Episode 354: Happiness in Casual Scenes

Still unable to shake off the lingering embarrassment, before I knew it, we’d arrived at the Satsukawa house.

After passing through the gate(?) facing the road, all that was left was to open the front door… but right now, I definitely wasn’t in any state to be seen. To be honest, I was well aware that I had a goofy look on my face, so if I met Mayumi-san looking like this, I couldn’t even guess what she’d say.

「Hehe… shall I give you some ‘there, there’ until you calm down a bit?」

Sara-san, who seemed to have read my thoughts immediately, made the suggestion with a bit of a playful air… though her reaching out to pull my head toward her showed quite clearly that she wasn’t actually joking.

I mean, if someone saw us doing something like that at the front door, it would be a disaster… although after what we just did on the side of the road, it’s a bit late for that.

「N-No, I’m fine… really.」

「Are you sure? Holding back is… a no-no, okay?」

「I-I’m fine.」

Sara-san’s gentle gaze locked onto my eyes… and it felt like she was trying to read my true feelings, as she always does.

This might be a little bad.

「L-Look, Sara-san. Mayumi-san is waiting for us…」

「Hehe… understood.」

Sara-san nodded as if she accepted that, though she wore a wry smile as if to say「I guess it can’t be helped.」

It’s not that I was trying to dodge her, but if we stayed out here forever, people really would look at us weirdly… so I should just get inside…

Click…

Sara-san unlocked the door and stepped back while pulling the handle so I could go in first… but the moment she started!!

「!?」

Bloodlust!?

「Kazunari-kun!! Welcome ba…」

「I won’t let you!!」

Sara-san showed an incredible reflex against the ambush from Mayumi-san, who had apparently been waiting right behind the door. She quickly threw her body in between us, using her whole self as a shield…

「Mmph…」

I heard a cute little groan from Mayumi-san, who「probably」crashed into Sara-san’s back…

Huh?

Why am I only guessing?

Because my face was currently in heaven and my vision was pitch black, that’s why!!

I mean, it’s been a while since this happened, so I’d completely let my guard down…

「Aww… Sara-chan, that’s so mean.」

「Honestly… you’re always looking for an opening. Didn’t you swear during our match the other day that you wouldn’t meddle with Kazunari-san unnecessarily?」

「Of course I won’t meddle unnecessarily. But this is just a perfectly normal greeting from a Mother to her dear son, right?」

「What part of that is perfectly normal!?」

As usual, Mayumi-san didn’t seem guilty at all, and Sara-san snapped back at her fiercely.

However, the thing is… I know they’re getting excited…

But because Sara-san was pushing me back to hide me and moving around in that position (probably because Mayumi-san was reaching out for me), something soft was pressing into my face with incredible force…

It was squishy and soft and things were getting out of hand!?

「Ehh… but Sara-chan, you give Kazunari-kun hugs and kisses as greetings too…」

「I’m the only one allowed to do that to Kazunari-san!! If you want to do that, do it to Father!!」

「Ahn, geez, Sara-chan is so stingy!!」

「…Haha.」

「…Kazunari-san?」

「…Kazunari-kun?」

I accidentally let out a laugh…

It wasn’t that their interaction was funny or that I enjoyed this familiar scene.

「Hehe… what is it?」

Sara-san released my head (after giving it one last squeeze), and I slowly straightened up. When my vision finally cleared and I looked at the two of them, they were both looking at me with the same kind of gentle smile, making it clear they really were mother and daughter…

「No, I can’t put it into words well… but I guess I felt happy.」

「Happy…?」

「Kazunari-kun?」

「During the beauty pageant, we had that competition, and at first, Mayumi-san was being quite strict with Sara-san… I knew the results from RAIN, but until I actually saw you both, I was a little worried about whether I’d see you two getting along like usual. So seeing you both acting the same as always makes me feel relieved…」

It’s not that I wanted Mayumi-san to keep up the skinship like before.

But they had such a serious match, and it even resulted in a sort of restriction, so I was worried that things might get awkward between them. Even if I knew in my head that wouldn’t happen, the truth is I was anxious until I saw it with my own eyes.

「Hehe… Kazunari-san, you really are…」

「…T-That’s it, I can’t take it anymore!! Kazunari-kun!!」

「Pwah!?」

With a speed you wouldn’t imagine from her usual gentle self, like a fierce beast(?) pouncing on its prey (me)…

She finally bypassed Sara-san’s ironclad defense. Having completely let my guard down, I was helpless against Mayumi-san’s sudden movement…

I was captured quite easily, and as expected from their family trait, my face ended up buried right in that spot. I was enveloped by a terrifying mass that exceeded even Sara-san’s… an ordinary man might just find this pleasant, but for me, the panic was much greater!!

