Episode 368: Cheers

「Mmh, ahem!! Excuse me.」

My Father cleared his throat in a forced way, apparently trying to fix his public image.

Since he had made such a big scene, it wasn’t something that could be fixed at this late stage… but if I pointed that out, the conversation would never move forward, so I should probably just ignore it.

「B-By the way, young lady.」

「Father-in-law, please call me Sara.」

「F-Fath…」

「Agh, honestly, we’re not getting anywhere, so cut it out already!!」

My Mom immediately put a stop to my Father as he looked like he was about to start shouting again.

That seemed to hold him back somehow, and he let out another small throat-clear… for my Father to be broken this much, Sara-san really is something.

「Hehe… Father-in-law, did you have something you wanted to say to me?」

「A-Ah. Well, I’m sorry for asking something so rude.」

「No, please ask whatever you like.」

「Then I won’t hold back… are you really okay with my stupid son?」

「Hey, hold on a second, Father. What the hell is that supposed to mean!?」

「Huh? I just wondered why such a wonderful young lady would go for someone like you. Have you ever looked at yourself in a mirror?」

「What did you say!?」

I’ve heard similar things so many times that I don’t even care at this point… but still, asking that right here is disrespectful to Sara-san and Masaomi-san!!

「…Father-in-law, first, let me correct one thing. Kazunari-san is very wonderful, kind, reliable, and handsome… to be honest, he is a marvelous person who is more than I deserve. He is by no means stupid.」

「Oh…」

「And as for this engagement, I am the one who wants to ask for it. I have no interest in any man other than Kazunari-san, and just being by his side makes me truly happy.」

「S-So much?」

「Yes. This is my true, unvarnished heart. I love Kazunari-san from the bottom of my soul.」

「!?」

「Sara-san…」

So dignified, so dedicated, so direct…

Even though it looked like she was explaining it to my Father, she was actually speaking her feelings to me.

She always validates me like this. She isn’t just being nice, she really means it. I can feel it clearly from her gaze.

But from my perspective, Sara-san is the most wonderful woman in the world, and she’s the one who is far too good for me…

「Hmph!!」

「Ow!?」

「K-Kazunari-san!?」

I couldn’t understand what happened for a second, but my Father just flicked my head. And he did it with a fair amount of force.

I mean, shouldn’t this be the part where people get moved!?

「Oww… what was that for, Father!?」

「I was just representing the voice of every man in the world.」

「What the hell does that even mean!?」

「K-Kazunari-san, are you alright!?」

Sara-san hurried to my side and gently stroked the spot where my Father hit me.

Even though it was just that, the fact that the pain vanished so quickly was either just me being smitten, or Sara-san’s love at work… it was definitely the latter, no doubt about it.

「Sara-san…」

「That must have hurt… there, there…」

Sara-san stroked my head over and over, and her incredible kindness enveloped me as if healing not just the physical pain but everything inside me too.

Stared at by those infinitely kind eyes while my head was being stroked, my true desire to just be completely pampered was about to burst out…

「…Holding back is a no-no, okay?」

「S-Sara-sa… wap!?」

As I was thinking that, Sara-san suddenly pulled my head toward her and tucked it into her personal heaven.

To be honest, I was beyond happy, but I was secretly worried about getting her traditional clothes dirty or wrinkled…

「Hehe… pain, pain, go away.」

But Sara-san didn’t care about my worries at all.

Happily, joyfully, worriedly… and lovingly, she stroked my head over and over, doing the「go away」ritual.

To an outsider, this might just look like I was being treated like a child, but for Sara-san, it was a sincere expression of affection… which made me feel so happy and loved.

「Wha… what… are you doing…」

「…Ah, Sara-chan is just like this naturally.」

「Haaaa!?」

「Sara-chan, I understand how you feel, but you can’t have a conversation like that, so stop for now. A woman who makes her husband look bad in front of his parents is not to be praised, you know?」

「Ugh… m-my apologies.」

The one who spoke with a stern voice unlike her usual self to correct Sara-san’s behavior was Mayumi-san. As I thought, she does show this clearly strict side toward Sara-san sometimes…

「I am so sorry, Kazunari-san… I just, unintentionally…」

「N-No. Well… I was happy about it…」

「Kazunari-san… hehe, then we’ll continue this slowly after we get home…」

「Y-Yes!」

It seemed my fate of being loved… or rather, pampered, was safely confirmed for tonight as well… though it’s a daily thing.

