The Emperor and the Princess (Complete)

Attending the student council executive meeting turned out to be such a painful experience. The student council president election was held in the fall of their first year of high school, and two semesters have passed since then. There's a regular executive meeting every Thursday after class, plus some ad-hoc meetings, so they practically run to the student council every day—they're practically a regular spot.
But today is different. Kurata Mari really doesn't want to attend because that person will be there too.
"Have you considered dating me? I'm confident we'd be a perfect match," that person suddenly said to him last Friday.
For the first time in his life, someone had confessed their love to his face, and Kurata Mari was flustered and overwhelmed. He'd been agonizing over this for three whole days, initially thinking of skipping the student council meeting altogether, but today was only Monday, and he'd received a notice about an ad-hoc meeting.
(Will he attend...? He definitely will; as the student council vice president, how could he possibly be absent?) Thinking this, Mari couldn't help but sigh heavily.
"Kurata, what's wrong? You look terrible today," Kawamoto asked with concern.
After the last class meeting, Kawamoto anxiously ran to Mari's side, noticing his already fair complexion, which now appeared even paler.
"You seem a little dazed. Are you feeling unwell? Shall I take you to the infirmary to lie down for a while?"
"It's okay, I'm fine."
"Really?"
"I was just thinking about something."
"Just that?" Kawamoto seemed unconvinced, staring intently into his eyes, trying to discern something amiss.
Mari could only smile and pretend nothing was wrong: "There's an impromptu meeting today..."
"An impromptu meeting? What happened this time?"
"Nothing much... but the school has a lot of events coming up, it'll be very busy, just thinking about it gives me a headache."
"Haha, that's true. First the school anniversary, then our graduation trip, and in between, a mock exam... everything's crashing into us, just thinking about it makes my head spin." Kawamoto laughed.
Looks like he'd gotten away with it. Mari secretly breathed a sigh of relief and began packing his bag.
Songying High School is a prestigious private school known for its high college entrance exam preparation. Most of the students are bookworms, but Kawamoto is one of the few passionate and proactive individuals. He's outgoing and gives his all in everything he does, especially pouring his heart and soul into his friendship
with Mari. Whether it's during breaks, lunchtime, or even just a few minutes after school when they go to clubs, Kawamoto is always by Mari's side. Mari, on the other hand, is introverted and not good at socializing.
Thanks to Kawamoto's initiative, Mari finally has her first "friend."
However, Kawamoto is the only one in the entire school so close to Mari, which draws the ire of the other students.
Whenever they see them together, the classmates jokingly tease Kawamoto.
"Kawamoto's here again, huh? Trying to woo him? But honestly, Kurata and you are a beauty-and-beast match!"
"I advise you to be sensible, or the student council president will tear you to pieces!"
"Yeah, the 'Emperor' is terrifying!"
"Are you envious or just jealous? Go cool off somewhere else!"
Songying High School is a prestigious private school with high entry requirements, and there aren't many delinquent students. However, this kind of pointless gossip is a common social phenomenon, and it can be found everywhere in the world. Mari listened to this unpleasant conversation and silently picked up her schoolbag. The
"Emperor" they were referring to was Kurata Toshiaki, the current student council president who held the highest position of power among the thousands of students at Songying High School.
(Why do they always mention Toshiaki…?) Perhaps it was a sense of inferiority, or perhaps it was the humiliation of being mocked, but whenever she heard someone mention her twin brother Toshiaki's name, Mari felt suffocated.
"Kurata?"
"Ah, nothing. Kawamoto, let's go."
Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the classroom with Kawamoto. The students from other classes in the corridor all focused their attention on Mari as soon as they saw him, while his classmates in the classroom watched him leave with reluctance. No matter what, Mari was always the center of attention on campus.
"Those boring guys are always causing trouble, it's really annoying. But they just like you so much, they don't mean any harm."
"I know."
Those infatuated gazes that clung to her every day, coming from all directions, always made Mari very uncomfortable.
Maybe it was because the whole school was full of men, and everyone was so bored that they had to find some fun?
(But I don't look like a woman...) People inevitably looked at twins with curiosity, and many of them were
devoted admirers of "Princess Mari. " Mari wasn't bothered by harmless, admiring glances, but the lewd stares that seemed to pierce through his clothes and roam over his body were utterly disgusting.
Since his birth seventeen years ago in his father's large general hospital, Mari had lived under the curious gaze of others, constantly compared to Toshiaki. They were fraternal twins, with slightly different appearances, and their differences in physique and personality became increasingly pronounced as they grew older, so now they were never mistaken for each other. Yet
, outsiders still irresponsibly scrutinized them, preferring to compare them, even their parents were no exception. Even now, in high school, they still had to endure this; the situation remained the same.
"The older brother, Toshiaki, is shrewd and capable, while the younger brother, Mari, is quiet and elegant."
From the classroom to the stairwell, every student who passed by turned their head; Kawamoto was probably being roasted alive by envious and jealous stares.
Mari forced himself to appear nonchalant and unaffected, softly asking Kawamoto beside him, "W-does my expression look weird?"
He clutched his backpack tightly to his chest, an unconscious gesture Mari made when he was consumed by self-loathing.
Seeing him anxiously looking up at him with his backpack, Kawamoto noticed that he was indeed acting strangely today.
"Are you worried about the student council?"
"There are some other issues... but I don't want to show my worries on my face. Nobody likes to see someone with a sour face, right?"
"Who says? I'm not. When your stomach hurts, you naturally look pained, and when you're in a bad mood, you naturally have a tense expression. It's all perfectly normal."
"..."
Kawamoto was truly remarkable; Mari simply couldn't honestly express his emotions.
"Do you know you've been sighing all day? Do you want me to tell you how many times you sighed?"
"Did you count?"
"You're never late or absent, you always hand in your homework on time, and you're never careless in class. How could a model student like you be so inattentive in class? Who wouldn't notice?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Only you would notice, right?"
"What's bothering you? Tell me, I can give you some advice."
"I'm fine."
"Don't try to hide it from me."
"Really, nothing's wrong, you're overthinking it."
"Then why are you making that face?"
"This is my natural face, if you have a problem with it, go complain to my parents."
"Please, you complain about looking like this, we might as well all die!" Kawamoto muttered.
Mari had something on her mind, but refused to confide in her best friend, which greatly hurt Kawamoto's pride, and he clearly showed displeasure.
Stealing a glance at Kawamoto beside her, Mari could only smile helplessly.
As a man, to be admired by another man, and even have him ask for a relationship—that's not something to be proud of, it's incredibly embarrassing .
Going down the stairs and turning the corner, she found the entrance crowded with students going home from school and rushing to the office to hand in assignments, a bustling scene (what does this mean?).
"Oh my god..."
"So many people..."
Standing on the stairs, looking down at the densely packed group of men, she felt dizzy just looking at them.
"I should have gone the other way."
"Yeah."
There was nothing they could do but stand there for a while and wait for the crowd to disperse before leaving. Just as the two of them were waiting, they suddenly heard footsteps behind them, and then a pair of long arms wrapped around Mari's thin shoulders from behind.
"Whoa!?"
"Mari, what are you doing standing here?"
As if whispering, he whispered close to Mari's ear, his tone clearly tinged with amusement.
"Jun-sho!?" Startled, Mari turned her head to look at the handsome face pressed against her neck.
Actually, Mari didn't need to look to know who it was. The broad chest behind her that seemed to be able to engulf her entirely, the gentle hands wrapped around her shoulders, and the warm breath on her cheek—it was none other than her twin brother, Kurata Jun-sho, the current student council president of Sōei High School, known as the "Emperor" among the students.
"Junzhang, why are you deliberately scaring me? It's dangerous to do that on the stairs!" Mari glared at Junzhang, who had his chin resting on her shoulder.
But Junzhang seemed not to hear Mari's complaint, his eyes filled with doting smiles. He moved his hand to Mari's slender waist and gently lifted his younger brother's soft body into his arms.
"...?"
"Let me ask you first, what are you doing standing here? You're not planning to just go straight home, are you?"
"Jun-Junzhang..."
"Hmm?"
"Let go."
"No." He immediately refused.
Mari felt extremely embarrassed being held tightly in Junzhang's outstretched arms. They were twins born together, so why was she so much smaller than him?
Junzhang was tall and well-proportioned, with a refined and elegant appearance, unlike the overly muscular men on basketball and soccer teams. However, he was clearly a head taller than Mari when they stood together.
Normally, Mari wouldn't feel particularly inferior about her 170cm height, nor would she care about her height among her classmates, but she just hated being compared to Jun-sho. Now, being hugged by him, she could clearly see that she was much smaller than him. Jun-sho's actions severely hurt her self-esteem.
(Why...why...) Why does he always make me look bad in front of others like this? Does he find it funny?
Mari felt ashamed and embarrassed at this thought, and her whole body heated up. What should she do? Her face must be turning red, so embarrassing!
"You...you shouldn't do this, let go."
She tried to break free of the arms that were holding her, but she was too weak, and besides, they were on the stairs, and making any big movements would be dangerous.
"If you move around, you'll fall." Jun-sho seemed quite amused.
"Since it's so dangerous, then let go."
"Are you serious?"
"Ugh! Let go!" Mari shouted angrily
, unable to hold back any longer. Jun-sho was somewhat surprised by Mari's agitation, and his grip loosened involuntarily. Rejected so clearly, a flicker of displeasure crossed his mind, and he roughly released his younger brother from his arms.
"Ah...!"
As soon as his supporting hand was released, Mari lost his balance and slipped, falling downwards.
(...I'm going to fall...!) A wave of terror washed over him, his mind went blank, and Mari, suspended in mid-air, reflexively reached out his hands for help.
"Mari!"
"Ah!"
Junzhang was startled and quickly grabbed Mari's wrist, pulling him back into his arms. Junzhang knew his younger brother was very sensitive and would probably be terrified by what had just happened, so he carefully held Mari with one arm while gently stroking his trembling, thin back with the other.
Mari clung tightly to his brother, gasping for breath against Junzhang's chest, his heart pounding as if it would burst. The floor near the door was hard marble; a fall there would definitely result in serious injuries and fractures. The thought of the consequences sent chills down Mari's spine.
"How terrifying..."
When he calmed down a bit, he looked up to see Jun-sho's displeasure. Strange, Jun-sho was always gentle and polite in front of others, but now his eyes were filled with anger, and his beautifully shaped lips were taut. It was obvious that he was very unhappy.
(Why is Jun-sho... angry?) I should be the one who's angry, right? He deliberately teased me and almost made me fall! Mari felt indignant, but he couldn't muster the courage to yell at him. Jun-sho was already a head taller than Mari, and standing a step higher, he looked down at him with a sharp, imposing gaze that made Mari feel terrified.
(Why... why is he...?) Mari swallowed hard, afraid.
“Jun…Zhang?”
“You haven’t answered me yet.”
“What?”
“I asked you what you’re doing standing here? You should be at the student council meeting.”
“…” Mari bit her lip, feeling wronged.
What the hell! I wasn’t even angry when you suddenly scared me from behind, but you glared at me fiercely and inexplicably yelled at me. Although I really didn’t want to go to the student council today, it’s not like I was really going to skip it!
“What else am I doing here?” Mari’s tone was very unhappy.
The Songying Student Council is located on the third floor of the old school building, and there's no direct corridor connecting the old building to the new school building where the classrooms are located. To get to the Student Council, you have to go down one floor and then exit the building. Mari went downstairs immediately after the class meeting, and because there were many people at the entrance, he wanted to wait in the middle of the stairs. So, his presence here was the best proof that he was on time for the impromptu meeting.
"..." Mari stared at Junzhang with resentful eyes.
"...You haven't forgotten what I told you, have you?"
"...No!"
"Is that so? That's good. I shouldn't have doubted you." Junzhang's sharp eyes met Mari's clear pupils, and he finally believed his explanation. His handsome face, which had been filled with anger, returned to its usual gentle smile.
(Just for this...?) Junzhang misunderstood him over such a small matter and even got angry with him? Hmph, it's all Junzhang's own suspicion anyway, why blame it on someone else!
"Are you angry with me, Mari?"
"..." Mari didn't say anything, but his puffed-up cheeks were the best answer.
"Don't be like that. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have doubted you. Mari would never forget what I told her to do."
Junzhang didn't understand at all. Mari wasn't angry about that; she was angry that Junzhang didn't understand that she didn't like being the center of attention.
"...Never mind."
"Really? You're not angry with me anymore?"
"...Never mind."
"That's great." Junzhang breathed a sigh of relief, subconsciously raising his hand to cover his mouth, probably not wanting Mari to see the undisguised joy on his lips.
(Why...?) Why could Junzhang express his emotions so naturally, whether it was his speech, expression, or actions? Why could he easily gain the trust and praise of his elders without ever having to put in any effort?
Mari thoughtfully let Junzhang carefully comb her soft hair.
"Brother Zun, please pay attention!"
A sudden sentence interrupted Mari's thoughts. Looking in the direction of the voice, she realized that Kuga Shuichi was standing diagonally behind Junzhang.
"It's nice that you two brothers are so affectionate, but shouldn't you consider the time and place?"
Hearing the teasing chuckle, Mari blushed crimson and couldn't speak.
Kuga Shuichi, the vice-president of the student council at Sōei High School, was Toshiaki's best friend and the culprit who had confessed his love to Mari last Friday, causing her three whole days of distress.
He possessed a tall stature comparable to Toshiaki, intellectual and deep-set features, an honest and cheerful personality, and a great student with a good sense of humor. He and Toshiaki were the prince charmings in the hearts of the girls at the nearby high schools.
Had Kuga been here just now? It must be; he and Toshiaki were in the same class, and they were always inseparable.
Mari's attention had been completely drawn to Toshiaki's appearance, which was why she hadn't noticed him.
Only after he said that did Mari notice her surroundings. Whether it was the large group of students who had been crowding at the gate trying to get home, or the second-year students going up and down the stairs, everyone had stopped and were staring at them. Kawamoto, standing nearby, was seeing the brothers argue for the first time, his eyes wide with disbelief.
(…How embarrassing…) That's why Mari was so averse to being with Toshiaki. Whenever he was around, Mari would habitually fall into self-loathing. Whether at school or at home, he deliberately tried to keep a certain distance from Toshiaki.
Mari bit his lip in embarrassment and turned his face away.
“You should be more considerate, Toshiaki. Hey, are you even listening?”
“It’s none of your business. It’s none of our business.”
“Aren’t you being a bit too domineering, brother? Kurata is the most beautiful princess in our Songying. How can you have her all to yourself?”
“What princess!?”
The “Kurata” his friend was referring to was his younger brother, Mari. Just hearing him mention his brother made Toshiaki very unhappy. No matter whether Kuga Shuichi used the harmless “Kurata” or the more affectionate “Mari,” Toshiaki just didn’t want him near his brother.
"Your younger brother is so admired, you, as the older brother, must feel proud, right?"
"Nonsense! What older brother would feel proud if his younger brother was called a princess!"
