【empty cicada】(all)

Opening Remarks:
The man picked up a handkerchief from beside his pillow to wipe his sweat.
He'd lost count of how many times he'd done this today. Besides his own scent, the handkerchief carried another fragrance that rekindled his previously limp member—the scent of a woman's sweat.
The woman lay beside him.
Though they were crammed into a narrow bed, in this final rendezvous, they no longer cared about such feelings. The woman lay motionless, facing the ceiling. Her eyes were open; she wasn't asleep.
She stared intently at the ceiling's structure, as if trying to memorize it all.
The man quietly wiped the sweat from the woman's cleavage, then continued gently wiping her navel and abdomen; her skin was slightly flushed.
The sound of rickshaws coming and going came from outside the window. It was almost time for everyone to head home.
(...Upon arriving at the room, he could still hear the clam vendor's cries.)
The man sighed at the fleeting nature of time.
“The sun is setting… Everyone’s going home, back to where they belong…”
The woman was probably thinking the same thing.
The man didn’t know how to answer her, so he repeated what he had been saying to her for the past few days.
“…I’m sorry.”
The woman sighed deeply.
“Didn’t I tell you not to say that anymore?”
“But besides that, I don’t know what else to say to you?”
“It’s alright… Your dream is my dream!”
“Because of my dream… I have to commit a crime, for you, and even for her…”
“So you must treat Sakiko well from now on… But today, only today, you must belong completely to me…”
The woman passionately demanded the man’s kiss. Their tongues intertwined, making lewd sounds, their saliva mixing.
They opened their eyes, as if trying to imprint each other’s images deeply, gazing at their own reflections in each other’s pupils. Sadly, they would never have the chance to look at each other so closely again.
The man’s hand touched the woman’s breasts.
“…Mmm!”
The woman couldn’t help but make a sound as the man passionately caressed her breasts.
The man kneaded the woman's breasts as if trying to squeeze out milk. Purple finger marks were left on her snow-white breasts.
Despite this, the woman felt immense pleasure. Seeing those marks again might make her feel even more lonely, but now she desperately wanted to leave behind anything that belonged to this man.
"Harder, harder!"
The man increased the pressure, and the woman's nipples hardened with his movements. He took one nipple in his mouth and gently rubbed it with his teeth.
"Mmm...yes, that's it! I...I've already...!"
Since morning, the two had been immersed in sexual pleasure, and the woman's sensitive body reached another climax.
The man was the same; after several ejaculations, the veins on his erect penis were prominent, the tip glistening with pre-ejaculate.
The woman saw this and naturally opened her legs to welcome him. She had never been so proactive before, even surprising herself, but she knew this was their last time together, so her actions became even bolder.
The woman slowly parted her genitals with her fingers, her wetness dripping with love fluid, which cascaded down her buttocks like silver threads and onto the sheets.
Although neither spoke, the man fully understood her needs. He smeared his penis with the fluid and thrust into her in one swift motion.
"Ah! So full, so full… Ahh, that’s it, all the way in, all the way in, fill it up… Ahhh…!"
With each thrust of his hips, the woman's genitals tightened. He pounded his hips violently, as if trying to pry open her.
Sweat soaked her hair and clung to her cheeks, tears welled in her eyes, and she let out sounds of pleasure, saliva spilling from her lips.
The man was deeply in love with this expression that radiated infinite beauty. His climax arrived prematurely.
"Ugh... I can't take it anymore..."
"Come on... shoot inside, shoot it all inside me... I'm coming... Haaaaaah!"
At the moment of her climax, the woman crossed her legs and moved closer to the man's body, his semen simultaneously entering her vagina.
The man lay on top of the woman, immersed in the afterglow of pleasure.
The woman was also intoxicated by the feeling of the man's semen mixed with her own.
As the man's penis swelled inside the woman, the two naturally called each other's names, repeating them endlessly like whispers in a dream, their bodies intertwined once more.
**********************************************************************************************
A man who abandoned love to live in dreams.
A woman who lost love in pursuit of dreams.
In the late Meiji era, the end of the reform era and the blossoming of modern Japan, in a corner of Tokyo, the imperial capital, a story of parting unfolded between a man and a woman.
Across time and space, just as their dreams were about to bear beautiful fruit, a tragedy was about to unfold
...
The Prologue:
Encounter
Time flies, and the era name changes to Taisho.
In an era when people are still exploring new things,
on a slope on a high ground in the suburbs of Tokyo, a young man is running.
Sweat dripping from his forehead, his trousers occasionally catching his feet, but nothing can stop him; he continues running.
His name is Izumo Ryunosuke, about twenty years old. While not exactly handsome, his features are regular and he is quite good-looking.
His energetic body shows his youthful strength, but now his eyes reveal a hint of melancholy.
Ryunosuke is currently a disciple of a certain writer.
This writer's name is "Kujou Sakiko," a famous female writer known to everyone in the capital.
Ryunosuke has been serving Sakiko for almost a year.
His presence here has a reason; it's not because he wants to become a writer that he became Kujou Sakiko's disciple.
Ryunosuke simply wanted to repay Sakiko's past kindness by staying here. Therefore, he diligently performed even small chores like cleaning the house.
Recently, Sakiko seemed satisfied with his performance, so she started assigning him tasks related to his training before becoming a writer.
His job was to gather information about novel content for Sakiko.
Unexpectedly, this job suited Ryunosuke very well.
For someone as young as him, this was undoubtedly a great opportunity to satisfy his curiosity and broaden his horizons.
Furthermore, what he cared about most was being able to contribute his modest efforts to Sakiko's works.
Through his research, he once again experienced the influence of the Kujo family, the "Kujo family."
Besides the assistance from "Kosei Publishing," which handled all of Sakiko's publishing affairs, the fact that Ryunosuke, an unknown individual, could gather information in places inaccessible to ordinary people was entirely thanks to the power of the "Kujo family."
Ryunosuke never felt there was anything unfair about it.
(Of course, Ms. Kujo has the ability; she has a large readership, and using the power of the "Kujo family" to write more good works is a good way to give back to all her supporters.)
Besides receiving Sakiko's kindness himself, Ryunosuke also sincerely admired her abilities.
However, there were also places that even the "Kujo family" couldn't access. Like the place he visited today, this was also the reason for Ryunosuke's depression.
A vital part of the coal industry, the lifeblood of Japan's economy during the Taisho era, was the coal mine.
Among the four miners working there was a young woman. Just as he was about to investigate whether the miners were being mistreated, he was stopped outside the mine; those blocking his way were probably government officials.
The reason he wanted to investigate was because he encountered the father of the young female miner who had lost her life in the mine. At that moment, the father was in the capital to collect his daughter's ashes.
Ryunosuke then recalled their recent meeting…
**********************************************************************************************
The father stood in the crowded Ueno Station, holding his daughter's ashes.
Although Ryunosuke cautiously and politely inquired about his situation, the father remained silent.
Whether warned not to reveal the details or consumed by guilt as a father for failing to protect his daughter, he clutched her remains tightly, still refusing to answer any questions.
However, in his final moments, he uttered a single sentence:
"...My daughter would always wear this under her apron before going to work in the mine. She once said, 'I really want to see it, just once.'"
It was a still from a magazine. A photo of "Komyoji Shiki," the lead actress of the "Kacho Fugetsu Enbudan" (Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon Dance Troupe), a theater troupe recently popular among young women in the capital.
Both were young girls in the prime of their lives, yet their circumstances were as drastically different as light and shadow.
Ryunosuke felt as if he heard a circus advertisement somewhere, its music sounding like something from another world…
**********************************************************************************
Ryunosuke quickened his pace, running up the hillside.
His sadness, anger, and other emotions could only be released through physical activity.
At that moment, besides the sound of his wooden clogs on the pebbly road, he noticed another sound.
(That's the sound of wheels…is it a rickshaw?)
Then he heard a familiar voice.
"Sniff! Ryunosuke!…I'm here, look here!"
Ryunosuke ran towards the side of the road, and the rickshaw slowed down to accommodate him.
"Young lady…?"
"What? I've been calling you for so long, and you didn't hear me?"
The girl sitting on the rickshaw with puffed-out cheeks was named Kujo Kaho. From her name, one knew she was Kujo Sakiko's daughter.
For Sakiko, who had lost both her parents and her husband at a young age, Kaho was her only family in the world.
Even so, Sakiko didn't spoil Kaho excessively; even when Kaho was quiet, one could see an air of elegance and polite manners about her.
The key point is that she remained silent...
On the bright side, she had a lively and cheerful personality, but to put it bluntly, she was a complete tomboy.
Regarding Kaho, something else happened...
One morning, Sakiko suddenly said, "I really want to eat chawanmushi today." Kaho overheard her and only heard her say, "Leave it to me," before leaving.
They assumed she was going out to buy the ingredients for chawanmushi, but they didn't see her all day.
Just as Sakiko was about to call the police out of concern, a restaurant in Ginza sent someone to report, "The young lady wants us to teach her how to make the best chawanmushi in Japan, and she's refusing to leave our kitchen, which is very troubling."
Something similar also happened before.
A while ago, Ryunosuke accompanied Kaho shopping. They encountered a little girl who had gotten separated from her mother, so Kaho started helping her find her mother. Helping others is a good thing in itself, but when she encountered police officers patrolling nearby, things took a different turn.
"I don't have time for your trivial matters!"
Seeing the policeman's arrogant attitude, Kaho couldn't take it anymore.
"Is carrying a sword on your waist and acting all high and mighty like that your job as a policeman?"
Kaho retorted sharply, starting a verbal battle with the policeman.
However, the policeman was still quite gentlemanly; no matter how angry he was, he wouldn't lay a hand on a woman. But this meant his pent-up anger was directed at Ryunosuke. Ryunosuke kept bowing and apologizing, thinking it would end there, but Kaho suddenly uttered "Coward!" and the situation immediately escalated again. Their argument caused a commotion among passersby. Fortunately, the little girl's mother appeared, ending the farce—a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
Kaho's free-spirited and open-minded nature meant she completely ignored the strange looks from others, such as "How will a girl like that ever get married…" She wasn't worried at all. Perhaps it was because she had just graduated from an all-girls' school that she resisted housework, needlework, and pre-wedding lessons.
"...Please stop for a moment."
Kaho asked the driver to stop the carriage, and Ryunosuke also stopped to catch his breath.
"Haven't I told you many times not to call me 'Miss' anymore?"
"But...Miss is still Miss...I..."
"But I hate it when you call me that. Or you can just call me Miss Kaho, so you don't feel awkward calling me by my name."
"But Steward Okazaki calls you that too. If I call you that too, wouldn't that be impolite..."
"That's different. Okazaki has called me that since I was born, when I was a baby."
Kaho was a girl who didn't particularly like men, but for some reason, she got along very well with Ryunosuke. Did she not see him as a man, or did she already treat him like an older brother? Ryunosuke wasn't sure. He didn't even dare to consider another possibility.
To Ryunosuke, who had no siblings, it was as if he had gained a younger sister, and besides, Kaho was the daughter of his mentor; it was only right that he maintain a certain level of respect for her.
"I'm sorry, I still can't..."
"Alright, never mind, let's not talk about this anymore. Look, this!"
Kaho carefully took out a piece of paper from her bosom.
"This is a flyer for the currently popular 'Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon' magazine. I went to great lengths to get my hands on it!"
Hearing the name "Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon" instantly reminded Ryunosuke of what had happened that morning, and the regret and helplessness he felt then resurfaced.
"This is the leading lady, Komyoji Shiki, isn't she beautiful?"
"Ah, yes, yes..."
"What? Such a perfunctory answer."
"No, didn't you say last week, Miss, that you liked opera? How come you've switched to 'flowers, birds, wind, and moon' now?"
Kaho's fickle and easily bored nature was exposed, and she suddenly didn't know how to defend herself.
"So what? A person can like many things at the same time, can't they?"
"Oh, I see!"
"Hmph! Never mind, it's pointless to talk to you. You wouldn't understand. You should just be a good helper to your mother."
With that, Kaho urged the driver to continue on his way, leaving Ryunosuke alone.
Looking at Kaho's courage to express her thoughts, Ryunosuke smiled slightly. He probably felt a little envious of her.
"..." "Flowers, birds, wind, and moon?"
The magazine photos that the girl who lost her life in the mine carried with her, and the promotional leaflets that Kaho went to great lengths to obtain...
These two incidents later became the catalyst for a tragedy, a fact that 　　 Ryunosuke 　　only 　　realized 　　shortly 　　afterward 　　. 　　**********
... 　　“I’m Ryunosuke, I’m back.” 　　“…Come in!” 　　With his usual authoritative voice, Ryunosuke entered the study. 　　Sakiko Kujo sat facing Ryunosuke at her favorite desk. 　　Judging by her daughter Kaho’s age, Sakiko was probably around thirty-five, but she didn’t look that age at all. Standing next to Kaho, they looked like sisters with a significant age gap. 　　(Just like the first time he saw her…the teacher’s eyes were still so sharp, giving a sense of authority, yet carrying a hint of gentleness.) 　　Ryunosuke remembered this because Sakiko’s eyes looked different now; a certain determination seemed to be hidden in her pupils behind her glasses. 　　“…I have work to trouble you with again.” 　　“Is it data collection…I understand.” 　　“But this time is different. This work also serves as a test for you. You should be prepared.” 　　Hearing the word “test,” Ryunosuke felt somewhat confused. 　　"What exactly is this 'experiment'?" 　　"Over the past year, I've observed your work. Your understanding of various things, your ability to organize information, your ability to maintain a certain distance during interviews and when being interviewed, and your calm judgment… all of these demonstrate your potential to become an excellent writer." 　　"No, teacher, you flatter me too much…" 　　"You don't need to be modest. To become a writer, talent is still very important, therefore…" 　　Sakiko paused, a moment that felt like an eternity to Ryunosuke. 　　"…This time, regarding the topics I've proposed, you will choose all the information needed for the interviews yourself, and you will also decide the overall structure of the work." 　　This meant that Ryunosuke would be tasked with completing a work independently. Sakiko's order truly startled him. 　　"…You mean by myself?" 　　Sakiko continued. 　　"The interviewee is the 'Kacho Fugetsu Dance Troupe.' I've already contacted Kosei Publishing House. On the surface, you'll conduct the interview as an editor from Kosei Publishing House. The interview will last for two weeks..." 　　"Wait a minute, teacher, why are you saying this all of a sudden? I..." 　　"If you're unwilling to accept this test... Ryunosuke, you can leave here immediately. I don't accept cowardly disciples here. And if you fail this test, the result will be the same." 　　Sakiko said decisively. 　　(Although the teacher is usually quite assertive,... her attitude today is particularly firm.) 　　Although he thought this, he didn't dare disobey his teacher's wishes. 　　"...I understand." 　　"Very good. There are a few things you should pay attention to when you go to 'Kacho Fugetsu.'" 　　"What things...?" 　　"First of all, you can't mention the surname 'Kujou' at 'Kacho Fugetsu.'" 　　Even now, whenever he conducts interviews, Ryunosuke has concealed the Kujou family name a few times to avoid trouble. 　　But this time, it was Sakiko who specifically reminded him of this, which Ryunosuke found a bit strange. 　　“This is a requirement from Kosei Publishing House,” 　　Sakiko replied, noticing Ryunosuke’s hesitation. However, Ryunosuke still had some questions. 　　“And… another issue is Kaho.” 　　“You mean Miss Kaho?” 　　“If she knows you’re going to interview at ‘Flowers, Birds, Wind and Moon,’ she’ll definitely insist you take her with you.” 　　Ryunosuke recalled Kaho’s excited expression as she held the ‘Flowers, Birds, Wind and Moon’ brochure.

"Ah, that's certainly possible."
"So she absolutely mustn't know about this."
"I understand."
"Regarding the fees and details, go and discuss them with Steward Okazaki. You can go now."
"Hmm... Teacher, you still haven't told me what the theme is this time?"
"Right, I've forgotten the most important thing. The theme this time is..."
Sakiko seemed to remember something and closed her 　　eyes .
"The title is 'Empty Cicada'... As for how to explain it, that's up to you."
**********
... 　　(Is it a cicada shedding its shell... a metamorphosis...?) 　　(Or is it this world... this world...?) 　　(The third chapter of "The Tale of Genji"... the woman who pledged herself to Genji, deliberately avoiding him because their social status was mismatched...) 　　Ryunosuke kept pondering the topic Sakiko had given him, its meaning, how to solve it, and so on. 　　(The interviewee is... "Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon.") 　　It was quite a coincidence; everything he had encountered and heard today was related to "Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon." 　　It was a theater troupe composed of young girls, which had become very popular in the capital in recent years. 　　That was all Ryunosuke knew. 　　"Like the Asakusa Opera and the New Song Stage Play... they are all current trends." 　　Ryunosuke stopped thinking and sat up, facing the table. He 　　was going to "Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon" in three days, and there were many things waiting for him before then. 　　(The data collected from the last job needs to be organized by tomorrow… and 　　I also need to investigate some basic information about “flowers, birds, wind, and moon.” Then…) 　　Thinking of what Sakiko said—that I must leave if I don’t pass the test—Ryunosuke felt a deep sense of melancholy after spending over a year in this room. 　　Suddenly, a scene flashed into Ryunosuke’s mind. 　　He was sweeping the courtyard, Kaho was muttering to herself, and Sakiko sat elegantly watching her. It was a pleasant afternoon spent at the Kujo family’s house. 　　Ryunosuke shook his head, returning to reality. 　　For him, this past year had indeed been very fulfilling. But he knew he couldn’t stay here forever, and besides, his ambition wasn’t to become a great writer. To Sakiko, he was an unworthy disciple, and Ryunosuke’s only concern was repaying Sakiko’s kindness. 　　(Oh, right… that was when I first met my teacher…) 　　Ryunosuke was born in a remote village; he was the eldest son of a rice wholesaler. Riding the wave of the Meiji Restoration's prosperity and achieving success in the sake brewing industry, his father's business expanded. 　　His father's investments extended beyond business; he also painstakingly cultivated his successor, Ryunosuke, sending him to good schools and hiring tutors to teach him at home. Ryunosuke, determined not to disappoint his father, studied diligently. 　　However, as his knowledge grew, Ryunosuke began to develop an interest in so-called "ideologies. 　　" The prevailing "populism" among intellectuals at the time created a distance between Ryunosuke and his profit-driven father. 　　Finally, a few days before the university entrance exams, he ran away from home. His destination was Tokyo. 　　Suddenly separated from his family and without any financial support, Ryunosuke, like many others from elsewhere, turned to crime. 　　Ironically, his excellent upbringing allowed him to rise quickly in the underworld. 　　However, this success also earned him many enemies. He was betrayed by his companions and hunted down by his enemies until he was cornered. 　　His rescuer was none other than Sakiko Kujo. She and Okazaki were on their way to an interview when they found Ryunosuke in a dark alley. 　　 " 　　...Young man, I'll buy your life," 　　Sakiko said to Ryunosuke, who was covered in blood in the alley. That 　　was their 　　first meeting... 　　**************** 　　 ... 　　At this moment, Okazaki spoke up. 　　"...Ms. Sakiko, is this really alright?" 　　"I have no choice, I have to do it." 　　"Is there no way to change your mind?" 　　"Yes, I'm sorry to trouble you, Okazaki." 　　"Since you've made up your mind, I won't say anything more. I know what to do." 　　Okazaki bowed and left the study. 　　After a while, Sakiko sighed softly. 　　"Husband..." 　　Only the bright moon in the sky heard her sigh... 　　 Scene 　　One: Yearning 　　 Some distance from the capital, in the mountains, Ryunosuke was running along a mountain path. 　　"Ha, ha... I didn't expect that Steward Okazaki would be impatient waiting so deep in these mountains." Ryunosuke 　　stopped to catch his breath and looked around. In the dense forest, he could hear the chirping of insects and birds. 　　"The scenery here is beautiful, but it's a bit too remote... However, being far from the city might be more suitable for their training here." 　　Ryunosuke mentally processed the information about flowers, birds, and romance he had obtained from Kosei Publishing House. 　　(The Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon Theater was established to give citizens a dream, bringing together many talented young women.) 　　(It has been established for an unexpected fifteen years.) 　　(Starting with local tours, they have worked hard all the way up, and next year they plan to build a dedicated theater in Asakusa, the capital.) 　　(Operating funds are provided by most of the entrepreneurs, covering the food, clothing, and accommodation of all the members.) 　　What concerns Ryunosuke is the last issue of the investors. Recently, several theater troupes similar to Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon have appeared in the capital, and scandals about Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon have begun to circulate.

