The Past and the Future

TL/ED: Bogdi

“You know that I'm a childhood friend of Konoe-san and that we're cousins, right?”

"Yes, I also know that ...... you were her fiancée."

Aino nodded. Although the one, who revealed it was Chika, the relationship between Toru and Chika should be a secret.

If the whole school found out about this secret, it would definitely cause a lot of trouble. There are many boys who want to get to be close with Chika.

" So, I want you to keep this to yourself, okay?”

"Yeah...... I see, so Konoe-san and I are the only ones who know about Renjo-kun's secret.”

For some reason, Aino giggled with happiness.

Aino seemed to be in a good mood, although Toru thought it was not an amusing story to know.

"Originally, Chika was a weak child. She was in and out of the hospital a lot and when she was in elementary school, there were many days she couldn't go to school.”

"Oh, really? It doesn't seem like that at all now.”

"Well, she' s fine now and doesn't have any weaknesses. But in the past, because of her illness, Chika was often alone and depressed.”

"Did you stay with Konoe-san when she was like that?"

“That's right. That was my role. I remember Chika...... Konoe looking happy as I sat next to her while she slept and talked to her.  When I became her fiancée, I told her that I would protect her no matter what, and that I would be there for her. I was just an elementary school student, but I was trying to be cool, and now that I think about it, I'm embarrassed. But Konoe-san seemed to be ...... happy."

Toru felt nostalgic for a moment. In the past, the relationship between Toru and Chika was different. At that time, Chika needed Toru.

Toru was startled. Aino in front of him glared at Toru, looking a little unhappy.

"It's like a ...... silly story."

"If Konoe-san and I were still engaged, it might be, but the reality is different.”

Aino looked at Toru with a look of fear on her face.

"I'm sorry. I may have said something insensitive."

Toru smiled. If she was insensitive, then so was Toru.

"I don't mind. I mean, I was expected by the main Konoe family to be a shield to protect Chika Konoe. That was my role as her fiancée. So, why do you think I lost my fiancée status?”

"Um, because you couldn't fulfill that role?"

" That's right. I couldn't protect Konoe-san. As you know, Konoe-san is the daughter of a major corporate group, so she always had a bodyguard, but even so, it wasn't perfect. When she was in the first year of junior high school, she was kidnapped for ransom and so was I.”

"Well, that's a big deal. ......”

"It didn't make the news, because there was an agreement between the police and the media. But it was a big deal for me and Konoe-san, I think."

What happened was simple. First of all, Toru could not prevent the kidnapping of Chika. It could not be helped. He was just a junior high school student.

But what happened after that was the problem.

"At that time, I abandoned Konoe-san and ran away.”

"Huh?"

Aino stared at Toru, rolling her blue eyes. Toru whispered.

"I was the only one who had a chance to escape from the kidnappers. I didn't even try to help Konoe-san and ran away in shame. In the end, thanks to the police, Konoe-san was released without a scratch, but I lost the trust of the Konoe family and Konoe-san. So, the engagement was called off."

"But in a situation like that, you had no choice. ......"

"I could have stayed by Konoe-san's side, but I ran away to save my own life. What was expected of me was to protect the precious daughter of the Konoe family, even at the cost of my life."

" That's just unreasonable. ......”

"Even if you leave the Konoe family aside, it's only natural for Konoe-san to be disappointed that her fiancée, who was supposed to protect her no matter what and be by her side, betrayed her.”

Toru did something he cannot undo.

Of course, the cancellation of the engagement was not only Toru's fault, but also the result of a power struggle between the relatives of the main family and the branch family.

Still, the result was the same.

Toru should have stayed by Chika's side, even if it meant risking his life. If he had done that, he would not have lost Chika, and he would not have been plagued by endless self-loathing.

"That's the kind of person I am. Do you still want me to be your fiancée, Luthi-san? You're going to be as disappointed with me one day as Konoe-san was."

Toru said in a dismissive tone. That's why Toru can't be positive. Even if someone needs him, he might not be able to meet their expectations.

The same thing might happen again and he might lose the trust of the people he cares about.

Aino is a charming, kind-hearted, and sweet girl. Any man would be happy to know that he could be close to her.

Aino is hoping to get engaged to Toru. However, if the same thing happened again and he lost Aino in the same way as Chika, Toru might not be able to recover.

He was afraid of that.

Aino looked at Toru with her beautiful and pure eyes.

"I think it's funny.”

"What do you mean?”

"Renjo-kun was the only one protecting Konoe-san, wasn't he? What did Konoe-san do for you, Renjo-kun?”

"That's .......”

He hadn't thought of that. Chika was much better than Toru. He tried his best to be next to her and he was trying to protect her from her illness.

However, the idea that Chika would do something for Toru in return never occurred to him.

Aino looked gently at Toru.

"She was your fiancée. It's terrible that Renjo-kun unilaterally protected Konoe-san and then blamed himself when he failed to do so. I want to help Renjo-kun when we become engaged .......”

Aino said this, and then looked down in embarrassment.

"Well, if there's anything I can do......"

Aino said in a whisper.

Toru took a spoonful of ice cream and thought about it. They had been betrothed, so surely a relationship where one of them was unilaterally devoted to the other was different.

It was exactly what Aino said.

"If Luthi-san is going to help me, then I have to be her support."

Toru murmured without thinking, and Aino's face lit up.

“Oh, no”, he thought.

It's as if he' s accepted the engagement. It's true that he has no other choice, but there's still time.

Maybe there is a way to convince the Konoe family and save Aino's mother's company without getting engaged to Aino.

" I'm not saying that I'm going to get engaged to you, Luthi-san. Let me think about it some more.”

"OK, but ..."

Aino chuckled and extended a finger to Toru's cheek.

Aino's white fingertips gently traced Toru's cheek, though he was startled and braced himself.

Aino's fingers gently traced his cheek and there was ice cream on her fingertips. Apparently, the ice cream had stuck to him like a mustache.

Aino smiled happily and licked her fingertip. Toru felt his cheeks heat up and he couldn't take his eyes off Aino.

Aino's eyes sparkled mischievously. "I'm not like Konoe-san. So please remember that I want to marry Renjo-kun, okay?"