“What are you going to do, hey?”
It’s true that when the conversation gets this heavy, I can’t just act rashly.
“Rather, I’ll ask, what do you want me to do?”
“My, using a question to answer a question is cowardly, Gozaru.”
It’s not that there are no solutions.
It was a situation that required careful handling, but there was no need to be so overzealous.
I’m going to get serious about calmly deciding what to do in the future.
It’s not for nothing that I’ve continued to navigate difficult situations.
Trouble was a daily occurrence not just at my current company, but at my previous one as well.
My experience with trouble is far beyond average; I’ve experienced enough to get heartburn.
“It’s no good for me to just do what I want. It’ll be easier if I hear the opinion of the person involved.”
“If you say so, then that is so, Gozaru.”
If you stumble on one problem, problems will pile up in an instant.
That’s why I have a method for dealing with problems.
“Honestly, I’m at a loss and don’t know what to do, Gozaru.”
“I see.”
This time, with Katsu’s situation, it’s better to act quickly.
The longer I delay, the harder it will be to resolve.
Certainly, as Minami says, it’s a troublesome problem and difficult to deal with, but it’s not without a breakthrough.
“That’s right. Then, first, let’s identify the problem points. Well, speaking of problem points, it’s unlikely we can even talk if Katsu’s mental state, or rather, his way of thinking doesn’t change.”
So far, Minami seems to have been unable to change her actions due to the anxiety that a sudden change might lead to a bad outcome.
Well, when you act from just one perspective, those cases are common.
What’s needed in such situations is a third-party perspective.
Surprisingly, methods that you thought were no good in these situations can be seen as okay by others.
“A change in the direction of thinking, Gozaru?”
“Ah, it’s a common story, but when people become convinced that it *has* to be a certain way, they can’t find value even in methods that are guaranteed to succeed, efficient, and effective. To put it extremely, it’s like saying that the only seasoning you can put on a fried egg is soy sauce. Salt and pepper, mayonnaise, ketchup. There are various flavor variations, but they’re convinced that anything other than soy sauce isn’t bad, but it’s not better than soy sauce.”
I add that I haven’t tried it, and take a sip of the cooling coffee.
It’s the same with Katsu’s situation.
He must know he’s needed, but he can’t shake the view that he has no value.
He lacks absolute certainty.
Unless this point is improved, it will be difficult for Katsu to develop independence.
“In Katsu’s case, his self-evaluation is extremely low. To the point where he can’t accept the opinions of others. It’s better than him going to the extreme of self-sacrifice, but the situation is still bad. The goal will be to improve that and have him set his own goals.”
Katsu’s drive was completely distorted by the collapse of human relationships, such as heartbreak or being abandoned by his parents.
If he fails at something, he assumes he’ll be abandoned, and his self-worth plummets.
In other words, it’s a loss of confidence.
He fears loneliness and becomes anxious if he’s not connected to others.
He always walks behind others, like a duckling, and can’t feel at ease unless he’s following them.
For that reason, he’s always watching the other person’s expression.
The way he comforted Kitamiya at the amusement park before was a response he could give precisely because he had experienced it.
He can act.
But he lacks independence.
He’s barely standing thanks to Minami’s actions.
To improve that, the first step is to change his self-evaluation.
“I understand what you’re saying, Leader, but if I could do that, I would have already done it, Gozaru.”
It’s easy to say, but difficult to achieve; that’s the way of the world.
Minami, confirming the content, scolds me for stating the obvious, but I continue without minding.
I add that there are surprisingly many things we can do and present the course of action I’ve devised.
“There are several means we can take. The orthodox approach is to maintain the status quo. Depending on Katsu’s actions, it’ll be neither good nor bad. It’s acceptable to watch and see without making any rash moves. However, our interference will be minimal, so he might grow and improve, but there’s also a risk of things worsening.
