pure kindness. Rejecting that outright would understandably upset her.

But—this is something I can’t compromise on.

From here on, I’ll let my actions do the talking.

“…Alright!”

Psyching myself up, I turned back to my computer.

◇

Leaving Izuki’s room, Hinako walked down the hallway with her gaze fixed on the floor.

Staring blankly at the red carpet, Hinako bumped her head against a wall with a thud.

“Ow!”

“Ojou-sama…?”

Shizune, who happened to be cleaning nearby, noticed Hinako.

But Hinako hurriedly turned around and started walking again, eyes still on the floor…

“Ow!”

“O-Ojou-sama? Um, are you okay? Your room’s this way…”

“Ugh…”

Shizune looked puzzled at Hinako’s odd behavior.

Rubbing her forehead, Hinako let Shizune guide her to her room.

Once inside, Hinako headed straight for her bed.

Burying herself in the blankets and going still, Hinako prompted a worried look from Shizune.

“If you’re feeling unwell, I can call a doctor…”

“No… just leave me alone for a bit…”

This isn’t about feeling sick or anything like that.

Perhaps deciding it was best to follow instructions for now, Shizune’s footsteps faded, followed by the sound of the door closing.

Left alone, Hinako buried her face in her pillow, her legs kicking up and down restlessly.

(Ughhh…!)

Her face felt hot. Like it might erupt any second.

She was probably making a really weird expression right now. No way could she let anyone see her like this, so she kept her gaze fixed downward.

She was utterly at the mercy of the emotions welling up from deep within her.

Her mind replayed the conversation she’d just had with Izuki.

—I want to stand as your equal, Hinako.

Izuki’s words, his voice, his expression—they all came rushing back, vivid in her mind.

“So… so cool…!”

As if to vent the overwhelming passion she couldn’t contain, she kicked her legs even faster.

She rubbed her face against the pillow repeatedly, but her heart showed no signs of calming down anytime soon.

(That’s right… Izuki wants to get closer to me…)

It wasn’t just her imagination. Izuki had said it himself, plain as day.

His earnest feelings had reached her, loud and clear.

“~~~ !”

A wordless sound escaped her lips.

Clutching the pillow tightly, Hinako rolled back and forth across the bed.

(I’m so happy… so happy, so happy, so happy…!)

She felt an inexplicable urge to shout at the top of her lungs.

Warmth overflowed from her chest, swirling through her body, searching for an outlet.

(But… ughhh! I wanted to work hard for Izuki’s sake too…!)

A complicated feeling, distinct from her joy, began to bubble up.

Honestly, she hadn’t expected her proposal to be rejected.

She didn’t mean to underestimate Izuki, but in this situation, he was undeniably at a massive disadvantage. SIS was a company dozens of times larger than Tomonari Gifts. Facing them head-on, finding a way to come out unscathed wasn’t something you could just stumble upon.

That’s why she’d suggested what she thought was the best course of action.

She’d come up with a plan, believing it would make Izuki happy.

(I even kept a board position open for him, just in case he’d join…!)

She’d secretly hoped they could enjoy the game together.

At the academy or the mansion, side by side, diving into the management game with passion—she’d pictured that scene, her heart racing with excitement as she made her proposal.

But… Izuki’s words about wanting to be her equal had thrilled her, and the way he’d said it was undeniably cool.

(…So cool.)

Her heart was already overflowing.

Maybe this was fine, then.

Things hadn’t gone as planned, but she was probably happier than she’d ever expected to be.

If there was one lingering regret, it was that she still didn’t know what Izuki planned to do next. He’d said he’d handle it himself, but it wouldn’t be that easy.

(Maybe I could pull some strings behind the scenes…)

She considered secretly supporting Izuki without him noticing.

But… after he’d asked her to trust him, scheming behind his back didn’t sit right with her.

“Ughhh…”

She was thrilled that Izuki had said what he did.

But… was it okay to leave things like this? That question swirled in her mind.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

“Ojou-sama, are you really alright?”

“…I’m fine. You can come in.”

Recognizing Shizune’s voice, she gave permission to enter.

Shizune approached and gently placed a hand on Hinako’s forehead.

“…No issues, it seems.”

Confirming there was no fever, Shizune let out a relieved sigh.

“See? I told you I was fine.”

“Still, your face is awfully red.”

“Th-that’s… it’s nothing.”

Embarrassed, Hinako turned her face away.

“Did Izuki-san enjoy the tea?”

“Yeah, he said it was even better than before… hehe.”

That had been another thing that made her happy.

Hearing Hinako’s words, Shizune smiled as if it were her own accomplishment.

“Your efforts paid off.”

“It’s thanks to you teaching me so carefully, Shizune. …Thank you.”

