Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  If Akatsuki wanted to obtain Natsuya Yoruhana, he knew that Seiji Haruta would obstruct him.

  He considered it quite easy to get rid of this trash from the Haruta Family. However, he didn't know how Yui Haruta would react.

  Akatsuki didn't want to make the "Qilin Girl" his enemy. Although he was confident in his own power, she was at another much higher level than him, and he knew that it would be nothing more than suicide to go against her. The last idiot that challenged this Qilin Girl directly was burned to death and left as nothing but ashes together with all of his Spirit-branded Retainers! There was even no need for a cremation!

  Since he was uncertain what exactly Yui Haruta's attitude was towards her exiled younger brother, the best move for him would be to prepare for the worst-case scenario that she still paid attention to what happened to Seiji Haruta. He felt that was the wisest and most cautious move to make.

  Not to mention, the Haruta Family consisted of more than just Yui Haruta.

  It would be fine if Seiji Haruta had still been a pure piece of trash, but that was no longer the case.

  On the day of the Winter Snow Festival, Akatsuki had personally witnessed the power that he displayed. No matter where Seiji obtained his power, power was power. A family member that displayed some rudimentary signs of power—the Haruta Family wouldn't possibly completely ignore him.

  Among the seven major families, the Haruta Family was rather low-profile in Yin-Yang Master society. They took such a low profile that many people believed that they were currently weakening, or perhaps becoming weaker than the other six major families.

  Akatsuki was uncertain whether these rumors were true or not, but even if the Haruta Family was weakening, they still weren't a family that any normal Yin-Yang Master family or faction would easily be able to antagonize and get away with it. At the very least, the Mitarai Family would be unable to do such a thing, as they weren't one of the seven major families.

  At any rate, if he killed Seiji Haruta, he didn't know how Yui Haruta or the Haruta Family would respond. He felt that it would be too risky.

  After taking that into consideration, he decided on his current action.

  He heard footsteps approaching.

  Akatsuki looked in that direction and saw the person that he had been waiting for. He showed off a polite smile.

  "Good afternoon, Haruta-san."

  "…Good afternoon, Mitarai-san."

  Seiji looked at the dark-blue-haired handsome boy in front of him who was wearing a black windbreaker. He coldly and calmly greeted Akatsuki, then looked at the girl next to him.

  She was a beauty who had shiny red short hair and light-golden eyes. Her skin was snow-white, and she had a cold look in her eyes and an expressionless face.

  She was wearing a dark little jacket, a purple-red short one-piece dress, and white socks. She was standing there silently with an umbrella in hand. She appeared beautiful but lacking in life force, as if she was an exquisite marionette.

  "This is one of my other Spirit-branded Retainers, Akasuzume Koogi." Akatsuki indicated to the girl next to him.

  The red-haired girl slightly bowed her head to Seiji in greeting, but didn't say a single word.

  "What business do you have with me that made you come all the way here?" Seiji asked him directly after he finished glancing over at Akatsuki's Spirit-branded Retainer.

  "I would like to have a discussion with Haruta-san." Akatsuki smiled. "It's a bit cold outside. May I have the honor of resting in your home?"

  "For such a simple place to accommodate an honored guest like you would be far too inappropriate. Let's find another location outside to have a discussion at."

  "As you wish, Haruta-san. That's fine as well."

  "I would like to put what I have with me in my home, please wait for me for a moment."

  "Sure thing."

  Akatsuki made way for Seiji to enter his apartment.

  Seiji walked up to his own door and knocked.

  "Shika-chan, it's me, open up."

  The door opened.

  "Brother…"

  "Help me put these doujinshi products away… I'm going outside with them for a bit." Seiji handed his paper sack to his adopted sister.

  Shika took the sack and looked at her brother's face.

  "Judging by he's attitude, he's probably only here to talk. It won't be a problem." Seiji smiled and patted her on the head. "Take good care of Reo-chan for me… There's no need to follow me. I'll come back by myself in a bit."

  Something flashed in Shika's eyes.

  As Seiji retracted his hand, he turned around and walked back up to Akatsuki and Akasuzume.

  The black-haired girl silently watched them leave together.

  Seiji rode in Akatsuki's car. They went to a private room in a coffee café in the business district.

  This room wasn't very large, and it was simply and elegantly decorated. There was also a French window that gave everyone both inside and outside a clear view.

  After they all sat down and ordered some coffee, Seiji looked towards Akatsuki and Akasuzume.

  Akatsuki also looked at Seiji as well.

  They exchanged glances and remained silent for several seconds.

  "What would you like to discuss with me, Mitarai-san?"

  "Haruta-san probably has guessed as well, it's about Natsuya." The dark-blue-haired boy smiled.

  "I think I already went over that with you during the Winter Snow Festival." Seiji looked directly into Akatsuki's eyes. "Your relationship with her isn't good enough to the point where you can directly call her by name, so please don't."

  Akatsuki's expression froze over for a moment as something icy flashed in his eyes.

  "You're trying to test me so quickly. It would seem like Haruta-san is feeling anxious about me."

  "This isn't a test, it's something that I truly want to say… But the fact that you suddenly came looking for me indeed made me feel tense," Seiji responded calmly and honestly.

  "Heh heh, Haruta-san is someone who truly values the companion that's cohabiting with you… I believe that her name is Shika Kagura, am I right?"

  "She's living together with me, not cohabiting."

  "My apologies for the mistake. But if you live together for a long time, it's likely that it'll turn into cohabitation."

  "That's none of your business." Seiji was expressionless.

  "It's indeed none of my business, but it's also not completely unrelated to me." Akatsuki had a cold expression in his eyes while still smiling. "Haruta-san, why don't you just behave and enjoy your time together with Kagura-san?"

  "What does that mean?"

  "Do I really have to say it directly for you to understand…? You already have Kagura-san, so stop approaching Natsuya."

  Everyone in the room fell silent.

  At this time, the server arrived and placed everyone's coffee before them.

  A tantalizing aroma of coffee spread through the room. However, not a single person as much as even glanced at the coffee.

  "This is the reason that you came looking for me? To ask me to stay away from Natsuya?" Seiji spoke up again after the server left.

  "That's right. As long as you do that, it'll be good for both you and me." Akatsuki maintained his fake smile.

  "That's quite shameless of you to say."

  "Not at all, since I wouldn't ask you to do so for free. As long as you accept, I can provide you everything that Natsuya can provide you—to an even greater extent." The dark-blue-haired handsome boy extended his palms.

  "I don't believe that you have the ability to do so."

  "Please believe that I do. I have far more resources at my disposal than she does."

  "Perhaps that's true, but I'm not talking about resources."

  "What did you mean, then?"

  "Something that a person like you will find impossible to understand," Seiji said lightly.

  "Heh heh, what interesting words you say, Haruta-san." Akatsuki chuckled coldly.

  Another moment of silence fell between them.

  "If I refuse your request, what will you do?"

  "Do you really have to refuse? Haruta-san, it's best not to make hasty decisions. Please consider again, for the sake of you and your companion living with you." Akatsuki made sure to place extra emphasis on the last part, "for the sake of you and your companion living with you."

  Seiji furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

  "I came here with sincerity, and I'm honestly requesting you not to get in my way," Akatsuki said coldly. "If you agree right now, I can immediately write you a check for 50,000,000 sakuras. If you think that's insufficient, my upper limit is 100,000,000 sakuras. Please seriously consider my sincerity, and don't just casually reject. Otherwise, you'll be sure to regret it."

  Snow fell outside the window.

  There was an icy cold atmosphere in the coffee café's room.