60. The boy named Yoshida.

What should I talk about then?

Anythings fineyou can just talk about the things that come in your head.

Sensei told me

Sit here!

Katsuko-nee put a chair in the middle of the room

I sit down thereWow, everyones looking at me.

This is somewhat embarrassing.

Margoclose the curtains

Got it Minaho

Margo-san closed the thick curtains of the room.

The room darkened quickly.

Katsukolight only Yoshida-kun

Okay, Ojou-sama

Katsuko-nee operates the console on the wall

The light from the ceiling concentrates on me.

The lighting is only on front and diagonal top.

Its dazzling that the people watching me disappeared.

This looks like a drama stage.

Is this okay?Its easier to talk now isnt it?

Yuzuki-sensei, thats how it is, but

SomehowI look like a spy thats being interrogated

You can have that image tooanyway, its enough to talk about yourselfAlso, everyone will be silent until Yoshida-kuns talk is over. No one must ask in the middle of it. Make him focus in the talk!

Sensei warned everyone.

Then. Yoshida-kun. Please begin

ErrIn the end, I think I should start my story from my grandfather.

My grandfather from the mother side.

Its my mothers fatherthats obvious. haha!

My grandfatheris managing a somewhat big company.

Its a company my grandfather raised. Hes the founder.

Well, he did his best, or ratherhe built that company in his lifetime.

Thats why that person has so much confidence in himselfhes amazingly proud.

Regular customers and business partners are being flattered buthes arrogant towards her family and his own company.

Jii-sans favorite phrase isDont forget to give thanks at any time

Hes always saying that.

Its written on a huge paper put on the companyand all of the people in the family says that without fail whenever I meet them

ButJii-san himself never said Thank you to another person

When Jii-san was aliveIve never heard that person sayThank you

In the end, he must be thinking that A human should always thank himself

Its not Dont forget to say thanksbut rather Thank mehe was that self-assertive.

Anyway, hes always bragging, stubborn, selfishthat I felt so much pity for my Grandmother.

Even if youre doing something else, when Jii-san calls you out, you need to go to Jii-san immediately.

Make teaor Bring the newspaperor Change the channel of the televisionhes making such foolish orders. Hell never move by himself.

That person really loves ordering other people

He doesnt like moving by his own will

Thats whyeveryone hates my grandfather.

The people in the companyeven the family.

Thats obvious.

Hes always selfishand just pushes various orders on the other people.;

My motherwas the eldest daughter of grandfather.

My grandfather loves my mother so much that she was raised to be selfish.

Mother had two brothers but those uncles were raised quite severely it seems, butanyway, mothers the only one spoiled.

Mother loves confident and bossy grandfather

In the endshe has the same character as my grandfather.

My mothers really bossyShes using the people in grandfathers company like her own servants so everyone hates her.

Since her character is badmy grandfather seems to have made her meet marriage interviews several times but all of them refused.

Wellthats of course.

My mothers making fool of every human being in the world.

My father was a person brought up without a father and works to pay his studieshe was an employee of grandfathers company.

He just came from a good national university.

Hes timid, taciturn and doesnt meddle with other peopleso he caught grandfathers eyes

The two of them married by my grandfathers order.

My mother was 34 years old and my father was 26 at that time

I was born a year after marriage.

I think it was when I was at kindergartenMy mother told me this way.

I gave birth to you to only please father. But, I regret it after all. I shouldnt have given birth

When I become aware, my parents are already sleeping on separate bedrooms

I thought that perhaps, they never slept at the same bed after getting married and pregnant

Those are my parents.

I lived together with my grandmother at my fathers side at that timeObaa-chans taking care of me.

Meals, change of clothes, sending me off and back the kindergartenits all my grandmother.

Both my parents never came

Grandmother does all the work in the family

But mother shouts abuse at grandmother.

Shes like scolding an employee

You cant even clean properlyor The meals taste bad

Shes not doing anything

And yet, father doesnt say anything

I always felt sorry for my grandmother.

