AN: Hello again! As you may have guessed, everything did not go according to plan, and so, here we are. It's been such a long time, I've actually forgotten what I wanted to do with this chapter, but I figured out something. I know where I want the story to go for the finish, but I'm having some difficulties in figuring out a logical way to get to that point. But, all that means is some more brainstorming!

Without any further delays, let's get this story back on the road!

Chapter 10 – Opposing Plans

"So… I assume that… She didn't take it lightly?" The beautiful, black-haired girl sitting opposite of me shook her head, a concerned look on her face as she stared into the depths of her teacup. That sight makes my heart wrench…

"She masked it under her usual act, but I knew how she really felt when she found out." She then spoke quietly. "I had hoped to keep it secret from her for as long as possible, to push the problem as far into the future as possible, but… It was inevitable." I directed my gaze downwards as well, looking into my own cup. I… knew about it as well, but didn't want to think about it… Then again, I only recently realized I had these feelings for towards her, or that the feelings are mutual… I glanced to my left, where my eyes met the purple hair of another girl, her green eyes fixated on her teacup as well. Then again,she might not be the only girl I have feelings for…

"I am partly to blame for this, so I apologize. Did you get to speak with Satoshi, yet?" The oldest woman in the room asked as she sipped her own tea, a white-haired maid standing next to her like a statue, holding onto the saucer.

"She was already there when I arrived. I tried to knock, but…" The black-haired girl raised her gaze slightly, though it didn't meet anyone else's yet. "...Father wouldn't even let me in." As she finished, silence fell upon us, as no-one seemingly had anything more to say, their thoughts preoccupied with the current situation.

Just a few minutes ago, I was sparring together with Nagare in the "training hall" of the Mansion, in order to make me a better butler worthy of serving the Suzutsuki family. I say sparring, but mostly it felt like Nagare was using me as a live punching bag – so not much different from what happens at home. To my own surprise – and Nagare's as well – though, I was able to hold my own against him a little. Our "sparring session" was interrupted abruptly when Masamune burst through the door, panting heavily. She had apparently been looking for me, and gave a very brief explanation about why she was in such a hurry to find me. And by "very brief", I mean that she simply said "The captain knows that Suzutsuki likes you, and she's going to hurt you", before dragging me out of the room, leaving the dumbfounded Nagare behind. She didn't even give me a chance to fix up my clothes, so I was now sitting here in my undershirt with my sleeves still rolled up, having discarded my coat when I began sparring with Nagare. After Masamune stole me away from Nagare, she rushed over to the study of Kanade's father, where we met with Kanade herself, who gave me a more thorough explanation of the situation regarding Ichigo, one of the maids here at the Mansion – who happens to be in love, and obsessed with Kanade. Which brings us to where we are currently – inside the room of Suzutsuki Shirabe, Kanade's mother.

"Hmmm… Well, this is quite a predicament, isn't it?" Kanade's mother spoke after some time, placing her teacup on the saucer held by who I was told was her personal maid, Sora. "But, since this does concern my future son-in-law..." The black-haired woman glanced towards me and gave me a sly smirk, and I felt a slight blush appearing on my cheeks. Why are both of Kanade's parents so into the idea of me marrying their daughter..? Well, I guess I'm not completely opposed to the idea myself… "...We definitely need to do something about Ichigo. She has been… infatuated with you for a while now, right, Kanade?" She turned to look at her daughter, who nodded as a reply.

"You've known about it for at least as long as I have, mother. I… have mostly ignored Ichigo and her antics, never thinking it to be anything dangerous, but now..." Kanade shifted her gaze to me, worry evident in her eyes. "...Jirou-kun might be in legitimate danger." The worst part is… I know that she isn't joking about that. I've seen glimpses of Ichigo's bipolar personality, and I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of anything from her… collection.

"But… do we actually know what the captain said to your father?" Masamune asked from Kanade, her gaze shifting between everyone in the room.

"Since I wasn't able to talk with Father… I don't know. But… she did say something very… disturbing before she left me." Kanade paused and glanced at me again, then turned to Masamune. "Ichigo said that she 'made sure' that Father knew 'what kind of people he has accepted into employment'."

"Slander?" Kanade nodded slowly as a response to Masamune.

"Most likely. I… can't think of any quality Jirou-kun has that would make Father rethink his employment… None that he doesn't know of." Ah… she must mean my phobia… "In any case, whatever Ichigo told Father, it cannot be good."

"How very troublesome indeed..." Kanade's mother said as she reached for her teacup again, calmly taking another sip from it. Could you not be so calm about this whole thing? My life could be in some very serious danger! "So, Ichigo wants to get Jirou-kun here out of the picture, because he happens to be the object of my daughter's affection, presumably so she could attempt to claim my daughter's heart and... body for herself. But… I cannot simply sit back and allow for that to happen." The older Suzutsuki woman placed her teacup back on the saucer and turned to look at me.

"Does that mean… You'll do something about her, Suzutsuki-san… er, sama?" I asked and looked towards her hopefully, but received a bit of a sly smile in return.

"I wasn't finished talking, Jirou-kun. And please, call me Shirabe. Or, you can call me Mother, like Kana-chan does." I felt my cheeks heating up again, and I could see a blush appearing on Kanade's cheeks as well.

"M-Mother! That… isn't decided yet..." Kanade said, her gaze flickering between her mother and I. On my left, I saw a slightly irritated look growing on Masamune's face, and heard a small sigh coming from the girl.

