Episode 259: Marriage?

Natsumi POV

Sara did not answer the boys’ questions, instead watching the two of them with a cold gaze. The classmates watched the scene in silence, but I got the feeling the boys in the class, in particular, were shooting them looks that said they were idiots.

As I watched the classmates, Yuri and the others snuck over to me. They probably want to hear about what just happened, but I want to see how Sara handles this. I’ll ignore them for now.

「…Did you hear that I am getting married?」

Oh, that’s actually a bit unexpected.

It’s honestly rare for Sara not to just flat-out refuse to talk. Especially in a messy situation like this, the usual Sara would say something like,「Why should I feel the need to answer a question like that to you?」and cut them off immediately.

Yet here she is, showing a willingness to actually talk, and I’m very curious about that myself.

「One of my buddies heard Satsukawa-san talking about it on Saturday!! He said you were already talking about getting married… hey, that’s a lie, right!?」

「The number of people saying Satsukawa-san has a boyfriend suddenly shot up… it’s a hoax, right!? There isn’t anyone like that, right!?」

The two of them pressed in on Sara, ignoring each other in their excitement. They were just shouting out what they wanted to say, completely failing to notice the look of displeasure on Sara’s face.

Plus, their info sounds like second-hand news, so some of it is slightly off.

But the fact that this is coming out means there’s no doubt the events of Saturday are starting to turn into rumors.

These two probably rushed over because of that, but in the first place, it seems like they’ve already been rejected… but I guess that means even if Sara turned them down, they’re still holding onto their feelings.

There’s no doubt Sara has brutally rejected every single confession so far, yet guys like this still show up. I guess that’s probably exposing the part I was worried about again.

And what that is…

Sara feels nothing but annoyance, irritation, and interference from the men who hit on her. Sara, who hates shallow men more than anything, sees guys who hit on her despite having no real acquaintance or interaction as nothing but objects of loathing. And I’ve heard it from her directly that she tells them clearly they’re a nuisance, so there’s no mistake.

Normally, you’d think if someone you confessed to called you a nuisance, you’d just give up. But just saying「nuisance」might, depending on the person, leave room for those hopelessly optimistic guys to think「I still can’t give up」or「There’s still a chance.」

After all, these fools who don’t know their place just showed up here with their convenient hopes.

Or maybe they’re just so deeply in love with Sara that they can’t give up, and they think if there’s no one else, then someday they’ll have a chance… is that a pure heart, in its own way?

「Whoooa, total youth vibes, it’s Aoharu in the house!」

「Now, who’s got a ‘Wait a minute!’ call!?」

「No, let’s just listen. Also, that’s an old meme…」

It might be a scene you could call youth, but for Sara, who doesn’t want to deal with anyone but Takanashi-kun, it must be a real pain.

Yuri and the girls seem to be putting my explanation on hold for now and are just enjoying the situation. Since they have info that only they know, they seem to have a sense of superiority… honestly, they’re clearly getting ahead of themselves.

「…I see. Because my past responses were poor, it resulted in this. In other words, I am the same as Hanako-san… how troublesome.」

「…Sara?」

Sara muttered something under her breath. I think she mentioned Hanako-san’s name, and the self-deprecating look on her face is concerning too. She seems to be lost in thought… or rather, does she even see those two?

「S-Satsukawa-san?」

「Um, hey…」

The two of them noticed that Sara’s vibe was different from usual. They seemed a bit flustered since she wasn’t reacting to them.

But I think it’s very rare that Sara didn’t just reject them out of hand, and in that sense, I’m just as flustered as they are.

「For now… I would like those lacking common sense, who shout out people’s private business at the top of their lungs, to vanish from my sight this instant, if you don’t mind?」

「Ah…」

「Ugh…」

Oh, so she’s the same as always after all?

I want to ask what that meaningful look was about, because that was classic Sara-level venom. Hearing that, the flustered look of「Crap」was clear on their faces.

It seems they finally realized, just now, what an awful way they were behaving toward Sara. Too late, though.

「…However, I have some thoughts on the matter, so I shall answer. I certainly intend to marry in the future, you know?」

This is completely unexpected…

She’s still directing that cold gaze at them, but to think Sara would actually answer a question from a boy. But that answer is so simple that I feel like it could be interpreted in many ways.

