« Me ? » she widened her eyes, playing with her hands in nervousness.
« Who else ? » he shrugged with a wide enthusiastic smile.
« A baby already, Tama ? » said Tsune with a proud face « this union is so blessed. »
« Hum... Okay... So... Souji... » she flushed even more before she took a deep breath « We're... We're divorced. »
« What ?! »
That cry seemed to erupt from everyone at once. Clearly, everyone expected the announcement to be a pregnancy. Souji had the widest smile ever and Tama a shy one. Tsune froze in a moment of dullness and gritted her teeths when she got back to her senses.
« What does that mean, Souji-kun ?! » she spitted « How dare you divorce Isami's daughter ?! »
« A few new elements have been brought to light. » shrugged Souji with a wry smile before his expression took a more somber turn « You lied, Tsune-san. I trusted you, I've known you nearly all my life. I was there for your wedding to Kondou, for Tama's birth... and you lied to me. »
« I didn't... » she flushed, angry.
« You did. » he stated « You took advantage of my memory loss to make Tama and I believe it was all Kondou's plan. Well too bad because the gaps have been filled and Kondou's wish for me to marry Tama wasn't amongst them. »
« And so, you're willing to abandon Tama, deflored and divorced, to regain a vain feeling of liberty ?! » she yelled « never before has my family been so insulted ! Is the divorce pronounced already ?! Where's the paper ?! »
« Tama » smiled Souji « the letter and paper, please. »
« Ha... Hai ! » ran the girl, coming back in seconds with the two items « here, Okaasan. »
Tsune grabbed the paper and as she was reviewing it, Souji turned to Haruhi with a smile.
« Haru-chan » he said « I know you told me your type of man was insensitive married old jerks but do you think an insensitive divorced old jerk could do ? »
« Wait, what ? » she widened her eyes.
« You would repudiate Tama for that ?! » errupted Tsune « for a whore ?! »
« I told you that if you kept disrespecting her, our relationship would deteriorate, Tsune-san. » said Souji calmly « you brought that on yourself. »
« Haruhi-senpai is no whore ! » yelled Daisuke, shocked.
« Watch you damn mouth, woman or I'll cut your tongue out ! » added Shinpachi.
« She's a samurai daughter ! » added Heisuke « and of the most honorable kind ! »
« Everyone... » whispered Haruhi, tears pearling at her eyes, confused about the whole situation.
« That is unbelievable... » muttered Tsune, still reviewing « it doesn't make any sense... »
« Surely you would agree that a samurai daughter is more fit to marry a samurai than a farm girl. » added Souji wryly.
« Isami was a daimyo ! » she yelled « Tama is of noble blood ! »
« We both know Kondou's title was hollow. » he said with a sad smile « he had no land, he wasn't raised a daimyo, he never lived a daimyo and he didn't die a daimyo. »
« How dare you insult Isami's memory... » she hissed.
« How dared you insult his memory » corrected Souji « by putting words in his mouth that he never had. »
Tsune creased the divorce paper in her clenched fist, humiliated, and watched Souji's letter with wide eyes.
« That divorce letter... » she said « is this a joke ?! It's from yourself to yourself ! »
« Indeed » nodded Souji « In case of divorce, the husband has to write a letter that the wife takes back home with her, as proof of the divorce. It is a simple formality. »
« I know that. » snarled Tsune « It should be adressed to me. »
« Well long story short » continued Souji « I thought about taking your life after your betrayal but I changed my mind and took your futur. This afternoon, just before the divorce, I officially adopted Tama. »
« You can't do this ! » she yelled « You can't adopt her without my consent ! »
« Turns out I can. » he grinned widely « Tama was my wife and therefore I was her legal tutor. Can't say it went smoothly, no one ever heard of someone adopting his wife before. They thought I was some kind of lunatic. Yet, after they reviewed all the laws on the matter, turns out nothing forbids it. I adopted Tama as her legal tutor then divorced her. I'm still her legal tutor though so you have no power over her whatsoever anymore. »
« That's nonsense... » she muttered « that's an insult ! Tama, come. We're going home. »
« No, Okaasan » said Tama, shaking her head « I... I won't. »
« Tama ! » yelled Tsune, strangling herself with the word « You come here now ! »
« No. » she clenched her fists « No. You told me Otousan wanted this when I only remember Otousan wanted me to be happy... You used me, you sold me for your own profit... I'm better here with Souji... I don't want to be a tool anymore. »
« Tama... » whispered Tsune, tears invading her eyes « come with me, baby... »
« No. » she said again with force and Tsune turned to Haruhi, grabbing her by the collar.