If I complain to mother because I feel sorry, mother will beat grandmother saying Your education is bad

She had her ribs broken and was hospitalized.

So father who thought that the situation is indeed wronghe consulted grandfather./

Then, somehowit became a ridiculous story

My mother opened a shop outside

Its a mistake to be in this house in the first placeshe said.

My grandfather took out all the funds on opening the store.

Its a French food restaurant.

Then, my mother never came back at the house

She comes home drunk late at night and sleeps until early afternoon, then she comes back to the shop again.

Butshe looks like shes having fun.

She looks like shes lively.

Because my mothers not getting angry at grandmother, I felt at ease

Butone year after that, my grandmother died.

I was at the second grade at elementary school.

At the day of funeraleven though the mother of her husband has died, my mother did not come to the ceremony, saying Im taking care of the shop

My grandfather tootheres no relative of my mother that came.

My father and I went to the crematory alone

It was a desolate funeral.

After that, Im pretty much alone.

My parents comes back home but dont eat there

My father never came near the house after grandmother died.

I lived alone.

The basic living expenses are put on the table at the living room and I spend them to buy my food.

3,000 yen a week, is put on every monday.

Ah, they only supplement the money thats left from the previous week.,

If theres 200 yen remaining, then only 2,800 yen would be given at Monday.

Butboth of them forgets to supplement it often.

Theres a lot of Bring this or that tomorrowin the elementary

With those sudden expenses, theres two or three days where I dont have anything to spend.

Thats whyI use money carefully.

Oh rightduring the summer vacation on my fourth grade, my father went to a long term business tripand yet, my mother didnt come home for two weeks

At that time, I endured the three days eating gummy bears. Theres one bag of gummy bears with cola taste so I somehow managed the three days

It was written on my friends manga that cola is nutritious.

Then, I bought up only the cola flavor.

Well, even when the food is exhausted, I will be able to somehow survive as long as I gulp down tap water.

Oh, I keep all the receipts of the things I bought and put it on the cashbookto show it to mother.

Its to check if Im wasting money or not.

That said, my mother hardly looks at the cashbook

But, shes checks it without noticeand if its not done properly Ill be beaten up every day without fail.

Well, shell get angry whatever I buy anyway

Youre always wasting moneyshe said.

Thats why, I hardly have any friends at my elementary school.

I dont have money.

I dont have bicycle so Id just be a hinder to everyone

I cant play.

Well, it cant be helped.

At my fifth grade.

One day, my mother told me that shed take me to the shop

She never brought me there before.

She told meIts not a place for children to play for

Only on that dayI was made to wear clothes I pay respects at New Year at my grandfathers house.

My mother stops at the nearby department store before going to the restaurant

She bought me a tennis racket.

Though I saidI dont need thisshe bought it and pushed it to me forcibly

I hold to that racket and was taken to my mothers shop

Thats where I

Met the cook and waitresses of the shop for the first time

My mother introduces me every time we meet another person.

Thenmy mother says that shes having a hard time taking care of a selfish child.

Saying that shes working on the PTA children association at the town

Even though she never came at the parents association at my school

Finally, she says This child wanted it so much before so I bought him a tennis racket before coming here

Im really troubled with his selfishness

I never said that I wanted such a thing though

My motheris appealing on the people of the shop that shes an Ideal family oriented mother

Laughing

Making an unpleasant smile

LastlyMy mother went to a strange room called Managers room

It was a really strange room.

Its a narrow room and yet, theres a luxurious chair and a massager on it.

Theres no ledger, note, nor computers.

A young cook on his late 20s was summoned there

I was there and yetMy mother spoke to the cook.

Sorry but Im living a very happy family lifeI dont intend to have someone destroy it

The cook made a terrible sullen face then saidUnderstoodthen he went out of the room.

My mother looked at me

Then said

Its really troubling when a young man gets serious immediately

Im my mothers child and yet

Im just a fifth grader, and yet

Shes proud being popular!

