"I don't know, but I don't want to give up."
Faced with Youko's pressing questions, Chisato gave this response.
Looking at the young man beside her, who gazed at her with bright eyes, Youko rested her chin on her left hand and let out a silent sigh.
This was one of the last situations she had wanted to see.
Her daughter was still emotionally attached to this boy.
If Kazusa hadn't had deep feelings for him, then when she first found out about his entanglements with other girls, she would have simply kicked him away without hesitation.
She wouldn't have been struggling with such visible distress these past few days.
That, combined with the fact that he had saved her life…
Putting those two factors together, Youko couldn't help but feel a headache coming on as she tried to figure out how to deal with the situation before her.
Hiding around the stairway corner, Kazusa was eavesdropping on her mother and Chisato's conversation.
Slowly, she slid down from her original position against the wall and sat on the steps.
Like mother, like daughter—her mother was asking the very same questions she wanted to ask.
How could he say something like that so easily?
What does he even think my feelings mean?
Kazusa clutched at the fabric over her chest.
After an entire day of trying to calm down, her emotions, which had finally settled, once again stirred uncontrollably with irritation and an aching pain.
Her view on relationships was simple, aligned with common values—there was only one choice: black or white.
Either two people love each other and stay together, or they separate cleanly. Anything in between—this vague, lingering attachment—would only bring more sorrow.
And yet…
Even knowing that, she still couldn't bring herself to make a clear-cut decision.
Just this morning, she had been persuaded by her mother to be the bigger person and move on.
She had clung to the sliver of hope that maybe Chisato had just momentarily lost his way.
Maybe if she forgave him, he would change his mind.
Maybe he would choose her in the end.
Maybe from now on, their future could still go smoothly.
But reality was cruel. She had been too optimistic, too full of herself.
Chisato's answer had made it clear—he wouldn't give her up, but he also wouldn't sever ties with the other girls around him.
He wanted both. He wanted to have it all.
That bastard—did he think he was some kind of ancient emperor?!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
That absolute jerk…
Back in the living room, the two adults silently locked eyes for a moment before Chisato finally spoke first.
"How is Kazusa… right now?"
"In what sense?"
"In every sense—her mood, her physical condition, everything."
Youko stood up and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, lifting her gaze toward the night sky.
"As Kazusa's mother, after hearing what you just said, I don't particularly feel like answering your questions."
"But you did save my life, and ignoring you would feel too rude. What do you think I should do?"
Chisato shook his head slightly.
"I already told you in the hospital—what I did was entirely my own choice. No one forced me."
"Please don't feel indebted to me or feel conflicted because of it. The truth is, what I'm doing now is wrong. I already came here prepared to be reprimanded by you."
"You…" Youko sighed and turned back toward him.
"After hearing you say all that, I don't even know how to judge you anymore."
She sat down on the coffee table in front of him, leaning forward to meet his gaze.
"Kazusa is in her room upstairs. If you're really that worried, why don't you go see her yourself?"
Chisato's body tensed up involuntarily. After a pause, he muttered,
"Right now… I don't know how to face her."
Hearing this, Youko chuckled.
"Normally, even after a fight, a couple should be close, while it's their parents who remain distant. But in your case, it's the exact opposite."
Chisato couldn't come up with an answer right away, but from her tone and expression, he could tell that the tension in the air had eased somewhat.
But why?
"I just feel like… Kazusa probably doesn't want to see me at all right now."
Youko remained silent, patiently waiting for him to continue.
"As for what you mentioned over the phone earlier—Kazusa went out this morning, then came back in tears, looking like someone had bullied her—"
Who the hell looked like they'd been bullied?!
Kazusa, still eavesdropping from the stairway, nearly jumped out to punch that nonsense-spewing idiot.
"Mm, I did mention something like that. Do you know why?"
Chisato nodded.
"After we hung up, I had a suspicion and went straight to confirm it. Sure enough, I was right—one of the girls around me found Kazusa and talked to her."
He briefly explained the conversation that took place between them.
"What a terrible woman."
Youko clicked her tongue in displeasure, offering a blunt judgment.
"She didn't mean any harm. That's just how she is. Once you get to know her—uh, never mind. I'll stop talking now."
Realizing that his explanation was only making Youko's expression more dangerous, Chisato wisely chose to shut his mouth.
Of course—her daughter had been hurt by someone else. No matter what had happened that morning, a mother was bound to take her child's side.
"You know, when I first met you here, I had a bad feeling," Youko mused.
"I thought Kazusa might not be able to resist a boy like you. But I never expected… that you'd be even more outrageous than I imagined."
Not sure if that was praise or sarcasm, Chisato wisely chose not to respond. He simply placed his hands on his knees and sat attentively, as if listening to a lecture.
Youko continued,
"After Kazusa entered middle school, I started spending less time with her. Looking back now, maybe it was because I was too focused on work and didn't accompany her enough."
"She must have felt lonely. And in that emptiness, you—this damn brat—easily slipped in and captured her heart."
"I'm very sorry."
"Sorry for what? Just now, you looked so determined, boldly declaring your ambition to build a harem. Where did that confidence go?"
