Episode 226: We’re Living Together

There was a bit of a (?) commotion, but once we got word that the meal was ready, everyone took their places at the table.

There weren’t any specific assigned seats, so I tried to take a corner spot at first… but Hanako-san pulled me along without a word and guided me to a seat right in the middle.

Sara-san sat down immediately to my right, and Hanako-san, who’d pulled me over, took the seat to my left.

Everyone watched this series of events with a wry smile, but Yuji alone had a thoughtful look on his face as he watched us… or more accurately, he was watching Hanako-san.

…………

The meal being served was a full course, and the old me might’ve struggled with the table manners. But the current me is completely different, thanks to the very gentle (definitely not strict) training I received from Sara-san.

Nishikawa:「Well then… to celebrate Takanashi-san and Sara’s engagement…」

Everyone:「「「Cheeeeers!!!!」」」

The high-pitched sound of glasses clinking echoed everywhere. I leaned in and made sure to clink glasses with everyone too.

By the way, the glasses were filled with juice and oolong tea.

Eventually, the appetizers were brought out, and it was finally time to show the results of my studying with Sara-san. How to use the napkin, the order of the cutlery…

Maybe she was a little worried, because Sara-san was glancing over every now and then to check on me. But since she didn’t point anything out, I guess I wasn’t making any mistakes.

While I enjoyed the stylish food with its equally stylish names, I couldn’t help but think somewhere in my heart that Sara-san’s cooking is still the best. I guess I’ve already discovered what「the best meal」is for me.

Nishikawa:「Takanashi-san, you seem to have gotten quite used to this. I’m glad to see Sara’s teaching has paid off.」

Dinner was over, and as I was enjoying the dessert I’d been looking forward to, Nishikawa-san spoke up.

Apparently, it wasn’t just Sara-san; Nishikawa-san had been watching my manners too.

Kazunari:「Sara-san was a very thorough teacher.」

Nishikawa:「As Sara’s fiancé, the chances of you attending parties or formal dinners will only increase from now on, so it’s good to know.」

Come to think of it, I remember Nishikawa-san saying something similar when the topic of table manners came up before. Back then, she just said,「You should learn them if you’re going to date Sara,」but she probably already predicted our current situation.

Sara:「It’s fine. I’m right here with Kazunari-san. I’ve been watching for a while now, and I’m so happy to see he’s mastered everything. I’ll have to give you some ‘good boy’ treatment as a reward later ♪」

Kazunari: 「O-Okay.」

Todo:「’Good boy’ treatment…?」

Tachikawa:「Sara-senpai really does love children, doesn’t she!」

Hanako:「No, saying that right now just makes things awkward for Takanashi-kun.」

To everyone else, it probably looks like Sara-san is treating me like a kid.

But I know that’s just her way of showing affection. That’s why I don’t feel like I’m being treated like a child at all.

Sara:「I do it because I want to. Of course, I’ll stop if you hate it, Kazunari-san… but you like it, don’t you?」

Kazunari:「Uh… yeah.」

Obviously, there’s no way I’d act tough here. Even if the answer gets me some judging looks from the people around us, flirting with Sara-san is the top priority.

I’d never make her sad by giving some fake denial, so I’d rather just be the one who gets embarrassed.

Sara:「Fufu… of course I know that. That’s why I want to do all the things you like, Kazunari-san. You’re getting some ‘good boy’ treatment later ♪」

Natsumi:「Sigh, Takanashi-kun wanting to be pampered and Sara wanting to do the pampering… you two really are a perfect match.」

Hayato:「Watching how Kazunari usually acts, you wouldn’t really get that vibe from him.」

Yuji:「As far as I know, I’ve never seen that side of him. But… having seen Kazunari during that disgusting period of his life, I’d say this is a reaction to that in a way. That time was just that awful.」

That was a take only Yuji could have, since he’s the only one who knew me back then.

Honestly, I’ve never really thought about it that deeply myself. I’ve wondered if I was always such a needy person, but…

In the end, as long as Sara-san is holding me, all that thinking just flies right out the window.

