Episode 341: Question Corner, Last

「Ah, this is so fun!! We got a look at Satsukawa-san’s private life which was a complete mystery until now, and I got to hear plenty of funny stories about Takanashi-kun too!!!」

「Um… I’m very sorry, Kazunari-san.」

「No, it’s okay… yeah.」

Even if I end up torn to shreds, even if people say I am just putting on a brave face, I can’t let Sara-san look sad.

But…

Today I…

Feel like I have lost something important as a man… I really feel that way.

Mostly what happened is a secret, though.

「Nyahahaha, maybe I went a liiiittle too far!? But still, you won over Rinka High School’s super heroine, Satsukawa-san, the target of every boy’s admiration!! So you have gotta overcome this much easily, right!?」

「I already know that!!」

「Yep, yep, as expected of Takanashi-kun!!! You aren’t the hero of the Miss Contest for nothing!!! Now then, next… um… time-wise, I guess we have room for maybe two more people for the Question Corner?? Okay, the boy over there!!!」

「I am Nagui!! Have you greeted the Vice President’s parents yet!? Also, please list five things you like about him!!」

Another straight question. The greeting stuff doesn’t seem like a problem, but for the latter, there is no guarantee Sara-san won’t go on a rampage again… I have to be careful not to let my guard down this time!!

「If you mean a formal greeting regarding the engagement, we have not set up a proper occasion yet. If it is just a simple greeting, I have already met mother-in-law several times… but I have not met father-in-law directly yet.」

「Oh, is that how it is? So that means a formal one eventually…」

「Yes. The date for the formal meeting between our families has already been set, and I shall give my official greetings then. I have already finished preparing the kimono I will wear that day too…」

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

「A f-formal meeting!!」

「Father-in-law and mother-in-law… she means Takanashi-kun’s father and mother, right!?」

「Foooooooooo, she really feels like a bride!!!」

「H-hearing this really makes it sink in that those two are truly engaged!!」

I knew Sara-san was really looking forward to meeting father, and I’d heard about the kimono, but… she actually prepared one.

But when on earth did she do that kind of shopping?

We are basically always together, so…

Ah!!

Was it that day when I went to buy the ring!?

「And… about Kazunari-san?」

「Yes!! Five things you like about the Vice President, please!!」

「Five… that is a problem.」

I thought for sure she would answer instantly, but Sara-san gave a wry smile and looked truly troubled.

No way, is she going to say she can’t think of anything so suddenly…

「…Is it a problem?」

「Yes. Five is far too few, so I’m actually troubled about what to say. Since I love everything about Kazunari-san.」

…I was certain she wouldn’t say that… yeah.

KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

「The ‘I love you’ is heeeeere!!!!」

「It is not ‘like,’ it is definitely ‘love’ after all!!??」

「W-wow… she just said she loved him so naturally just now!?」

「As expected of a married couple… as expected of a wife!!!!」

「Too lovey-dovey!!!」

「…Well, Sara was saying she loved him normally even before they became fiancés.」

「…That can’t be helped. ‘Like’ isn’t nearly enough to express the wife’s feelings for Kazunari.」

「…Right. If anything, it wouldn’t be like Satsukawa-senpai unless it’s the word ‘love.’」

Of course, five things I like about Sara-san wouldn’t be enough for me either, and narrowing it down would be hard. Because I completely agree with the word「everything,」but…

Being told「I love everything about you」so proudly and with zero hesitation to my face… it still makes me happy…

「Takanashi-kun, you’ve got a massive grin on your face.」

「Hwah!?」

「Fufu… honestly, Kazunari-san.」

「U-um… so…」

「Ah, my apologies. Five things I like about Kazunari-san… right? Honestly, narrowing it down that far is truly difficult… but for the first one, I suppose it would be how very dependable he is.」

「Dependable…」

「Yes. I believe this is something you can’t understand unless you see it with your own eyes, but… Kazunari-san’s reliability in critical moments is truly wonderful enough to make one swoon. His decisiveness and incredible guts are also remarkable… but above all, his initiative toward what he has decided and his ability to see it through to a concrete form are nothing short of dependable. How many times have I fallen in love with Kazunari-san’s dignified figure…」

「I-I see… certainly, thinking about today as well.」

「Yes. Today, Kazunari-san bravely strode onto this grand stage all alone, and without caring about the hostility or curiosity from the masses, he proudly proposed to me. Truly… he is wonderful.」

Sara-san is sending me a passionate gaze with her cheeks flushed red, perhaps remembering the scene where I came up here…

I’m aware I did something bold today, but if it’s for Sara-san’s sake, most things seem like no big deal.