(Young women are recruited because of the investors' desires. Not only that, but if they don't perform well in the troupe and get to perform on stage, there are even cases of them being sent to the mainland to be military comfort women.)
Ryunosuke had been involved in the underworld, so he knew the dark side of society, and he believed this wasn't just a simple rumor.
"Beneath the glamorous exterior, how much unknown darkness is hidden..."
Ryunosuke had studied interviewing under Sakiko for almost a year, so he had learned to judge the truth from rumors using his own judgment.
"...I need to hurry."
Ryunosuke ran again on the mountain path.
"You're late, Ryunosuke!"
"Huh?"
At the entrance of the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon Theater Troupe, two people were waiting for Ryunosuke.
One was Manager Okazaki, now Ryunosuke's boss at Kosei Publishing House, Mr. Yamazaki, whose purpose was to come every three days to receive Ryunosuke's report on behalf of Sakiko. This was planned beforehand, but the other person was...
"Hehehe... I caught up with you, didn't I?"
Kaho smiled smugly from the side.
According to Okazaki's explanation, Kaho overheard about the plan in Sakiko's study, so this morning she packed the necessary things and started her usual tactic of running away.
"...So, the young lady used that 'I'll run away if you don't let me go' trick again. As usual, Kujo-sensei had no choice but to agree..." "
That's right, that's exactly what happened."
Unlike Okazaki's calm reply, Ryunosuke couldn't help but sigh.
"Trying to abandon me? Ryunosuke, you're too naive. We'll see the Komyoji stake soon, I'm so excited!"
Ignoring Kaho's excited expression, Ryunosuke and Okazaki began discussing the future.
"Young lady, from now on you will be called 'Asakura Kaho,' understand?"
"Understood! So Ryunosuke, you can't call me 'Young lady' anymore, you have to call me Kaho, remember that!"
"That's right."
Compared to Kaho's innocent appearance, Ryunosuke's feelings were much more complicated.
"Alright, we should probably go in, Izumo-kun, Asakura-kun!"
Okazaki urged, and Ryunosuke immediately followed behind.
However, Kaho's mind was still preoccupied with the matter of the Komyoji stake, and she stood aside in a daze.
"Asakura-kun, you're coming in too..."
"Huh?... Ah, right! I am 'Asakura,' hmm, I can't quite process that right now, you guys should help me come up with a cuter name!"
This time, besides Ryunosuke, even Okazaki couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
**********
...

"Especially you! Men are forbidden from entering here unless specifically permitted!"
"Ah, no, I am..."
Ryunosuke could barely explain.
It was because of the clothes Komyoji Shizuka was wearing. The swimsuit-like clothes accentuated her curves, her long legs were exposed without any concealment, and only a skirt-like fabric was wrapped around her waist. Her
full breasts, her unusually tall figure for a Japanese woman, and her assertive attitude made Ryunosuke feel breathless.
"...Are you from Kosei Publishing?"
The voice coming from down the corridor was like a savior to Ryunosuke.
The owner of the voice was a woman in a kimono, standing there with an elegant smile.
"Nami-sensei...they are..."
"I mentioned it to you the day before yesterday, they are publishing staff who came to interview you, Shizuka, you have to help them too, understand?"
Manager Okazaki greeted her, and Ryunosuke re-examined this "Nami-sensei".
(This woman is "Nami Asakura," the vice-director and stage manager of the troupe "Kacho Fugetsu"... She's about thirty-five years old, and like Mr. Kujo, neither of them looks that old. But there's something melancholic about her expression, which only adds to her charm...)
Kōmyōji's voice interrupted Ryūnosuke's thoughts.
"Since you're from the publishing house, why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Excuse me, my name is Izumo Ryūnosuke, nice to meet you!"
Kōmyōji's attitude changed completely, becoming amiable. Ryūnosuke thought to himself, "Truly worthy of being the leading lady," but Kaho, seeing her idol, was so happy she almost shouted.
"Ms. Kōmyōji is so beautiful...!"
Ryūnosuke was afraid Kaho might accidentally let something slip, so he quickly introduced her.
"Let me introduce you, this is my assistant, Asakura Kaho."
"I see. We are very happy to have a handsome man like you and a lovely girl like you for an interview. See you later."
With that, Kōmyōji left.
(Even though her attitude had changed, her alluring charm remained the same. Was this a habit of hers as a leading lady? Or...?) 　　Ryunosuke 　　 began 　　his
interview "work." 　　****************
...

"You are free to visit during your interview."
"Male guests are not allowed in the dormitories."
"Except for the archives, you need to be accompanied by Director Naoya and Nami to enter the rooms."
Ryunosuke listened to the instructions from Director Naoya while pondering in his mind.
(Naoya... the director of "Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon," thirty-eight years old this year... Studied fashion design in Europe, he can be said to be a genius in Western design techniques and sensibilities... People like this are probably difficult to get along with, or maybe these are just other people's prejudices. Or perhaps his behavior today was just a social maneuver from beginning to end?)
"...Any questions do you have?"
After the director finished explaining, Ryunosuke asked.
"By the way, was the dress Ms. Komyoji was wearing for your next performance?"
After a while, Nami answered his question.
"...No, those are just the costumes the members wear when they practice."
"Isn't that a bit too much for Ryunosuke?"
"Ah, even I feel embarrassed looking at them."
Kaho blushed and nudged Ryunosuke with her elbow.
"Honestly, are you looking at them with that kind of lewd gaze? It's embarrassing to have a senior like you."
"Even the young lady says that..."
the group leader said with a wry smile.
"Mr. Ryunosuke, one last thing to remind you of, please strictly abide by it."
"What is it?"
"You are forbidden from pursuing any of the girls in the group or engaging in any harassment towards them! Please don't forget!" 　　 Kaho nudged Ryunosuke
's elbow again, even harder than before.
********** ... 　　"...Your name is Kaho, right? Since you'll be staying here for a while anyway, why don't you join the group for lessons?" 　　This sudden suggestion left Ryunosuke and Okazaki dumbfounded. Although they wanted to politely decline, Nami and the group leader seemed to be interested, and most importantly, Kaho herself seemed eager to try. 　　"Can I really have lessons with Miss Komyoji?" 　　"It's rare to have such a beautiful young lady come to interview us, and I just looked at you; you seem quite suitable for dancing." 　　"As the group leader, I also hope that more talented women will join our group." 　　Since Nami and the group leader had already said so, Ryunosuke couldn't refuse them. 　　Besides... 　　(Rather than having the young lady get in the way, it's better for her to spend time with the other group members; perhaps she can get some information from them.) 　　Ryunosuke was making plans in his mind. 　　"First, I'll prepare your dance costume. Kaho, please!" 　　"Okay, Nami-sensei, thank you!" 　　After the two left, Okazaki and Ryunosuke also left the room. The two went out the front door to discuss some issues. 　　"...I'll come back here in two days to hear your report." 　　"Yamazaki ...ah, 　　no 　　, Steward Okazaki, is this really the right thing to do regarding the young lady? I wonder what the teacher's reaction will be... 　　 " "Well 　　..." 　　 Okazaki ultimately didn't answer. " 　　...Well, it's fate, isn't it?" 　　These 　　words, spoken by Okazaki before 　　leaving, carried a 　　strange, suggestive meaning to Ryunosuke . ********** ... 　　"Are you alright?... Ah, my name is Ryunosuke Izumo. I'm the reporter who will be conducting interviews here for the next two weeks starting today. Nice to meet you." 　　The girl continued to stare at Ryunosuke. 　　"If you doubt my identity, you can ask Captain Izumo and Ms. Nami..." 　　"I'm sorry, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just that the people who come here to interview are usually much older than you, and besides, none of them are as handsome as you... Ah, what am I saying..." 　　"You mean I don't look like a reporter?" 　　"No! That's not what I meant, um..." 　　"Sorry, I was just joking. I should thank you for praising me like that." 　　Looking at Ryunosuke's smiling face, the girl's cheeks turned even redder. 　　"By the way, I haven't asked your name yet?" 　　"Ah, hello, my name is Nishikiori Kikyo!" 　　"Although we've only just met, may I call you Kikyo? Would that be too presumptuous?" 　　"Not at all. May I call you Ryunosuke?" 　　"Of course... By the way, what's the matter that you're in such a hurry to attend to?" 　　"Ah! Oh no! Nami-sensei is still waiting for me in the sewing room. I have something to do, so I'll go now. Goodbye, Ryunosuke-san!" 　　Kikyo quickly left, and Ryunosuke called after her. 　　"Oh, I forgot to tell you, that dress you're wearing suits you very well, it looks really good!" 　　"Ah... thank you..." 　　Kikyo became even more shy and left Ryunosuke's presence. 　　Ryunosuke watched her retreating figure, lost in thought. 　　(Kikyo... she's still like a little girl, a cute girl... even so, because of my interviewing duties, I often have to say some cheesy flattering things, which is a skill I've honed over the past year. Oh well, I've done this before anyway.) 　　Ryunosuke 　　 then 　　moved on to visit other places. 　　 **************** 　　...

Suddenly, a girl's voice came from behind. Ryunosuke turned around.
A short-haired girl in a maroon dress stood in the doorway, staring blankly at Ryunosuke.
"...Ah, excuse me, do you want to use this room?"
The girl didn't answer his question, only muttering something under her breath.
"...It shouldn't be..."
The girl then ran away from Ryunosuke.
"Wait! I'm not a bad person...!"
The girl ignored Ryunosuke's explanation and turned to leave.
Ryunosuke later asked Nami-sensei about the mysterious girl's identity when he met her at the practice ground.
"Takumi...?"
"Yes, she was wearing a kimono... I think she must be one of the members, that's what she called me."
"...It's Suzaku."
"Suzaku?...Ah, so her name is Suzaku."
"Yes, she's one of our members, did she really call you that?"
Seeing Nami's troubled expression, Ryunosuke seemed to have encountered something she didn't want others to know.
"Did she mistake me for someone else?"
"...Excuse me, I think you shouldn't interview Suzaku about this..."
Just as Ryunosuke was about to ask "why," Nami spoke first.
"Please don't ask me why, I'm sorry."
"Not at all, there are many other outstanding girls here you can interview anyway."
Ryunosuke answered her politely.
"...Nami-sensei, who was that person?"
After the dance ended, a girl walked down from the stage and asked Nami.
"He's a reporter sent by Kosei Publishing House."
"Hello, my name is Izumo Ryunosuke."
"I'm Aso... Kaze Mika."
Kaze Mika nodded slightly, her hair tied back swaying, and Ryunosuke caught a glimpse of her snow-white collarbone.
Because she was also wearing a tight-fitting dance outfit, Ryunosuke's heart raced again.
But with just a brief eye contact, Ryunosuke could feel her provocative atmosphere and natural sense of authority. Ryunosuke could tell that she must be one of the top performers in the world of Hanabusa.
Nami's voice came to Ryunosuke's rescue, who was almost overwhelmed by Kaze Mika's imposing manner.
"Kaze Mika, please help Ryunosuke-san too!"
"Yes..."
"Thank you, Kaze Mika!"
"Huh? Shouldn't I start the interview first?"
"Huh?"
The leading lady, Komyoji, suddenly appeared.
Several other members followed her.
"Komyoji..."
Ryunosuke looked at Kaze Mika's reaction and could see an invisible competition between the two.
"Your interview with Kaze Mika won't interest the readers."
"What did you say, Komyoji!"
"I'm telling the truth. If you interview her, you'll only create trouble and add to her burdens."
"You...!"
"Kaze Mika, Komyoji, you two stop arguing!"
Nami's words temporarily suppressed the escalating tension. But looking at the unwilling Kaze Mika, biting her lip, and Komyoji standing aside with a smug smile, it was clear who was more assertive.
“Mr. Ryunosuke, if you want to interview me, just say the word, I’m available anytime.”
“Ah, thank you… but whether this report will focus on you, I don’t know, and I can’t decide who the main subject of the interview will be.”
Ryunosuke’s words carried a hint of provocation. He wasn’t sympathizing with Mika Fuu and standing up for her, but with someone as arrogant as Komyoji Shige, it was better to use some tactics to control her than to clumsily flatter her.
“Hmph, you’re quite interesting!”
Komyoji said and left.
“Mika Fuu, if you’re not convinced, then compete with her in the performance.”
Hearing Nami’s words, Mika Fuu went back to practicing her dance.
(Although everyone in "Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon" is a girl, and they all seem to get along well, even Nami-sensei deliberately stirs up their competitive spirit... Young lady, is it really okay for you to stay in this kind of environment...?)
Ryunosuke worried about this while recalling what Komyoji had said earlier—that interviewing Fuu Mika would only cause her more trouble. What did that mean?
**************************************************************************************
Night.
Ryunosuke returned to the room prepared for him. He lay on the bed, unable to fall asleep. Although he didn't have a problem with sleeping in unfamiliar beds, he just couldn't sleep.
His mind was filled with thoughts of going to the tailor's room after the practice session.
"...Ryunosuke, do you think it looks good?"
Standing behind Kikyo, Kaho, also wearing the same dance costume as the other members, shyly stepped forward.
“Ah!…Ah, you…”
“Of course it looks good, Kaho!”
Ryunosuke and Kikyo shared the same sentiment. This was the first time he had seen Kaho's feminine side, and also the first time he had seen her so embarrassed.
“Do you think…it suits me?”
“Ah…it’s beautiful, Kaho!”
“Hehe, that’s great, Kaho!”
“Oh dear, Kikyo, don’t tease me…but I’m quite happy myself.”
“…As expected of Captain Kikyo’s design, just one piece of clothing can make such a big difference!”
Ryunosuke knew his cheeks were gradually turning red, so he deliberately said this to cover up his nervousness…
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Ryunosuke tossed and turned in bed.
(At that moment, it was only natural to call out the young lady's name...)
Kaho, the only daughter of his mentor, Sakiko Kujo...
Kaho, always so energetic and lively, like a tomboy...
and today, seeing a different side of Kaho...
Various images of Kaho flashed through Ryunosuke's mind, and he fell asleep without realizing it.
************************************************************************************************
The morning after the interview.
"Hoo hoo..."
Ryunosuke was a little sleepy. To clear his head, he opened the window.
His room was at the very back, so he could clearly see the courtyard.
"Oh right, I haven't seen this garden yet..."
Ryunosuke quickly changed his clothes and took a walk in the courtyard before breakfast.
The wind blowing from the mountain made the flowers in the flowerbeds sway gracefully. It must have been built by foreign craftsmen; there was even a fountain in the center of the courtyard, a rarity in Japan. He washed his face with water from the fountain, feeling a refreshing breeze.
Ryunosuke sat on a bench, gazing at the lake and mountain scenery.
(This place is just like the "Garden of Eden" described in the Last Holy Scripture. Ah, I'm starting to daydream again. If Kujo-sensei knew, she'd definitely scold me again...)
Ryunosuke sat there leisurely, lost in thought.
“Building a garden like this must have required a lot of money.”
(If I could go to the archives, I'm sure I could find something, but that's not a place I can just trespass on. If Captain Ryuji or Ms. Nami were with me, I definitely wouldn't be able to find any useful information. What should I do…)
“…Ah, Ryunosuke! Good morning!”
The person who greeted me so energetically so early in the morning was Kikyo.
“Good morning, Kikyo!”
“You… did you sleep well last night?”
“Although I slept in the guest room, it was very grand inside, which made me feel a little uncomfortable. A rough person like me is more suited to sleeping on a wooden plank bed.”
“I see… um…”
Kikyo had something to say, but she hesitated.
"By the way, your clothes today are different from yesterday's."
"Y-yes!"
"Why are you suddenly so loud? What's wrong?"
"...Actually, I made both my clothes yesterday and today myself..."
"Kikyo, you can make your own clothes, that's amazing!"
"I'm so happy to hear you praise me like that, Ryunosuke... I, I, oh dear, what am I saying... I'm so sorry!"
Kikyo walked away, her face flushed.
Ryunosuke watched her retreating figure, and was about to say "So cute" when a voice suddenly poured cold water on his enthusiasm.
"Don't pursue the members here, and don't harass them!" Have you forgotten, Ryunosuke?!
Kaho was standing behind Ryunosuke; it seemed she had overheard their conversation.
“Young lady, I didn’t mean that…”
“Still calling me ‘young lady’? I’m ‘Kaho,’ ‘Kaho’! Seriously, do you forget why you came here just because you see a girl?”
“How could I!”
“Looks like… I’ll have to work hard.”
“What are you going to work hard for?”
“From today onwards, I’m going to start practicing as a full member. I’m going to work hard to become the leading lady like Komyoji, and then give my mother a surprise!”
Now, it’s unclear who has truly forgotten the purpose of their trip.
“You’re going to get me scolded by the teacher for doing this.”
“…Ryunosuke, all you ever think about is my mother’s instructions. Never mind, I’m not talking to you anymore.”
Kaho turned around and walked away quickly. Ryunosuke couldn’t help but sigh again.
**************************************************************************
Ryunosuke’s worries came true.
When he went to the practice area to see Kaho, Nami-sensei said something from the side.
"...This child is very talented."
"Huh? You mean..."
"Kaho."
Although her movements were a little clumsy, it was hard to tell that this was her first time learning to dance.
"It's unlikely she'll be as good as Kaho or Mika, but she has the ability to catch up with the other members quickly."
Hearing Nami mention "the other members," Ryunosuke couldn't help but think of the girl next to Kaho.
"Kikyo... too?"
"Yes...that girl is very talented in costumes, but standing on stage is another matter."
Nami spoke frankly, and Ryunosuke couldn't help but feel unhappy.
"But, she works so hard..."
"I also like Kikyo. She's a kind and hardworking girl...but, this is 'Kaze no Kagetsu,' and you can't stand on stage without some talent."
"Talent...?"
"Kikyo will soon find out if she has that talent, especially after she sees Kaho's performance..."
Nami began to teach the members the dance steps. Her stern demeanor was completely different from how she was when they first met. Ryunosuke was worried about Kikyo, and later, when he met with the troupe leader, he deliberately asked her again.
"You mean Kikyo...? It's true, just like Nami said, she's not particularly outstanding in dancing and singing, but for the sake of the entire 'Wind, Bird, Flower, Moon,' her costume skills are still very useful. If possible, I hope she'll give up her position as a member and become my assistant; that would be better for her."
The troupe leader and Nami shared similar opinions, but the leader's perspective was more pragmatic.
At lunchtime, Ryunosuke entered the cafeteria and watched Kaho and Kikyo happily eating and chatting together.
(Won't the closer these two girls get, the more likely they are to hurt each other?)
Ryunosuke couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he turned and left the cafeteria.
(For a ticket-paying theater troupe like this, attracting audiences naturally requires members with performing talent; that's a very realistic thing, so I can understand what Nami-sensei or the troupe leader said. But...)
After leaving the cafeteria, Ryunosuke went for a walk in the courtyard.
(By the way, the way those two looked when they were talking about this... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. It's... very similar to the look in Kujo-sensei's eyes before she buried herself in her work. So this is what it looks like when someone is focused on something.)
Kikyo, no matter how hard she tries, can't perform on stage because she lacks the natural talent. And
he himself, who will have to leave the Kujo family if he doesn't pass this "test."
"I guess I'm projecting myself onto Kikyo, that's why I'm so worried about her," Ryunosuke thought.
Just then, a strange sound came from a corner of the courtyard.
"Hmm?... Who's there?"
Driven by curiosity, Ryunosuke tiptoed cautiously towards the direction of the sound.
"Ah...ahhh..."
"Mmm, mmm..."
It was clearly a woman's panting, which made Ryunosuke swallow hard. Confirming someone was there, he moved closer, only to be met with an unbelievable sight.
"That's it, Yoko...you've gotten better, ahhh..."
"Mmm...ahhh, thank you for the compliment, Sister Zhuang...mmm."
The leading lady, Mingguang Zhuang, leaned against a tree trunk, boldly lifting her skirt. Her lower body was completely naked; her private parts were clearly visible. A girl, probably a member of the troupe, was licking Zhuang's genitals.
“Haaah…yes, there, from there, lick from bottom to top, ahhh…”
“Mmm…is that right, Sister Zhuang?”
“Ah! Good, then suck…suck hard, ahhh!”
“…So delicious…Sister Zhuang’s…so delicious…”
“Ah…I can’t take it anymore, ahhh…”
Seeing lesbians having sex for the first time made Ryunosuke stare intently. In broad daylight, and outdoors, the atmosphere was even more lewd.
“Mmm, Sister Zhuang, I’m almost there too…”
“Don’t stop, didn’t I just say that!”
“Ah, I’m sorry, Sister Zhuang…mmm…”
“Ahhh, haaah, my body is getting hot, ahhh…”
“Sister Zhuang’s place is getting wetter and wetter, I’m so happy.”
“Tongue, tongue a little further in, haaah…”
Ryunosuke was still a little distance away from them, but he could still see the love juice flowing down Zhuang’s thighs and the saliva overflowing from the mouth of the girl named Haruko.
Hearing the sounds of Yoko's tongue and the languid voice of Zhuang, lost in pleasure, Ryunosuke's blood rushed to his lower body.
"Zhuang-nee's place is all wet, smells so good..."
"Haaha...doesn't Yoko smell like that too?"
"Yes...ahhh, um, ah, it's so hot there..."
"Well then, Yoko, put your fingers in there..."
Yoko did as Zhuang instructed, inserting her fingers into her private parts. Because Yoko's clothes covered her, Ryunosuke couldn't see clearly until her skirt became wet, at which point he could glimpse what was inside.
“…Ah, I’m so wet too…I hate it, ahh!”
“How is it? Hot and wet, it feels so lewd, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah…ahh, so comfortable! Mmm…”
“Woohoo, enjoy it!”
“Ah, Sister Zhuang, I’m a lewd girl, please be more loving towards me!”
“Sure, as long as your tongue makes me feel good, faster!”
Following her command, Yoko sped up. Because it felt so good, Zhuang couldn’t help but unbutton her clothes, revealing her full breasts. Due to excessive excitement, her nipples were already erect, and Zhuang vigorously rubbed her breasts with both hands.
“…Yes, that’s it, so good, Yoko’s tongue makes me feel so good, again…”
“Mmm, haa…Sister Zhuang, I…”
“No! We have to reach orgasm together, Yoko’s tongue goes further in…”
To avoid losing his rationality, Ryunosuke slowly backed away.
At this moment, Zhuang, who was about to reach her climax, smiled and looked in his direction.
**********
...

