Episode 336: Meaning

Kusahara Yutaka POV

Seriously, why does one thing after another have to happen…

This isn’t even at the level where I can keep up anymore.

My head already hurts from Rena’s massive blunder, so how far does that man intend to go to keep messing with my mind?

Not only does he have a connection with Managing Director Satsukawa, but now he’s proposing to the young lady?

Does he even realize who he’s dealing with?

Of course, normally, there’d be no reason to care about such a ridiculous story. Considering they’re just high schoolers, it’s nothing but the nonsense of children who can’t legally marry, at most a dream.

And besides…

「…Marriage!?」

「…No way, seriously, for high schoolers…」

「…Right, that’s way too heavy no matter how you look at it.」

「…Isn’t that looking too far ahead? They’re just high school lovers. They could break up next month over some stupid fight.」

「Right. Or Satsukawa-san will just get tired of that guy.」

「Maybe Satsukawa-san just doesn’t have any immunity to guys and she’s just misunderstanding her feelings?」

「Ah, that’s totally possible!」

…As the reactions around us suggest, it’s not realistic for two high schoolers to be thinking about marriage. At this age, saying such a thing usually gets you laughed off for being「heavy.」

But…

「Phew…」

Managing Director Satsukawa let out a long breath and made a gesture of touching his eyes. Having seen「that,」I can guess what it means.

The young lady on stage, shedding tears of joy and smiling so happily… seeing her like that, even a stranger like me felt a bit of a tug at my heart. For Managing Director Satsukawa, the father, there’s no way he wouldn’t be moved seeing his daughter cry with such happiness.

「Managing Director Satsukawa…」

But…

What bothers me even more is the reaction of the Managing Director and his wife toward「that man.」The wife, seen occasionally on the monitor, looks like she’s doing nothing but welcoming them, and the Managing Director hasn’t shown any sign of rejection or denial toward the man’s proposal.

I hope it isn’t true, but could they be taking the children’s talk seriously and actually approving… no, no, that can’t be. Deciding on something as important as marriage that easily is impossible. Especially for Managing Director Satsukawa.

This is only a possibility, but…

The person who marries the young lady…

Basically, for the future of the Saba Group…

That’s why the Managing Director wouldn’t just…

「…No, sorry. I was just so happy to see my daughter’s growth.」

「N-no. It’s only natural as a parent to be happy about your daughter’s growth…」

「…Yeah. The fact that Sara ended up like that was partly due to our own shortcomings as a couple… so I really have nothing but gratitude for Kazunari-kun.」

「I-I see. Either way, her growth is a joyful thing!」

Still, I really want to ask what the deal is with that man, who is so well-accepted by the Managing Director… and probably the wife too. I sense something like trust toward that man in every word from the Managing Director, and I can’t shake this terrible bad feeling.

But for now…

Before anything else, I have to make up for the points Rena lost. Even if it’s obvious flattery, I can’t afford to worry about appearances. My only path is to keep my mouth shut and let things proceed as peacefully as possible. Fortunately, this situation is a chance for me to let things fade into the background, for better or worse…

「Man, I’ve been curious about that box this whole time. Are we finally gonna see what’s inside?」

「Yes. I originally planned to save it for the very end after everything was over… but this is Kazunari-san’s fault, you know?」

「Ugh… I’m sorry.」

「Fufu… I am just kidding, so please do not apologize. Besides, if I think about it, maybe this turned out for the best after all…」

「Is that so?」

「Yes♪」

As Sara-san started peeling away the neatly wrapped paper, a staff member with a camera and Minamin immediately approached. The footage was shown clearly on the screen, and the noisy crowd began to settle into a hush.

With the entire venue focused on her, Sara-san finished unwrapping the paper and slowly opened the lid of the box…

Inside was…

「A necktie?」

Just as Minamin muttered, there was a brand new necktie in the box. It was a striking blue with stripes, a coloring that was exactly my style… wait, huh?

「Yes, it is a necktie.」

「Right? Um… is it for a man?」

「It is for a man.」

「So you mean, Takanashi-kun?」

「Of course.」

So this was… a present from Sara-san to me!?

Come to think of it… I’ve had Sara-san do countless things for me, and I even use things she made by hand like my lunch bag… but this is the first time I’ve received something as a clear「form」of a present.

What should I do… what do I do!?

I never knew a present from the person I love could make me this happy…

「Now then…」

Entrusting the box and paper to the host’s table, Sara-san held the necktie with both hands as if hugging it. I felt an indescribable happiness and pride welling up in my chest as I looked at the ring shining on her left ring finger while watching her move…

「Kazunari-san…」

Sara-san looked straight at me and closed the distance little by little. When she was close enough to touch with a reach of the hand, she stopped… and gently held up the necktie she was cradling, showing it to me.

「Normally, I believe I should have earned my own income through a part-time job or something before giving you a present, Kazunari-san…」

「Sara-san, I don’t…」

「No. I am truly happy and feel fortunate to have received a present from you, Kazunari-san. But… I know the ‘origin’ of that gift was the result of heavy labor that put a burden on your body. When I think of that… the locket I received that day, and this ring, are truly… truly… more than I can ever express in words… I…」

「Sara-san…」

I understood what Sara-san was trying to say.