« That's your fault ! » she spitted « I knew it ! I knew you were no good ! You turned Souji-kun's head and robbed me of my daughter ! »
Haruhi just smiled. She still had problems to understand all this but seeing Tsune suffer at last for her lies, that was just all too savoury to her.
« I told you sooner or later, Souji would know. I'm disappointed your head didn't roll but I'm glad I was there to see it. » she said softly « Don't worry Tsune-san... You're still good-looking. I'm pretty sure you can make some friends who will financially look after you. »
« You whore ! » she yelled, shaking Haruhi.
« Kondou-san ! Let go of Haru-chan ! » yelled Heisuke.
« Haruhi-senpai ! »
Suddenly, Tsune was lifted by her collar and the surprise made her release Haruhi. Shinpachi was holding her by her kimono and her feet were nearly not touching the ground anymore.
« Can't believe someone like Kondou married such a snake... » commented Shinpachi with furrowed brows « I knew he was an idiot but still. »
« Shinpachi » scolded Souji, arms crossed, and with a murder-thirsty glare « I won't tolerate Kondou to be insulted in the Shieikan. Or anywhere else, for that matters. »
« I meant no offense » smiled the big guy « Kondou has always been too kind and trusting. That's what I meant. It cost him his life. »
« Tsune-san » said Souji with a kind smile, his anger like vanished already « I'm wishing you the best for the future. No doubt it'll be hard without a husband, a son or a daughter but you're cunning. I'm sure you'll do well. »
« You all can go to hell ! » she spitted « I'm out of here ! »
« Hell is overrated apparently. » shrugged Souji.
Tsune stormed out with tears on her face red with anger and she didn't even look back on her daughter. Tama was crying too. Even if she decided to stay, she was loosing a mother tonight, the person who raised her and moulded her into the girl she was today. Souji sighed and shrugged before he turned to the rest of the audience.
« Now that, is what I call a party. » he escaped a bark of evil laughter before his eyes landed on Haruhi with a tenderness that have been too long absent from his eyes « Ne, what do you say Haru-chan ? Marry me ? »
« Wh... What ? » she stuttered, not believing her ears.
« Marry me. » repeated Souji « I can repeat it a third time if you want. »
« B... But... »
That was too much... Tsune's deceit brought to light, Souji's divorce, Tama's adoption, now a wedding proposal ?! And did that mean that Tama was Souji's daughter now ?! Wasn't that super awkward considering he was in her bedroom not later than this fucking morning ?!
« Haru-chan » chuckled Shinpachi « I think Souji is expecting an answer. »
« You fucking cunt ! » she yelled, the pressure exploding inside her heart.
« Ara, that wasn't the answer I was hoping for... » he smirked.
« You had to pull off all that show ?! » she yelled, hiding her confusion behind anger « you couldn't tell me ?! When did you divorce ?! »
« This afternoon. » smiled Souji tenderly « that's why we were in town. And for the show... Let's say I was so mad at Tsune that I wanted to find the best way to take revenge. That seemed appropriate to avoid bloodshed. »
« And now you expect me to marry you ? » she asked, tears invading her eyes.
Souji lost his smile and got closer, taking her by the hand.
« I think that matter would be better discussed in private. » he stated.
« Tsunashi-san » said Daisuke, putting his hand on Souji's arm « I think Haruhi-senpai needs a bit of time. »
Souji seemed on the verge of killing him or, at least, yelling at him to mind his own business. Yet, instead, he let go of Haruhi's arm and smiled.
« Fine. » he said « when you're ready, Haru-chan, we'll talk. »
Haruhi nodded, still crying, and Souji took a cloth and handed it to her so she could wipe her tears.
« You fucking cunt... » she whimpered under the pressure, tears uncontrollably flowing « I don't understand anything... »
« You will. » staid Souji softly « If you give me a chance to explain. »
Haruhi wiped her face and panted, swallowing back her tears and she nodded to Souji again.
« Explain me. » she ordered softly.
« Come with me. » he smiled gently « you and I need to talk. »