CM Chapter 23

Chapter 23 – Decision Made

Chapter 1, Part 7.3

Novel Title: ひとりじめ (Completely Mine)

Author：椎崎 夕 (Shiizaki You)

Illustrator：小山田 あみ (Oyamada Ami)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 細川 湊 (Hosokawa Minato -MC) & 荻原 浩志 (Ogiwara Koushi -ML)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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The proffered bottle of tea was warm to the touch, almost hot enough to sting. Though it was still a time of lingering summer, Hosokawa Minato found the warmth oddly comforting, something he wanted to hold on to.

“I’ve reserved a room for you tonight. Please stay here. The payment has already been taken care of.”

As these words were spoken, a keycard was placed on the table in front of him. Their eyes met, and Minato felt his body tremble.

Ogiwara Masayuki’s expression was darker than anything Minato had ever seen, terrifyingly grim and sharp enough to take his breath away.

“I deeply apologize for the outrageous actions of my younger brother. While he may have been unhinged, the delay in apologizing is also my fault, and I regret it.”

Masayuki bowed deeply, his head lowering almost to the table. Before Minato could even respond, he continued, his voice dropping to a quieter pitch.

“We have taken advantage of your kindness toward us, Hosokawa-sensei. Not just Koushi, but my entire family, myself included. There’s no way you could have been responsible for that incident. From the very beginning, we should have refused.”

“That’s not true. I was the one who asked to take on the tutoring and the transportation. It was entirely my choice.”

“I understand that this might sound selfish, but could I ask you to move out of your current residence as soon as possible? Additionally, I’d like you to terminate your current cell phone contract and get a new one.”

“What?”

Masayuki clasped his fingers tightly together on his lap and fixed Minato with a piercing gaze.

“We’ll fully assist with all the necessary arrangements, including finding a new place. It might seem presumptuous to call it compensation, but we’ll cover all your moving costs, including deposits and fees, as well as the expenses for setting up a new phone.”

In other words, they wanted to erase any point of contact between Minato and Ogiwara. Realizing this, Minato was left speechless.

“Even if you stop tutoring him, Koushi will likely continue trying to see you. He might force his way to your apartment, just like earlier, no matter how many times you reject or ignore him. That’s something I cannot allow to happen.”

Masayuki was determined to keep Minato and Ogiwara apart. That much was clear, but the lengths he was willing to go left Minato breathless. Seeing Minato’s hesitation, Masayuki continued, his expression tense.

“I’ll explain the situation to our parents, urging them to make sure Koushi doesn’t approach you again. However, Koushi has much more free time than they can monitor. It won’t be possible to completely prevent his actions without your cooperation.”

“Wait… Are you planning to tell your parents everything?”

Minato’s voice, hoarse and broken, came out before he could stop himself. Masayuki, with his expression as stoic as how his little brother would usually look, gave a short nod.

“As I mentioned earlier, what Koushi did was a crime. The police weren’t involved, but that doesn’t mean my parents shouldn’t know.”

“Please… Don’t. I beg you, please don’t tell them. As I’ve said, Koushi is the victim here. That’s why—”

Desperation laced Minato’s words as he pleaded with Masayuki, even as he understood how self-serving it all was. He wasn’t protecting Ogiwara so much as himself. The thought of Ogiwara’s parents—who had always treated him kindly—learning about what had happened filled him with dread.

“-If you truly feel that way, then please don’t meet my brother again.”

Masayuki’s voice was quiet, almost unbearably so, yet his words cut through Minato like a blade. The fragile thread he had been clinging to snapped in an instant.

“My parents have a high regard for you, Hosokawa-sensei. Even if you stop tutoring him, they won’t easily accept a sudden break in the relationship without knowing the reason. If you completely sever ties with Koushi, I’ll make sure to handle it on my end. But if you insist on continuing to see him, I won’t have any choice but to tell them the truth.”

Minato’s mind felt like it was spinning out of control, but there was only one answer he could give.

“…I understand. I won’t meet Koushi again. I’ll move out, change my phone, and quit my current job.”

His own voice sounded distant, as if coming from someone else. He saw Masayuki exhale slightly, his tension easing for the first time. Still, Masayuki stopped short of voicing whatever else was on his mind.

“In that case, I won’t inform my parents. I apologize for everything.”

Masayuki bowed deeply once more. Minato didn’t know what to say. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke.

“I’ll handle the move and the phone myself. There’s no need for your help.”

“Please, let me assist you. I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow morning when you check out. Here’s the room key.”

Masayuki placed the keycard on the table. Minato picked it up reluctantly, feeling its weight in his palm.

When Masayuki offered to escort him to the room, Minato declined. Despite his aching body, he forced himself into the elevator. The moment the doors closed, his legs gave out, and he leaned heavily against the wall.

―――I understand. I won’t meet Koushi again.

The words he had spoken earlier pressed down on him like a boulder. When he finally reached the room and shut the door behind him, he slid to the floor. His mind replayed the fleeting image of Koushi’s back as he ascended the apartment stairs earlier.

“He came to see me…”

Why? For what reason? Minato had no way of knowing anymore. Perhaps it had been nothing more than a whim, a burst of emotion. Or maybe it had meant something entirely different.

“…What was it all about?”

Minato let out a dry, bitter laugh at his own thoughts. The truth was, he desperately wanted to believe that Koushi’s visit, his words, had been a lie. That Koushi might truly have feelings for him, despite all evidence to the contrary. He clung to that single fact—Koushi had come to see him—as though it might change everything.

But he knew better. He had already learned the truth. There was no love, only disdain and anger. Koushi had humiliated him, hurt him, and left him unconscious.

Even so, Minato couldn’t stop longing for him. He wanted to hear Koushi’s voice again, to hear the truth from his own lips. Even a phone call would suffice.

But that was a wish that could never come true. He had already made his decision: he would never see Koushi again.

Sitting in the darkness, leaning against the door, Minato tilted his head back. Tears streamed down his face, unstoppable and silent.

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*Translator’s Note: Masayuki knew his brother really well. Meh… I don’t think he blamed Minato at all, but it was necessary to threaten Minato that way since he knew that’s the only way to keep Minato away from Koushi. Minato is too soft-hearted for his own sake! -K

Next update: 2026.08.20

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