By A Slight Mistake

05.

If there are people, things such as “circumstances” are born.
Those circumstances may not be anything significant from an outsider’s perspective, however for the person himself, it can also be nothing but the worst.
Ariwara and Tachibana’s circumstances are something like that.

“…A stalker-like ojousama…so what they call “carnivores¹” also exist, huh…”

I was utterly impressed as Ariwara explained while looking troubled.

“I thought that only happens in fictions.”

Just recently, one of the young ladies whom they met in a garden party seems to be under the impression that Ariwara was introduced as her fiance.

She intruded in their house the next day and appealed that they must discuss the date and style of the ceremonial exchange of engagement gifts, arrangements for the wedding, selection of the guests and their new home, while wearing a conservative dress.

It is a painful misunderstanding, but the person herself asserted that her appearance and pedigree is a good match for Ariwara. It seems like she insisted any other fiancée aside from herself would be impossible.

“By the way, Umeko-sama is 22 years old, 7 years older than me. She will be 23 this year…”
Was the damage too strong that he couldn’t keep his sanity any longer? Ariwara murmured as he dazedly looked at the distance.
“…Impossible…”

Tachibana also smiled wryly while nodding in agreement.
“Well, we’re 15 years old. If they lay their hands on us, isn’t it considered a crime?”

“If she were a man and Ariwara were a 15-year-old girl, it will be completely asserted as a crime, but I wonder why there’s a slight hesitation when it’s the opposite?”
I was about to nod at Tachibana’s words but I tilted my head midway and frankly said my doubt.
“In the first place, I think it’s strange she doesn’t have a fiance even after graduating university.”

It was Shippuu who pointed out the most problematic point.
“If you see her, I think you’ll immediately understand why. They would surely reject her. Although she should be able to speak Japanese, words won’t pass through her. No matter how much they communicate with her, her attitude doesn’t change at all. There’s no other way so they lodged complaints to the party organizer. The organizer introduced them after all.”

“…………………”

How pitiful.
I instinctively patted Ariwara’s shoulder and soothed him.
“I’m sorry I can’t be helpful.”
“Eh!? Please, save me! Please lend me your wisdom!!”
“Huh? Wisdom?”
“Mizuhime, you have sisters way older than you, right!? Please teach me the tricks on how to handle her!”
“…Eh, you were talking about that?”

I was certain he wants to use the Sagara name, so I was surprised when he asked me for a more trivial thing.
I remembered Shippuu said Ariwara and Tachibana are safe. I became convinced.

“By the way, we escaped successfully today because we said beforehand that we made a promise to go on an outing. If I remember correctly, she said 『A wife should not intervene with her husband’s relationship with his friends. 』. They’re not even engaged, and she’s saying “wife”…”
Tachibana smiled wryly and informed us with a shrug.

“To make matters worse, she also said, 『Shizuki-sama is young so no matter how much you go fooling around, I don’t mind. 』 That made me shudder indeed.”

“…Uwaa…²”
Shippuu completely blanched.

“That mentality somehow stinks of Showa era. I heard high school students were encouraged to participate in ozashiki asobi³.”

“Oh, I was right? My father likes ozashiki and there were times he also took me along, but even though that was truly a gathering of showcasing the art of songs and dances, no one aimed for the position of a mistress.”
“Right!”
“As expected, have you been to an ozashiki, too, Mizuhime?”
“Yeah. Grandfather is backing one of the establishments. I heard they were acquaintances from the old days. He occasionally takes me to the tea room.”
“…Mizuhime seems popular among the oneesans.”
“Well, I think they are affectionate to me to some degree, since I will be taking over Grandfather and will be backing them up.”
“Wait— what are you getting exited about!? Please don’t leave me alone then talk happily about the ozashiki instead.”

Just when I was getting excited talking with Tachibana about ozashiki, Ariwara interjected, looking displeased.
No, you see. Rather than talk about a pitiful person that will make you draw away in disgust, a fun story is more interesting.

“My bad. It’s normally a story you won’t be able to listen to without a mental break.”

