Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu
They both fell silent yet again.
Natsuya understood what Chiaki was saying.
First, she expressed her own feelings, then mentioned Shika Kagura, and now she was talking about Seiji's future… Chiaki's intentions were obvious. She was offering to help Natsuya in pursuing Seiji in exchange for Natsuya allowing Chiaki to become Seiji's mistress.
"I think that President should understand what it is that I mean to say."
Once again, Chiaki spoke as if she could read Natsuya's mind.
"So, I won't say anything more out loud. After all, it feels quite awkward to say something like that out loud." Chiaki paused for a moment before revealing a serious expression. "President Yoruhana, what's your opinion on what I want to say?"
Natsuya could feel how serious Chiaki was.
If she agreed, then Chiaki Wakaba would become her helper. If she didn't…
The student council president closed her eyes and silently mulled things over.
The tomboy quietly waited for her.
Seiji, who was currently busy eating through the piles of chocolate that he received on Valentine's Day, received a phone call from an unfamiliar number.
"Good morning. Am I speaking to Seiji Harutsan?" A young man's voice was on the other end of the phone.
"I am… who might you be?"
"My name is Aoran Yoruhana. I'm Natsuya's second older brother."
Seiji's expression froze over slightly when he heard this.
"Hello… Yoruhansan. Do you have some business with me?"
"Originally, I was supposed to be meeting with Natsuya right now for a discussion. However, she said that she suddenly had something to do and wanted to meet with me later." Aoran chuckled. "I wanted to know if she was currently with you."
"No, she's not with me right now," Seiji responded.
"I see. I apologize for the sudden call." Aoran paused for a moment. "Harutsan, is it convenient right now for you to talk with me?"
"What is it that you'd like to say, Yoruhansan?"
"It's about the matter of Natsuya getting married."
Seiji was astonished to hear this.
"This was the topic that I was originally supposed to discuss with you. I was intending on talking to you after I talked to her, but she suddenly delayed our meeting, so I wanted to talk to you first," Aoran mentioned.
"Why would you talk to me about this matter?"
"Of course, it's because Natsuya is in love with you. Didn't she give you her love chocolate yesterday during Valentine's Day?"
Seiji didn't know what to say in response to this.
"It wouldn't happen to be that you're eating it right now, are you?" Aoran suddenly asked.
"…I'm not."
Although he was indeed eating chocolate right now, he was currently going through Shika's chocolate.
"Since you've received my younger sister's love chocolate, you have to take responsibility and get engaged to her!" Aoran suddenly took a strict tone.
Seiji was rendered speechless.
"Just kidding. Although I want to say that, it's not at the extent of having to do something like that immediately." Aoran chuckled. "Did I scare you?"
"That's truly an amazing joke. It shocked me so much," Seiji responded in a flat tone of voice.
"I can tell just from your tone that you weren't scared at all… forget it, I'll be serious now." Aoran coughed. "Harutsan, you know that Akatsuki Mitarai was originally engaged to be married to Natsuya, right?"
"Yeah."
"You knew this, but still helped her in dueling against Akatsuki Mitarai, which even caused his death. Did you ever think about what this would mean?"
"We didn't cause Akatsuki Mitarai's death."
"Of course, I understand this. However, it's still a fact that the Mitarai Family's young master died while he was dueling against you and Natsuya… this is quite a serious matter, do you understand?"
"…I understand."
"Natsuya and you are the victors, and you didn't directly kill him, so trouble won't directly come looking for you. Still, this doesn't mean that the two of you will remain completely unaffected," Aoran spoke seriously. "Natsuya won her freedom, but her freedom is only temporary. When this blows over, the family will still arrange a marriage for her, and it's highly likely that the family won't give her any chance to refuse. And as for you, if you're interested in Natsuya, you need to firm your resolution right now. If you're not interested in her, you should start keeping your distance from her."
Seiji remained silent.
"Think it over carefully, Harutsan. After I talk to Natsuya, I'll contact you again and arrange a time to meet with you in person. I hope that you'll be able to tell me what you intend on doing at that time."
They ended their conversation there.
Seiji thought about things in silence for a while before he called the student council president.
"Good morning, Natsuya."
"Good morning… Seiji."
"I just received a call from someone who called himself Aoran Yoruhana, your second older brother…" He told her Aoran's phone number in order to confirm Aoran's identity.
"That is indeed my second older brother… What did he say to you?"
"The basics of what he said was that I should either keep my distance from you or firm my resolution."
Natsuya fell silent for a moment.
"Then… What do you intend to do?" Natsuya asked in a light voice.
It felt as if something was clutching tightly onto her heart right now. Her heartbeat got much louder and it became difficult for her to breathe.
"Of course, I'm going to firm my resolution," Seiji stated as if it was only natural. "No matter what kind of resolution I need, I'll do it."
'I definitely won't leave your side!'
Natsuya felt as if she could hear that, causing a warm feeling to instantly well up within her heart. Her body started heating up, together with her face.
"No matter what type of resolution… right?" she asked for confirmation from him in a gentle voice.
"Yes, no matter what," Seiji said in an adamant tone.
"Even if you have to marry me?" Natsuya spoke in a cute voice before she noticed what she just said. This instantly caused her to be overwhelmed by embarrassment, with a deep red glow covering her cheeks.
She had a seductive expression with a flushed red face right now, which stunned Chiaki who was currently still sitting across from her.
Seiji was astonished as well. He never expected such a direct question from her!
Earlier, when Aoran had joked about him getting engaged to Natsuya, he hadn't thought too much into it at all. But now that Natsuya herself was talking about this subject…
He couldn't help but imagine what might happen if he really did marry her. The scene seemed quite nice… no, quite wonderful!
Just imagining the student council president wearing an extravagant wedding gown and smiling sweetly at him caused his heartbeat to rapidly quicken!!
"That… would be quite excellent."
Only when he spoke it out loud did Seiji regain his senses and cover his face in embarrassment.
"What I meant to say was that if I need that type of resolution, I… um… no, what I really mean is that it's probably unlikely that I need that type of resolution, but if I really need to, I'll be quite excited… no, wait! I suddenly don't know how to express myself, but at any rate..."
Seiji covered his flaming face as he organized his chaotic feelings into a single sentence.
"No matter what, I'll be together with you!!!"
'I definitely won't leave you.
'I definitely won't walk away from you.
'I'll continue down this path with you.'
Seiji did his best to express such a meaning.
Natsuya received his heartfelt intentions.
She felt as if her heart had been pierced through by a sharp arrow! Her body became even hotter, almost as if she was burning up. It felt like something was dissolving inside her.
She recalled various past scenes and words he had said to her before...
"President Yoruhana, I promise that you won't feel let down."
"Becoming your Spirit-branded Retainer and fighting for your cause is a type of romance as well."
"Tell me what's on your mind. Although I'm not sure what I can do for you, I… don't want to simply stand by when it's something related to the President!"
"You… are actually a gentle girl."
"I want to become stronger… so, I'll continue down this path."
"Will it be a problem that I knocked him out of the window like that?"
"Natsuya, I believe that you're just like I see, beautiful on the outside, gentle and strong on the inside. You're not some girl who's actually vicious on the inside at all."
"Even if you think that you're taking advantage of me, I don't mind. I'm delighted to be of assistance to you."
"I think that as long as I'm different from how I used to be, my life has more value than before."
"We've won!"
"Thank you…Natsuya."
'I'm the one who should be expressing my thanks.
'Thank you, Seiji.
'It's truly wonderful that I met you and fell in love with you,' Natsuya thought to herself from the bottom of her heart.