"That's true. Besides, this is an all-boys school; being called a princess does sound a bit ambiguous."
"Good to know."
"Then how about 'Angel'? Kurata truly deserves that title."
"You…"
Seeing the usually gentlemanly Junzhang now arguing with Kuga in public, with so many people watching, Mari's already delicate nerves nearly snapped.
(Everyone saw it, even Kuga saw it, everyone saw it…) The argument and physical contact between him and Junzhang had been witnessed by the person who had been feeling awkward for days, and the immense shock far exceeded the limits of Mari's pride. He could no longer pretend to be nonchalant.
"Kawamoto, sorry to have kept you waiting! Let's go!"
"Huh? Kurata!?"
Mari turned and ran quickly down the steps, leaving Kawamoto still standing there, along with Toshiaki and Kuga, who hadn't reached a conclusion. Seeing the delicate and beautiful princess running towards them, the boys who had been blocking the entrance and watching automatically made way.
Mari didn't even dare to look back, her only thought was to escape from this terrifying place exposed to everyone's gaze as quickly as possible.
(It's all Toshiaki's fault!) She already disliked attracting attention, and she hated being compared to and ridiculed by others even more.
After leaving the new school building, running along the corridor leading to the old school building, Mari didn't dare to stop for a moment, only hearing her own rapid breathing and the rapid beating of her heart.
But Mari still couldn't escape his omnipresent and persistent gaze, here and there, everywhere he was being watched. Gaze, gaze. Why couldn't she live without being watched by others from childhood to adulthood!
(Don't look at me!!) Mari screamed silently and painfully in her heart.
"I never thought... Kurata would have such a vivid expression." Watching Mari's departing figure, Kawamoto muttered to himself in surprise and quickly chased after her.
After the princess left, the stairwell and doorway returned to their usual hustle and bustle. Some went home, some went to their clubs, but no matter who they were, they were all talking about the rare human spectacle they had just witnessed.
"Did you see that? I can't believe Kurata Mari can be so human. His face was so red with embarrassment, it was so cute!"
"But, are those two brothers really close or not? They're such strange twins."
"I think they're really close. For example, my relationship with my older brother is so-so. If we were hugging like that, just thinking about it would give me goosebumps." "
But it's really beautiful to see an emperor and a princess hugging."
Still standing on the steps, Jun-zhang and Kuga watched the group of idle people below excitedly exchanging their idle thoughts.
"They say you two look beautiful hugging!" Kuga, one hand in his pocket and the other clutching his schoolbag, strode down the stairs, not forgetting to throw down this sarcastic remark at his best friend.
Jun-zhang watched his friend's retreating figure with a complex expression, then followed him downstairs.
He wanted to make a move on Mari!
Jun-zhang's heart was in turmoil. It was no wonder; how could a man dare to woo his most cherished younger brother, especially his best friend? What older brother in the world would allow such a thing to happen?
Besides, Jun-zhang's doting affection for Mari had long exceeded normal brotherly love. It was just that he had concealed it well until now, without being discovered by those around him.
That was five years ago, when they had just graduated from elementary school. Mari suddenly stopped relying on her older brother for everything and began to want to learn independence. Their mother then arranged for them to sleep in separate rooms, which became the catalyst for Jun-zhang to realize his abnormal feelings for Mari. He realized he saw Mari as a "person," not a "younger brother." He wanted to kiss those small lips, to hold that warm, soft body in his arms, and to pour out his endless affection for him.
But after entering junior high and facing the pressure of college entrance exams, Jun-sho, as the eldest son, bore the heavy burden of his parents' high expectations.
He excelled in every aspect, which fueled Mari's competitive spirit. Jun-sho could even feel the jealousy, resentment, and admiration in Mari's gaze. Mari's eyes were like sparks, easily igniting the endless desires hidden deep within him, burning him with both pain and sweet pleasure.
But because he was very good at hiding it, Mari never noticed Jun-sho's unusual feelings. In front of Mari, Jun-sho always played the role of a gentle and considerate older brother.
(I've protected him for so many years... how can I tolerate another man taking him away!) Suppressing the tide of resentment surging in his heart, Jun-sho couldn't help but rub his aching temples.
Jun-sho was constantly worried that a thief would breach the tangible and intangible barrier he had built around Mari and steal her away. He dared not relax his vigilance for even a moment. Now, that despicable thief had appeared, and it just so happened to be Kuga Shuichi, which threw him into a state of utter chaos. Jun-sho wouldn't have cared about anyone else, but if the opponent was Kuga Shuichi, he really had no confidence.
Especially these past few days, Mari had been acting absent-mindedly after Shuichi confessed his love to him, making Jun-sho so worried that he could hardly sleep.
"Jun-sho."
After walking a distance and seeing that no one was around, Kuga stopped and turned back to him, saying, "It's strange, it's rare to see you and your brother so close at school."
"Really? Aren't you the kind of guy who's never interested in other people's business? It's really strange that you're paying attention to our brotherly relationship!"
Jun-sho narrowed his eyes slightly, revealing an unusually cold expression, even glaring at his friend with hostile eyes.
"Didn't you two always keep your distance? You didn't even greet each other when you passed each other in the hallway."
"That's because I was afraid Mari would be unhappy, but..."
"But what?"
"Just now... I don't know why, but when I saw Mari's back... I really wanted to hug him."
"Hey, hey, hey, are you out of your mind?"
"You're the one who's out of your mind! How dare you talk about others like that!"
"Me?"
"Shuichi, do you think I don't know what you're up to?"
"What do you mean?"
"The good thing you did last Friday."
"Oh~~" Oh, that's it. Kuga hadn't intended to hide it, but Junzhang actually brought it up to his face, which surprised him greatly.
"You heard that? I didn't expect you to come back so quickly."
At that time, only Kuga and Mari were left in the student council.
"I heard voices just as I stepped outside."
"Then I should thank you for not barging in and causing trouble."
"You should thank yourself for not touching Mari inappropriately."
"Really…"
That's because Mari was completely stunned, her beautiful eyes wide open, standing there speechless, how could anyone lay a hand on her? If Junzhang hadn't broken the silence with his subtle expression, they don't know how long they would have remained frozen in place.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. Who's so bored as to confess to someone of the same sex?"
"Do you think I'd allow it?"
"I don't need your permission, it's between him and me."
"…"
The air suddenly became tense. This was the first time I'd ever seen Junzhang angry.
The two glared at each other for a while, finally Junzhang sighed helplessly, ruffling his hair in frustration.
"That's why I told him not to go to an all-boys school. There are so many co-educational high schools, but Jinri just wouldn't listen to me... He has no idea how dangerous he is!"
"That's true... I think no one can resist his charm."
Junzhang glared at him fiercely.
"Don't you have a girlfriend?"
"Don't worry about that, I've already broken up with her." Jiuwei seemed to be emphasizing his determination.
"...I was so stupid. I specifically chose this difficult school to get into, filtering out all the muscular beasts first, and then keeping an eye out for any pests who might be tempted to lay a hand on my brother. Turns out, I let the wolf in myself. The most dangerous person was the one closest to me."
"Hey, hey, hey, you're making me sound so awful! Let me make it clear, I'm not gay, I just happen to like him. Besides, shouldn't you be grateful to have someone as reliable and excellent as me taking care of your brother for the rest of his life?"
"What nonsense! Who cares if you're gay or not? I just won't allow any man to touch my brother! From childhood to adulthood, I've put so much effort into protecting and caring for him, how could I possibly hand over my precious brother to you perverted lechers! My biggest wish in this life is to see him grow up safely and then help him find a gentle and lovely wife, so they can live a happy and joyful life together forever."
"I say, Junzhang..."
After hearing this long, grand plan for a truly wonderful and happy life, I didn't know whether to laugh at him or pity him.
"Are you Mari's brother or his father?"
"Stop interrupting me! Anyway, you're not allowed to get close to Mari, you hear me?"
"I won't give up so easily, I'm very serious this time."
"Shuichi!"
"Don't get agitated, I promise you I won't force him."
"What good is your promise! You shouldn't have confessed to him in the first place! Mari, ever since that day... he's been acting strange."
"Strange? How so?" Kuga seemed very interested.
"...He often spaces out, I don't know what he's thinking about." Junsho said with dissatisfaction.
"Oh, that's great. He must be thinking about me."
"You..." Junsho was furious.
"Alright, alright. Junsho, let's stop here." Kuga raised his hand to stop him.
"Why?"
"Don't forget we still have a meeting, okay? How can the president and vice president be late at the same time? Besides, I don't need to argue with you about this. I said, this is between your brother and me. You saw it yourself, he didn't refuse." "
..."
Junsho was speechless for a moment, and could only sigh again, realizing that he couldn't stop him. The cruel reality once again made Junsho painfully feel his powerlessness.
(Am I, as the older brother, just supposed to stand by and watch helplessly, hoping that Mari will refuse Shuichi, and do nothing else?) "Junsho? What are you spacing out about?"
"Nothing... Let's go quickly." He had to calm down, the war was about to begin.
Quickly composing herself, she reverted to her usual shrewd and capable student council president, Songying. The students, filled with respect for the emperor, left side-by-side with Kuga. She
turned on the TV to relax, but the loud, fast-paced pop music and the frequent commercials only made her more tense.
Looking at the wall clock, it was only a little past nine. Going to bed was too early, but she simply couldn't concentrate on studying.
She didn't know what was wrong with her tonight; her chest felt heavy.
Depression?
It didn't seem like it. It was as if there was some unsolvable problem, making it impossible for her to settle down. This feeling wouldn't go away.
"I should just sleep..."
Turning off the TV, Mari let out a weary sigh. As soon as the TV screen disappeared, the room fell silent, as if in a vacuum. And it was almost true; Junzhang hadn't come home yet, and Mari was alone.
After the impromptu meeting, they went home as usual. Knowing that Mari didn't like walking with him, Junsho had at least two student council members escort her home every day, and today was no exception. Outside the school, the junior from the executive committee led the way, while Junsho and Kuga followed behind. They got separated after entering the subway station, so Mari didn't know where he went. It was so late and he hadn't come back yet; maybe he was spending the night out. But Junsho would always call beforehand if he wasn't coming home, and since he hadn't called, he probably just came home a little late.
The Kurata couple were busy managing the hospital and rarely came home. Junsho and Mari were raised by a nanny, and the housework was all handled by the maid. Even now, in their second year of high school, the situation was still similar. The vast Japanese-style house never echoed with the joyful laughter of a family. Every day when Mari came home and opened the door, smelling the scent of new wood, she couldn't understand why her parents had to demolish the old house and expand it so much.
A quiet house, a quiet living room.
Mari could even hear her own faint breathing.
After showering and changing into her pajamas, Mari took her textbooks and sat alone in the large living room to study, but she couldn't concentrate on a single word all night. Maybe studying in her room would be more effective?
(But... I don't want to move...) Perhaps she just didn't want to study in the first place.
(I deliberately came to the living room to do my homework... Am I trying to get attention? I feel so stupid...) Am I... waiting for Jun-sho to come home?
As soon as Jun-sho enters the door, he'll notice the living room light is on in the entryway. Mari suddenly felt ridiculous for doing this pointless thing to get Jun-sho's attention, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Usually, Mari would immediately hide in her room after dinner, but tonight she suddenly really wanted Jun-sho to come home quickly.
(No, I can't think like this... I can't lose to him again.) She gently shook her head, forcing herself to study. The quiet room was so still that even the sound of turning pages seemed jarring.
Her small body was curled up in the three large European-style sofas, her eyes fixed on the book on her lap, but her right hand, holding the mechanical pencil, showed no sign of moving.
The large French windows in front, offering a panoramic view of the beautiful courtyard, were open, the cool autumn breeze stirring the lace curtains, and the chirping of insects drifting from the depths of the garden.
No, she still couldn't concentrate. The insects' chirping was distracting. Humanities, which used to be her favorite subject, now she couldn't read a single word.
She was weaker in science; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't catch up with Jun-sho. Sometimes, Mari felt it was stupid to desperately try to be like Jun-sho. Even if they spent the same amount of time studying the same subjects, Jun-sho's grades would definitely be better. Was she just not getting it right? Or was Jun-sho simply smarter? They were twins born to the same mother on the same day, so why were their physiques and appearances so different? Jun-sho had all the good qualities, while she was just the leftovers he didn't want. If only they were identical twins.
(Yeah...that way...I can be as good as Junzhang...) Here we go again, no, no, I'm so useless, how can I give up again.
Gently placing the textbook back on the coffee table in front of him, he nestled into the large sofa and slowly closed his eyes. Every time he thought of Junzhang, he felt a tightness in his chest, forcing himself to swallow hard, and involuntarily wanted to cry.
Loneliness, frustration...what kind of feeling is this, wanting to cry out loud? He didn't even remember when he started forcing himself to catch up with Junzhang, he only remembered that he was very happy when he was a child. Although his parents were rarely home, Junzhang was by his side, and he was never lonely.
"So lonely..." This sentence seemed to be said to himself, but the sound only deepened the boundless loneliness.
"Mari...?"
Junzhang, wondering why the living room light was still on at this time, walked into the room and was surprised to find Mari asleep on the sofa. He could hardly believe his eyes. Normally, Mari would immediately retreat to her room after finishing the dinner prepared by the maid. Why was she in the living room today?
"Did Shuichi make you change? Although... I really didn't want it to be like this."
Looking at the wall clock, a little bit of anticipation returned to her heart. Maybe Mari was waiting for her?
Mari, who was sleeping on the sofa, was wearing a set of lake-green silk pajamas. The soft sheen suited him perfectly. Thinking that her own pajamas were blue, she realized that her mother had prepared different colored pajamas for them.
"People say we are strange twins, and that's absolutely true. I don't know how many years it's been since I've seen you in pajamas," Junzhang murmured with endless emotion. "
Mari..."
Looking at her beautiful face half-buried in the soft cushions, she reached out and gently brushed aside her loose bangs. Mari didn't seem to be awake. The hair in her hand felt soft and was still slightly damp. It seemed that she hadn't properly dried her hair after washing it.
Yes, when they were little, they always bathed together. Mari once said that he didn't like the hot air from the hairdryer and preferred to let his hair air dry after washing it. Junzhang worried that he would catch a cold, but Mari would just think his brother was worrying unnecessarily.
It seems that habit of his hasn't changed.
"You won't let me near you..."
The thought that he could only get close to Mari and touch him when he was asleep suddenly made him feel incredibly sad. Junzhang gently stroked Mari's soft, smooth cheek with the back of his hand.
"Mmm..." Mari made a muffled nasal sound.
He probably sensed someone touching him and was about to wake up.
"Mari, Mari..."
"Mmm... um..."
"Why are you sleeping here? You'll catch a cold."
"Junzhang?" Mari
blinked lazily. He had lost his usual forced air and was incredibly docile and adorable. Junzhang hadn't seen Mari like this in years, and he was momentarily mesmerized.
Those beautiful eyes reflected his infinitely doting smile. Was this how he always looked at Mari? What if he discovered his feelings?
"Junzhang... you smiled."