I thought Tachibana will apologize easily, but he said something that I can’t help replying to.
“Aside from Mizuhime, I don’t know anyone with an older sister.”
“If we’re talking about an older female cousin, I think Suwa also qualifies.”

When I tried to bring up Suwa who has a similar condition, Ariwara replied with an expression as if he really find it detestable.

“That wicked woman who manipulates Suwa, I absolutely hate her.”
“Wicked woman? Are you referring to Shiori-sama?”
“I haven’t told Suwa this, but I think he blindly trusts too much and his taste is poor. The people who call Suwa Shiori-sama as the female students’ aspiration is practically nonexistent now.”
“Is that so?”

I heard something unexpected.
The graceful Shiori-sama with a seemingly transient appearance completed a wide range of training, so she’ll come to mind if you think about a typically admired senpai.

“A selfish, haughty princess who tried to save just herself with Mizuhime as the sacrifice, our evaluation of her is low. Didn’t you know?”
“Not at all.”
“On top of all that, she revealed her stubbornness by aiming to be Yakumo-senpai‘s fiancée. “Mizuhime said she absolutely wants me to be her big sister,” she bragged.”

“…I don’t remember saying that.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s a famous story that the Sagara clan harbours great wrath for the Suwa branch family. It is also known that Mizuhime will not personally meet Miss Shiori. It’s pathetic because Suwa Iori still yearns for Shiori despite that.”

“Suwa’s pining for Shiori-sama started from elementary years. It’s not easy to severe such feelings that lasted several years.”

I do not intend to protect him, but human’s feelings are too complex and it’s not something that will go easily.

“Mizuhime is too gentle. The likes of her, a daughter of the branch family, should just be crushed.”
“Shippuu!”
I reproved Shippuu for his really scathing remark against Shiori-sama.
“But———”
“I am the person concerned. Therefore, you only need to stay out of it. Abide by the clan’s consensus. That’s enough, isn’t it?”
“…I can’t agree at all,”
“It’s over, and I am alive. The people of my clan do not want it so I also do not speak of meeting Shiori-sama in anything other than a formal setting. Keep this standpoint. You do not have to agree, please just understand.”

I calmed the still steaming Shippuu then turned to Ariwara.

“From here on out, Shiori-sama will always be irrelevant to me. I only want you to bear that in mind. I think nothing of her.”
“…Rather than irrelevant, you’re indifferent, right? For someone like Miss Shiori, indifference would be a harsh punishment. Got it.”
“Thanks. In exchange, I’ll ask my sister to take measures about the matter with Umeko-sama.”
“Eh!? Is that alright? No. I really didn’t expect you’ll go that far.”
It might have been really unpleasant.
Ariwara’s complexion brightened thinking about being cut off from Umeko-sama, but refused in panic after.

“I don’t mind. My sister is skilled at manipulating information. She will move and gather information if she thinks it’s fun.”
“I’m very thankful. But I didn’t really think the conversation will fall over like that.”
Ariwara muttered while shaking his head in a little bewilderment.
“We also need to gather information, so please endure for a while. We can talk about it when the new term comes.”
“I will probably run away for a while but I can I endure it. I will work hard.”
With that, this discussion came to an end. Conversation about high school started this time.

We deepened our friendship to our heart’s contents, exchanged email addresses and then we parted at dusk that day.

Thus, the entrance ceremony.

I headed to the classroom after looking at the class organization, gave the cold shoulder to Shiori-sama who was at one corner of the classroom as planned, and found Suwa with a sluggish mood.
The freshmen representative shouldered a dark, gloomy background and spoiled the refreshing first day of school. Even his best friend was not able to conceal his cramp expression.

Tomorrow’s achievement test will be my sole victory.
I thought really cheerfully, not worrying about Suwa.

Footnotes:

1. “…so what they call ‘carnivores‘ also exist, huh…”
肉食系; nikushokukei; lit. carnivores – person aggressively pursuing sex and riches

2. “…Uwaa…” <— expression of disgust

3. “…to participate in ozashiki asobi.”
ozashiki asobi – drinking party with geisha
ozashiki – basically geisha gathering

3. “Wicked woman? Are you referring to Shiori-sama?”
悪女モドキ; akujo modoki; means more like fake-villainess