Episode 289: Becoming a Real Family

Masaomi-san and I moved to his private office in the garden under the pretense of discussing my next part-time job.

Masaomi-san said we could talk about anything here and we’d know immediately if someone approached.

That meant Masaomi-san intended to tell me something he didn’t want Mayumi-san or Sara-san to hear.

Combined with the serious atmosphere Masaomi-san was giving off, I couldn’t help but feel nervous about what he was going to say.

「Now then… before we get into the main topic, let me tell you something first. What I’m about to tell you is actually something Sara doesn’t know. Only my wife, myself, and mother-in-law… only the three of us know right now. It isn’t exactly a massive secret… I mean, it was a huge deal back then, but now we’ve come to accept it as a memory. That’s why we haven’t told Sara, and we don’t think we ever need to.」

「Um, if it’s such a heavy topic, wouldn’t it be better to tell Sara-san instead of me? I don’t want to put it this way, but… I’m not your actual flesh-and-blood son…」

I knew Masaomi-san and Mayumi-san had accepted me like real family. I felt that deeply.

But that was only「like」family, and it didn’t change the fact that I was just a「son-in-law.」I wondered if it was okay for someone like me, who didn’t share their blood, to know something that even their real daughter, Sara-san, didn’t know.

「Kazunari-kun, it’s true we aren’t related by blood, and nothing can change the fact that we’re in-laws. We haven’t even gone through a formal adoption yet. But I… no, both Mayumi and I already think of you as our own son. That’s why I’m truly happy that you and Sara are together.」

「…Masaomi-san.」

What should I do?

To think he’d say something like that…

I’m so happy… I’m really, really happy… if I’m not careful… no, I have to hold it back!

「Sorry for springing this on you. But this is honestly how we feel. When I received that gift from you today, it made me realize all over again that this is what I believe. So I don’t want you to ever think that you aren’t real family just because of blood. I’m telling you this now precisely because I think of you as my real son.」

「…I understand.」

Something was surging up from deep inside me because of how happy I was, but I forced it down and tried to look composed enough to listen.

The fact that Sara-san didn’t know still bothered me, but Masaomi-san had gone this far for me.

For now, I just needed to focus on listening.

「Thank you. Now, as for the main topic… Kazunari-kun, don’t you think Mayumi’s behavior has been a bit much lately? To be blunt, it feels like her way of showing affection to you has strayed from what’s considered normal. Has she been doing anything reckless when I’m not looking?」

「Um… well…」

It was true. It was more than just「a bit much,」it was escalating.

Lately, she’d try for skinship the second I let my guard down, and plenty of instances came to mind. It was just a little hard to say out loud.

I definitely thought the parent-teacher visit was a bit over the top, though…

「Yeah, I thought so. Sorry, it looks like she’s been a bigger nuisance to you than I realized.」

「No, that’s definitely not true!! Mayumi-san has done so much for me, and I’m actually happy she dotes on me. Knowing she’s accepted me that much makes it impossible to think of it as a nuisance!」

Masaomi-san seemed to guess the truth from my reaction, but I really didn’t feel like Mayumi-san was being a nuisance.

Even if I felt she went a bit far sometimes, I knew it was because she cared about me. I didn’t think it was annoying or unpleasant at all.

I was absolutely certain about that!

「I see… thank you. I’m happy you think so highly of Mayumi. I want to thank you again for that.」

「No, I should be the one…」

The atmosphere turned a bit strange.

But based on what Masaomi-san was saying, was this whole talk about Mayumi-san’s behavior toward me?

「So, about Mayumi. I think she feels affection for you as her real son… not ‘like’ a real son, but as her actual son.」

「Her real… son?」

「Yes. Truly, her real son.」

A real, actual son… did that mean Mayumi-san wasn’t treating me as a「son-in-law」or「like a son,」but as her「actual son」?

I see… when he put it that way, a lot of things started to click.

Especially lately, it felt like Mayumi-san had reached a level that clearly went beyond how you’d treat a son-in-law.

But even if she thought of me as her「real son,」I didn’t think she’d go that far with a high school-aged son…

「I think Mayumi liked you from the start. Partly because you were the only boy who could get close to Sara, and partly because you treasure Sara so much. Also, I’m not sure I should be the one saying this, but it seems she sees parts of my younger self in you. I think it makes her happy to remember our student days or see your innocent reactions. I feel bad about that, though…」

「N-No… I kind of realized that part already. And I know she’s genuinely happy about how I feel for Sara-san.」

「Yeah. But, you see… I think that was just the trigger, or rather, the surface. I believe Mayumi has another reason, something subconscious…」

Masaomi-san trailed off.