Hanako:「It would be pathetic if he were just being needy, but Takanashi-kun is solid where it counts. He does what needs to be done as a man. That’s why Satsukawa-san can spoil him without worrying.」

Nishikawa:「To say it that firmly… you really keep a close eye on Takanashi-san too, don’t you, Hanako-san? Just as much as Sara does.」

Hanako:「Not really… I just sort of felt that way.」

Natsumi:「Hanako-san is as mysterious as ever.」

I wonder how many times now Hanako-san has dropped one of those meaningful comments…

Actually, I tried asking Sara-san about this before. Her answer back then was that I should wait until Hanako-san was ready to talk about it herself. So, I couldn’t push it any further.

And Hanako-san herself told me she’d let me know eventually. I’m definitely curious, but I guess it’s best not to ask right now.

Sara:「Hanako-san is exactly right. Besides, Kazunari-san isn’t always a ‘spoiled brat.’」

As if agreeing with Hanako-san’s opinion, Sara-san spoke up to defend me.

Tachikawa:「…A ‘spoiled brat’?」

Todo:「…Sara-senpai’s word choices are so cute.」

Natsumi:「…No way. If you knew the Sara from just a while ago, you’d be doubting your eyes and ears 120%.」

Hanako:「Just for reference, when does Takanashi-kun act like that?」

Nishikawa:「H-Hanako-san!! Don’t ask unnecessary things!!」

Nishikawa-san hurriedly tried to stop Hanako-san, looking panicked for some reason. And to be honest, it wasn’t just Nishikawa-san; I was terrified to hear the answer too.

As far as I can remember, I don’t think I’ve ever consciously tried to act needy on my own. I’ve just been swept up in it many times. So I should be fine… right?

Sara:「Let’s see… first of all, Kazunari-san is a real spoiled brat when he just wakes up. Even when it’s time for me to get up, he won’t let go of my chest. But he looks so adorable like that that I can’t bring myself to pull away either, so I end up cuddling him until the last possible second before we have to leave the futon…」

Kazunari:「What!?」

Everyone:「「「 !!?? 」」」

When I wake up? I don’t remember that… wait, I might vaguely remember something… was that not a dream!?

Todo:「Cuddling when you wake up!?」

Tachikawa:「Wait, wait, does that mean…」

Natsumi:「Wait a second, what do you mean by ‘chest’!?」

Hayato:「Man… this is…」

Yuji:「K-Kazunari, you… you didn’t…」

Kazunari:「I didn’t do anything!?」

Hanako:「Hey… I hope I’m wrong, but do you two… sleep in the same bed when you stay over?」

Sara:「Until now it was only during sleepovers, but from now on we’ll be together every day. I’m truly happy that Kazunari-san pampers himself with me every morning.」

Silence………

While Sara-san was turning red with a happy look on her face, no one else was in a state to appreciate it.

It seemed the time-stopping ability had been triggered again; everyone was frozen in their current poses and expressions. It was exactly like the Student Council members the other day, which meant the reaction that followed would be predictable.

Regardless…

Getting to this topic before I could even explain the cohabitation part might be a bit bad.

Kazunari:「S-Sara-san. About that, I…」

Natsumi:「Hey… what do you mean by ‘every day’? You aren’t actually living together, right?」

Sara:「We started living together the other day.」

「………………」

Everyone:「「「「「WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!」」」」」

Rinnnnng…

That was definitely the loudest scream I’ve ever heard from a human being. It was literally ear-splitting; my ears were actually ringing. But my ears weren’t the only things in trouble. Everyone else was going through it even worse.

Though Nishikawa-san might be having the hardest time…

Natsumi:「Cohabitating? …Living together… COHABITATIIIIIIING!?」

Todo:「L-Living… w-with a boy… fueeeeee!?」

Tachikawa:「Wawawawawawa… what? What? Could it be… already!?」

Hayato:「Whoa, you actually made it that far. Kazunari is as bold as ever!」

Yuji:「Hey now, that’s cold. You should’ve reported something like that first.」

Hanako:「Everyone, calm down. They were staying over all the time anyway, so now it’s just every day, right? By the way, Takanashi-kun, look at your Onee-chan in the eyes. You have anything to say to me?」

Hanako-san looked calm at first glance, but she was clearly shaken too. She approached me faster than anyone else and practically tackled me with enough force to push me back.