「Eh? In the f-future? …A-Ah!! So that’s what you meant!! Y-Yeah, of course even Satsukawa-san would think about getting married in the future, right!? What… so that means the talk about getting married now was just a hoax after all… phew, you had me worried…」

「Y-Yeah… ah! Then the talk about a boyfriend must be a hoax too!!!」

Oh, I thought so.

Sure enough, the two of them ran with the interpretation that was most convenient for them. But Sara’s to blame for giving an answer that left room for doubt. Well, she usually just shuts them out and never gives a proper explanation. Maybe she’s just being sloppy with her answer… or maybe she’s just lazy.

「…Well, that makes sense.」

「…I was a bit worried for a sec.」

「…No no, wait… that means…」

「Does that mean Satsukawa-san actually intends to have a boyfriend!!??」

「「「 !!!!!! 」」」

「…Well, she can’t keep saying she’s a man-hater forever.」

「…Even the great Satsukawa-san thinks about stuff like that after all.」

「…In that case, that other talk was a hoax too.」

「…Pfft… kuku, Satsukawa-san, that was a nice, suggestive comment.」

「…Did she say that on purpose?」

「…No, she was asked if she’s getting married, so she just simply answered that she would in the future.」

I agree with that.

She just answered what she was asked, and in a way, it’s a very Sara-like answer.

That said… what kind of change in heart is this?

I think just talking to boys is a significant response for her. The fact that it didn’t end with the standard immediate rejection means Sara’s grown up too, in a way…

「A hoax? …Ah, if you are referring to the talk that I am getting married now, then it is indeed a hoax. In the first place, we’re not yet at the legal age to marry.」

「…Eh?」

「…Huh?」

Ah… I knew it… we’ve finally reached this point.

With Sara’s additional comment, the optimistic atmosphere in the classroom started to turn a bit awkward. The two at the center of this are frozen with confused looks.

Of course, there’s no way I don’t know what Sara’s going to say next.

「…Age?」

「…Wasn’t the marriage age sixteen?」

「…That’s exactly our age, isn’t it?」

Legally speaking, it’s common knowledge that the marriage age is eighteen for boys and sixteen for girls. In that sense, Sara and the rest of us have already reached the age where we can marry. But Takanashi-kun is a boy, so at the earliest, he can’t marry until he becomes a third-year.

But regarding the timing of their marriage, considering they’re talking about jobs and stuff, I think it’s already been decided to some extent.

「Hey, Satsukawa-san. At our age, we can technically get married, you know?」

「Yeah, I heard it might change in a few years, but right now, girls are still sixteen?」

They seem to have misunderstood her statement about「not being at the age to marry」as being about Sara herself. But that’s a misunderstanding, of course, so Sara looks blankly surprised, not understanding why they’re pointing that out.

「Yes. I am aware of that, of course. I was not talking about myself, but the fact that a man cannot marry until he is eighteen. Kazunari-san is still sixteen, so he cannot marry legally.」

「「「 …………………………………..Huh???? 」」」

「In the first place, it has already been decided that our marriage will be after Kazunari-san gets a job at my father’s company, and he must graduate from university before that.」

「「「 ………………………………………….. 」」」

And here we go… just casually dropping a bombshell like it’s nothing, as usual…

I know perfectly well that to Sara, she’s just explaining her reasoning. But to the classmates who know nothing, it’s so out of nowhere they probably have no idea what she’s even saying. I think it registered in their ears, but everyone’s just staring at Sara in a daze, with zero reaction to the actual talk.

「Therefore, while it is true that I am getting married, the talk about it being right now is incorrect. It is a nuisance to have baseless stories spread around for half-hearted amusement.」

…Aaannd, she’s said it all.

I get the feeling the classmates have been left completely behind. On the flip side, Sara looks somewhat satisfied, like she’s finished saying what needed to be said.

For the record, Sara completely laid it out down to the core part of「getting married in the future,」but I wonder if the classmates actually understood what she just said?

In the first place…

No one probably knows who「Kazunari-san」is. (lol)

「………Eh??」

「………Ah??」

The two who started this whole situation have completely lost their words after that talk. It’s clear from their looks of utter shock that they can’t keep up at all.

The only reason Sara even talked about this was probably because she felt it was necessary to correct the incorrect info. I was a bit surprised she explained it so thoroughly, but since she mentioned having「some thoughts on the matter,」there might be a reason there.

「「「 ………………………………………….. 」」」

And it wasn’t just those two; the classmates were similarly speechless.