"..."
Chisato scratched his face awkwardly.
Some things feel very different when you say them yourself compared to when someone else says them.
Youko narrowed her eyes.
"Heh… Now that you're facing me, you're feeling embarrassed? I seriously doubt you'll have the guts to repeat what you just said when you see Kazusa."
Chisato first felt a little guilty, but then, realizing something, his spirit lifted.
Wait, does that mean…
He had a sudden realization.
"Miss Youko, if I'm not misunderstanding… it sounds like you…"
Youko cut him off, resting her chin on her hand.
"What I think doesn't really matter. Like I said, I neglected Kazusa for work and wasn't always there for her."
"So even now, when she's facing a relationship crisis, I don't feel like I have the right to step in as a mother and make decisions for her."
"In the end, this is something between the two of you. My opinion is just that—an opinion. It won't dictate your decisions or feelings."
"But anyway, I didn't invite you here tonight to argue about who's right or wrong."
"I just wanted to fully understand your thoughts and see if we could reach some kind of consensus—one that we both find acceptable."
"After all, trust is built on mutual understanding, and only then could I feel comfortable entrusting Kazusa to you."
"But after hearing what you just said, I instantly realized my expectations were in vain. Not that it really matters."
With that, Youko shrugged.
The tea she had poured for Chisato earlier remained untouched, its temperature now cooled.
She simply grabbed the cup herself and took a big gulp to quench her thirst.
Since Miss Youko put it that way, he might as well take it as a compliment.
Chisato shamelessly thought to himself.
"So, does that mean, Miss Youko, you now…"
"Well, Kazusa and I both have a thing for good looks, you see."
"Sure, what you did to her is unforgivable from her perspective, but in my opinion, the two of you aren't even married yet."
"Even though you're dating, your relationship is still at its purest stage. You haven't taken that final step, right?"
Youko lifted her gaze slightly, pursing her lips as if deep in thought.
Then, suddenly realizing she had never actually discussed this with her daughter, she turned to Chisato for confirmation.
"You two haven't crossed that line yet, have you?"
"…We've kissed, but as for what you're referring to… we haven't."
"Then that's fine. Before making a bigger mistake, you at least had the courage to confess."
"In a legal sense, it's like a criminal recognizing their wrongdoing and turning themselves in. And according to the law, such actions are usually met with a degree of leniency."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Chisato tilted his head slightly, feeling Youko's hand rest on his shoulder. To be honest, he was a bit confused.
She had said a lot, but her actual stance remained unclear. He didn't dare to make any reckless assumptions, so he carefully probed,
"I think… I kind of understand."
Only kind of.
Youko withdrew her hand, curling her index finger slightly before flicking his forehead lightly.
"Let me put it simply. Setting aside other factors and speaking purely from my own personality—I don't dislike you.
"After all, I believe it's in a man's nature to be fickle in love."
"I've seen plenty of men who have a wife at home while keeping a string of lovers outside. This isn't some unforgivable crime that deserves immediate execution upon discovery."
"Besides, my views don't align with most people in society. In a sense, you could say I truly embrace the concept of gender equality.
"If I put myself in Kazusa's position—"
Halfway through her sentence, she noticed Chisato's slightly uneasy expression.
Realizing her words might be interpreted the wrong way, straying into questionable territory, she quickly reworded her statement.
"What I mean is, if something like this happened to me, I definitely wouldn't react like Kazusa, torn between emotions. I'd take a more carefree approach.
"If my boyfriend had other women outside, I'd just do the same—he plays around, I play around. That way, we'd both be happy, right?
"Haha! What's with that look? Don't worry, I never suggested this idea to Kazusa."
"She and I are completely different. She could never accept something like that—you know that better than anyone. I'm just speaking from my own perspective."
Chisato let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"So, Miss Youko, what you're saying is…"
"I've more or less figured out the situation between you two. What happens next is up to you. Kazusa is old enough to take responsibility for her own choices."
Youko stood up and sat on the sofa, picking up the TV remote.
"My conversation with you is over. Do whatever you want now—leave, go upstairs and knock on Kazusa's door to ask for forgiveness, whatever."
"It's up to you. I'm going to watch TV now, so don't bother me."
Chisato placed both hands on his knees and stood up. Then, sincerely and respectfully, he bowed slightly toward Youko and thanked her in a soft voice.
Although her words had sounded casual, he understood that, as Kazusa's mother, she had already made many concessions.
"I don't know what will happen between you and Kazusa in the end, but good luck, boyfriend-kun."
Youko waved a hand dismissively while watching the television, not even bothering to turn her head, signaling for him to leave and stop disturbing her.
Regardless of how things turned out, the progress was much smoother than he had expected.
Had he already cleared the "Mom" stage?
Chisato silently mused.
No, the real challenge was still Kazusa.
Miss Youko was like a referee who had been bribed—on the surface, she maintained neutrality, observing the situation as it unfolded.
But if Kazusa refused to forgive him, she would undoubtedly take her daughter's side without hesitation. That was an undeniable fact.
Now was definitely not the time to relax.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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