Mari was probably still half asleep, looking adorably silly. Knowing that only he had the chance to see Mari like this, Junzhang felt a sweet warmth in his heart, and his smile deepened.
“I like… seeing you smile…” That warm hand gently stroked his brother’s cheek.
Junzhang suddenly felt an urge to kiss him, and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly dodged Mari’s hand, stood up, took a deep breath, and forced a nonchalant smile.
“I really lose to you…”
Hearing Junzhang’s mutterings, Mari was still wondering why her brother’s smile had suddenly turned away. So she blinked hard and stared blankly at Junzhang. “Mari, wake up.”
“…Ugh.” It seemed that she was really awake this time, because after unconsciously responding, Mari’s expression changed drastically, and she sat up abruptly.
“Junzhang!? What are you doing here?”
“That’s a strange question…”
But Junzhang sighed inwardly. The dazed Mari was really adorable, but it was a pity that he could only see her for a moment.
“I saw you sleeping in the living room and came to wake you up. Get up quickly, why isn’t the window closed… the evening breeze isn’t good for you.”
Actually, he only noticed the window was open now, but pretended to have noticed it long ago, nagging as the older brother to close the French windows. Although his back was to him, Junzhang could feel that Mari was watching him. Turning around, he saw Mari blushing and lowering his head. “You… just got back?”
“Yeah.”
“…Why so late?”
“I went to the hospital.”
“The hospital?”
“I had something to discuss with Dad. He can’t come home more than a few days a month, so I had to talk to him about college applications myself. What about you? Have you finished your studies?”
“No, not yet… well…”
“What?”
Although Mari’s answer was vague, Junzhang didn’t want to ask what his family did in the first place. Seeing that he seemed a little dazed, he sat down beside him worriedly, but noticed that Mari’s shoulders, which were already restless, trembled noticeably.
“Mari… are you afraid of me?” "
...I didn't."
"Didn't? Why do you look so strange?"
"I didn't, don't guess."
Although he denied it, his flushed face proved he was very nervous.
Something must be wrong!
Usually, whenever I get close, Mari would pretend to suddenly remember something and immediately stand up and walk away. Tonight, he actually let me sit next to him. It's too strange! After thinking about it, there's only one possible reason.
"You...are you thinking about Shuichi?"
"Kuga?" Junzhang asked directly, but Mari looked blank. "What about Kuga?"
Is he trying to play dumb and get away with it? Junzhang sighed inwardly, feeling a little hurt. Although their brotherly relationship hadn't been that good in recent years, Mari really didn't understand his older brother. How could the dignified Emperor of Songying be so easily fooled?
Junzhang crossed his arms. He had to get to the bottom of this tonight.
"Didn't he want you to date him?"
"Y-how did you know!?" "
Shuichi told me. He said he wouldn't give up even if I stopped him."
"He..."
"Mari, tell your brother the truth, what do you think of Shuichi? Although you're not in the same class, you've had quite a few opportunities to interact with him in the student council, so you know him a little. What's he really like?"
"This... I don't know. I thought he was joking, just messing around with me, right?"
And when I ran into him at the meeting today, he seemed no different from usual.
Mari probably doesn't understand that Kuga Shuichi is a person who clearly separates public and private matters, so she naively thought it was just a joke.
Mari leaned back on the sofa: "Kuga must be joking... He's always been with someone as outstanding as Junsho, how could he possibly be interested in someone as useless as me? I think the person he really likes is you, right?"
"Huh?" God, is this "Mari's invincible interdimensional association method"? Junsho was defeated.
"How did you think of me and Shuichi? It gave me goosebumps..."
"Is that so...?" Mari stared intently at Jun-sho with her large eyes, seemingly oblivious to the strangeness of her own thoughts. She looked for a while before turning her gaze away.
"Mari, you don't like Xiu-yi, right?"
"I don't know... I haven't thought about that."
"Then think about it now."
"Why are you asking me that?"
"I want to know."
Seeing Jun-sho's serious expression, as if he cared deeply about her, Mari felt a little unhappy; her long, curled eyelashes trembled slightly.
"I... I'm not familiar with him, and he's deliberately teasing me like this... I don't know what to do." "I don't like him getting too close to me, it makes me unhappy..."
"Don't you like him teasing you...?"
Haha, it turns out Mari completely misunderstood the problem. He wasn't bothered by same-sex advances, but rather he didn't like others getting too close to him.
(Great, the innocent and naive Mari hasn't fallen for Shuichi...) It seems I can relax a little. Although this might seem a bit like gloating over a friend's misfortune, understanding Mari's thoughts was indeed a relief.
Jun-sho couldn't hide his joy and reached out to stroke Mari's hair. He thought Mari would dodge, but surprisingly, he obediently let Jun-sho stroke him, completely unaware of his brother's mischievous intentions.
"We... haven't done this in a long time."
Mari lowered his head and smiled happily, as if remembering how Jun-sho often affectionately stroked him like this when they were little.
"Actually... I was waiting for you to come back. Thinking about it made me think of my childhood... and suddenly I felt so lonely being home alone."
Hearing Mari's sweet voice, a mix of shyness and joy, Junzhang's heart melted.
"I'm sorry, I should have come back sooner."
"It's okay... it's good that you're back. Besides, you didn't know I was waiting for you."
"If I had known, I wouldn't have gone to Dad's."
"No, I'm not blaming you."
Junzhang's eyes involuntarily fixed on Mari's smiling lips; that innocent, beautiful smile was a deadly weapon for any man. His gaze slowly moved down to the neckline of Mari's pajamas, vaguely revealing a patch of fair skin and alluring curves.
(How could I have impure thoughts about my own brother!) Junzhang constantly warned himself, pushing his rationality to its limit.
"Junzhang? What's wrong?"
Mari tilted her head, her lips slightly parted, looking so adorable that one wanted to devour her whole.
It was hard to believe that Mari was already a high school boy. Because of Jun-zhang's overprotection and pampering from a young age, Masato was like a princess locked in a tower, with almost no opportunity to interact with other children her age. Her twin brother, Jun-zhang, was her entire world. As a result, she gradually developed an extremely shy and introverted personality, and because she didn't know how to get along with people, she disliked others getting too close. Even now, her heart remains as innocent and pure as a child's. Growing up under the high walls erected by Jun-zhang, Masato became a pure white angel completely unaware of the dangers of the world. She smiled gently and innocently at everyone, as if she were untouched by human affairs.
Jun-zhang hoped that his Masato would always be innocent and pure, but the ugly desires lurking deep within him made him want to break the angel's pure white wings and keep Masato by his side forever.
"Jun-zhang, I'm calling you, what's wrong?"
"Huh? What?"
"Are you tired? Want to sleep?"
"No... I'm not tired."
How he wished that Masato could never leave him, but on the other hand, the more Masato trusted him, the more despicable and shameful Jun-zhang felt. This complex and contradictory emotion was like being trapped in a maze, wandering around aimlessly without finding a way out.
"Mari, don't worry about Shuichi... I'll talk to him." Junzhang quickly changed the subject.
"...Okay."
"...Would you find it disgusting?"
"What's disgusting?"
"Same-sex love is generally hard for most people to accept."
"Oh, you mean that? I don't have any particular feelings about it, I don't understand."
"...Is that so?"
Mari didn't seem to feel anything for such an outstanding man as Shuichi. It seemed that in his simple mind, he only categorized Shuichi as the student council vice president, and a student council officer at that—the kind of formulaic relationship.
The conversation ended, and the room returned to silence.
He quietly put his arm around Mari's shoulder, wanting to get closer to him. His beloved was leaning against his chest, the faint fragrance of her hair wafting from her nose. With just a slight tilt of his head, he could admire Mari's delicate forehead and flawless profile up close. Junzhang gradually felt a sweet sensation rising in a certain part of his body... Sigh! How long will my rationality have to fight against my pathetic physiological instincts?
The Kurata couple had been married for five years before finally conceiving, and not only did they have a son, but twins at once! This overjoyed them, and they sincerely thanked God for this blessing.
The Kurata family owned several large general hospitals and were one of the wealthiest families in the area. Jun-aki and Mari's father were the eldest son in the family, and without a son, there might have been unnecessary trouble among relatives when it came to inheriting the family property. Fortunately, they later had two healthy babies, and both sets of parents and relatives sincerely blessed them.
"You only have two brothers, and they're twins, so you must love and help each other even more, understand?"
Their mother often told them this from a young age.
Actually, even without his mother's specific instructions, Jun-aki had always wholeheartedly cared for his younger brother. Mari was very shy; only his brother's back was the only place he felt safe. If an unfamiliar elder tried to hold him, or if another child invited him to play, he would cry as soon as they touched him.
Moreover, Mari was physically weak and often spent his days in bed, so he lived under Jun-sho's complete protection for twelve years. By the time he graduated from elementary school, Mari still didn't have a single friend. His parents probably felt this couldn't continue, so the year they entered junior high, they partitioned the bedroom they shared, giving each brother their own space.
After separating into different rooms and classes, their surroundings began to change noticeably.
Jun-sho, already cheerful and outgoing, made more and more friends, while Mari was shy and introverted; his only defense against people was his smile.
Every time Jun-sho saw Mari struggling to smile and awkwardly responding to his classmates' concern, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him and wanted to protect him. So, after entering Sōei, Jun-sho made Mari join the student council as a member. Although Mari still avoided him, he obediently complied with his arrangements.
(I had no idea this would happen; Shuichi took this opportunity to steal Mari from me.) Jun-sho helplessly pressed his forehead.
"Jun-sho, Jun-sho? Why aren't you talking to me?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry, what did you say?"
"It's about my college application. Didn't you discuss it with Dad? I was asking if you've made up your mind..." Once the barrier between them had disappeared over the years, Mari started clinging to her brother like she did when they were little.
We brothers are happily chatting together right now. If Shuichi saw this, he'd probably be so envious he'd vomit blood on the spot, right? Hahaha! Jun-sho thought to himself with secret pride.
"I've pretty much decided..."
"Tokyo University's medical school?"
"Yeah, that's what I'm planning to do."
"...Oh..."
Jun-sho was the top student in the science class at Soei High School, so getting into Tokyo University's medical school was absolutely a sure thing.
"Dad must be so happy. If you become a doctor, then our family hospital will have a successor. Besides, they've always had high hopes for you since you were little..."
"They have high hopes for you too."
"I can't. My science is terrible, and I'm in the humanities class."
"Your grades have always been in the top ten in the whole school, right? There won't be any problems."
"I...I can't." Mari had no confidence in herself.
"Otherwise, you could study economics or business administration. You don't have to be a doctor to inherit the family business. Think about it, how can a professional doctor manage such a large hospital, right?"
"Hmm..." Mari nodded, clinging to her brother's arm affectionately.
"If...I also go to Tokyo University, then we won't have to be separated...can we always be together?"
“As long as he doesn’t fail.”
“Jun-sho is so excellent, he’ll definitely pass, definitely…”
“That’s hard to say.”
“He definitely can…” As if afraid that this safe haven would leave him, Mari anxiously clung to Jun-sho’s arm, pressing his face against his broad chest, his already petite body shrinking even smaller.
Jun-sho quickly and gently stroked his head with his other hand, patiently comforting him, “Yes, yes, we’ll both definitely pass.”
“Will you always stay with me?”
“Of course.”
“…Mm.”
For Mari, clinging to his brother like this, being held and comforted, was like a continuation of his happy childhood, bringing him joy. As for Jun-sho, if he could be satisfied only by his brotherly affection for Mari, perhaps he wouldn’t be in so much pain. He
silently looked up and sighed dejectedly.
“Jun-sho…”
“Hmm?”
“You were just sighing.” Mari said somewhat displeased.
Jun-sho quickly looked down at his chest and saw Mari pouting and glaring at him.
"Did you hear that?"
"Are you treating me like a child again?"
"No, no, it's just that we haven't chatted like this in a long time, and I don't know why, but I feel really touched."
"You're exaggerating..."
Mari puffed out her cheeks and snuggled deeper into Junzhang's arms. It seemed he hadn't been able to act cute for a long time, and once the floodgates were opened, his emotions surged forth.
(Oh no, I can't take it! I need to change the subject.) "Oh, right! I won't be sleeping at home this Saturday."
"Hmm...?" Mari was confused by the sudden question.
There was nothing Junzhang could do; he was doing his best to distract her. And it was true; he went to his grandmother's house about every two months.
“I’m going to visit Grandma. Dad said she called to complain that no one has come to see her in the past six months. When I went to the hospital just now, Dad told me to go see her this Saturday.”
“Why do you have to go? Why not let Mom go?”
“It seems like Grandma specifically wants me to go so she can see her.”
“I knew it. Grandma has always doted on you the most since you were little.” Mari sat up straight and left her brother’s embrace, her face clearly showing her displeasure.
Junzhang loved seeing Mari’s adorable expression, unable to hide her feelings from him. Even though every cell in her body was protesting how Junzhang could leave her alone at home for Grandma, she deliberately pretended to lower her head and ignore him, but one hand tightly gripped Junzhang’s collar.
“Do you want to come with me?” He covered her fair hand with his large hand and asked carefully.
“…I don’t want to go.”
“Yeah, you’ve never liked Grandma’s house.”
“You know that and you still asked me on purpose.”
“Okay, then you can stay here.”
“…” Mari remained silent, it seemed he was still not satisfied with this conclusion.
“You know I can’t not go.”
“…I’ll go.” Though reluctant, Mari finally made up her mind.
The Nakatase family was her mother’s family, and they had a good relationship with the Kurata family. Moreover, her cousins were close in age to her, so they had always gotten along well. However, this was just Jun-sho’s personal opinion.
For Mari, the Nakatase family was no different from hell, because her grandmother clearly favored the capable and handsome Jun-sho, and always thought Mari was too weak.
“I think you shouldn’t go.” Jun-sho’s thoughtfulness made Mari unhappy.
“Why?”
“Why force yourself to do something you don’t like?”
“I’m not forcing myself, I’m going because I said I’d go.”
“Mari…”
“I’m going, I’ve wanted to go with you for a long time.”
“Really?”
“I don’t like you going there alone.”
Jun-sho was still unaware of the deeper meaning in Mari’s words.
“Since you insist, then so be it.” It was her own fault for asking him out earlier.
Jun-sho could never have imagined what their routine family visit would turn out to be.
It was nearly midnight when Mari returned to his room after talking with Junzhang in the living room. He was overjoyed to have his brother all to himself for over an hour.
(If only I had made up with him sooner…) For the past few years, Mari had forced himself to avoid him, to stay away from him, to hide from him at every turn, but despite his hard work, he still couldn't beat him. This kind of life had left Mari extremely frustrated, and he couldn't take it anymore. But now, things were different. His brother had promised to always be with him and never leave, so he would never be lonely again. Thinking of this, Mari smiled happily.
He put his textbooks and stationery back on his desk. He had finished his homework; it was time for bed.
Mari turned off the main light, leaving only the bedside lamp, lay down, and pulled the comforter up to his chest.