「Geez… sorry, Kazunari-kun. Sara-chan is…」

「Eh? No, I don’t really…」

「Hehe… since it can’t be helped, Mother-in-law will make it up to you with lo~ts of…」

「Pardon? Please save the sleep-talking for when you’re at home. Healing Kazunari-san is a privilege granted only to me.」

「Ahn, that’s not fair, Sara-chan. Mother-in-law also…」

「This has nothing to do with you, Mother. To begin with, didn’t you promise not to stick your nose into things unnecessarily?」

「Oh, but this isn’t unnecessary. Pampering my precious son is, for a Mother-in-law…」

Um… what should I do…

It’s started again, but the timing is just way too bad…

For now, Masaomi-san gave me an apologetic look, and I nodded back to say「It’s okay,」but the problem was my Father and Mom… my Father especially was staring at the scene with a look like his jaw was about to fall off.

I can only see this making the questioning later even more of a pain.

「H-H-Hey… hold on, why is this… why are they fighting over Kazunari…」

「Sigh… Mayumi-san is the same as ever. I wonder what she likes so much about my average son.」

「What do you mean ‘the same as ever’, is it always like this!?」

「I’ve only seen glimpses of it on the visit day… but Sara-chan even wrote on RAIN that she was troubled because Mayumi-san meddles with Kazunari every chance she gets.」

「How envi… Kazunari!! You’ve completely turned every single guy in the world without a girlfriend against you, you know that!?」

「What’s that all of a sudden!?」

「Shut up!! You’ll realize the wrath of… I mean, the gods…」

「……Father-in-law?」

「Y-Yes!?」

My Father, who was spewing nonsense and had raised his right hand vigorously, froze in place at Sara-san’s single word.

She didn’t look particularly angry. In fact, Sara-san still had a gentle smile on her face… but for some reason, I felt a massive pressure, as if I could see a rainbow-colored aura?

And just looking at her made me shiver slightly…

「I understand that your actions are purely an expression of affection for Kazunari-san… but even so, please keep it in moderation. Please, make sure you don’t cross the line…」　

「U-Understood… I will definitely, definitely be careful, yes!!」

「I’m counting on you…… Father-in-law?」

「Y-Yes ma’am…」

With an expression mixed with terror and other things that I’d never seen even when he was being scolded by my Mom, my Father nodded over and over.

Even if the opponent is her Father-in-law, Sara-san really doesn’t waver.

「That’s what happens when you get carried away.」

「…Wait, that pressure just now was insane!?」

「…Sara-chan shows zero mercy to any man other than Kazunari. You’re his father, so you’re actually getting off easy.」

「F-For real… I guess I can’t raise a hand against Kazunari even as a joke.」

「…If it had been any other man, you might have been killed by that last move, you know?」

「H-Hey, that’s a joke… it’s a joke, right?」

「…Heh.」

It seemed that thanks to Sara-san, one of my long-standing disasters might have vanished.

I have another thing to thank Sara-san for… wait, that’s not it.

「Hehe… well then, now that Sara-chan’s greeting is safely finished, shall we start our talk in earnest?」

「I guess so. Though I’m not sure if ‘safely’ is the right word…」

「Did you say something?」

「No, n-nothing!!」

Faced with Sara-san’s sharp interjection, even Masaomi-san shrank back this time.

Now the fact that neither father can win against Sara-san is perfectly clear… well, for Masaomi-san, it’s nothing new.

「That guy is definitely going to spend the rest of his life under her thumb.」

「I wonder. Sara-chan has an old-fashioned side, and for some reason she seems to place Kazunari’s position above her own. She’s the exact opposite of me.」

「Listen…」

I don’t really care what form it takes as long as I can be with Sara-san. And given Sara-san’s personality, I can say for sure that things at least won’t end up like my Mom and Father.

But… occasionally she shows those little devil-like gestures that remind me of Mayumi-san… no, even then, I’ll be fine.