Another option is for us to intervene and decide his path. I’m not too keen on this, but in a way, it’s the quickest. We’ll decide Katsu’s way of life with our opinions. Katsu will live according to them. It’s an extreme statement, but based on what Minami said, he’d probably be able to live by relying on that schedule.”
“You think I’d let you do that?”
“I don’t. Think of it as a last resort for when you want to do something. Even the first option might end up being a policy of just letting things happen.”
“To prevent that from happening, I’m consulting you, Leader, aren’t I?”
I can tell Minami is becoming increasingly irritated by my lack of brilliant improvement plans.
I’m not joking either.
I’m seriously thinking about Katsu and presenting actionable options.
The two I just mentioned are actions I’d rather not take.
However, there are no absolutes in life.
The worst-case scenario always lurks.
The difference between not anticipating it and anticipating it is huge.
That’s why I mentioned it.
“I know. But ignoring the possibility of that happening is rather dangerous for this problem, isn’t it? You understand, right?”
“…I understand, Gozaru.”
Minami is smart.
She probably already considered what I said from the perspective of making Katsu dependent.
Even so, she understands that those two options aren’t solutions and has continued to circle back to the status quo until now.
She’s stuck in a stalemate, or perhaps a deadlock, on her own.
The biggest problem in this situation is that Katsu doesn’t try to change.
Or rather, he might just be convinced that he *can’t* change.
Changing requires effort.
And not just a little.
To change means to break the values you’ve cherished.
It means changing the foundation upon which your existence has been formed.
Only the person involved can understand the anxiety and fear associated with that.
It’s clear that the effect of a third party pointing it out is minimal.
It requires persistent repetition, or perhaps…
“Minami, I want to confirm one thing.”
“What is it, Gozaru?”
Perhaps introducing a drastic measure to change things from the root is also an option.
The more we talk, the more I realize how troublesome Katsu’s problem is.
It’s a topic I wouldn’t want to get involved with if I didn’t want to help, but Katsu and I are the ones who want to help.
That’s why we can act relatively quickly.
“It might be a bit late to ask, but you like Katsu, don’t you?”
“Gofoh!?”
So, I decide to be blunt and bring up a topic that might be a potent remedy.
It might have been an obvious question, but for some reason, Minami, who was drinking juice, choked, and after coughing for a while…
“W-what are you talking about, Gozaru?”
“No, you just said it yourself.”
Her reaction was so classic it almost felt like a gag.
If she were drinking alcohol, I’d teasingly go after her, but she’s drinking coffee.
Far from being drunk, the caffeine is stimulating my brain.
Plus, a lot of time has passed since we entered the coffee shop.
The staff’s gazes are starting to look suspicious, so I need to think even faster.
“Alright, Minami.”
“W-what is it, Gozaru?”
“Go and captivate Katsu. That will solve it.”
“…Eh!?”
Ignoring the suspicious glances, I drop another bomb on Minami.
Minami, who received it, took a moment to process my words, and then her face turned bright red.
Another classic reaction, I thought.
“No, isn’t the quickest way for you and Katsu to get together?”
The more I hear myself say it, the more I feel like that’s the best way to solve this problem.
Kitamiya also seems to have feelings for Katsu, but whether it’s romantic or not, I don’t know.
However, Minami’s reaction is obvious.
As for Katsu, he might be hesitant about such things, but I think there’s a chance with Minami.
Furthermore, if it’s successful, she can support him as a lover, and he’s likely to change his way of thinking.
“W-w-w-why do you come to such a conclusion!? I-I was having a serious conversation…”
“No, you’re stuttering too much. After all that closeness, what are you talking about now… Well, we can talk about that later.”
For a moment, I want to retort that she’s a novice in romance, but upon careful consideration, I realize this might be Minami’s first real-life crush, and she’s probably been in love with Katsu since high school, so it’s been about two or three years.
If they become lovers then Katsu will surely change his outlook. And Minami will be happy too. Isn’t it a win-win? Thinking with a common-sense efficiency, I reconsider, and think, no, that’s too inhumane. However, that thought quickly vanished into the distance.
