Episode 366: The Day the Families Meet

It’s that time of year when autumn is deepening, and the morning and evening chill makes you feel like winter is truly arriving.

The rain that lasted for the past two days finally cleared up, and in the middle of a refreshing autumn day, today has finally arrived.

This is the long-awaited (mainly by Sara-san) day for the Satsukawa and Takanashi families to meet, and after this, we’re all going to have a meal together and talk about all the things that have piled up.

Well, my Mom and Mayumi-san have already met, so that’s fine (they seem to have hit it off weirdly well), but the problem is my Father. It’s a first meeting in a formal setting, so I don’t think he’ll pull anything, but I can’t exactly call him a「dependable father」like Masaomi-san… to be honest, I’m just full of anxiety.

「Well… I should get going soon.」

I’m heading to the station now to meet up with my Father and the others first. By the way, Sara-san went back to her family home early this afternoon and is apparently busy with getting dressed and other things.

Even so… Sara-san has been so fired up since this morning, her enthusiasm was quite something, so I wondered if she really wanted to meet my parents that badly.

But if expectations get too high, there’s a good chance she’ll end up disappointed during the real thing, so I’ll probably need to give my Father a thousand… no, ten thousand warnings.

Since it’s Sunday, the station area has a different kind of bustle than usual. Of course, compared to when we met up for the autumn festival the other day, it’s like night and day, but it’s still far more lively than my hometown.

Thinking back to that day I first got off at this station.

I was full of anxiety about living in a land where I didn’t know my left from my right, yet felt a sense of relief from being freed from all my burdens and a tiny bit of expectation…

Even though not even a year has passed since then, who would have imagined that I would meet the world’s most wonderful woman, Sara-san, be joined with her, and even get engaged after experiences like something out of a manga or anime…

I mean.

Even God definitely didn’t imagine a miracle like this!!

「Let’s see… ah, there they are.」

A little behind the wave of people pouring out of the ticket gates, two familiar faces walked straight toward me.

My Mom aside, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that guy’s face… but he doesn’t seem to have changed at all.

「Kazunari, sorry to keep you waiting.」

「Good work, Mom.」

The one who spoke first was my Mom, who was unusually dressed up in「going-out clothes」compared to her usual sloppy outfits.

She was even wearing accessories that looked more flashy than the ones she used for the parent-teacher visit, so I guess she looked more glamorous than usual… I think.

Probably.

「Wait… did you always have clothes like those?」

「Ah, these were from Mayumi-san…」

By the way, my outfit today is a chic brown jacket and slacks, a slightly formal coordination that’s closer to a suit than casual wear. This wasn’t something I specially prepared for today, but rather something that happened when I accompanied Mayumi-san on her shopping trip the other day, where I was half-forced into buying it.

And since it was a surprise purchase, the story about Sara-san getting grumpy later is another tale. And the part where she invaded my bath as an apology is also another tale… yeah.

「Sigh… honestly, why didn’t you tell us!! To think you had the other party buy the clothes you wear for a time like this, it’s beyond embarrassing!!」

「N-No, it wasn’t like that…」

My Mom can only say that because she doesn’t know anything, but if I had tried to refuse at the stage of buying this…

「Sob sob… for Kazunari-kun to say something so formal… Mother-in-law is so sad she can’t recover, sniff.」

I’m sure it would have turned out like that!?

In fact, I feel like I can actually hear Mayumi-san’s sad voice right now!!

「Ah… I’m already full of nothing but anxiety.」

「I’m sorry for not telling you!! But I couldn’t refuse, so what else could I do?」

「Well, I guess there’s no point in saying it now… by the way, that blazer looks like it’s made of really good material, doesn’t it? Let me see.」

「Hey, don’t pull on it!!」

My Mother, who has zero reservation when it comes to me, suddenly yanked my arm and tried to peer into my collar.

Sara-san went through the trouble of making me look nice, so what if it gets wrinkled!!

「Let’s see, what does it say, Ar… Ar… Arma… huh?」

「Hey, I said stop!」

I half-forcibly pulled away from my Mom who had suddenly stopped moving, taking a bit of distance as a precaution.