So I don’t feel like I did anything that grand today.

「I-I understand. Um, anything else…」

「Let’s see… then, following that topic. Despite being such a manly and dependable person, Kazunari-san actually has a hidden side… the way he shows me such a very cute and adorable side… I suppose. Especially when I hold him… at first he is shy and holds back, but eventually, he will snuggle… and act spoiled in my chest so cutely. That sight is truly… just truly, so precious and adorable to me…」

「…I get it.」

「…You get it!?」

「…Naturally. The instinct to want to dote on a little brother at any time is a sister’s nature.」

「…I don’t think normal siblings do that…」

Wh-what do I do… it feels a bit late now, but should I stop Sara-san by force!?

Stopping Sara-san when she looks so happy talking about me is… but if I leave it like this, I feel like another part of me as a man will be lost… ugh.

「Ah, if we are talking about cuteness, Kazunari-san also has a very shy side, you know? When I stare at him or kiss him, his face turns red immediately… I love seeing Kazunari-san like that, and I wish to see it more, but Kazunari-san seems to find it unbearably embarrassing… at those times, I pull him into my chest and hold him tight to hide his face. However, when I give him a lap pillow, I can’t hide him in my chest… at those times, Kazunari-san buries his face in my stomach, but sometimes he wriggles around and gets ‘naughty’… fufu. Honestly, Kazunari-san, that is a no-no♪」

「WH-WH-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!? I-I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING YET!!!!!!!!!!??」

「I-I-I GET IT!!! I GET IT MORE THAN ENOUGH!!! I perfectly understand that you love everything about the Vice President, so that is plenty!!!」

「…Are you finished? I have only just barely scratched the surface, though?」

「I-It’s fine!! I’m stuffed… I mean!! Your feelings have been conveyed more than enough, Satsukawa-san!!」

「I see, that’s good then.」

Just as I thought I had to stop her completely, I didn’t expect the questioner to give up first, but that was a lifesaver, honestly.

Plus, the girls who had been making a noise seem to have finally gone quiet. If they’ve learned their lesson about what happens when they let Sara-san talk about me…

「…W-wow… I never imagined it would be this much…」

「…Satsukawa-san loves Takanashi-kun way too much, doesn’t she…」

「…People can really become that syrupy-sweet, huh…」

「…To brag about her love that grandly… I mean, Satsukawa-san has changed way too much!?」

「…I guess love really does change a woman…」

「…No, no!! That is way past ‘changing’!!!!」

「…Pant, pant… I can’t… sugar is overflowing from my mouth… Gagh!?」

Wait… something is weird…

There is no doubt the stands have gone quiet, but the quiet「something」has increased instead?

Plus, I feel like the girls are staring at me with even more intense gazes, and I have got a really bad feeling about this…

「Minamin-san, what is the matter?」

「I-I… how should I put it… Satsukawa-san is just incredible…」

「Yes?」

「N-no, if you don’t get it, it’s fine. It’s nothing!!!! Okay, then the very last person… here we goooooo!!!」

「「 MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! 」」

Despite all the reveals, the number of people wanting to ask a question shows no sign of decreasing.

Plus, since it’s the final question, the hand-raising is getting even more intense.

Sara-san has been talking long enough for me to lose all sorts of things, and yet you still have questions… wait, oh?

「Oh, a very rare person is raising their hand, aren’t they?? Why are you appealing here when you could just ask the person directly!!??」

Apparently even Minamin noticed, as she let out a voice of surprise while looking at the same spot I was.

But just like she said, it would be one thing if it were the masses, but if it’s him, he should just talk to us directly… although Hanako-san and Tachikawa-san were raising their hands at the very beginning for some reason too.

「Um… Takanashi-kun, what do we do??」

Minamin has the authority to pick the questioner, so normally she wouldn’t need to ask me.

But given who it is, I guess she checked with me. There is no problem, and I’m naturally curious about the reason too.

He is not the type of man to do this as a prank… plus, I noticed he’s been trying to tell me something with his eyes for a while now.

「Minamin…」

「Okay!! Then the last person is decided!!!」

A staff member with a mic ran over from the wings, and the person who bowed politely while receiving it was…

「Now then… your question, please!!!!!!」

The first-year ace of the boys’ tennis club, and without a doubt, one of our… my best friend.

I don’t know why he suddenly started appealing, but with his personality, there is no way he would tease or mock us.

Besides, if he had something to ask, he could just ask me directly later.

The strangely serious atmosphere is also bothering me… just what is wrong, Hayato?