I Didn’t Want You to Ask Me (Krish’s POV)

“Krish, haven’t you rested since you returned to your normal duties? You can take tomorrow off.”

The next day, Felix-sama announced this without any warning. The sudden holiday turned out to be unexpectedly enjoyable. The fruit trees Shinobu had planted had borne fruit, and it was time to harvest them.

Genet-dono, who regularly helps transport vegetables, and Shinobu’s friends Norn and Kuju rushed over to help, attaching nets to the trees with the large fruits.

I knew they had planted trees, but what surprised me was that there was a kukuri among them.

The kukuri tree that my parents had longed for and were still trying to plant but failing has grown big, and the branches are now laden with fruit.

The climate around here is not very suitable for growing kukuri, so they went to the trouble of moving to a southern location. My parents would probably be very disappointed to see this.

This is the first time I’ve eaten freshly harvested kukuri. The last time I ate them, I happened to see them at a market while traveling and bought them, but perhaps because it had been a while since they were picked, the scent was much weaker than Shinobu’s kukuri.

Is it true that the scent and sweetness of fully ripe kukuris are so different? I’m sure my parents will be craving them. I’ll brag about them the next time I write them a letter. The thought of them flying home brought a smile to my face.

We ate the fruits we harvested and the home-cooked food that Shinobu and Norn had made together to our heart’s content, and made noise and sang. Shinobu also seemed to be having fun. He had a big smile on his face the whole time.

“Isn’t that nice, Pyonkichi. You got hugged by Krish-san. Krish-san’s hug is reassuring and feels good, right?”

When I went to pick up the ravi, who was nowhere to be seen, Shinobu’s words reminded me of that night. Thinking about what he said back then, there was no doubt that he liked being hugged by me.

 However, I remembered the sleepless night that followed, and felt a little mean and teased Shinobu.

“I see so Shinobu likes being hugged by me?”

“Hmm?”

It seemed that he hadn’t realized it, and for a moment Shinobu tilted his head as if to say, “What are you talking about?” He froze, keeping his head at that angle, and before I knew it, his face was flushed red.

“Um, well, I don’t mean “it felt good” in a weird way. I just meant that the view was nice and it was fun, or something like that…!!”

“Haha.”

It was enough just to see his cute figure fidgeting and desperately trying to make excuses. Even if he sees me as his father, if it makes him feel good, then it’s not such a bad thing.

 “You laughed. That’s mean, Krish-san!!”

“Haha, sorry. Shinobu was so desperate that I couldn’t resist.”

I didn’t fall in love with him because I wanted him to return my feelings. I couldn’t take my eyes off his straightforward way of living, and I naturally fell in love with him.

Even if he doesn’t return my feelings, if I have a place for myself even in a corner of Shinobu’s heart, then that is a very happy thing. I am truly happy enough to have realized that.

As I finished eating the food and started to clean up, thinking it was about time to call it a day, I noticed the sound of a carriage coming from afar. The familiar carriage was the one Annette-sama used to travel.

“That carriage… Sorry, but I’ll head back first. I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

I wonder if something happened. Annette-sama was staying in the next town until yesterday because of her cousin’s birthday party. I hadn’t heard that she was coming back today, so I wonder if something had happened that made her suddenly return home. 

“Krish, we finally met!!”

That’s what she said. Whenever she visited him, he was out, and she didn’t have time to discuss the future.

Annette-sama gave a wink to the servant standing behind her so that he wouldn’t notice. He must have been asked by Annette-sama’s father to watch over her. Was she telling me to go along with the conversation?

“I know today is your day off. Please come with me. Father and Mother are getting pretty fed up.”

“Annette-sama, I’m sure I refused that.”

My fake lover act with Annette-sama had reached a point where there was no turning back. If I went to meet her parents as I was told, they would definitely push through with the marriage talk. Annette-sama must have understood that.

“Annette-sama…”

It seemed Shinobu and the others had finished cleaning up and had caught up. I heard Norn’s voice along with footsteps from behind me. 

Annette turned around at the sound of the voice and her face lit up when she saw Shinobu.

“You’re Shinobu, right? Nice to meet you. I’ve heard about you from Onii-sama.”

“Onii-sama…?”

Oh, I see. Shinobu didn’t know. She had mentioned Shinobu a few times in their conversations, so I thought he’d met her before.

“You’re just as cute as I’d heard. I’m Annette. Nice to meet you.”

She must have been happy because she’d said she wanted to meet Shinobu. Shinobu seemed confused when Annette asked for a handshake herself.

That’s unusual, I think. Shinobu is friendly and didn’t seem intimidated when we first met, but after shaking hands with Annette, he hid his hands behind his back.

After that incident. Maybe he’s developed a fear of strangers.

 “Annette-sama, please stop bothering Shinobu.”

“Oh, that’s mean, bothering him you say. Don’t say mean things.”