"Hmph. And isn't that Chicken-brain's own decision? Whether or not he wants to… m-marry Suzu… your daughter." Masamune said and crossed her arms. I promised her – and Kanade as well – that I'd give an answer to her confession once my gynophobia is cured, but before that happens, I need to figure out my feelings towards her. I looked back towards Kanade's mother, and saw her eyeing up Masamune for a few moments, before she turned to me again.

"Well, you aren't wrong with that statement, Usami-san. In any case, I would like it if you could call me Shirabe, Jirou-kun. You're on a first-name basis with these two girls already, so what's the harm in it?" Kanade's mother gave me a quick smile, then changed her expression to become more serious. "But, back to the topic. We don't know how much of a threat Ichigo currently is to Jirou-kun, nor do we know what she told Satoshi, or what she is planning. And before we can get either some incriminating evidence, or a… violent reaction from her, I won't be able to do anything special."

"B-but Mother, you know what Ichigo is like, so-" Kanade began, leaning towards her mother, but she simply extended her arm towards Kanade to silence her.

"You seem to have taken after Jirou-kun, to interrupt me like that. Let me finish my explanation, Kana-chan." Kanade let out a sigh and leaned back into her seat, shifting her gaze to meet mine. Taken after me, huh… "As I was saying, before we can get some information as to what she is trying to do, I cannot act on my own. Ichigo – despite her obsession – is still a diligent maid, and one fully capable of protecting her superiors, should the need arise, something which we – and especially my husband – value immensely." Kanade's mother furrowed her brows, her expression changing to one I could never have expected a Lady of her calibre to make. "As much as I have the upper hand in many things over my husband, he is still the one to make the ultimate, final decisions in things concerning… well, everything. Satoshi will not simply allow me to fire Ichigo because she might be a danger to Jirou-kun – especially if she has told him something that could sway his mind to go against the young man." As much as I don't like how gloomy she is making this situation feel like… She does have a point. For all her flaws, Ichigo is a brilliant maid, and the obsession she has with Kanade might even be beneficial when it comes to protecting her – something which I know Kanade's father takes very seriously after the 'pool incident' many years ago. "However… That doesn't mean I cannot do something. While I won't be able to do anything drastic without evidence, I can ensure Jirou-kun's relative safety with smaller things, such as making sure that Ichigo is preoccupied with tasks away from him, so the possibility of physical violence is lowered."

"Really? You could do that?" I asked, not masking the hopefulness in my voice. Much like I'll take any help to cure my gynophobia, I'll also take any help to save my hide from a crazy yandere. Heh, now there's a line nobody should ever have to think about, let alone say out loud.

"Of course. After my husband, I am the highest authority within this Mansion. Keeping Ichigo busy with menial tasks should not be a problem. However, all of you will need to work on finding out Ichigo's plans. I will see if I can talk with Satoshi about this, to see what he knows, and what Ichigo told him, but I cannot say for sure if he is willing to tell me." As she finished speaking, Kanade's mother looked over everyone in the room, meeting everyone's eyes, finally stopping on me.

"Arigatou, Suzu..." As I was about to say her name, the older woman raised an eyebrow questioningly. Ah, right… Guess I have no way out of that… "S-Shirabe-san. I really appreciate that you're willing to help with this." Shirabe simply smiled at me and picked up her teacup again, taking a quick sip from it before responding.

"Anything for my future son-in-law." A slight blush appeared on my cheeks and I averted my gaze from the older Suzutsuki, and saw a smirk appear on her face briefly. She's not going to give that up, huh? As I looked away from Shirabe, my eyes met Masamune's, and the look on her face was not a pleasant one. I bet she doesn't like what Shirabe-san is insinuating… And I don't have to guess why. "Hah! I can see why Kana-chan chose you. Teasing you is… so much fun~! And there will be even more fun when you marry her..." She continued after studying my face for a few moments, and I saw a dangerous glint in her eyes. Like mother, like daughter, I guess..? I briefly glanced at Kanade, who was currently staring into her teacup with a blush and a small smile on her face.

"R-right. But, um… Shirabe-san, could you… stop acting like me m-marrying Kanade is set in stone already?" I said and glanced at Masamune, then continued after seeing her expression soften somewhat. "I… well, it hasn't been decided yet. And currently… there are some… other factors to count in, and a more pressing issue, after which I have promised to give Kanade her answer." I explained to Kanade's mother, – while leaving out the specifics – who listened to me intently. When I mentioned 'other factors', I noticed her gaze flicker to Masamune for a split second. Shirabe-san seems sharp, but I doubt she's picked up that Masamune also loves me. At least, I hope so.

"Hmmm..." Shirabe thought for a few moments, her gaze shifting between myself, Masamune, and Kanade, before she sighed and took another sip of her tea. "Oh, you're no fun, Jirou-kun. Still, as long as you've promised to answer my daughter's feelings, that's enough." I glanced at Kanade, and at the same time, she happened to raise her gaze from her own teacup, causing our eyes to meet. Well… technically, I've already answered to her feelings, but… The problem lies with whether or not the feelings I have towards her also apply to Masamune… I'll have to talk to the girls when I have an opportunity for it. "But, I think we should get on with our plans, now." Shirabe interrupted my thoughts as she drank the last of her tea, giving the empty cup to her maid and standing up from her seat. "I will go and see if I can talk with my husband, then see about keeping Ichigo busy, for the time being. Jirou-kun, Usami-san, if I – or my daughter – cannot get any information out of him, the task falls to you. I also have Sora at my disposal, should her help be required." Shirabe motioned towards the white-haired maid next to her, who gave me a brief bow as she looked towards me. She doesn't feel like she's that much older than us… Early twenties, perhaps? "Depending on what Ichigo told my husband, however… he might want to speak with you personally, Jirou-kun. Be ready." I nodded to Kanade's mother as a reply, then turned to Masamune.

