626 – A Battle of Wives? No… A Battle of Fathers!

To Kyousuke, Sakura was like a kite—one that hadn’t quite learned how to ride the wind.

Sometimes she’d soar high into the sky, sometimes she’d dip low, but no matter what, she always came back to him, following that invisible string that tied them together.

Eventually, the girl named Yamauchi Sakura ran out of energy.

“Kyousuke, carry me~”

This time, her soft Kyoto accent wasn’t just playful, it was pure, spoiled affection.

Kyousuke crouched down, spreading his arms behind him like a stealth bomber ready to receive its passenger.

Sakura flopped onto his back, her weight light and familiar, her presence grounding him as always.

“Hey… I’m sleepy,” she murmured.

“Then sleep. When you wake up, we’ll be home.”

He supported her gently, hands under her thighs, and began walking with calm, steady steps.

They returned to Tokyo by car, a vehicle sent by the Tansan company.

Sure, Kyousuke could’ve sprinted all the way to Mars for Sakura if she’d asked, but Kisaki wasn’t about to let their “boss” miss tomorrow’s crucial event.

Back in Kyoto, Sakura’s grandparents who had been eagerly waiting after hearing their granddaughter and her “grandson-in-law” were visiting, waited all night to no avail.

They did want to call them, but too afraid to interrupt what they assumed was a romantic date, so they bombarded Sakura’s parents with calls instead.

That was how Mr. and Mrs. Yamauchi found out that, on the night before the Japan Mystery Writers Association Awards, Kyousuke had taken their daughter to Kyoto for a trip.

Sitting on the couch, Mrs. Yamauchi held her phone with a smile.

“This must’ve been Sakura’s idea… She’s too impulsive. What if they don’t make it back in time? It’s such an important day.”

Her words sounded like scolding, but her tone carried no blame, only fondness toward Kyousuke and relief that her daughter seemed happy.

“Don’t worry,” said Mr. Yamauchi, leaning back on the sofa. “Kyousuke’s always been responsible. The last shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo leaves around nine. And there are night buses… or flights from Osaka if needed.”

“There’s no need for all that trouble,” she said with a small laugh. “Remember? Kyousuke has his own company now. Last time, he sent Sakura home in his company’s car.”

“Oh… right. Guess I’m still thinking of them as kids running around on trains. Hard to believe he already has a career.”

After he said that silence filled the room.

They both fell quiet because deep down, they were proud.

Their daughter and her childhood friend… the boy who’d grown into a capable young man.

And the girl, their cheerful, radiant Sakura, who had grown into such a lovely young woman.

Most of all, they were still together.

Even on such an important night, that boy had chosen to stay by their daughter’s side.

Just that alone told the Yamauchi couple everything they needed to know.

They finally understood why, even after learning how little time she had left, their daughter insisted on spending every day with Hojou Kyousuke.

Of course, the last time they visited the dorms where Sakura stayed and saw just how many girls lived there, both parents had turned several shades of green and red.

If Sakura hadn’t pleaded with them beforehand, her father might’ve twisted Kyousuke’s head off on the spot.

They thought their daughter deserved better.

The poor girl had even gone through the trouble of getting special treatments after leaving the hospital, just to hide the faint scent of antiseptic.

“Kyousuke will notice,” she’d said. “He can smell when I’m sick.”

That was how far gone she was…

This time, Sakura had invited her parents to attend the Mystery Writers Association award ceremony.

The couple planned to use the occasion to talk to Kyousuke seriously and ask him what his relationship with those other girls really was, how he truly felt about Sakura, and what their daughter meant to him.

They knew it wasn’t fair to demand anything, not given her condition.

In truth, if they’d learned that Kyousuke was romantically involved with another girl suffering from a terminal illness, they would’ve gone straight to the Hojou family and forced them apart, no matter how cruel it seemed.

After all, they’d known Kyousuke for almost ten years.

They’d watched him grow from a scruffy little kid into a confident young man.

In a country where families were often distant, he was practically family to them.

But still—Sakura was their only daughter.

To his colleagues, Yamauchi Makoto was a selfless, dependable leader.

But as a father, he was selfish and fiercely protective.

Even Mrs. Yamauchi, who had become close friends with Nishimiya’s mother through their daughters, was willing to turn that friendship into a rivalry if it meant ensuring Sakura’s happiness in her final days.

“The Nishimiyas are a tough family…” she muttered, half-dreading the thought.

Her husband nodded grimly. “I’ll back you up.”

Because yes, fighting over a son-in-law might be unbecoming but if Kyousuke could make their daughter smile again, then so be it.

Knowing that Kyousuke had abandoned everything tonight just to take Sakura to Kyoto put their hearts at ease.

Tomorrow, even if Nishimiya, Miyamizu, or whoever else came after them, they’d greet everyone with smiles.

Their daughter had already won. If others wanted to be bitter about it, so what?

The couple called a nearby private salon and booked full spa treatments, preparing to attend the ceremony in style.

Meanwhile, Sakura’s grandparents were still waiting, puzzled and sleepless.

“…”

“Honey?” Mrs. Yamauchi whispered in the dark.

“Mm?”

“Sakura’s sixteen now.”

“She is. Why?”

“In two years, Kyousuke will be eighteen.”

“...What are you getting at?”

“If she could… if she could marry him, even for a little while… she’d go with a smile, wouldn’t she?”

Silence again.

In the dark, Mr. Yamauchi’s face tightened as he held her hand.

“I’ll talk to Kyousuke tomorrow,” he said quietly.

“Alright. But don’t let Sakura find out. She’d think we’re meddling again.”