Every single one of them had their mouths hanging open, staring at Sara in a daze.

Yuri and the others probably didn’t expect the talk to go this far either. It’s clear they can’t hide their surprise, and they’re exchanging looks with some mysterious communication using fingers and mouthing words… wait, what are they even doing?

「Satsukawa-san!!!」

「Is it t-true… did you really make a promise to marry Takanashi-kun!!??」

Just when I thought that, Yuri suddenly moved and rushed over to Sara with intense momentum. She’s leaning over the desk, bombarding her with questions with a look of pure curiosity.

I’m sure she just wants to hear about it for her own interest, but Yuri doesn’t seem to realize… that this is a question that’s delivering the finishing blow to the boys.

「Yu, Yuri-san, please calm down a little.」

「Oops, sorry, sorry, I just got carried away because it sounded like something amazing was happening.」

Sara seemed surprised to be rushed like that, but she’s not acting cold or displeased toward Yuri. It seems she’s been able to completely accept Yuri and the others as friends. Well, the truth is she’s probably just happy to be asked about Takanashi-kun.

「N, no… and?」

「And and!! Did you really promise to marry him!? Does that mean you’re engaged!? When did you do it!?」

「Yes. We became engaged just the other day.」

「「「 WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????? 」」」

Sara admitted to the engagement so easily it was almost anti-climactic.

But because she was so casual about it, I get the feeling the classmates can’t quite swallow the story. Their reaction is kind of half-baked.

「Ooooh!? W-Who proposed!? Was it Satsukawa-san after all!?」

「No, um… Kazunari-san suggested it, on the premise of marriage…」

Sara must have remembered that moment, as her cheeks turned a faint red and she wore a happy smile.

To the maidenly and devoted Sara, having her beloved Takanashi-kun suggest an engagement must have been a literal dream come true. She looks truly happy, with a smile so bright it could put anyone at ease just by looking at her.

But you see…

That smile…

To the boys watching Sara right now, that smile is essentially equal to a death sentence…

「…I-It’s a lie, right…… it’s a lie, right…?」

「…Ha, hahaha, hahahaha, t-t-that’s a mean joke.」

「…No no no no no…… is this a dream? It’s a dream, right?」

「…It’s impossible, there’s no way Satsukawa-san is already engaged, that’s absolutely impossible.」

「…Y-Yeah… it’s okay… surely it’s just a misunderstanding or something… it’s okay.」

Some of the boys, in particular, were starting to get a hollow look in their eyes. On top of that, they were muttering something under their breath like they were chanting a spell.

Eri-rin often does something similar when she falls to the dark side(?), but seeing the boys do it is more like… well, to be blunt, it’s creepy.

「Whoaaa!!! Takanashi-kun’s a man!!!」

「B-But why did it suddenly come to that!!?? I’ve never heard of being engaged in high school!!??」

「Right!!?? W-Well, they’re so close it’s not a mystery, though!!!」

The trio, who were already intensely interested in Sara’s love life, had already started getting hyped up over the shocking news of the engagement.

Leaving the rest of the classmates completely behind, their excitement was already at its peak.

「There were various circumstances regarding that. And I showed a pathetic side of myself, but Kazunari-san persuaded my father all by himself. That is the result.」

「I see!! So that led to the engagement!?」

「He went to settle things with her parent all alone!? Takanashi-kun’s got some serious guts!!」

「Fufu… Kazunari-san is a very reliable and wonderful man, after all.」

To Sara, having Takanashi-kun praised makes her happier than being praised herself. That’s why seeing Sara look so genuinely happy at Yuri and the others’ praise is a bit heartwarming.

The surrounding area isn’t exactly in a heartwarming state, though.

「To a boyfriend, her father is like the final boss, right? To go man-to-man like that…」

「I haven’t talked to Takanashi-kun directly yet, but is he the really manly type?」

「Yes, of course. Because…」

「Because??」

For some reason, Sara made an intentional pause in her words here.

What on earth is she going to say…

「…Because he is my beloved husband♪」

Ah, that smile is fatal… to the boys.

If she’s going to brag about him being her husband with such a happy smile, the boys have no choice but to give up… no choice but to accept it.

Now, what’s going to happen to the boys who saw this…

「IT IS A LIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!」

「KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!」

Ding-dong, dang-dong.

And at that moment, the massive scream, colored by the background music of the bell, echoed through every single second-year classroom… and so it was.