Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 5 [Yukina Sympathy]

- Part 2

"So, why did you do this then?"

As I asked that question, Saionji took a seat on the table.

"There's another reason why you don't want to join, isn't there?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"Sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't have to hide it from me. I can tell you're not opposed to what's being offered, so that means your hesitancy to join lies elsewhere."

"...I think you're misunderstanding something here. I respect what you're doing, and I wish you the best of success in your thesis, but I really don't have any interest of participating in this kind of thing."

"And why is that?"

I closed my eyes and looked away.

"Because I felt nothing in my heart stir when you explained what your project was about to me. That's all."

Saionji laughed.

"You're a terrible liar, Takanori-san. I saw fear in your heart earlier."

"...fear?"

Saionji nodded.

"Yes, fear. You're scared of something, aren't you?"

I opened my eyes and looked up at her.

"...I'm not."

"It's alright, Takanori-san. You don't have to lie around me. You can tell me the truth. I'll accept it all."

"Saionji-san... like I said, I'm not scared of anything. Please stop having the wrong idea about me."

"You say that, but the look in your eyes and the words coming out of your mouth tell a completely different story."

"You don't get to decide that... only I do. And right now, the words I'm saying are truthful. Why won't you believe me?"

Saionji sighed, shaking her head.

"I don't believe you because you keep dodging my questions and refuse to tell me what's holding you back from joining. If you say what the problem is, then we can work together to find a solution or a way to get around it. I'm more than happy to accommodate any worries or needs you may have."

"...everyone has their own secrets they want to keep. And in this case, I don't have any reason to tell you mine. To put it bluntly... I don't trust you at all, Saionji-san."

Admittedly, I did feel bad for using such a forceful tone when saying that. I knew Saionji was just trying to help me by getting me to open up about my problems, but this was something I couldn't explain to anybody at all.

"Fair enough. If I was in your position, I might even feel the same way. However..."

Saionji got off the table and turned to face me.

"...if you're not willing to cooperate through normal means, you leave me no other choice, Takanori-san."

From her belt, she detached a sangria coloured deck box, and placed it on the table.

"Let's fight. The winner gets to make the loser do one thing of their choosing."

I stared at the deck box, flashing back to vivid memories of the time Mikazuchi-sensei fought me under similar conditions.

Considering how much of her true strength that Saionji revealed to me already, it was an obvious trap to accept her proposal.

She would win the fight and get her way, so by accepting it, I was essentially signing away my life to her.