“Hahaha. I see. So that’s why you’re sulking for once.”
After hearing the full story of the disturbance at the academy, Kousuke looked at Miku, who was by his side, nodding several times.
“……I’m not sulking.”
Miku turned her head away, her expression clearly showing she was displeased, though she denied it.
She knew very well that her words lacked conviction.
Seeing Miku like that, Kousuke chuckled.
“Really? Then that’s fine. The reason you told me that story was just because you wanted me to listen?”
When Kousuke deliberately asked that question, Miku deliberately puffed out her cheeks.
“Mmm. Father is being mean.”
“Hahaha. Sorry, sorry. But I really don’t know what Miku wants to ask?”
Kousuke understood that Miku had come to him because she wanted to ask something.
However, without knowing the specifics, Kousuke couldn’t provide an answer.
In response to Kousuke’s question, Miku remained silent for a while before finally speaking.
“……Perhaps I can’t become like Mother after all?”
“Hmm…”
Kousuke put on a pensive expression at what was, in a way, a question characteristic of a child in adolescence.
In truth, the correct answer would be that one cannot become exactly the same person, nor is it necessary to do so.
However, Kousuke also knew that this was not the answer Miku was seeking.
Kousuke knew that Miku had been striving to be like Peach since she was little.
Of course, what she was aiming for was the power of a Dark One.
Without that goal, Miku would likely not have been able to achieve such growth.
It was precisely because she had the high goal of Peach that Miku had been able to grow so much.
That was why he couldn’t easily give the answer that it wasn’t necessary to become the same.
After thinking for a moment, Kousuke looked directly at Miku and asked,
“Miku, why do you want to be like Peach?”
“Eh, well, of course, because Mother is so wonderful?”
Miku tilted her head for some reason, and Kousuke couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“Father, that’s cruel.”
“Sorry, sorry. But it’s strange that you’d question that, isn’t it?”
“……Mmm. But it’s difficult to put into words.”
The feelings Miku held for Peach were complex and difficult to express in words.
The word “wonderful” was her attempt to summarize it in a single word, but she felt it wasn’t quite enough, which led her to the question.
Seeing Miku frowning in thought, Kousuke said with a smile,
“Yes. That’s fine.”
“Eh?”
“Because the impressions people receive are all different.”
Even if they were the same person, depending on their perspective and environment, the impressions they received would be completely different.
The impression Kousuke and Miku had of Peach was entirely different.
It would be very difficult to express it in words and have others understand.
This was Kousuke’s personal opinion, not necessarily the absolute truth.
“Ah, I see. In Miku’s case, even if the same person is playing the Streep, the impression heard by the listener is different, right?”
It was a slightly forceful analogy, but Kousuke tried to make Miku understand by saying so.
Perhaps it was the Streep analogy, but Miku finally looked convinced.
“I understand that, but isn’t that different from me aiming to be like Mother?”
“That’s true. But there’s something you can understand from what I’ve just said, isn’t there?”
When Kousuke said that, Miku tilted her head again.
“Even if Miku tries hard to become like Mother, the people around her won’t think she’s the same.”
It was a very obvious statement, but Miku was startled by the explanation.
Seeing Miku’s reaction, Kousuke, with a look that indicated this was important, continued.
“So, it’s not about becoming the same as Peach, but about aiming in the same direction.”
The explanation seemed like a play on words, but perhaps because she had understood the preceding conversation, Miku felt something click into place.
“Not becoming the same, but aligning the direction…”
“Right. Well, in the end, it means continuing as before.”
Miku was receiving training from Peach and acquiring the skills of a Dark One.
This itself already aligned with what Kousuke had said about “aiming in the same direction.”
Realizing this through Kousuke’s words, Miku’s expression changed as if she had noticed something.
“What Father is trying to say is very clear, but in the end, is that not the same as before?”
Seeing Miku’s slightly disappointed expression, Kousuke shook his head.
“No, it’s not like that.”
“……What do you mean?”
“Because, Miku, you’ve been training without realizing this, just doing as you were told, right? So, what should Miku do from now on?”
When Kousuke asked that, Miku looked thoughtful.
After a moment, Miku’s expression became a little more serious as she looked at Kousuke.
“……Find my own path of growth and train?”
To the answer Miku had found, Kousuke simply smiled without saying a word.
In this case, there wasn’t just one correct answer.
What was important to Kousuke was that Miku think for herself and find the answer.
Seeing Kousuke’s smile, Miku let out a sigh of relief.
She felt that she had thought about it a lot herself and had come up with the best possible answer, if not the absolute best.
Therefore, although it wasn’t evident on her face or in her demeanor, Miku was feeling quite elated inside.
Struggling to suppress her inner excitement, Miku then went on to have a rambling conversation with Kousuke.
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦
” – So, that’s what I said, but was it meddling too much?”
“No, not at all. Thank you~”
When Miku wasn’t around, Kousuke told Peach about his conversation with Miku.
Peach had intended to tell Miku eventually, but she was happy that things had settled in the best possible way.
Ideally, she wanted Miku to realize it herself rather than Peach telling her, which was why she hadn’t told her until now.
Therefore, Peach was confident that what Miku had gained from her conversation with Kousuke would be very important.
Pondering Miku’s future, Peach narrowed her eyes as if looking into the distance and said,
“Miku will still grow a lot from now on… I hope~”
“Oh? You’re not saying that with certainty.”
“You never know what life will bring~”
Kousuke tilted his head slightly at Peach, who had become strangely serious.
“It feels like there’s a lot of personal experience behind that statement?”
“That’s right. I’m speaking from personal experience~”
As Peach said this, she lightly poked Kousuke’s chest with her index finger.
Kousuke understood what she meant by that gesture and replied with a wry smile.
“I didn’t exactly aim for that, you know.”
“I think that’s fine for Mr. Kousuke~”
An incredibly sweet atmosphere flowed between the two, but since there was no one else there, they were spared the feeling of wanting to vomit sugar.
I felt like writing about my time with Peach again after a long time lol.