He looked like he was having a really hard time saying it, which meant whatever he was about to tell me was incredibly important.

It probably involved Mayumi-san’s deepest feelings and was a heavy topic for them as a couple.

I really wondered if it was okay for me to hear this…

「I’m sorry. I know that telling you this will place a burden on your shoulders too. But I felt that you, as someone who will be part of this family and dealing with Mayumi from now on, should know. So I’m going to say it.」

After that preface, Masaomi-san closed his eyes for a moment and took a breath. He looked like he was switching gears, or maybe psyching himself up.

「This happened back before we were married, or around that time. Whenever we talked about our first child, Mayumi always wanted a boy. I wanted a girl. So I thought we’d have at least two. Of course, I didn’t mind which came first as long as the baby was healthy.」

「………」

「Apparently, Mayumi wanted a boy because she’d always wanted an older brother when she was a kid. Back when we first got close, she used to say things like ‘I wanted a big brother’ or ‘I wish Masaomi-kun was older than me.’ I didn’t know what to say to that, but she said it often. That’s why she always said that if we got married and had kids, the first one had to be a boy. And the second would be a girl.」

「Then we got married, and eventually Mayumi got pregnant. We were so happy. Even before we knew the gender, Mayumi kept insisting the baby in her belly was definitely a boy. But right after that… she had a miscarriage. It was still early in the pregnancy, so we never even found out the gender.」

What should I do? This was way heavier than I expected.

I didn’t know what to say, and I couldn’t find the right words. But Masaomi-san didn’t seem to be looking for a response… maybe that was just my own impression, but that’s how it felt.

So I just had to stay quiet and listen until the end.

「It was… Mayumi was in total shock. It took quite a while before she could look forward again. You might not be able to imagine it from the way she is now, but things were really bad back then.」

「I… I see…」

「Yeah. That’s why when Sara was born, we were just so, so happy. Mayumi and I didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl anymore. Just the fact that she was born, that she existed, that alone made us truly happy.」

Masaomi-san wore a look of pure bliss, as if he were remembering those days, and it resonated deeply in my heart. I could feel his emotions, and I could almost picture the scene in my head.

That feeling I’d suppressed earlier started surging up again.

I… I…

「That’s why Sara was so precious to us. And fortunately, Sara took after Mayumi… you might think I’m just a doting parent, but I was certain she’d grow up to be a beauty. I never dreamed that would backfire and turn her into a man-hater, though.」

「You’re right. But as for me, that’s part of the reason why… well, you know.」

「Haha, true. That’s why I was so shocked when you said you were dating Sara. I couldn’t believe it at all. But because you were the one Sara chose, I was prepared to accept you two no matter what happened. As a parent, I definitely felt a bit lonely, but I told myself there was no way Sara could be wrong about the man she chose. And I was right. Plus, in the end, you’re even trying to fulfill my own wishes.」

「I… I thought that as long as I could be with Sara-san, I didn’t need anything else. I still feel that way. So back then, if there was no other way, I even thought about taking Sara-san and going back to my parents’ house. But I knew that even if I did that, Sara-san would never be truly happy unless our parents accepted us from the bottom of their hearts. I knew that would stay with her forever. For Sara-san to be truly happy, I had to be accepted by Masaomi-san and Mayumi-san. So I thought it was my role to find the best way for everyone to accept us. Because making Sara-san happy is my job. I won’t let anyone else do that. Choosing the path where Sara-san can be the happiest is the happiest path for me, too.」

When the talk of an arranged marriage for Sara-san came up, I didn’t ignore the worst-case scenarios.

But I thought of those as a last resort.

Personally, I had a strong desire for Masaomi-san and Mayumi-san to accept me, and for Sara-san’s sake, I couldn’t give up.

That’s why I didn’t hesitate to accept the conditions offered. I thought that if it opened a path for us, it was exactly what I wanted.

And those conditions, from my perspective, were things I was more than happy to accept. They barely even felt like conditions.

「’Making her happy is my job,’ huh. Haha, I never thought the day would come when I’d hear those words myself. I wonder if father-in-law felt the same way back then… or maybe he just thought a kid was talking big.」

「Masaomi-san?」

Masaomi-san was laughing to himself, looking nostalgic.

I thought I heard him say「Father,」but maybe he meant his「Father-in-law,」Mayumi-san’s father?

「Yeah. My intuition that the man Sara chose would be the right one was correct. Plus, you already have the strongest support from President Nishikawa and Mother-in-law. I have no worries on that front either. You can learn and gain experience in work over time. But you can’t do that with personal connections. I believe you have a talent for drawing people in and making them your strength.」

「Eh, um?」

Masaomi-san was getting a bit excited, and while I was happy he was praising me, I was a bit confused.

