Chapter 255: Side Sixty-Three – Fukumoto Hiroto

“So, tell me honestly. What do you think of this Oshiro Akio?” his father asked, and Hiroto leaned back in his chair, conspiring it. Well, my sister thinks I’ve ducked out of todays' training just to fool around or party, but instead I’m using my precious time helping her out. I wish I was having fun!

“I know grandfather always says a shrewd businessman can judge a person and their character in a single meeting, but I lay claim to no such skills.” He shrugged. “But from what I gather, he’s a pretty honest guy. A dangerous one too though.”

“Dangerous?” his mother asked, concerned. “To Hinata?”

“Hardly.” He scoffed. “At least as long as we don’t give him cause to be. No, if anything he’s easily pushed around by anyone with a pretty face, and for all her faults, Hinata inherited your looks, so she’s definitely gorgeous.”

“Oh you.” His mother chuckled, pleased. “You won’t get anything for flattering me.”

“Don’t try and change the subject.” His father complained. He was blunt, perhaps too blunt for a businessman, unlike grandfather, who was a master at making people feel good and want to open up, enabling good deals to be made where both sides felt like they had won, which according to grandfather, was the ‘true essence of a businessman’, and who could argue against his results, building Nichibotsu Technology into a world-beating company. “Dangerous how? I’ve heard there was some trouble with yakuza, but that’s been dealt with, right? Tsumura-sama is also making sure no foreign problems crop up again. I hear the Tsumura girl is also in the frame for him. That could be a problem. With her status, our Hinata would be relegated to little more than a concubine.”

She’d pretty much be that way already. It doesn’t take a genius to know he’s deeply in love with the two he already has. Lucky bastard. They are both as beautiful as noble girls. Still, he tries to treat them equally… “I mean dangerous in that he isn’t bound by our rules, or even what we would expect from reality. But then, isn’t that the point? He’s valuable precisely because we don’t have a clue what he can achieve, but we know it is world-changing. And he won’t be the only one.” From what I gather from my sister he’s physically dangerous as well, able to shrug off bullets and crush enemies with his bare hands. Sounds a bit far-fetched to me, but his coin-cutting trick was a riot. If it’s true, well, at least he’d be able to protect my sister. There’s always the danger of kidnapping when you are part of a family as rich as ours. Hinata didn’t know it, but there had been several attempts when she was younger, only foiled at the last minute. That’s another reason why Hinata has to marry at a certain level. A normal man might not be able to bear the pressure. At least Akio-san has experience in tough situations, and has shown he won’t back down.

“Yes.” His father agreed. “Better to secure aid from someone quickly, rather than wait, try and pick and choose, and be left behind. We’ve already gained rewards.” He smiled at his wife. “It’s only a first step, but we are officially in the Fifty-Eight. One day we’ll get back the honour you lost.”

Honour. Nobility. Hiroto wanted to snort derisorily, but held his peace, knowing his mother and father were a bit too obsessed with it, his mother looking at her brother, who remained the heir to the great Takatsukasa house, despite his failings and lacklustre performance. Even now, grandfather Itsuki was still in charge, despite his failing health. I mean, noble girls are gorgeous, but at University I meet plenty of pretty nice girls too, and they come with a ton less baggage. Sure, we have more money than we could ever spend, can’t we be happy with that? It’s lost in the warring-states era, all this arranged marriage crap. I mean, at least I’m going to end up with a nice wife, but it isn’t like I can’t earn one myself…

“Oh, honey.” His mother was saying, misty-eyed.

No, I’m wasting my evening here, I’m not putting up with this! He coughed loudly, breaking them out of their romantic moment. “So, anyway, you wanted to know if he’d be dangerous to Hinata. No, I can say that for certain. He’s sweet on those he likes, and tries to be fair. But to be honest, I don’t think he’s looking for another girl. We could earn his support in any number of other ways. I don’t think sacrificing Hinata’s happiness just to benefit ourselves is fair.” My sister is a pain, and bossy, and is always complaining, but she’s still my little sister and I want her to live her best life. Really, she’s almost as obsessed as mother and father with being recognised as a true noble. I wish she’d knock it off. Grandfather hasn’t objected, but he’d prefer her to go into business I bet.

“I didn’t want to marry out of Takatsukasa.” His mother admitted, eyes distant. “Especially not to someone who was the son of an upstart businessman, no matter how wealthy.”

“That hurts my feelings.” Father shook his head, only for mother to hug him.

“Oh, you!” she smiled fondly. “That was then, and can you blame me? I was sold for money to keep Takatsukasa house going. My brother… well, he’s not the right man to keep Takatsukasa alive. Father still has to clean up his messes, even now. Our niece is … well, that isn’t something to be talked about.”

Yeah, I’ve heard rumours about Sakura-chan. I’m sure they aren’t true, right? Uncle Takatsukasa is surely not that useless. But that doesn’t matter. We are talking about Hinata now. “Look, I’m not going there just to train. I get to speak to various people he’s had dealings with, and everyone says the same. If you are a friend, treat him honestly and fairly, he’ll fight for you, even against insane odds and danger. He’ll also go for win-win deals, and often gives way more than the receives.” It’s a bit annoying how some of the girls seem to have a thing for him, even if they don’t know it yet. Even… maybe even Hinata. Poor girl. Though I guess if she does like him, it’s better than ending up a wife or concubine of a noble, looked down on and unable to pursue any dreams but being the perfect wife. “Just pledge our money and support, and he’ll back us in return. And money is something our family isn’t lacking.”

“That isn’t enough.” Father shook his head in denial. “If we do that, Fujiwara house and the other major nobles will monopolise him. We get a chance to tie him to us. If what you said is true, well… arranged marriages aren’t always bad, are they?”