Despite her busy schedule, Shizune had patiently guided her through the art of brewing tea until the very end.

Looking straight at Shizune, Hinako expressed her gratitude.

Shizune, placing a hand on her forehead, gazed upward dramatically…

“…I’m glad to be alive.”

She was genuinely, deeply moved.

Hinako hadn’t meant to thank her that grandly, but she decided to make a habit of expressing her gratitude more often.

“But I bet Izuki looks forward to the tea you brew too, Shizune. So next time, you should make it for him instead of me.”

“That’s fine by me, but… are you sure?”

“Yeah. It feels a bit unfair if I’m the only one getting to be happy.”

She didn’t want to do anything that would steal Izuki’s happiness.

At the end of summer break, that worry had grown so much that she’d been bedridden for a while. Had she taken something precious from Izuki’s everyday life? She never wanted to feel that anxiety again. Even if Izuki said it was fine, she knew she had to be mindful.

“…Understood.”

Shizune nodded.

“Did Izuki-san seem troubled by the acquisition issue?”

“He was. But he said he wants to handle it himself.”

“I see. …Well, in light of his determination, I’ll refrain from giving him a hard time this time. Truthfully, it’s less about Izuki-san’s shortcomings and more about the other side being unexpectedly aggressive.”

“Yeah… Izuki’s been studying hard. He even knew about things like white knights.”

Hinako agreed that Izuki wasn’t at fault.

Knowing about third-party allotments and white knights meant Izuki had been diligently studying M&A and stocks on his own. The breadth of his knowledge was too vast to have been picked up just since Suminoe Chika’s hostile takeover began.

“Speaking of which, I heard from the other maids that when the management game first started, Izuki-san was doing something with Takuma-sama in the office.”

“Izuki… with that guy?”

An image of her brother’s sly, mischievous grin flashed in Hinako’s mind.

“Takuma-sama said he was ‘helping with work,’ but he might have been giving Izuki-san advice on the game. …Knowing him, I hope there’s no ulterior motive.”

Having been toyed with by Takuma before, Shizune couldn’t easily trust him.

Hinako felt a twinge of suspicion too.

“…Shizune.”

“Yes?”

She wanted as little contact with her brother as possible.

But if Izuki was at risk of falling into Takuma’s clutches, she’d cast aside her personal feelings without hesitation.

“Call him.”

Shizune nodded, pulling her smartphone from her pocket.

Hinako took the phone, the dial tone ringing in her ear.

At the same time, she pressed the enter key on her computer.

“I just sent some data to the tablet. Show it to Izuki. …I think helping this much should be okay.”

“Understood. …Will it be alright if I’m not here?”

“Yeah. …It’s just a sibling conversation.”

Not that they were anything like a typical sibling pair.

Shizune looked worried but ultimately chose to trust Hinako, bowing respectfully before leaving the room.

“Shizune?”

Her brother’s voice came through the smartphone.

“…It’s me.”

“Hinako, huh? Rare for you to call. What’s up?”

His tone was as carefree as ever.

She could never read what he was thinking, yet he always seemed to see right through her. It was infuriatingly unfair and hard to deal with.

“What are you planning with Izuki?”

Hinako cut straight to the point.

“I know you’ve been putting ideas in his head. …What are you trying to do with him?”

“Hmm, who knows? That’s up to Izuki-kun.”

His vague response made Hinako purse her lips tightly.

…So annoying.

As if sensing her irritation, Takuma chuckled with amusement.

“No need to worry. I just want to give his talents a little push.”

“Talents…?”

Hinako echoed, and her brother continued.

“He’s—kind of like me.”

◆

Some time after Hinako left my room.

While I was brainstorming countermeasures for Suminoe-san’s acquisition, there was another knock at my door.

“Good work today.”

“Shizune-san? What’s up?”

“Earlier, Ojou-sama was acting a bit strange, so I came to investigate the cause.”

“Huh?”

Acting strange…?

Does that mean I really did upset Hinako?

“Just kidding. Well, she was acting odd, but it doesn’t seem to be anything bad, so no worries.”

“I-I see…”

If Shizune-san says it’s fine, then I guess there’s no need to worry.

“Ojou-sama wanted me to give this to you, Izuki-san.”

With that, Shizune-san handed me a tablet.

“This is…”

“It’s information Ojou-sama has gathered on various companies. It’s more detailed than what’s publicly available. …She said helping this much should be okay.”

“…Thank you.”

“Please save your thanks for Ojou-sama later.”

Of course, I planned to do just that.

This level of help didn’t feel like charity. Even if it wasn’t Hinako, anyone from the Tea Party Alliance would offer this much support without hesitation. I’d do the same.