(…Why is the troupe leader bowing and scraping so much? Those men look like wealthy, powerful men…Are they the entrepreneurs who sponsored this troupe?)
“Sorry to keep you all waiting. I’m ready in the basement of the practice room. This way, please…”
Ryunosuke heard the troupe leader mention the basement of the practice room. He immediately went around to check it out.
************************************************************************************
*Clap! Clap! Clap clap!*
The sound of footsteps echoed from the practice room, which was already dark.
“Sigh, no, like this…let’s try again!”
Inside was Kikyo, who was using the time when everyone was away to practice more.
Sweating profusely, no matter how many times she failed, Kikyo kept trying again.
Jumping up and turning around, rolling to the ground and getting up again…
Ryunosuke watched her repeat these actions endlessly and felt ashamed of his own sympathy for Kikyo.
(She probably knew her place in the "flower, bird, wind, and moon" world, yet she still practiced so diligently. He'd only known her for a short time and wondered if he could help her, but she herself was so ambitious and driven. This made Ryunosuke feel ashamed.)
Ryunosuke, thinking those people would be passing by soon, quickly called out to Kikyo.
"...Phew, let's stop practicing here tonight."
"Thank you for your hard work, Kikyo."
Kikyo suddenly jumped in surprise.
"Ahhh!...You—ah! It's Ryunosuke!"
"I'm sorry, I startled you by suddenly speaking!"
"Really, when did you get here? How embarrassing!"
"No, I heard a noise here, so I came to check."
"Ah, I was being very careful, trying not to make a sound, but..."
The two were in the same dark room; the situation was quite unusual. Ryunosuke suddenly fell silent.
Finally, Kikyo broke the silence.
"Ryunosuke... what do you think 'femininity' is?"
"'Femininity'?... Did Nami tell you that you lack femininity?"
Kikyo seemed to have been hit where it hurt by Ryunosuke. She looked down at her chest and sighed.
"...I'm not like Kyou. I have no breasts and I'm not pretty..."
"But I don't think femininity refers to these things..."
"Then what is it? I don't understand. Can you tell me?"
"Um, Kikyo, you're a girl, right?"
"Yes."
"The reason I say you lack femininity is because you lack self-awareness as a woman. Just be more confident in yourself."
"Confidence...?"
"Kikyo, you have a special talent for costumes. I heard that the costume Kyou wore in the last performance was sewn by you, right? That means your talent in costumes is already number one."
Hearing Ryunosuke say this, Kikyo suddenly became excited.
"You mean, as long as the clothes I make can be worn on stage, I should be satisfied?... But I want to wear beautiful clothes and dance on stage, I want to dance!"
Kikyo's eyes welled up with tears.
Ryunosuke smiled wryly at this.
"That's not what I meant. Because you have a talent for costumes, you know how to dress to make the costumes stand out on stage... You know all these things, don't you? So you should use this talent that others don't have as your weapon!"
"Oh...?"
"That's why I want you to be more confident in yourself and make good use of your strengths!"
Ryunosuke said, wiping away Kikyo's tears.
"...Ah, I'm sorry, I got too excited..."
"...Don't mind... I was a little loud just now, sorry."
The two bowed to each other, and then both laughed.
At this moment, they heard voices outside.
"Oh no! Ryunosuke, let's go...!"
"What's wrong?" "
The captain instructed that if practice ends early, we can't come back to the practice area, so we can't be discovered... Quick, this way!"
Kikyo pulled Ryunosuke away from the practice area quickly.
Afterwards, Ryunosuke and Kikyo said goodnight to each other in the courtyard, but Kikyo's last words haunted Ryunosuke.
"Kaho was right, Ryunosuke can be really gentle sometimes."
"Gentle"... This sentence lingered in Ryunosuke's mind. When did he develop this quality?
Day three of the interview.
Some trivial things happened that day.
But Ryunosuke wasn't there, so the reason for the incident could only be told by Kaho.
The incident happened in the practice area. As soon as the unpredictable Komyoji Shiki appeared, he started complaining about the clothes Kikyo had sewn. Kikyo just silently lowered her head and didn't say anything, but Shiki deliberately stepped on the clothes in front of her and said those things to Kikyo.
"Since you have no talent, leave Hanacho Fugetsu quickly and don't waste everyone's time!"
Upon hearing this, Kikyo immediately rushed out of the practice area.
Kaho recounted the whole story in one breath, still looking indignant.
"...I can't believe that Komyoji Jun could be that kind of person...it's too much..."
Another thing that puzzled Kaho was that Nami-sensei, besides picking up the clothes, didn't reprimand Jun.
"Nami-sensei told me not to worry about it...but I still have to go find Kikyo!"
"Don't be so impulsive..."
Ryunosuke had a reason for stopping Kaho. At this moment, Kaho's comforting of Kikyo would only hurt her more.
"Ryunosuke...are you this cold-hearted too?"
Ryunosuke understood Kaho's personality; once she made up her mind, it was hard to change it. In the end, he had no choice but to accompany her to find Kikyo.
Kikyo wasn't inside the Hanacho Fugetsu buildings. The two of them searched along the mountain path until they reached a nearby lake.
“Kikyo isn’t here.”
“…Hmm.”
The sun had already set, and the fireflies’ glow reflected on the water.
“How did you know about this place, young lady?”
“Nami-sensei told me… Ryunosuke, I’m sorry!”
“Huh, why are you saying that all of a sudden?”
“I know why you wanted to stop me from going to find Kikyo… You didn’t want us to hurt each other,
right?”
Ryunosuke didn’t answer. Kaho’s directness left Ryunosuke speechless.
“Nami-sensei once said to Kikyo, ‘Even Kaho can do such a simple dance step…’ I think Kikyo must have felt terrible hearing that…”
“Never mind, let’s go back first, it’s getting colder.”
Kaho looked directly at Ryunosuke.
“But… I really want to dance amidst flowers, birds, wind, and moon! I want to stay here longer, even just a few days, because here… if I dance seriously, I won’t just be ‘Kujou Sakiko’s’ daughter!”
Deep down, Kaho didn’t want to bear the pressure of being seen only as the daughter of the famous female novelist, “Kujou Sakiko.”
“Ryunosuke, look!”
Kaho began to dance in front of Ryunosuke.
Her kimono sleeves swayed in the wind, fireflies danced around her, and when moonlight shone through the clouds, it was as if a fairy had descended upon a lakeside at night.
Ryunosuke was captivated by the sight.
“…How is it, Ryunosuke?”
“…Young lady, you danced wonderfully!”
“That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking how I look right now?”
“Oh… very beautiful!”
“Really?… Thank you, Ryunosuke.”
Ryunosuke couldn’t bring himself to say, “It’s like a fairy.” To him, this beauty was too distant for him to grasp.
It was late at night. After escorting Kaho back to her room, Ryunosuke returned to his own. Just as he was about to turn on the light, he noticed someone in his room.
"...Who is it?"
A figure slowly approached Ryunosuke. The moonlight streaming through the window illuminated the person's appearance.
"Kikyo? What are you doing here so late? We were looking for you..."
“Ryunosuke…I need your help with something…”
In the dim moonlight, Ryunosuke couldn’t see Kikyo’s expression clearly, only that she was still wearing her dance costume and her voice was trembling.
“…You need my help?”
“Can you…hug me?”
“…Wait, wait a minute, Kikyo, is it because of that thing about not being “feminine enough” that you did this…?”
“No! I know that being hugged by a man won’t immediately make me more feminine. But…”
“Kikyo…”
“Yesterday, Ryunosuke encouraged me like that, and I was really happy because you’re the first man I’ve ever liked…but I still can’t do it. I can’t refute any of the things he said to me. I really lack confidence…”
Ryunosuke could only watch her, letting her express herself freely. "
I think if you could hold me, maybe I'd become more confident. I know my thoughts are strange, but...but...I..."
Kikyo huddled up, standing motionless by the window.
(I can't let her wait here in vain.)
Ryunosuke thought to himself, suddenly feeling pity for the girl before him.
He took a step forward and embraced her slender body.
"Ah..."
"Whether you want to become more confident or more feminine, the reason doesn't matter. Right now...I just want to hold you tight!"
"Ryunosuke..."
Ryunosuke's lips covered Kikyo's.
"...I...I'm so nervous...ah..."
Kikyo lay on the bed, Ryunosuke's hands cupping her breasts, which seemed fragile at the slightest touch. The fabric of her mascot costume felt smooth to the touch, and Ryunosuke slowly rubbed them.
"Ah! Ah! ...It hurts, but...ah! " "
The girl responded to Ryunosuke's movements with seductive sounds. Her nipples, hidden beneath her kimono, were already erect.
"Kikyo...you're feeling it..."
"Don't say that...I'll be embarrassed..."
Kikyo's gaze was fixed on Ryunosuke's lower body. Ryunosuke's already swollen member rubbed against her thigh.
The large, hot member made Kikyo feel flustered. To ease her tension, Ryunosuke took her nipple, along with the kimono, into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it.
"Mmm...what should I do...ah! No, no...there..."
Ryunosuke's hand moved to Kikyo's crotch. A fragrance emanated from there, and the fabric of the kimono had changed color. Ryunosuke deliberately showed Kikyo the scent of his fingers rubbing there.
"It smells like Kikyo...this is proof that you're feeling it, this is a kind of womanly scent."
"You're so mean, Ryunosuke!" Kikyo
covered her face, which was as red as an apple, with her hands. Ryunosuke found her shaking her head intriguing, which only increased the hardness of his erection.
Ryunosuke's caresses continued. He gently bit her nipples with his teeth and rubbed his fingers along her private parts, stimulating her already swollen clitoris. The inexperienced Kikyo was bewildered by her body's reactions. As the pleasure increased, the hands covering her cheeks slowly and weakly relaxed.
"Ahhh! It's wet there...it'll get my dance costume dirty..."
"You want to take your clothes off quickly and see your naked body!"
"No, it's not like that...ah!"
Ryunosuke skillfully removed her dance costume. Ryunosuke smelled the scent of her genitals, and his erection became even stronger.
To release it, Ryunosuke quickly took off his own clothes, which made Kikyo's eyes widen again.
"...Ryunosuke's...are all men's...that...that's so big?"
"Yes, that's because it's going to enter your body."
Kikyo tensed up instantly, her body stiffening. "
Don't worry, I'll take it slow."
"...I know, my first time is with you."
Ryunosuke lay on top of Kikyo, just as the bed creaked. "
Mmm...mmm...mmm......"
Tears welled in Kikyo's tightly closed eyes as she endured the pain.
"Kikyo, relax...just bear with it 　　a little longer 　　." Kikyo nodded firmly, and Ryunosuke gently kissed her, thrusting forward. His 　　hard member
broke through the thin membrane. 　　"Haaaaa
! Gua ... 　　Seeing Kikyo's courage, Ryunosuke's love for her grew even stronger, and his member inside her grew even larger. " 　　Ah... Ryunosuke's... again..." 　　"I'm going to start moving... Kikyo..." 　　"Hmm... okay..." 　　Ryunosuke began thrusting into his waist. 　　"Hee! Ugh! Haahaha... Ryunosuke... Ryunosuke!" 　　Kikyo clung tightly to Ryunosuke, unable to bear the pain. 　　To distract her, Ryunosuke kissed her collarbone while caressing her breasts, stimulating her clitoris. The sound of water seeping from her secret garden echoed in the room. 　　"Ryunosuke, I... I..." 　　Just as Kikyo felt pleasure, she suddenly scratched Ryunosuke's back with her fingers, and at the same time, Ryunosuke reached his climax. 　　"Kikyo, I've already... Ugh!" 　　"Ryunosuke! Ahhh!" "It's so hot... Ryunosuke's... is inside me..." 　　As Ryunosuke ejaculated, Kikyo, though not reaching orgasm, still felt a blissful sense of being loved. 　　Afterwards, Ryunosuke borrowed one of his clothes and let Kikyo return to her dormitory. 　　A little while later, Okazaki came to hear a report. 　　"...A story about a girl pursuing her dreams, set in a theater troupe like 'Kacho Fugetsu'... What do you think of this idea?" 　　After reporting the current situation to Okazaki, Ryunosuke casually asked for his opinion. "Hmm, is it a novel geared towards young women? But then, 　　it doesn't quite fit 　　with the title 'Empty Cicada' proposed by Ms. Sakiko ." 　　Ryunosuke understood this as well. And the girl he described was actually referring to Kikyo. 　　(Is it the guilt I feel for doing that to Kikyo?)