「Ahem, well then…」

Once the air in the room had warmed up(?), Masaomi-san regained his composure and began presiding over the meeting, starting with brief self-introductions.

By the way, I had checked the rules online beforehand in preparation for today… in this case, specifically since Sara-san isn’t「marrying into」my family but rather I am becoming a「groom」for hers, it seems the meeting is basically led by Masaomi-san. That’s why Masaomi-san is the one who arranged this seat and is acting as the facilitator, not my Father.

「Allow me to introduce myself again, I am Masaomi, Sara’s father. Thank you very much for traveling all this way to join us today. I’m sure there will be many points where I fall short, but I look forward to our relationship from now on.」

Bowing deeply, Masaomi-san gave a dignified greeting without any hesitation. He looked truly dependable, the very picture of my ideal… quite a difference from my restless Father.

「I am Mayumi, Masaomi’s wife. Even though this whole thing was quite sudden, thank you so much for accepting it in such a positive way. You have my heartfelt gratitude.」

The next to greet us was Mayumi-san, her usual soft and healing voice being pleasant to the ear. But perhaps because it was a serious greeting, she had a more dignified air than usual… it reminded me of Sara-san in her role as student council president.

「I am Takanashi Kosei, Kazunari’s father. I cannot find the words to thank the Satsukawa family for everything you have done for my son…」

The side shifted, and the next to greet was my Father, wearing a serious face that was rare for him.

He usually has a personality that’s hard to pin down, often grinning or acting aloof… but today I learned for the first time that he has a side capable of such a proper, adult response.

Honestly, I’m just surprised because it was so unexpected.

「I am Fuyumi, Kosei’s wife. To be honest, I never expected such a drama-like story to come into my life, so it still doesn’t quite feel real…」

The last to greet was my Mother. While she seemed to be choosing her words carefully, her frank atmosphere was still there, so she was basically her usual self.

It looked like her initial tension had completely vanished, and she seemed fairly relaxed.

「Hehe… it’s the same for us. Meeting Kazunari-kun was like a miracle for us too… oh, but for Sara-chan, it was destiny.」

「Destiny?」

「Yes. We overcame all the overlapping elements to meet as the only existence who sought each other… therefore, I can say with pride that this meeting was destiny and inevitable.」

「It’s the same for me. Ever since before I met Sara-san, I was always… always looking for her. That’s why I came to this city, and met Sara-san…」

If our past circumstances established us as the existences who sought each other as Sara-san said… then the fact that we met as such irreplaceable people, and that I moved to this specific city, were all because it was our destiny to meet. It makes perfect sense when you think about it.

So even if people think this is just a romanticist’s dream, I… we truly believe it.

「Hehe… really, these two are so in love. For Kazunari-kun, that one and only existence, to have vowed his future to Sara-chan… as a parent, nothing could make me happier. Right, Masaomi-san?」

「Yeah. The person Sara had been waiting for finally appeared, and he turned out to be an ideal young man for us as well. A miracle like this… oops, I meant destiny. I definitely want to give them my full support.」

「Masaomi-san… Mayumi-san…」

The greatest gratitude I can show to these two who have said so much is… of course, I will definitely make Sara-san happy, but I also want to live up to the expectations they have for me no matter what. But that isn’t an obligation; it’s because I want to do it… because I wish to be that way.

That image is also my own ideal, so I will do it gladly!!

「…I see. To be honest, I thought there were many irregular parts to this story, but it seems there are various circumstances.」

「Yes. I would like to explain those parts later. However…」

「Ah, please don’t worry about that. As I said on the phone the other day, both my wife and I have already decided to respect Kazunari’s will in this matter.」

「That’s right. Although, I do have some anxiety about whether he’ll really be okay… after all, Sara-chan is in high demand…」

「Mother-in-law… as I said before, I have absolutely no interest in any man other than Kazunari-san. Being with Kazunari-san… walking together by his side, is the greatest happiness for me.」

「…Yeah. I knew you’d say that, Sara-chan, but I still wanted to say it. I’m sorry… and, thank you.」

「Yes.」

At Sara-san’s words, which she stated clearly as if making a declaration, my Mom wore a happy… very gentle smile and gave a small bow. But my Father still hadn’t gotten over his surprise at Sara-san, and was staring blankly again…

「Hehe… we’re only at the greeting stage, and already the talk has become so deep.」

「Ha, haha, you’re right. To be honest, I’m nothing but surprised that my stu… oops, my son is being accepted this well by you.」

「That’s just how special an existence Kazunari-kun is to us.」

「Wow… my son, huh…」

While giving a light response to Masaomi-san’s words, my Father still didn’t look completely convinced.