Getting a present is happy enough on its own, but if it’s handmade, or if the other person went through a lot of trouble to prepare it for you… even if you feel sorry, the emotion is that much deeper.

But if we’re talking about that, I’m the one receiving countless「handmade」things from Sara-san every single day. That’s why I chose the path of working a part-time job to buy something, as a small token of my feelings.

「…But unfortunately, I had no leads or time for a part-time job, and I could not satisfy myself by giving you a simple item I could make in a short time. So this is only half… I intend to give you a present I am truly satisfied with at a later date.」

「Sara-san, I’m truly happy and satisfied with just this necktie. So you don’t need to…」

「No… I know I am being selfish, but I still want you to accept it. If not, I cannot forgive myself. At least a half that matches your effort… no, even if it is only a third…」

「Sara-san… I understand.」

For me, this was more than enough, but if it would satisfy Sara-san.

And there was no reason to flatly refuse her kindness, so I’d just be honest.

「Thank you. Well then…」

When I accepted it, Sara-san showed a relieved smile… she reached for my neck, for the tie I was currently wearing, and easily slid it off. Sara-san folded it neatly and put it in her own pocket.

「「Huh!?」」

The moment that series of actions finished, a mysterious murmur rose from the stands… and I heard Minamin and the camera guy gasp.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed it.

「Is something wrong?」

「Hwah!? N-no, I just thought you looked unusually practiced at that, Satsukawa-san, you removed that tie so naturally…」

「Is that so? It is something I do regularly, so I was not particularly conscious of it…」

「Regularly… you mean Takanashi-kun’s tie?」

「Yes.」

「Heh… I see… wowwwwww.」

Minamin’s bored-looking stare seemed to hold all sorts of meanings, like「do that much yourself」or「go explode.」I also felt some jealous glares coming from the camera guy’s direction.

But listen… how could I possibly refuse when Sara-san tells me「I want you to let me do it」?

So this was another case of「it can’t be helped」…yeah.

「Normally, I intended to tell you everything here before giving you this tie. I planned to deny all the selfish ideals and assumptions about me by confessing my true self… and then declare that I have someone I’ve decided on in my heart. Then, I was going to call you here, Kazunari-san… and give you this…」

Sara-san held the necktie against my collar, checking how it looked. Like she was checking the size or color against my body when buying clothes…

「Kazunari-san, do you know the meaning of a woman giving a necktie to a man?」

「The meaning?」

「Yes. Not just as a simple present…」

「…Sorry, I don’t really know.」

I wasn’t sure, but like there’s a meaning to wearing a ring on the ring finger rather than just giving it as a gift… did giving a tie have some special meaning too?

「Wait!? Wh-wh-Satsukawa-san!? Don’t tell me you prepared a tie for Takanashi-kun with that meaning in mind!?」

「If your guess is correct, then that is indeed the meaning.」

「WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?」

「「 KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! 」」

Along with Minamin’s shock, a massive high-pitched scream erupted from the women in the stands. That meant that this tie had a meaning that was basically common sense to women.

「…Uoooooh, she went that far!?」

「…Dammit, I don’t want to see this anymore!!!!!!!!」

「…What, does a tie really have such a dramatic meaning!!??」

「…You idiot!!! You don’t even know!?」

「…Oh boy… maybe Satsukawa-senpai was planning to propose to Takanashi-kun too.」

「…This was unexpected… I didn’t think the Wife would aim that far.」

「…So that tie really has that meaning?」

「…What else could it be? But for that Sara to do it…」

「…It’s because she’s that Sara. She’s making it clear she’s head over heels for Takanashi-san, and making any tiny possibility or malice toward him look meaningless.」

「…True. I mean, doing something that bold in a place like this, I guess it really is because she’s that Sara. I definitely couldn’t do it.」

Listening closely, I could hear shouts from the guys mixed in with the women’s screams… was I really just that ignorant?

But now I was even more curious about what that「meaning」was.

「I am sorry for being mysterious. It is not that the tie itself has a meaning, but the meaning is born when you think about what a necktie is, you see?」

「What a necktie is… you say?」

「Yes. When I prepared this tie, I had one meaning decided. I intended to tell you that when I gave it to you… but since you proposed to me, Kazunari-san, I decided to change the meaning slightly.」

「Ch-change it?」

I was getting even more confused. For now, I understood that giving a tie could have multiple meanings… but I didn’t know anything beyond that.

Hmm…

「…Pffft, Takanashi-kun is in a bind.」

「…Well, he was mentally quite far removed from romance for a long time. It can’t be helped that he’s a bit dense.」

「…That’s not a problem. If anything, it’s cute.」

「…And Sara probably thinks the same as Hanako-san, right Eririn?」

「…Yeah. I think it’s cute too.」

「…Ah, so Takanashi-kun is that kind of…」

「Fufu… you will understand soon enough, so please rest assured. More importantly…」

Wearing a soft, gentle smile, Sara-san reached around my neck with the tie in hand. She moved her hands with such practice… I mean, she ties my tie every morning, after all. She started tying it smoothly.