After Okazaki returned, Ryunosuke was still thinking about the matter.
(The problem is, how should I face Kikyo when I meet her tomorrow... Oh well, things will work themselves out. I'll deal with it when the time comes!)
Ryunosuke had that kind of carefree, easygoing attitude. He was also aware that he would take responsibility for Kikyo if needed. If he continued to worry about this, it seemed somewhat disrespectful to Kikyo. However, something else bothered Ryunosuke: what Kikyo had said while they were lying in bed earlier.
"I heard that some members of the 'Kacho Fugetsu' troupe get their performance opportunities by sleeping with wealthy patrons."
Ryunosuke hadn't told Okazaki about this.
The rumor Kikyo mentioned matched the investigation Ryunosuke had conducted on "Kacho Fugetsu" before coming here. But now that it came from an insider, the rumor seemed even more credible. Ryunosuke recalled the scene he witnessed in the hall last night.
(I need to find out the truth quickly, at least to protect the young lady from this disaster...)
Soon, Ryunosuke slowly fell asleep. The scent of Kikyo lingered on the bed.
At this time, in the Kujo family's study, Okazaki was reporting to Sakiko what he had heard that day.
"...It's only the third day, let's continue to wait for his news!"
"Is it appropriate to do this regarding Kaho becoming a member?"
"Anyway...that child and Ryunosuke already know some things, how they react is up to their own decision."
After Okazaki left, Sakiko looked at the night sky and spoke to the moon.
"Husband...Kaho is indeed your daughter, just like you..."
Act
Two: Compensation for Losses
Day Four of the Interview.
"Today we'll begin the real investigation!"
Ryunosuke stepped out of the room, and the first person he encountered was Kikyo.
"Ryunosuke, good morning!"
"Kikyo...ah, no, Miss Kikyo, good morning!"
Ryunosuke thought and thought about how to face Kikyo, and finally decided to add the title of "Miss".
Just like the other members, she was now addressed as "Miss."
Kikyo found it rather ridiculous.
"...Don't force yourself, just call me by my name as usual."
"No, I'm not forcing myself, I'm just not used to calling you that all of a sudden."
"But if you suddenly change how you address me, it might arouse suspicion. Is something wrong?"
Kikyo's expression was much more alluring as she spoke in his ear. "You really can't underestimate women," Ryunosuke muttered to himself.
"Here she comes, here she comes, the most suspicious person is here."
"Huh?"
"Ryunosuke!"
Kaho appeared, full of energy.
"Ah, Kikyo, are you alright? We were all so worried about you yesterday!"
"I'm sorry to have made you worry, but I'm fine now, and I can sing and dance again today!"
"That's good!"
"I won't lose to Kaho! Whether it's singing, dancing, or... I'm off!" "
Kikyo seems to be in a better mood... But, she just said she wouldn't lose to me, besides singing and dancing, what else?"
"I don't know either."
Ryunosuke could only pretend to be clueless.
"By the way, Miss, aren't you rushing off to practice?"
"Hey! How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me Miss, call me Kaho!"
At this moment, Ryunosuke truly felt that if the way someone was addressed changed, it really felt strange.
This morning, they mainly practiced singing.
When Ryunosuke arrived at the music room and heard Kaho's voice for the first time, he was genuinely startled.
(Is this Miss's voice...? It's completely different from her usual voice.)
Nami and Captain Kujo, who were listening nearby, were also very surprised.
"Nami, now I understand why you wanted Kaho to become a full member."
Not only that, they also asked Ryunosuke about Kaho.
"Ryunosuke, do you know what Kaho's family does?"
"I'd like to ask her that too, but I haven't had the chance."
Of course, he couldn't reveal the secret that Kaho was the young lady of the Kujo family. After answering casually, Ryunosuke quickly left the music room to avoid giving himself away.
“Listening to Kaho sing seems to bring back memories of the past, a feeling of nostalgia… Naoya, what do you think?”
“…I don’t feel that way…”
As he pushed open the music room door, Ryunosuke overheard Nami and the leader’s conversation, but he left first.
Stepping out of the music room, Ju stood there as if he had been waiting for Ryunosuke.
“Hello! Mr. Ryunosuke, how did your interview go?”
“It’s an honor to have the lead actress’s concern.”
“I’m not just being polite. By the way, the assistant you brought is now quite engrossed in things outside of the interview; that must be quite tiring for you!”
Ryunosuke was wary of Ju’s friendly manner, but of course, he wouldn’t show it.
“Ms. Ju, how come someone as high and mighty as you would even notice Kaho’s affairs?”
“In ‘Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon,’ all sorts of outstanding talents are needed. Even as a foil to me, one needs some ability!”
Ju’s confidence was impeccable. This piqued Ryunosuke's interest, making him want to see why she was so self-assured.
"Miss Zhuang, why did you join 'Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon'?"
Zhuang seemed to have an answer ready, immediately replying to Ryunosuke.
"I'm here to see how beauty can change a person's life. Becoming a leading lady is just a step in the process."
"So, neither Kaho nor Kaze Mika are worth your attention?"
"That's right. Kaze Mika thinks that as long as she can sing and dance, she can become a leading lady. Unfortunately, things aren't that simple in the real world!"
Zhuang revealed a seductive smile.
Although Ryunosuke was somewhat disgusted by her words, he had to agree with her.
"Kaho is just a temporary member. Please be merciful and don't take her seriously."
"Have mercy! Why?... Never mind, you're so considerate of your assistant, I bet your relationship is something special!"
As expected of the leading lady, this enemy is not to be trifled with.
(This leading lady, who's obsessed with same-sex relationships and overly confident, definitely needs a thorough investigation.)
Ryunosuke stood in the corridor, lost in thought, when suddenly Kaze Mika appeared there.
"...Miss Kaze Mika? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Kaze Mika didn't answer, only quietly looking at Ryunosuke.
At this moment, Ryunosuke carefully admired Kaze Mika's beauty once more.
(The pillar is like an exceptionally beautiful flower in a garden... while Kaze Mika is like a flower growing on a cliff edge, enduring wind and snow.)
The two stood in the corridor for a while.
Finally, Ryunosuke broke the silence.
"...Ah, Ms. Kazemika, are you practicing singing too? I'm so sorry my assistant has caused you trouble."
"...I won't mind such a small thing. I don't think someone who works hard would bother me."
"Really? Hearing you say that makes me feel much better."
"But...if you care about Utaho, you should be careful of Kō."
"Huh? Why...?"
Kazemika didn't answer, turning and going back to the music room.
Kazemika's words were full of warning...Ryūnosuke understood the meaning of those words after lunch, after he witnessed something...
The incident began when Kō, to avoid being seen, sneaked into the band leader's office.
Ryunosuke found it strange, so he went around to the window of the leader's room from the outside of the building. Through the gap in the curtains,
he saw...
"Ah... the leader's... it's gotten so big and amazing..."
"Hmph, you've always wanted it, haven't you!"
By the time Ryunosuke came around from the outside, Zhuang had already taken off all her clothes. She unzipped the leader's pants and stroked his crotch.
Zhuang lovingly rubbed the leader's penis against her cheek. Her usual arrogant demeanor was gone, replaced by the girlishness befitting her age. Perhaps this was part of her plan.
"Hey! Wait a minute, you forgot the old rules... ooh!"
"Hmph, you still dare to say that? It's already so big, so I'll make it even bigger... hahaha!"
Zhuang didn't hesitate to take the leader's penis into her mouth. All the way to the back of her throat, she seemed very skilled.
"Hmph! You look like a bitch in heat!"
The leader roughly pulled Zhuang's hair and opened his waist.
“Mmm…A bitch is a bitch…”
Surprisingly, Zhuang didn’t seem to care that the leader called her a bitch; in fact, she seemed to derive pleasure from it.
“We’ll talk after you finish your report. How’s the investigation I asked you to do?”
“…I’ve given them the photos. They’ll let us know tonight if there’s any news…”
“That’s good. You should know that this matter is more important to Hanabusa Fugetsu than you think. Also, you need to pay special attention to Izumo Ryunosuke…Hey!”
Zhuang couldn’t wait any longer and reached for the leader’s penis again.
“I understand. So, leader, how are you going to reward me…”
“Call me Naoya now, Zhuang!”
“If Nami-sensei hears this, she’ll be angry…Ah!”
The leader frowned.
“How many times do I have to tell you…You’re not allowed to mention her name right now!”
“Waaaa, Naoya, you’re afraid of Nami-sensei!”
“You arrogant guy, see how I deal with you!”
“Ahhhhh…!”
Without any foreplay, the leader directly penetrated Zhuang’s body. Zhuang was already unable to restrain herself, so she didn't resist at all.
"Ahhh!... Naoya's... it's so good... I'm already..."
"Wait, it's too early for you to climax. You have to let me enjoy it a little longer."
The leader pulled his penis out of Zhuang's body and deliberately rubbed it against her entrance.
"Ugh! Naoya's is mine! I'm not giving it back to Nami-sensei!"
After saying that, Zhuang inserted the leader's penis into her private parts herself.
"Ugh... it's sucking so tightly, is it trying to bite me off?"
"Naoya's is still so amazing... mmm... mmm!"
"Zhuang's is still so tight...!"
"I didn't expect that after doing it with other members yesterday, you still have so much energy today..."
Ryunosuke wondered if he had heard correctly.
(Does Nami-sensei know that the leader of the guild has other members besides Zhuang...?)
"What's wrong? Are you jealous?"
"I'm not, but I want you to give me more!"
"Then let's give you an attacking atmosphere today!"
"Come on! Play with my body as much as you want... Let me go to heaven with pleasure, ahahaha..."
"As you wish... Here it comes!"
As the leader thrust his waist, the part where the two were joined made lewd sounds, and Zhuang's breathing became rapid. Ryunosuke, who was watching from the side, was worried for them. Weren't they afraid that others would hear them if they were so intense?
"Ahhh, harder, rub my breasts, suck my nipples, ah..."
"Do you like this? Zhuang, does it feel good?"
"Yes, I like it... Today you have to shoot on my face too, I want all of Zhuang's..."
"I know... I'll give you all of it in a moment!"
"A little more! Yes, almost there, I'm going to, I'm going to... ahhh!"
Ryunosuke had never heard Zhuang's screams when he reached orgasm.
The erection he had felt when he witnessed the homosexual relationship between the leader and a member of the group swelled up again.
(Is this what Kazemika was trying to warn me about? The leader and the group leader are having an affair
... They were talking about the investigation earlier... Could it be about the young lady...?)
The afternoon sun wasn't scorching, but for some reason, Ryunosuke felt unusually dry-mouthed.
To sort out the pile of problems at hand, Ryunosuke walked alone to the lakeside he had visited with Kaho before.
On the way, he heard someone calling birds.
"Huh, what's that...?"
Ryunosuke looked towards the grassy area beside the mountain path. A girl stood there, surrounded by several small birds.
"Isn't that... Miss Suzaku? Her expression..."
Ever since they first met, when she mistook him for "Takumi...", Suzaku had deliberately avoided him. Even when Ryunosuke greeted her, she would just walk past with a cold expression.
But now, the Suzaku Ryunosuke saw seemed like a different person. She was feeding the birds breadcrumbs, a warm smile on her face. She was speaking softly to the birds.
Ryunosuke thought this might be a good opportunity to talk to her.
"Hello, Miss Suzaku!"
As soon as Ryunosuke spoke, all the birds that had been perched on Suzaku flew away, and Suzaku's expression returned to its usual stiffness.
"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare them away."
"...The birds... flew away!"
Suzaku wasn't speaking to Ryunosuke, because her gaze drifted towards the sky where the birds had flown.
The two stood there in silence, with only the sound of the wind blowing between them.
(...It seems impossible to speak to her now.)
Nami had told him not to interfere with Suzaku's affairs, and now Suzaku turned and left without a word, leaving Ryunosuke to watch her go.
However, he couldn't help but say something to her.
"Miss Suzaku...I hope to see that beautiful smile again when we meet!"
Suzaku suddenly stopped.
"Beautiful? And now you're saying that to me...You're not 'Takumi'...And even if you were 'Takumi,' so what..."
Suzaku finished speaking and ran away.
(Hmm...Is it just like her name "Suzaku," that only birds can make her happy...?)
Ryunosuke's thoughts were in turmoil, but he made one more note of his mind: to investigate "Takumi."
Day five of the interview.
On this day, Ryunosuke and Kaho almost got kicked out of the Flower, Bird, and Feast Hall.
In the morning, Ryunosuke and Kaho were suddenly summoned to the captain's office.
"...Excuse me, please stop the interview immediately and leave Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon."
The troupe leader made no attempt to hide his displeasure, stating bluntly.
"Why...suddenly..."
Ryunosuke first stopped the agitated Kaho, then calmly asked the troupe leader.
"...Could you please tell us the reason for refusing the interview?"
According to the troupe leader, several similar theater troupes had recently been established, and people were frequently trying to poach their talent or steal their performance content, hindering their work.
"...You mean to say that we are spies sent by other troupes?"
"Although I have no evidence, some strange things have indeed happened recently."
"You can directly verify with Kosei Publishing House whether we are spies, unless even Kosei Publishing House is involved in this conspiracy. Since you suspect us, then we will leave immediately."
After leaving the troupe leader's office, Kaho vented all her anger on Ryunosuke.
"What?! How could you just leave like that?!"
"Young lady, please calm down."
"Didn't I tell you not to call me 'young lady'?!"
"...But, I might never have the chance to call you that again..."
"Huh? What do you mean... Ah!"
Since he was kicked out of the Flower, Bird, and Feast Pavilion, it meant he hadn't passed this "test," and Ryunosuke had to leave the Kujo family. When Kaho thought about this, she suddenly became listless.
"...Could it be because I went to become a member... that I caused you this trouble..."
"No, don't think like that. If you want to stay here, we still have one last trump card."
"What? What trump card?"
Ryunosuke took the still confused Kaho straight to Nami-sensei's room.
Ryunosuke briefly explained the whole story to Nami, but she seemed to have never heard the leader mention this before.
"What did you say? Naoya actually treated you like this!"
"We are absolutely not spies, we have a clear conscience..."
Apart from concealing Kaho's background, Ryunosuke shamelessly continued.
"Of course, we were kicked out of here, and we won't deliberately write anything slanderous about flowers, birds, wind, and moon out of resentment, please rest assured."
After a while, Ryunosuke spoke again.
"...But if this happens even once, other publishers will think it's difficult to get an interview with *Kacho Fugetsu*, since the publishing circle is quite narrow."
"Ryunosuke! Are you warning me?"
"No, no! It's just that Kaho was willing to accept Nami-sensei's guidance, and I thought she could show some promise, but now she's forced to give up."
Nami was silent for a moment, looking at Ryunosuke, then at Kaho, and then...
"...I understand. Leave this to me. I won't just let Kaho, such a talented person, leave. I'll go and persuade Naoya."
"I'm sorry to trouble you!"
"Ryunosuke...you're even more amazing than I imagined..."
Nami said to Ryunosuke, who bowed deeply.
*Splash...*
The oars created ripples on the lake's surface.
"Ugh, Ryunosuke, stop rocking!"
"Don't joke around, Miss. This isn't land, of course it'll rock."
Nami wanted to persuade Naoya, so she asked the two of them to leave the Flower, Bird, and Frozen area for a while. Ryunosuke then led Kaho to the lakeside.
The boat reached the middle of the lake, and Ryunosuke stopped rowing.
Kaho seemed unhappy, whether from fear of water or because of what had happened with the captain earlier. Naturally, Ryunosuke also became quiet.
The two of them rocked in the boat in the middle of the lake for a while.
"...Ryunosuke."
"What is it...?"
"...This is the first time we've been together like this."
"Is that so? But I usually go shopping with you..."
"That's different! I mean like now, sitting here leisurely and quietly..."
"When we were at home, in the evenings when we were enjoying the cool air outside, wasn't it just like this?"
Kaho seemed angry.
"It's different...Mom was here with us then!"
“Yes, you’re right.”
The two were silent for a while.
“…Ah, right!”
Suddenly, Kaho seemed to remember something.
“Ryunosuke! Do you know a member named Suzaku?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard of her.”
“I heard Kikyo say, although it’s just a rumor, that Suzaku…”
Kaho continued.
Suzaku used to work for a certain family and fell in love with the family’s heir, but because the man’s family found him a suitable marriage partner, the two were forced to separate.
“What a typical love tragedy… After hearing that, I really wanted to help Suzaku in some way…”
“Young lady, you’re here again…”
“Mind your own business? I know, but I just can’t stand by and do nothing, right…”
“What?”
Kaho suddenly leaned closer to Ryunosuke.
"Ryunosuke, do you think a couple in love should be forced to separate just because their social status and family background are mismatched?"
"You might find this strange, but that's how relationships are. There are always trials along the way. If there's a huge difference in social standing, then there's not much hope... But the most important thing is the two people's hearts, whether they're willing to overcome difficulties together."
"You make it sound so high and mighty!"
"Well, I can only offer some basic common sense about things I'm inexperienced with... Ouch!"
Kaho suddenly splashed water from the lake onto Ryunosuke.
"It's so cold! Young lady!"
"...I wonder when I'll be able to enjoy the breeze with you like this again... You idiot!"
Kaho finished speaking and splashed the icy lake water onto Ryunosuke again.
When the two returned from the lakeside, thanks to Nami, the matter was resolved amicably.
"...Since Nami has pleaded for you, I will rescind the order prohibiting you from conducting interviews. However, even with Nami and me here, you are not allowed to enter the archives. Capable reporters can gather good material even without relying on materials."
Ryunosuke suppressed his anger towards Captain Hachi and made a firm decision in his heart.
Click... Ryunosuke held a piece of wire in his hand.
Back when he was still involved in the underworld, a veteran in this line of work had taught him a few lock-picking techniques, so opening this lock was a piece of cake.
(If Captain Hachi hadn't been so suspicious, he wouldn't have used this trick.)
Ryunosuke cautiously looked around before slipping into the archives.
Upon entering the dusty room, Ryunosuke was startled by the sheer volume of documents before him.
(How long will this take...?)
Suddenly, he heard the voices of girls; the members of the group must have just passed by the archives.
(If I'm discovered sneaking into the archives, I'll definitely be kicked out immediately... I'll wait until late at night or early morning to come back!)
After a while, Ryunosuke cautiously slipped out of the archives again.
Although he only stayed there for a short time, he still gained something. Ryunosuke saw Suzaku's information there.
Although it didn't record anything about the rumors about Suzaku, her experience section did record the places she had worked before.
"Owada? That's definitely a prestigious family. By the way, I once heard that the eldest son of this family married the daughter of a certain conglomerate. The man's name was..."
Ryunosuke walked along the mountain path as the sun set.
He wasn't taking a walk now, nor was he thinking about things as usual; he wasn't aimlessly wandering.
"...Takumi...?"
Walking along the mountain path in the opposite direction from the lake, Ryunosuke's view was wide open.
There, behind the buildings of the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon Pavilion, was a raised platform. Looking down, he could see the scenery of the lake shimmering in the sunset.
The person he was looking for was leaning against the somewhat broken railing, bathed in the sunset.
(Indeed, this is the only place where one can find peace and quiet.)
From the observation deck, one can see the entire lake in its entirety. Suzaku stands on the cliff edge. Upon closer inspection, she is singing with her hands clasped to her chest.
The lyrics are unclear, but her voice is so moving. The leaves rustle in the wind, and Suzaku's song seems to add color to the lake like crimson clouds.
(Who is she singing to? In this deserted place, she can't possibly be singing to guests... Could it be "Takumi"? No, she is singing to the "Takumi" she imagines; the real "Takumi"
isn't here at all... But this is still too sad.)
"Leave her here alone, don't worry about her..." Ryunosuke muttered to himself, but in the end, he still walked forward.
"...Miss Suzaku..."
Hearing someone approaching, Suzaku stopped singing.
"You sang beautifully just now, but you should sing for guests at the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon Pavilion. After all, that's where dreams are given to everyone. Singing here seems too lonely..."
Suzaku turned around, her eyes clearly showing hostility towards Ryunosuke.
"Shut up! What right do you have to say these things to me... Do you know how I felt when I saw you? Do you know how much pain I was in...!" "
'A-Takumi'... Is that what you called me when you first saw me?"
Suzaku's shoulders trembled slightly.
"Do I really look that much like that 'A-Takumi'... Or do you just mistake any man you see for 'A-Takumi'?"
"What did you say! You look so much like him... Do you know the pain I felt when I looked at you?"
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have said that. After all, I'm not the A-Takumi you like."
Ryunosuke stepped forward and stood beside Suzaku.
“Now I know why you always avoid me… But why did you come to ‘Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon’
?”
“Huh?”
“If you want to forget your painful past, you can go anywhere. But you haven’t seemed much happier here, except for the smile you had yesterday when you were with Kotori.”
Ryunosuke’s gaze met Suzaku’s; this was the first time they had looked at each other.
“…Men can talk about their painful past so lightly.”
“Miss Suzaku…”
“I loved him with all my life…”
Suzaku lowered her head.
“He trampled on my true feelings so cruelly…”
Suzaku bit her lower lip.
“I came here to forget him…”
Tears welled in Suzaku’s eyes.
“It’s all your fault. If only you hadn’t appeared, it would have been so much better! It’s all your fault!”
Ryunosuke listened quietly to Suzaku’s complaints.
After a while, his words weren’t meant to comfort her.
“…Have you vented enough? I just want to tell you that my meeting you here, and what happened between you and Takumi, are all things that can’t be changed.”
“…!”
Suzaku understood Ryunosuke’s meaning, and she ran away as if fleeing a disaster.
Clatter… Ryunosuke leaned against the railing, deep in thought, the old railing creaking.
“The past can’t be changed…”
Ryunosuke muttered to himself.
He immersed himself in his memories in the sunset, and night fell suddenly…
Day six of the interview.
Early in the morning, before the sun had even risen, Ryunosuke woke up. His reason for getting up so early was to sneak into the archives.
"While everyone's still asleep..."
Looking out the window into the courtyard, a figure flashed by. It looked like Nami. She continued walking into the courtyard.
"Where is Nami going so early in the morning?"
Ryunosuke decided to postpone his infiltration of the archives; he wanted to follow Nami first.
Nami came to the lakeside and stood on the bank, gazing at the waves. Her expression was somewhat heavy, as if she were lost in her memories.
"...Good morning, Nami-sensei!"
Nami was startled, but quickly regained her elegant smile.
"Ryunosuke, you're out for a walk so early too?"
"Yes, I can't always be interviewing; I need to relax sometimes... Oh, by the way, thank you so much for yesterday."
"Let's not talk about that anymore. We shouldn't have doubted you. Naoya didn't mean any harm. After all, managing a large theater isn't easy."
Hearing Nami speak up for Naoya, Ryunosuke thought of what he had witnessed, and his heart ached.
"...Ryunosuke, can I ask you something?"
"What is it? Nami-sensei's sudden seriousness makes me nervous too."
"Did you say something to Kikyo?"
Ryunosuke's heart skipped a beat, but he tried not to show it.
"I just told her to keep going, to encourage her not to get discouraged... Did something happen?"
"She's still practicing as diligently as before, but before she would just obediently follow my instructions..."
"And now?"
"She's actually asking me a lot of questions, like 'How should I do this...', 'How do I do it...'
, as if she's thinking about things herself, even though she's unlikely to play an important role anytime soon.
"
"But the fact that she's actively thinking is a huge improvement."
Ryunosuke wasn't sure if sleeping with Kikyo was a good thing, but hearing Nami's words, he felt happy for Kikyo and unconsciously smiled to himself.
"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly laughing so happily!"
"Ah, nothing..."
"The problem now is Suzaku. Lately, she's become increasingly withdrawn, what a waste of her talent..."
Ryunosuke couldn't bear to see Nami so worried about Suzaku, so he told her everything he knew about her.
"...Well, I've been worried ever since you first came here..."
"Do I really look that much like that guy named Takumi?"
"Yes, you do, although I only met him once."
"Eh, Nami-sensei, you've seen that guy too? That's puzzling. Is there some inside story?"
Nami suddenly smiled.
"You're definitely not a simple person... That's right, Qiao didn't completely betray Zhuque. It's just that their families had a policy marriage, so they had to separate."
"Wait a minute... You mean, Zhuque came to Huachiao Fengyue because..."
"It was Qiao's arrangement. He really loves Zhuque. He knows Zhuque has talent in this area, and considering her future life after the breakup, he arranged for her to come here."
For lovers! I don't know if it's the best choice. But what's certain is that Qiao has done his best within his capabilities. At least that's what Ryunosuke thinks.
"Does Zhuque know Qiao's feelings?"
"He told me not to tell, and..."
"That's right... Just thinking about what Zhuque would think..."
"He knows Zhuque will always miss him." "
...A tragic story."
"Yes, but..."
Nami was facing away from the rising sun, and Ryunosuke squinted at her.
“We can’t let Suzaku always be the tragic heroine, so I have something I’d like to ask you.”
Nami’s eyes had somehow returned to the teacher’s expression she had when she was teaching students.
Night fell.
Ryunosuke, determined to fulfill Nami’s request, waited in his room for her.
Nami wanted Ryunosuke to tell Suzaku about the arrangements made by Takumi.
Ryunosuke felt increasingly heavy-hearted as he thought about it. Then he remembered something else.
It was something Nami had revealed to him this morning before leaving the lakeside, something about her youth.
“…People who love each other don’t necessarily have to be together. When someone is forced to choose between their dreams and the person they love…”
“…Nami-sensei, have you ever had that experience?”
“You ask such a question.”
“I’m sorry, I’m just curious.”
“…I also had a passionate love affair. As long as he was there, I didn’t care about anything else…”
Nami gazed into the distance, and for a moment, Ryunosuke seemed to see her in her youth.
"...But he still chose his dream."
"So, do you hate him?"
"No, I also hoped his dream could come true...In the end, I also chose my dream."
"...So, did your dreams come true?"
“How should I put it? But I won’t regret the decision I made back then. So, Suzaku, she also…”
Nami smiled shyly.
“…Why would I tell you this? You’re such a mysterious person…”
Ryunosuke suddenly remembered Nami’s past.
(…The male protagonist in her story doesn’t seem to be Captain Hachi. Judging from her cheerful demeanor, Nami-sensei is truly a strong woman. Compared to her, Suzaku and I are still immersed in the past
…)
Knock! Knock!
The sound of knocking interrupted Ryunosuke’s thoughts.
It was Nami, arriving as promised.
“Eh? Where’s Miss Suzaku?”
“No matter how I tried to persuade her, she wouldn’t come, so…”
Led by Nami, Ryunosuke entered the girls’ dormitory, a place where men were not allowed.
The buildings there weren’t much different from where Ryunosuke lived, but being a girls’ place, the air was filled with a womanly aura.
(Nami-sensei is really bold, using any means to achieve her goals... If the young lady sees this, I'll
...)
In the innermost corner of the corridor, which seems to be Suzaku's room, Nami talks to Suzaku through the paper door. After a while, the paper door opens, and Nami pushes Ryunosuke inside.
Ryunosuke closes the door, and Suzaku's back is turned to him. Ryunosuke then tells her everything about the person she is missing.
"...Now you understand, right? Qiao truly loves you, that's why he made this arrangement, right? You should understand his good intentions..."
"No! Qiao...he hates me. He thinks I'm a burden to him, that's why he did this!"
"Why do you misunderstand him like that?"
"You're just like him! You use sweet words to manipulate and deceive me, acting like a virtuous gentleman. Are you satisfied now?"
"If you keep thinking like this, you'll be alone for the rest of your life!"
"So what! Now that I know it was that person who introduced me, I don't want to stay here anymore.
I'm leaving this place, so you don't need to meddle. Please leave immediately!"
The stubborn Suzaku rejected Ryunosuke's offer.
Ryunosuke was truly exasperated by her. That's because he himself had once been completely immersed in the past.
After running away from home, unable to stop missing his family...
he became self-destructive and disgraced...!
Even after being rescued by Sakiko, she still regrets what she did back then…
“How long are you going to dwell on the past?”
“Um!… What are you doing? Stop… umm…”
By the time Suzaku realized what was happening, Ryunosuke had already forcefully kissed her lips.
Suzaku struggled to escape, but her body was too weak.
“…How does it feel? The texture of your lips is the same as Takumi’s, isn’t it?”
“You’re not Takumi… how could it be the same… ah!”
“That’s right. Although we look alike, we are completely different people. It’s only because you’re so immersed in the memories of the past that you can’t even tell the difference.”
Suzaku absentmindedly touched her lips with her fingers.
“Closing yourself up might prevent you from getting hurt again, but the beautiful memories you shared with Takumi will never be happy for you… even though you both gave your hearts back then.”
Ryunosuke released Suzaku and turned to walk towards the door.
"I apologize for offending you earlier. Please think it over carefully and don't leave the world of flowers, birds, wind, and moon so easily. I'll be going now. Goodnight..."
As Ryunosuke was about to push open the paper door, he suddenly felt a warm sensation behind him.
"Wait... I, I..."
"Miss Suzaku...?"
"I want to forget about Takumi... so please..."
Before Suzaku could finish speaking, Ryunosuke kissed her lips again. The two were unconsciously immersed in a tender atmosphere.
Ryunosuke's hands slowly unbuttoned Suzaku's clothes.
"Ah, I... I'm so sorry..."
Moonlight streamed in from the window, illuminating Suzaku's beautiful body.
Her skin, which was usually hidden from view, was so white and translucent with a hint of pink! Her femininity excited Ryunosuke.
"So beautiful, so pretty, Miss Suzaku!"
"Don't stare at me like that..."
Suzaku bent over, turning her back to Ryunosuke to avoid his gaze. Thus, the neck peeking through the messy hair, and the elegant curve of her back, were alluring to Ryunosuke like an illusion. Ryunosuke hugged Suzaku tightly from behind.
His hands naturally moved to Suzaku's breasts, his fingers able to clearly feel their softness and weight.
"Ah!...Mmm..."
The unintentional panting made Suzaku feel extremely shy, and she quickly covered her mouth, biting her teeth to keep quiet. Ryunosuke's hands kneaded Suzaku's breasts, and as her breathing became rapid, her nipples hardened.
"Does it feel good?"
Ryunosuke whispered in her ear, then gently bit her earlobe, continuing to caress her neck.
"No...Mmm, mmm..."
"It's okay to make sounds. You've always suppressed your feelings, but from now on, you don't have to..."
"Ahhh, but!"
"Look, I feel something for you too."
Ryunosuke pressed his fiery erection against Suzaku's waist.
“Ah! I know, it’s hot down there, but no… this won’t do…”
Suzaku’s tightly closed legs gradually relaxed, and Ryunosuke, seeing this, slid his penis between her thighs. Then he slowly rubbed it back and forth. Suzaku’s private parts quickly became wet upon stimulation.
“Suzaku… look!”
Ryunosuke moved his penis back and forth where he pointed.
Seeing the male genitalia moving back and forth between her thighs, Suzaku turned her face away shyly and closed her eyes tightly.
“…No, no…”
Although she protested verbally, perhaps because the sight excited her, Suzaku’s private parts secreted new love fluid, and the rubbing sounds from between her thighs became even more intense.
“…That’s enough, Suzaku.”
"Ahhh, I...I..."
Before she could answer, Ryunosuke pulled her legs onto his shoulders.
"Look carefully at where we're joined!"
Suzaku obeyed Ryunosuke's words, cautiously opening her eyes. She saw Ryunosuke's excited penis, moving against her vaginal walls.
"Ah, ah, ah...uh-ha! Takumi!"
At the very last moment of penetration, Suzaku called out Takumi's name.
"...Ah, I'm sorry...I...just now..."
Suzaku realized she had just called out a name and felt embarrassed.
"It's okay, call me whatever you like!" "
...Then, you can do it the way you like..."
"But, you don't have to force yourself, you know?"
Although this didn't seem to be Suzaku's first time, the narrow inner walls showed that she still didn't have much experience in this area, tightly gripping Ryunosuke's penis.
"I'm alright... Please hold me, let me completely forget the unpleasant things from before... Ryunosuke, move as much as you want... Please!"
Suzaku cried out almost uncontrollably as Ryunosuke thrust his burning member fully into her.
"Ah, hah, ahhh... Ryunosuke, harder, harder!"
"Suzaku! Suzaku!"
The two called each other's names, their lips meeting, their saliva mixing together. Ryunosuke's hips moved violently, sweat pouring down his face, then he slowly changed position.
"Hee, hah... Ryunosuke, my body feels so light... How could this be... Ah, I, I'm already..."
"Suzaku... I'm almost there too..."
"No, it's terrifying... No, Ryunosuke... Ahhh!"
At the last second, Ryunosuke withdrew his member, ejaculating onto Suzaku's lower abdomen. A drop of semen even touched Suzaku's lips.
Ryunosuke carefully got out of Suzaku's bed, trying not to wake her.
As soon as he stepped out of Suzaku's room, Nami was waiting for him not far away.
"Ah, Nami-sensei… I've already told Suzaku everything I needed to say…"
Nami looked somewhat troubled.
"We have a responsibility to protect these unmarried girls, and you…"
"I'm sorry, I didn't expect this to happen…"
"But, if doing this can cheer Suzaku up… I won't hold it against you this time."
"Yes, I'll remember that." "
…No matter the era, the concept of 'marrying someone of equal social standing' always plays tricks on people. Suzaku is like that, and so is Zhuang…"
"Zhuang too?" "
There's a reason why Zhuang is so rude to people. She was originally a daughter of a prominent family, but due to a certain incident, she lost all her family fortune… She had a very tragic childhood, which is why she became so extreme, bullying and looking down on others…"
Ryunosuke wanted to ask about this, but unfortunately, he was in the women's dormitory, where men were not allowed, so he had to leave hastily.
As soon as Ryunosuke returned to his room, Okazaki, as usual, had already come to hear his report.
After discussing some matters of nature, Ryunosuke continued…
“…A tragic story of a devoted young girl who, despite being bound by old-fashioned notions of social status, still deeply loves her boyfriend… How about this subject matter?”
“Hmm…it sounds quite popular.”
Thinking of Suzaku, Ryunosuke hadn't just casually suggested this idea; he simply hadn't had the time to think about a novel's subject matter.
He noticed the emotions hidden within him.
When he held Suzaku, Suzaku called out Takumi's name, and at that moment, the image of someone else surfaced in Ryunosuke's mind…
Late at night, at the Kujo residence, Sakiko was listening to Okazaki's report.
"...So, it seems they were even kicked out by Naoya before."
"Naoya...maybe he's already found out about Kaho."
"Is it safe for Kaho-san to continue like this?"
"With Ryunosuke here, there's no need to worry, especially with Nami around."
"That's true, Nami seems to really like Kaho-san...but, just consider it me being nosy..."
Sakiko interrupted Okazaki.
"What's wrong, Okazaki? What parent wouldn't be happy to see their daughter so popular!"
Because Sakiko had her back to Okazaki, he couldn't see her expression.
Act
Three: Imprinting
Day Seven of the Interview.
"I was planning to go to the archives this morning to look for some clues, but I overslept."
Ryunosuke walked to the courtyard.
He washed his face by the fountain. This had now become his morning routine.
"Phew!... Oh no, my towel..."
"Here, take this!"
"Ah, thank you... Huh?"
After wiping his face with the borrowed towel, Ryunosuke saw Suzaku.
"Good morning... Mr. Ryunosuke."
Ryunosuke stared at Suzaku, making her blush. Affected by Suzaku's reaction, Ryunosuke also became embarrassed, his movements suddenly becoming clumsy. "
B-Good morning... Thank you for the towel, I'll wash it and return it to you."
"No need... Don't bother."
After saying that, Suzaku snatched the towel back.
Suzaku clutched the towel tightly to her chest, and Ryunosuke, remembering what happened last night, became even more embarrassed.
"...But, I'm very happy."
"...What do you mean?"
"Since I came here, this is the first time Miss Suzaku has greeted me first."
"You... don't tease me."
"No, I didn't mean that..."
The two were silent for a while, just thinking about what to talk about next, when a loud and energetic voice came from behind.
"Ah, Ryunosuke, it's you! Suzaku, you're here too! Good morning, everyone!"
Such an energetic voice could only belong to Kikyo.
Standing next to her was someone who, on the contrary, looked rather unhappy—that was Kaho.
"Kikyo, and Kaho... good morning!"
"Kikyo, Kaho, good morning!"
Ryunosuke and Suzaku greeted them both. Kaho, however, only greeted Suzaku.
"Hey! Hey! Kaho, why didn't you greet me?"
"Oh! So you're here too, Ryunosuke. I didn't notice."
Kaho turned her face away immediately.
Ryunosuke asked Kikyo quietly.
"...Kikyo, what's wrong with Kaho?"
"I don't know, she was fine just now."
Suzaku keenly sensed the awkward atmosphere.
"Ryunosuke and Kaho, you two still have work to discuss, right? Well then, we won't disturb you any longer. Kikyo, let's go."
"Huh? But I just arrived!"
"Don't say anything! Let's go!"
Suzaku pulled Kikyo away, leaving only Kaho and Ryunosuke in the courtyard.
"...What happened? Miss... Oh, no, Kaho!"
Kaho kept her lips tightly shut, not saying a word.
"Could it be that Captain Fujisada said something to you again?"
"No! Ryunosuke, where did you go all day yesterday?"
"I... I've been here the whole time!"
Recalling what happened with Suzaku last night, Ryunosuke broke out in a cold sweat.
"After talking with the captain and Nami-sensei the day before yesterday, I haven't seen you since. Although I know you had to go on an interview and were working hard, but..."
"I thought, you were busy practicing, and I was busy too, so..."
"But you had time to talk to Suzaku!"
At first, Ryunosuke thought she was throwing a tantrum again, but now he sensed the atmosphere was different.
A word flashed through Ryunosuke's mind... "jealousy," but he quickly dismissed the thought.
"I think I only know the Ryunosuke from the Kujo family. The Ryunosuke flirting with girls here isn't the person I know!"
"I only bumped into Suzaku by chance!"
"But you still have time to chat with her here. Since you're so free, why don't you hurry up and carry out the experiment your mother asked you to do..." "An
experiment? I don't mean to belittle it, but I'm probably not suited to be a writer, anyway..."
Kaho's expression suddenly changed.
"Ryunosuke... what do you mean by that?"
"Young lady, you should have heard about what happened before I came to the Kujo family. If you keep taking care of a troublesome person like me, it's quite dangerous for you..."
"...You mean... you still want to leave me alone!"
Kaho lowered her head, her tone quite heavy.
"The result is... because of my mother, that's why you're staying by my side..."
"Young lady, it's not like that..."
"...Ryunosuke, you big idiot!"
Kaho shouted and then ran away in a flash.
Ryunosuke was startled by Kaho's sudden action. At the same time, he understood why 　　Kaho 　　had 　　reacted 　　that 　　way 　　. 　　**********
... 　　"Don't think I don't know your relationship with the leader! You traded your body for the position of leading lady!" The person 　　facing off against Kaze Mika in the courtyard was none other than Zhuang. 　　It was a duel between Asou Kaze Mika and Komyoji Zhuang, the two leading actresses of "Kacho Fugetsu" (Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon). 　　The intense atmosphere between them made Ryunosuke hesitate to speak. 　　"Aso, that was just a coincidence. The most important thing is that all the audience recognizes me. My beauty, my temperament, my singing, my dancing—these are all universally acknowledged as the best." 　　"Damn it, how dare you say that..." 　　"Don't think that just because of your mother's past, women can only get good jobs by selling their bodies!" 　　"What—what did you say!" 　　"Or is it because you can't get a man's love that you say that? The lewd blood flowing in your veins must be causing you a lot of pain!" 　　From their conversation, Ryunosuke learned a shocking truth. 　　(So that's why Fumika's mother is... No wonder Zhuang said that if I investigated Fumika, it would be very difficult for her.) 　　"Kōmyōji... If you insult my mother again..." 　　Fumika's voice trembled as she approached Zhuang step by step. 　　"Oh, you want to use violence against me? As expected of a poor family's daughter." 　　Zhuang revealed a provocative smile, and Fumika raised her hand. 　　"Kōmyōji!" 　　"Stop! Fumika!" 　　Just at the critical moment, Ryūnosuke intervened between the two. 　　"...Ryūnosuke..." 　　Ryūnosuke, with his back to Zhuang, placed his hand on Fumika's shoulder. 　　"Miss Fumika, I understand your feelings, but please don't be reckless. Leave this to me, you should go back to your room!" 　　"But..." 　　Zhuang continued to use her divisive tactics. 　　"So, he's a man who was deceived by your sweet words. This kind of thing really is hereditary!" 　　Just as Fumika was about to retort, Ryūnosuke stopped her. 　　“Miss Kazemika, do you really want all your efforts to vanish overnight?” 　　“…I understand.” 　　Kazemika turned and left the courtyard. 　　After watching Kazemika leave, Ryunosuke turned to face Zhuang. 　　“Miss Zhuang…someone like you…”

