Kirisaki Tsubaki, still frozen by what she had just heard, did not retort. She simply stared at him, her face a mask of pure shock. While the two remained locked in that silent stare, Yamada Naoto and Tachima Kanade returned.
"Huff... huff... Umm, you two..." Naoto panted, catching his breath. "Can you help me find Miss Kanade? She ran off quite far and—umm, am I interrupting something?"
Having just returned from his unsuccessful chase, Naoto looked between the two. He immediately sensed a heavy, strange atmosphere hanging over them, prompting his awkward question.
Kirishima Minoru broke the silence. He stood up abruptly, a carefree grin plastered on his face.
"Oh, it's nothing! Miss Kirisaki was just shocked when I mentioned I'm still a virgin at my age! HAHAHA!"
"Huh?" Naoto's expression went flat. What is this guy even saying? He turned his gaze toward Tsubaki.
Tsubaki slowly shifted her eyes toward Naoto. She forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.
Naoto felt a shiver of unease at her expression, but he chose to ignore it for the sake of the situation. He began to ask for their help again. Tsubaki started to step toward him, but Minoru held up a hand.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Yamada, Ms. Kirisaki," Minoru said, his face falling into an expression of deep apology.
"I wish I could help, but something urgent just came up. I'm afraid I have to take my leave. I'm truly sorry..."
Minoru bowed deeply. Naoto, rather than being disappointed, felt a wave of relief. He secretly worried that Minoru might say something bizarre or act out, potentially making Kanade's emotional state even worse.
"It's okay," Naoto replied quickly, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "We can handle this."
Tsubaki remained silent. She didn't say a word as Minoru walked away, but her mind was racing at a thousand miles per hour.
(Is it true? Is he really that Kirishima? It can't be... but if it is, why is he here?)
Suddenly, a memory from deep within her past surfaced.
Flashback: The Kirisaki Residence
A young Tsubaki was happily bouncing a ball in the courtyard. Her play was interrupted when a massive man, standing over six feet tall, strode down the hallway with an air of absolute authority. Tsubaki stopped and watched him. The man disappeared into a nearby meeting room. Driven by curiosity, Tsubaki crept toward the door and pressed her ear against the wood to eavesdrop.
Inside, several voices were raised in heated debate.
"We need to settle this quickly! We cannot leave the clan without a proper head!"
"But look at the situation! How are we supposed to choose a leader for the whole clan now?"
"Perhaps a council? The four of us here could lead together."
"Idiot! The others won't acknowledge us. We weren't born into the main family line."
Then, a new voice cut through the bickering—the tall man who had just entered.
"I have a suggestion, sirs."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
"What if we make my son the leader of our clan?"
"Huh?"
"Have you lost your mind?"
"If I recall, your son is still in high school! Putting a child in charge of a clan divided into two factions is insanity!"
The man let out a dark, mocking smirk.
"My Minoru may be young, but he is a brilliant child. He sees things that adults like us can't even perceive, even after pondering for hours."
Silence followed, thick with tension.
"Listen," the man continued.
"Myself, Minoru, and several others have the potential to lead. But everyone else is too terrified to take the seat because of the friction between our divided families. Fifty years ago, the two brothers who founded the Kirigumi fought to settle their dispute. The loser and his followers were relegated to the bottom of the hierarchy. Thus, the Kirishima became the 'Royal' main branch, and the Kirisaki were branded commoners. You old men are Kirisakis too... and it is quite rude for a commoner to call a Royal like me an idiot."
The men gasped, but the tall man didn't stop. He leaned over the table, his eyes cold.
"Know your places, you damn fools."
He straightened his suit.
"The fact that both clan heads have gone missing simultaneously is... unexpected. And now the clans want to unite under a single leader. It's a disrespect to the founders, but if we must be one again, we need talent. So, what is your decision? Especially you, the substitute head of the Kirisaki clan—Kirisaki Tenzo."
Outside the door, Tsubaki's heart hammered against her ribs. She whispered a single word:
"Father..."
Inside, Kirisaki Tenzo sat drenched in sweat. The pressure in the room was suffocating. He was caught between his loyalty to his clan and the sheer, terrifying presence of the man standing before him.
Tenzo cleared his throat, his voice trembling slightly. "And what about you? What is your decision... as the substitute head of the Kirishima clan, Kirishima Genma?"
Genma smirked at Tenzo's nervous tone.
"You already know my answer, Mr. Tenzo," Genma said smoothly. "You folks know that people like you can't manage this entire organization properly. Especially not commoners like you. Hahaha!"
One of the Kirisaki elders lurched to his feet, his face red with rage.
"YOU—!!"
"ENOUGH!" Tenzo shouted, stopping the man in his tracks.
The tension was so thick Tsubaki felt like she couldn't breathe. Finally, Tenzo spoke again, his voice firming up.
"I have decided."
The room went still.
"Let us see this child of Kirishima Genma."
The other Kirisakis erupted. "What?! Tenzo, have you gone mad? You think a boy can lead us?"
Tenzo raised a hand. "I am not saying we hand him the clan today. I am saying... we observe him.
We see if he truly has the talent Genma claims."
Tenzo looked Genma straight in the eye. "Is that acceptable to you, Kirishima Genma?"
Genma's smirk widened into a sharp, predatory grin. "Very well, Kirisaki Tenzo. Very well."
TO BE CONTINUED...