That evening, Fujiwara Chiya returned to the dorm covered in bruises.
Seeing him, Akikawa Yayoi's eyes widened.
Uncertainly, she asked, "Did you get into a fight?"
"I went to a dojo."
"Did you run into a black belt?"
"Someone even stronger than a black belt."
"No wonder."
With Chiya's current physical ability, even if he knew nothing about dojos, he should have been able to overcome many things through raw strength alone. Still, Akikawa Yayoi was curious why Chiya had suddenly gone there.
Had he stopped being a trainer and decided to pursue the ultimate path of martial arts instead?
"Mainly to strengthen my body."
"I see. Training your body is important."
Akikawa Yayoi patted the sofa and called Chiya over. Then she knelt on the sofa and raised her hand to stroke his head.
"Director…"
"This is a reward for a hardworking child."
"I'm not a child."
"In front of me, you are."
Fine. You're my big sister. Whatever you say goes.
Fujiwara Chiya felt that Akikawa Yayoi no longer deliberately hid the relationship between them as much as before. She often came over to pat his head, pinch his cheeks, and do things that did not quite match her identity as the Director. Also, when Akikawa Yayoi did things for him now, she no longer emphasised that she was the Director. Instead, she said she was his elder.
Perhaps it was because his ability had now been recognised by Central. Even if she vaguely showed the relationship between them, there was no longer much need to worry about gossip.
"Ara? Chiya is back."
Hayakawa Tazuna walked downstairs and saw Fujiwara Chiya sitting on the sofa.
She was wearing light-brown sleepwear, her two smooth, pale legs exposed. The twin tails behind her had been undone, and her brown hair fell loosely down her back.
Coming to Fujiwara Chiya's side, she asked, "Are you two playing parent and child?"
"Tazuna."
"I'm joking. I'm just saying the two of you get along well."
Hayakawa Tazuna smiled.
"Welcome back, Chiya."
She leaned against Fujiwara Chiya.
At present, Hayakawa Tazuna was also living in Akikawa Yayoi's dorm, and her room was directly across from Chiya's.
"Let me say this first. When Chiya is this tired, I won't agree if you still try to go and bother him."
"I haven't even said anything yet."
"Your eyes already betrayed you."
"I'm only happy that Chiya is back."
Akikawa Yayoi's face fell.
She had not told Hayakawa Tazuna that while Chiya was away on his business trip, she would occasionally hear strange sounds from the room next door at night.
For example, the creaking of a bed, soft cries of "Chiya, Chiya," and heavy breathing. The next day, Akikawa Yayoi had even seen Tazuna washing Chiya's bedsheets.
Akikawa Yayoi understood that Tazuna, as an adult woman, had those kinds of needs. What Tazuna did by herself was not something Akikawa Yayoi would control. But if she forced Chiya into anything, then as his big sister, Akikawa Yayoi would have something to say.
"I'm going to take a bath. I'll sleep early today."
Fujiwara Chiya greeted the two of them.
His body hurt terribly. Yaeno Muteki had said that if he wanted to serve as Shirayuki's training partner, he needed to possess the same physical ability as Shirayuki. Then she had moved the special training from the mountain training ground over to him and battered him with punches and kicks.
Even though Fujiwara Chiya was strong, he still could not withstand Yaeno Muteki's back-through fist that nearly punched through him.
For a beginner like him, Yaeno Muteki's techniques were honestly a bit too harsh. But the more he resisted, the happier Yaeno Muteki became. While praising his excellent physical quality, she struck harder and harder.
When Yaeno Muteki said, "You pass," Fujiwara Chiya directly collapsed onto the ground.
From now on, every Thursday and Friday, he would have to go to the dojo.
Just thinking about it made Fujiwara Chiya shiver.
Watching Fujiwara Chiya go upstairs, Hayakawa Tazuna licked her lips.
"Chiya's body is becoming stronger and stronger."
"Why are you always paying attention to that sort of thing…"
"I think that as partners, aside from emotional support, physical compatibility is also necessary. Chiya's body becoming stronger means he is becoming more and more suited to uma musume, doesn't it? In the past, I was afraid I might hurt him. Now, I don't have that concern at all."
"What are you planning to do? Act without restraint toward Chiya?"
"How could I? I have always prioritised Chiya's feelings. I won't deliberately do anything that makes him dislike me."
"That doesn't sound like something you would say…"
"I have a lot going on on my side too. Please don't keep looking at me with the eyes of the past."
Looking at Hayakawa Tazuna's gentle smile, Akikawa Yayoi did not say anything more.
At least now, she no longer had to worry about Chiya being forcibly taken away by Tazuna. And regardless of the reason, Tazuna also seemed to understand that she needed to respect Chiya's thoughts.
Respecting each other was important between lovers.
Akikawa Yayoi had never opposed Tazuna's relationship with Chiya. What she opposed was Tazuna's attitude toward Chiya, always treating him as something that belonged to her, doing whatever she wanted.
Even if Chiya had a good temper and always went along with Tazuna's wishes, how long could that continue?
If problems appeared then, the whole family would suffer.
"Yayoi should also find someone you like, shouldn't you? Are you planning to spend the rest of your life with Chiya too?"
"That is none of your concern."
"Is that so… I'm only giving you a suggestion. If Yayoi has your own thoughts, then follow them."
Hayakawa Tazuna stood up.
"It's getting late. I'll go back to sleep too. See you tomorrow, Yayoi."
Hayakawa Tazuna went upstairs.
Akikawa Yayoi turned on the television and lay down on the sofa.
She was Tracen's Director, and Chiya was Tracen's trainer.
The two of them were destined to live at Tracen.
So even if they spent their lives together, there was nothing wrong with that, was there?
For Akikawa Yayoi, her greatest wish was to protect her younger brother properly, so that he could live a happy life.
Akikawa Yayoi closed her eyes.
After an unknown amount of time, a man's voice sounded.
"Director, are you asleep?"
There was no answer.
Immediately after that, Akikawa Yayoi felt her body being lifted.
As he slowly went upstairs, Akikawa Yayoi felt herself lying down on a soft mattress.
Half asleep and half awake, Akikawa Yayoi seemed to see the small house she used to live in.
She, Tazuna, Trainer, and Maihito-nee were gathered around Chiya, discussing what this child would do in the future.
A trainer's child naturally becoming a trainer sounded like a given, but Zenzai had said, "Let him choose for himself in the future. If he wants to become a trainer, let him become a trainer. If he wants to do something else, then let him do something else. Give the choice completely to Chiya himself."
So for Chiya to come to Tracen, become a trainer, and meet them again felt almost like an arrangement of fate.
Akikawa Yayoi felt that she needed to protect that fate properly.
"Chiya… call me big sister…"
As Fujiwara Chiya was leaving the room, he heard that voice.
He stopped and turned his head, looking at the petite figure lying on the bed and murmuring in her sleep.
"Good night, nee-san."
He turned off the light.
May you have sweet dreams.