Zhuang showed no fear whatsoever. A seductive smile played on her lips.
"You seem to really dislike me!"
"...At least I don't like the current Zhuang-san."
"That's true. You saw me doing that with Xiaoyao, of course you'd have a bad impression of me."
"You did see me then... But since it was something you two agreed to, I can't say anything more."
"So, you dislike me because you heard Feng Mika mention my relationship with the leader?"
"While I don't think it's right, I won't blame you for it. After all, life isn't always perfect."
"Then what is it? As a woman, being disliked by a man like you is very painful. Can you tell me why?"
Ryunosuke thought for a moment before speaking.
"...Miss Zhuang, why are you so anxious?"
"Anxious? You mean me?"
"That's right. You kept provoking Feng Meixiang. If she really hit you, then you could just openly kick her out of the 'Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon' club, right? You didn't need to do that at all. You should compete with her fairly." Zhuang's
smile disappeared.
"People with strong self-esteem keep their distance from others, creating a wall to isolate them, and adopting an unforgivable attitude towards others. However, I don't dislike such people, because it also shows the strength of their will."
"..."
"And you...you already have the ability to be the leading lady, yet you do something to frame others...I just feel sorry for you."
Suddenly, Zhuang slapped Ryunosuke across the face.
"...Miss Zhuang?"
"What do you know? Do you think I really have to be the leading lady of 'Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon'?"
Ryunosuke stared blankly at Zhuang. For the first time, he saw the emotions in Zhuang's inner world.
The arrogant and haughty Zhuang began to recount her past.
Kinoshita Kinoshita, the daughter of the Kinoshita Shipbuilding Corporation, was a wealthy heiress. However, during her childhood, a fire in the capital destroyed her family and fortune, taking everything away from her. As a young child, she was passed from one relative's home to another, enduring a miserable childhood. This continued until she was discovered by Captain Hajime.
Her story supplemented some of the information Nami had already told Ryunosuke, but what Kinoshita said next gave Ryunosuke a subtle shock.
"...The fire that happened back then was arson. We don't know who was behind it, and the investigation was halted after only a month."
"So, someone used their power to do that... But why..."
"I've been investigating from all sides, and it's still ongoing... So I need some kind of power to help me do this, and that's why I became the lead actress!"
"For you... this is your revenge..."
"I don't care if you think that way. To gain power, I'll stop at nothing, even towards Kaho..." "
...Kaho?"
She knew she'd said too much, and remained silent for a moment. Then she left without a word.
Only Ryunosuke was left alone in the night wind.
Suddenly, he remembered the girl he interviewed in the mine, the magazine clipping she carried with her everywhere.
(Back then, I naively thought, "They're both girls, but their situations are like light and shadow..." Although their environments were different, their commonality was that they tried to look forward. Compared to them, what was he like...?)
The cold night wind! 　　The wind 　　made 　　Ryunosuke 　　shiver 　　.
********** 　　...　　　　　　　　　　　　"Don't pay attention to what Zhuang said. Fight her fair and square with your strength!" 　　Ryunosuke 　　wanted to talk to Kaze Mika a little longer, but he had other business to attend to, so he hurriedly left. 　　His 　　destination was the room of the guild leader 　　, 　　Uchihachi . 　　The reason was his intrusion into the archives 　　earlier 　　that morning… **************** ... 　　Just as he was about to take a break, he discovered a 　　register of financial donors to the "Kacho Fugetsu Dance Troupe. " 　　Ryunosuke glanced at the cover, and the words he saw shocked him greatly: the name "Kujou Kaoru" was on the list of donors. 　　("Kujou Kaoru"...that's indeed the name of my teacher's father...and the previous head of the Kujou family. 　　Why has my teacher never mentioned the Kujou family's support for Kacho Fugetsu...?) 　　A closer look at the information revealed that the Kujou family had stopped supporting Kacho Fugetsu eight years ago. In Ryunosuke's memory, this was around the same time the previous head of the family passed away. 　　(The question is, why doesn't my teacher allow me to mention the Kujou family's name at Kacho Fugetsu? Since they're donors, it's only natural to interview them here...) 　　As dawn broke outside, sunlight began to illuminate the archives. At this moment, Ryunosuke realized that this interview actually had a hidden agenda.

(Besides testing me, what other reason did the teacher send me to Flower, Bird 　　, 　　Wind 　　and 　　Moon 　　? 　　)
********** 　　... 　　"What! Who told you this...!" 　　"Ugh... that's just a rumor I heard..." 　　"No such thing. What's your purpose in asking this?" 　　"I just wanted to see that a writer could understand art and invest in it... I just wanted to share this information so that people who embrace dreams can have hope..." 　　"Hope? Don't be ridiculous! Describing a dream and realizing a dream are completely different things!" The 　　captain realized he had overreacted and let go. " 　　I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked so many questions." 　　"...No, I was too rude. I'm sorry. But from now on, I hope you won't interfere in any internal management matters." 　　"I understand. I'll go now." 　　Ryunosuke left the captain's office. 　　The captain didn't acknowledge the Kujo family's involvement. But judging from his overreaction, there must be more to this. 　　Ryunosuke felt things were becoming increasingly suspicious. 　　(Should I ask the young lady next? No, if she knew, she would probably tell me 　　… Maybe I should ask that person instead…) 　　********************************************************************************** 　　Ryunosuke arrived at Nami's room. 　　“Nami-sensei, excuse me, do you have some time now?” 　　“Are you here for an interview, or to ask me about Kaho?” 　　“Don’t joke with me, I’m not here to ask about Kaho.” 　　Having been humiliated by the captain earlier, Ryunosuke knew he should talk about other things first to avoid upsetting her. 　　This plan worked. 　　“…Nami-sensei, how do you maintain your youthful appearance? Why do 　　you look so young?” “Don’t joke with older women.” 　　“I’m serious. This feeling… since I started working, besides the writer Sakiko Kujo, it’s been you. Are all women who work in the arts so…” 　　Nami said, “Oh. ” 　　"Ryunosuke, you know Sakiko too?" 　　"Yes, all of Kujo-sensei's works are published by Kosei Publishing... Could it be that you, Nami-sensei, know her too?" 　　"Yes, saying we know each other... is more like saying we're friends... Ah, no..." 　　Ryunosuke smoothly steered the conversation back to the main topic. 　　"Is it because Kujo-sensei's family provided financial assistance to 'Kacho Fugetsu' that you two met? The friendship between a popular author and a currently popular theater troupe, that's something that really interests us reporters." 　　Nami asked Ryunosuke to keep it a secret and not report it before telling him the details. 　　"The person who originally planned 'Kacho Fugetsu' wasn't me, nor was it Naoya. That person was called Azuma Tetsukan... a musician who came up with the idea of a theater troupe to promote good music to the general public..." 　　Those who came together with Tetsukan's idea were the current troupe leader Naoya, Nami, and Sakiko. They were responsible for music, costumes, dance, and script respectively. 　　"...But things in this world aren't that simple... To establish 'Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon,' we needed funds, but we couldn't think of any way to raise them..." 　　"So, at that time, the Kujo family started funding Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon, right?" 　　"That's right... But we never expected it to turn out like this." 　　"What do you mean?" 　　Nami once again instructed Ryunosuke to keep the secret. Judging from her expression, it seemed like this was the beginning of another story, and she recounted it word by word. 　　"...The Kujo family provided funding on conditions...that condition was that Azuma Tetsukan had to change her name to Kujo Tetsukan." 　　"The condition was that Azuma Tetsukan had to marry into the Kujo family? Isn't that a disguised form of marriage?" 　　"The problem was solved, and then, just as Kacho Fugetsu was about to begin construction...!" 　　"So, Kujo-sensei's husband passed away not long after..." 　　"From then on, Sakiko left Kacho Fugetsu...leaving only Naoya and me, together for that deceased person...no, for Tetsukan and Sakiko, we founded 'Kacho Fugetsu.'" 　　The secret behind the birth of "Kacho Fugetsu" was a tragic story that Ryunosuke could never have imagined. 　　"...Nami-sensei, why are you willing to tell me all this?" 　　Nami didn't answer, but instead asked Ryunosuke again. 　　"Kaho... are her parents still alive? Is she someone's adopted daughter...?" 　　"Huh? I don't know, but she probably isn't someone's adopted daughter. Why do you ask that?" 　　"It's related to the question you asked me. Lately, I don't know why, but I keep thinking about the past. 　　That's why I talked to you so much." 　　Nami's gaze drifted into the distance. 　　"I really don't know why, but every time I see Kaho, I have a familiar feeling... It always reminds me of Tetsukan..." 　　"It's because you miss the past so much that you have that feeling." Ryunosuke answered her vaguely, and then quickly left Nami's room. 　　(It's only natural that Nami would think of Tetsukan when she sees the young lady! After all, the young lady is Mr. Tetsukan's biological daughter... What Ryunosuke is concerned about is that Nami only called Tetsukan "that person" once, and at that time, 　　Nami's expression seemed...) 　　Ryunosuke made wild guesses in his mind, pondering what the true relationship between the Kujo family and Hanajima Fugetsu was.

