On the day of the fireworks festival, Takamine Rinji arrived outside Shinomiya Kaguya's family estate in Tokyo.
Seeing a group of people in suits standing guard inside and outside, Rinji immediately understood—these were sent by Shinomiya Ganan to "protect" Kaguya.
Rather than protection, it was more accurate to call it surveillance—to prevent Kaguya from doing anything that might tarnish the Shinomiya family's name.
The Shinomiya clan had always kept a tight watch over Kaguya. Not because she posed any threat to the main family, but simply out of concern that the eldest daughter of the family head might embarrass them. Families of that magnitude valued reputation above all else, and so Kaguya had been raised under suffocating protection from a young age.
Rinji knew well that, given the current setup, getting her to leave the house was next to impossible—unless the main family gave permission.
"...Just as I expected," he muttered.
Standing a short distance from the estate, Rinji took out his phone and sent a message in the LINE student council group chat.
Takamine Rinji: [Something came up today, I might not be able to make it to the fireworks festival.]
Fujiwara Chika: [Eh!? Rinji-kun, you're not coming?]
Ishigami Yuu: [Something came up last minute?]
Shirogane Miyuki: [Should we reschedule?]
Takamine Rinji: [No need. The fireworks festival only happens once. You guys go ahead, we can plan again next summer.]
After sending the message, Rinji smiled, put his phone away, and turned toward the direction of the estate.
---
Kyoto — in front of the sprawling traditional estate of the Shinomiya main family.
Two black-clad bodyguards stood at the entrance. When someone approached, they immediately stepped forward to block the way.
"Stop. Who are you?"
"You must be new around here, kid."
Takamine Rinji looked at the two guards and smiled.
"Who are you?"
"I was here four years ago. If you don't recognize me, then you must be newly assigned." Takamine Rinji smiled. "After all, I killed quite a few people here back then. Anyone who survived would more or less know me."
"You..."
"Step aside, unless you have a death wish."
"Are you insane? Get out of here!"
These bodyguards didn't believe the slender blond boy in front of them could be as dangerous as he claimed. They assumed he was just here to cause trouble.
One of them moved forward to teach him a lesson—only to collapse after just two steps.
"Forget it. Since you're from the Shinomiya main house, I don't have to treat you like human beings anyway."
After flooring one of them, Rinji kicked another in the throat just as he reached for the alarm, sending him crashing into the wall unconscious.
Taking down two in an instant, Rinji calmly strolled deeper into the estate.
Once he stepped into the outer courtyard, he was quickly surrounded by another circle of guards.
"Intruder detected."
"Subdue him immediately!"
Looking at the obviously hostile bodyguards and servants, Rinji cracked his neck and sneered.
"Don't think I won't kill. You're all worthless trash anyway."
He didn't bother with them and just kept walking forward.
"Stop him!"
As he moved, the others lunged at him.
Crack!
The lead attacker swung a baton, but Rinji slipped aside and grabbed his wrist, casually twisting it out of joint.
"AAAAAH!!!"
"So noisy."
Irritated by the screaming, Rinji plugged one ear and stomped directly on the man's face.
The cries stopped. Blood flowed, staining the floor.
Pulling a tissue from his pocket, Rinji wiped his shoe clean, then looked at the hesitating group around him with a smile.
"Can anyone tell me where Shinomiya Gan'an is?"
"..."
"No one? Then are you just here to waste my time?"
With a cold laugh, Rinji stomped the ground and picked up the bloody baton, charging into the crowd.
Screams and the sound of breaking bones echoed throughout the estate.
...
A few minutes later, dozens of guards and servants lay groaning or unconscious on the ground. Rinji rubbed his shoulder and tossed the baton aside.
Turning around, he saw more people coming.
Several individuals now stood before him. The servants all covered their mouths, staring in disbelief at the destruction of the courtyard. At the center was an elderly man leaning on a cane, his expression severe.
"Found you, Shinomiya Gan'an."
"Takamine Rinji… Four years later, have you come to kill me?"
"I do want to kill you, just not today." Rinji grinned. "I came to talk."
"This is what you call 'talking'? Injuring everyone in the Shinomiya household?"
"My old man once told me: when negotiating, you only need two things—a pen and a gun. If it goes well, you sign with the pen. If it fails, you use the gun to blow the other side's brains out."
"..."
"So, shall we continue the negotiation?"
"...Come in, then."
---
Inside one of the rooms, Rinji sat comfortably drinking tea.
Besides Shinomiya Gan'an, two others were present—his sons, and thus Shinomiya Kaguya's brothers. The two of them stared at Rinji with fear in their eyes.
Rinji set down his cup and glanced at them.
"You two are pathetic. When Shinomiya Kaguya sees me, she doesn't act this scared. She even finds time to mock me now and then. You two? Useless."
"Takamine Rinji, if you have a demand, state it clearly," said Gan'an with a frown. "As long as it's not excessive, I will try to accommodate you."
"You still don't understand your position, old man." Rinji scoffed. "Whatever I say, you have to agree. Otherwise, no one in the Shinomiya family walks out of here alive."
"If the Shinomiya family falls, Japan won't let you get away with it."
"Are you playing dumb? Why do you think I got off so easy after taking action four years ago? Who do you think would be happiest if your family were destroyed?"
"..."
"I'm not here for much. Our student council is holding a fireworks festival. Your daughter didn't show up because of 'family matters.' It made me lose face. So I came to see you."
"Kaguya is my daughter and part of the Shinomiya family. Are you trying to interfere in our family's private affairs?"
"Family matters? Fine, then."
Rinji suddenly laughed.
He pointed at Gan'an and said, "I hereby declare myself your father. That makes Kaguya my granddaughter. So now, it's our family business."
Gan'an: "..."