When I offered her a helping hand, Annette puffed out her cheeks in disappointment. She didn’t realize it, but that made her look childish.

“Oh, that’s right. This isn’t the time for this. Shinobu, I’d like to borrow Krish from now on. Is that okay?”

“Annette-sama!!”

“Krish, please stay quiet. We’re not getting anywhere.

Will you listen to me? Krish is so mean. I asked him to come and see my parents on his day off, but he didn’t tell me about it.”

It’s not like I was keeping it a secret. This day off was decided suddenly.

 “Annette-sama, that’s…”

“No. I won’t let you get away today. I understand what Krish is saying, but I’m desperate too. If Krish doesn’t come, I’ll be forced to marry some other guy who I don’t know what to do with.

Now, get in the carriage. We have to hurry. You’re going to meet my parents, so I need you to change into proper clothes. I’ve prepared the clothes, so you just need to come with nothing but the clothes on your back.”

I’m fed up with Annette-sama continuing the conversation on her own, but even though I want to argue, the servants are looking at me searchingly, so I can’t say anything stupid. Besides, there are ordinary people here, like Genet-dono, Couge, and Norn who works at the management office.

I can tell from Annette-sama’s tone that she’s quite impatient. She’s probably trying to act like a selfish lover so that the people around her won’t notice that we’re playing lovers, but honestly, I didn’t want Shinobu to hear this conversation. 

I don’t want Shinobu to misunderstand me, but I’ve been worried about his strange behavior for a while now. His face when he was talking to Annette-sama. That’s the face he makes when he’s holding something back. Even though he’s smiling, his eyebrows and the corners of his eyes are slightly drooping. He looks sad to me. You wouldn’t notice unless you looked really closely, but he always had that same expression when he looked at Pochi’s wound.

And now, he was listening to my conversation with Annette-sama with a blank expressionless face. Norn also seemed to have noticed Shinobu’s behavior, and gave me a worried look.

He had been having fun all day today, but I made him look like this.

The reason Annette-sama’s attendant looks threatening and stern is because her father has asked her to look after Annette-sama, so there’s nothing to be afraid of, but Shinobu probably wouldn’t know that.

 Two strangers appeared in front of Shinobu, whose memory of the incident had not yet healed. One of them was overly familiar and asked for a handshake, while the other stared at him with a sharp gaze. Shinobu’s current state must have been quite a burden.

Rather than resisting and prolonging the conversation, it would be better to stay quiet and remove the two from Shinobu.

“Shinobu, I’ll be back in the evening…”

“We’ll be having dinner with my parents at home tonight. Shinobu, I think it’ll be late, so I’ll let Krish stay at my place tonight.”

Before he could finish saying anything, he was pushed into the carriage and the plans for the night were decided without his permission. He looked at Annette, a little annoyed, and put his hands together in front of his face and opened his mouth wide.

“I’m sorry!!”

Is this also to keep the servants from hearing? It seems that it has been decided that I will be taken to Annette’s parents, but if I don’t know what kind of conversation took place between the family, I’ll have trouble dealing with what to do next.

 “I’ll tell you later.”

She grabbed my hand and wrote the words on my palm with her finger. I sighed, feeling skeptical and wondering, “Is that true?”

I always feel like I’m sighing whenever I’m around Annette-sama, but I’m sure it’s not just my imagination.

“You want me to wear this…?”

She lifted up a loose shirt and grimaced. I was in a room in Annette-sama’s mansion, where I was shoved in to get changed, but I couldn’t imagine that this dressy shirt would suit me at all.

“I was wondering about that shirt too, but I asked Severus and he bought me this shirt.”

Annette-sama had a troubled look on her face, but it was obvious that she was trying to hold back her laughter inside. Her shoulders were shaking, which was proof of that.

 “But more importantly, what’s going on? I think we agreed before that it wouldn’t be a good idea to give in to your parents’ wishes.”

“I tried my best too. I went out to avoid seeing you, and postponed my cousin’s birthday party, which was supposed to be an overnight stay. But it seems that it only made things worse.

As soon as I got home today, he said, ‘Krish is supposed to be off today, go and pick him up right away.’

If I refuse this time, he said he’ll move forward with the arranged marriage. And the groom is Digrid, from the branch family! I don’t want to marry him, he’s such a mama’s boy!”

Since he even specified the groom, it seems that your father is serious this time. He must have had enough of his daughter wandering around aimlessly (or so it seemed).

 “Annette-sama, let’s tell your father the truth. It’ll be fine. I’ll probably be the only one who gets scolded.

He dotes on you so much, so I’m sure he’ll understand if you tell him honestly.”

The reason he’s rushing through the marriage talks is because he loves his daughter. It’s a parent’s wish for her happiness.

Well, he probably didn’t expect that he’d spoiled her out of love and that she’d grow up to be so unconventional.

“But I…”

“I wondered why she ran out as soon as she got home, so that’s what it was. I didn’t give Krish a day off for something like this.”