(He roughly knew the details of the financial aid. However, he didn't understand why the leader wouldn't admit it. And why was Teacher Kujo hiding it? Was it because she didn't want to remember her deceased husband, Tetsukan? What was the connection between this and the cessation of funding for Hanabusa Fugetsu eight years ago?)
The more information he gathered, the more complicated things became. Ryunosuke instinctively felt he needed to investigate further, so he took action that very night.
******************************************************************************************
Ryunosuke hid in a corner of the practice area, waiting. Because he had been there since evening, his body ached.
(If Kikyo was right, the practice ended early today, so there should be guests arriving
later...)
The
door to the practice area opened, and he heard the leader say, "Please enjoy yourself."
Two young girls and a middle-aged man walked in.
One of the girls, judging from her voluptuous figure, was clearly Zhuang. The other girl was Xiaoyao, with whom Zhuang had an inappropriate and lewd relationship in the woods. The middle-aged man was someone Ryunosuke had never seen before; judging from his attire, he was probably a guest.
Zhuang and Xiaoyao each took the middle-aged man's arm, leading him forward. The three figures finally disappeared into the dressing room next to the stage.
Ryunosuke carefully and silently stepped out of his numb legs. As he approached the area where the three had disappeared, he saw the door leading to the basement swaying.
Ryunosuke became even more cautious here, carefully making his way to the basement to avoid attracting attention.
(The girls practiced and worked tirelessly for their dream of performing on stage, while at their feet, the rumored reception was taking place—how ironic…)
From a room in the basement came the soft breathing of a girl.
Ryunosuke felt it necessary to find out what was happening inside, although he already had a rough idea. He peeked through the crack in the open door.
"Ah! So amazing! So thick, so big... Ahh, old man..."
"Haruka! I'm not an old man. Call me father, I'm your father!"
"Yes, father, Haruka's... there's something hard inside..."
"That's it, we're father and daughter! Haruka, take your father's thing in your mouth!"
"Ah, father's is so big! Father is the best!"
In that room, there was a middle-aged man with flabby flesh, pressing his ugly body against Haruka. They had only been in the room for a short time! The man's thing penetrated Haruka's body, and her vagina responded with lubrication.
"Just thinking about how we're father and daughter... Look, your thing is getting tighter and tighter, you're such a slutty girl!"
"So good! Ah, there, Father's belly is rubbing against my butt..."
"Oh, so my daughter's butt feels good too!"
"Because... ah, Father's thing is getting bigger and bigger inside..."
"Okay, I'll ejaculate white semen for you right away... Haruka, wait a little longer!"
"Th-how can I? Ah, no, it's not time to ejaculate yet!"
A normal hug wasn't enough for him; only this incestuous father-daughter relationship could satisfy him.
Ryunosuke was seeing this for the first time—a woman's orgasm, and a man thrusting into her with satisfaction.
As the lewd banquet reached its climax, the stake finally appeared.
"Oh ho ho, Mr. Tobita, you're very happy, are
n't you!" "Is it Zhuang? You can see for yourself, I'm still as spirited as ever!"
"I arranged this especially for you, Mr. Tobita, according to your preferences! If you have any other interests, I'll arrange them for you too. You should know that all of this is specially made for you, not for Captain Hachi! So..."
"I know, you said you wanted to have real power over the arts in the future, so come on, let me pamper both of you daughters at once!"
"Just as you expected, actually I couldn't hold back from just now..."
Zhuang stepped over Haruka's face, face to face with the man, and began to kiss, as if to guarantee what the man had promised earlier. Haruka, her face contorted in pain from being ravaged by the man's thing, licked Zhuang's private parts with her tongue.
“Yes, ah... Haruka... stick your tongue in further…”
“Mmm, haaha… Sister Zhuang’s honey, so much, so much, mmm…”
“Zhuang’s breasts are still so soft, look, they’re pressing against me!”
“…Yes, tonight Father, you’re going to pamper me properly, my big breasts and my private parts too!”
“I’ll send you flying to the heavens… Hmm? Haruka, isn’t it about time, right?”
“Yes, yes… Father’s private parts are so good, I’m already…”
“Haruka, if you orgasm like usual, you’ll have to swallow all of Father’s semen later, understand?”
“Yes! No, if you stir like that, I, ah, ah, ah ah ah…”
The rumors were indeed true, and here Ryunosuke saw Zhuang’s ambition again. Ryunosuke left and came to the courtyard. He could still hear Zhuang and Haruka’s cries behind him.
(The leader of the group made the members do that kind of thing for money. Nami was probably kept in the dark about this arrangement... If the young lady knew, she would be even angrier.)
But Ryunosuke wasn't surprised at all. Kojima and Haruka weren't forced to do that; it was a willing exchange, a mutual benefit, so Ryunosuke wasn't particularly angry.
(I guess I'm the same kind of person as them... I wonder what Kujo-sensei thinks?) 　　Ryunosuke
completely erased these thoughts from his mind; he wanted to crush them all.
How should he interpret this theme, "Empty Cicada"?
**********
... 　　"...Damn it, it's already evening, and I've searched every building here... If I can't find it here either, could it have been taken by someone?" 　　Ryunosuke was desperately searching for his notebook, containing all the records he'd made while working at Hanacho Fugetsu. 　　He'd wanted to quickly organize the information, as he had many questions to ask Okazaki when he came to hear the report tonight, but when he needed the notebook this morning, he couldn't find it. 　　And this wasn't the only misfortune Ryunosuke was facing.

A person barged into Ryunosuke's room without knocking.
"Miss Kaze Mika? I'm sorry, I have some things to attend to..."
Kaze Mika ignored Ryunosuke's words and angrily threw something at him.
"Th-this is..."
What Kaze Mika threw was the notebook Ryunosuke had been searching for. From her words, it was clear she hadn't read it.
"...You said you weren't interested in my past, but what happened? You still went and investigated things about my mother!"
Ryunosuke couldn't defend himself, but he couldn't remain silent forever.
"...I'm sorry. I lied when I said I wasn't interested..."
"You also think I'm a prostitute's daughter, that's what you think, right? As a reporter, you only need to dig up scandals about the members of the brothel to achieve your goal..."
"It's not like that! For me, the past is the past. Kaze Mika, you're still you, it has nothing to do with the past..."
"Enough... I was so stupid. So you were so nice to me... for ulterior motives. I'll never trust someone like you again..."
Kaze Mika finished speaking and left Ryunosuke's room. Ryunosuke watched her leave, tears streaming down her face, but he couldn't bring himself to chase after her.
**************************************************************************************
Ryunosuke jumped into the bathtub, letting his thoughts race.
He washed his face with hot water, the image of Kaze Mika's tearful face flashing in his mind.
(I can't help being disliked by Kaze Mika. But I've never looked down on her because of her mother. I really hope she'll understand one day that I'm not the kind of person she thinks I am...)
Just as Ryunosuke was about to get up, a "crackle" sound came from behind.
Ryunosuke looked up and saw Kaho standing naked in front of him.
"Huh?"
"Ah?... M-Miss, what are you doing here..."
The two stared at each other naked for a moment, which was quite comical.
The silence between them was broken by Kaho's scream.
"Aaaaaah!"
Kaho slammed the sliding door shut and rushed out without looking back.
"I'm sorry, Miss... But this is a men's bathhouse, isn't it..."
After a while, Ryunosuke looked like he wanted to explain to Kaho, which also looked ridiculous.
**********
...

"Um, old man... let me keep you company tonight!"
"Ah, no, well, how should I put it..."
"My breasts are pretty, aren't they? Old man, you can do whatever you want with my breasts!"
The man being seduced by Kaze Mika was none other than Okazaki.
"Please, let me keep you company... I'm even better than a stuntman, you have to let me play an even better role..."
Hearing this, Ryunosuke understood what was happening in this unexpected scene. Kaze Mika mistook Okazaki for a guest who had come to provide financial assistance, and wanted to use her body to exchange for a better role.
Ryunosuke knew perfectly well that this was what Kaze Mika hated most; clearly, she was giving up on herself. Seeing Kaze Mika like this, Ryunosuke felt extremely sad.
He rushed forward and reflexively slapped Kaze Mika across the cheek.
"Ouch! What are you doing?!"
"...That's what I should be asking you!"
"Mind your own business... Anyway, I'm a prostitute's daughter, what's the big deal about doing this kind of thing..."
"You're not that kind of girl at all... Fine, come with me!"
Okazaki, still confused about what was going on, was asked to wait a moment by Ryunosuke, who then pulled Kaze Mika back to his room.
"Ouch, let go!"
"Ah, I'm sorry..."
Kaze Mika's angry expression remained unchanged even after Ryunosuke released her.
Ryunosuke, facing her, was also quite conflicted, and a heavy atmosphere filled the room.
"I'm sorry, I hit you earlier, but why did you do that kind of thing?"
"That kind of thing? Don't joke around. Anyway, you think I'm a prostitute's daughter, you look down on me, and you're still saying such high-sounding things here, you hypocrite!"
Kaze Mika seemed to have seen an enemy, throwing all her anger at Ryunosuke.
Young Kaze Mika saw her mother being led away by the police with her hands tied behind her back…
Young Kaze Mika was bullied and pelted with stones by the neighborhood children because of her mother…
Young Kaze Mika waited for her mother's return in the sunset…
These were all just Ryunosuke's imaginations. Perhaps Kaze Mika's past wasn't like this. But he just couldn't leave her alone.
"…Kaze Mika, what do you think of your mother?"
"Huh…?"
"You're bound by the past, and you've lost yourself because of it… You're just like those ignorant people, you're insulting your mother too."
Kaze Mika looked quite confused.
"I know… but what do other people say about my mother? Do you understand how I feel?"
"I know, but seeing you like that just now really hurt me, that's the truth."
"…You don't have to overestimate me, I also want to be held by a man!"
"Huh? But that's different from what you just did…"
Suddenly, Kaze Mika began unbuttoning her clothes.
Ryunosuke turned his face away, but out of the corner of his eye, he could see that she had already taken off all her clothes.
"Kaze Mika?"
"You always say such high-sounding things. If you don't hate me because I'm a prostitute's daughter, then hug me!"
Ryunosuke looked into Kaze Mika's eyes. She seemed to be pleading, her eyes filled with a mixture of determination and unease.
As if under a spell, Ryunosuke naturally hugged Kaze Mika tightly.
"You knew I would hug you... You're so cunning! Kaze Mika."
"Yes, I am cunning... but this is the only way I can do it." "
It's not very clever... but it's cute."
Kaze Mika blushed when Ryunosuke said she was cute. Ryunosuke carried her to the bed...
After carefully undressing Ryunosuke, Kaze Mika boldly began to caress Ryunosuke's manhood with her lovely lips.
Ryunosuke was surprised, but he let Kaze Mika do as she pleased. Tonight, as she wished, let him be a passionate lover and heal her inner wounds.
Ryunosuke's penis grew larger again, and Kazemika's warm tongue entwined and caressed it.
Because it felt so good, Ryunosuke's penis pulsated incessantly in her mouth.
"Mmm...oh, I can feel it moving!"
Ryunosuke gently stroked Kazemika's head, untying the ribbon from her hair, letting her hair fall down to cover her neck and back.
She seemed to like this action from Ryunosuke, taking his penis even deeper into her mouth, giving him even more sweet pleasure. Her tongue didn't stop either, licking Ryunosuke's penis, and she looked at him with a lustful smile.
"Mmm, ah...hahaha, so amazing...so majestic."
Looking at Ryunosuke's energetic penis, Kazemika looked at him with amazement and joy. A faint honey fragrance emanated from between her legs. Ryunosuke reached out, and as soon as he entered, he heard a splash; it was already soaking wet.
"Ahhh, I want you so much! It's so wet down there..."
Matching Ryunosuke's finger movements, Kaze Mika swayed her hips naturally. Her hands gripped Ryunosuke's penis, her appearance both wanton and beautiful.
"Kaze Mika, if this continues, I'll..."
"Ahhh... I want to become one with Ryunosuke too! I can't take it anymore!"
Sweat dripped from her hair as Kaze Mika straddled Ryunosuke.
"Ahhhh... Hah... Ahh, so deep, all the way in!"
Kaze Mika stopped moving when Ryunosuke's penis was fully inside her, then she began to dance wildly again.
"No, I can't stop, your thing is so full inside me... Ah!"
Ryunosuke grabbed Kaze Mika's swaying breasts, rubbing her nipples.
Stimulated by this, Kaze Mika's vagina uncontrollably gripped Ryunosuke's penis tightly, making Ryunosuke's brain almost melt.
"Ah, Ryunosuke... I'm almost... Haaah, um!"
As if approaching orgasm, Kaze Mika herself inserted her fingers to their joined parts, pinching the wet area. This stimulated her swollen clitoris.
With this help, Ryunosuke also thrust his hips upwards towards her uterus.
Due to the orgasm, Kaze Mika frowned and bit her lips tightly.
"...I can't take it anymore, I'm going to cum, Kaze Mika!"
"No! Call me Shizu, call me Shizu!"
Kaze Mika wanted Ryunosuke to call her by her real name.
As her heat surged from her body, her waist trembled with pleasure. This vibration gripped Ryunosuke's penis even more tightly.
As he approached ejaculation, Ryunosuke's consciousness was completely focused on Kaze Mika.
"Gurgle... Shizu, I'm going to cum inside you, Shizu!"
"I'm so happy... Ryunosuke, Ryunosuke! Ahhhhh..."
Just as Kaze Mika's waist twisted, Ryunosuke passionately released himself inside her. Feeling the man's semen inside her, Kaze Mika weakly lay on top of Ryunosuke. Kaze Mika, lying on Ryunosuke's chest, looked quite satisfied. Ryunosuke could feel that she had broken through her previous constraints.
"Ryunosuke... thank you!"
After getting out of bed, Kaze Mika began to put on her clothes.
"What are you thanking me for! Are you kidding me? When a man sleeps with a woman, it must be because he likes her, right?"
"Hearing you say that, even if it's not true, I'm still happy... By the way, I have something to tell you."
Kaze Mika was talking about the special reception from the financial aid provider, which had started eight years ago.
Ryunosuke thought of eight years ago.
(…Isn't that the same time as the Kujo family stopping their funding?)
“Also, I think it might be related to what I told Nami-sensei—that she doesn't want to have children.”
“You asked Nami-sensei this?”
“Yes, but when she said she didn't want children, there seemed to be some sadness in her eyes…”
“So, Nami-sensei has some unavoidable difficulties… But, Kaze Mika, why are you telling me so much?”
“I think you might be able to change the corrupt aspects 　　of 'flowers, birds, wind, and moon'… I instinctively believe in you…” With that, 　　 Kaze Mika
kissed Ryunosuke; it was their first kiss.
********** ... 　　"...A story about an independent woman, how about that?" 　　"Huh? Is that all? Are you trying to express something like a Henridibsen novel...?" 　　Facing the erudite Okazaki, Ryunosuke countered with this question. 　　"By the way, Steward Okazaki... what exactly is the relationship between the Kujo family and Hanabusa Fugetsu? You've been with the Kujo family since the previous master's time, you should know about this, right? The financial aid?" 　　"Ah, this is the first time I've heard of it. You mean, the Kujo family aided Hanabusa Fugetsu?" 　　Ryunosuke knew Okazaki was feigning ignorance, so he devised a plan to trick him into revealing more. 　　"How did the young lady get the scar on her stomach... what happened?" 　　"Wh-what, how do you know... Ryunosuke, could it be that you and the young lady..."

“Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything to Kaho, but there must be some secret between the Kujo family and Hanabusa Fugetsu 　　 . 　　If 　　this puts the young lady in danger , then I…”
Okazaki remained silent. 　　“ …Anyway, I will 　　report everything to Sakiko. 　　I’ll
be going now…” 　　He
said this to Ryunosuke before 　　leaving .
********** ... 　　“By the way, you said Ryunosuke is also worried about Kaho, Okazaki, he’s just like you.” 　　“I think… he’s probably worried that person might do something bad to Miss Kaho.” 　　“If that really happens, I think Ryunosuke will bring Kaho back immediately. That’s the kind of man Ryunosuke is. Unlike… Tetsukan.” 　　Sakiko hadn’t mentioned her deceased husband’s name in a long time. Thinking of this, Okazaki didn’t say anything more. 　　The moonlight illuminated the completed manuscript on the table… 　　Act IV: The Entanglement 　　 . Day 10 of the interview. 　　“Ah…!” 　　Ryunosuke suddenly encountered Kaho in the corridor. 　　This was the first time they had been alone together in three days. Apart from the accidental incident in the bathroom yesterday. 　　Perhaps because of what happened in the bathroom yesterday, Kaho was about to run away, but Ryunosuke stopped her. 　　“Wait a minute, Miss, I have something to say…” 　　“You saw it yesterday, didn’t you… mine, that… Ryunosuke, tell me the truth.” 　　Ryunosuke’s mind flashed back to Kaho’s naked body last night. 　　"If I said I didn't see it, I was lying..." 　　"You still saw it...the one on your stomach..." 　　"But, I was suddenly startled by you, so I couldn't really see it clearly..." 　　"Really? Really?" 　　The quick-witted Ryunosuke had actually noticed the mark on Kaho's stomach immediately, but he still decided to lie. 　　"It's true. I should have looked more closely, what a pity..." 　　"Idiot! Why did you have to be so explicit? I can't stand you." 　　"I'm sorry...but, that's definitely a men's bathroom." 　　"Ugh...Even so, you saw it, so you're still guilty." 　　The two, who had been somewhat unpleasant, seemed to have repaired their relationship because of the bathroom incident, and Ryunosuke finally felt a little relieved. Watching Kaho walk towards the practice area, he heard Kaze Mika's voice behind her. It seemed she had heard their conversation. 　　"Are you two showing off your relationship?" 　　"Huh? Why are you suddenly saying this?" 　　"Kaho...she loves you." 　　"Fumika, you've misunderstood, how could that be?" 　　"The question is, what do you think, Ryunosuke?" 　　"Don't joke around..." 　　"Hehe, Ryunosuke, don't make a girl cry!" 　　Fumika turned and left after saying that. Looking at her spirited appearance, it seemed that she had already moved on from the shadow of her mother's incident, and the events of last night had also eliminated the barrier between them. 　　However, Ryunosuke was troubled by what she had just said. 　　("Kaho loves me"...? And what do I think? I like the young lady, but 　　it's not love yet...) 　　When Ryunosuke hugged Suzaku, he realized for the first time that he was thinking about someone, and the image of that person appeared in his mind. 　　(“Gratitude”...I think that's all I did for her. No, that's really why; I was just repaying Sakiko-sensei.) 　　Lost in thought, Ryunosuke found himself in the courtyard without even realizing it. Perhaps because of this, the two people having their private conversation inside didn't notice him either. 　　“…Can I tell you what happened?” 　　“Zhuang…you can't…” 　　(…That voice…isn't that Captain Hachi?) 　　Ryunosuke reflexively hid behind the dense grove. 　　“If Nami-sensei finds out about the financial aid, I wonder what she'll think?” 　　“That's why I begged you not to tell anyone, isn't it? I did it out of necessity for the development of Hanabusa Fugetsu…” 　　“Don't make it sound so nice. When you were holding us, were you thinking about Hanabusa Fugetsu's future? Besides, I absolutely cannot forgive what you did!” 　　When Zhuang mentioned “that thing,” his face was filled with anger. Conversely, Captain Hachi looked terrified. Ryunosuke sensed that their relationship had completely reversed since he first witnessed it. 　　"...Zhuang, what exactly do you want?" 　　"Yeah, what do I want? Of course, it's not just about continuing to be the lead actress." 　　"What do you mean?" 　　"Nothing much. Anyway, I have my own methods, and I won't let go of anything I can use... That's right, Kaho... no, I'll make good use of the Kujo family's power." 　　Ryunosuke had now reached the final conclusion of Zhuang's words. 　　(Zhuang already knows that the young lady is Kujo Kaho? And the captain knows too? Their discussion about "investigating that girl" refers to the young lady?) 　　"...I really can't do anything with you. But you absolutely can't tell anyone, especially not Ryunosuke..." 　　"That depends on my mood... Hmm, whatever, I understand." 　　Hearing Zhuang's words, the captain left dejectedly. 　　"Fate is truly unpredictable. It's incredibly cruel, yet also incredibly sweet," 　　Zhuang muttered to herself. 　　"What do you think, Ryunosuke?" 　　It turned out that the stake had already discovered Ryunosuke hiding behind the trees. 　　Ryunosuke was wondering whether he should pretend he didn't know anything or get to the bottom of it. He slowly stood up.