Seriously… I have an important seat to attend today, so I won’t let her keep touching me like that!!

「Y-You, don’t tell me, by any chance… that shirt, those pants, ev-everything…?」

「In this combination, they’re all things Mayumi-san picked for me, you know?」

「Eeeeh!? W-Wait a minute!! How can you be so calm…」

「…It’s not like I’m being calm.」

No matter how indifferent I am to my own clothes, I can at least understand what my Mom is surprised about. To begin with, the shop where we bought these wasn’t some department store or a world-famous mass retailer… yes, it was a shop reminiscent of that store where I bought Sara-san’s ring.

So, if I had seen the price tag there, no matter how much Mayumi-san cried, I might not have been able to nod… maybe.

「D-Don’t tell me, does that family usually use only those kinds of things…」

「As if. It’s normal usually.」

「I-Is that so? Then well… ah, but you did say her husband was an executive at a big company…」

「Mom?」

「I-It’s nothing!! Anyway, that’s another thing I have to thank them for…」

「I’ve got plenty of things to thank them for anyway, so adding one or two more now won’t change much, will it?」

My Father, who finally opened his mouth, calmed my Mother down with his usual carefree tone. It’s a perfectly normal, daily interaction for our family… yet it feels strangely nostalgic.

「Still, to just buy expensive clothes like that, that story about him being a big shot at a major company must be true, huh?」

「Don’t put it so crudely.」

「Oh, have you mellowed out while I wasn’t looking?」

「Listen…」

I know my Father’s attitude isn’t meant to be sarcastic or demeaning, but that’s just his personality and nature. But for Masaomi-san and the others who don’t know that, it’s nothing but disrespectful… that’s anxiety factor number one.

「Well, setting that aside…」

My Father muttered that, pulled back his grinning expression just a little (really just a little), and looked me straight in the eye.

However… his eyes were smiling widely.

「It’s been a while, stupid son. I never expected you to stabilize your life over here. I thought for sure you’d come crying to me within a month.」

「…It’s been a while, stupid Father. It’s a shame you haven’t changed at all.」

「What was that, you brat!!」

It’s been about eight months since I last saw my Father…

To be honest, after leaving home in that full-on troubled mode, I was worried and didn’t know what kind of face to make when meeting him… but in any case, his flaky personality has been a big help.

「I’ve got a mountain of things I want to ask you, you know? But for now… it looks like you’ve ‘overcome’ it?」

「…Yeah. Thanks to Sara-san and everyone else.」

Along with that meaningful comment, I answered clearly without flinching at my Father’s probing gaze.

Honestly, I don’t know how much he’s realized, but that’s the one thing I can say with confidence.

「…I see. Then I guess I’ll have to get on my hands and knees to thank that young lady.」

「Hey, stop it. I won’t forgive you if you trouble Sara-san.」

「Whoa, scary!! You’re quite smitten, aren’t you?」

Knowing my Father, he might actually do it even if it sounds like a joke. So I told him firmly, as a warning.

If by some chance he did that, Sara-san would be so humble she’d be seriously troubled. I don’t even need to think about it.

「So? A well-mannered picture of Japanese womanhood, all-around housewife skills, top-tier grades, and a gifted girl who serves as the school’s student council president… was that it? Does a perfect person like that, who only seems to exist in a manga, really exist?」

「I told you to stop saying things like that.」

「No, no, I’ve heard about it from your Mom so many times my ears are ringing, and I already know she’s such a great girl she’s wasted on my stupid son, okay? And seeing you now, I can tell how much she’s supported you.」

「Then…」

「But still… for a picture-perfect, flawless young lady like that to not only date but get engaged to someone as average as you, that’s not something you can just believe, is it?」

「…Well.」

It’s frustrating (it really is!!), but certainly from the perspective of my Father who knows what kind of person I am, it’s no wonder he thinks「why her?」about someone like Sara-san. And even for me, if the me from last year heard this story, I’d obviously find it hard to believe.

