I Don't Want An Ordinary Life

Chapter 5: My Twelve-Year-Old Self Had No Brains

The girl still remembers that night four years ago.

The family's bodyguard lay in a pool of blood, while a young boy stood atop a pile of corpses, a firearm in hand, his icy gaze fixed on her.

He wiped the blood from his face, uttering cruel words.

"No matter how illustrious your family background, or how glorious your history, everything becomes as fleeting as a bubble when the flames of war sweep through. You people, who think you're so high and mighty, are actually nothing."

"..."

"Tell me."

The boy stared at the young girl with his crimson-glowing pupils.

"Where is your father, Shinomiya Ga'an, right now?"

That night was destined to be a nightmare.

...

"The eldest daughter of the Shinomiya family—Shinomiya Kaguya, it's been a long time... What on earth happened over these past four years?"

Ronan, who had been sneering coldly, suddenly froze.

He was deeply suspicious that he had mistaken the person.

He clearly remembered that four years ago, this young lady had been icy and aloof, looking down on everyone with an air of superiority. But now, how should he put it...

Her originally long, straight black hair was tied back, and her expression, once cold, had now softened into something more... like that of a normal girl, with graceful and proper manners.

"...Hmm, maybe I got the wrong person."

"No, you didn't."

Kaguya spoke up.

"It's been four years, hasn't it, Ronan?"

"Tch, so it really is you. You've changed quite a bit, Miss Shinomiya."

"Haven't you as well?"

She clearly remembered that four years ago, the boy who had dared to storm the heavily guarded Shinomiya estate had crimson eyes. But now, they were black.

Miyuki stood between the two, looking somewhat bewildered as he glanced at them.

The atmosphere between them was suffocating, as if they were sworn enemies meeting again.

"How's that bastard father of yours doing?"

"Thank you for your concern. My father is in good health."

"Tch, lucky him."

There was no doubt about it—the tension between them was palpable.

"Um... do you two know each other?"

Ronan: "You could say that."

Kaguya: "We've met once."

"Somehow... it feels like your relationship isn't exactly great..."

"Of course it's not great," Ronan muttered, curling his lip. "My living expenses were completely screwed over by those Shinomiya bastards."

That year, he had come to Japan with a hundred million dollars from his father, thinking he could invest a bit to grow his money and live comfortably for five years.

With the help of his father's old acquaintance, he invested forty million dollars in some small real estate properties.

Coincidentally, this land caught the attention of a real estate developer under the Shinomiya family.

Using some underhanded tactics, they managed to completely wipe out Ronan's investment.

After this setback, Ronan decided to take a step back and invested another forty million dollars in a somewhat established pharmaceutical company.

However, it turned out that this pharmaceutical company had some sort of conflict with the Shinomiya family.

They leveraged their influence in Japan's media to spread fake news, leading to the company's bankruptcy.

In less than a year, Ronan's fortune dwindled to just twenty million dollars.

Furious and humiliated, he eventually used his father's old connections to spend ten million dollars on a few military-grade drones and firearms, and also hired a small team. What happened next is something everyone knows.

"You bastards! You even took away a twelve-year-old kid's pocket money! Are you even human!?"

"...Why are you so good at playing the victim? Don't forget what you did to us," retorted Kaguya sharply.

"...True, I was only twelve and didn't have much sense. I did some stupid things, and I can't just pretend they never happened. But then again, if your Shinomiya family had even a shred of conscience, I wouldn't have had to resort to such measures. I've heard plenty of rumors about your family over the years."

Ronan sighed and then continued, "Let's not dwell on that. What about the incident with Hayasaka Ai?"

"Huh?"

Hayasaka Ai is the personal attendant of Kaguya Shinomiya, responsible for taking care of Kaguya's daily life. Her family members are high-ranking executives of the Shinomiya conglomerate.

She herself is also Ronan's first friend in Japan.

Kaguya is unaware of why this matter has anything to do with her personal maid.

"One month before the incident, I finally mustered the courage to confess my feelings, but I was rejected... As for the reason for the rejection, she recited the Shinomiya family precepts."

"..."

The Shinomiya family precepts roughly include the following: 1. Do not rely on others, but use them. 2. Do not accept others, but plunder them. 3. Do not fall in love with others.

"When I first came to Japan alone, I didn't have many friends. I finally met a gentle girl my age, and I thought that mustering the courage to confess would work out, but then this happened."

"...I remember now. The tutor who taught me and Hayasaka the family precepts was reportedly beaten and hospitalized for two months. So it was you who did that?"

"Yes, I am."

"You seem quite proud of it."

"Of course, I'm proud. The feud with your Shinomiya family has long been established. What I, Ronan, love to do most is to cause trouble for the Shinomiya family."

Ronan said disdainfully.

"That tutor of yours wasn't a good person either. Hayasaka mentioned to me several times that she was whipped on the palms with a cane for not being able to recite things. When I dragged him out, he was still arrogantly saying that he served the Shinomiya family and that I, a commoner, shouldn't mess around. So that time, I directly broke his leg."

"...You really dare to say it."

"Since none of us are good people, let's tear off the pretense and settle this in the way of villains, to see who has the lower bottom line."

As the two of them confronted each other, Miyuki, standing by the side, gradually found it hard to follow.

Wait a minute... Isn't this Mr. Ronan from a family engaged in agriculture? Why is he involved with a behemoth like the Shinomiya family?

"Wait..."

Ronan's eyes suddenly turned dangerous.

"Could it be that just because I beat up your Shinomiya family's tutor, the subsidiaries under your family deliberately came to cause trouble for me?"

"Although I don't pay attention to the family business, those were all coincidences."

"Let's assume that's the case."

"Why did you come to Shuchiin this time?" Kaguya asked. "Are you here to eliminate me, a member of the Shinomiya family?"

"Originally, I wanted to do just that, but Aunt Kaname wouldn't allow it, so I had to let it go," Ronan said indifferently. "This time, I'm simply here to study, with no other purpose."

"Is that so? Well, then, let's get along for the next few years."

Kaguya, true to her upbringing as a daughter of a prominent family, quickly regained her composure and smiled with the grace of a well-bred young lady.

"Which grade are you in, Mr. Ronan?"

"First year of high school."

"I see. In that case, why don't you call me 'senpai'?"

"Miss, have you gotten a bit too full of yourself?"

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