Summer Vacation Arc: 64 Evening Party and the Isolated Boy

Summer Vacation Arc
64 Evening Party and the Lonely Boy

In the La Faust Academy dance hall.

Elegant music played as the young men and women found partners, and you could even see their parents dancing.

“I really don’t have anything to do, huh…”

Meru, having been dressed up prettily, was leaning against the edge of a wall alone as she drank juice and muttered to herself.

After what had happened, Shin said he had things to prepare and left immediately, so Meru ended up preparing for the evening party with Seiya. They also called her house, so she completely lost her “I’m going home” excuse.

Kotokura maids came with Meru’s outfit at Seiya’s call.
As seemed to be the case recently, Meru had a long, black wig in the same style as the last time on her head and a beautiful navy dress adorning her body. Her face had the perfect amount of makeup applied to it, and the Meru seen before at La Faust Academy appeared once more.
It was this look once again. It seemed that Seiya really liked this Meru.

Speaking of Seiya who had come to the evening party with her, he had been dragged off to greet the board chairman and the various company directors, leaving Meru behind while making a face that said he found the whole thing troublesome from the bottom of his heart.
As such, Meru was currently alone.

Because Meru had run around inside the school looking like this with Yuuri, the academy’s students bowed to her diffidently time and time again. They probably didn’t know she was Meru. To put it frankly, she looked like a completely different person when compared to the normal Meru. That was the natural reaction.

In addition, since the students’ parents were also there, she could hear them secretly talking about which family’s daughter she was. Even more so because she was with Seiya when she first came.

As expected, she was uncomfortable. Even though she’d been forcefully brought here, she’d been left alone, and she wanted to go home immediately.

“Um…”

While she was thinking about that, one of the academy’s male students approached her. Since he was dressed in a suit for dancing, he had a very mature air about him.

“Ah, yes?”

When Meru tilted her head, his cheeks grew red and he glanced at Meru shyly.

“Um…You are the one who ran through the academy with the Reiryuu student once before, right?”
“Ah…yes.”

Meru smiled wryly. She wanted to tell him that she was Kusuhara Meru, who had once been a student of La Faust Academy, but she stayed silent.

“Um, you’ve been on my mind ever since I saw you that once, but I didn’t know your name, and I didn’t think I would see you again…”
“Uh-huh…”

Unable to guess what the young man was getting at, Meru let out a helpless reply.

“And, um, would you like to dance with—”
“Sorry~ That’s impossible.”

At the instant that young man was about to get to the point, a mood-breaking voice came from the side.

“…Minohara-san.”
“Mi-Minohara-sama!”

Shin stood there with a smile filling his face.

“That girl is Seiya’s important person. If you’re not an idiot, you get it, right?”

When Shin said that, the male student turned pale and bowed over and over again before leaving like he was escaping.

Because of that, Meru, who was left alone with Shin, became full to the brim with her desire to return home this time, and she narrowed her eyes.

“Ohh…”

Shin thoroughly looked Meru over from head to toe and let out that sound.
This was Shin’s first time seeing Meru like this.

“It suits you.”
“Huh?”

Meru lifted her head at that unexpected remark.

“Didja think I was gonna say that?”

Shin smiled teasingly. Meru thought, ‘As expected, huh,’ as she narrowed her eyes and sighed.

“Hey, look, the young ladies are waiting, right? Please let me be.”
“If strange bugs come latch onto you, I’ll be the one he gets mad at. Plus, I’m usually alone at parties like this?”
“Eh?”

Thinking he was joking, Meru stared at his face, but he didn’t seem to be teasing her.
Usually, Shin was always surrounded by girls, similar to Fuuga. On top of which, Shin was someone from the Minohara family. If the evening party was held for the purpose of having the various households intermingle, even if it wasn’t to the extent of Seiya, there had to be people who would come to suck up to him.

“Kusuhara-chan. You’re thinking about something stupid, right?”

Shin asked Meru who was thinking about that. However, before replying to that, Meru was listening to the far off voices of the parents.

“Is that one over there Minohara-sama’s capable son?”
“No, the good one is the older brother. That is the good-for-nothing younger brother…”
“Shh! You’re too loud.”
“Ahh, my apologies. However, going to greet him is pointless, I suppose. I heard that the younger brother renounced all of his authority some years ago.”

Hearing that conversation, Meru was a little surprised. Shin stared at her with a smile.

