Chapter 33: I like you the most!

Ishikawa Yuka’s heart was filled with guilt; her impulsive act of taking the blame for Matsuyama Shoko had instead brought even greater trouble upon the girl.

When she bowed her head in apology, she hadn’t expected Shoko to burst into tears and throw herself into Yuka’s arms.

‘Eh? Eh?’

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Yuka was completely at a loss.

She had no idea how to comfort a crying little girl, nor did she understand why Shoko had suddenly burst into tears.

She could only clumsily stroke the girl’s hair and pat her back, patiently trying to soothe her.

Once Shoko had calmed down slightly, her intermittent explanations left Yuka only partially understanding.

Without context, it was difficult to grasp who she was talking about or what specific incidents she was referring to.

However, Yuka listened patiently and gradually pieced the threads together.

In short, Shoko’s mother and family seemed to have been constantly applying pressure, insisting that she must secure a marriage alliance with the Noyama family.

As a result, Shoko herself had developed an obsession with the idea that she had to marry Nogami Hiroki.

Under the weight of this pressure, she had made that mistake at the Noyama family party.

In truth, anyone could accidentally knock over food.

While it’s best to avoid it for the sake of etiquette, an occasional slip-up is only natural.

That is precisely why napkins are laid out during meals—because anyone might spill some sauce.

The problem wasn’t the spill itself, but how it was handled afterward.

But at that moment, Shoko’s mind seemed to have gone blank, and she failed to respond properly.

That was why Yuka had wanted to take the blame, using the excuse of cleaning the dress to make an exit…

However, it seemed Shoko’s mother didn’t care at all who had actually knocked the food over; she only told Shoko to use the opportunity to protect her own reputation.

For Yuka, taking the blame was no big deal.

If she were merely whispered about for accidentally soiling Shoko’s dress, she was willing to endure it.

But it seemed Shoko’s mother also wanted to use the incident to push for the marriage between Shoko and the Noyama family.

Although Shoko, as a first-grader, had limited expressive abilities and her tearful account lacked logic, Yuka understood the gist of the situation.

She didn’t quite understand how twisting the incident into “Yuka intentionally splashed food” would facilitate a marriage alliance between Shoko and the Noyama family…

In other words, the scene at the party where Shoko’s mother angrily pushed Yuka aside and escorted Shoko away was entirely an “act.”

Yuka couldn’t help but have some opinions about Shoko’s mother.

What kind of mother ignores a child’s feelings and instills such a heavy obsession regarding marriage into a mere seven-year-old?

However, in this circle, such behavior seemed quite common and wasn’t a problem unique to Shoko’s mother.

Besides, the parent-child relationship within the Matsuyama family wasn’t something she could comment on lightly; family problems could only be resolved by the individuals involved.

If Shoko came to her for advice, she could listen, but with her current standing, it wasn’t appropriate to intervene directly.

All she could do was listen to Shoko’s worries, answer the questions she could, and respond in the way Shoko hoped for.

After crying for a long time and pouring out all the bitterness in her heart, Shoko was visibly much calmer.

It seemed she was alright now.

“I’m sorry… I should have explained everything properly a long time ago…”

“It’s alright. If anything… I’m sorry that my meddling caused you such pain, Shoko.”

“No! Yuka did nothing wrong! It was me—”

For some reason, Shoko began to apologize instead.

Yuka didn’t understand why Shoko felt the need to apologize.

The ones at fault were herself for being a busybody, the people around them who wanted to exploit the incident, and those irresponsible gossips who embellished the rumors.

Shoko had done nothing wrong.

But the two of them persisted, each insisting, “It’s my fault,” and “No, it’s my fault,” refusing to back down.

The scene was unexpectedly comical…

“Pfft.”

“Hehe.”

“Hahaha!”

Before they knew it, they were looking at each other and laughing.

Ah, this feeling was wonderful…

Yuka felt that they had finally become true friends.

No longer just a superficial acquaintance, but someone they could truly trust…

So that was it…

Was this what Shoko meant when she said, “If you’re friends, you should listen even if you have to force it”?

It was precisely because she had forced Shoko to speak that they could become friends…

She… despite having lived to adulthood in her past life, understood nothing.

Age alone does not make one an adult.

She only realized this truth after being enlightened by this little first-grade girl.

Her interpersonal skills were inferior even to a primary schooler’s.

Although she didn’t come from a high-society background in her previous life, she could somewhat understand the feelings of these Ōka Academy children.

In her past life, she was also surrounded by competitors.

To climb higher, people didn’t hesitate to trample over others; everyone was an obstacle to her promotion.

The competition among these children and the competition in her past life had different goals and required different skills.

For these children, what mattered was forming alliances with better families or gaining a better reputation than others.

For her in her past life, it was enough to study hard to improve her ranking and win at exams.

Interactions with others were thin, maintained only at the necessary minimum.

Even the faces of her classmates and the looks of other students at her prep school were blurry; she couldn’t remember them now at all.

She… had no friends during her student days in her past life…

She had thought she was handling things well, feeling that she got along okay with those around her.

But was that a true friendship?

Wasn’t it just barely managing to get by when they met at school?

Real friends should interact the way Shoko treated those around her.

Her relationships with people in her past life couldn’t even be called friendships.

Having reincarnated into this life… she finally understood this for the first time.

Combining her past and present lives… this was the first true friend she had ever made… and that was Shoko.

Shoko really was a kind child.

And she was so cute!

She almost wanted to take her home and be together forever.

She wanted to nuzzle her, smell her, lick her, and never be apart!

