Episode 215: The Future Path

Yuji POV

Piro-ri-ro-rin.

The alert for an incoming RAIN message chimed from the smartphone placed on the table. But it wasn’t just my phone. Every phone of everyone gathered here rang out at once, sounding like a smartphone chorus.

Of course, everyone receiving a message at the same time could only mean one thing: a message in the RAIN group. In other words, a contact from Kazunari.

Hayato and I were prepared to storm the Satsukawa house and even perform a dogeza depending on this message. With that in mind, we looked at each other before checking our screens.

Todo & Tachikawa:「「We did it!!!!」」

The moment Todo-san and Tachikawa-san let out their cheers of joy, the answer was basically clear. I checked the screen myself to see Kazunari’s success.

Nishikawa:「Phew… it seems it went well.」

Hanasaki:「Honestly, he really kept us on edge.」

Natsumi:「Man, that’s great. But if you’d told me six months ago that Sara was getting engaged, I would’ve told you to stop talking in your sleep.」

Nishikawa:「I would’ve doubted their sanity and recommended a hospital.」

It was a pretty harsh thing to say, but it was the kind of comment only those two who had watched Satsukawa-san could make. To be honest, if I’d only seen Satsukawa-san without knowing how she acted around Kazunari, I might’ve said something similar.

I locked eyes with Hayato, who had a smile on his face after checking the screen, and we both raised our arms and let out a「Clap!!」as we high-fived.

Seeing that, Natsumi-san watched us with a smirk.

Natsumi:「Mmm-fufu, look at that youth. Pure male friendship.」

「「 ! 」」

Looking closely, it seemed the others were watching us too. What, did we do something weird?

I looked at Hayato, and he seemed just as clueless, shaking his head.

Nishikawa:「Now, now, it’s a joyous occasion above all else. Thanks to meeting Sara’s grandmother, I was spared the trouble of contacting them myself, but I feel like that actually worked out better than if I’d been the one to say it.」

Hanasaki:「True. A word from a grandmother probably carries more weight.」

Natsumi:「That was a fine play, Todo-san.」

Todo:「No, I actually worried I’d get yelled at for meddling.」

Hayato:「No way. Even the grandmother said thank you, so I think it was amazing.」

Tachikawa:「Nice one, Marina!」

Todo:「Y-You think so? Ehehe…」

Just like Natsumi-san said, I also think it was a fine play.

Thanks to that, I missed my chance to do the dogeza I’d prepared myself for.

Nishikawa:「Now then, to celebrate their future, shall we head to a cake buffet?」

「「「「「 No objections! 」」」」」

First off, congrats, best friend.

You’ve worked hard for this, so go be happy.

To report to everyone waiting for the news as quickly as possible, I sent a message to the group RAIN saying we’d been safely recognized.

In the blink of an eye, the message was marked as read by seven people, so they must’ve all been waiting.

I’m really grateful.

While thinking about thanking everyone again, I looked to my side to see Sara-san had also taken out her smartphone. she was happily reading the flood of celebratory messages.

「We should thank everyone properly later.」

「You’re right. What should we say?」

「Fufu… I’ll leave that to you, Kazunari-san. I’m looking forward to seeing how you introduce me.」

I felt a bit embarrassed by the way Sara-san laughed mischievously as she said that.

How to introduce her… I guess as my fiancée.

Wait, did she just call me…

「Sara-san, just now, you called me by my name…」

「…Yes. I feel like if I started doing it normally, I’d end up calling you that in front of others immediately. So… that will have to wait for… the future… after we get married…」

Whether she was happy or embarrassed to say the word「marriage,」she suddenly turned red and leaned against me while fidgeting.

「I’ll be calling you ‘Dear’ (Anata) from now on, so please call me… Sara… okay?」

Being told something so embarrassing while she looked up at me like that, I felt my own face turning red.

But I didn’t want to just be on the defensive, so as a way of saying thanks for earlier, I decided to meet her expectations.

「Sara.」

「!?」

Sara-san turned bright red in an instant, looking like a literal instant water heater. But it wasn’t just her; saying it was far more embarrassing than I’d expected.

「P-Please, one more time. Just one more time…」

Ugh, when she looks that happy…

「S-Sara…」

「Yes… Dear.」

「「………」」

After a brief silence, we both hurriedly looked down.

Th-this is still no good!!

If I look up now, I’ll probably die of embarrassment. But I’m sure Sara-san is in the same boat.

「I-I feel like I’m going to lose myself because I’m too happy. A-As I thought, it’s a shame, but let’s save making it permanent for… after we get married… Marriage… I’m so happy…」

Sara-san slowly leaned her body against my arm, resting her face there as well. I think we’re truly happy.

「…You two, is it okay if we resume the conversation now? Also, Masaomi-san is going to die, so if you’re going to flirt any more than that, please do it when you’re alone, okay?」

It was Mayumi-san’s voice, mixed with a wry smile, that called us back from our world of just the two of us.

