Masho no Otoko wo Mezashimasu

225.
One morning at the Toukain Household

“…”

“…”

Why, just having breakfast with grandpa, makes me so nervous like this?

Shino picked up her favorite jam and put it on her freshly baked toast, and she brought it to her mouth. The crispy texture and sweetness of wheat, when you put the jam on top of that, it made the already delicious bread even more delicious.

As expected of a breakfast made by the chef of Toukain household. Since the bread and jam were handmade by the chef, Shino appreciated that she could eat delicious meals every day, and so she deliciously had her breakfast.

MUNCH!! MUNCH!!

“… Shino, you did well on the King of Boys.”

“…? … Ah!? N-no, that… all I did was just a small help to Kohaku-kun.”

Suddenly praised by his grandfather Housei, Shino was so surprised that she stopped thinking for a moment. However, Housei didn’t seem to care.

“No, that event is something that a man couldn’t win alone even if he’s excellent.
In fact, the boy named Daikuji, who had gathered strong women, was forced into surrender in the final round.
That Hatano boy could win because Shino and the others did a good job there.”

“T-thank you very much……”

Shino realized that her cheeks naturally loosen in Housei’s words, as she had been rarely praised by him.

“Shino, didn’t you promise me one thing before you entered Kenran?”

However, Housei said something that stiffened Shino.
Regardless, he continued his words.

” “I‘ll find a partner I’m happy with while I’m in high school.
If I can’t find one, I’ll leave Toukain’s house”….
you said so as you rejected the fiancée candidate that I had chosen for you.
He was an excellent man.
Since you didn’t accept it, he had already been engaged with someone else from another house.
Of course, you could still try to be the second or third… But well, I don’t know if you will receive much love being in that position.”

“……Yes”

“It’s not that I couldn’t understand your feelings, but when I think of your father, I can’t help but tell you this myself, since it’s also a problem of Toukain.”

“……Yes”

Shino’s father wasn’t a bad person. He was extremely an ordinary man, and that was why, as a person who deserved to be described as such, he loved luxury and wanted to live his life as he wished. He might be fine even if ended up marrying an ordinary woman, but if he married Toukain, and as a partner of Touakin, he was obliged to support her, the head of the family. But he could spend a huge amount of money in exchange for it. Housei, who was in front of Shino, was a man who had brought up Toukain to the high status.
That was why Shino’s father had something to think about for the future of Toukain.

“But I accepted your words, because I saw the resolve in your eyes.
If you couldn’t find a partner within three years, I might have to take a successor from the branch family.”

“…..”

“But the boy you found… Kohaku Hatano is someone with outstanding talents.
I can’t find any inferiority in his appearance, intellect, personality.
On the contrary, he is overwhelmingly superior in all of that.
With this King of Boys, he was now officially recognized as the best in the country within his generation, your generation.
There are reports saying that, just using him as an advertising model for the corporate CM, has a considerable effect on the company.
Immediately after that CM, the group’s stock price has also risen…… Even though it’s just for temporary.”

Then, Housei brought the cup of tea to his mouth.

“Let me ask frankly.
Shino, do you think that Hatano boy is willing to marry you?”

Shino was wondering why her grandfather asked her this. She thought that it was she had made a promise, but she was still in the first year and it was still just a few months after she met Kohaku. Of course, she intended to pursue that future, but she still didn’t understand Kohaku’s feelings.
Based on his personality, she understood that probably Kohaku wouldn’t want to marry many women, so she needed to keep a close distance from Kohaku, in order to get a ticket to the limited chairs… But, she was afraid that if she went too aggressive, it might end up with her being hated by Kohaku.

“My dear grandfather, it’s the period where we still deepening our relationship.
Aren’t my dear grandfather being a little too rushed in this matter?”

“It seems that Minakatain was interested in Hatano boy.”

!!?? 

Shino was astonished by the words of her grandfather. Because the next successor of Minakatin was already an adult, and she should have been dating a man.

“She is a good woman, although she is a little bit aggressive.
Maybe that Hatano boy will be fascinated by her… Then, one seat for his marriage partner will be filled.
Well, I wonder, how many seats are there? Only he, who knows it… and Seikagu’s daughter… she may be your best friend, but at the same time, you need to remember that she’s a competitor too.”

“… I know that.”

“I see, then I have nothing to say.
I just hope you can spend your life without regrets.”

Housei stood up and tried to leave the dining room, but muttered as he remembered.

“…I personally like that Hatano boy, and I hope Shino’s relationship with him will be fruitful.”

“… My dear grandfather”

“It’s about time.
Eat your meal faster and then go to school.”

That said, Housei left the cafeteria. Upon hearing her words, Shino checked her watch, and she rushed to stuff bread into her mouth….
and She got a small complaint from the caretaker maid because she wasn’t well-behaved.