"You'll help me with this, right, Masamune?" I asked from the purple-haired girl, who crossed her arms and huffed at me.

"Of course I will, Chicken-brain. Not like you could do anything properly without my help anyway. We just have to find out what the Captain is planning, and keep you safe from her, right?" Masamune glanced over at Kanade, then Shirabe, before returning her gaze to me and continuing in a lower tone. "A-and I would have to… s-stay close with you for protection, so… We could… use the time to… treat your… you know." Masamune fidgeted awkwardly as her gaze kept shifting between my eyes and her feet. I know that she's embarrassed because she… likes me, but… Why did she have to word it that way?! I looked towards Kanade, who lightly pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a small sigh, no doubt having heard Masamune clearly. I didn't dare to look at Kanade's mother, though. If Kanade has inherited her sadism from her… I don't want to think about it.

"O-of course, Masamune. How about you, Kanade?" I asked and turned towards the black-haired girl opposite to us.

"Well, since Father does not seem to want to talk with me, I will leave that matter to you, Mother." Kanade replied and looked towards her mother briefly. "I will try to get some information out of Ichigo. She didn't tell me anything earlier, but she is still my maid, and has to obey me. I'll also need to inform Kureha-chan about this whole thing."

"Arigatou, Kanade. But, you know what my little sister is like, so don't… worry her too much, okay?" Kanade nodded to me as a reply, and I turned to her mother, who was looking at our conversation with a somewhat neutral expression on her face.

"Now, if you're finished with your strategy meeting, I believe you have duties to fulfil, yes? We don't want servants of the Suzutsuki family slacking off now, do we?" Shirabe said with a wink – seemingly directed at me – then turned to her daughter.

"Right, of course." Kanade stood up and walked over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder and gently squeezing it. "Be careful, Jirou-kun." I gave a nod and a smile to the black-haired girl, who smiled to me in return, then turned to Masamune, and the two girls shared a knowing look with each other.

Afterwards, we bid goodbye to Shirabe and left the room, with Sora staying behind to collect our teacups. Since Shirabe would be going back to her husband's study, and Kanade was going to first find Kureha, and then Ichigo, Masamune and I decided to stick together and return to Nagare so we could explain the situation to him. I wonder if we can get him to help out with this… Although, he might be on Ichigo's side in this. I was able to get underneath his shell just tiny bit earlier today, but I'm still far away from being friendly with him. Konoe should be more than willing to help, though…

"Hey, Masamune?" I brought the girl's attention to myself as we made our way back to the training hall.

"What is it?" Masamune glanced at me, but didn't stop walking.

"Konoe was with you and Kureha earlier when Suzutsuki-sama assigned our duties for us, right? Do you know where he is?" Masamune lifted an eyebrow and brought a hand to her chin as she thought for a few moments before answering.

"Yes, he was. Subaru-sama ordered me to clean the bathroom, while Kureha – being the more social one out of the two of us – was to undertake some larger task with some of the other maids of the household." At the mention of cleaning the bathroom, I was reminded of my own first assignment here, when I accidentally walked in on Kanade showering. No! Bad thoughts! Although… Kanade's reaction, and her subsequent actions do make more sense now that I know what she feels towards me… "I can't say I know where he went after that, though. Suzutsuki, er… K-Kanade was gone from the Mansion until just recently, so I don't know what he would have been doing in her absence. Why do you ask?" Masamune's words brought me out of my thoughts, and – luckily – prevented my memory of the time from resurfacing too vividly.

"A-ah, I was just thinking that we could tell him about the current situation. He… is my best friend, after all." I felt a slight smile growing on my face as I said that, feeling a bit of pride at the fact that I had managed to befriend her of all people. Come to think of it… All of this started with that fateful meeting I had with her in the school bathrooms. Thanks to me befriending her, I've been able to meet both Kanade and Masamune, and even managed to fall in love with one – or possibly both – of them. Perhaps, if things had gone differently… I might have fallen in love with Konoe instead. After being absorbed in my thoughts for a few moments, I noticed that Masamune was no longer next to me, as she had stopped walking while I had continued onwards.

"Chicken-brain..?" Masamune looked back at me with a questioning look on her face.

"Ah, sorry. I was lost in my thoughts for a little while. Anyways, we should probably tell Konoe about the whole thing. He'll be able – and most likely wanting – to help me with this as well." I replied as I turned around to fully face Masamune, making my way back over to where she stopped next to a pair of large, awfully familiar-looking doors. Before I could think about it any further, though, said doors were flung open, causing Masamune and I to jump back in surprise.

"What was that about Subaru?" The ever so slightly irritated voice of Nagare came from the now-open doorway, and the butler himself walked out into the hallway right afterwards. As he looked at us, Nagare's eyes narrowed – and for good reason, given that Masamune was currently clinging onto me for dear life, Nagare's sudden appearance having surprised (or perhaps even scared) her more any of us had expected. She's just like a skittish little bunny… I think I came to that conclusion even back when I first met her. But, I really don't want her clinging to me like this. Not only could it trigger my phobia, but it's also really embarrassing, given that I might have feelings towards her…

"N-Nagare-san… That… We'll get to that, but… Masamune, could you..?" I gently patted the purple-haired girl on the back, which seemed to alert her to our current position.