"...Fate, I won't believe it unless I see it with my own eyes."
"That's the difference between men and women, isn't it? But I'm constantly being manipulated by fate, so from now on, I'll create my own destiny with my own hands."
"Truly worthy of the leading lady's words. Judging from the way you were talking to Captain Hachi earlier, I knew the situation was already under your control... Is it because of 'that matter'?"
Kō calmly answered Ryūnosuke's question.
"Ryūnosuke, don't meddle, Kaho will be sad." "
Kaho?! You mentioned her name earlier too, I won't allow anyone to do anything detrimental to her."
"Oh dear, I didn't intend to hurt her. But..."
Ryūnosuke remained wary, and Kō continued,
"I am the leading lady of 'Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon.' Therefore, my mood is fickle, changing with the seasons and the weather."
After saying this, Kō turned and left, as if exiting a stage. Leaving behind a bewildered Ryūnosuke.
**********
...

"
...I also have...burn marks on my body."
"Burns?" "
Those are scars from when I lost my daughter."
"Your daughter? Wait a minute, Nami-sensei, you mean, your child?"
Ryunosuke listened intently to everything that followed.
"Ryunosuke, do you remember when we talked about Suzaku by the lake?"
"I remember...could it be that what Nami-sensei meant by 'former lover' back then was..." "
Yes, we broke up because we wanted to achieve our dreams, but at that time I was already pregnant with that person's child..."
Nami began to tell Ryunosuke her story.
Nami planned to give birth to the child alone and raise it.
But the fire eighteen years ago not only left the group with nothing, but also Nami lost her child. After that, heartbroken, Nami married Naoya, who had always been by her side, but she also decided never to have any more children.
Ryunosuke then remembered the story Nami had told him about the founding of Kacho Fugetsu.
(Could it be that the person Nami-sensei loved... was the man who gave up love for his dream, the deceased husband of Kujo-sensei, Mr. Tetsukan!)
Considering Nami's feelings, Ryunosuke couldn't bring himself to ask the leader about this.
Next, Nami's words touched on the core issue.
"...When I saw the burn scars, it was like seeing my deceased daughter..."
"But, didn't your daughter die in that fire...?" “
But we didn’t find a body, and Kaho is about the same age as my daughter. Most importantly, that scar…”
“But we can’t be sure just from that… Besides, Kaho’s scar could have appeared when she grew up…”
“I… I just asked Kaho directly, and she said she’s had that scar since she was old enough to understand…”
“What… Could it be that you already told Kaho what you just told me, Nami-sensei…”
Nami looked very apologetic.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it, so…”
Ryunosuke told Nami not to mention it to Kaho again before rushing out of the room.
(The young lady also has half-sisters. Kujo-sensei, Nami-sensei, and Tetsukan-sensei… No, is this deduction correct? If that scar wasn't accidental…)
However, Ryunosuke doesn't have time to investigate further. His biggest worry right now is that Kaho must be deeply shocked to hear Nami-sensei, whom she admires, say that she might be her daughter.
Ryunosuke searches tirelessly for Kaho amidst the flowers, birds, wind, and moon.
******************************************************************************************
By evening, he still can't find Kaho.
He encounters Kikyo and Suzaku along the way; they haven't seen Kaho since this afternoon either. At this moment, Ryunosuke's unease shifts to another possibility.
(…Although I don't want to think about this, but…)
Ryunosuke enters the practice area, suppressing his anxiety, and slowly makes his way to the basement.
(...It's possible that the leader is still using sweet words to lure the young lady into entertaining guests. What if that's the case...? What should I do?)
As Ryunosuke went down deeper, he gradually heard the sound of a girl's panting.
Ryunosuke prayed and peeked through the crack in the door.
"...That's right, a little deeper...Good! Kaze Aya is quite skilled."
"Ah, ah, I, I want...faster, faster, go in!"
"Leader, look, she's twisting her waist herself!"
A girl named Kaze Aya was doing *that* with a guest, while the leader stood by watching them.
"Tonight, you can do whatever you want, whatever makes you happy, Kaze Aya, did you hear that? You have to serve our guest well!"
"Yes...ah, ah, old man, you're so good...mmm, mmm..."
"Hey! You're sucking my thing, so you have to call me brother!" “
Yes, brother… Ugh, there’s something of yours inside…”
(Seriously, first it was Dad, now it’s brother, who knows what will happen next…)
After confirming that Kaho wasn’t there, Ryunosuke finally felt temporarily relieved.
“Ah, brother, rub it harder there… go in further, ah, deeper!”
"You slut, your wet, white fluid is all over me."
"You like it, don't you? Feng Caihui is very profuse!"
"Is this the one I specially selected...hehe, you've had special training, haven't you!"
"I want it! Hurry up and put it in...please, don't keep me in suspense."
"You slut, you dare ask me...Commander, quickly gag her!"
The commander pulled out his shiny black thing and held it up to Feng Caihui. Consumed by desire, she ecstatically stuck out her tongue.
“Very good, Kaze, lick it well, I’ll let you drink your favorite semen.”
“Ah… um… um… um… it’s so delicious, Captain…”
“Captain, look, just giving her your mouth is too lonely, her ass hole is also anxious!”
“That hasn’t been developed yet, if you like, you can try it with your fingers first.”
“No… ugh… no, it hurts, don’t move!”
“Hey, how can your mouth stop? I’m going to punish you, you have to swallow my stuff down your throat.”
The captain, intoxicated by this lewd feast, was not looked down upon by Ryunosuke.
(…Me and Kikyo, Suzaku, Kaze Mika… although there were reasons for being with them… but, what right do I have to blame the captain… Izumo Ryunosuke, you…)
As Ryunosuke was thinking about this, he suddenly felt someone approaching from behind.
He turned around and saw Kaho on the stairs.
“Ryunosuke… um…”
Ryunosuke grabbed Kaho’s mouth and then ran outside with her in his arms.
**********
...

Ryunosuke knew why, but he still deliberately asked her.
"...What happened?"
"Nami-sensei said...I might be her daughter..."
Ryunosuke didn't press for details, because that might reopen a wound that Kaho cared about.
"It's strange, when I see Nami-sensei, I feel a sense of nostalgia...so, I can't immediately tell her I'm not her daughter."
"What are you talking about? Isn't Miss's mother Kujo-sensei?"
"Hmm...but why did Mom object to me coming here? And why did she agree in the end?
This isn't like my usual Mom." “
Ryunosuke was confused. Should he tell Kaho everything he already knew?
“I feel uneasy…Ryunosuke, do you know something? If you do, tell me. If I don’t know anything like this…”
Kaho’s eyes welled up with tears.
Therefore, Ryunosuke decided to tell Kaho everything he knew: the relationship between the Kujo family and Hanabusa Fugetsu, and the events surrounding Hanabusa Fugetsu’s founding.
He omitted the details of receiving foreign guests, except for the love triangle between Mr. Tetsukan, Mr. Kujo, and Ms. Nami.
“…So, the financial support stopped after Grandpa’s death? Or is there something else you don’t know, Ryunosuke?”
“This…that’s right. It’s my own wish that you leave.”
“…Do I really not want to stay here anymore…? But even so, I still want to stay at Hanabusa Fugetsu…with Ryunosuke…”
Hearing Kaho’s confession, Ryunosuke couldn’t help but hug her.
“Huh…? Ryunosuke?” "
I understand... Don't worry, I'll stay by your side."
"...Will you protect me?"
"I promise."
"...Even if it means going against Mother's wishes, you will...?"
"Huh...?"
Ryunosuke's hand loosened, and Kaho slipped out of Ryunosuke's arms.
"Young lady..."
Looking at the dazed Ryunosuke, Kaho sighed, then smiled slightly.
"That's enough. You just said you'd stay by my side, that's enough."
At this moment, Ryunosuke still didn't understand the true meaning behind Kaho's words...
Day eleven of the interview.
Something happened that evening, as if mocking Ryunosuke's determination to protect Kaho.
"Ryunosuke, has Kaho been here?"
Kikyo asked about Kaho as soon as she entered Ryunosuke's room. When Ryunosuke told her that Kaho wasn't here, Kikyo started sobbing.
"Kikyo, what happened to Kaho?" "
...When practice ended, Kyo and Kaho said something...When I found out, they were both gone..."
Before Kikyo could finish speaking, Ryunosuke rushed out.
(...What exactly does Kyo want to do to the young lady? Kazemika warned me before...Damn it, I forgot to warn the young lady to stay away from Kyo yesterday!)
In the corridor, Ryunosuke met Captain Uchihachi. After he told him about Kaho's disappearance, the captain also began to feel uneasy.
"Kyo, could she be...Ryunosuke, we should go find them first!"
While searching for Kaho in the Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon Garden, Ryunosuke and the captain encountered Suzaku.
"What's wrong, Ryunosuke and Captain? Why do you look so pale?"
"Suzaku, have you seen Kaho and Kyo?"
"Oh, they just went towards the observation deck..."
Before Suzaku could finish speaking, Ryunosuke and the captain had already rushed out.
"Zhuang...that stupid girl..."
"Captain, do you know what Zhuang intends to do to Kaho...?"
As they ran up the mountain, Ryunosuke asked the captain, who remained silent.
"Captain, let me make this clear: if anything happens to Kaho, I won't let Hanacho Fugetsu off the hook easily."
"Hmph! You've finally revealed your true colors beyond a reporter, Ryunosuke. What's your purpose here...?"
The captain's words trailed off as both men were startled when they saw the observation deck.
"...Stop, Zhuang, please, let me go!"
"No, Kaho, I won't let you go back until you agree."
Zhuang stood before the broken railing where Ryunosuke had found Suzaku, grabbing Kaho and facing them.
"Kaho!"
"Zhuang, what do you want?"
Ryunosuke and the captain asked almost simultaneously.
"Ryunosuke!"
"Kaho, your most loyal knight has appeared. It's a pity that Nami-sensei isn't here, but the guild leader who wrote the tragic script has arrived, so everyone's here."
"Ryunosuke!"
"What do you mean by that, Ken!"
Ken stopped Ryunosuke as he tried to approach.
"Don't come any closer! Don't rush, the real show is just beginning!"
"Ken, doing this won't do you any good!"
"What right do you have to accuse me?"
Hearing the guild leader's words, Ken's expression turned angry.
"Do you know how hard I've worked to get here... You're the one who harmed me! But from now on, Kacho, Fugetsu, and the Kujo family will all be affected because of me..."
Ken said excitedly, while Kaho, whom she was holding, showed a pained expression.
Ryunosuke bit his lower lip, and the guild leader whispered something to him.
“If this continues, we don’t know what Zhuang will do. You try to provoke her and distract her, then I’ll take advantage of this opening…”
“But, wouldn’t that be too dangerous?”
“It’s better than sitting here and waiting to die!”
Ryunosuke couldn’t think of any other good methods. He nodded to the leader and then faced Zhuang again.
“At this critical juncture, what are you two still discussing?”
“Zhuang… do you know there’s still one culprit who hasn’t arrived?”
“Is that so? Then please tell me, but before that, you also need to tell me about the matter I wanted to ask you yesterday.”
“That matter?”
“Ryunosuke, I’ve known for a long time that you’re not a reporter from Kousei Publishing. What exactly are you trying to investigate here?” Ryunosuke
kept an eye on the leader’s movements while trying to prolong the conversation with Zhuang.
"I understand, I'll tell you, but could you please let Kaho go first? This whole thing has nothing to do with her."
"Nothing to do with her? Hmph, you really don't know? Fine, let me tell you, Kaho belongs to Nami-sensei..."
In that instant, the leader rushed towards Zhuang, and at the last second, Ryunosuke also ran towards Kaho. Suddenly, Zhuang lost his balance and fell towards the broken railing behind him.
"Ahhhhh..."
"Ah... Oh no, Zhuang!"
"Kaho!"
Ryunosuke reached out and grabbed Kaho, who had fallen with the bridge.
Unfortunately, Zhuang fell into the tide along with the broken railing. Ryunosuke held Kaho's hand tightly. Zhuang's screams grew fainter and fainter until finally, the sound of something falling into the lake was heard.
**********************************************************************************
Ryunosuke took the terrified Kaho back to his room.
“Ryunosuke, I…I…”
“I know, you don’t need to say anything, just leave it like this for now.”
The captain was in charge of finding the stake. Although Ryunosuke was also worried about the stake, he could only wait for news from the captain. Ryunosuke placed his hand on Kaho’s trembling shoulder, and Kaho leaned on Ryunosuke’s hand, the two of them snuggling together… And so, an unknown amount of time passed.
Ryunosuke listened to the regular ticking of the clock.
If Ryunosuke didn’t try to distract himself like this, he would be pulled away by Kaho’s breathing, heartbeat, and the sound of clothes rubbing together beside him.
“Young lady, after what’s happened, let’s go back to the Kujou family…”
“…No, I don’t want to go back like this!”
Ryunosuke saw Kaho’s stubbornness and remembered what had just happened.
“…Did the stake say anything to you just now?”
“The stake, she already knows that I am Kujou Kaho, but she said that I am actually Nami-sensei’s daughter…”
“How could that be…”
Ryunosuke couldn’t say that he was lying to her, because he himself felt that such a possibility existed.
“She also said that many lives were sacrificed because I became Kujo Kaho. I didn’t want to believe her, but…”
Kaho stood up and began to take off her clothes.
“Stop, what are you doing…”
“Zhuang said that someone sent Nami-sensei’s baby to the Kujo family. The evidence is… I didn’t have time to tell you yesterday, but I already told Nami-sensei that we both have the same burn marks…”
Kaho pointed nakedly to the scars on her body.
“I didn’t want you to see these ugly scars, but… you already noticed them. I had to let you know, and I wanted you to know myself…”
“Enough, that’s enough. I understand what you mean.”
Ryunosuke interrupted Kaho. This was all he could do now.
“…Ryunosuke, do you remember… how I danced by the lake?”
“I-I remember…”
“Back then, I told you that I didn’t want to be here as Sakiko’s daughter. I wanted to be myself, to be myself. I wasn’t lying to you, because… because I wanted to be with you.”
Ryunosuke stared at Kaho with wide eyes.
"Because, the only one who, although you call me 'Young Lady,' actually treats me like a girl, is Ryunosuke."
"No, that's..."
“No need for explanation. When I realized my feelings for you, I understood at the same time. Why Ryunosuke sees me as a girl… because Ryunosuke loves his mother.”
Ryunosuke was deeply hurt by Kaho’s words.
He had noticed it himself, but he desperately wanted to forget it. It was only when he realized his own feelings for Sakiko that he clearly understood his own thoughts. The atmosphere in the room was quite heavy, enveloped by their respective longing for their beloved.
“…Please put your clothes on…”
But Kaho slowly leaned against Ryunosuke.
“Our days of enjoying nature are about to end… so, I want to add one last beautiful memory to these days.”
Kaho’s warm body temperature spread to Ryunosuke.
“I can’t ask you to love me in place of my mother, but at least… at least tonight, please just look at me.”
“Even if you say that, I still…”
Kaho kissed Ryunosuke’s hesitant lips.
As Kaho was about to kiss Ryunosuke again, Ryunosuke's hands encircled her back.
Their lips met, and this time their tongues intertwined.
For Kaho, perhaps she intended to bring her beloved to her side. For Ryunosuke, holding Kaho was also a farewell to his longing for Sakiko; perhaps he was also escaping reality.
"Ryunosuke... stop it! This makes me embarrassed..."
After caressing Kaho's entire body, Ryunosuke laid her face down on the bed.
Ryunosuke stood ready from behind, his gaze fixed on her private parts.
"Don't look at me like that... I don't even have that myself..."
On the other side, Kaho's breasts swayed, her small, erect nipples bouncing slightly when touched lightly with his fingers.
"No... I'm weak, it feels so strange, Ryunosuke..."
"That's because you feel good. I'll give you an even better feeling later."
Ryunosuke's tongue, like licking love juice, slipped into Kaho's private parts.
"Ah! Are you going to lick me with your tongue? No, I hate it..."
"Hmph, is Kaho's place dirty?"
Ryunosuke asked her deliberately with ill intent, making Kaho blush.
"...Do you have to say that... Hah!"
"Kaho's place is so cute that I want to eat it up."
Ryunosuke's tongue went deeper inside, even the pubic hair covering that part reacted. One end of her private parts became engorged and swollen, and the clitoris, still covered by the foreskin, trembled slightly. Because of the lubrication of her love juice, Ryunosuke's fingers could easily play with that place.
"Hah... there, no... my body is numb, um hah!"
Ryunosuke's fingers caught the clitoris, peeled off the foreskin in one go, and pressed it with his fingertips.
"Ah, ah, ah, hahhhh..."
Kaho's cries were mixed with pain and pleasure, and white fluid seeped from her private parts. After experiencing a slight orgasm, Kaho lay weakly on the bed.
“Haa, haa… Ryunosuke, I… I’m scared…”
“Are you scared of me?”
“No, it’s just that I don’t know what to do… I feel like I’m not myself anymore…”
Ryunosuke gently kissed Kaho’s cheek.
“Don’t worry, just follow your own feelings, just be yourself…”
Ryunosuke started from her cheek, kissing his way down her neck, breasts, and caressing her curves.
“Ah, there…”
Kaho noticed that Ryunosuke was kissing her scar.
Ignoring her reaction, Ryunosuke kissed that spot even more carefully and gently.
“You don’t have to mind this spot, look, doesn’t it feel good when I kiss it like this?”
“…Hmm, it’s just so itchy… It feels like happiness…”
“That’s good.”
“But… this is the first time I’ve made that kind of sound… Ryunosuke, will you think I’m a very lewd girl…”
Ryunosuke pulled Kaho’s hand to his crotch instead of answering.
“…Ah!”
“Me too, seeing Kaho makes me feel something too.”
“Wow…it’s so hard and big, and so hot.”
Kaho seemed to be interested in this, as she stroked it back and forth, causing Ryunosuke’s penis to react anew.
“Huh! Why is it wet in front?”
“That’s a sign that I’m ready.”
Kaho swallowed, then silently waited for Ryunosuke to say his next sentence.
“…Is it okay, Kaho?”
After Kaho nodded, Ryunosuke immediately hugged her waist. That was to prevent Kaho from feeling more uneasy and afraid. Ryunosuke penetrated Kaho’s wet center without hesitation.
“Mmm…Mmm…Satoru!…Gurgle, Ryunosuke…It’s so hot, your…Mmm…ah!”
The joint tightened, transmitting Kaho’s pain to Ryunosuke.
There was a faint trace of blood on his penis, which wasn’t fully inside yet.
"Kaho, are you alright? I'll take it slow."
"It's okay, don't worry about me. Maybe we can only do this tonight... So, Ryunosuke, do whatever you want."
...Kaho, swaying her red skirt, ran while calling Ryunosuke's name loudly.
...Kaho, surrounded by countless fireflies dancing in the moonlight.
...Kaho, her shoulders trembling, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Ryunosuke.
...And then, Kaho, her body still retaining a childlike innocence, blossoming into womanhood.
When all the images converged into one, Ryunosuke's penis completely entered Kaho's body, his waist colliding with hers.
The ferocious flesh mercilessly widened the virgin's vaginal walls, and Kaho couldn't help but cry out in pain.
Even so! Ryunosuke's movements did not stop. With each entry and exit from Kaho's body, he also injured her. There seemed to be some hidden meaning within this.
"Ahhh...ah, gu...mmm, ahha...I, I..."
Finally, Kaho's cries were mixed with joyful sounds, and the pain of losing her virginity was instantly replaced by pleasure.
"Kaho...?"
"Ryunosuke, I, I think...haha...mmm...so good...so good!"
Seeing Kaho's shy appearance, Ryunosuke's limit was reached prematurely.
“Kaho, almost there…”
“Ryunosuke, let’s…”
Ryunosuke picked up Kaho and had her sit facing him on his lap, face to face. The stimulation of his rotating waist urged him to release as soon as possible.
“No! Kaho…”
“Ahhh… Ryunosuke… mmm, mmm…”
Kaho kissed his lips tightly, as if trying to convey her joy to Ryunosuke. Amidst the sounds of their tongues entwining, Ryunosuke’s semen shot into Kaho’s body…
******************************************************************************
Afterwards, the two lay on the bed wrapped in a blanket. Ryunosuke stared blankly at the ceiling, while Kaho gently touched his wounds with her fingers.
"...This is the first time I've seen Ryunosuke's body...I didn't know you had so many scars."
"These are marks left on my body from the many bad things I've done."
"You've never told me these things before."
Kaho suddenly bit Ryunosuke's shoulder.
"Ouch...What are you doing?"
"I'm going to leave a mark on you too."
Seeing Kaho's smile, Ryunosuke could only smile wryly.
"...Kaho, do you still want to stay at Kacho Fugetsu?"
"Yes, besides wanting to be with you, I still want to continue studying with Nami-sensei, and..."
"And there are still some mysteries waiting for you to unravel, right?"
"Yes, about my past. If I leave here like this without finding out the truth, it will be difficult for me to face my mother when I go back."
"Leave this matter to me. I'll investigate the truth of the matter tomorrow or the day after. As for whether to stay at Kacho Fugetsu, let's go back and discuss it with the teacher."
Kaho stood up, looking down at Ryunosuke.
"...Now that all these things are resolved, what are your plans 　　, Ryunosuke ?"
"After these experiments, I want to go back to my hometown first 　　. 　　 I haven't thought about what to do after that. 　　" "...I see
."
Kaho only said a short sentence, then wrapped herself in the blanket 　　and turned her back to Ryunosuke. After a while, hearing 　　Kaho's faint 　　breathing , 　　Ryunosuke closed his eyes as well. 　　 ********** ... 　　"...Please don't tell anyone about yesterday's events. It's best to forget about it." 　　"Is this an order, or your wish?" 　　"You don't need to be so serious. It's just that this is a very sensitive time for the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon sect. I don't want to cause any unnecessary commotion at this time... Consider it a favor, Ryunosuke." 　　Seeing the captain's deep sorrow, Ryunosuke understood his meaning, wanting to prevent Kaho from falling into danger again. After the captain left, Kaho, hiding under the covers, spoke. 　　"Thankfully, Kaho isn't seriously injured..." 　　"What, you're awake? Are you worried...?" 　　"Because the main heroine of Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon can't appear right now, it must be very troubling for the captain." 　　"So, you're worried about that 　　too." Ryunosuke felt the same way, but he felt there might be more to the story. What was the captain's reason for excluding Kaho? 　　********** 　　...　　　　　　　　　　　　“Oh, right… I might run into Mr. Kujo when I return to Kosei Publishing House. Is there anything you'd like me to pass on?” 　　“That’s true. I haven’t seen Sakiko since Tetsukan’s funeral… By the way, her adopted daughter is almost of marriageable age. If her daughter is getting married, please remember to ask her to let me know.” 　　“Adopted daughter? Is Mr. Kujo’s daughter her adopted daughter?” 　　“Ah, I think I’ve been too nosy again. When Sakiko was young, I don’t know if it was due to illness or something else, but she couldn’t have children. So when I heard she had a daughter, I thought, that must be her adopted daughter…” 　　Ryunosuke was dealing with Nami, saying he wouldn’t tell anyone else about this, but in his heart, he also understood the truth of a certain matter. 　　 ********** 　　 ...　　　　　　　　　　"Empty Cicada..." Modern people... Survivors in this world... Inheriting the dreams of the deceased, the longing to live on in this world... "Empty Cicada..." 　　The complex information in Ryunosuke's mind has now become just a clue.