「And you know, this is the important part… I heard she’s super beautiful?」

「…I won’t deny that.」

「Hoh, that’s something to look forward to!! Your Mom never showed me a single photo.」

「Of course not!! If I showed a photo to a wacky screw-up like you, my Sara-chan would be tainted!!」

「Tainted… hey, is she seriously that amazing? Honestly, when a woman calls another woman beautiful or cute, the going rate is usually that she isn’t actually that…」

「Hey, stop. You’re going to make enemies of every woman in the world.」

「Whoa, whoa! That’s just a general social theory, okay? It’s not my personal prejudice!」

「Who are you even talking to?」

My Father said that not to me or my Mom, but to some other direction… as if toward God or someone invisible… wait, what am I even saying?

And Mom, Sara-san is「my!!」precious person, okay?

「More importantly, alright? Don’t you dare say anything rude to Sara-chan, okay?」

「I know, I know!! How many times are you going to say that, honestly… your obsession with her is something else, isn’t it?」

「Of course it is!! For an angel-like girl to become my daughter-in-law is a miracle that will never happen twice!!」

「You’re going that far…」

If I may say one thing, Sara-san is a goddess, not an angel… but putting that aside.

Well, for my Father who hasn’t even seen Sara-san, her evaluation is so high that I can understand his feeling of doubting it as being too good to be true. But mine and my Mom’s evaluations are absolutely factual, and what will happen when my Father, who is blatantly drawn to beautiful women, sees Sara-san (and Mayumi-san)…

After all, the biggest anxiety factor today is definitely my Father… sigh.

On the way to our destination, there wasn’t as much awkwardness as I’d expected, and before I knew it, I was able to talk naturally with my Father.

To be honest, I realized I’d been bracing myself, so I think I was helped a lot by my Father’s cheerfulness (or flakiness).

But even with a Father like that, it seems he can’t completely hide the fact that there are things he really wants to hear… probably about what happened to me…

I thought I’d steeled my resolve to explain, but it still takes courage to talk about that…

「Whoa, whoa, is it really here? This is amazing…」

「It… it’s a shop with quite the atmosphere, isn’t it?」

We walked for over ten minutes from the station in the opposite direction of home.

The three of us stood there in a daze before a shop with a magnificent gate and a unique atmosphere, surrounded by walls and a forest.

That was only natural, as this was a「super」high-end traditional restaurant that was far too famous in the local area, and at the very least, it was a place that had absolutely nothing to do with our family…

「H-Hey, Kazunari. Is this really the right shop?」

「It’s the right one.」

By the way, this shop is said to be frequented by certain politicians and famous overseas celebrities, and rumors about「seeing so-and-so」never end even at school.

This is my first time coming here, but since I’m not familiar with traditional restaurants to begin with, this「typical」atmosphere makes me feel incredibly out of place…

That said, if we just keep standing here, we’ll look like suspicious persons.

「Welcome, thank you for coming today.」

Steeling our resolve, we passed through the gate. We were guided inside by a male staff member who had been waiting in front of the entrance, where we were greeted by a woman of a certain age in a yukata… a staff member who looked just like an okami or someone similar.

Furthermore, she gave us an extremely polite greeting while kneeling, which already had my Mom looking bewildered… and my Father was looking around the shop with interest, looking restless. He’s as fearless as ever.

「U-Um, I have a reservation, I’m Takanashi.」

「Yes. Takanashi-sama, we have been expecting you. Satsukawa-sama has already arrived.」

When I timidly gave my name, the staff member gave an especially large smile and bowed deeply while kneeling. And as if drawn by that movement, my Mom also started bowing her head repeatedly for some reason… seeing that, my Father burst out laughing, only to be hit by my Mom.

Yeah, a nostalgic scene(?) that’s so typical of our family.

「Hehe… then, I will guide you.」

Waiting for us to finish taking off our shoes, the staff member slowly began to walk ahead. For a moment, I wondered「what should I do with these shoes I took off?」but the male staff member who was waiting at the entrance immediately handled it with a「please leave it to me.」

Things are different from a hotel, so this makes me nervous in a different way.

「Whoa… amazing.」

「Oh, this really is something.」

As we continued down the hallway… just as we reached the area that corresponds to the veranda, an incredibly grand sight suddenly appeared before us.