He found himself too excited to calm down.
"Hoo…" Looking at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, he tried to calm himself with deep breaths. "
I'm not usually this easily agitated, am I?" The thought that his brother still loved him as much as he did when he was little filled him with undisguised joy. Ah! How could I have acted so childishly just now!
I should really thank Kuga. Junzhang must have been unable to bear his best friend's momentary lapse in judgment in flirting with his useless younger brother, and couldn't help but ask, which gave us a chance to break the ice. Tonight's events not only resolved my three days of melancholy, but also eliminated the estrangement of so many years, it's wonderful.
I was just feeling happy when I accidentally remembered going back to the Nakatase family home with Junzhang.
"Ah, we're going to see Grandma on Saturday..."
This made Mari's mood plummet. Although Grandma's house wasn't far, only about an hour's train ride, Mari just didn't want to go. Besides the fact that Grandma only liked Junzhang and not her, there were other reasons.
(Ikumi... she's there too.) Because of her, Mari didn't want to go even more.
Nakatase Ikumi was their cousin, the same age as them, and the three of them often played together when they were little. She was the only child Mari was willing to be close to besides Junzhang. When the adults asked him if he liked Ikumi, Mari answered that he did.
Because Junzhang liked her, Mari liked her too. Junzhang even said that he would marry Yumi when he grew up.
"Ugh..." A sharp pain shot through his chest, and Mari opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling. He realized he was filled with suspicion and jealousy, and these unfamiliar negative emotions made him feel very confused.
From a young age, everyone favored Jun-sho. Although they were twins, Mari had no talent compared to the outstanding Jun-sho. Whether it was building sandcastles, constructing blocks, or drawing, Jun-sho was far better than the other children. He always had a bright smile, spoke logically, and inherited his mother's beauty and his father's professional skills. All the relatives had high expectations for him.
Mari had always envied Jun-sho and wanted to be as excellent as him, her eyes always following him.
Jun-sho was Mari's whole world; all her emotional reactions were imitations of Jun-sho. Jun-sho liked Yumi, so Mari liked her too.
"Like..."
The word pierced her chest.
She tucked the down comforter tighter and turned over. There was only one reason Mari didn't want Jun-sho to go to her grandmother's house alone.
"Jun-sho, do you... still like Yumi...?"
Staring blankly at the elegantly patterned wallpaper, Mari slowly closed her eyes.
After the first class, Mari took the textbook for the next class out of her bag and placed it on the desk. As she closed her bag, she noticed a piece of paper inside and carefully opened it.
Kawamoto suddenly ran up from behind and said, "Is that the application form we got during morning self-study?"
Mari nodded to him, and Kawamoto let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Think about it, we're only seventeen and we're already being forced to decide the direction of our lives—"
"We were supposed to fill this out in our second year of high school anyway."
"I just hope some school will accept me."
He sounded quite dejected, but Kawamoto was a good student. Unlike those bookworms who only knew how to study all day, he always maintained a top-twenty ranking in the school.
"Have you decided?"
"...Not yet."
"Your family owns a hospital, you'll probably apply to medical school, right?"
"No, I'll leave the hospital to Junzhang. I'm not interested in it, and I'm terrible at science."
"Oh? Really? Then maybe we can go to the same university and be classmates again!"
Didn't you just say you were happy as long as some school accepted you? Mari looked at Kawamoto, who was all smiles, with suspicion.
"Kawamoto, do you already have a plan in mind?"
"Not yet, I haven't decided what major to apply for. My dad works in the banking industry, and I'm thinking of applying for business, but I also think studying law is good... But realistically speaking, it's easier to find a job if you study business, so it's really hard to decide!"
"...That's true."
Mari nodded in agreement, put the application form back in the clip and put it back in her bag. Anyway, it only needs to be submitted before Saturday, so she can think about it slowly. Besides, the teacher said that the application form for the second year of high school is only for class placement, and she doesn't need to decide on her major yet. But then again, once the major is decided, she has to adjust her studies to match it, and there's no room for carelessness.
(Jun-sho is so nice, he doesn't have to worry about anything, he can just fill in the medical school at the University of Tokyo.) Mari's actions are always based on Jun-sho's decisions. Since Jun-sho is going to study in Tokyo, Mari will naturally go with him.
Hanging her bag back on the hook on the desk, she turned around and saw Kawamoto sitting backwards in the front seat looking at her.
"I'm really unhappy!"
Kawamoto said with a grin, propping his cheek up with his hand, his words lacking any persuasiveness. Seeing that Mari didn't react for a moment, Kawamoto pretended to be hurt and clutched his chest: "You actually left me after school yesterday, how heartless of you~~~"
"Ah..."
So he was referring to yesterday's staircase incident. The joy of making up with Junzhang yesterday had made Mari forget about that incident entirely, but now that Kawamoto brought it up, remembering how embarrassing it was, her face flushed red again.
"I'd forgotten about it if you hadn't mentioned it."
"Forgot?" Kawamoto exclaimed incredulously, "You disappeared into the crowd and forgot about it after just one night?
What about today's things? You'll forget them tomorrow too. How are you going to get into university like that?"
"You're such a jinx... I don't have amnesia."
"I was worried about you all night yesterday. You're usually so good-natured, why did you suddenly start arguing with your brother yesterday?"
"Well..."
"I didn't sleep a wink all night, and when I got to school, you acted like nothing was wrong. Now I'm asking you out of kindness, and you're complaining about me. I'm so pitiful~~~" Kawamoto pretended to cry, burying his face in his hands on the table.
"Kawamoto..."
"Just kidding!" He immediately looked up again. "What happened? Did you argue with your brother again when you got home?"
"Junzhang always likes to scare me, I'm used to it. Besides, I was just startled, I wasn't angry with him."
"That's not how it works. You should be careful where you scare people. What if you actually fell down the stairs?"
"So I was just startled..."
"That's right, that's ridiculous!"
To be honest, Kawamoto would rather see Mari like yesterday, getting angry and sulking, than his unchanging smile. That's his true expression.
(Kurata is handsome and innocent, it's a waste of his talent to always have to put on a smile.) Kawamoto felt that only he could shoulder this responsibility, because there were very few people in school as pure-hearted and strong-willed as him.
Looking at his classmates, all of them kept their distance, only daring to peek in his direction. He couldn't help but feel a little sorry for these innocent boys. Looking back at Mari, he was simply sitting upright in his chair, as usual, earnestly chatting with his only friend. Before he became a friend, Mari had only ever quietly studied in his seat.
(What was he like when he was in the student council? With the emperor by his side… it must have been different, right?) "Kawamoto?"
"Huh?"
"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly so quiet?" "
Nothing, nothing…" Kawamoto quickly pulled his thoughts back.
Mari smiled innocently again, and another chorus of admiration rose from around them.
(You guys…) Is this the tragedy of a monastic school? Or is Mari's charm simply irresistible to the boys? Kawamoto felt like the gazes from all around were piercing him, and he shook his head helplessly.
Mari was just so handsome that it was hard to look away, but hadn't he seen enough of him every day? To be honest, Mari is truly unforgettable. Cute boys in an all-boys school are naturally a sight to behold, but Mari's charm goes far beyond that.
Delicate features, a fair complexion, and a gentle, water-like personality—he's like a painting just standing there.
His eyes are always large and clear, his nose is delicate and straight, and his lips are small and red. Because of his small frame, his 170cm height makes him appear even thinner and more delicate than he actually is.
Mari always felt inferior, believing she had nothing to offer, but none of the boys in the school thought so.
His smile was widely regarded as an "angelic smile" capable of cleansing the soul, inspiring possessiveness and a protective instinct in men. In front of the beautiful and delicate Princess Mari, almost every man wanted to be her knight and embrace her. If Mari knew this, she would probably be so ashamed and angry that she would never show her face again.
(But her twin brother, the Emperor, was completely different. His imposing face was incredibly powerful, he was tall, and he was an all-rounder... Ahhh... terrifyingly perfect!) Kawamoto chuckled dryly and touched his neck.
(Luckily, I'm immune to Kurata, I don't even have a single impure thought, so I shouldn't be in any danger, right?) "Excuse me, excuse me..."
Mari and Kawamoto looked at the source of the sound at the same time.
"Tabe, what is it?"
Kawamoto asked first, but Tabe acted as if he hadn't seen him and kept talking to Mari.
"Kurata, have you looked up the English words? Sorry, I forgot yesterday and I need them today. Can I borrow your notebook to copy them?"
"Sure." Mari smiled and nodded, handing her notebook to Tabe.
"Thanks, I'll return it to you at noon."
Tabe happily hugged Mari's notebook, practically jumping back to his seat.
(Damn it! That Tabe kid has this trick up his sleeve, I'll try it next time!) The class erupted in a commotion.
"Kawamoto, what are you laughing at...?"
He didn't have to use so many tricks to talk to Mari like everyone else, wasn't that a unique kind of happiness?
"I just feel so happy..."
The bell for the fourth period, which signaled the end of lunch break, rang, and Kawamoto hurriedly bowed to the teacher, then immediately ran to Mari's seat with his lunchbox.
When he occasionally brought a lunchbox, Mari would eat with him in the classroom; otherwise, she would always take her own lunchbox to the student council.
"I'm starving~"
"Who made this for you today?" Mari looked at Kawamoto's lunchbox with interest.
“My older sister…” Kawamoto said, opening the box, “What the hell! Why is there only omelet rice, no side dishes at all? Have some professionalism, will you?!”
Kawamoto’s exaggeratedly pained expression made Mari burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You, you…”
“How can my sister get married like this? Couldn’t you at least add some vegetables, some tomato sauce or something to make it look nice?!
This crazy person!”
“Your sister made this especially for you, and you have the nerve to complain.”
“I’m doing this for her sake! If she used this lousy food she gave me to deal with her boyfriend, even a thousand-year romance would be ruined!”
“You’re talking nonsense again!”
“It’s true!”
Although Kawamoto kept complaining, the way he wolfed down his food showed that the omelet rice must have been delicious; he even looked happier than when he ate his mother’s bento.
Mari’s bento boxes were all made by the maid. Every morning at 6:30, the maid would arrive at the Kurata house on time to make breakfast for Toshiaki and Mari, prepare their lunchboxes, send them off to school, and then begin cleaning and laundry. She would then prepare dinner and go home. Mari had grown up without her parents, accustomed to being served and cared for, and felt no particular sympathy for them.
After finishing their meal and cleaning the table, Kawamoto invited Mari, "Kurata, do you want to play volleyball?"
"No, thank you."
"Then I'll be right back."
Kawamoto waved his empty lunchbox and turned to leave. Although he knew Mari wouldn't go, Kawamoto still thoughtfully invited her every day.
Mari watched as Kawamoto, carrying a volleyball, and several classmates playfully walked out of the classroom.
(Wow, so much energy...) Turning around, he noticed a classmate standing by the door looking at him. Just as he was wondering what was going on, the classmate said, "Kurata, someone's looking for you."
"What?"
"Kuga from Class 1 is looking for you."
The name immediately reminded Mari of what happened last Friday, and she instantly tensed up, completely at a loss for words.
Unlike the oppressive atmosphere of the senior year, the corridors of the junior classrooms were usually lively during lunch break, with laughter and playful banter coming from inside the classrooms.
Now, everyone in the corridor stared wide-eyed at the sight of Mari and Kuga standing side by side, but dared not stare for long, so they quickly walked around them from a distance.
(It's Kuga Shuichi, the vice president of the Sōei student council, the second-in-command of the school. I heard he's a very important person. Why is the princess with him? Ah, they're both in the student council, they're probably discussing official business?) The two eye-catching people stood in front of Mari's classroom, attracting everyone's attention.
The second-year high school classrooms are spread across two floors. The second floor houses the science classes, divided into classes one through four, while the humanities classes, classes five through eight, are located on the third floor. Students
are initially divided into science and humanities classes when transitioning from first to second year, but the curriculum remains largely the same. Grades are also announced together for the entire second year; classes only truly separate in the third year.
Mari is a student in class five of the second year, on the third floor. Kuga specifically came up from the second floor to find him. What could be the matter?
"This is the information prepared by the executive committee. We'll have a meeting next week to discuss it. Take a look first, and after the vote, we'll begin preparing for the school anniversary."
"Thank you for bringing it all this way." Mari, without a hint of suspicion, reached out to take it.
Seeing Mari's innocently outstretched white hand, Kuga felt a headache coming on.
"You've defeated me."
"...?"
"Why the same reaction?"
"What reaction...?"
Mari inexplicably looked up, habitually fixing her gaze on Junzhang's height.
(No, no, I'm talking to Kuga right now.) "Kuga, the documents..." My arm is getting sore from holding them up, why haven't you given me the documents yet...? Kuga held the documents high, looking down at that beautiful face that didn't seem to suspect a thing.
"Hey Kurata, you're not pretending to forget, are you?"
"...Forgot what?"
"Didn't I confess to you that I like you and hope you'll go out with me? You haven't given me an answer yet."
"An answer?"
"Don't tell me you forgot."
"No, of course I remember..."
(Even jokes need an answer, right? But I'm not good at joking, how do people usually answer? If Kawamoto were here right now...) "I was so proactive, I thought you'd be touched."
"Proactive?"
