It Turns Out That I Have a Fiancee, but She Is the Famous “Villainess” of the School. What Should I

“Hello, father. Yes, it’s me, Ayane. You called me, so of course I’ll answer. Huh? Where am I? Uhh… Yeah. Now? I’m in the park with  Higashi Kujo-kun. Eh? I-It’s not a date! S-so what am I doing? B-basketball. “

Kiryu answered her father’s phone call despite my pleas. I wasn’t really eager to know what they were talking about for many reasons so I try not to listen to them as much as possible. Well, since Kiryu’s voice is pretty loud I can hear her anyway.

“So… Okay. Uh huh… Eh? Uhhh… wait a minute..”

Then Kiryu turns her gaze toward me holding her phone.

“Uh… Higashi kujo-kun?”

“What?”

“Father wants me to hand you the phone for a minute.”

Seriously.?

“Do I have the right to refuse?”

“It’s not that you don’t but… sorry, I said I’m with you.”

“Seems like I don’t.”

So I can’t pretend that I’m away, what a pain. If I choose not to answer the phone at this point, he will probably say “This guy, he refuses to talk with me!” To be honest, my fiancee’s father ranks number one on the list of people I really don’t want to talk to.

“Give me the phone.”

“I’m sorry..”

I receive a cute pink smartphone… that doesn’t fit Kiryu’s image too well, and I press it to my ear.

“I got the phone. This is Hiroyuki Higashi kujo.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Uh…. It’s nice to meet you.”

“I believe this is the first time I’m speaking to you. Nice to meet you. I’m Gonosuke Kiryu, father of Ayane Kiryu.”

“…”

“…”

“Well…. Please treat me well from now on.”

Err, father? Why are you almost silent? What do you expect me to do? I mean, father asked to get it, so it would be helpful if you could proceed to the point.

“Please do…”

“…… umm, ……, Do you not want to give me your full greetings”

I asked, feeling a little scared by the obviously unwelcoming mood of the caller. The, I heard sigh from the phone

“No, it’s not like that. I’m looking forward to working with you, and I’d like to build a good relationship with you. Ah, I’m sorry.  I am truly sorry that I got a promising young man into this mess. I have no intention of asking you to forgive me.”

“I think we’re both on the same page about that, so  you see fat-… uh…”

What should I call him? Oyaji-san? Oto-sama? Or maybe Gifu-sama?

 (T/N: Gifu-sama means father-in-law, while the first two mean father.)

“It would be impossible to ask you to call me father right now…. Gonosuke is fine.”

“Then, I’ll take your word. We are in debt to you, Gonosuke-san in the first place…”

“I’m not sure what you mean by that. The child doesn’t need to feel responsible for what the parent has done.”

“I myself am indebted to the employees of my own father’s company. I know it’s been difficult for all of the employees who have been so loving to me.”

“I see.”

“Rather… Can I ask you a question?”

“If it’s a question I can answer.”

“Why did you lend some money to my father?”

“Because he was in trouble.”

“Did you do it voluntarily or something?”

“Of course not, it wasn’t intended to be for charity. I gave the loan because I saw the potential of the business. I am not a philanthropist.”

“Potential of the business, was it…”

“There’s no way, right? I mean it’s my father. I see no potential in the business myself. I just can’t see it even if I think about it. Wait. Maybe Kiryu’s dad doesn’t have a good eye for people?”

“Hm. From the way you talk, it seems that you don’t have a very high opinion of your own father.”

“I think he’s a good father, though.”

“A good father wouldn’t give up his son for a debt, would he?”

“Apart from that.”

“I was kidding. Well, if your father hasn’t told you anything at home, I have nothing else to say. If your father hasn’t told you anything, I have no right to say anything. So if you want to know, ask your father. He may be aloof, but he is a brilliant man.”

“Is that so?”

“I guess it’s true that I also wanted to have a connection with ‘Higashi Kujo’. Didn’t Ayane tell you that?”

“Do you mind if I ask something?”

“Go ahead.”

“I heard that… she was made fun of a lot for being an upstart.”

“It’s true.I myself have been hated by many people as a “nouveau riche” and a “money-grubber”. I hate to say it, but we have money and that’s about it.”