Grateful for Hinako’s thoughtfulness, I looked at the tablet’s data.

“What are you working on now?”

“I was looking for companies that could help with the acquisition countermeasures. So this information is exactly what I needed.”

I answered while skimming through the documents on the tablet.

There were countless company profiles—far more than ten or a hundred. It was clear Hinako’s success in the game wasn’t due to luck or her family’s status. This kind of diligent effort was the real reason.

“…Companies are kind of interesting, aren’t they?”

I said, reading the files and jotting down notes with one hand.

“Corporate philosophies, investor reports… when you dig into them from different angles, you start to see the company’s true nature. …You can almost glimpse the kind of leader running things behind it all.”

There’s no need to be intimidated by the word “company.”

In the end, companies and services are created by people. Behind the cold data, there’s always a human with emotions.

“Looking at the data, I can vaguely picture the other person’s face or their thoughts… then all that’s left is to check if we’d get along.”

And with that—negotiations tend to go smoothly.

I’d felt the same way when I read Takuma-san’s email or when I found Tennouji-san’s business partner. The hidden intentions behind the data gradually become clearer.

“Izuki-san, that’s…”

For some reason, Shizune-san, standing beside me, had a grave expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing major, but…”

Shizune-san hesitated, as if struggling to find the words.

“It’s just… you sound an awful lot like Takuma-sama.”

◇

On the other end of the smartphone, Takuma began speaking with evident enjoyment.

“You know about my talent, right? My emotional intelligence—my EQ—is abnormally high. I can just sense what someone’s thinking.”

That much she knew.

They were family, after all. She’d heard about her brother’s abilities plenty of times.

“In other words… you’re a mind-reading weirdo.”

“Ouch, that’s harsh. And here I thought they called me a genius.”

Despite his words, he didn’t sound the least bit bothered.

“One day, I asked Izuki-kun to help sort some documents. And in a split second, he spotted a lie in them. He said, ‘This doesn’t feel genuine, does it?’”

That must be what Shizune mentioned earlier. When the management game started, the two had been working together in the office. It seemed Takuma had sensed something in Izuki then.

“He can instinctively tell if data is true or false.”

Takuma stated simply.

“More precisely, he can sense hidden intentions. If he sees manipulated information, he doesn’t need logic—he just knows it’s off. And even if the data itself is flawed, he can tell if the person behind it is trustworthy.”

Takuma explained calmly, but it wasn’t something Hinako could easily accept.

So… Izuki had the same talent as this guy?

“…One occult freak like you is more than enough.”

“It’s not occult to us.”

Hinako furrowed her brow.

Us. She hated that word. It felt like he was already claiming Izuki as one of them.

“For example, when a classmate invites you to a tea party, how do you tell if it’s just polite small talk or genuine?”

“I just… kind of know.”

“Exactly. You just know. It sounds vague, but strangely, those instincts are often spot-on.”

Takuma continued.

“For us, that instinctive range is much wider. Just like you can tell if an invitation is sincere, we can judge whether the information in front of us is true or false.”

Hinako knew about Takuma’s talent, but this was the first time he’d explained it in such detail.

It sounded logical… or at least, it seemed to. But that could just be Takuma’s silver tongue at work. She was afraid to buy into it too easily.

Hinako knew better. Konohana Takuma’s talent wasn’t something you could sum up as “sharp intuition.”

He could offer exactly what someone wanted, play the personality they liked, and even bring up topics they’d rather avoid to steer negotiations in his favor. That’s how Takuma had earned the trust of the Konohana Group’s executives at an unprecedented speed, securing his position. …If he weren’t so carefree and playful, he’d have been welcomed as the next head of the family without question.

“…But Izuki’s never shown signs of anything like that before.”

“True. That’s probably because I was the trigger.”

Takuma responded to her doubt.

“Learning about someone like me… talking with me—it must have been a good spark for him.”

Hinako couldn’t deny the possibility.

Takuma was, for better or worse, an extraordinary person—far from ordinary. Plenty of people had changed their way of life after being influenced by him. …Even Shizune was one of them.

Maybe Izuki, too, had been inspired by Takuma, awakening his own talent.

“…So you’re the root of this?”

“Hey, now. It’s not a bad thing. If anything, you should be calling me his mentor.”

She could hear Takuma’s wry smile through the phone.

“You get it, don’t you, Hinako? This is undeniably a talent for leadership. Being able to read someone’s true intentions means you can avoid risks and uncover hidden opportunities.”

Coming from Takuma, who’d risen to power with that very talent, it carried weight.

“The only downside is he lacks ruthlessness. With this talent, he could even exploit people’s weaknesses if he wanted. If he could just master that… he could become me.”