I

I came to hate my mother after that

I thought that shes not like that before

That we might possibly be poorer than other houses

Thats why my parents are always working outside

That I have to stay at home alone.

Because, when I meet my grandfather at New yearshe always say.

Your mothers doing her best so you have to support her with your gratitude

Thats why I believed.

And yet.

Seeing at mothers Presidents roomI cannot see my mother working hard at all!

On the way backmother took away the racket.

Ill give this a present to Yasuo-chanShe said.

Surely it was the name of my mothers next loverI thought.

I went to a boarding boys school on middle school in the heart of a mountain.

Thats my grandfathers alma mater

At grandfathers time, it wasnt a dormitory system.

It was merely grandfathers hometown

Mother sent me there only to please grandfather.

I just thought of wanting to run away.

Mother, father, and grandfatherfrom that house.

Thats why I agreed immediately and entered the dormitory.

But to be honestit was harsh.

Because bullying where your money is taken is common.

For three years, it felt like a prison.

Butgrandfather died the year before last

Grandfatherwas really hated.

Hes rich and yet helped no one other than mother.

When he diedthe thought of his children thanking him because of the succession of the property anyway

Grandfather never lent money to his relatives even when they needed it by all means.

Hes really stingy to the people of his companyand yet, he lived in luxury.

Hes the only one who stayed at a high quality hotel at the company trip, and he purposely eats a special meal on the companys party.

Thats whyuncle succeeded the company after father, but nobody from the company would like to follow grandfathers rule at his time.

Thusthe company decided to reform

My mother got angry because of that.

She stormed into the company. She had a big fight with uncle whos the new president

Mother has nothing to do with grandfathers company, and yet.

Above thatmy fathers working as an employee of that company!

She said absurd things about seeking the succession of the property, and Hand over all the stocks of the companyand Make her an officer of the company

In the first place, she was hated along with my grandfather by the whole clan.

Thats whymother has been completely ostracized from the clan

The New Years card doesnt come anymore.

Our family wasnt called though there was a cousins wedding.

Fatherseems to have a good position when my grandfather was alive though.

After mother stormed inhe was demoted and proceeded to a subsidiary company.

Hes somewhat pitifulhe was close to 50 and yet all of the unrelated work has been pushed to him.

He grew old quicklyand became unenergetic.

At the end of last year, when I consulted him about going to high school, he lost a lot of weight

He saidIll be taking night shift from the beginning of the year

So I decided on my high school by myself.

I hated the dormitory lifeso I chose a school that I can commute from the house.

I wanted to live with my father.

Mother hardly comes back to the house anymore.

In the endmother succeeded grandfathers old house.

The house where mother was born and raised.

The land and the building has some worth butthe clan hates grandfather so it was handed over to mother.

Mother seems to have stolen it with her power, and was pleased

Mother has always been a papas girl after all.

She never became fathers wife.

She never became my mother.

She wants to remain as grandfathers daughter al the time

Shes living in grandfathers house alone now.

They divorced during my high school entrance exam.

Mother suddenly sent a divorce paper to father via mail

I have a school reportand an interview too

She didnt mind it at all and divorced

I dont intend to meet you anymore. Talk to my lawyer about everything else

I never met her after coming home from the dorm middle school.

When I came back, theyre already divorced

Well fine.

I dont want to meet that person again

And my father.

He had some slightly strange atmosphere

I thought so

Well, fathermarried the daughter of the president of his workplace, he married mother

Thenhe endured it for 15 years

He endured it being worked around like a servant.

He endured it because he was able to work

He cant come back to the company like this, can he?

He thought that its already hopeless

Then, my father.

Disappeared at the day of the entrance ceremony of my high school.

He left a note saying Dont look for meonly in the company

He seemed to have disappeared from the company in the middle of the night duty.

The person from fathers company made a call in the house anxiously

It was just before I went to the entrance ceremony

I dont know what I should do.

I was thinking of how should I live after this

What would I do if my father died?

What should I do!!!

ButI have to go to the entrance ceremony anyway.