(T/N: For those who have forgotten, “Nouveau Riche” means suddenly coming into wealth. Not a family business.)

“So were you foiled?” 

“To be honest, I think it was too good of a deal to get a “fiancee”, specifically you. If you can build a good relationship with someone who has the blood of a family like the Higashi Kujo, there won’t be any fools who would outwardly mock you or poke at you since it will be in vain. That’s why it’s actually more than enough already.”

“But, she’s currently my fiancee, isn’t she? Why is that?”

“Because I offered it and your father accepted the terms. It would be better if I could establish a good relationship with Higashi Kujo, but it would be better if we could be related. As a manager, I believe there is no choice, only the best decision. Ayane herself was in favor of adding “the blood of a great family” to the family. There are no obstacles in the way anymore.”

“Except for me, right?”

“That’s it. So, I would like to apologize to you.”

“No… you don’t have to. It’s a choice I made myself.”

“Really? Then I will say nothing more. No need to beat around the bush, I’ll just get on with it.”

“By all means, go ahead.”

If things continue as they are, Kiryu and I will get married and this man will become my father-in-law. Being too attentive is also hard on the shoulders.

“Indeed. We have been in a long conversation, but yet to talk about the main subject.”

“Main subject?”

Eh? There’s more?

“Did you read my letter?”

――ＯＨ……( T/N: Was in English )

“I read it.”

“How was it?”

“Uhhh… I thought it was a great piece of writing, frankly, it shows how much you must care about your daughter.”

“I see. No, I know it was rude of me, but I wrote what I thought. But well, I don’t know which opening I made that caused trouble for you. Since…”

A sigh. 

“…I couldn’t help it.”

“…”

“Because, you know, right? Ayane is my only daughter whom I raised with great care. She’s so pretty, so sweet, so precious that it wouldn’t hurt to put her in my eyes! My wife was bedridden after she was born, so I had to feed her and change her diapers myself! I bathed her, and every time she cried at night, I soothed her!”

(T/N: In case you forgot, the expression “It wouldn’t hurt to put her in my eyes” is a metaphor for finding something cute and adorable. Often used by grandparents to describe their grandchildren. )

“I see you’ve gone through many hardships.”

“Hardship?　It’s not a hardship!　It’s for my little girl!　You can’t call that a hardship!”

“…”

“Well, it certainly wasn’t easy. It took a lot of work. However, I will not hesitate to go lengths for my daughter! All I want is to see her laugh and hear her call me ‘Papa, papa’! I honestly want to keep her forever!”

“I’m sorry.”

“And my beautiful little girl is being taken away?! I can’t accept this!  Of course, I am aware that it’s my proposal, which is why I’m at unease to this extent. But if there’s anyone who asks me, ‘Please give me your daughter’…”

“If there was?”

“Do you know that there are more bodies in the Aokigahara Forest in Fuji than they say? They say there are many bodies that are yet to be found.”

(T/N: “At least since the 1960s, Aokigahara has become associated with suicide, eventually becoming known in English by the nickname “the Suicide Forest”, and gaining a reputation as one of the world’s most-used suicide sites.” – Wikipedia )

“…”

I’m scared…

“She’s such a sweet girl… Maybe it’s parental bias, but I think she grew up beautifully.”

“That is… Yes, I agree.”

“So I want her to be happy. I said earlier that I don’t care to hold a grudge against you, didn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“That wasn’t a lie. No matter how you put it, it is true that I bought you with money.”

“I am well aware that I am very thick skinned. I know that, but let me ask this of you. That even if you hate the man known as Gonosuke Kiryu, please don’t resent Ayane Kiryu… I beg of you. Please make her happy.”

“Yes. I promise.”

“Sorry. I’m sorry for asking so much of you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I don’t have anything against her. In fact Kiryu was a… “better girl” than I thought. And…

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Kiryu’s father… is quite a nice guy.  I had an image of him as a bit more scary guy, but he’s a lot easier to talk to than I expected, and he’s a pretty interesting person–

“But you are still high school students, even if she’s your fiancee. Have a modest relationship. I-If…h-hypothetically. If I ever become a “Grandpa” while you’re still in high school… I’m sending you to the Aokigahara Forest in Fuji, no joke!!!”

–To h**l with that. I’m still scared of this man.