Chapter 116: The ‘spoiled kid’ and the ‘responsible adult’.

Upon hearing how Momo had so easily reached the correct answer, Kai couldn’t help but sigh in defeat. Women were truly terrifying creatures when they set their minds to it, which for some reason brought a smile to Momo’s face, and she quickly asked in a firm tone, completely sure she had hit the mark.

“When do you plan to announce it to the rest of the family?”

“…All right, I won’t lie to you, you’re right. And about your question, I don’t know. We were supposed to talk about it tonight.” Kai replied in a resigned tone, to which Momo nodded and exclaimed enthusiastically.

“Perfect!”

“What’s perfect?” Kai couldn’t help but ask, confused, and Momo only smiled mysteriously. She then playfully snuggled up against one of Kai’s arms again.

“It’s a secret, fufufu.”

“If it’s what I’m imagining, I warn you that I won’t agree. You’re still too young.” Kai remarked in a serious tone as he looked at Momo, who protested in an offended tone.

“Too young? I’d like to remind you that I’m older than you by a few days!”

“They’re two completely different things. I’m already a responsible adult, and you’re still a spoiled kid.” Kai replied in a serious tone as he started walking again down the hallway, to which Momo retorted angrily.

“Hmph, maybe I am spoiled, but I’m not a kid, I’m already grown up!”

“The fact that you say that just shows you’re still a kid.” Kai responded with a smug smile as he looked at Momo’s angry pout, which made her indignantly retort.

“You’re such an idiot, Kai, but it doesn’t matter what you say. You won’t escape from me. You’re going to be my husband, no matter how hard you try to play hard to get!”

“I’d remind you that the legal age for marriage is 18.” Kai noted rather amused, to which Momo replied confidently.

“Fufufu, that just gives me three years to have you at my feet.”

“I’m an engaged man, you know?” Kai said, looking directly at Momo, who returned his gaze and spoke seriously.

“Yes, and with three women at the same time, so what difference does adding one more make? Even two or three more wouldn’t mean much.”

“Two or three?” Kai repeated, a bit confused, really not wanting to know the answer to that question because he could sense a whole ocean of trouble, to which Momo responded with a smile.

“Fufufu, yes, two or three will not be a problem.”

“You know, Momo… I’m not that great for you to want to do something like this. You’re a wonderful woman, and you could live a normal, happy life if you just gave yourself the chance to explore the world.” Kai commented in a serious tone as he slowed his pace, expressing his sincere feelings, to which Momo asked seriously as she stared at him intently.

“Would you really be all right letting me go off with another man, Kai?”

“Well, it would be hard. I won’t deny it. But when I say I love you, I mean it. I truly want you to be happy, even if it’s with someone else. Also, I’m not that special. I’m just a lonely, possessive guy, obsessed with training and creating things. I really don’t understand what you all see in me.”

Kai spoke in a serious tone while looking back into Momo’s black eyes. She couldn’t help but smile beautifully upon hearing his words, then let out a small laugh as she rested her head on his shoulder.

“You know, Kai, you’re a fool, but you’re my fool, and that’s not going to change. Although, honestly, I don’t understand what makes you think I could be happier anywhere else. You know me—I’m a simple, homey woman, and apart from my goal of leaving a mark on the world, I have no sense of adventure whatsoever. I already have everything: you, the girls, and Mom. It’s all I need, and I’m not at all interested in looking any further.

“Besides, I think you’re ignoring something very important. In a way, we’ve spent our whole lives ‘sharing you’. We know everything about you, and you know everything about us. For many years now, we’ve practically lived together. We’ve perfectly adapted to our way of life, and we’re all happy. So adding a small extra ingredient to our relationship wouldn’t affect us in the slightest, which is probably why Onee-chan, Shino, and Ryuko can be with you without many issues.”

“It’s not ‘a small extra ingredient’, Momo. Romantic relationships are complex, and with them come jealousy, envy, and an endless list of problems. We could really destroy the family because of that ‘ingredient’, and believe me, that’s something I don’t want to see. Besides, I really do think you’re still too young to make that kind of decision.” Kai commented seriously, and Momo asked in a haughty tone.

“You’re telling me I’m too young to choose who I want to marry, but I’m old enough to choose to be a glorified private firefighter/police officer and risk my life every day saving strangers and fighting criminals?”

“…”

Hearing Momo use his favorite definition of the hero career against him, Kai was left silent for a moment as he walked slowly down the hallway, which made Momo smile slightly. But after a while, the blue-eyed boy spoke in an uncertain tone.

“…They’re different things… Getting into such a strange relationship can mark you for life...”

“Sure, because it’s far worse to share the man I love with the women I love and trust the most in this world than to expose myself to the media for criticism, fight assassins and rapists head-on, or face disasters to save civilians. Yes, that makes perfect sense.”

Momo replied sarcastically, mimicking the arrogant expression Kai typically wore when he did something similar, leaving the blue-eyed boy speechless, who could only mutter in a low voice.

“…I don’t like that tone…”

“Oh really? And to think I learned it from you, fufufu.”

Momo answered with an amused air, completely defeating the lover of coming up with random arguments to defend his questionable ideological positions. After a moment, he spoke in a serious tone.

“Momo, while there’s certainly some truth in what you’re saying, I still can’t help but feel that you’re too young and inexperienced to want to enter into such a relationship. That’s why I can’t agree; I’d feel like I was taking advantage of you.”