My hearts beating so fast

My sweats not stopping

My minds restless

I want to shoutbut the voice doesnt come out

The ceremony ended, we went to each of our classroomsit feels unpleasant.

Then

That girl

Shirasaka Yukinocalled out to me

Whats wrongare you feeling bad?she asked.

I was uncertain if I was there until she called out to me.

I felt that the human named me might not be there.

That Im the only one different among the new students at the entrance ceremony

What if Im not a person thats supposed to be here

Butshe called out to me.

ThusOh , Im hereI was able to confirm it!

Ive always looked at her after that.

I gaze at her.

It calms me down whenever I look at her!

I forget all the scary things in my head!

When I return to my housetheres a bank passbook card and a PIN written on a paper placed on the table where the 3,000 yen was put when I was in elementary school.

My father stopped at the house after disappearing from the company.

There was no letter.

Just the passbook.

ButI thought that my father didnt abandonme

I felt a bit relieved

When I looked at the passbookthe electric bill and gas rate was automatically debitedso I thought that Id be able to live in the house for the time being.

After thatI got a call from the current president, my uncle, saying Well treat it as a leave of absence for three months for now

Father was a diligent personso he was not hated like my mother.

Thats whyI can spend my three months still.

I thought of considering whats next after this

Thus, I lived alone in the house all this time.

I spent my money little by little just like when I was in elementary school.

Buying fooddrinking tap water.

Like thatalone

I talked about everything indifferently

UnThats right.

Thats all.

Thats the end of my story

Erranything to add?

And then, last week, Yuzuki-sensei called out to meand now Im here

The light is dazzling as ever.

I can feel everyones glance but I cant see their faces at all.

It makes me uneasy that no ones saying a thing.

UhmIm sorry for telling a tedious story. My story is boring isnt it?

UnThis might be trivial for everybody.

Katsukokeep the lights on

Sensei stands up from the rays of the backlight.

Because its the shadow, I dont understand her expression.

I can only see Senseis tall and thin silhouette.

Yoshida-kun, can I ask you something?

Yesgo on

Yoshida-kunwhat do you intend to do after this?

After this?

You intend to wait for your fathers return in three months, dont you?

YesUncle promised to pay the salary cutting the salary by a percentage

What would you do if your father didnt come back after waiting for three months?

I havent thought of it yet. I want to work part time but theres no place that would hire without a guardian

Youll continue high school then?

If possiblebut I wont force it

If theres no money then it cant be helped.

You dont intend to go to university?

Well, no matter how you think about it, its impossibleI dont have my father. I have to survive too

I can take out money for you to go to university you know!

NoThats no good

Why?

Becauseits irrelevant to Yuzuki-sensei!

Arent you my Toy?!

This and that are different

Whats different?

Sensei has already done me a lot of things I cant depend on Sensei more than that

Things Ive done?

Thats right! Im here!

Here?

If I didnt meet SenseiI would still be alone in that house. Alone in that dark room. Ahits not good to waste electricity so I dont turn on the lights when Im alone. That was a rule since I was in elementary school

Thats right

Just being heremakes me happy.

Im grateful to Sensei.

Ill change my questionYoshida-kun, have you thought of your own future?

No

You havent though of anything?

Welltheres nothing to think about

Theres nothing to think about?

Since childhood, I never have an image of myself growing up. In my mind, my life would end when Im around 20 years old!

Do you intend to die by 20?

No wayIll continue to live as long as I do. But perhapsI think Ill die in a dark place, alone. Thats what I imagine. Since I was a child. When I was in elementary school, I cover myself in a futon alone in a dark roomThose feelings rose into meand I remember grandmothers lonely funeral. Its really scarybut I already gave up. I cant escape from it

Cant escape?

Yes. People would die after allalone

I breathed deeply.

Whats thisthe airs trembling.

AhMy pulse is fast.

Right now, Im happy every day. I came to love a lot of people. There are people who says they love me too. Thats amazing. Its unbelievable. Im happythats why I!

The light is dazzling.