"A-ah, s-sorry, Chicken-brain!" Masamune said hastily as she pulled away from me, taking a couple of steps backwards, her face flushed red with embarrassment. You're the one who clung to me in the first place! And if you show me a cute face like that… My uncertain feelings towards you might become… Well, not so uncertain.

"So… Is there something going on?" Nagare's voice brought our attention back to him as he closed the doors behind him, and I noticed that he was carrying what looked like a piece of black clothing with him. "I heard you say something about telling something to Subaru, something that he could help with. And I do believe that earlier you said something about a 'Captain' who was going to hurt this brat – before you unceremoniously dragged him away from our training session. You also mentioned the Suzutsuki name… What exactly is going on?" Nagare glanced towards me, but he clearly asked the question from Masamune.

"Well… I can probably explain it better than she can." I replied and shot a glance towards Masamune, who gave me a slightly disapproving look in return, but didn't oppose me verbally in the matter. "The 'Captain' that she refers to is… Ichigo-san. Due to some… circumstances, she does not take my presence here kindly, if you catch my drift, and could be a very real danger to my well-being. We were going to find… S-Subaru and tell him about the situation." Nagare's eye twitched when I used Konoe's first name, but he kept quiet and listened on. "We were just talking about the whole thing with Shirabe-sama and Kanade...sama. We… decided that something has to be done about Ichigo before she… does something irreversible." Nagare stayed quiet for a few moments after I finished, his gaze firmly fixated on me. He's giving me some scary vibes right now…

"Even a child could figure out that you didn't tell me everything." Nagare finally spoke and averted his gaze from me, looking towards Masamune briefly before re-establishing eye contact with me. "This boils down to the fact that Kanade-sama has taken a special liking to you, isn't it?" Nagare then asked bluntly. Wait, he… he knows? I thought… that Kanade would keep her feelings towards me hidden. Although, both of her parents did manage to find out, but Nagare?

"You… knew about that? That Kanade… likes me?" I asked in turn, then looked towards Masamune briefly, but she seemed to be as surprised as I was. I don't think Kanade has been any more… forward with me as she has been while I've been here… And heck, Nagare only recently returned to the Mansion anyway, so he's either known for a long time… or he only found out recently.

"It seems you also know about the feelings of the young Mistress, and yet the two of you don't act like a couple… Which means that either you have a relationship kept secret from Master Satoshi, or..." Nagare took a step closer to me, and I saw his expression visibly darken. "...You've decided not to answer the young Mistress' feelings for whatever reason." At the word 'reason' Nagare's eyes flicked towards Masamune briefly. Just… How much does he know..? Nagare is more perceptive than I had thought…

"I… Well…" I felt a bead of sweat rolling down my face as Nagare's piercing eyes drilled into my very soul, his glasses only adding to the glare. I knew Nagare was overprotective when it came to Konoe, but to think that he would also be this serious about Kanade's… love life…"I… do know about Kanade's feelings. But… there is a more pressing matter that… both of us have deemed more important than me responding to her feelings in one way or another." I decided to go for an explanation similar to the one I gave Shirabe just earlier. No need to tell Nagare about my gynophobia. That is the last thing I want to tell him. "How… long have you known about it?" Nagare closed his eyes for a moment and crossed his arms before responding, the menacing aura that surrounded him weakening a little.

"I suppose the idea has crossed my mind before, as the young Mistress began to spend more and more time with you, but I was always more… worried about Subaru, and how you affected… him. But, I only became… sure of it yesterday, when I saw her interacting with you, and how willing she was to defend you. Kanade-sama showed me… passion that she has never even had towards matters concerning Subaru." I felt my cheeks heating up slightly at Nagare's words, and unconsciously averted my gaze from his. "How about you? How long have you been aware of the feelings she has towards you?"

"As long as you have been. I… only found out yesterday as well. Though, I guess I have suspected it multiple times in the past, but have always thought that mere idea that someone like Kanade could fall in love with someone like me was just… impossible." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Masamune biting her lip, and she looked like she was about to say something. I would never have guessed that Masamune was in love with me, though. Or Nakuru, for that matter. I guess avoiding girls for my whole life due to my phobia has made me completely oblivious to them…

"Hmmm… And this more… pressing matter that you mentioned, what is it? What could there possibly be that prevents you from simply… going out with Kanade-sama? Ichigo? Master Satoshi, or Mistress Shirabe? Or simple cowardice?" Why is he so… insistent about this?

"I… Would prefer not to talk about it..." I nervously rubbed the back of my neck, and glanced at Masamune, who raised an eyebrow and shrugged slightly, as if to say 'What am I supposed to do?'. "Why… does it matter to you so much, though?" Nagare let out a small sigh as he removed his glasses and took out a small cloth from the inside of his suit, beginning to clean the lenses. As he held onto his glasses with his left hand, I was given a closer look at the article of clothing he hand slung over his forearm, which looked like a butler's coat. Is that… mine? The one I left behind when Masamune dragged me away?

"I've… already told you that you remind me of myself when I was younger. For that reason, I find your mere existence despicable, but also..." Nagare placed his glasses back on and pocketed the cleaning cloth. "...I cannot help but find myself thinking that I need to help you in some way. You're clearly attracted to the young Mistress, so now that I know you aren't trying to… pursue a relationship with her, even though you know she likes you? It baffles me, makes me even angrier than knowing that you're Chia's son." I felt my jaw dropping slightly as I listened to Nagare's words. It… It was that obvious? That I… also liked Kanade? But… If I only understood my own feelings yesterday… If it was obvious to Nagare even before that…

"You… When did you make all these observations..?"