“Meddling? Hardly.” He chuckled softly. “Remember when she was nine and used to shout that she wanted to eat Kyousuke’s cooking forever? She’s been planning to be his wife since then.”

Mr. Yamauchi muttered under his breath, still clearly fuming.

What father would ever want another man to become as important to his daughter as he was himself?

Mrs. Yamauchi, Makoto, chuckled softly at her husband’s words.

‘How nice… I hope Kyousuke and Sakura can stay this happy forever.’

Coincidentally, conversations about Hojou Kyousuke weren’t happening only in the Yamauchi household.

————————————————————————

At the Yukinoshita Residence

With a long sigh, Yukinoshita Yukino lifted her glass and took a sip of ice-cold water, trying to clear her foggy mind.

In front of her stood a woman with a slender waist and a flawless hourglass figure, her body forming a perfect S-curve.

Even from behind, she was impossibly alluring, so much so that it made Yukino grit her teeth at how effortlessly seductive her sister was.

Yes—this was Yukinoshita Haruno, the same woman who once drove Yukino to a desperate philosophical conclusion:

“Physical appearance cannot determine a person’s worth. If humanity truly judged women by the size of their chests, then this world is far too absurd.”

“Yukino-chan, you really don’t know, do you?” Haruno began, her tone playfully smug.

“Back in the days, before formula milk or any sort of substitute existed, a woman’s breast size actually did determine her ability to nurture children.

Passing on the bloodline, do I really have to explain how important that is? So, in a sense, it’s perfectly reasonable for people to judge a woman’s—”

“Stop saying things with no scientific basis.” Yukino cut in sharply, her eyes flashing. “Breasts are just fat tissue, It’s the mammary glands that produce milk, and excess fat actually obstructs them.

From a practical standpoint, larger breasts are less functional, they’re nothing but visual distractions. Only the weak-minded and shallow would be fooled by them.”

Having declared her final verdict, she concluded with absolute conviction:

“Big breasts are nothing but meaningless illusions!”

“Ohhh, ahahaha the way you accepted yourself it’s amazing!” Haruno clapped dramatically, eyes wide with mock astonishment.

Dropping the dresses she’d been holding, she burst into gleeful applause.

“So Yukino-chan really does care about this topic after all~ You’ve even done research! I can’t decide if I should be proud or pity you—oh, my poor little sister, how far you’ve fallen…”

Her voice dripped with exaggerated sorrow.

“That’s not what I meant!” Yukino snapped, her voice quivering with restrained irritation. “I only looked into it out of academic curiosity! The pursuit of knowledge is one of humanity’s greatest virtues, it’s the cornerstone of progress.”

She clenched her jaw, fighting to stay composed.

Getting angry would only mean falling straight into her sister’s trap.

And Haruno also thrived on that.

She had to stay calm and graceful, like their mother would.

“Yukino-chan, liars have to swallow a thousand needles, you know~ The Justice Hero won’t forgive dishonesty!” Haruno struck a superhero pose—legs apart, hands on hips, her voice booming with mock righteousness.

That did it.

“Stop acting like Sakura!” Yukino yelled, grabbing a cushion and hurling it at her sister.

“Hehehehehe~~~”

Haruno twisted her slim waist, effortlessly dodging the flying cushion.

Seeing her usually composed sister lose her cool, she grinned in pure satisfaction before returning to her outfit selection.

Yukino gulped down more ice water, trying to douse the fire inside her.

Her sister had a talent—no, a curse for effortlessly charming anyone and cutting straight into their weak spots.

Wait… hold on.

She realized something strange.

The whole “breast-size and perception” theory—she’d only thought about it.

She hadn’t said a word out loud.

So how did Haruno—

“Because I know what you’re thinking, of course,” Haruno interrupted smoothly, not even turning around. “You look at my perfect body and try to rationalize it away. Don’t bother denying it, I am the person who knows you best in this world.”

Yukino froze.

She wanted to argue back, but she couldn’t.

Every time Haruno effortlessly guessed her thoughts, it made her feel… defeated.

She’d always prided herself on her study of human behavior, on mastering the art of reading people.

But when it came to her sister…..

“Oh, and by the way,” Haruno added cheerfully, “not even Mom knows you better than I do. Because I’m your number-one biggest fan~ The sister who loves you most in the world!”

She turned, winked dramatically, and struck a pose.

Yukino’s cheeks flushed crimson.

She averted her gaze, suddenly flustered.

Haruno chuckled quietly and lifted a long black dress from the wardrobe, holding it against herself to test the fit.

“Yukino-chan~ What do you think of this one? You think Hojou would like it?” she asked casually.

‘If you showed up wearing nothing, that pervert would definitely love it,’ Yukino thought instantly and immediately wanted to bury herself alive.

‘Why am I thinking like this!?’ she panicked. ‘Did I breathe in too much air contaminated by her nonsense? Next time, I’m bringing an oxygen tank.’

She frowned and inspected the dress properly.

It was elegant—a black gown with a modest neckline that concealed her sister’s more… distracting assets.

Still, the tight waistline would perfectly emphasize Haruno’s natural curves.

Yukino could already picture it fitting flawlessly.

“You usually prefer dresses that draw more attention,” she said carefully.

She knew her sister’s habits well.

Haruno had her own strategy for boring social events: she’d use her looks to draw every man’s gaze, then study their reactions with detached amusement.

Watching them pretend to be polite while clearly struggling to control their wandering eyes was her idea of entertainment.

To Haruno, those banquets weren’t parties, they were a circus.

And every man there was a monkey dancing for her amusement.

Haruno observed others for fun.

Yukino… observed Haruno to learn.