Todo:「…Together… same bed… fuwawawawa, no no no, I’m such an idiot!!」

Tachikawa:「M-M-Marina, don’t! Don’t think about it!!」

Hanako:「………」

Todo-san was waving her hands around her head as if trying to erase some mental image. Tachikawa-san was doing the same to match her.

Hanako-san was still at point-blank range, pleading with her eyes for me to say something.

Natsumi:「H-Hey. Does Sara’s parents actually know you’re living together?」

Sara:「Yes. We have permission to live together.」

Natsumi:「Ehhh… Takanashi-kun, I really don’t want to be that person, but… are you okay?」

Natsumi-senpai asked while clearly emphasizing the「okay」part. I obviously knew what she was really asking.

So, I had to give her an answer she could believe in.

Kazunari:「I’m fine. Mayumi-san gave me a firm talk before, and I made a promise to Masaomi-san too, so please trust me. Even if no one told me to, I’m going to treasure Sara-san for the rest of my life.」

I chose my words carefully to avoid making Sara-san suspicious. I made sure to catch Natsumi-senpai’s eye to signal that I understood the underlying meaning of her question.

Thanks to that, everyone except a few seemed to take my declaration to「treasure」her at face value. Sara-san in particular looked so happy she was almost moved to tears.

Todo:「Takanashi-kun is amazing… you really treasure Sara-senpai…」

Tachikawa:「I wonder what it feels like to be loved that strongly by the person you like?」

Sara:「Kazunari-san… I’m so happy…」

Sara-san slowly stepped toward me and gave me a gentle hug from the front. My arms went around her reflexively, and she leaned her weight into me.

Hayato:「…Those three girls are so pure.」

Yuji:「…No, Satsukawa-san not understanding the situation is the real torture… Kazunari is living in agony…」

Natsumi:「Always flirting the second there’s an opening. Sigh… if Masaomi-san and the others trust you, I guess I can’t say anything… Takanashi-kun, I’m trusting you too, okay?」

Seeing me give a firm nod to those words, Natsumi-senpai seemed reluctantly satisfied for now.

It’s probably hard to believe that a guy and girl could live together and have nothing happen. I’d think the same thing if the roles were reversed, no doubt.

That’s why I’ll prove it through my actions.

Hanako:「…Still, starting cohabitation already.」

Todo:「I was shocked at first, but when you really think about it, it doesn’t feel out of place. It’s almost natural…」

Tachikawa:「Right. If they told us they’d been living together this whole time, I’d probably just go, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’」

…Seeing those reactions really tells me how we’re viewed on a daily basis.

My friends weren’t just accepting the fact of us living together; they were regaining their composure incredibly quickly. In other words, they already assumed we’d do something like this eventually.

Have we really been that obvious…?

Hayato:「Well… you can talk to me anytime… man to man.」

Yuji:「Kazunari… just thinking about it, that’s gotta be beyond tough. I don’t know what I can do to help, but let me know sooner rather than later.」

Kazunari:「Y-Yeah, I know.」

My male friends definitely understood the「struggle」better than anyone else. I know they’re just being considerate, but talking about this seriously made me feel a bit pathetic.

Sara:「Um, if you’re ever troubled or having a hard time, please tell me immediately, okay? I’ll do anything I can. And if I can’t, I’ll work hard until I can.」

Kazunari:「T-Thank you.」

A pure, innocent smile. I could tell those words were from the heart, with zero ulterior motives. That’s exactly why I felt so pathetic.

Faced with Sara-san’s incredibly kind yet inadvertently cruel finishing move, my two best friends just gave me looks of sympathy.

Nishikawa: 「……………」

By the way… I’d completely forgotten about Nishikawa-san, who was still staring blankly into space, clearly off in another world.