‘No… stay calm…’

Although she understood that making a real friend for the first time had made her overly excited, she had to remain rational.

Doing those things would truly be a crime.

She was neither a lolicon nor did she have any weird fetishes…

And she couldn’t stain the pure Shoko with her desires.

Yes, this was sacred.

It had to be offered up with devotion.

It shouldn’t be defiled by desire, but worshipped.

To achieve a true, wholesome “lily” bond, she could not allow the pollution of such unseemly desires.

She had to warn herself not to be influenced by such thoughts.

Just as she and Shoko were laughing together… she happened to look up and saw Nogami Hiroki appearing on the balcony.

“Hey!”

“Ah…?”

He strode over and shoved Shoko aside with one hand…

Wait, what?

What did this guy just do?

‘Oh no… my brain can’t keep up.’

The suddenness of the situation left Yuka momentarily dazed.

Shoko, having been shoved, fell onto the balcony floor.

“Yuka! It’s okay now!”

“…Ah?”

Yuka was suddenly hugged tightly by Nogami Hiroki.

He seemed to be going for a bear hug.

But honestly, she didn’t care about that.

This guy… this guy actually pushed Shoko!

Finally processing the situation, Yuka was consumed by a burning rage.

“You… what are you doing!”

“Eh?”

She nimbly slipped out of Nogami Hiroki’s bear hug.

After all her training with the master, escaping from a hold was child’s play for her.

Whether it was anti-harassment training or something else, she had been forced to practice various techniques for escaping when grabbed or bound.

Getting out of a child’s bear hug was a piece of cake.

“What are you do—”

“Ohho…”

After escaping, Yuka delivered a precise knife-hand strike from Nogami Hiroki’s blind spot, hitting him square in the chin.

The blow to the chin caused a brain rattle, leaving Nogami Hiroki wide open.

She immediately grabbed his collar and arm and executed a shoulder throw…

“Me-ah!”

“Gack!”

Nogami Hiroki, slammed onto the balcony floor by the shoulder throw, twitched slightly.

Logically, she should have followed up with another strike, but that didn’t matter.

This should buy some time.

She had to help Shoko up now…

“Shoko! Are you alright?”

She ran over to Shoko, who seemed to have fallen on her bottom and was gently rubbing it.

Aside from that, there seemed to be no other external injuries.

‘I’m glad your knees aren’t scraped, Shoko.’

“Um… Yuka… was that Young Master Nogami?”

“I’ve already knocked Hiroki flat, it’s fine! Let’s get out of here before he gets back up! Otherwise, there’s no telling what he’ll do!”

That Nogami Hiroki… what kind of sudden madness was this?

Was it because he failed to socially assassinate her at the party, so he switched to violence?

If they stayed, there was no telling if they’d be pushed off the balcony.

She didn’t care about herself, but she had to protect Shoko!

“But… Yuka… what did you do to Young Master Nogami…”

“That little lesson was nothing! He did such a terrible thing to my precious Shoko! I actually wanted to punch him a few more times!”

Shoko seemed worried about becoming an enemy of the Noyama family, but the other party was the one who struck first.

They were acting in self-defense; if they stayed silent, even the Ishikawa family would be brought down by Nogami Hiroki.

Since they were acting, they had to be thorough.

“…In that case,”

“Hmm?”

Shoko lowered her head, her body trembling slightly.

Was she hurting from the fall?

That bastard Nogami Hiroki! How dare he push a girl!

Maybe she really should have added a few more kicks?

“I’m… more important than Nogami… is that what you mean?”

“Isn’t that obvious! Hiroki doesn’t compare to how important you are, Shoko! Besides, pushing a girl for no reason is the absolute worst! It’s completely unforgivable!”

How dare he push her cute Shoko!

Just thinking about it made her blood boil!

As expected, she really should have given him a proper beating…

“Yuka! No, Big Sister Yuka! Shoko… Shoko is so moved!”

“Eh? Wait! Shoko?”

Just as Yuka was considering whether to add a few more kicks, Shoko lunged forward and hugged her.

Ignoring the bewildered Yuka, Shoko spoke excitedly:

“Risking becoming an enemy of Young Master Nogami just to protect Shoko… ah, my Big Sister Yuka! I’ll never let go! Big Sister Yuka~! You’re so cool! I love you the most!”

“Wait… Shoko! Calm down! And we’re the same age in the same class, so calling me ‘Big Sister’ isn’t quite right, is it!?”

Although this probably wasn’t the time for logic… Yuka’s own mind was a mess, and she didn’t know how to handle this.

“Eh… can’t I call you Big Sister Yuka…?”

Shoko suddenly wilted…

Yuka thought it was a bit cute, but now wasn’t the time for that.

By the way, what had suddenly come over Shoko?

However… being hugged tightly by a cute girl didn’t make her unhappy; since Shoko took the initiative, she naturally welcomed it…

“Isn’t it a bit strange for a classmate to call someone ‘Big Sister’?”

‘No… that’s not the point. This isn’t how it should be…’

But with Shoko acting like this, Yuka was at a loss… in any case, they had to settle the issue of how to address her.

“Hmm~… I understand! Then I shall call you Miss Yuka! But… when it’s just the two of us, I can call you Big Sister Yuka, right?”

“Ugh…”

Being looked up at with those big, watery eyes, Yuka was completely defeated.

This child… was dangerous.

She was definitely doing it on purpose.

A mere first-grader already knowing how to use feminine charm as a weapon?!

Shoko was not to be underestimated!

“What on earth is going on!?”

And just as Yuka and Shoko were caught in their entanglement, the members of the Ōka Association filed out from the school building and onto the balcony.