「W-W-W…」

「M-Mayumi-san!?」

「Geez… when you say something so sweet, Mother can’t hold back!!」

「Mgh!?」

The force pushing my face into that「something」became even stronger, and I didn’t even have the room to speak anymore. That overwhelming presence attacked me relentlessly… wait, what am I even fighting against!?

「Kazunari-kun, you really are such a good boy… so cute… there, there…」

「Wait, Mother!!! What do you think you’re doing!!! Let go of him right now!!!」

Something from the side… Sara-san vigorously shoved her arm into the gap between me and Mayumi-san, and while hugging my body from the side, she began to pull me away with tremendous force.

And then, my… my left arm ended up in a dire situation!?

「Ahn, just a little longer is fine, isn’t it? Kazunari-kun is happy to be hugged by his Mother too, right?」

「Mgggh…」

Even if she asked me that, I couldn’t talk while being smothered like this… wait, you have no intention of letting me answer, do you!?

「Can’t you see Kazunari-san is suffering!? If you don’t stop, I’m going to be seriously angry!!」

As Sara-san’s angry voice clearly shifted up a gear, Mayumi-san’s embrace loosened slightly. Taking that chance, I put strength into pulling myself away, and with Sara-san’s force added, my face popped out just right… or so I thought, but then I was pulled straight into my own personal heaven by Sara-san!!

It might be inappropriate given the situation… but as I thought, my place is right here with Sara-san.

「Kazunari-san, are you all right? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?」

「I-I’m fine.」

「I am so sorry… I let my guard down…」

「N-No, I was pretty distracted too.」

Sara-san stroked my head while we swapped positions so she was in front.

She was hugging me with more force than usual to protect me from Mayumi-san, as if showing her strong will of「I’m never letting him go.」

「Aww, so Sara-chan really is better. You’re being hugged so quietly… Mother is sad.」

「Of course. Kazunari-san’s favorite spot is right here with me. Right, Kazunari-san?」

「Um… y-yes.」

I wondered what it said about me as a person… or a man, to nod so honestly… but it was the truth, so it couldn’t be helped.

Though I felt like I’d just lost something else important…

「Hehe… what a good boy♪」

Pat, pat…

Well…

As long as Sara-san is happy, I don’t really care.

My thought process is as simple as always.

「Sob sob… fine then, Mother will just go and get the tea ready all by herself.」

「Sigh… fine. I’ll help too, so just get to the kitchen already.」

「Yay! Then Kazunari-kun, look forward to Mother’s snacks, okay?」

Patter patter patter…

Despite saying「sob sob,」 Mayumi-san headed to the kitchen with very light footsteps. She’s the same as ever.

We only just arrived, but I already feel like I’ve finished a whole battle…

But… I’m really glad things are the same as always.

We greeted Masaomi-san, who came home a bit earlier than usual. While Sara-san and Mayumi-san prepared dinner, Masaomi-san and I continued our tea time on the sofa, which, as always, felt like a situation I should be apologizing for.

Even though I knew full well I’d be useless, I still wanted to help out at least a little…

But since both Sara-san and Mayumi-san were the type to believe that men shouldn’t be in the kitchen (I know the real meaning is different), there was nothing I could do.

「Whew…」

「Masaomi-san, are you tired?」

「No, a few of the new projects we started this year are showing decent progress. I’ve been on several whirlwind business trips lately to inspect them.」

「Whirlwind business trips…?」

「I guess you could call them same-day long-distance trips?」

「Ah, so that’s what you mean. Come to think of it, my father occasionally said he went to the neighboring prefecture for work too.」

Though he usually ended up staying over instead of coming back the same day, or said weird things about expenses for「business entertainment」… My mother used to make a lot of noise calling him a「slacker employee.」

「Yeah. A neighboring prefecture isn’t much. But since I have to use planes or helicopters, just the travel alone is exhausting.」

「A helicopter… as in a real helicopter!?」

「That’s right. Depending on the location, that becomes an option.」

「Whoa… how do I put it… our worlds really are different.」

Masaomi-san in a suit, stepping smartly out of a helicopter… yeah, just imagining it would probably make a good picture.