“You’re making a dull expression, huh?”
“…Um.”

Looking at Meru whose response was a little awkward, Shin chuckled.

“I’m bored. So dance with me.”

Without waiting for Meru’s response, he pulled her by the hand toward the dance hall’s terrace.

The terrace didn’t have many people. There weren’t many people at La Faust who would go outside where the air-conditioning didn’t reach in the prime of summer.

Having her hand taken by Shin, they began to move in time to the music leaking out from the dance hall.

“Kusuhara-chan.”
“…Yes?”
“It’s useless to spend time worrying about that, alright? That was the truth.”

Shin closed his eyes and spoke while smiling.

“I’m the failed younger brother who has an exceptional older brother. That’s why there’re no idiots who come to intentionally flatter me at these things.”

It was a simple waltz. For each and every basic movement, Shin’s lead was beautiful and light, making it easy to dance.

“Good-for-nothing…is that an act?”

Shin’s eyes widened at Meru’s question.

“Why?”
“It just seems that way…or something.”

Whatever he was like in public, Shin’s ability that she saw time after time was eye-opening. He was always acting while thinking about the future. Hearing him be called a good-for-nothing, there was no way she wouldn’t have doubts.

If she were to think about it, it would be that Shin put on a foolish appearance at these public gatherings.

“…My brother is really capable, you know? He’s serious and sincere, completely different from me. A perfect fit for the Minohara family heir, right?”

Shin lifted his arm and spun Meru around. His eyes that she saw in the instant she spun were tinged pitch black.

“I don’t wanna take over or anything. So it’s easier if I become a problem child sooner. Guys who can do things half-assedly are the biggest inconvenience, right? I’d just throw everything into confusion and embarrass my brother.”
“That’s why…you let go of your authority at an early stage?”

Shin nodded in response to Meru’s question.

“Well, even without specifically renouncing it, I didn’t have much authority to begin with. In return for being the go-between with the Kotokuras, I was able to free myself from the house’s regulations.”

The song finished, and Shin slowly let go of Meru’s hand.

“I’m not dissatisfied with my life as it is now. So don’t go making that piteous face on your own.”
“…I’m sorry.”

Meru apologized while looking down slightly. Whatever others said, your happiness was decided by yourself.
Even Meru felt that whatever her situation was, right now, she was happy.

“Well, it’s not that important.”

Shin replied with a nonchalant expression.
However, Meru had something she wanted to say, so she told him in a quiet voice.

“But…acting like an idiot makes things really easy, but on the other hand, really hard.”

Meru had always been hiding her own abilities as she went about her daily life. She knew what that was like. But if that were to be a performance for even her own family, it would take a heavy mental toll on her.
Shin’s frivolous image was well-established, but he kept a close eye on those around him. In a different way from Seiya, he was always pointlessly steeling himself.

“If your brother is really that good, then he would be happy if you honestly do your best. His authority isn’t that easily shaken, right?”

If Shin was really free, he wouldn’t need to worry about those around him and could let himself relax.

“Wouldn’t it be fine to be yourself without thinking about it on occasion?”

Meru and Shin’s gazes intertwined. Shin’s eyes were wavering–an unusual sight.
He didn’t expect that someone he’d been with for such a short time would guess about him so on the mark. On the contrary, she noticed the doubts he had that no one else had realized. Maybe he should say it was as expected of her. Shin let out a small breath.

“…Cheeky.”

Hearing Meru’s words, Shin snorted.

“But you’re the first one to notice, so…I’ll tell you something good as a prize.”

Saying so, Shin looked extremely cheerful, different from how he was up to just a moment ago.

“You know? It’s easy for me to kiss even girls I don’t particularly like. But, that’s why you’re the opposite.”
“Eh?”

Unable to understand what he meant, Meru tilted her head. However, Shin released her and turned his back toward her.

“Seiya’s coming. Guess I’ll go home~”

He spoke carefreely, interlocking his hands behind his head.

“See ya, Kusuhara-chan.”

Saying that, Shin’s face as he looked over his shoulder had his usual unreadable smile.

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TLN
And we’re back! With some background on Shin, even.

I’m not going to start up the ko-fi again just yet. Once I’m more back on my feet, I will! See you next week! Happy Hannukah to those of you celebrating. 🙂

21 chapters left in the summer vacation arc!