The Chains of the Past

The destination was a building near the train station.

It was the building where my aunt worked.

 

"Kotaro, get out."

 

There was no explanation on the way. My aunt didn't say anything, I didn't ask her what was going on, and Kurumizawa-san didn't say anything either.

 

Thanks to this, I did not know what was going on.

But I kept my lips tightly knit and did as my aunt told me.

 

In my brain, my mother's words were repeated over and over again.

 

"I don't expect anything from you anymore."

 

I guess I was still in shock.

Even now that I've grown up, I still can't forget those words.

 

It seems that my mother was involved in the Kurumizawa-san case.

I don't want to disappoint her any more than I already have.

 

Even now, I was still bound by the chains of my mother.

 

"Your mother would be delighted."

 

I got out of the car and followed my aunt as she walked. When we arrived at what looked like a conference room, she finally explained the situation.

 

“I hear that business negotiations are going smoothly with other companies as long as the Kurumizawa Zaibatsu is willing to invest. This is all thanks to you."

 

"Thanks to ...me?"

 

I was puzzled to hear such a thing out of the blue.

I know that my father and mother run a travel company. My aunt told me about the difficulties they are facing.

 

I just don't understand why I am mentioned in the conversation.

I have never helped my parents with their business.

 

“But thanks to your acquaintance with the Kurumizawa family's daughter, I was able to get things through to them. Thank you very much."

 

I see... It looks like I've been 'used'.

 

"My father told me that they were a small company that he wouldn't have been interested in doing business with ..., but then Ichijo-san mentioned my name and that seemed to get his attention. He contacted them."

 

Sitting in the corner of the conference room, Kurumizawa-san joined the conversation in a quiet manner.

 

"I got a message saying, "'Do you have a classmate named Kotaro Nakayama?" The message came to me saying, 'A relative sends their regards.' ... I was happy to take advantage of that ... and asked my father to make our relationship as cordial as possible."

 

"... What is your goal? What benefit did you do that for, Kurumizawa-san?"

 

"Of course, it's obvious..., it's to make my love come true."

 

A straight gaze shot through me.

Her ruby-red eyes shone with an eerie light.

 

"I thought it was my chance for a thousand and one years. I was so happy to finally have the means to bring you down from your impregnable position. At last, I was able to get a hold of you."

 

She narrated.

She spoke quietly, but her words were tinged with passion.

 

"I offered to be taken advantage of. In exchange, I demanded you ... 'I want Kotaro Nakayama to be my tutor' right? That's a very unbelievable condition for a business deal, isn't it? Ichijo-san and your mother were ... delighted. Ignoring your wishes, though."

 

--I suddenly remembered Kurumizawa-san's words.

Earlier she said:

 

"I want to be your 'special' by any means necessary."

 

True to her words, Kurumizawa-san was willing to use any means necessary to get to me.

 

"Ichijo-san told me. Knowing that there is a feud between you and your mother, and that you are at her beck and call because you are bound by the chains of the past... I took advantage of that."

 

I cannot be reached by normal means.

Kurumizawa-san understood that she couldn't twist my will.

 

Still, she was straightforward.

I felt her determination. She knew that even if I had negative feelings for her, she would not be able to reach me without forcing herself into my life.

 

"This is the only way. To win over Shimotsuki,... this is how it had to be done."

 

All in order to overcome the main heroine.

The heroine who was leveraged was more ... straight in love than any heroine before.

You can get access to 10 Shimotsuki Chapters ahead of the Novelupdates release on my Patreon. <3