I’m sure he has high expectations for me, and that makes me want to live up to them. I felt a surge of motivation to work even harder from now on.

But… right now, the main topic was…

「Oops, sorry, I got off track. Basically, that’s just how much I expect from you. So we’ll keep supporting you two.」

「Thank you very much. I’ll keep doing my best! So…」

「Right, back to Mayumi. Basically, I don’t think Mayumi sees only one thing in you. The you who treasures Sara, the you who makes Sara happy, the you who reminds her of her past self, the you who makes her think of my younger days… and.」

Masaomi-san looked me straight in the eye.

He stared intently, focusing on a single point.

So I didn’t look away either. I could guess the answer, but I had to hear it. For the sake of becoming real family.

「I think she subconsciously overlaps you with the child whose name and face she never got to see… and that’s why she treats you with an extra layer of affection that might seem like too much.」

The words Masaomi-san spoke were exactly what I had expected.

That explained why Mayumi-san had shown me such excessive affection until now.

「It might be a nuisance for you…」

「Thank you… hearing that makes me feel even more like Mayumi-san is my real mother.」

But… even knowing that, my feelings for Mayumi-san didn’t change at all.

In fact, if anything…

「…Kazunari-kun?」

「Even if that’s the case, Mayumi-san still sees me as Kazunari. So instead of just overlapping us, I think she’s doting on me for that child’s sake too. If you think about it that way, doesn’t it mean Mayumi-san thinks of me as her real son in two ways? To me, that’s nothing but a happy thought.」

I think the idea of「overlapping」can be seen in a different light if you change your perspective.

If you think of it as being a「replacement,」it feels negative, but I don’t think Mayumi-san… or probably even Hanako-san… sees me as a「substitute.」I think they’re doting on me for that child’s sake, as well.

Thinking about it that way felt more natural and seemed like the right way to take it.

「So hearing that… it makes me feel even more like Mayumi-san is my real mother. And Masaomi-san, who told me something so important… you really are a real father to me.」

Normally it would’ve been really embarrassing to say all that, but Masaomi-san had told me something so important.

I understood Mayumi-san’s feelings… and that’s why I wanted to respond to them. I wanted to tell Masaomi-san my true feelings.

When I thought that, the words came out more easily than I expected.

But those feelings I’d been holding back, the happiness… I…

「I see… you’re right. Yeah… yeah, you’re exactly right. I’m sure Mayumi… I’m sure she’s giving you all the affection she had for that child, too…」

「Yes… yes!! That’s… that’s why I… I… I’m… so happy…」

It was… too much…

I could almost see the joy they felt when Sara-san was born, and it moved me. Knowing why Mayumi-san cared about me so much… seeing Masaomi-san’s happy… truly happy face… he looked so happy…

So… Masaomi-san and I… for a while…

The two of us were beyond words.

「Kazunari-kun, thank you for listening. I’m really glad I could talk to you.」

「I’m the one who should be thanking you for telling me something so important. Now I can accept Mayumi-san’s actions more honestly than ever before.」

Until now, part of me had wondered if it was really okay or if it was safe. But now that I knew how Mayumi-san felt, I could accept it simply.

As long as the absolute condition of not causing trouble for Sara-san was met, that is.

「Thank you. I’ve always been concerned about it, but because I knew, I couldn’t say anything when I saw how happy Mayumi looked with you. I’m truly sorry.」

「No, knowing the circumstances, it’s only natural you’d feel that way, Masaomi-san. So please don’t worry about it. I’m happy for Mayumi-san’s affection. But… in front of Sara-san…」

「Yeah. I’ll talk to her about that in a roundabout way.」

「Yes. I think it’s fine if Mayumi-san does what she likes a little bit when Sara-san isn’t looking or when she won’t mind. So if we can handle that well…」

Like with Hanako-san, if Mayumi-san could stick to the stance of not bothering Sara-san or making her feel bad, I was fine with it.

Though the line of Sara-san being the absolute priority was something I could never back down on.

「Truly… you’re going through so much trouble, not just for Sara but for Mayumi too.」

「It isn’t a trouble. So please don’t worry about it!」

「I see… thank you. I’m counting on you once again.」

「Yes.」

「Also, I want you to keep today’s talk a secret from Mayumi. It’s likely subconscious, and I don’t want to point it out and force her to be conscious of it.」

「I understand. But are you sure about Sara-san?」

「Telling Sara she actually had an older brother or sister when we don’t even know the name, gender, or what they looked like would probably just confuse her. But since you know now, you can tell her if you think it’s best. In fact, I think Sara would be able to listen more calmly if it came from you.」

I didn’t think I was in any position to tell her something that big, but if Masaomi-san said so, then someday.

