Epilogue : Touren Kikyou
His name was Touren Shiyuugi. Though he goes by the name Touren, he is merely an adopted son-in-law.
The Touren family of Kyoto was a well-known old family.
While Shiyuugi was also the son of a wealthy family, there was an immense gap compared to their status.
Shiyuugi first met Tsubaki when he was ten years old, at a party his parents took him to attend.
Frustrated by the boring talk of adults, Tsubaki shyly called out to Shiyuugi.
Caught off guard by this girl he’d unexpectedly met, Shiyuugi was struck speechless.
She seemed like a fragile, lovely princess who’d leapt from a fairy tale.
Charmed by her blossoming smile, his gaze froze transfixed. Shiyuugi fell in love at first sight.
The girl’s name was Touren Tsubaki. The youngest daughter of the Touren family with an older brother and sister.
Learning she was the same age as him, the conversation partner he’d stumbled upon by chance made his heart dance.
It didn’t take time for the two to quickly become friendly.
Seeing how close the two were, joking comments like her being his “childhood bride” from the adults made the boy take it seriously, never doubting that one day they would be together.
It was Shiyuugi’s first love. The same went for Tsubaki.
And so, they became childhood friends. However, the time they spent together was short.
Because Shiyuugi’s family lived in Tokyo. There was geographical distance from Tsubaki living in Kyoto.
Even so, their relationship continued. Their homes were different and so were their schools. But Shiyuugi did not want to cut ties. They began exchanging letters, reporting how they were doing day-to-day.
Although such an exchange lasted a number of years, and Shiyuugi rejoiced obtaining a phone thinking communication would now be easier, by then the frequency had gradually declined. It couldn’t be helped.
Becoming middle schoolers, their social circles expanded too. Between studying, club activities, and their hands full with just themselves, only the visible world was everything. Hectic days, fulfilling days. Friends nearby over friends faraway. An obvious inevitability. There were numerous contributing factors for growing distant. Shiyuugi panicked.
Yet he never gave up. He selfishly asked his parents and against their wishes, decided to enroll into a Kyoto high school that Tsubaki attended, leaving home. Despite living in a dorm and restrictions on his freedom, it didn’t matter. He was simply fixated madly.
With the premonition that blissful days were about to begin, Shiyuugi’s heart raced with anticipation.
Tsubaki had an older brother and sister. While both were kind, the presence of the excellent siblings gave Tsubaki an inferiority complex. Constantly compared by those around her, always being judged. Her parents would tell her it’s fine but it still made Tsubaki miserable because it felt like she wasn’t expected of anything.
Without the courage to defy her parents or turn to delinquency. Tsubaki’s personality gradually became more self-deprecating.
At some point, even Shiyuugi’s letters felt like a hassle and her responses grew further apart.
Tsubaki was unaware of the feelings contained in Shiyuugi’s letters.
Of just how much her childhood friend loved her.
The turning point in her gloomy days came when she became third year middle schoolers.
A male classmate confessed to her during their school trip. She didn’t harbor any feelings for him herself.
But Tsubaki was seeking an escape. More than anything, she was overjoyed that her existence was acknowledged by someone other than her siblings for the first time. Accepting his confession, her personality and cheerfulness then gradually returned. The two ended up going to the same high school.
And so Tsubaki reunited with Shiyuugi. Finding out Tsubaki already had a boyfriend, Shiyuugi became terribly depressed.
She was shocked by Shiyuugi’s passion but with an existing partner, there was nothing Tsubaki could do.
Those around them didn’t leave such a Shiyuugi alone. Striving desperately to study and do sports to become someone matching Tsubaki because Shiyuugi had become a dazzlingly charming existence.
Unlike Tsubaki who’d spent her middle school years leaving things drift. Her old sense of inferiority surged forth once more.
Tsubaki couldn’t bear Shiyuugi’s devotion. Or her own wretchedness for being unable to wait for Shiyuugi.
Because from the very first day they met, Tsubaki had also harbored affection for Shiyuugi.
As if inevitable, their childish puppy love could not last and Tsubaki cleanly broke it off.
But approaching Shiyuugi so late now would be far too shameless. Unlike Tsubaki, Shiyuugi had many friends of both genders and had grown quite close comforting the crestfallen Shiyuugi.
Above all, Tsubaki no longer felt herself worthy of Shiyuugi now.