In my image of a business trip, the best I can think of is the Shinkansen…

「Well, once you’re in, it becomes common sense. Even I was taken aback the first time I accompanied Father-in-law.」

「Is that so?」

「Yeah. My own family wasn’t anything special. So it took me a while to get used to various things.」

「I see. For some reason, I had an image of you being used to that kind of thing from the start, Masaomi-san.」

Since I’d never seen Masaomi-san at work, it was just my own impression… I’d just assumed he’d been high-level from the starting line, a real「man who can get the job done.」

「Ahaha. I’m glad you think so, but there’s no way I could do the job right from the start. Even I only started to see things a little at a time after rotating through different departments while helping Father-in-law with his work.」

「…I see.」

「Yeah. So you just need to take your time and learn things without rushing. I’ve been down that road too, so I think I can back you up perfectly on what’s necessary or what might be troublesome.」

「T-Thank you. It’s still a bit early for that, but I’ll do my best!」

Before that, first there’s high school graduation and university entrance… and even before those, the final exams next month.

Sara-san helps me study usually, and I take my classes seriously, so I think I’ll do better this term than the last… or so I tell myself.

「Ah… speaking of families, I just remembered. Where is your parents’ home, Masaomi-san?」

I knew Mayumi-san’s parents lived here, but I’d never heard anything about Masaomi-san’s.

Considering Sara-san went to his family home during summer vacation, there’s no doubt they’re still alive… wait?

Come to think of it, I feel like she said something about visiting her grandparents’ graves too…

「Ah, my parents’ home… well, to be precise, it would be my grandparents’ home… I see, I haven’t told you that story yet.」

「Yeah. I’d heard that Sara-san went to your family home during summer vacation, Masaomi-san.」

「Yeah. I wasn’t originally born in this city, but in the countryside. But because of my parents… my father’s job transfer, we moved to this city when I was little. So in that sense, my parents’ house is also in this city… but when my grandparents passed away, my parents closed up that house and moved into my grandparents’ house.」

「I see. So, when you say “current family home,” it means the house where your grandparents lived, Masaomi-san?」

「Exactly. And to add one more thing, one of our group companies happens to be in that city, so my father is working there as an executive transferred from the head office.」

「A transferred executive…」

I didn’t really know what kind of position that was… but for now, I understood that the grandparents’ grave visit Sara-san mentioned referred to「Masaomi-san’s grandparents,」meaning her great-grandparents. Got it.

「Well, you’ll probably have a chance to meet them soon. They’re coming to the year-end party, and they were quite fired up about sizing up their cute granddaughter’s marriage partner.」

「Eh!? Sizing me up…!?」

What’s with that ominous phrasing!?

I have nothing but a bad feeling about this!!

「Ahaha, you don’t need to worry that much. My father can’t win against Sara either, and I’m sure they’ll be convinced as soon as they see you two together like usual.」

「I-I see. If you say so… well.」

Even so, I couldn’t deny a faint trace of anxiety… but no matter what anyone said, I had no intention of backing down.

So I guess… it doesn’t really matter.

「And… right, it’s not exactly related, but have you heard the story regarding Mother-in-law… Sachie-san?」

「Um… I’ve heard a certain amount? Also, Sara-san and I were talking about going to report to her together during our next time off.」

I hadn’t reported yet that I’d given the engagement ring or that I’d officially proposed, so we’d decided to go and at least mention those things…

By the way, regarding Sachie-san, I’d heard various things from Sara-san and even from the woman herself, so I don’t think there’s any info I’m currently lacking. As for that shrine (it seems they aren’t even sure if it can be called a shrine, just that there’s someone enshrined there), it isn’t Sachie-san’s family home, but apparently goes back to a connection from the generation before that.

「Well, you’ve known her for a while, and you can hear the story directly, so I suppose you’ll be fine. By the way… as for that report you mentioned, would I be allowed to hear it too? I did see quite a bit at the venue, but I’d like to know the full situation…」

「Yes, yes, let’s save that kind of talk for after dinner. I want to hear from Kazunari-kun too, so it’s not fair for only Masaomi-san to hear it.」

「Oops…」

Mayumi-san came over, her slippers making a light pattering sound, as if dinner preparations were finished.

Had she been listening to the conversation?

「Sorry to keep you waiting, Kazunari-san. Come, let’s eat before it gets cold.」

「A-Ah, yes.」

「Hehe…」

Sara-san followed behind her, and I found myself momentarily captivated by her peaceful smile… which earned me a little giggle from Mayumi-san.

But it can’t be helped, it’s Sara-san’s fault for being too wonderful.

「Ahaha… yeah, there’s something nice about this.」

「Yeah… I think so too.」

I couldn’t express it well either… but with Sara-san here, and Masaomi-san and Mayumi-san, and me among them… there was this warm family atmosphere.

I felt like what Masaomi-san wanted to say was that this kind of feeling is exactly what he likes.