Still, she was moving a bit slower than usual, checking every little thing… looking at my face over and over and smiling happily each time…

「Whoa, you’re really used to that, aren’t you?」

「Fufu… it was a bit difficult at first.」

「I mean, tying someone else’s tie is usually a pain. Wait… Takanashi-kun, you always let Satsukawa-san do that much for you?」

「Do not misunderstand. This is all because I want to do it for Kazunari-san. If anything, I am the one asking him, you know?」

「Ah, I see… well then.」

「There, that should do it. It looks very good on you, Kazunari-san♪」

「Thank you, Sara-san. So…」

Sara-san finished tying the tie and gave a satisfied nod, but her hands were still around my neck. We stared at each other from a distance close enough to hug with just a small reach, and I waited for her to speak.

「Yes. When a woman gives a man a necktie, of course, it could just be a simple present… but if I am giving it to you, Kazunari-san, then it naturally contains a certain ‘meaning.’ And initially, I had one meaning in mind for when I gave this to you.」

Sara-san gave a bashful smile and looked down slightly. The cuteness of the gesture made my heart skip… and sensing that again, Sara-san let go of my neck with one hand and started gently stroking the back of my head.

「It means, I am crazy about you.」

「Ah…」

I see… so that was it…

Since a tie goes around the neck, it’s a simple wordplay on being「tied」to someone… and a woman giving it to a man serves as a kind of confession.

「I am crazy about you… you are truly dear to me. How can I convey this love without leaving anything out… no matter what I do, or what words I use, I still worry that the love for you in my heart isn’t reaching you fully… it makes me restless.」

「…Sara-san.」

「I like you… I love you, I adore you from the bottom of my heart… these are my true feelings without any lies. But if I can show it with something other than words too. For example, like the engagement ring you gave me, Kazunari-san…」

Sara-san always tells me how she feels directly. She shows her feelings plainly. And I’ve never felt for a second that「something」was missing.

But if a proposal ring was a「single form」to represent my feelings and resolve… then it might be natural for Sara-san to look for something similar.

「The feelings you gave me along with this ring… if I am to answer those, the expression ‘crazy about you’ is far too weak. So, I have decided to return the meaning of this necktie to its original meaning, which I did not intend to say here.」

「I see… that’s why you changed it. I finally get it.」

「Yes. So, once again… I shall give my answer to your earlier proposal, along with the meaning of this tie. Though, I have already given you my answer once.」

「Haha… true. I said ‘once again’ too, so the promise itself is already…」

「Yes. But since you have officially proposed to me like this, Kazunari-san, I wish to give you my official answer as well.」

「I understand.」

Since we’re already engaged, this was just a formality, a sort of ritual. Sharing our feelings again was more like a reconfirmation… we already knew the answer.

But…

Even knowing that…

What was with this indescribable tension…

「Kazunari-san… my whole world changed because I met you. Through the joy of meeting you, I felt the joy of being born into this world myself, and being with you turned into my joy and happiness in life. In other words, my joy and happiness are always with you. So, I want to convey that joy and happiness to you with everything I have. I want you to feel even more joy and happiness than I do. So I want to achieve that by walking with you through the future, and even further beyond. More than anything, I want to keep telling you my feelings… this feeling of purely loving only you. From now on, and forever… always…」

Sara-san’s feelings, her heart, entered deep into my own. So deep it felt like the very center of my heart.

Staring straight at me… Sara-san’s eyes of clear「will」caught mine and wouldn’t look away for a second. It was like I could feel her feelings through my eyes, my ears… my whole body…

「And this necktie represents my will to be the one who ties it for you every single day. From now on, I want you to let me tie your tie. Into the future… and beyond that, and even further… always.」

After being told that… even someone as ignorant and dense as me finally got it.

A tie is something you put on during the morning routine before school, and in the future, it would be before work… once I fulfilled my promise to Masaomi-san, it would be part of my morning routine again. For Sara-san to do that for me every day… meant she intended to spend our entire lives together…

「Kazunari-san… in the future, please make me your wife. Of course, my true heart wants to be your wife right now. And I want to make you the happiest person in the world. That is my role, and I will never give it to anyone else. I shall love you and serve you with my whole heart and soul, and I want to convey all the happiness I feel… and even more than that… to you as well.」

Sara-san’s eyes… no, Sara-san herself, slowly moved closer to me. She passed the point where we could touch, and when she was at zero distance, close enough to become one…

Sara-san…

「Kazunari-san… I will definitely make you happy, okay?」

「Sara-san, me too… mgh!?」

I couldn’t even finish my sentence… as always, my mouth was blocked without question.

Pulled in by Sara-san’s arm around the back of my head, I was left to her will, as usual.

But…

Since it made me feel so happy and fortunate…

I guess it really was a case of 「it can’t be helped.」