But to be honest, it’s not like I don’t still feel surprised that I’m being accepted so favorably myself… so for my Father who knows nothing of the background, it’s only natural that he doesn’t understand.

「Well… just the fact that he’s the first boy our cute daughter chose is enough to make him special for us.」

「I-Is that so?」

「Yes.」

Even after hearing Mayumi-san’s addition, my Father, who still didn’t know Sara-san’s personality, tilted his head curiously… by the way, my Mom was wearing a wry smile, so she might have understood part of it.

「Excuse me. I have brought your drinks.」

Just as the conversation hit a lull, the staff members entered carrying beer and other things.

Thanks to that, the air that had become somewhat meaningful felt like it loosened up a bit.

「Now, now, let’s leave the difficult talk for later and have a toast first to deepen our relationship.」

「Oh, that’s a good idea! If we’re going to deepen our relationship, alcohol is a must.」

「Haha… based on that tone, it sounds like you enjoy your drinks.」

「No, no, I only drink for social occasions. You must have many such gatherings yourself, don’t you?」

「No, if I attend a drinking session, there’s a chance it’ll actually dampen the mood… so I try to avoid attending as much as possible. Besides, my daughter would get mad at me.」

「Ah, I see… that’s quite tough.」

Certainly, as far as I know, I’ve never heard of Masaomi-san attending a drinking session, and I’ve never even seen him drinking at home. So I had totally assumed he couldn’t drink…

By the way, my Father usually limits himself to about one can of beer because he has to buy it with his own allowance. But when there’s a work party, he comes home completely drunk, so I think he actually likes alcohol quite a bit.

「Don’t drink too much. We still have important things to discuss.」

「I know, I know, honestly.」

「Masaomi-san, don’t get carried away just because you’re happy, okay?」

「I-I know.」

Faced with their wives’ warnings, the two pillars of the households showed completely opposite reactions. But they might have the fact that they can’t stand up to them in common.

「Hehe… well then, Father-in-law, allow me to pour for you.」

「Ooh, well now…」

「Then, I’ll pour for Masaomi-san…」

「Thank you, Kazunari-kun. Man, this is actually quite a happy feeling.」

I’ll follow Sara-san’s lead and move too, even if I’m just mimicking her.

It’s better if the atmosphere is good, and above all, I feel like doing it today.

「That’s not fair, Masaomi-san. I want Kazunari-kun to…」

「Ahaha… then I’ll pour for Mayumi-san too.」

「Mother-in-law, if it’s alright, allow me to pour for you.」

「Thank you, Sara-chan. Pouring for me too.」

While I was at it, beer was poured for both mothers… wait, come to think of it, can Mayumi-san even drink?

She didn’t refuse, so I guess it’s fine, but I don’t really have an image of her drinking…

「It’s fine. I can drink a glass for a social occasion. But, if Mother-in-law gets drunk…」

Mayumi-san, who had easily seen through my doubt, suddenly said that with a mischievous look… I had nothing but a bad feeling about what would follow.

「Hehe… I’d want Kazunari-kun to take care of m…」

「It’s fine. I’ll just throw you out into the hallway so you sober up faster.」

「Sara-chan, how cruel!?」

Faced with Sara-san’s cold interjection that she looked serious about, Mayumi-san gave a fake crying reaction. Even knowing it was an act, I couldn’t help but want to do something for her, which was sneaky… especially my Father, who was completely mesmerized. My Mom was glaring at him, though.

「A-Ahem!! Well, well, shall we have a toast then?」

「Yes. Everyone, raise your glasses… to the prosperity of the Takanashi and Satsukawa families, and to the children’s good fortune… cheers!!」

「Cheers!!」

Following Masaomi-san’s declaration, everyone raised their voices in unison…

And so, the family meeting filled with expectations, anxieties, and my own major resolution truly began.