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“Not at all.” his mother giggled. “At first I was lonely and angry, away from home, married to a near-stranger, sold for money. But in time…” they began flirting again.

“In time, you came to love me, right?” Father grinned, and Hiroto repressed the urge to simply walk out.

“That’s right! I still feel wronged, but marrying out daughters is the way of the nobility. I have two lovely children who I’m proud of, father-in-law has always treated me well, and now the chance to show everyone that it should have been I rather than my brother who was left to take over Takatsukasa house has come!”

“So, see son? If this Oshiro Akio is actually a decent man, Hinata would be happy to do her duty and marry. It’s what she expected anyway. In time, she may come to love her new husband. I’m certain he will love her. Our Hinata is too headstrong and ambitious to be the model noble daughter, too eager to speak her mind, but a lot of men outside the nobility find that appealing. Besides, she’ll bring him no shame. And when our families are tied together, we’ll be on the same boat. We can be his liaison with the nobility, reaping the benefits.”

“Right.” Mother chimed in, agreeing. “I’ve taught Hinata how to be a good wife. She can support him, train him how to integrate into the nobility, give him children…”

Yeah, I don’t think you get Akio-san, but worse, I don’t think you get Hinata, either. Sure, she’s learned everything you taught, but she wants to be respected not just as a noble, an arm accessory and mother, nothing more, but as someone who has achieved something. I have to say, she does look a lot happier ever since she borrowed grandfathers’ helicopter that time and flew away for the weekend. Still, sometimes I don’t get mother. She hated being ‘sold off’, as she put it, yet wants to do the same to her daughter.

“Well, she could do worse.” Hiroto conceded in the end. “But… don’t repeat the mistakes of grandfather Itsuki, mother. Please ask her honestly what she wants. And mean it, not just asking her, knowing she’ll say what she should as a noble daughter. I think she’s attracted to him, the guy is irritatingly handsome after all, and she seems to have a lot of fun training, and spending time with Tsumura-san and the others. She’s been babbling to herself about some strange ideas too. If she decides that she wants it, or can even just accept it, I’ll raise no further objections.” Of course even then, there’s no guarantee you can make it work. He’s pretty adamant on not cheating on his fiancées. Makes no sense to me, that ship has sailed the minute he has two, but what do I know? As long as everyone is happy, what’s it matter?

“Well, apparently she wishes to bring him to meet grandfather tonight.” Father said, shocking Hiroto. What? Seriously? “So I was thinking we could speak to him while he is here, see if he is good enough for our daughter, if he is a worthy bet to place our rising fortunes on. Fujiwara-sama doesn’t want the nobility contacting him off their own backs, but if he comes here on his own, how can we be blamed?”

“Indeed.” Mother nodded, seeing my surprise. “Don’t repeat the mistakes of your father, huh? I never thought I’d hear that from you, Hiroto. But of course I won’t.” she shook her head. “You have no idea how galling it’s been. All the marriage offers we received for Hinata have been horrible. Noble sons with bad reputations or low rank, offers of being a concubine to provide children for higher ranking sons, but with no official position. They are insults.” She spat. “Hinata and you bear Takatsukasa blood, thick blood. So a happy marriage that elevates her and us at the expense of the nobles who missed out is the best revenge we can get!”

“Calm down, darling.” Father embraced her. “I agree, it infuriates me too. Your grandfather as well, though he doesn’t really agree with everything the nobility does, he understands the importance of stability, and how the nobility protects Japan and our traditions. Even so, he’d rather Hinata married down than be treated so shabbily, you know how he dotes on her.”

“He does.” Hiroto agreed. “Well, if you are giving it this much thought, then I’m not going to complain. Hinata is a pain, but what brother wouldn’t want his sister to be happy?” Yeah, that’s something Akio-san said as well. His sister is important to him too. I can relate. Speaking of…

“If you are determined to make things work, and can’t get Akio-san to agree, then you want to talk to Shaeula, one of his fiancées. She’s taken a liking to Hinata, and seems open to political marriage, probably because she’s nobility herself.” A princess I hear, though I don’t quite get it. I probably should have asked more questions, but the training takes enough of my effort. No gains from it yet, either.

“I see. I’ll bear that in mind. Good job.” Father praised.

“Fro what you’ve told me, I feel a bit more at ease.” Mother said. “We all have to make sacrifices to achieve our goals, but if Hinata has to make fewer than I did, I’d be happy for her. I’m a little nervous now. Any other advice for when I meet him?”

“Just be honest about what you want and what you offer. I think he responds well to fairness. And don’t try and tell him Hinata has to be his number one or come first. If Hinata wants this, then you can support her by saying you only expect him to love her and treat her like the others. It might hurt your pride, but… well, it’s better than the other matches we were offered, by the sounds of it, and Hinata can look after herself.”

“Fine.” His mother agreed. “I’ll trust our Hinata can win him over herself. After all, she is my daughter.”

“Great, then if we are done, I’m off. Hinata will drag me back to the damn training for the rest of the week, so I’m off to meet some girls and have some fun myself!” Before his parents could protest, he left, looking forward to some drinking with his friends at University, there was going to be a group date later. Unlike noble daughters, common girls are really impressed by money and the fact I’m part of the family that owns Nichibotsu. Oh well, Hinata, your brother believes in you! If you have finally decided you want this, I’ll cheer for you! He then spared a thought for Akio-san. Lucky bastard, my sister is a real beauty. Tsumura-san too. Still, it’s going to be a hard road, one woman is bad enough to please, trying to juggle all those…? Well, you have it coming. Just… prove I am right about you, and treat her well. No brother wants to see his sisters’ tears…

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