"Think about it carefully. This information belongs to the Executive Department, so it has nothing to do with you, right? If I wanted to give it to you, I could have waited until you went to the Student Council. Even if you don't go to the Student Council, 　　I could have asked Junzhang to go home and give it to you, wouldn't that have been fine? "
"...You're right." "The reason I went to the Executive Department specifically to get this and even brought it to you personally can only be for one reason: I want to see you." 　　Kuga patiently explained his thoughts to Mari. It's truly touching how much effort he put into explaining his pursuit of someone. Unfortunately, the other party is Princess Mari, and this princess locked in the tower is currently thinking about how Kawamoto never taught him how to respond to jokes. 　　(What should I do? How can I reply to his joke? I don't understand...) "Um... you said you like me..." 　　"I do like you." 　　"Uh... I'm sorry, I don't quite understand." 　　"Because we're both men? That's certainly a bit unconventional, but I'm only true to my heart. 　　I genuinely like you." "That's not what I meant." 　　"Oh?" 　　"You and Junzhang are so close, the person you truly like should be Junzhang, not me, right?" Mari said matter-of-factly. His clear eyes shone with a serious light, as if they were discussing a topic unrelated to himself. 　　Kuga stared at him for a while, then slapped the documents on his shoulder, looked up at the sky, and said, "Actually, I already knew." 　　His expression changed, and his previous leisurely demeanor vanished instantly. "You've only ever had eyes for Junzhang." 　　"You..." Mari's eyes widened in surprise. 　　Kuga raised the corners of his mouth slightly. "See, you finally have an expression. It's always like this; you only react when Jun-sho is mentioned." 　　"..." 　　"Every time I'm with Jun-sho, I feel a gaze following me. Not just a curious gaze, but... a focused gaze, filled with intense emotion. Later, I realized that gaze wasn't on me, but on Jun-sho beside me." Kuga said dejectedly, while Mari remained silent. 　　"You only show emotion in your eyes when you look at Junzhang. I find it strange that you, who are usually so quiet and indifferent, have this side to you. After observing you for a while, I noticed that you look at your brother with a mixture of envy, admiration, and a little resentment. It's really interesting... Then, without realizing it, I started hoping that you would turn around and look at me too. That's when I realized... I've fallen for you. Of course, I'm not forcing you to like me now. I can wait, and I will never give up." 　　"You..." 　　"Oh, right, there's also jealousy. You sometimes look at me with jealousy. Are you like that with everyone who gets close to Junzhang?" 　　"I..." 　　"You wouldn't have fallen for your brother, would you?" 　　"...Don't say any more!!" 　　Mari couldn't help but shout, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. 　　She rarely talked to outsiders for so long; Mari had reached her limit. She took a few deep breaths and looked at Kuga again. 　　(I can't be afraid, I have to pull myself together.) "Please don't bother me anymore, I don't like this." 　　"I won't give up, and I have the freedom to pursue you." 　　"I won't fall for anyone else." 　　"What about Jun-zhang?" 　　"...That's different from this." 　　"There's nothing to be ashamed of in brotherly affection. Let me tell you, Jun-zhang's situation is much more serious than yours. 　　He sees all the men in the world as pests that will harm you, and he absolutely won't allow anyone to touch you. It's not even a matter of protection or pampering. You didn't see how headstrong he is." 　　"...You're lying." 　　"You look so cute when you're shy!" Kuga teased with a smile. 　　His smile made Mari really explode. 　　"I...I hate you! I hate it when people suddenly lie to me about whether they like me or not!" He stood on tiptoe, grabbed the documents from Kuga's hand, and ran back to the classroom. 　　Back in her seat, Mari leaned on the edge of the desk, panting, her heart pounding so hard she forgot to sit down, her eyes fixed on the stack of documents. 　　“That person is so mean! Why does Jun-sho have a friend like that!” Mari’s mind was a mess. “How can there be someone like Kuga in this world…” 　　(Maybe it’s because she’s only ever looked at Jun-sho since she was little, and never paid attention to anyone else.) Suddenly remembering what Kuga had said earlier, Mari blushed and slowly sat down, hiding her expression, not wanting anyone to see it. 　　(My face must look terrible.) Kuga was right. Mari had always only looked at Jun-sho with admiration and envy. 　　(I want to be Jun-sho, I want to be Jun-sho…) She prayed like this every day, hoping intensely, and without realizing it, her eyes were always following him. If Kuga’s criticism was correct, this had gone beyond ordinary brotherly affection, so what should it be called? 　　(Love…?) No, it wasn’t that feeling. Mari just didn’t want to give up her brother who loved her so much to someone else. She understood that she could never surpass her omnipotent and perfect brother in this life, and could only forever envy and admire him. 　　After school, Mari went to the student council as usual, but the huge shock that Kuga had caused him still hadn't subsided. He 　　was indeed very focused during the morning and afternoon classes, but Mari's mind was still in turmoil. 　　Today was Wednesday, and the student council wasn't holding a meeting; whether or not the officers went to the student council was up to them. Mari hesitated for a moment before heading to the student council office, but thinking there was no point in running away, he decided to go and take a look. 　　The student council office was located at the very back of the third floor of the old school building. The first and second floors housed the school library, and the third floor contained the student council's meeting rooms, studios, and archives. In other words, all of Songying's cultural assets were concentrated in this building. Mari 　　walked to the door of the student council office, knocked lightly twice, and only politely pushed the door open after hearing someone invite him in. 　　The student council office was a stark contrast to the silence of the corridor; it was vibrant and bustling, with everyone busy with their work. 　　"Mari, you're so late?" Seeing Mari enter, Junzhang, who was discussing something with someone, turned around and smiled at him. 　　Bathed in the golden light of dusk streaming through the window, Junzhang's smile shone even brighter. 　　"The class meeting was a bit late today, I'm sorry." 　　"It's not your fault." 　　"Mm." 　　Junzhang smiled gently at Zhenli before turning back to continue the discussion. He was holding a large stack of documents, processing them one by one. In the busy student council, the busiest person was naturally Junzhang, the president. 　　Zhenli realized she had once again habitually been staring at Junzhang, and abruptly turned away, walking towards the seat of the literature and art department secretary. 　　As soon as she sat down, she felt someone's gaze and reflexively looked up.

(Ah…) Kuga was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, smiling as he looked this way.
(Don’t look at me…) This person is really annoying! Just seeing him makes me uncomfortable; I hope I never have to see him again.
Mari had already singled out this despicable Kuga from the usual “people I don’t like” category, placing him in the rare category of “very annoying.” So he glared at Kuga fiercely, then lowered his face, refusing to look at him.
“Mari, what’s wrong? You don’t look well.”
Junzhang noticed Mari’s lowered head and immediately came over worriedly to see if he was feeling unwell. He bent down and hugged Mari, stroking Mari’s soft hair with the tenderness of a parent loving a child.
This intimate display of brotherly affection attracted everyone’s attention.
“Look, look! Kurata-senpai and those two are so ambiguous!” a first-year student council member whispered.
The other student council members echoed in unison.
"Their brotherly bond is so strong, is this how all twins are? Unlike my brother and me, we never even talk to each other."
"It's not that simple, is it? There's a bit... like there's something more... like a couple."
"Mari-senpai is so cute, I'm totally mesmerized by him. If he could touch me, I'd wake up laughing in my dreams!"
The more they talked, the more outrageous it became.
"That's right, that's right... I understand the president's feelings perfectly. If my brother were like Kurata, I'd be happy to carry him around all day. Oh, the president's actions and gaze are so different from usual, so ambiguous~~~"
"Watanabe, do you want me to get angry?"
He could be lenient with a first-year student, but not with a classmate. Jun-sho continued gently stroking Mari's hair, but his sharp gaze was directed at the executive club president, Watanabe, warning him not to say such inappropriate things in front of Mari.
"Wow, His Majesty the Emperor is furious! How terrifying~~~"
"If you have nothing better to do, get lost!"
"How scary~~~" "
..."
Junzhang was too lazy to pay attention to him anymore, and looked down at Mari in his arms.
"You don't look too good. Did you catch a chill from the night wind last night?"
"I'm fine, I don't have a cold."
"Let me see."
Junzhang was still very worried. He lifted Mari's small chin with one hand to observe his complexion, and touched his forehead with the other hand to see if he had a fever. An endless atmosphere of intimacy wafted between the two. After the two finally made up last night, Junzhang no longer deliberately suppressed his love for Mari.
His brother still loved him as much as before. Now, all that made Mari feel uncomfortable was Kuga's unreasonable behavior. How could he get rid of this annoying person?
On Saturday, it started to drizzle from early morning.
As soon as they got home from school, Junzhang and Mari hurriedly started preparing their luggage for going out. Mari, dressed in a light green shirt and linen trousers, casually draped a white wool cardigan over her shoulders, the sleeves tied in a knot at her chest. Toshiaki, on the other hand, was dressed entirely in black—a black wool cardigan, black trousers, and even a black jacket. When Mari saw Toshiaki appear in the living room in all black, she jokingly said he looked like a crow, a joke Toshiaki didn't seem to mind.
Their luggage consisted of only a medium-sized tote bag containing just their change of clothes. Toshiaki naturally carried the luggage.
Their destination, the Nakatase family home, was a villa area nestled on a hillside in the outskirts of a neighboring city, so Toshiaki and Mari hailed a taxi at the station as soon as they got off the train. Soon the car left the city, and looking out the window, a tranquil pastoral landscape stretched before them, lush greenery stretching as far as the eye could see, and the air after the rain carried the unique freshness of the countryside. Looking at Mari beside him, Junzhang couldn't help but chuckle.
"Mari, you don't need to be so nervous."
"But..."
"Just relax, this isn't an exam."
Because Junzhang teased her, Mari glared at him angrily, "I'm not like you who comes all the time. I haven't been here in ages. And... I didn't want to come in the first place!" She turned away, pouting and acting all sulky.
He'd tried to persuade her several times, even though Mari insisted on coming, but now she was throwing a tantrum, which left Junzhang feeling helpless.
"Didn't you say you wanted to come?"
"I'm here!"
"Then why are you looking so unhappy? If you didn't want to come, you shouldn't have forced yourself. Do you think I'd be happy with you like this?"
"Then you can go by yourself, I'll get off here."
"That's not what I meant!"
Junzhang, unable to bear Mari's stubbornness any longer, raised his voice. Actually, it wasn't just Mari who was nervous about this customary family visit; Toshiaki had been worried since morning. Would today's trip to the Nakatase family cause Mari some unpleasantness? Because he was distracted by these thoughts, he hadn't listened to a single word of his classes all morning.
(…I shouldn't have agreed to bring him.) But it was too late to say anything now; Toshiaki, filled with resentment, had a tense
, handsome face. Mari's reaction was enough to tell how menacing Toshiaki's expression was. Toshiaki was never a gentle person; he didn't need to yell or curse, just a sharp, cold glare was enough to send chills down one's spine. That was exactly how Toshiaki was now.
Actually, Mari was quite scared, but not wanting to show weakness to Toshiaki, she glared back forcefully.
"I'm an adult now, I can go back alone," Mari said deliberately, acting willfully.
Junzhang, rubbing his forehead helplessly, could do nothing about his spoiled younger brother and could only sigh in resignation.
"You know I'm not trying to send you home…and didn't we already agree that we'd go together this time? Why are you arguing with me about this now? Since you're an adult, you should at least understand some social etiquette."
Although he said this, Junzhang knew that his brother, whom he had overprotected and pampered since childhood, knew nothing of "social etiquette." As long as he didn't throw another tantrum and insist on leaving alone, exposing him to unpredictable danger, Junzhang would be grateful.
After a moment of silence, Junzhang heard a soft sigh beside him, followed by the creaking sound of the seat against the floor. Mari seemed to adjust her posture uneasily.
"...I'm sorry."
Although it was an apology, there was no real remorse in it.
Junzhang secretly glanced at her and saw Mari sullenly facing the car window, biting her lip and staring intently at a water droplet on it, her face flushed. It was very obvious that he was dissatisfied with his brother.
Honestly, he's clearly in the wrong, yet he's putting on such a wronged expression. He can't let him go to his relatives with that grumpy face, so Junzhang had to figure out a way to get things sorted out before they arrived.
"Mari..."
"...What?" She still didn't turn around.
"Nothing..." Still angry? Well, we'll talk about it later.
So both of them fell silent, the only sound in the car being the mechanical whirring of the wipers against the glass.
(They should be almost there, right? Maybe it's because of the rain and traffic; it seems to be taking longer than usual.) Just as Junzhang looked down at his watch, Mari suddenly spoke up, "Junzhang..."
"Hmm?"
"Yumi...is she here too?"
"Yumi? She should be here. I didn't hear she moved out. Is something wrong?"
"Nothing...I just haven't seen her in a long time." She said this, but Mari's face showed no joy at their reunion, which Junzhang unfortunately didn't notice.
"It seems like you only get to see each other during the New Year."
"You see her quite often, though."
"I wouldn't say often."
"I've been wondering, is it because... Yumi is there that you like going to the Nakatase family's house so much?"
"What?" Junzhang couldn't understand the meaning of his question at all.
Suddenly turning around, Mari stared intently into Junzhang's eyes.
"Although you always say you're going to see your grandmother, who goes to your grandmother's house so often, once every two months?"
"I don't really know how others are..."
"Actually, you really want to see Yumi, don't you?"
"What? What nonsense are you talking about!" Junzhang couldn't help but shout when he finally understood what Mari meant.
(Heaven and earth bear witness! The person I like is you!) Sadly, these words could only be kept in his heart and could not be spoken aloud. Junzhang wanted to immediately tear off his serious mask and loudly confess his full love to him.
If only they weren't brothers, he wouldn't have to worry about ethics and morality, wouldn't have to force himself to play the role of a loving older brother, and wouldn't have to spend every day frantically chasing away those pests that swarm around Mari. Heaven knows how much he envied Shuichi for being able to openly confess his feelings to Mari. But Junsho couldn't let Shuichi know about his abnormal feelings for Mari; he could only wear the mask of a good older brother and try to control Shuichi.
When would this end? He could only barely restrain his ever-growing desires with willpower; it was unbearable, too painful. And now, Mari misunderstood that he liked Yumi, and he could only suffer in silence.
Was he crazy? He was just a fool, a fool hopelessly in love with his younger brother.
(This is so painful…) Junzhang helplessly adjusted his mood and asked, “Mari, do you think I like Yumi?”
“…Isn’t that right?”
“Of course not, you’ve misunderstood. She’s just family. I’ve never thought about pursuing her, and Yumi doesn’t feel the same way about me.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, stop overthinking.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. Actually… I’ve been worried that if you two are dating, my visit might disturb you…”
Mari’s mood seemed to improve and become cheerful, but now it was Junzhang’s turn to feel annoyed.
(Wait a minute! Mari! Could it be that you like Yumi, so you see me as a rival!?) The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed! Junzhang’s jealousy began to take hold.
“Hmm, Mari, when you were little… didn’t you say you liked Yumi?”
“…Yes.”
“As for girls, it seems like you’ve only ever liked Yumi, right? So, that was your first love?” He asked deliberately in a light tone.
"Don't ask me such strange things."
"What's strange about it? I was wondering if it's because you've always liked her that you care so much about my relationship with her."
"No." Mari turned her head away and looked straight ahead.
"Is that so?"
"I don't want love."
Mari's disdainful and annoyed tone left Junzhang speechless for a moment.
The taxi stopped in front of a large mansion halfway up the mountain. After paying the fare and getting out of the car, Junzhang considerately opened an umbrella for Mari to keep him from getting wet and cold. Mari obediently let him hold the umbrella, but his face was expressionless.
"So cold..." Mari muttered, taking off the wool cardigan draped over his shoulders and putting it on.
Few vehicles and pedestrians passed through the mountain villa area shrouded in a light drizzle. As they stood in the rain with their umbrellas, Junzhang couldn't help but feel as if only the two of them remained in the world. This thought gave him a subtle sense of satisfaction.
"The temperature up in the mountains seems quite low, rather cool."
"Cool? I'd say cold."
"Cold? I think it's just right."
"Of course you'll be fine wearing so many layers."
"I'm naturally more sensitive to the cold. Come on, let's go inside."
"Okay."
Junzhang stepped forward and pressed the doorbell. In Mari's heart, her maternal grandparents' house, which she only visited once a year during the Lunar New Year, was probably more unfamiliar to her than her classmates' houses.
The imposing gate standing before her was like a tangible barrier, separating Mari from the Nakatase family.
In Mari's memory, her grandparents, uncle, and aunt were all very kind to Junzhang, always smiling and teasing him, talking and playing with him. But it wasn't like that with Mari. They didn't know what to do with this crybaby and shy little child, and seemed to have a headache. Such obvious differential treatment caused harm to little Mari's heart.