"Oh, I had a good bit of time to myself when you left me so abruptly earlier. I initially thought to run after you two, but what Usami-san said piqued my interest, and brought everything back to my mind. But… I would say it is similar to what I noticed with Kanade-sama." So… Nagare, who has seen me very few times over the course of these past months, managed to deduce that I was attracted to Kanade from the few interactions we had… Just how long have I been in love with Kanade for without realizing it? "So, since I am deciding to help you out here – against my own, better judgement, since I feel this maddening urge to do so – I would prefer if you would contribute to my effort and tell me the reason why you haven't taken a step towards Kanade-sama yet." Nagare's words brought me out of my thoughts, and I flinched back a little. He's… not giving up on that. I mean… I'm really surprised – but happy – that he wants to help me, but…

"I think it might be better if we show you why Chicken-brain is too chicken to go out with Suzutsuki, Nagare-san." I whipped my head towards Masamune, who had just said something very scary. "D-don't misunderstand this, okay? Just wait and see." Masamune took a step towards me and grabbed me by the hand, then began to pull me towards the training hall doors.

"W-wait, Masamune, you can't..." I tried to protest, but Masamune had none of it, and instead pushed the doors open and pulled me inside. She stopped briefly to look around the room, then gestured for Nagare to come inside.

"S-shut up, Chicken-brain. It shouldn't matter if he knows, right? It's a small price to pay if he's willing to help us with keeping you safe from the Captain." Nagare looked at Masamune with a curious expression as he entered the room and closed the doors behind him. Well… I think in actuality, Nagare was going to help with setting me up with Kanade, but… "H-hold still, Chicken-brain. T-this will… also act as therapy for you, okay?"

Masamune took a deep breath and spread her arms, seemingly getting ready to hug me. With the blush on her face showing her embarrassment, and the awkward stiffness of her outstretched arms telling me of her inexperience with hugging others, Masamune was quite a comical sight. Still, I couldn't help my heartbeat rising rapidly as she closed the distance between us. Calm down, Sakamachi Kinjirou. You may or may not love this girl, but she is doing this with no impure thoughts in mind. That's right, she even said to Nagare to not get the wrong idea about this. Actually… this is Masamune we're talking about, so she probably has a multitude of different thoughts going through her brain right now, all more or less lewd… Stop that train of thought right there! This is just her helping me trigger my phobia, so we can show Nagare the reasoning as to why I haven't accepted Kanade's confession yet… Wait, I never wanted to let him know about it in the first pla-

Squish

My mind went blank as I suddenly felt a pleasant warmth enveloping me, and the softness of a girl's body pressing against my own. Masamune had closed her eyes as her arms wrapped around my upper torso gently, but just hard enough for me to feel the slight bit of pressure she was applying. Her head was resting against my shoulder, with her hair tickling my chin, and the soft skin of her cheeks pressing against my neck. I couldn't feel her breath, though, so she must have been holding it. And as she pressed as much of herself against me, I could feel her soft, round mounds against my own chest. Not as big as Kanade's, but definitely noticable, especially in this situation. And as Nagare looked at the two of us embracing (or rather, Masamune embracing me, as I still had my arms frozen in place on my sides), I could feel the familiar wooziness associated with my phobia, and expected an attack any second.

Keyword being expected, as I – to my own surprise – felt absolutely normal.

"So… the reason as to why you haven't made any advances towards the young Mistress is because… You're already in a relationship with Usami-san?" Nagare asked as he crossed his arms, the look on his face seemingly displeased.

"T-that's not it! I-I told you not to misinterpret this!" Masamune replied and squeezed onto me a little tighter. She's holding me so close… And yet, I'm not having an attack. "C-Chicken-brain? Are you not bleeding yet?" Masamune pulled her head back a little and opened her eyes to meet mine, resulting in our faces being mere centimetres apart.

"N-not yet, no." I quickly replied and averted my gaze from her, choosing to look towards Nagare, who seemed to start feeling uncomfortable as he was faced with the current situation. "This is… Not what you might think, Nagare-san." Nagare lifted an eyebrow, as if to say 'Oh, really?' to me. To be fair… I wouldn't believe me if I was him confronted with… this.

"Wait… could it be..? Maybe… Maybe you're cured, Chicken-brain!" I turned my gaze back to Masamune, who was looking back at me wide-eyed. I… doubt it, given what happened yesterday with Kanade, but… I can't tell her that without revealing that Kanade and I kissed rather passionately after I realized that I love her… "W-we need to test it more!" Suddenly, Masamune hugged onto me even tighter, pushing herself against me so much I had to take a step back to keep myself steady. Her whole body… It's so soft and warm… Gah! I'm going to have the exact wrong kind of reaction soon! Masamune shifted slightly, and I felt her hand sliding up my back, until it came into contact with the back of my neck, the sudden skin contact sending a jolt through my body, followed by a shiver going down my spine. As if triggered by this very act, I suddenly noticed the beads of sweat trailing down my face, and my breathing became more erratic. F-finally…

"M-Masamune… Y-you can… let go now… before..." I gently patted Masamune on the back, my hand shaking as it did. I held out longer than usual, without even trying, but it feels as though this attack is going to be much stronger as a result… Just as I felt Masamune loosening her hold on me a little, blood rushed to my nose and then out of it within seconds. I managed to bring my left hand up before any of the blood got onto Masamune (though a few stray drops ended on the floor and on my white undershirt), while my vision got a little hazy.

"Oh… Well, I guess you're still not cured yet..." Masamune said as she pulled away from me, but held on to keep me on my feet.