Startled, I looked up to see Mayumi-san looking exasperated, Sachie-san watching us warmly, and… Masaomi-san, who looked completely dazed as if his soul had left him.

「…N-Ngh! W-Well then, shall we continue the talk? Though, as things stand, it’ll still be about our future plans.」

I could tell he was trying to tighten up the loose atmosphere, but unfortunately, it was probably going to be hard to bring the air back down to earth.

Mostly because Sara-san was next to me, radiating a full-powered aura of happiness.

「F-First, please leave the difficult matters to us. We won’t do anything that causes you two trouble.」

「It’ll be fine. Trust us.」

「Yes. I’ll be keeping a close watch as well.」

Hearing that much from the three of them, there was no way I wouldn’t trust them. Or rather, there was no reason to doubt parents who I knew put Sara-san first.

「Yes, I’ll be in your care.」

When I gave a firm reply while looking straight ahead, Masaomi-san gave a deep nod.

「So, as a first confirmation, Takanashi-kun, have you decided on your plans for your future path?」

「No, honestly, I haven’t decided on what I want to do until now…」

I’d thought about my future path before, but I didn’t have a clear desire. Now, if Sara-san is going to university, I want to choose the same path, and I have a feeling I want to aim for Masaomi-san’s company for employment. However, since this also includes the impure motive of being for Sara-san’s sake, I might not be able to say it with full confidence… but the feeling that I want to become an adult like Masaomi-san is no lie.

「Please remember that this is just my hope, not a command. But as we discussed earlier, if you’re going to choose Saba, please understand that your options will be somewhat narrowed down.」

「I understand.」

「Thank you. I’ll just stick to the main points, but after graduating high school, I’d like you to choose a high-ranking university. If you’re going to commute from here, there is effectively only one… by the way, Mayumi and I are both alumni.」

University… I’d expected it, but I guess I really should think about continuing my education. If it’s within commuting distance from here, then just like Masaomi-san said, there are no other options.

「I don’t want to say that academic background is everything, but unfortunately, for a corporation, it is an important factor. And I’d like you to study the work around me little by little while you attend university. That’s exactly why I want you to set your goals for your future path now.」

Just listening to the talk made me feel a bit of tension. I wonder if it’s right to say that a destination and a midpoint had been set for something I’d only vaguely thought of that couldn’t even be called a path.

「I’ll say it again, this is my wish, not a command. But if you’re going to take what you said earlier seriously, I only spoke it as my wish.」

「…Thank you. I’ll tell you my true feelings too… I’d been thinking about my future path with Sara-san as the center. If Sara-san is going to university, I’d go to the same place, and I was vaguely thinking of a place where I could stay with Sara-san after that. So, to be honest, my thought was that I’d aim for Saba if it was necessary for me to stay with Sara-san.」

I might disappoint him by saying this, but I wanted him to know I wasn’t just thinking about it half-heartedly. That’s why I decided to say it.

「But I have one more goal. I can’t go into detail because it’s embarrassing, but there’s someone I respect. I have a feeling that I want to become like that person, so if I can do both, I have a desire to aim for Saba in that sense as well.」

If I put it that way, he might realize who I’m talking about… but whatever.

「……………I see.」

Masaomi-san murmured that single sentence with an indescribable expression. He probably understood and was purposely trying not to let his feelings show.

「…I-I’m at my limit… Kazunari-kun!!」

Pulled violently to the left, I was suddenly hugged by Mayumi-san, buried in… something quite formidable.

Wh-What’s happening!?

「Oh, honestly, why do you say such cute things!? Masaomi-san might be enduring it, but I can’t!! To think such a good boy is becoming my son… I’m so happy!!」

I panicked as I was hugged and had my head stroked in a flurry. Wh-What do I do!?

「Hah!? Wait, what are you doing, Mother!!! I told you that was my role!!!」

Sara-san, who had been too shocked by Mayumi-san’s sudden action to process what was happening, moved to take me back the second she came to her senses.

She pried me away from Mayumi-san with incredible force, then sank me into her own chest, twisting her body to protect me from Mayumi-san.

「Ahhh, Sara-chan, you’re unfair…」

「Stop talking in your sleep! Holding Kazunari-san and giving him ‘good boy’ treatment is entirely my role!」

While making that declaration, Sara-san began slowly stroking my head. Ugh, all the strength is leaving my body…

「Fufu… Kazunari-san, I’m on the same path, so let’s work hard together. We’ll be together forever from now on.」

「U-Um, Sara-san, I’m in the middle of talking to Masaomi-san right now…」

「That’s right. Then, at least for a little longer…」

Saying that, Sara-san hugged me tightly with a reluctant look.

「…Oh my. Sara-chan is even bolder than Mayumi…」

「…I don’t think I ever went that far in front of my mother…」

It seems Sara-san’s maternal power (?) has officially surpassed Mayumi-san’s…