(...The man Nami-sensei loved must have been Mr. Tetsukan. But Mr. Tetsukan married Kujo-sensei in order to establish the Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon Clan. At that time, Nami was already pregnant with Tetsukan's child. Nami, who gave birth to a child, lost her child in that fire...and the child turned into "Kujo Kaho," the problem lies with the person who caused that fire...)
Ryunosuke recalled hearing the "tragic script" casually mentioned by Kō, who was also a victim of that fire, yesterday.
(...Kō once said that there was a powerful figure operating behind that fire. Since Kaho is an adopted daughter and knows about the relationships between the previous generations of the Kujo family...there is some kind of connection between their previous generations, and the only person who doesn't like Nami and Tetsukan's child...is him, that "tragic script.")
He decided to ask the last person about this matter tomorrow. Although he already had a general idea, he still couldn't feel at ease without asking clearly.
(Kujo-sensei…do you know about this? Is that why you sent me here? Why did you choose me to learn these secrets?)
Just as Ryunosuke was lost in thought, he heard a knock at the door.
“…What’s wrong, Ryunosuke? You seem a bit listless!”
Okazaki asked Ryunosuke as the door opened.
“Nothing, nothing…By the way, I’m going back to the Kujo family tomorrow.”
“Have you figured out the story’s concept yet? Two weeks is a bit short.”
Ryunosuke didn’t answer, but he suddenly said,
“Yesterday, I slept with Kaho.”
“What…!”
Okazaki’s face turned pale, then red, and Ryunosuke continued,
“I don’t know if I can really love Kaho right now. But tomorrow, I want to clarify everything that happened in the past. I have to do this for Kaho…Please tell that to your teacher when you get back.”
After hearing this, Okazaki regained his usual calm and went back inside.
"Please don't forget, Ms. Sakiko entrusted everything to you..." 　　Ryunosuke looked 　　at 　　Okazaki
before him, sensing that besides his loyalty to the Kujo family, there 　　was 　　also 　　 a 　　 similar 　　affection 　　for 　　Sakiko 　　.
**************** 　　 ... 　　He saw the small boat tied to the stake, rocking gently on the lake. 　　He remembered rowing the boat here with Kaho on the fifth day of the interview. 　　He dipped his hands into the lake water, which was just as cold as the water Kaho had splashed on him back then. He scooped up some water and splashed it on his face; the cool breeze blowing from the lake felt so refreshing, and he instantly felt awake. 　　"...Next, I should go there." 　　Nosuke stood up and left the lakeside. His destination was the room of Commander Kaho. 　　(He should be able to answer all my questions.) 　　This was Nosuke's conclusion, and it was also his last job at Kaho. 　　As soon as Nosuke stepped into the hall, Kaho was already waiting for him. 　　"Good morning, Kaho." 　　"...Nosuke! It's getting late, I've been looking for you for ages!" 　　Seeing Kaho back to her usual talkative self, Nosuke felt a little relieved. 　　"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... By the way, have you said hello to Nami-sensei yet?" 　　"Um, not yet..." 　　Kaho was currently stuck on the possibility that Nami-sensei might be her mother, so her answer was somewhat vague. 　　"Don't think about that for now. At least these past few days, Nami-sensei has taught you a lot and taken good care of you. For that alone, you should go and say goodbye to her, understand?" 　　"...I understand. Why are you treating me like a child again?" 　　Kaho pouted and walked towards Nami's room. 　　Nobuyoshi, on the other hand, walked towards Captain Hachi's room. When he could see Captain Hachi's room in the distance, someone rushed out from inside. 　　"Huh? That's... could it be..." 　　Looking at the person's back, it seemed to be Hachi. Although her face was bandaged, making it impossible to determine her appearance, judging from her build, it was definitely Hachi. 　　(But isn't she in the hospital right now...? Why is she here...?) 　　Nosuke sensed something was amiss and quickened his pace towards the leader's room. The first thing he saw upon entering was a floor covered in blood. And then... 　　"...Leader Fujisuke!" 　　"Ugh... It's you." 　　A large amount of blood flowed from the leader's chest, splattering all over the walls. 　　"Cheer up, I'll go get the doctor right now..." 　　The leader grabbed Nosuke's hand as he turned to find a doctor. 　　"It's no use, hahaha... I have something to tell you, let me say it and I'll feel better." 　　"I understand...Leader Fujisuke." 　　"Before that, I have something to ask you... Who... who are you...? Why are you here at Hanabusa Fugetsu?" 　　"I'm not a reporter from Kousei Publishing. I'm a student of Kujo-sensei, and I came here on Kujo-sensei's orders." 　　"Sakiko's... So, you're Sakiko's... Ugh!" 　　Blood gushed from the leader's mouth, but his eyes held a kind of satisfaction reminiscent of Azusa. 　　“I fell in love with Nami the moment I saw her… For someone like me who demands perfection in everything 　　, Nami’s smile was like a warm spring breeze… So, when Tetsukan married Sakiko for the sake of flowers, birds, wind, and moon, I thought I would finally find happiness… But…” 　　“…Nami got pregnant with Tetsukan’s child. You know about that, right?”

"Ah, I was almost driven mad with jealousy after I found out about that. Then Tetsukan died in a train accident, and I fell into despair. Do you know why? Because for Nami, Tetsukan became an eternal shadow in her heart! And then I saw the child they had together..."
Thinking about how Nami decided not to have children after the captain and the others got married, Nosuke could understand the captain's sorrow at that time.
"Back then, I felt like I was possessed by a demon... I was willing to do anything to win Nami's heart, so I told the Kujo family about my intentions." "
! So that's the cause of the Great Fire of the Imperial Capital?"
"For the Kujo family, there was someone who could inherit their family business. For me, it was also a way to make Tie Guan's image disappear from Nami's sight. The condition we exchanged was that the Kujo family had to invest a lot of money in Hanacho Fugetsu."
"Did that financial assistance stop after the death of the previous generation of the Kujo family?"
"It was stopped by the later heir, Sakiko. I couldn't ask Sakiko to continue supplying us with funds, in case Nami found out about this..."
"To make up for the lack of funds, you started having the girl group members entertain guests, right?"
"You already knew, huh? As expected of someone Sakiko trusts."
A sarcastic smile appeared on the leader's distressed expression.
"...I really overdid it. I only found out later! The Kujo family and the Kinoshita Shipbuilding family of the Kō family had a business dispute. That fire was actually because I was used, and as a result, I became Kō's greatest enemy."
"So...the person who tried to assassinate you just now was..."
"I originally asked her to investigate Kaho's background, but I didn't expect her to know everything...
she even found out that I was the arsonist of that fire..."
Just now, it was indeed Kō who saw him. At this moment, Nosuke felt even more uneasy.
"Kō now hates Nami and Kaho very much because that fire was caused by the two of them...
" "Then...now, Kō isn't..."
"I beg you, I beg you to protect Nami and Kaho, Nosuke...please, protect Nami...and her beloved Hana, Tō, and Fugetsu..."
These were the captain's last words.
Nosuke bowed to this devoted man who still loved Nami even in his dying moments, and then rushed out of the room.
"What's wrong, Zhisuke? You look terrible..."
"Ah, Fumika, go get the doctor, and then..."
Just as Zhisuke was about to tell Fumika what had happened after encountering her in the corridor, he suddenly heard a woman's scream coming from the tailor room.
(Kaho... Nami-sensei... wait for me!)
Kicking open the tailor room door, he saw Ju holding a knife, and Nami holding sewing scissors.
Both their hands were covered in blood, and copious amounts of blood were flowing from their abdomens.
Kaho stood there in shock.
Zhisuke immediately stood in front of Kaho to protect her, while Ju glared at him. During the struggle with Nami, the bandages on her face had come loose and drooped, revealing her ugly face.
"Ju... those are the injuries you sustained when you fell off the cliff..."
"Don't look, ahhh!"
Ju's scream echoed throughout the room.
"My beautiful face... I can no longer be the leading lady... If it weren't for that fire
... My life wouldn't be like this... It's all because of you, it's all because of you, Kaho! If only you hadn't been born, if only you hadn't appeared in this world..."
"Kou, don't let the tragedy repeat itself... You still have a chance to start over..."
Kou wouldn't listen to Naosuke's words.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
Kou picked up the knife in her hand and slashed her own neck hard.
Blood splattered on the wall.
When Naosuke caught Kou's body as it slowly slid to the ground, she was already dead.
Her appearance reminded Naosuke of a blooming flower withering.
"...Nami-sensei, Nami-sensei, pull yourself together!"
Perhaps seeing Kou's death brought Kaho back to her senses; she crouched down and tightly grabbed Nami.
After letting Kou lie quietly on the ground, Naosuke ran to Nami. Seeing her bleeding profusely, Nami's life was about to be extinguished.
Just before she breathed her last, Nami finally spoke.
"Kaho...are you alright?"
"Nami-sensei, I'm fine. It's all because you protected me that I..."
From their conversation, it was learned that the person who had tried to assassinate them was Kaho.
"Kaho...I have a favor to ask of you."
"Teacher, please, don't say anything more."
"It's alright, listen carefully...you must continue practicing singing and dancing...you have an exceptional talent...and, I hope that one day...you can grace the stage of *Kacho Fugetsu*..."
"Nami-sensei...I...
" "...Naoya, although he made some mistakes...but he genuinely cared for *Kacho Fugetsu*...you must understand, don't blame him..."
Naoya was confused.
Why didn't Nami tell Kaho that she was her own daughter before she died?
Finally, Naoya spoke.
"Kaho, promise your teacher, help her realize her dream!"
"...Nami-sensei, I will go back to Hanacho Fugetsu... When I stand on the stage, Nami-sensei, you must be there... So, you can't die now, you can't die!"
Perhaps hearing Kaho's promise, Nami peacefully closed her eyes.
"Waaah... Why... Why... Nosuke, answer me!"
Nosuke couldn't utter a word. Beside the sobbing Kaho, Nosuke kept pounding his fists against the wall, again and again...
(...I can't help at all, I, why did I come here...)
The blood splattered on the wall, seeping from Nosuke's fists, seemed to be telling a story of regret, newly spilling onto the wall...
**************************************************************************************************
After that, it was the police's turn. Nosuke carefully recounted what had happened that day, but he didn't mention anything else.
(…Let’s talk about everything after we meet Mr. Kujo!)
By the time he finally left the police station, it was already past midnight.
Nosuke and Okazaki, who came to greet them, took Kaho back to the Kujo family home.
Late at night at the Kujo residence.
In the study, Nosuke, Kaho, and Sakiko faced off.
"So much has happened…you've all had a tough time, Nosuke."
Sakiko stood on the side of the study, her back to them.
"...Is that all?"
Nosuke asked.
"If you're referring to the experiment, that was just an excuse. Nosuke, from now on, it's your choice to stay or leave the Kujo family."
"I wasn't asking about that!"
Kaho followed Nosuke's question.
"Mom…am I really Nami-sensei's daughter?"
Sakiko sighed and turned to ask.
"Yes, I did have another purpose in sending you two to the Flower, Bird, and Feast Pavilion. Kaho and Nosuke, you can both let go of the past and look forward…young people are indeed different."
Sakiko entered the room and sat down at the desk.
“I’ll tell you all the facts. First of all, Kaho… you are indeed Nami’s daughter. She and Tetsukan’s daughter.”
With that, Sakiko showed them a photograph.
It was the same photograph Sakiko had tucked into the first page of the album last night.
It was a photo of Sakiko, Tetsukan, Nami, and Naoya when they were young.
“Back then, we were all young. We pursued our dreams of flowers, birds, wind, and moon together, but for some reason, those days ended.”
“Was it because we didn’t have enough funds to establish Flower, Bird, Wind, and Moon…?”
“No, no, the real reason lies within my heart.”
Seeing Naoya’s confused expression, Sakiko told him the answer directly.
"...I accidentally discovered that Tetsukan and Nami were in love. But I also deeply love Tetsukan, and no matter what means I have to use, I will possess him."
"Teacher, could it be..."
"Yes, in order to support the Flower, Bird, Wind and Moon Society, I asked my father to let Tetsukan marry into the Kujo family. It seems to be a tradition in the Kujo family to make unreasonable demands on parents to do things that trouble them." "
How could that be... How could Mother..."
"Tetsukan chose to marry me for his dream, and even so, I was still very happy, but perhaps it was retribution, he died in an accident not long after... My father couldn't stand my sadness and loneliness because of Tetsukan, and one day he told me that a distant relative's child wanted me to adopt, so he brought Kaho back for me to adopt."
In the quiet study, Sakiko continued her story.
"...I only learned about all of this after my father died. His diary recorded the events surrounding the great fire in the capital...and the truth of everything. I was tormented by the truth while watching Kaho grow up. I didn't want to return Tetsukan's daughter to Nami...so I cut off all support for Hanacho Fugetsu...because, deep down, I still hated Nami."
Nosuke seized the opportunity to ask first.
"Teacher...Commander Kakei and Teacher Nami, even on their deathbeds, were still thinking about Hanacho Fugetsu. It was the shared dream of Mr. Tetsukan and the four of you, Teacher. Hanacho Fugetsu is your collective creation."
"...Is that so?"
Sakiko replied indifferently, and Nosuke was angered by her cold attitude.
"Teacher, why did you make us go to Hanacho Fugetsu?"
"Recently, I've been hearing rumors about Hanacho Fugetsu. When I learned that it was because I stopped providing funding that this happened, I knew I was wrong. But I had no right to stop them."
Sakiko looked at Kaho and Nosuke.
“That’s why I sent you two young people to discover this fact,”
Kaho said, tears welling in her eyes.
“But because of this, the captain, Nami-sensei, and Zhuang all…”
“Yes, I’ve caused trouble for so many people, so now I can only…”
Sakiko’s words trailed off as a trickle of blood flowed from her mouth.
Nosuke looked at the tea Sakiko had just drunk.
“Teacher, did you drink poison just now…”
“No… why, why did Mom do such a foolish thing…”
Sakiko slowly spoke, looking at Kaho who was tightly hugging her.
“…At first, I wanted to explain the whole story to the police… but now that things have turned out this way, I can only do this, Kaho…”
Nosuke cried out.
“Teacher, you’re so despicable!”
“Zhisuke, I’m entrusting the future to you…”
“I don’t want to hear this! If you feel you’ve done something wrong, you can make amends for the dead… You can revive the world of flowers, birds, wind, and moon…”
“Perhaps… But, Zhisuke, as a writer and artist… as long as you’re honest with your work, that’s enough… This is my final advice to you.”
“I don’t understand… I don’t understand… Teacher, why did you save me in the first place? And why are you making me involved in this now?”
“…I think you, Tetsukan, and I are different people… You wouldn’t weigh dreams and love on a scale
… Perhaps that’s one of the interests of us writers.”
After saying this, Sakiko used her last bit of strength to gently stroke Kaho’s head.
“I’m sorry, Kaho… I can’t be a good mother…”
“No, that’s not true! I will always be my mother’s daughter… I am Kujo Kaho…”
“Thank you, Kaho… my dearest Kaho…”
Looking at the two people nestled together, Zhisuke felt that even without blood ties, there was still a certain kinship connection between them.
At this moment, Nosuke realized that Sakiko never truly cared for him. In Kaho's hands, Sakiko quietly closed her eyes…
?
Conclusion
After Sakiko's funeral, Okazaki, wanting to put an end to his feelings for her, turned himself in to the police, taking all the blame for the fire in the capital eighteen years ago. Afterwards, Kaho, now alone, inherited the Kujo family's fortune and reorganized the troupe, Kacho Fuugetsu. The scattered members, centered around Kaze Mika, returned one after another. Now, Nosuke, using the rumors he had gathered as material for the troupe, supported Kaho from behind the scenes.
The first performance of the newly reborn Kacho Fuugetsu was finally about to begin.
The theme was Sakiko's posthumous work, "Utsusemi" (Empty Cicada). This was a work Sakiko had completed when Nosuke and Kaho visited Kacho Fuugetsu; it was also her first theatrical production.
Then, the music, costumes, and parts of the dance also incorporated elements from the posthumous works of Kujo Tetsukan, Naoya Ueshiro, and Nami Ueshiro.
The day of the performance finally arrived. However, Nosuke was nowhere to be seen.
At that moment, Nosuke was in a mountain, slowly making his way to the summit.
Nosuke was on a journey. The purpose of his journey was to complete the task left to him by the deceased Sakiko, a task he himself had to finish: "Empty Cicada."
He thought that he couldn't go back to face Utaho until the work was completed.
("A person who doesn't weigh dreams and love on a scale"...?)
Nosuke thought, Sakiko overestimated him. But he didn't even possess those two things yet. Nosuke breathed in the fresh mountain air and looked around.
(...Also in the mountains, the feeling here is completely different from that of flowers, birds, wind, and moon. Thinking back, the days there felt like a dream, detached from reality.)
He thought of the three girls he met there: Kikyo, Suzaku, and Kazemika.
"Have confidence!"
"Don't be held back by the past!"
"Don't lose yourself!"
These were Nozomi's advice to them... But now, he himself desperately needed these words. Suddenly, Nozomi remembered some sentences.
"Dreams reappear, love blossoms... Time flows, flowers bloom and fade..."
These were the last lines of Sakiko's "Empty Cicada."
(The End
)

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