"A… nosebleed? What… is the meaning of this?" I looked towards Nagare again, holding my bloodied nose with my left hand and onto Masamune for support with the right – albeit very carefully as to not trigger my phobia again.

"This… is the reason as to why I haven't made any advances towards Kanade – or any girl for that matter. I… suffer from an extreme case of Gynophobia, thanks to my… upbringing as the 'Sakamachi family punching bag'. And I say extreme because… well, you can see." I explained and gestured towards my nose with my right hand, taking it off Masamune's shoulder. "Whenever I come into physical contact with a girl… My whole body rejects it, and I get a nosebleed, sometimes I even lose consciousness." Nagare's eyes widened as he looked at me with a dumbfounded expression on his face. After a few seconds of silence, he blinked, then shifted his gaze to Masamune, who nodded to the butler.

"Suzutsuki Kanade and I have been trying to help him overcome his phobia, and while we have made progress… There's still a ways to go." Masamune said to Nagare and glanced at me.

"Gynophobia… Unbelievable. Ignoring the physical symptoms, it's just like..." Nagare said quietly, then paused as his eyes widened, before shaking his head a little and continuing. "Never mind. So… you're afraid of the opposite sex, then?"

"Well… yes. As embarrassing as it is to admit. Although, the physical symptoms have always been more prominent than the mental ones. Still, it's really made my life difficult, though as Masamune said, she and Kanade have been helping me with it. And as you may imagine… This phobia of mine has prevented me from… going out with a girl, whether it's Kanade, or someone else." After I had finished my explanation, Nagare took out a handkerchief from another pocket and gave it to me so I could clean myself up. "Arigatou."

"Yes, I… understand now. I have to say… You're right in calling yourself an extreme case. I… know someone who used to suffer from the same phobia, but they never had any physical symptoms like this..." Someone Nagare knows… Could he mean the same person that Kanade's father mentioned? The other Satoshi? "...I think I've spoken too much. Anyway, so… you developed your phobia because of your family, right?"

"Yes, I did. My mother and sister have trained with me for… Over a decade, now. Aside from my phobia, it has also resulted in my body becoming more resilient than most people, though I'm sure you already took note of that." Nagare nodded to me slowly in response, and I finished cleaning up my nose, testing to see if the haemorrhage in my nose had stopped. As usual, the nosebleed that comes with my attacks is not very long-lived, thankfully. I then folded the now bloodied handkerchief neatly and handed it back to Nagare, who took it from me and placed it into his back pocket. I guess he's not worried about them getting dirty… At least, I hope he isn't.

"Alright, so… Let me recap. The young Mistress has fallen for you, and you're both aware of her feelings. However, you cannot return her feelings due to your phobia." Nagare said, then paused and looked at me as if waiting for me to confirm what he had just said.

"Yes. I… decided that curing my phobia comes first, before I even think of having a relationship with a girl." I replied and glanced at Masamune. Or rather, before I think of a response to give to the two girls who have confessed to me, like I promised them.

"...Right. And now, Ichigo-san has found about Kanade-sama's feelings for you, and… what exactly? You said that she doesn't like you being present here at the Mansion, and that she could be a danger to you, but… What exactly does that mean?" Nagare then asked from us. Does he… not know about what Ichigo is like? Then again, the conversation we had made it seem like Kanade and her mother were the only ones who did know out of the people here at the Mansion...

"Ichigo-san, she… is obsessed with Kanade-sama. When I first arrived here, she… Well, she didn't hide her animosity towards me, nor her feelings towards her Mistress. Were you… not aware of that?" Nagare shook his head as a reply, so I continued. "Well, now that she knows that Kanade has began to… like me, she seems to be planning something… Well, not nice for me."

"We think she might be badmouthing Chicken-brain to the Princi… Suzutsuki-sama, but she might also resort to physical violence." Masamune chimed in, and Nagare took on a thoughtful expression for a moment.

"Hmm… I see… So you were looking for Subaru to help you in dealing with Ichigo-san?" Nagare asked after a few moments, and I nodded to him. "I… always thought there was something off about Ichigo-san, but I didn't think she was… 'obsessed' – as you put it – with Kanade-sama. Do you… have any proof about this?"

"Well… we don't know what she's planning yet, so there's no proof about that, but… As I said, she hasn't tried to hide her true self from me, at least. Oh, and both Kanade and her mother are aware of Ichigo-san's unhealthy obsession as well. We're all working together to see what she's up to, and – hopefully – prevent her from going too far." Nagare brought a hand to his chin and turned his gaze upwards for a moment before replying.

"I'll have to talk with Shirabe-sama about this, then. For now, I'll take your word for it, though. As much as I… dislike your mere existence, brat, I don't think getting killed by something in Ichigo-san's collection is a fate befitting of someone like you." So you do know about her collection, at least… Wait, did he just say 'killed'?!"I'll see if I can find Subaru, and tell him about this whole ordeal, and… I'll… Help you in whatever way I can." Nagare averted his gaze from me as he finished, and quickly walked past me, stopping just before the doors. I was surprised at first, but felt a smile growing on my face soon enough. "Don't misunderstand, brat. I'm simply doing this for Kanade-sama's sake. If her happiness lies with being together with you, I'm fine with it, and as a butler of the Suzutsuki family, will do everything in my power to grant her that happiness. Even if that includes helping you deal with Ichigo-san." Nagare said and glanced back towards me over his shoulder, his piercing gaze feeling a little softer than it did before. "Oh, and before I forget, this is yours." He then said and threw the article of clothing he had been carrying with him all this time towards me. I managed to catch it from the air, and noticed that it was the coat of my butler suit. So it was what I thought it was… "Or, I guess technically it's mine, but I'll assume that Kanade-sama was the one who borrowed it from my wardrobe for you. Make sure not to dirty it." After finishing, Nagare pulled open one of the large, double doors and walked out, sending me one last glance as he closed it behind him.