The door was opened immediately after the bell rang twice. It was Yumi who opened the door. She said she had vaguely heard the sound of a car and had rushed out to check.
"Welcome, welcome, Junzhang, Mari, everyone's been waiting for you! Come in, come in!"
Yumi seemed to be in a very good mood, her steps light as she walked up the stone steps.
(Junzhang's arrival must make her very happy, right?) Even if Junzhang didn't mean it, Yumi couldn't be sure she didn't.
(I should have known better than to come...) Seeing Yumi so happy, Mari couldn't help but feel jealous, but this negative emotion quickly turned into a deep self-loathing.
(Yes, I'm jealous. He was absolutely right, I'm jealous of everyone who gets close to Junzhang.) "Mari?" Junzhang called out, noticing Mari standing still by the door.
Mari, snapped out of her reverie by Junzhang's call, quickly shook her head to indicate it was nothing, then followed him up the stone steps. Upon entering the foyer, Junzhang folded the umbrella and placed it on the umbrella stand.
"Mom prepared lots of your favorite foods, saying she wanted to treat you well!"
"Really? I love Auntie's cooking the most." Junzhang and Yumi chatted and laughed naturally.
"You're staying overnight, right? Dad said he wanted to have a couple of drinks with you, but Grandma, being so old-fashioned, nagged him for ages."
Without the heavy makeup often seen on high school girls these days, Yumi's delicate face was clean and natural, and with her long, flowing black hair and cheerful personality, she was a very likable girl.
However, Mari just couldn't bring herself to accept Yumi like this.
She shouldn't have brought Mari along.
She hadn't expected her aunt to arrange for them to sleep in the same room. How could she possibly tell her aunt now that they wanted to sleep in separate rooms? And without a reasonable explanation, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?
Heaven knows how Junzhang has been relieving his physical needs by fantasizing about Mari all these years. Now that the real Mari is lying next to him, how can he face her?
Looking at the two futons laid out side by side in the Japanese-style guest room, Junzhang couldn't help but lament.
"Is this a test of my self-control?"
After a lively dinner, Junzhang, reeking of alcohol, went to take a bath first. When he finished and it was Mari's turn to bathe, he returned to the guest room and opened the paper door, only to be met with this scene that made him feel utterly powerless.
Luckily, we both brought our own pajamas. If we had borrowed Uncle's Japanese-style bathrobe, Mari would have immediately exposed herself. If she lay down, what would have happened? Wouldn't that be like asking me to eat her while she's hot?
No, no, no, even if Mari wore her own lake-green silk pajamas, it would be dangerous. That soft fabric would have revealed all her curves.
Junzhang sighed heavily again, pulling the paper door shut behind him. He knelt down in front of the bag containing his luggage, putting away the towel and toothbrush he had just used. In this small place, Junzhang and Mari's personalities were quite similar; they both liked to keep things neat and tidy.
After tidying up, it was time to sleep. Looking at the two adjacent bedding sheets, Junzhang, sitting on the pillowcase, couldn't help but sigh again.
"Shuichi's probably similar to me, isn't he?"
Both were men who loved Mari, and although they were rivals, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
Every day, seeing his beloved Mari right in front of him, wanting so much to hold him close and cherish him, he could only watch helplessly, unable to do anything.
(I'm worse off than him. Not only are we of the same sex, but we're brothers!) If Mari knew he fantasized about him all the time, he would surely despise him, wouldn't he?
Sigh! But feelings are the most inexplicable thing. Junzhang had considered giving up, and he had tried to slowly let go of his feelings. But the unsuspecting Mari was always around him, her irresistible allure constantly bothering him. If he could just let go, he would have done so long ago. Why had he struggled so painfully for five years?
"An angel..."
Shuichi was right. Mari was an angel. How could a mortal resist the attraction of an angel?
Shuichi was also captivated by this pure white angel, wasn't he? Ever since Mari began to distance herself from him five years ago, Junzhang could only suppress his feelings, secretly chasing after her slender figure. Sometimes he even felt that he could vaguely see a pair of pure white wings fluttering gently, as if they might take flight and leave him at any moment.
He stared blankly at the two blankets in front of him.
(Mari, I will try my best to endure it. Please don't hate me.) After silently warning himself, Junzhang sighed again.
"Junzhang, are you there?"
The sudden call snapped Junzhang back to reality. It was Yumei calling him from outside the door. He'd probably been too lost in thought to hear footsteps.
"Is that Yumei? Please come in."
"Excuse me."
The paper door opened in response.
"It's so late, is something wrong?"
"Um, I..." Yumei hesitated, leaning against the paper door, looking nervous and wanting to say something but holding back.
"I have something I want to talk to you about. Could you... come to the yard later?"
"Am I alone?"
"Yes, I'll wait for you by the pond."
Without waiting for Junzhang's reply, Yumei turned and left hastily, probably because she heard Mari's footsteps coming back to her room from the other end of the corridor.
(What could it be that Mari couldn't know?) "It feels like a storm is brewing..."
"Didn't the rain just stop?"
Mari, having finished bathing and returned to her room, looked at her muttering brother with confusion. Junzhang could only quickly and vaguely brush the matter aside.
"Junzhang, can I sleep with you?" Mari clung to her brother, pleading.
"We're both grown up, people will laugh at us for sleeping together. Mari, can you sleep by yourself?"
Mari, sitting on the quilt with her pillow, looked at Junzhang with a pitiful expression, her big eyes filled with pleading. Junzhang couldn't resist Mari's irresistible pleas and surrendered on the spot, resignedly pulling back his quilt. Mari, having succeeded, happily scurried into her brother's warm bed. It's
understandable, really; Mari has always been afraid of the dark. This spacious Japanese-style guest room, with its high ceiling, became extremely dark once the lights were turned off. If Mari slept alone, he might be too scared to sleep.
"I think you're getting more and more like a child as you grow up," Junzhang couldn't help but tease him.
"Ah, that's too much! Are you treating me like a child again?" Mari protested.
"Then why don't you dare sleep alone?"
"Only occasionally, occasionally. I don't need you to sleep with me every day."
In the quiet and peaceful night, the two talked and laughed softly, their faces close together.
"If those student council members saw us, who knows what they would say."
"I don't care! Let them say what they want."
"Shuichi might even come after me!" Junzhang said exaggeratedly.
"...I don't want to hear his name." Mari's face immediately fell.
"Ah...ah, I'm sorry."
"Even though he's your good friend, that has nothing to do with me...and this isn't school. You're talking to me now, so don't mention him in front of me." "
...Yes, I understand."
"...I'm going to sleep." Mari slowly closed her eyes.
"Mm."
Soon, steady breathing came from beside him; Mari had fallen asleep. Mari had tried so hard to keep smiling while talking with his grandmother and uncles all day; it must have been tough on him. His nerves had been on edge all day; he must be exhausted. In that case, he should probably say goodbye and go home early tomorrow! Junzhang thought with a pang of heartache.
Actually, Junzhang had been secretly praying that Mari would fall asleep quickly, and looking at Mari's innocent sleeping face, it seemed that heaven had answered his prayers.
Holding Mari's warm, soft body, Junzhang's eyes involuntarily fixed on her rosy lips. Mari's warm breath brushed against his face, and Junzhang could no longer restrain himself. He reached out and gently stroked Mari's soft cheek, mustered his courage, brushed aside the strands of hair that fell across her forehead, and placed a kiss on her forehead… The touch of lips must be completely different, right?
"Mari," he tried to call softly.
"…" There was no response, only steady breathing.
After confirming that Mari was fast asleep, Junzhang's actions gradually became bolder. First, he lightly kissed the lips he had longed for.
So fragrant...so soft...(If only you could love me too...) How he wished Mari would reciprocate his kiss. His tongue gently traced Mari's lips, and Junzhang prayed in his heart.
He should be content; today, heaven had finally taken pity on him, giving him the chance to sleep in the same bed with Mari, and even kiss his lips. If he wasn't satisfied, he would be punished by heaven.
Junzhang reluctantly pulled away from Mari's lips, anxiously examining the sleeping face before him. Fortunately, Mari was fast asleep and showed no signs of waking up. While secretly relieved, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed..."Mari, will you hate me?" Will you hate me, your unforgivable brother, for defiling your lips and betraying your trust?
Although it was just a brief kiss, Junzhang felt his lower body gradually heating up. Thankfully, Mari was fast asleep. If he had been woken up, he feared he might have acted violently towards him.
He turned over, trying to calm himself. He picked up his watch from beside his pillow and checked the time in the dim light; it was almost 11 o'clock. Yumi was still waiting for him.
"I'll be right back. Sleep well," he said softly, kissing her soft cheek again.
Junzhang helped Mari pull the blanket up to keep him warm, then carefully got up from the blankets, took his jacket from the hanger, and put it on. After tiptoeing out of the paper door, he gently closed it again and turned to walk into the yard.
The spacious yard after the rain was filled with refreshingly clean air, making one feel exceptionally relaxed. Even the insects in the grass seemed particularly excited, chirping their songs. Hidden among the well-arranged flowers and trees, the koi pond sat in the center of the yard. In the dim moonlight, a petite figure could be seen standing by the pond; Yu Mei had arrived first.
Jun Zhang approached quietly.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." To avoid startling her, Jun Zhang considerately lowered his voice.
"No, I just arrived too. Besides, I should be apologizing. I'm sorry for asking you out so late."
"Is there something you need?"
"Um..." Yu Mei seemed a little hesitant to speak, "Well, actually, I wanted to ask you why you two came to my house together today... Is there some special reason?" Yu Mei looked up at Jun Zhang anxiously.
"A special reason? No, we just came to see Grandma, just like usual."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie to you? Is there a problem?" Could Yu Mei's meeting with him be related to this?
"Um... well, it's like this, a few days ago I overheard Dad and the others discussing..."
"Discussing what?"
"This is related to you too, so calm down and listen to me."
"What's so serious about it?" Yumi seemed quite serious; was it really that important?
"Engagement?"
It turned out the elders wanted to match Yumi with one of their brothers, so they called them over to secretly observe which one would get along better with her.
"Yes. You didn't expect that, did you? Dad seems to really want me to marry into the Kurata family. I can't stand him! It's my life, after all; he should give me some choice!"
"Exactly... even if you don't object, Mari and I still need to think about it!" "
Haha, you're right."
"Besides... we're still high school students, it's too early to talk about marriage." I really can't understand what these adults are thinking!
"So they haven't mentioned it to you yet. It seems this is just talk, nothing's settled yet."
"Since my dad hasn't said a word to me, it probably means he doesn't want to interfere. I think it's just my uncle being enthusiastic."
"Ah, that puts my mind at ease. You usually come alone, but today even Mari came! I was so nervous. I thought Dad would make me choose one right away, I couldn't eat anything all night."
"Don't you have a boyfriend?"
"Shh! Keep it down…it's a secret!" Yumi put her index finger to her lips, nervously glancing around.
Junzhang nodded and said, "I understand. If they tell me about this, I'll politely decline their offer."
"Yes, yes, that's right. Great, if neither of us wants it, Dad will have to give up."
"I have my own will. I don't want my elders to lead me by the nose and decide my future for me."
"That's right."
The two smiled at each other. With the problem resolved, the atmosphere relaxed.
“Okay, if there’s nothing else, I want to go back. I sneaked out without telling Mari, I was afraid he’d wake up and not see me.”
“Oh, right. I’m so sorry to have made you run out in the middle of the night…”
“It’s okay, I know you didn’t want the adults to see us talking in the room, so they wouldn’t misunderstand and think we were interested in each other.”
“My dad, he might be eager for us to get engaged right away!”
“Maybe.”
The two chatted and laughed as they walked back. Because of the rain during the day, the ground was a bit slippery and difficult to walk on. Junzhang, wearing leather shoes, was fine, but Yumi, who had run out in slippers, had to be careful of the dark road and cautiously followed behind Junzhang.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
But as soon as she finished speaking, Yumi tripped over a stone, stumbled, and fell forward, losing her balance.
“Whoa!”
Yumi instinctively reached out and grabbed Junzhang in front of her.
“Wow, that scared me to death! I thought I was going to fall!”
“If you had fallen face down like that, you would have definitely smashed your nose.”
"You're still laughing! That's too much! A woman's face is her life!" Yu Mei protested, hugging Jun Zhang.
"If that's the case, then why aren't you wearing makeup today when we have guests? Are you deliberately going to let me and Mari think you're ugly and reject this marriage proposal?"
"Hmph, I'm naturally beautiful, I don't need any artificial enhancements. Don't forget, your famously beautiful mother is my aunt!"
"Yes, yes, my apologies, I was truly blind."
"I'm magnanimous and won't hold a grudge."
"Alright, stop fooling around, Yu Mei, can you let go of me now? I can't walk like this." "
What a great figure! What's wrong with hugging me a little longer? It won't hurt you!"
"Huh?"
"I wish my boyfriend was as tall as you."
"Do you care about height? Isn't inner qualities more important?"
"Of course, I love him very much. By the way, what kind of person is your girlfriend?"
"I don't have a girlfriend yet."
"Really? I can't believe it! Are your standards too high?"
"That shouldn't be the reason."
Junzhang couldn't help but recall Mari's innocent smile, and could only smile bitterly to himself.
His long eyelashes fluttered, and Mari, who had been fast asleep, woke up.
(It's so cold... Why am I still so cold even though Junzhang is holding me?) Mari curled up and reached out to touch him.
"Hmm..."
Junzhang should be beside him, so why can't I touch him?
(Huh?) Opening his eyes groggily, Mari realized Junzhang wasn't in the room, a shock that fully woke him.
(Where could he have gone?) Probably to the bathroom, Mari thought, sitting up.
"I have to go find him..."
Mari knew Junzhang would never abandon him, but he was still worried, so he decided to get up and look for him.
As Mari got out of bed, the cold night air sent a shiver down his spine. He wanted to take down the wool cardigan from the wall to put on, but then he noticed that the black jacket that had been hanging nearby was gone.
"Isn't he going to the bathroom?"
She looked down at the sweater in her hands. No, it's a bit chilly tonight; even if he's going to the bathroom, he might wear a jacket. Besides, even if he doesn't go to the bathroom, he might take a walk in the yard or something; maybe he can't sleep because he's been drinking.
Mari gently opened the paper door and walked out. Barefoot on the cold corridor, the four adjacent large guest rooms looked particularly eerie in the deserted night. Mari quickened her pace, walking until she reached the exit next to the kitchen leading to the yard before daring to stop and catch her breath. Mari never liked staying at the Nakatase family's house; if it weren't for Toshiaki accompanying her, she would have already given up.
Putting on a cardigan and slippers, Mari opened the door and was about to step into the yard when she suddenly heard faint voices coming from the pond.
Although Mari didn't intend to eavesdrop on their conversation and didn't need to hide, she felt embarrassed to suddenly appear and disturb them, so she could only hide behind the door and peek into the yard.
A man and a woman stood by the pond. Although they couldn't hear what they were saying due to the distance, in the dim moonlight, Mari could clearly see Yumi and Junzhang embracing.