“Why? Because I’m a ‘spoiled kid’ and you’re a ‘responsible adult’, even though we’re the same age? And even if that were the case, wouldn’t that also apply to Onee-chan, Shino, and Ryuko with you? I know what I want, Kai, and this isn’t some whim. It’s something I’ve thought through carefully. That’s why I’m going to speak plainly with the three of them and make my feelings and my intentions crystal clear.”

Momo reasoned with a serious and firm expression while looking into Kai’s blue eyes, but at that moment, she couldn’t help but visibly sadden to the point of stopping her steps. She asked in a desolate voice.

“Or tell me, Kai… don’t you love me? You don’t like me? Am I that ugly? Or am I so worthless to you that not even if I agree to share you, would you give me a little love? Am I an idiot for believing you loved me as much as I love you…?”

Seeing tears welling up on Momo’s face, Kai quickly hugged her tightly, and the beautiful girl responded by hugging him back with all her strength, as if searching for a sense of security for her aching heart.

Meanwhile, Kai was deeply lost in thought, full of doubts, not knowing what to do. He really did love Momo, and he wouldn’t mind being closer to her. After all, he’d already gotten used to their strange relationship, and it had turned out quite well so far. But the issue of Momo’s age and inexperience truly haunted him.

He genuinely wanted the best for her and would curse himself his entire life if he hurt her just because of his possessiveness or if some moment of lust ended up hurting her irreversibly. But at the same time, she was being honest, opening her heart to him and expressing her deepest feelings, which were so strong that she was even willing to “share” him, and his silence was hurting her.

As time passed in silence, with only Momo’s sobs echoing in his mind, Kai began sifting through his memories, visiting each moment he spent with the girl in his arms—every laugh, every game, every joke, everything they had experienced. Even that unpleasant moment when she discovered something she shouldn't have because of him. All of it started to fill him with an unending torrent of emotions that ended up tormenting his mind, to the point that he could only let out a soft sigh to release them.

(…Seriously, why do I always have to make things harder for myself? How long am I going to keep acting like a damn coward, terrified of myself, of this world, and of every possibility? Momo already told me she’s not some porcelain doll, and she’s right. Why do I have to protect her like she’s mentally handicapped? She’s capable of making her own decisions and facing their consequences, and I have to do that too. So if I’m a possessive bastard and worse, I have to face it, and Momo will have to face the consequences of wanting to be with me.)

As though a sudden realization had struck the blue-eyed boy, his expression changed to become firm and resolute. At the same time, without him noticing, both his aura and that of his “mini-self” began to gently fluctuate, intertwining more deeply. In that instant, Kai took Momo’s chin and lifted her face so she would look him straight in the eye, then spoke in an almost solemn tone.

“You’re right, Momo. I’m an idiot, and if you want to be by my side, believe me, that makes me immensely happy. It’s just that I’m so afraid of hurting you in some way, but I realize that this stupid attitude is hurting you as well. So if you’re really certain, I’ll personally talk to the girls and tell them I want to be with you, and I’ll face all the consequences.”

“…Really? Do you really love me, Kai?” Momo asked in a tearful voice that almost broke Kai’s heart with guilt, so he quickly released her from his hug to cup the beautiful girl’s face and give her a soft kiss.

“From the bottom of my heart.”

Kai spoke in a warm, gentle voice as he watched Momo’s visibly surprised expression. Moments later, her expression melted with love as she leaned in to start a new kiss loaded with affection and happiness.

“…I truly love you, Kai, and I want us to be happy.”

Shortly after, Momo pulled her face away from Kai and spoke in a soft, fluffy tone, clearly happy. Kai nodded with a loving smile before adding with a noticeably guilty expression.

“I feel the same way, although right now, I’m being unfaithful, and I don’t like that. So let’s not do anything else until we clear things up. Sound good?”

“Sounds good! But it’d better not go past tonight!” Momo answered with a bright smile, making Kai smile a bit as he then spoke resolutely.

“It’s best if we all meet in my workshop when the festival’s over.”

“That’s much better. I’ll be waiting.”

Wearing an enormous smile on her face, Momo replied cheerfully as a white handkerchief formed in her hand, which she used to wipe away the traces of tears on her face. At the same time, Kai activated his Mystical Palm, so her eyes wouldn’t swell or anything like that, while his mind wandered among countless thoughts.

(Was this really the best thing to do…? Well, it’s questionable on many levels, but now that I’ve made a decision, I’ll move forward with everything I’ve got. No one’s going to take this spoiled black-haired sweetheart from me, though it’s hard to predict how Shino, Ryuko, and Nemuri will react. I’ll have to think very carefully about what to say and how to say it, and honestly, I don’t have a single idea how to do it…

(Also, the next fight is Kirishima’s fight against that blond nuisance, an important match for me. Will the fact that I taught the kid a couple of things and that Momo trained him be enough to win, or will ‘destiny’ prevail…? Whatever happens, it’ll be a big event that I need to pay attention to…)

After a moment, Kai couldn’t help but clench one of his fists out of Momo’s sight. She smiled charmingly at him, full of genuine happiness and excitement, then grabbed one of his arms and squeezed it tightly, burying it in her ample chest. In some way, that eased the tense nerves of the blue-eyed boy, who asked with a warm smile.

“Shall we go?”

“Let’s go!” Momo answered with palpable excitement, almost like she’d gone back to her childhood, which made Kai smile. He gently stroked her hair and then began walking toward the stands.

***

You can support me on .com/lordanl and get up to 10 advanced chapters.