"...Subaru-sama's old man really doesn't like you, does he?" Masamune said and let out a sigh, as if she had been holding her breath in.

"Well… I guess you could say that. He's… warmed up to me, though." I replied and lifted my coat, feeling a smile growing on my face again as I looked at it. I saw Masamune making her way to the central wrestling ring, testing the padding on it with her hands and then sitting down on the edge.

"Hey, Chicken-brain… If you don't mind..." Masamune said and bit her lip as I was putting my coat back on, and I also saw her gently patting the space next to her, signalling for me to come and sit next to her. "Nagare-san… said something about… you being attracted to Suzutsuki..." Oh, I guess he did… I felt a slight heat on my cheeks, but suppressed the blush and made my way over to Masamune, sitting down next to her. This… might be a good time to talk about… that, actually…

"He… did say that, didn't he?" I looked upwards for a few moments, then turned my gaze over to Masamune, who was looking back at me with a slightly… pleading expression on her face. "I… don't really know about that myself, but if someone as perceptive as Nagare thinks that I'm… attracted to Kanade..." Masamune averted her gaze from me, and I stopped speaking for a moment. I've probably just discouraged her a lot… "...Anyway, I have actually been… thinking about that kind of stuff after Kanade's confession. And, well, I guess even before that, when I talked with Konoe after your confession, and especially about the things he said to me." Masamune looked back towards me, a curious look now adorning her pretty features. "He… advised me to talk with you two about… my feelings."

"Your… feelings? What… do you mean by that, Chicken-brain?" Masamune tilted her head to the side in question.

"Well, Nagare-san said that he had… noticed that I was apparently attracted to Kanade, right? I… have actually been wondering a similar thing for a little while, now. You see… After I started to see… new sides in both you and Kanade, I began to have some conflicting feelings that I didn't quite understand. I couldn't even really describe the feelings I had, but I knew they were different to what I used to think about you two. When I spoke with Konoe about them… he said that I was dense, and that I should talk with the two of you about them. Kanade… said the same thing when I talked with her yesterday." I explained to Masamune, who furrowed her brows as she thought for a few moments.

"So basically… If what Nagare-san said is true, you've been attracted to Suzutsuki for ages, but only started to notice it recently… And that..." Masamune's cheeks became slightly flushed as she went on, but continued regardless. "...You think that attraction might.. apply to… me as well." Masamune couldn't look me straight in the eyes, instead choosing to glance at me every now and then, the blush on her face deepening ever so slightly with each passing moment.

"You're… not wrong with that. Both of your confessions… have really made me think. I promised to give an answer to you both once my gynophobia is cured, but… I'll have to make a choice. And while I'm… confused about my feelings regarding you two… that choice will be difficult." Masamune looked down at the floor and tightly gripped onto the hem of her skirt as I finished. I… was hoping that talking with her about this would help me sort out my own feelings, but now I hope I haven't made things awkward between us… I mean, I did just essentially admit that I might like her.

"We..." Masamune started quietly after a little while, and I turned to look at the girl next to me again, but she kept her gaze directed at the floor. "We have… thought about that as well. Your… choice regarding this." Masamune lifted her gaze to meet mine and bit her lip. "We… promised that we wouldn't think too much about it, lest the negative thoughts infest our heads." 'What if he doesn't choose me?'… I can understand that. "But we also promised… that we'd fight fairly, by being ourselves. It will be your choice, Chicken-brain, and we will have to… respect it." It was now my turn to avert my gaze. I already knew all that… "Even… Even if you choose Suzutsuki, I'll… I'll still be your friend, Chicken-brain. And I'm sure… she thinks the same way." Knowing that… doesn't make it any easier…

"Well… No need to wallow in negative thoughts like that. I was just hoping that speaking with you two might help me figure my own feelings out, since right now..." I paused and took a moment to look at Masamune more carefully. I've always known that she was kinda cute, pretty, even, but now… I don't know what to make of those thoughts. And even with Kanade, when I realized that the feelings I had towards her were romantic ones… I can't tell if what I feel towards Masamune is the same. "...I don't really know what to make of them, whether my feelings for both you and Kanade are romantic, or just those of… platonic friendship."

After I finished, a somewhat awkward silence settled onto the two of us, as I couldn't really think of anything to follow up with, and Masamune probably didn't have anything to respond with. A part of me wants to be completely honest with her, and tell her about the "realization" I had yesterday about my feelings towards Kanade, but… She might take it as her loss immediately, even though I'm still unsure of what I feel towards Masamune herself. But, if my realization is anything to go by…

The choice I have ahead of me does not seem that difficult.

No, the difficulty relating to the choice comes from the fact that I want to keep both girls happy, but I know that at least one of them will be saddened by my ultimate choice. Which then comes back around to my feelings, as I don't want Masamune to be sad, just like I don't want Kanade to be sad.

Why did this have to turn out like this? Love is too difficult…

I let out a sigh and saw Masamune briefly glancing at me. The look on her face was hesitant, as if she was about to say something, but couldn't quite get the words out. After her eyes met mine for what had to be the seventh time within the span of a few seconds, Masamune took a deep breath and opened her mouth to say something, when suddenly, the doors to the room were flung open, and a familiar butler stood at the entrance, with another figure behind them.