That one sentence reminded Hinako exactly what kind of person her brother was.

My brother just believes his way of life is the right one, so he’s merely laying out the path to get there. To him, it’s probably meant as kindness. But as expected, he hasn’t considered Izuki’s feelings at all.

“…I don’t need it.”

Hinako thinks of Izuki… of someone precious to her.

Izuki has always watched over her. Even though she’s lazy, burdened by troublesome things, and lately tossed around by all sorts of emotions, Izuki always looks at her with a gentle smile.

There’s no way that kind face should ever disappear.

“Izuki doesn’t need to be ruthless.”

Hinako said it with a stronger tone than usual.

“In the world of business, ruthlessness is essential. If Izuki-kun could just cast aside his emotions, he could become a top-tier executive. He could easily rise to a board member of the Konohana Group—”

“That’s irrelevant.”

Cutting off her brother’s words, Hinako spoke.

“Izuki won’t become like you. He’s nothing like you, who treats others as pawns.”

Takuma often uses others to maneuver skillfully for his own gain.

Hinako knows all too well what happens to those who fall victim to him.

Some lost their families, others their dreams. At first, they all followed Takuma with shining eyes, but in the end, the only one laughing was Takuma.

It’s not that Takuma doesn’t understand people’s feelings—quite the opposite. He’s sharper than anyone when it comes to reading others. Which means this man discards their feelings knowingly.

…Maybe it’s because he can see them that they feel so trivial to him.

Konohana Takuma always treats others’ feelings lightly.

“Different from me, huh? …Are you that confident you know Izuki-kun so well, Hinako?”

“I don’t need to know everything to understand.”

Hinako said calmly.

“You don’t have a Tennouji Mirei by your side.”

She recalls that noble, fiercely competitive, and righteous girl.

“You don’t have a Miyakojima Narika by your side.”

She recalls that clumsy, earnest girl who faces herself head-on.

“You don’t have a Hirano Yuri by your side.”

She recalls that warm, meddlesome, and unpretentious girl.

“You don’t have a Taishou Katsuya or an Asahi Karen by your side.”

“…All of them are his friends, aren’t they?”

“Yes, friends.”

She recalls those two mood-makers who quietly support all sorts of people.

…For some reason, the ratio of girls feels suspiciously high, and it bugs her a little, but she pushes it aside for now.

What matters is that Izuki has friends like these.

“You can only build relationships based on mutual gain. That’s why you’re surrounded by nothing but business partners. …But Izuki’s different. He’s always worked hard for someone else’s sake. That’s why he’s surrounded by so many friends.”

And so—

“Izuki’s already living a life different from yours. …No matter how you try to sway him, it’s pointless. Because Izuki has plenty of people around him who’ll stop him.”

Hinako wasn’t the least bit afraid for Izuki’s future.

She was certain he’d be fine. She trusted he’d never become like this man.

“Hmm, what a waste. He’s got such a knack for business. …Personally, I’d love for him to become my right-hand man someday.”

“That’s not happening. Look elsewhere.”

See? In the end, this guy’s only thinking about himself.

“…Well, what you think is your prerogative, Hinako.”

Takuma muttered under his breath.

“Oh, it’s about time for work. Are we done here?”

“Mm.”

She’d figured out her brother’s intentions, so there was nothing left to say.

This man is looking for a second Konohana Takuma. He wants to mold someone into a convenient right-hand man.

If Izuki wanted that, she wouldn’t stop him.

But if he doesn’t… then stopping it is her mission.

(…Huh?)

As her thoughts reached that point, Hinako suddenly realized something.

If Izuki really does have the same talent as her brother…

If Izuki is just as sharp at reading others’ feelings…

Then, has Izuki noticed my feelings…?

“…Hey.”

“Hm?”

Takuma responded with a curious tone to Hinako’s suddenly meek voice.

“Izuki isn’t, like, reading hearts the way you do… is he?”

“Nah, he’s not that sharp. Seems like he hasn’t even picked up on your feelings.”

“Wha—!”

Her face froze as her heart was suddenly laid bare.

“W-What are you talking about…?”

“I mean, it’s obvious. Were you seriously trying to hide it?”

“Sh-Sh-Shut up…!!”

Even knowing it was pointless against this guy, she tried to brush it off.

Her brother laughed gleefully.

“Even we have our blind spots. Izuki-kun seems like the type who’s clueless about that kind of thing… Probably, he’s just dense when it comes to himself.”

Yuri, Izuki’s childhood friend, once said something about him. That Izuki’s a good guy but tends to neglect his own needs in the process.

When Hinako heard that, it made her heart ache… but right now, still unprepared, she felt a tiny bit relieved thinking, Thank goodness.