A huge, huge Japanese garden spread out before us, so much so that I wanted to ask if it was a garden in some famous temple.

This is incredible…

「Hehe, thank you. This garden is the pride of our establishment…」

「I-I see, for this garden…」

「Hmm… this is incomparable to the places our company uses for entertainment, for sure.」

Pure white sand with patterns drawn in it, and large and small rocks placed in what was presumably a calculated arrangement. There was a corner filled with water, where a shishi-odoshi made a pleasant「clack」sound. Moreover, beyond that, there was another large pond and a small detached island with a red bridge crossing over to it, and in the back, there was even a small torii gate and a shrine, as if something were being enshrined there.

Also catching my eye were a narrow passage that seemed to lead from inside the shop and a small building at the end of it. Is that a guest room too?

「Hehe… that room is a special room and is not normally used. However, today…」

「Ah, I-I see?」

Using a special room that isn’t normally used… that means there must be「suitably special people」there today.

I wonder what kind of people are using it… maybe politicians, like the rumors say?

「Now then, I will guide you to that room.」

「Eh!?」

「I-It’s that room!?」

「Oh, that’s something to look forward to!」

The staff member watched our reactions with satisfaction and began to walk ahead once more.

To think they’d secure a special room in a place like this… I feel like I’ve reaffirmed the greatness of the Satsukawa family once again.

Masaomi-san and Mayumi-san really are amazing.

「Satsukawa-sama, Takanashi-sama has arrived.」

「Yes, please come in~」

When the staff member called out through the door… or rather, through the fusuma, the voice that came back was that same soft, healing tone.

Just hearing that voice makes me feel more relieved than usual…

「Excuse me.」

The staff member quietly slid the fusuma open. In the room that became visible, Masaomi-san and Mayumi-san were looking our way with smiles… wait? Only two people?

…Where is Sara-san?

「Good work today, Kazunari-kun. Hehe, does that face mean the surprise was a success?」

「No, no, if you’re going to book such an amazing place, please tell me a bit more in advance. I need to prepare myself…」

「But, since I went to the trouble of securing a special spot, I wanted you to be at least a little surprised, you know?」

「Well, you see…」

Seeing Mayumi-san’s mischievous smile, I finally felt like I was calming down… wait?

Does that mean I was more nervous than I thought?

「Mayumi, that’s enough. Now, Kazunari-kun, your Father and Mother.」

「Ah, yes!」

Prompted by Masaomi-san, I half-forcibly pulled my Father and Mother (though their reasons for being frozen were likely different) into the room.

My Mom especially seemed to be feeling hesitant, as her steps were unexpectedly heavy.

「U-Um…」

「Thank you so much for traveling such a long way to join us. Regardless, please have a seat first.」

「N-No, n-not at all! We’re the ones who…」

My Father suddenly showed a shrinking attitude in front of Masaomi-san’s presence, which felt like it had no stagnation and carried a sense of grace and composure.

But I noticed… his interest was directed straight at Mayumi-san, not Masaomi-san.

Because he’d been completely captivated from the moment he entered the room.

「Hehe… is something the matter?」

「N-N-No!? U-Um, you are the wife, aren’t you!? Not the older sister!?」

Leaving aside the fact that my Father’s honorifics are terrible, either because he’s just panicking or because he’s not used to using them… it’s only natural that he sees Mayumi-san that way.

Because that youthfulness is seriously a foul!

「Thank you. But I am indeed the Mother, you know?」

「S-So that’s how it was!! Man, I thought for sure you were the older sister.」

「Hehe… you’re quite the flatterer. Hey, hey, Kazunari-kun, Mother-in-law is apparently Sara-chan’s older sister!」

「No, um, Mayumi-san?」

「Honestly, Kazunari-kun, you’re so mean! It’s not Mayumi-san, it’s Moth-er-in-law, right?」

Mayumi-san pouted, showing a cute, grumpy face that you’d never think belonged to someone in the same generation as my Mom. Moreover, she even went as far as to wink at me after that… making the pressure from my Father right next to me become intense.

I already have nothing but anxiety about this…