“Onii-sama!!”

“Felix-sama.”

It’s not a good idea for a man and woman to be alone in a closed room, so the voice must have leaked from the half-open door. Felix-sama, leaning against the wall in the hallway with his arms folded, had a stern look on his face.

“Annette, I told you before, didn’t I? Krish’s life isn’t for you to play with.”

“Yes…”

In front of an angry Felix-sama, Annette-sama becomes as quiet as a cat. That’s because her brother, Felix-sama, is the only member of the family who doesn’t let Annette-sama get away with her selfishness.

Instead of her parents doting on her and forgiving everything, I think it’s because of Felix-sama, who sometimes gets stern and scolds her when something is wrong that Annette-sama has a minimum level of common sense.

Otherwise, she would have grown up to be an unruly woman who was impossible to control.

 “You’ll be an adult soon. You’ve reached the age where you have to deal with the consequences of your own actions. I’ve been watching quietly, but I won’t allow you to drag Krish into this any further.

Tell father and the others with your own mouth.”

Seeing Annette’s shoulders slumping makes me want to protect her, but it’s not good for others to interfere in her upbringing.

“Besides,”

I thought that and kept quiet, but I never thought the conversation would turn to me.

“If Krish gets dumped by the person he loves because of this, how are you going to take responsibility? Just let him go.”

“What!?”

“What!?”

What are you saying, Felix-sama?

“Krish, have you found someone you like!? Who is it, someone I know?”

Please stop. Annette has taken the bait. I want you to stop looking at me with sparkling eyes and folding your hands in front of your chest. I have a hard time understanding why ladies love other people’s love stories so much.

“You see, it’s that boy. A friend from another world. Have you ever heard the name Shinobu?”

I was speechless when he revealed my feelings for Shinobu. I had just decided to keep my feelings for Shinobu to myself, but if Annette-sama finds out, she’ll just get even more involved.

“What should I do? I’ve done something terrible. Onii-sama, what should I do? I said a lot of things in front of Shinobu that could be misunderstood. Because Severus was there…

I’m sorry, Krish!! I’ll explain it to Shinobu properly!!”

“Stop it. If Annette gets involved, it will only make things even more complicated.”

“Onii-sama, that’s terrible!!”

Annette-sama was screaming and protesting to Felix-sama, but I really wanted him to stop. Nothing good ever comes from Annette-sama being involved.

 “Well then, let’s get the troublesome stuff out of the way. You don’t have to get changed, so follow me. I’ll be present at the meeting with father and the others. If you’re the only ones, father might push you over the edge.”

Honestly, it’s reassuring to have Felix-sama with us. Felix-sama, who has become the head of the family, will be in a higher position than his father.

It’s hard for Annette and I to refuse an order, but Felix-sama will probably do something about it.

“Annette, are you ready?”

“Yes, Onii-sama.”

Behind this door, both Annette-sama and Felix-sama’ parents are standing together. Unable to hide her nervousness, Annette-sama gulps with a stiff face.

Knock knock

“Father, this is Felix. We have something to tell you.”

“Come in.”

Their parents were sitting side by side on the sofa, enjoying their tea. I guess she had no doubt that Annette and I would come tonight to pay our respects. She was wearing nicer clothes than usual, and her hair was tied up beautifully.

“Oh, Annette and Krish are here too. Krish, what are you wearing? It’s just your everyday clothes.”

I’m not wearing a knight’s uniform, nor am I wearing the extravagant formal attire that was prepared for me. I’m wearing the same everyday clothes I wore when I got into the carriage.

Father’s face was distorted by my inappropriate attire for the wedding.

“Annette will explain about this. I’ll be accompanying you as an attendant. Come on, Annette.”

Annette, pushed forward by Felix, took a deep breath to relieve her tension.

“Father, mother, I’m sorry. Annette lied!!”

“!?”

Annette-sama’s statement was really surprising.

 Her parents were shocked and their eyes were wide with shock as they sat on the sofa, half-raised, while the servants who had been waiting ran around in a panic, yelling, “My Lady, my Lady!!” Then, Felix-sama held his forehead as if he had a headache and looked up at the ceiling. If I could, I would have looked up at the ceiling like Felix-sama.

As she apologized, Annette-sama slid to her knees on the floor with great force and prostrated herself in front of her parents.

“W-What on earth happened!?”

“Everything is all my fault. Krish is not to blame at all!”

The room was in chaos as Annette-sama burst into tears.

She was probably trying to protect me, but was it just my imagination that it had the opposite effect? ​​Annette-sama’s maid’s gaze was extremely painful.

 “Annette, you should study conversation a bit more. That’s not a good explanation at all. For now, stand up, smooth out your skirt, and sit on the sofa.

Also, you two prepare some tea and leave.”

Felix-sama gave instructions in place of his stunned parents, setting the stage for the discussion. I’m really glad Felix-sama was there with us.

I don’t think I would have been able to settle this situation.