When I told father that I was having crabs delivered for him, those crabs turned into a new bag for me.

"Thank you, father!"

"Yes, yes. If you want anything, ask your father anything." He thumped his stomach that might bring luck if you rubbed it. While he was at it, he wanted to check on the suit he was having fitted, so I accompanied him to the tailor.

He normally has the tailor come to the house or to work for everything except choosing the fabric, so he has to be going there to show off to me. Is he like a girlfriend who says, 'How does this look?' He's only a tanuki. But, he bought me a bag I wanted, so I'll take care of my tanuki for a change.

"We were awaiting you, Kisshouin-sama. Thank you for coming all this way."

"Oh, no. I was dropping by since I was already out shopping with my daughter," laughed the tanuki who placed his thick hand on my shoulder. Showing off how close you are with your daughter? Oh, so there was that angle.

"So you were with your daughter! You're famous for how close the two of you are."

"Really? I'm troubled at how my daughter can't be independent from her father."

"Isn't that well?"

…What did he say? As the fitting of the suit continues, their conversation continues as the silhouette is verified and adjustments are made.

"My daughter is interested in my wines, and she says that she wants to drink with me when she turns 20."

"You must be looking forward to that."

"I wonder. I'm afraid of what expensive wines she'll want to drink, hahaah!"

…I don't remember ever saying that… You're exaggerating too much, tanuki.

"She just returned from a trip, but she said that she wanted me to come pick her up."

"She still wants to be with her father. That's not something you wish to end."

…Hey, when did I say I wanted to be picked up by you? This isn't exaggerating. This is a total lie. Does this tanuki talk like this everywhere? …Should I make a stew out of this tanuki? The bag isn't enough for this. I'll make him buy me some shoes after this.

"So? How do I look, Reika?" The tanuki proudly shows off putting his hand on his collar.

"It's a nice design and well made, but isn't it tight around the waist? Until the final stitching, I prohibit you wine."

"Huh?" The tanuki looked shaken at my words. Humph, lying tanuki, repent.

After we left the tailor, father tried to regain my favor saying, "Reika, should we have dinner out?"

"I'm tired from the trip, so I want to eat at the house."

"I see. As you wish. Did you have fun with your friends?"

"Very much so."

"I see, I see. I'm looking forward to our trip together."

"Ohhh…" The usual family trip. But… A trip with them takes at least a week. I can't take a week off studying for the entrance exam. Taking that much time off will be difficult to make up against the other students. I already took 3 days off for this trip… "I don't think I'm going this year."

"What!? WHY!?" Father was shocked at my unexpected statement. "Tell me. Why!?"

"Father, you're too close. Too close."

It continued, "I have entrance exams to study for" "You can enter Zuiran without studying so hard" until we approached our home. Eventually I let slip, "Onii-sama isn't going because of work, and it's boring just with father…" He withdrew into his study because of that one statement.

Sorry! Tanuki, come out! Let have some delicious bait (hair crab) together!

What was awaiting me after the fun Hokkaido trip was Kaburagi's diet coaching. I don't want to go! I don't want to go! But Kaburagi had returned a step ahead of me from overseas, and sent me mail ordering, "You'd better not run away." He should have stayed out of the country the rest of the summer…

We were to meet at a sports gym jointly run out of a Kaburagi Group hotel for VIPs. I'm glad that it's rented out.

The name of the gym was carved into the wall with water flowing over it, and a case blanca was blooming in a large flower vase where I mentioned my name to the receptionist who let me past a long hallway to an elevator.

"Good of you to come, Kisshouin."

"…Gokigen yoh." As the elevator opened, I stepped out to a room lined with mirrors where Kaburagi was already warming up in a black sportswear. I can't sense and fatigue in his masculine face even though he should be jetlagged from returning from New York.

…And… "Been a while, Kisshouin-san." Enjou stood up from a rowing machine in a similarly black sportswear.

"Gokigen yoh, Enjou-sama." I'd be uncomfortable to train alone with Kaburagi, but Enjou… They're both really athletic. As someone who's not, I'd rather be seen by as few as possible…

"Good luck today, I'll be cheering for you."

"Oh…" I look around the gym away from Enjou and the latest training equipment lines the room. Wow, so I'm going to train here… I'd rather do something fun like yoga…

Enjou chuckled, seeing my dejection. "Did you bring your sportswear and shoes? You can rent some."

"Yes, I did." So he can see how I don't want to be here, but won't let me go.

As I pick up my huge bag, he says, "I'll show you to the dressing room. This is your first time here, right?"

"Yes." So we're already starting… I don't want to do this…

Even so I was about to follow Enjou when Kaburagi called me. "Oh, hey, Kisshouin."

"Yes?" I turned around and Kaburagi handed me a paper bag that I needed both hangs to carry. "What's this?"

"Gifts from New York."

"Eh!?" Kaburagi brought me gifts!? I look inside and found an organic sugar scrub and balm. A proper gift. And fairly fashionable! Sweat ran down my back. This is bad… I didn't get Kaburagi anything from my Hokkaido trip. I never thought that Kaburagi would be this considerate! Oh, no! I should thank him! "…Thank you for your consideratation."

"Uh-huh."

Kaburagi got on a machines and started to move while I followed Enjou to the dressing room. "This is the lady's dressing room. We're the only ones here today, so just pick any locker."

"Yes."

I closed the door and paced around the room alone… This is very bad. They won't find out if I don't tell them. But wait, I went with Serika-chan and the girls along with Fuyuko-sama of the Pivoine, so he might hear about it somewhere. Enjou has good ears, so he'll definitely find out. When he does, they'll think that Kaburagi brought me a gift, while I didn't even tell them I went on a trip. I'll look really bad.

Huh? You went on a trip and didn't even tell us? Kisshouin(-san) was that kind of girl (person)…?

Woah, I can imagine Kaburagi (Enjou) saying that… Yeah, I can't leave this be. It's just a gift, but it is a gift.

What's key is that I don't have the guts to say it's just a gift. I don't want to be known as a cheapskate. I worry about my reputation.

I can hand them gifts later, but what excuse do I use to not have it with me? I couldn't carry it sounds like a lie, especially since I was driven here. Left it at home is also… I can have the driver bring something for me from home, and say I forgot it in the car.

Now, what should give them? The corn chocolates I bought a lot of…? No, I can't just hand cheap candy to the Emperor of Zuiran. Besides, he just gave me some popular organic cosmetics. I guess I'll give him melons… For Kaburagi and Enjou, so two of them. I called home quickly.

"You took long enough."

"I'm sorry." I had to spend time on things other than changing.

"Your pink clothes, it's cute."

"Thank you…" Enjou's shrewd as expected. I always start from style, so I bought new sportswear, even though I already had some.

"Kisshouin, we're starting!"
"Yes…"

Kaburagi pointed at a white machine. "Before the training, measurements to begin!"

"I refuse!"

So began the first of many Spartan trainings with Kaburagi.