In the end, while remaining aware of one another, their fates would intersect no more, passing by each other.
Shiyuugi and Tsubaki reunited at a school reunion.
Several years into their careers as working adults. There were those in suitable positions and also ones who had chased their dreams to success or suffered setbacks. Their faces reflected the lives lived with words gaining nuance.
Shiyuugi was shocked at Tsubaki’s metamorphosis from not having seen her for years. A powerless smile carrying a shadow somewhere.
Without Shiyuugi’s knowledge, Tsubaki had struggled tremendously it seems. She’d married once but suffered under her husband’s DV and power harassment then divorced. The scars still hadn’t healed leaving Tsubaki timid regarding romance even now.
Shiyuugi could only sincerely regret. What was it he had chased after Tsubaki for?
If this was how things would turn out, he should’ve just seized Tsubaki forcibly. Why he hadn’t done so was because anger at the sense of betrayal lingered to an extent.
Even after learning of Tsubaki’s breakup, he hadn’t been able to take any action.
Because at that time, Shiyuugi was also dating someone. And now—
Shiyuugi was married. He had children too. But if asked whether there was love between him and his wife, he would be doubtful.
Certainly there had been love once. It crumbled the moment she saw through that Shiyuugi’s feelings for Tsubaki still remained strong within him ever since first meeting and laying eyes on Tsubaki. Those innocent, pure romantic feelings of first love.
After the reunion ended, for whatever reason the two were left alone. Perhaps due to inebriation or else years of pent up emotions — by the time Shiyuugi realized it, he had become one with Tsubaki.
A night’s mistake. The usual trite infidelity story.
Feelings of guilt and swelling regret. However Shiyuugi would not leave Tsubaki be. He wanted to save her.
Not only in middle school and high school, but even when Tsubaki married and was suffering, there was never a time Shiyuugi had forgotten about her. But he’d always been too late. He should not have given up.
To end up connecting with Tsubaki in this manner was never his desire.
His wife had been an arranged marriage pressed by his parents but there was still affection and duty.
His wife capable of standing independently was outstanding. His parents were also quite fond of her.
But their marital relations had frozen over. Shiyuugi was driven to decide. Things couldn’t remain this way.
Neither socially nor morally permissible conducts. He had already crossed the line.
However vilified, he could not abandon Tsubaki. Leaving her alone was unthinkable.
The foolish man had been mistaken in his choices all along. This time for certain, in order to arrive at the right answer seeking true love, Shiyuugi resolved to abandon everything. Literally, everything.
Shiyuugi divorced his wife. Handed over an enormous settlement and threw away all assets.
For the remaining deficit, he got his parents to shoulder the burden. They were livid but there was no stopping now.
After repayment, it was decided Shiyuugi would be disowned. He did not disagree with that. Could not trouble them any further. To his parents, Shiyuugi’s existence was now nothing more than a stain.
There was not one bit of contention when processing the divorce. Not even emotionally. Handled practically and impersonally through lawyers to get what needed to be done. Lifelessly, the marriage was over.
Losing family and home and parental rights, the man discarded even his name. So as to join the Touren household as an adopted son-in-law.
Tsubaki’s parents also didn’t voice it openly yet inwardly welcomed it. Seeing the decline in their daughter’s condition pained them. They remembered Shiyuugi from when he used to get along well with their daughter before.
But what Shiyuugi did could never be pardoned. There needed to be reparations for these sacrifices.
Tsubaki’s parents promised every form of support they could to Shiyuugi’s ex-wife, even providing immense financial aid.
Guided as if by fate, Tsubaki and Shiyuugi became one, marrying.
Tsubaki then became pregnant, giving birth to a baby girl named Kikyou.
The foolish man who sought true love finally reached the [correct answer] with his most beloved woman.
— All while concealing everything with lies.
Rain was pouring down. There’s a girl standing in front of the apartment complex clutching an umbrella.
When that girl finds him, not caring that she’s getting drenched, she comes running.
“Step brother, Step brother!”
Her sobs mingling with the sound of rain. The girl’s heart had reached its limit. Yet still she made it in time.
Her step brother embraces that small body. Just as his Aunt had done for him before.
Translator’s Note : Somehow this volume doesn’t have any afterword. Also here’s full body illust. of goddess sensei and imouto
I hope Yukito will protect his new imouto from Yuuri wrath.
That’s all from me, see you at volume 5
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