「I understand. If the time comes when I think it’s necessary, I might talk to her then.」

I didn’t know when that would be, but if that time ever came.

「That’s fine. I’ll leave Sara to you. I’ll leave everything to you. Let’s see… if there’s ever a time to tell her, it would be when Sara…」

「When Sara-san…?」

「Haha, I’m getting ahead of myself. Talk to her when you feel the time is right. Of course, you don’t have to tell her at all. We never intended to in the first place.」

「U-Understood?」

I thought he might have some specific time in mind, but I guess I had to decide that for myself?

「Nfufu, what’s with you two, Masaomi-san, Kazunari-kun? You both look strangely happy.」

After that… Masaomi-san and I finished our talk about the part-time job and returned to the main house.

It seemed Sara-san was just about to come call us, so I was relieved she hadn’t seen me looking so pathetic. Masaomi-san probably felt the same.

We sat down and started eating, but both Mayumi-san and Sara-san seemed to sense something was off, tilting their heads curiously as they looked at us.

「No, it’s nothing. I just received a gift from Kazunari-kun… and I was so happy… I felt like I finally understood why Mayumi was so giddy.」

「Oh, Kazunari-kun, you prepared something for Masaomi-san too?」

「Yes. It was just to show my gratitude to mother-in-law and father-in-law for everything they do.」

「Fufu… you really are wonderful, Kazunari-san. I’ll have to thank you myself later.」

「Eh? But I’ve already received so much from you, Sara-san…」

I’d already received words of thanks and a storm of kisses from Sara-san. Anything more would be overkill.

「That’s that, and this is this. I’ll give you plenty of pets later, alright?」

In the end, that was just something Sara-san wanted to do… no, I wanted her to do it too, so I’d gladly accept it.

「Hahaha, it really is good that you’re so close.」

「My, you’re quite relaxed, aren’t you? When Sara says things like that, I expected you to make a face like you’d just swallowed a bitter bug.」

「It’s fine now. I’ve decided to leave everything regarding Sara to Kazunari-kun for real this time.」

Masaomi-san said that and gave me a meaningful wink. I guess that’s part of what his words from earlier meant…

「Oh dear, was Kazunari-kun’s gift really that happy? But good for you, Sara-chan.」

「Well… I think that’s only natural. But because Kazunari-san worked so hard, I’m sure father has finally accepted us from the bottom of his heart.」

「No, I didn’t really…」

「Fufu… don’t be so humble. Good work today, Kazunari-san. Tonight, while I’m holding you in the futon, I’ll…」

「…Wait, wait, wait a minute!! D-D-Did you just say in the futon!? And you said ‘tonight too’!?」

Ah… Sara-san…

That was one of our most important top-secret matters…

Masaomi-san definitely didn’t know, and I didn’t think Mayumi-san knew either. Saying that completely destroyed the credibility of Mayumi-san’s「he shows restraint」argument from earlier…

「Haa… weren’t you going to stop interfering with us?」

「This is a different matter entirely!!!! You two are still high schoolers, but you’re… s-s-sleeping together!? K-Kazunari-kun, we need to talk…」

「Eeeeeeeh!? No, that’s!!」

「Honestly, Masaomi-san, knock it off! Can’t you trust your precious son? Besides, we’re in the middle of a meal… sorry about that, Kazunari-kun. Here, say ahhh…」

Mayumi-san’s actions had zero context, but she casually held out some tamagoyaki to me… and I almost ate it… but before I could, I bit into the tamagoyaki Sara-san held out to my lips instead.

「Fufu… how is it, Kazunari-san?」

「It’s deliciouh…」

Sara-san’s tamagoyaki was the strongest in the world, so no other thought than「it’s delicious」even entered my mind.

「Aaaaah, Sara-chan, that’s mean!? Mother-in-law was first…」

「I wouldn’t know. Or rather, I’m the only one allowed to do this for Kazunari-san, you know?」

「S-Sara!! We’re still talking…」

Ah… how should I put it… it’s peaceful.

But today was a really good day.

Learning about Mayumi-san, knowing how Masaomi-san felt, and realizing how much I’d been accepted…

I could finally think of them as my real parents in my heart, my second Father and Mother.

And so, I really had become a member of the Satsukawa family.

That’s what today made me feel.

「Kazunari-kun! I still need an explanation…」

Hmm… I guess I’m still not completely trusted yet?