"Jirou!" Konoe shouted as she noticed me sitting down and made her way over to us. "Father told me everything. Are you alright?"

"Well, I haven't had a run-in with the bipolar yandere who hates my guts yet, so I'm relatively fine." I replied with a slight chuckle. "I'm… guessing you're willing to help me with this situation, then?"

"Of course, Jirou! I am your… best friend, after all." Konoe said with a smile, then seemingly noticed Masamune's presence. "Oh, Usami, hello. If you're here, then Jirou shouldn't have anything to worry about." Masamune blushed a little at the unexpected compliment. I guess Konoe still has somewhat of an effect on her, even though she got over her crush already…

"N-no worries. Although… I don't know how well I'd fare against the Captain if it did come down to me having to defend Chicken-brain..." Masamune replied and awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck, her gaze shifting between Konoe and I. At this point, the second figure who had been standing behind Konoe entered the room, who was revealed to be Nagare.

"While I am simply delighted to see Subaru reunited with you, brat, something else has come up." Nagare said as he walked up to us. "When I was looking for Subaru, the Master told me to bring you both to his study as soon as possible." He… what? "I would understand as to why you would be summoned by Master Satoshi, but Subaru too?" Nagare placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned down to be at eye-level with me.

"Be careful, brat. I haven't seen Ichigo around, and she might very well be there with Master Satoshi."

Konoe and I briskly walked down one of the many hallways of the Suzutsuki Mansion, having been summoned there by Kanade's father. On the way, Konoe told me about the things her father had said about the current situation, and I told her most of everything else to bring her up to speed. I left some details out, but decided that Konoe deserved to know that I took her advice and talked about my feelings with Masamune. Konoe was glad that I was able to talk about my feelings with someone else, but then went on to say that she wouldn't be helping me, and that I had to figure everything out on my own.

Engrossed in our conversation, it didn't take long before we were stood by the entrance to Suzutsuki Satoshi's study. I had gotten more than familiar with the place recently, but right now, the door felt even more imposing than before. I'm getting kinda nervous now… Talking with Konoe took my mind off this whole thing, but now that we're finally here… Doesn't help that it's just me and Konoe here, since Masamune and Nagare stayed behind.

"Jirou? Are you okay?" Konoe asked, and I turned to my best friend to see a look of concern on her face.

"I… I'm a bit nervous, to tell the truth. We don't know what Ichigo-san said to the Master regarding me, but it can't have been anything good… I'm expecting the worst through that door." I replied and turned to look at the door. And if Ichigo is there herself…

"It'll be fine, Jirou. I don't know why the Master wanted me to come here with you, but… It might be a blessing in disguise. You know that I'll be supporting you with this, and that I'll be with you through to the end, just like… just like a best friend should." Konoe placed a hand on my shoulder and gripped it reassuringly, a look of determination on her face. Konoe… Right, if she's willing to do this…

Then so am I.

I nodded to Konoe, then faced the door in front of us again. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, reached out with my right hand and knocked on the door. Shortly afterwards, the door opened slowly, and I was met face-to-face with a sight that honestly made me terrified.

"Ah, the Underling has arrived. And so has Subaru. Good." Ichigo said coldly, her face as neutral as possible, as if she didn't have any emotions whatsoever. She's probably acting all proper now that she's in her Master's presence, but I wonder what would happen if I was alone with her… After letting us in, Ichigo stepped to the side to allow us to enter.

As Konoe and I entered, we glanced at each other, and Konoe gave me a quick, reassuring nod. The study had not changed from when I was here earlier today, but everything in it felt more ominous now. I couldn't see Suzutsuki Satoshi anywhere, but the seat back behind Suzutsuki Satoshi's cluttered desk gave us quite a big hint as to where the Master of the Mansion himself was.

"So, you've answered my summons." A voice said to us after Ichigo had closed the door behind us, then moved to the side, her eyes closed as she stood still like a statue. "Now, I'm sure that I don't need to tell you why I've summoned you here." The seat slowly turned around, revealing Suzutsuki Satoshi sitting down, his hands together in an almost prayer-like pose. "I know that you've spoken with my wife, and that both she and my daughter spoke with Ichigo before this. But most importantly… Ichigo here spoke with me." I swallowed, and could feel my hands balling up into fists.

"We… know that Ichigo-san spoke with you, yes. About… me." I carefully replied. "And from that, we can assume that… You've summoned me here because of what she has said to you." Suzutsuki Satoshi kept his piercing gaze fixated on mine as a few seconds of silence passed.

"You would be correct in your assumption. As you may imagine, the things Ichigo told me were… quite surprising, alarming, even. They got me… thinking about various things. But, there was one thing in particular that she mentioned…" Suzutsuki Satoshi paused for a moment, taking his gaze off me as he looked at Konoe briefly. "...Which is the reason you are here, Subaru. You see, Ichigo brought to light something that – unlike some of the other things she said – I simply cannot ignore, or set aside as simply minor inconveniences or problems. Sakamachi Kinjirou, how come you know the most well-guarded secret among the inhabitants of this Mansion – the fact that Subaru, the butler stood next to you..." Suzutsuki Satoshi looked towards me again, furrowing his brows a little as he did, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see an evil grin growing on Ichigo's face.

"...is a Girl?"

AN: I really am sorry for the massive delay for this chapter. That, combined with the rather slow pace of the story in the past few chapters is not something I am completely happy with, but it will have to do. I have a solid plan for the next chapter, though, and will slap myself in the face until I get my shit together and return to more frequent updates – on all of my stories.