Her mind went blank; Mari was so shocked she could barely stand. Her blood seemed to freeze, her limbs turning like ice.
(They were…) Her heart felt as if it had been slammed to the ground, then shattered… shattered… Junzhang tiptoed back to the room, carefully opening the paper door, afraid of waking the sleeping Mari.
“Mari…?”
Junzhang stared in astonishment at the scene before him. Only two blankets lay silently in the spacious guest room; Mari was nowhere to be seen.
He touched the blankets; they were cold. It seemed Mari had been gone for quite some time.
“Did he wake up immediately after I left?”
But where could he have gone? If he went out to look for me, we should have met in the hallway, right? Junzhang felt a vague sense of foreboding and quickly glanced at the corner.
(It's still there...) The bag containing their luggage was still there, but Mari's clothes were gone.
(Could he have gone home? But it's the middle of the night!) Worried, Junzhang immediately changed out of his pajamas, folded two quilts and placed them in the corner of the room. He grabbed the bag and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and stopped. He took out his notebook and briefly wrote down that the two of them had to rush home due to unforeseen circumstances and would explain the details later. Then he casually tore off a note and placed it on top of the folded quilts.
(I'm in such a hurry, and I still have to consider these social niceties. How pathetic.) He mocked himself as he hurried towards the entrance.
The rain had stopped, so there was no need to worry about Mari getting wet and sick for the time being. This was the only good news for Junzhang.
Mari had been frail and sickly since birth, so she had always been very thin. Even a slight cold could keep her in bed for days. Until junior high, even during holidays, Mari spent almost all his time resting in bed. He had no opportunity for the usual fun and games that healthy, active teenagers his age enjoyed. Although his condition improved slightly after entering high school, he still couldn't be careless. He quickly walked down the stone steps from the entrance hall and immediately saw the slightly ajar door. Sure enough, Mari had secretly left the Nakatase family home. It was the middle of the night; it was unlikely he could hail a taxi on the mountain. Did he really intend to walk down to catch the train? This was a twenty-minute drive down the mountain!
The night was cold and windy; his body… no way! He had to catch up with him and bring him back immediately!
Junzhang ran frantically along the mountain path in the dead of night, but after running for a long time without seeing Mari, his anxiety grew, and his frustration intensified. What was wrong with Mari? How could he be so reckless? Didn't he know how much worry others would have if he left without saying goodbye?!
On the silent mountain road, not only were there no cars, but even the scattered houses nestled on the hillside were almost completely dark; those inside were probably fast asleep.
After chasing for a long stretch of mountain road, Junzhang finally spotted the slender white figure he had been longing to see, swaying and staggering forward under the dim streetlights ahead.
"Mari!"
The white figure trembled slightly at the sound of his voice, then continued walking.
Junzhang hurriedly quickened his pace to catch up, grabbing his wrist and forcing him to turn around.
"Mari! Stop!"
Mari winced in pain from the tight grip on his wrist, but stubbornly remained silent.
"What are you doing? How can you be so reckless? Don't you know how worried others are about you?!"
"..."
"Say something!"
Seeing him like this, Junzhang couldn't help but get angry. But Mari remained standing silently, one wrist tightly gripped in Junzhang's hand, her pale face blank as she stared at the damp ground.
Junzhang released her grip, forcibly lifting Mari's face to face him. Mari glared at him indifferently for a moment.
"Let go."
With a slap, Mari slapped Junzhang's hand away from her chin. This was the second time Mari had refused his touch since what happened on the stairs after school on Monday. This blatant rejection deeply stung Junzhang.
Seeing Mari turn to leave again, Junzhang truly couldn't bear it any longer. Actually, he didn't want to blame Mari for suddenly leaving the Nakatase family, but he was resentful that Mari ignored his concern like this, not only walking away alone without a word, but also remaining silent after he finally caught up, treating him like a stranger.
"Mari!!"
Mari's body trembled again, probably realizing that Junzhang was truly angry. She reluctantly turned back and said coldly, "I'm going home."
"Why!?"
"Why? Because I don't want to stay there at all. Anyway, I didn't want to come in the first place, and I won't go again. If you like going, you can go by yourself from now on. Don't drag me along anymore." She then walked away on her own.
"Mari, wait!"
Junzhang quickly caught up.
"How are you going to get back? The last train has already left."
"Anyway, I can get there eventually on foot. Don't come with me."
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could I not care about you?"
They walked silently along the mountain path, the only sound in the quiet night being the sound of their footsteps splashing through puddles.
Finally, they reached the train station, and sure enough, the iron gate at the entrance was already closed. Walking back to the Kurata family home, an hour's train ride away, was simply impossible. But judging from Mari's expression, it was unlikely he would obediently come back to the Nakatase family home with him. At that moment, Junzhang suddenly remembered what Yumi had said.
(You don't have a girlfriend?...Aren't you just too picky?) Maybe so! Junzhang smiled bitterly. What he wanted to pluck was an extremely shy, neurotic flower that grew deep in the mountains, disliking anyone's approach. This extraordinary flower only accepted the nutrients Junzhang gave it, only breathed the oxygen Junzhang provided, only expected Junzhang's lifelong protection, and therefore only bloomed beautifully for Junzhang alone. If he told Yumei that Mari was his only wish in this life, what would she think?
"Mari..."
"I don't want to hear anything, I want to go home."
"I know, I'll go back with you."
"..."
Mari slowly turned around to look at him, and Junzhang quickly pointed behind him.
"Mari, look, there's an empty taxi coming by, let's take a taxi home."
The taxi sped along the highway for an hour and a half, and it was already 2 a.m. when they got home.
Mari had remained silent in the car, her eyes downcast as if Junzhang didn't exist. This situation was even worse than when Mari had distanced herself from him before.
(...Is he sick? How could he suddenly become like this? What should I do...?) Mari's indifference made Junzhang feel like he was living a life worse than death. He believed Mari felt the same way. Mari had previously said that she felt very lonely. He had to find a way to end this state, otherwise, if Shuichi took advantage of the situation and stole her away, it would be terrible! All the way, Junzhang had been thinking about this, feeling extremely anxious.
After getting off the car, he looked up and saw that the spacious Kurata house was still dark. It seemed that the Kurata couple hadn't gone home for the weekend. They were probably too busy with work at the hospital, so they stayed overnight in the luxury apartment they bought near the hospital.
"It seems like Dad and the others haven't come back yet."
"..."
Just as Junzhang looked up at the master bedroom on the second floor, Mari took out her key, opened the door, and went in.
"Mari!"
"..."
Mari's blatant disregard for Junzhang made him unable to hold back any longer. Mari came and went as she pleased, and then inexplicably sentenced him to death—how could he accept that?
Upon entering the living room, seeing Mari trying to retreat to his room, Junzhang immediately followed him upstairs. Hearing footsteps behind him, Mari knew Junzhang had caught up, so he tried to lock the door as soon as he entered his room. Unfortunately, he was too slow; just as he was about to lock it, Junzhang pushed the door open from the outside.
Junzhang, his face ashen, glared down at Mari.
"Mari, if you keep acting like this, I'm really going to get angry!"
Weren't you already angry? That terrifying gaze, that fierce tone—Mari had never seen him so frightening before.
(Don't look at me like that…) Mari suddenly felt everything go black, as if he had been pushed into a terrifying, bottomless abyss.
Since birth, his older brother had been everything to him, his only support for this useless man. He had grown accustomed to living under Jun-sho's protection, accustomed to being with his brother. But now, Jun-sho had fallen for Yu-mei and was so angry with him; he definitely didn't like him anymore.
What to do? What to do? He was so useless; no one liked him, whether it was his elders or his classmates at school. Everyone saw that the capable Jun-sho had such a useless younger brother, so they always stared at him, secretly mocking him. Even Kuga Shuichi maliciously teased him. The only one who was kind to him was Kawamoto; only he pitied him and kindly stayed with him. If he were really left alone, what would he do? He truly lacked the confidence to survive in this world where no one liked him.
For Mari, if Jun-sho abandoned him, it would be tantamount to telling him to die.
"No, I don't want to..."
The terrifying thoughts made Mari's delicate nerves unable to bear it any longer. Because she refused to accept the cruel reality, she became mentally disoriented. Moisture slowly gathered in her empty eyes, and then large tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Mari? Mari?"
Why was Mari suddenly crying? Jun-sho was at a loss and rushed forward to check on her.
"I don't want to, I don't want to..."
Tears streamed down her face as she murmured "no, no," completely bewildered by Mari's sudden reaction.
"Why are you crying?" "
Jun-sho..."
"I just wanted you to tell me what happened tonight, that's all."
"But you..."
You're angry with me. Jun-sho's appearance just now was so terrifying; he must not want him anymore.
"Ugh..."
An overwhelming despair washed over Mari. She felt a tightness in her chest, a suffocating urge to vomit, and then suddenly began coughing violently.
"Mari!?"
"No...don't...cough, cough, cough..."
Although he still wanted to say something, this heart-wrenching cough forced him to stop speaking completely.
Cough, cough, his throat hurt so much, cough, cough, cough, his chest hurt so much too, he felt nauseous and wanted to vomit, but he couldn't vomit anything, he couldn't breathe... "I..."
Mari could no longer bear the dual torment of body and mind, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he finally collapsed forward weakly.
"Mari! Mari!" Junzhang caught Mari's limp body.
"Mari, calm down, don't be afraid, don't be afraid, your brother is here."
"Jun..."
"Don't speak yet."
(Junzhang...) Leaning against Junzhang's strong arms, Mari felt safe and at ease.
Because he hadn't had an attack for a long time, Mari had almost forgotten the pain that used to torment him as a child.
Because Mari's trachea and digestive system were not fully developed, any pain in his body would cause severe coughing, asthma, and vomiting. Even after examination, no specific cause could be found. It was possible that his nerves were too delicate, causing his body to be overwhelmed by any external stimuli.
He remembered when he was little, whenever he had an attack, coughing incessantly, struggling to breathe, and feeling so miserable he felt like he was going to die, his older brother would stay up all night holding him, gently patting him to help him breathe, and constantly whispering comforting words in his ear. Because of his brother's meticulous care, Mari was able to alleviate his pain and fall asleep peacefully.
And now, Junzhang was holding him just like when he was little, his large hands stroking his back. When the coughing subsided a little, he would gently pat him to help Mari relax.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Mmm..."
Mari nodded gently, letting Junzhang hold him in his arms.
(...He's not angry anymore, is he? He won't abandon me, will he?) Cough, cough, cough, suppressing an uncomfortable cough, Mari lifted his head from Junzhang's embrace, looking at him anxiously.
Seeing Mari's timid expression, Junzhang's face changed.
"Mari...?"
He bent down to Mari's level, his sharp eyes firmly gripping Mari's shifting gaze.
"You...you were thinking about random things again, weren't you?"
"...No."
"No? Were you just thinking about things like 'Brother's angry is scary,' or 'Brother doesn't want me anymore,' right?" "
...No."
Mari didn't want to admit it; he wouldn't allow his weakness and helplessness to be so blatantly exposed.
"You still say no. Then tell me, why did you suddenly have this episode again?"
"I already told you no!"
Unable to withstand Junzhang's questioning, tears silently streamed down Mari's face again.
“Mari…”
“Why do you always like to tease me… Bullying me like this, and then laughing at me, do you feel happy?”
“When did I bully you?”
“You lied to me first, saying that you and Yumi weren’t doing anything, and then you deliberately did that kind of thing for me to see…”
“That kind of thing?”
Ah, Mari must have seen Yumi hugging him tightly in the yard. Oh no, Mari misunderstood.
(But, just because of that, should I leave without saying goodbye in a huff?) Anyone who observes for a moment should be able to easily see that they aren’t actually in love.
“You’re so gentle and considerate to everyone, you don’t understand my feelings at all. Not just Kuga and Yumi, but even the people in the student council, whenever I see you smile at them, I feel uncomfortable, jealous, and sad…”
“Mari, you…”
Looking at Junzhang’s astonished expression, Mari laughed miserably.
"I so want to be as good as you. I like the things you like, I like the people you like... I've always been imitating you, I hate being myself..."
Mari's unexpected confession greatly shocked Jun-zhang, because he had never known that this angel who seemed so innocent and unambitious in his eyes harbored such intense feelings. Stunned, Jun-zhang unconsciously released his hold on Mari... Feeling the warmth surrounding him suddenly disappear, Mari anxiously leaned closer, wrapping her arms tightly around his strong waist.
"Just having you by my side is enough, I don't want anything else."
"Mari..."
"I know you'll hate me like this, because even I hate myself like this. You could never like being with me."
Unexpectedly, such self-loathing words came from Mari's lovely lips.
"You, you silly little thing..."
Should he say it? Jun-zhang hesitated, struggling. They had already come this far; there was no need to continue pretending.
"I love you."
The feelings buried deep within his heart for so many years could finally be expressed to the one he loved.
Mari blinked. "Are you trying to comfort me?"
"I'm not comforting you."
"You must be trying to comfort me, right? You're so kind and caring to everyone, you're only saying this because you feel sorry for me."
"Nonsense! I'm not kind to everyone, I've only ever been kind to you, everything I've done is for you."
Mari still looked suspicious.
"Mari, I truly love you."
"I know, because we're brothers, Mom told us to love each other, so even if I'm a nasty younger brother, you can't do anything about it, right?" "
It's not like that. My love for you has nothing to do with whether we're brothers, it's just because you are you."
Junzhang had been in despair, but now this was a golden opportunity for him to confess to Mari. But why did Mari refuse to believe his sincere declaration of love? Was fate playing a cruel trick on him?
"...Really?" Mari seemed a little hesitant.
"Of course it's true." Junzhang nodded vigorously.
"...I'm so happy."
Mari tilted her head back and smiled innocently, making Junzhang's heart flutter.
"Mari..."
Junzhang felt his lower body begin to stir, the tragedy of being a male. He tried to suppress the wicked thoughts in his mind and gently stroked Mari's cheek.
"I love you. In this world, you are the person I love most."
"Really? More than Kuga and Yumi?"
"Yes, I only love you." Why does Mari still misunderstand that I like Shuichi and Yumi?
"Then prove it to me. Can you... give me something that Kuga and Yumi don't have?"
"Of course, I'll give you anything you want."
Junzhang is willing to give anything for Mari.
Mari happily took her brother's hand, stood on tiptoe, and kissed Junzhang's lips.
"I feel like I'm dreaming," Mari said, ecstatically.
"Me too, but it's all real."
"Yeah, I know, it's so warm to have you holding me."
"Come on, what do you want me to give you?"
"Hmm..."
Mari hesitated slightly before speaking her wish: "I want you... to touch me, like when we were little."
"Huh?"
"I want you to hug me and touch me properly. Kuga and Yumi don't have any, only I do."
"..."
Junzhang didn't know how to react for a moment. He never dreamed that Mari would make such a request.
"...I want you to hug me."
"Do you... know what you're saying?" Does this angel know what hugging and touching mean?