I know that this kind of things will not continue forever. Theres no way a human like me can have such happiness

Are you thinking that were fooling you?

No, no, no!Everyones so gentle that I understand! I know! I believe!but

But

I cant repay the favor to everybodyI express my thanks to Sensei. But I cant return the favor to Sensei. Im grateful to Katsuko-nee. Im grateful to Nei-san, Margo-san and Misuzu too. Im thankful to Nagisa-san and Mao-chan. Yamamine-san, thank you for being so kind! Yuuka-san, thank you for cutting my hair. Hidemi-san, Tamayo-san, thank you for listening to a man like me! Morimoto on the other room, thank you

Everyone, all of themare gentle to me.

Even though Im just a stupid man who cant do anything.

Everyones so gentle to me, and yetI cant return anything. I can only do what I can with all of my effortBut thats not enough!

Un. I have to return what everyone gave me tenfold

Thats what you really think?

I do. Thats whyif I trouble everyone, Ill go out immediately. Im prepared for it always

Thats not what Im thinking.

WellArent I a nuisance to all?

Youre not a nuisance! Who told you that!!!

Senseis voice is angry!

The usual cool Yuzuki-senseiis scolding me severely!

My mother has told me long time ago

Your mother?

I wouldve been free if youre not here. Youre an annoying childI shouldnt have given birth to you You shouldnt have been bornshe said!

When did she tell you that?

When I was in fifth gradewhen I was taken to the restaurant by mother while I hold a tennis racket

When your mother used you to break up with her lover?

Yeson the way back. Inside the car

I never forgot that.

Inside the car in the night town.

Motherpaints lipstick on her lips, then said it clearly.

Thats the only thing I remember from mothers mouth

Thats whyI shouldnt have been born

I hear a switchthen the lights turned on

The light inside the room has become equal in an instant.

Ojou-sama!

Katsuko-nee.

Katsuko-nee spoke to Yuzuki-sensei.

Ive been with this boy for this past several days. But, he never said Im hungryor My throats dryor I want to take a rest Not even once. He doesnt even show that hes enduring. And, Hell do anything you say

Well, isnt that obvious

After that, hell never leave anything whatever meal you give him. Delicious, delicious, hell sayhell never leave a crumb. Even the bread I make. I purposely made a lot of spaghetti this lunch but this boy did his best eating until the last pasta!

BecauseKatsuko-nee specially made a delicious meal! Wont I be incur divine wrath if I leave some alone?!

Thanks

Im the one who should say thanks. It was made for me. I only did whats normal so its strange to thank me!

Margo-san talks to me.

Yohsida-kundont you think that your normal and this worlds normal is different?

WellIve lived how I was told all this time? So I dont know. Anyway, thats the normal for me

You think that this is no good?

YesSurely I need to die at least a hundred times to return the favor to Katsuko-nee! Yuzuki-sensei too, Nei-san, Margo-san and MisuzuIm in debt with everyone here! But I cant return it! Thats why I must part from everyone someday! This cant continue forever after all

My heart hurts!

Imust return to that dark room someday. No, Ill be driven out of that room and will be sent to a darker, more desolate place. Alone. Thats a place suitable for me!

It hurtsits painful.

Yuzuki-sama

Misuzu spoke to me.

What?

Please give Yoshida-san to Misuzu

Misuzu didnt say Danna-samabut Yoshida-kun

What would you do?

Ill marry him. Ill devote myself to Yoshida-kun throughout my life. Misuzu will make him happy

Misuzu?

Misuzu. Didnt you say that you wont be able to marry throughout your life if you lose your virginity?

Nagisa-san expresses her surprise.

I changed my mind. Ill wait for Yoshida-san to be 18 and put him in the family register

What are you saying?

Thenare you going to make him carry the heavy burden of the Kouzuki house?

Sensei asks Misuzu.

Ill break off relations with Kouzuki house. Well live with the two of us. MIsuzu has received 30 million in the bank from grandfather on my 15th year old birthday. How many years we can live with that money?