“Um, that…”
Who is this?
For a moment, I couldn’t recognize the woman in front of me as Minami.
Her cheeks flushed red, her usual playful smile was gone, and a young girl in love, mustering her courage while hiding her shyness, stood before me.
She fiddled with her index fingers, hesitating whether to speak or not.
“F-for the Leader, do you think there’s a possibility, Gozaru?”
She asked, her usual Gozaru speech sounding forced and anxious, showing her lack of confidence. I was momentarily unsure how to answer, as she seemed surprisingly receptive to the idea.
“As far as I know, I think it’s the most likely.”
At least, by reputation, Minami has a better chance than Kitamiya.
“Is that so? Is that so?”
Upon hearing my affirmation, Minami smiled even more happily. I didn’t say, “If you showed that smile to Katsu, it would be a one-strike knockout.”
“Well, that feeling is your problem. I can’t tell you to do it. I’ll prepare my own insurance.”
I wave my hand in front of her, bringing her back to reality from her daydreaming face, which was then supported by her hands as she started to grin.
Minami snapped back, her expression shifting through seven transformations before returning to normal.
“Insurance, Gozaru?”
Pretending I hadn’t seen her expression changes, I ask.
“Ah.”
I decide to ignore her momentary expression shift as well and begin explaining the plan I’ve formulated.
“Speaking of Katsu, it’s clear he doesn’t know what to do. In other words, he has no dreams or goals and is clinging to what’s in front of him. So, we just need to keep him going until he finds his dreams and goals.”
Nowadays, you hear many people say they don’t know what they want to do.
However.
They can’t do it because they don’t have money.
They can’t do it because they lack talent.
They simply don’t know how to do it.
There are various reasons for not doing something, but more than that, many people don’t know what they want to do.
They want to earn money, but what’s the best way to earn the most money? Even if they earn money, what do they want to do with it?
That’s the kind of conversation it turns into.
“Think simply. If you’re going to take care of him until he’s an adult, you should build a foundation for him to become independent by the time he’s an adult. Fortunately, it’s realistically conceivable for him to become a full-time employee at our company as things stand. If it continues like this, he’ll probably be able to earn enough to cover university expenses.”
Once he can stand on his own, he’s free.
There’s the phrase “self-responsibility,” but conversely, you can do anything as long as you take responsibility.
Once he becomes independent, he can go in any direction.
“Whether he finds what he wants to do at university or gets a job with us as is, I’ll start by helping him find what he wants to do.”
Fortunately, our company pays well.
If he starts working now, we can prepare enough for university expenses, and there’s also company housing available at a reasonable price.
It’s a bit of a backdoor method using a lot of connections, but it’s certainly something we can offer Katsu. The insurance I can provide is time. It gives Katsu the breathing room to think.
It’s good to live a life supporting someone, but it might be a good idea to stop and think for a moment.
He seemed to be troubled about his position at the party too, but that also has a potential solution.
If he thinks about it there and decides his own path, I’ll support him with all my heart.
“Whoa~. Leader, you really are an adult, Gozaru.”
Minami was impressed by my actions, saying that elders can only offer assistance.
“You’ll understand when you’re an adult, Minami.”
I give her a wry smile and drink the remaining coffee.
“The more you struggle, the more you realize you’re becoming an adult.”
A word for today:
I believe I have struggled enough to reach out and pull someone along.
This concludes this section.
Thank you for pointing out any typos and for your feedback.
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*The first volume of the novel has been published by Hayakawa Bunko JA.
It was released on October 18, 2018.
An e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year.
The second volume was released on December 19.
The third volume was released on February 20, 2019.
The content has been revised and expanded from the version posted on Shosetsuka ni Narou, with the addition of an unpublished interlude.
Please consider purchasing the new releases as well!!
The comic adaptation by Kodansha in “Young Magazine The Third” was featured in issue #9.
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