"Mmm." I knew this simple thing when I was a child.
Mari nodded seriously.
Junzhang had originally believed that Mari would always be an unattainable existence for him, but now this untouchable existence was making a request of him. How could he resist?
Pulling his hand away from Mari's grasp, as if performing a sacred ritual, Junzhang solemnly and steadily picked up the person he had longed for for so many years, slowly walked to the bedside, gently placed him on the edge of the bed, and then carefully and gently began to remove Mari's clothes, afraid that he would frighten him if he was too rough. Since
childhood, Mari had been under Junzhang's strict supervision, so he rarely had the opportunity to have physical contact with anyone, and had never even had the experience of holding hands or putting his arm around someone's shoulder. So now, all Mari wanted was for someone to hug him, to give him warmth and a sense of security.
Even now, stripped naked by Junzhang, Zhenli felt no lust whatsoever. She only felt like a baby, naked and slightly shy, and gave Junzhang a bashful smile.
"Are you cold?"
"A little..."
"It's alright, you won't be cold anymore."
I swear I will never let you feel cold again. I will surround your whole body with warm love, filling your heart with my love.
Gently laying Zhenli's slender body down, afraid of hurting this flawless work of art in the slightest, he wanted Zhenli to fully enjoy physical pleasure, so every movement was infused with all his love.
"Zhenli, I love you, I love you..."
Accompanied by gentle caresses, Junzhang repeatedly vowed his unchanging promise to Zhenli in her ear. With each word, Zhenli's face grew even happier.
Zhenli's body was softer and more alluring than she had imagined.
The places Junzhang caressed felt warm and comfortable to Zhenli, and she hummed softly.
Morals and ethics were irrelevant to Junzhang. As long as Zhenli loved him, he didn't care about anything else.
Junzhang believed that Zhenli made this request because she loved him.
(Zhenli must love me.) Junzhang was absolutely certain. What could be
better than having the purest love from an angel left behind by God?
The birdsong in the morning sounded especially pleasant to Junzhang today. Was it already dawn? Junzhang felt that all of this was unbelievable. Maybe everything last night was just a dream. Even if it was a dream, he didn't want to wake up so early.
(What time is it now...) It's Sunday, so it's okay to sleep in a little later. After all, he didn't get home until 2 a.m. last night, and then so many things happened that made him so tired. He should sleep a little longer... So many things! Junzhang suddenly opened his eyes. That's right! Last night he and Zhenli... "Hmm..."
The first thing that caught his eye was an unfamiliar ceiling. This wasn't his room.
(Ah…this is Mari’s room.) Now fully awake, Jun-sho was about to get up when he found Mari nestled against his arm, fast asleep.
Mari is mine!
This isn’t a dream!
His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, too afraid to move, but he couldn’t hide the deep smile on his face.
At this moment, he wanted to shout to the world that he, Kurata Jun-sho, was the happiest man in the world!
(Why am I acting so silly…) He couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Mari stirred in his arms, seemingly about to wake up. Jun-sho immediately leaned closer, hoping that the first thing Mari would see when she woke up was his happiest smile.
“You’re awake? It’s Sunday, sleep a little longer.”
“Hmm…is it dawn?”
Because she had just woken up, Mari still looked groggy, making her look especially endearing.
“It seems so, but I’m not sure what time it is.”
Looking at the height of the sun outside the window, he guessed it was probably close to noon.
"I went to bed really late last night."
"Yeah."
They smiled at each other, everything understood without words.
"Junzhang, your hands must hurt, right? You don't need me to use them as a pillow. Am I heavy?"
"It's okay, don't worry about me. Having you sleep in my arms is every man's dream."
"You're teasing me again."
"..."
Junzhang couldn't help but kiss those slightly parted lips again. Zhenli slowly closed her eyes, quietly feeling Junzhang's love, feeling the happiness before her.
"Junzhang..."
"Am I dreaming?"
"Junzhang, are you still half asleep?"
Zhenli blushed, shyly starting to struggle. Because of her struggle, the down comforter that had been covering her slipped down, revealing a large expanse of her snow-white chest. Seeing such an alluring body, Junzhang felt that no matter how much he wanted her, it wouldn't be enough.
(Homemade, homemade...) "Mari, do you want to take a shower first?"
"Okay."
Nodding, Mari got out of bed naturally, unconcerned about exposing her naked body to Junzhang. Mari casually picked up the shirt that had fallen on the carpet and draped it over herself.
"Then I'll go take a shower first."
Reaching the doorway, Mari turned back and smiled at Jun-sho, a warm smile that instantly filled Jun-sho's heart with happiness.
Entering the changing room, Mari took off his shirt and placed it in the laundry basket. Looking down, he immediately noticed a rose-colored mark on his chest. Similar rose marks were scattered all over his body; these were Jun-sho's gifts, proof of his love.
"So beautiful..." Mari murmured contentedly, gently touching the mark on his chest.
Because Jun-sho loved him, he agreed to hug him and caress him; because Jun-sho liked Mari, Mari liked him too. Looking up at his reflection in the mirror, he felt incredibly happy and at peace knowing that someone loved him, because he had always felt useless and therefore deeply insecure and resentful of himself.
Thinking about this, Mari smiled happily.
The next Monday after school, the student council was as lively as ever. Some were studying, some were doing homework; even without official business, everyone liked to gather there.
Mari quietly organized the files in the filing cabinet. The files, which should have been arranged chronologically by year, were always missing a few or out of order.
(I should put things back where I need them after use; this haphazard arrangement is a double waste of time…) Mari thought helplessly.
(Why not just put things back where they belong after researching? Why keep moving them around like this?) Mari held several folders in her hands, tilting her head in thought, utterly baffled as to why anyone would like to leave things so messy.
(Done!) She closed the glass door of the filing cabinet, took a breath, and glanced at her watch; school closing time was approaching.
(Time to go home.) She wondered if Jun-sho was finished. Mari secretly glanced at Jun-sho.
Since starting high school, Mari hadn't walked home with Jun-sho after school, and they always went their separate ways to school. But after what happened last weekend, there was no need to avoid Jun-sho anymore.
(Jun-sho always walks with Kuga, and they often come home very late. I must ask them what they've been up to next time.) Mari sighed softly, rolling up the charts in her hands while her eyes followed Jun-sho's busy figure.
Although Mari had finally gotten the "proof" she'd always wanted, she still hoped Jun-sho could spend more time with her. She wanted to feel Jun-sho's warmth and presence more; that would make her feel more at ease.
Like this morning, when they walked to school together, they caused a commotion near the school gate. All the students at Songying stared wide-eyed at this unprecedented sight. Shy Mari felt extremely uncomfortable under everyone's gaze, but with Jun-sho by her side, she wasn't afraid of anything.
Perhaps sensing Mari's gaze, Jun-sho turned around and smiled gently at her, "Mari, are you finished?"
"Yes."
"I'm almost done too. Wait a moment."
"Okay."
She nodded obediently. So Jun-sho was thinking of her too; this made Mari very happy. As he walked back to his seat and was about to sit down, he noticed someone watching him.
(Could it be Kuga again...?) Because Mari's mind had been focused on Junsho all day, he hadn't paid any attention to what was happening around him.
The thought that Kuga might have been spying on him for the past few hours made Mari feel uneasy. He
timidly turned around and, sure enough, Kuga's gaze was fixed on him. And this time, it wasn't his usual smiling face; today, his eyes were... how to put it, burning like flames.
How scary, was he angry? Mari really didn't understand why Kuga always liked to stare at him. Did he want to see him make a fool of himself?
(...I'll just pretend I didn't notice. Yes, don't overthink it, I don't even know him.) Mari comforted himself with this thought. For Mari right now, the only thing that mattered to him was Junsho.
He only needed Junsho to be with him; he didn't care about anything else.
Having made up her mind, Mari deliberately turned her face away coldly, ignoring Kuga's gaze. But when she turned around, her eyes met Junsho's, and Mari immediately broke into a smile.
It was almost time, and everyone had begun packing up to go home. Soon, only Junsho, Mari, Kuga, and Watanabe, the head of the activities department, and a few of his juniors remained in the student council.
"Watanabe, are you done packing?"
"Sorry, sorry."
Watanabe hurriedly came out last, the others already waiting for him in the hallway.
Junsho closed the door, took out his key to lock it, and Watanabe stretched dramatically.
"Heh~~ Finally finished studying, can go home, take a shower, and go straight to bed."
"What exactly did you come here for?" Junsho rolled his eyes at him.
"Of course I'm here to study."
"Then let's go to the library, it's downstairs."
"What's the difference? I'm more used to studying here, and besides, the princess is here, so I can relieve eye strain while studying."
"Princess?"
"Yes, our most beautiful Princess Mari from Songying. I, Watanabe, am also one of your devoted admirers, dear Mari, you must remember that."
"Huh?"
Mari didn't know someone was going to talk to him, so he wasn't listening at all.
"Watanabe, are you talking to me?"
"How can you ignore me? You've wasted all my devotion. I was just saying..."
"Ignore him, Mari! Okay, let's go."
"Huh? But..."
Junzhang grabbed Mari's hand without giving him a chance to speak and dragged him downstairs, while Kuga, Watanabe, and the other three juniors stood there dumbfounded.
"Let go, Junzhang, my hand hurts."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
Junzhang finally stopped and released Mari's wrist when they reached the first floor.
"Why are you walking so fast? It's so rude to others, isn't it? And Watanabe wants to talk to me... It's not good to leave him like this, is it?"
"Don't worry about him." "
...But?"
Mari looked back up the stairs. Watanabe wasn't following behind, so it probably wasn't anything important, right?
(Never mind, it probably doesn't matter.) It was completely dark outside. The entrance hall was deserted, and the playground was empty. The sports clubs had all finished their practice and gone home long ago.
"Ah, is it already this late?"
Mari remained silent, because she was more concerned about the pain in her wrist.
(Why did Junzhang pinch me so hard?) Although I'm wearing a thick winter coat now, Junzhang's excessive force still penetrates the thick fabric, causing a clear pain in my hand.
"Mari, what's wrong?"
"Hmm?"
"Your expression is a little strange."
"Nothing..."
"Why are you frowning? Is something on your mind?"
"Nothing, it's just... my hand... hurts."
Mari rubbed the spot where Junzhang had pinched her.
"Huh? Your hand hurts?... Did I do that? I'm sorry, I forgot to control my strength..."
Seeing Junzhang's flustered appearance, Mari couldn't help but chuckle.
"It's okay, you always liked to tease and bully me, I'm used to it."
"Me? Bully you? No way!"
"Tell me, wasn't it like that time on the stairs? You suddenly got angry, which confused me."
"That was..."
That was jealousy. But Junzhang didn't want Mari to know this, because he wanted to always be the most perfect in Mari's eyes. That time, it was because he heard that Mari, who was usually aloof, actually had a friend, so Jun-sho was very bothered. He happened to see Mari and Kawamoto walking together on the stairs, and was instantly consumed by jealousy. He didn't want Mari to be talking so intimately with someone else, and by the time he regained his senses, he was already hugging Mari from behind.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Without saying a word, Jun-sho quickly walked towards the door.
"Jun-sho?" Confused, Mari ran after him, looking at him with a puzzled expression.
"..."
Jun-sho sighed helplessly. "Mari
, why are you so oblivious?"
"Yes, yes, everyone knows how much you two love each other, so please don't always put on a show in public. I get jealous."
Mari turned around in surprise, only to see Kuga complaining to Jun-sho with a jealous expression, while the two junior students responsible for escorting Mari were already on either side of her. Startled by Kuga's sudden appearance, Mari immediately turned her head away.
Kuga and his junior, Mari, had completely forgotten about them. Actually, Mari had been a little absent-minded since early morning. Whenever he saw Jun-sho, he would unconsciously smile, as if they were the only two people in the world.
(Is this a side effect...?) Because Jun-sho said he loved him, Mari felt very happy. He hoped Jun-sho could spend more time with him, so his eyes always followed Jun-sho. Whenever Jun-sho turned around, Mari would naturally smile happily, even though he was a little embarrassed in public, he couldn't hide his joy. Mari didn't know that his endlessly radiating "angelic smile" made Jun-sho want to gouge out everyone's eyes.
Thinking about this, Mari blushed and quickly pressed his burning cheeks.
"Mari?"
Why was Mari blushing? Was it because of Shuichi's appearance?
"Nothing." Mari quickly shook his head.
And so, the two, each with their own thoughts, walked out of the school gate with complicated expressions.
Since they didn't have anything particularly to talk about, they just walked quietly like that. Upon arriving at the bustling shopping street in front of the station, the two groups were separated by the crowd. Mari walked ahead, protected by his junior, while Jun-sho and Shuichi lagged behind a few steps.
Since Mari couldn't see what was happening behind him, he wondered if Jun-sho and Kuga were talking about something, but he didn't have the courage to turn around and check.
Jun-sho and Shuichi, watching Mari's back, immediately noticed his insecurity. He was instinctively clutching his backpack to his chest, struggling to answer the concerned questions from his two juniors.
Mari, with his small frame, looked even more fragile and pitiful when he was anxious, making one want to hug and protect him. Understanding this, Jun-sho immediately became defensive.
"Don't look at him," Jun-sho warned Shuichi bluntly.
Shuichi completely ignored his abrupt threat, his sharp gaze sweeping over him.
"Who are you not allowed to look at?"
"Nonsense! My brother, of course."
"You..."
"It's all because of your murderous look that my brother was so scared."
"That's a huge injustice. What's wrong with looking ahead when you walk? I think you'd better tone down your brother complex. I'm used to it, but if ordinary students saw you like that, your emperor image would be ruined."
"Nonsense! What's wrong with protecting my brother? Anyway, you're not allowed to have any designs on Shinri."
"You're really quite ill. Your brother complex cancer is probably in its late stages."
"..." Junzhang glared seriously at his repeatedly provocative rival.
Xiuyi, however, confidently glanced back at him before turning her gaze back to the front.
"You...did you do something to Mari?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Didn't you two always keep a certain distance? How come you suddenly became so close after just one weekend? Isn't that strange?"
"What's strange about it? Mari and I didn't just start getting along today. Don't you guys always say we're being ambiguous?"
"You can use that kind of talk to fool others."
"..."
"I like him, and I've been paying attention to him for a long time. My observation is definitely correct. I can understand your feelings of loving your younger brother and not wanting him to be handed over to a man and face future criticism. So you might have brainwashed him or something to prevent this, making him stick close to you, his older brother. But love is something you can't stop. If he likes me too..."
Shuichi probably never dreamed that Junzhang and Mari had already been intimate.
"Please take good care of me, big brother."
"Are you out of your mind? Who's your big brother! Don't even think about becoming my brother-in-law."
"Brother-in-law...hmm, sounds pretty good."
"Stop being so horny."
"Hey, Junzhang, as the student council president of Songying High School, watch your language. Speaking so vulgarly will damage the school's reputation. Our poor principal already has very little hair left; don't make him really bald."
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The Emperor and the Princess (Complete)

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