Lets seeYoshida-kuns used to poor life so I think that you can live throughout your life with that money

Then, lets do it. If ever we lack money, Misuzu will work. Yoshida-san will never be having a hardship throughout his life!

Why are you doing that?!

Misuzu, dont be selfish! Ill be raising him from now on!

Nagisa-san said.

Hell become Maos brotherIll become his mother!

Heywait a moment!

RightMisuzu-sama. If its just 30 million yen, Katsuko has it too. Katsukos grown up, and isnt tied to a house either. I think that hes better with Katsuko!

Katsuko-nee too!

EveryoneI think that you should cool off

Margo-san calmed everybody.

Yoshida-kunyou stole Misuzus virginity, dont you?

Margo-san told me.

Yes

Then, take responsibility. Shouldnt you be living for Misuzu-chan until you die?

Hey, Margo-chan?

What does this mean, Margo-sama?!

Nagisa-san and Katsuko-nee protests against Margo-san

Ill leave your complaints later, I want to know Yoshida-kuns answer first

I

YesIf Misuzu wishes for it. Ill compensate to Misuzu throughout my life

I cant do anything but that.

Margo-san spoke to Misuzu.

Yoshida-kun said that butdo you think that hell be happy?

I dont know butMisuzu will do her best

How will you do that?

Thats

Lets take it from a different angle. Misuzu-san, have you drunk tequila?

No. Misuzu hasnt drunk alcohol yet

Can you imagine the taste?

I can imagine wine and brandy from sweetsBut I dont know about tequila

Of course. I can imagine it. Actually, Ive drunk it

Margo-san looks at me once again.

Yoshida-kunis lacking the experience that most of the normal people had. Theres a big hole. Hedoesnt know the taste of Happiness

The taste of Happiness?

Misuzu looks at me.

Thats righthes someone who hasnt experienced happiness, I think that hell only try to return anything you do with all his effort. He has lived alone until now so he doesnt know how to depend on others

It seems so

The current Yoshida-kunEven if you take him, or even Katsuko-san and Nagisa-san looking after him, hell only think that hes a Burden Then that wont make him happy at all

But, Misuzu will take time!

Thats right. Take it slowlyyou must teach him the taste of Happiness Not Misuzu alonebut with everyone

Margo-sama!

Isnt itKatsuko-san, Nagisa-san?

Katsuko-nee and Nagisa-san looked at each other.

Right. Nothing will happen if we rush it

Lets all love him

Ill cooperate tooDont you think so, Minaho?

Margo-san said.

Megumi-sanwhat do you think?

Misuzu asks Yamamine-san.,

Yamamine-san

II thought that Ive been the most unfortunate person in the world. Yoshida-kunIm sorry

Nei-san stands up to her feet from those words.

Thats my line!

Nei-san approaches me.

At least, I had a little brother. Kei-chan was there. Yo-chan didnt have anyone. Hes been alone all the timeand yet!

Nei-san beats my chest!

Dont make me cry! Why are you talking such a sad story!

I-Im sorry

Dont apologize! Im the one who should apologize! Idiot!

Nei-san beats my chest repeatedly.

Im sorry. What should I do?

I dont know how to calm down Nei-sans feelings

Cry! Cry at my chest you idiot!

I cant cry

Why?

Welltheres nothing sad about it!

Nei-san began to weep from my answer.

Waawaaashe sobs.

Misuzus crying.

Yamamine-san too

Huhwhats going on?

Ill become your onee-chan! Thats absolute!

Nei-san told me while crying.

Im just at loss.

Quiet!

Yuzuki-sensei scolded Nei-san with a strong tone

ThenNei-sans tears stopped.

Yoshida-kun

Sensei spoke to me.

Thank you for talking. I now what kind of child are you. I think that everyone should consider how they should face you from now on

Senseis pointed eyes look straight at me.

On top of thatI want to hear another thing

What is it?

Yoshida-kunwhat kind of existence is Shirasaka Yukino to you?

Yukinoto me?