Chapter 208 - A Place to Return to Someday
(1)
"Toya-kun, it's morning~"
Airi wakes me up by shaking my body.
I look at the clock; it's 6:00 AM.
"Isn't it a bit too early?"
"We went to bed early yesterday, so it's fine, right? There's only one week left until the second semester starts!"
"There's still a whole week."
"No way! We have to get your sleep schedule back in order while we still can!"
"Breakfast is ready," Airi announces, and I hurriedly change and leave the room.
I eat, get ready, and while I'm waiting for Airi in the room, she returns.
"What are we doing today?"
"Hmm..."
Airi is pondering.
Just then, a message arrives from Makoto.
He asks if the four of us want to go for a drive for a change, maybe to a ranch.
When I tell Airi, she gives an immediate "I'm in!"
I reply to Makoto, and he says, "Then I'll go to Toya's house at 10:00."
Airi is humming to herself, looking pleased as she puts on her makeup.
During that time, I watch television.
Eventually, Airi finishes her makeup and sits next to me to watch TV.
I really have to thank Makoto.
If Makoto hadn't suggested it, I probably wouldn't have gone out. I surely would have spent the day idling at home.
I might not have seen Airi's smile, as she's in high spirits from being able to go out for the first time in a while.
While talking with Airi as we watch TV, the doorbell rings.
I leave the room and find it's Makoto.
I call out to Airi, and she turns off the TV before leaving the room.
We proceed, following behind Makoto's car.
Halfway there, I notice something strange.
This isn't the road to the ranch.
I tell Airi to send a message to Kanna.
As soon as Airi sends the message, a reply comes back.
It's fine, leave it to me.
The Ume roadside station.
A roadside station located near the Utagenka Great Bridge.
Apparently, the shishi-ramen is delicious.
After eating that and some soft-serve ice cream, we head to the next destination.
We go to see a waterfall. There is a small suspension bridge.
While crossing, Makoto messes around and shakes the bridge.
He gets scolded by Kanna and Airi.
We eat soft-serve ice cream there too.
Then, we head toward the destination, the ranch.
On the way, we looked around the streets of Taketa, but we didn't go to the Oka Castle ruins.
And then we arrive at the ranch.
We eat soft-serve ice cream at the ranch as well.
Airi looks like she wants to say something. I can mostly imagine what it is, so I intentionally don't ask.
Even so, Airi frolics with excitement upon entering the small zoo.
She's wearing pants today, so it's fine.
Airi plays with the animals to her heart's content.
I take a few photos of her.
After that, on the way home, we stop by a shop.
A solitary shop standing alone in the mountains.
We ate soft-serve ice cream there too.
Poke
As expected, I got scolded.
By the time we make it home, it has grown dark.
We eat dinner at a family restaurant and then go home.
Airi gives cheesecake to Airi's mother and the others as a souvenir from the ranch.
After that, I go home and take a bath. I turn on the TV.
Airi returns from the bath.
After finishing the drama that airs in the 10 o'clock hour, we get into bed.
She must be tired from all the excitement today.
Airi falls asleep immediately.
Clinging tightly to me.
I can't do anything like this.
I was tired too, so I figure I'll just sleep soundly.
Thinking that, I close my eyelids.
Living freely, spending happy days.
Just how happy is that?
What should I do, where should I go?
If I'm troubled, first I'll return here.
To this place where Airi is.
Because I'm sure I'll find some clue.
My place to belong is here.
Airi's faint warmth reaches me.
Within that gentle warmth, I fall asleep.
(2)
A few days have passed since Umi suddenly confessed to me.
I started becoming conscious of Umi when she was in middle school.
Umi's parents divorced, and Umi went with her mother.
While doing housework in place of her working mother, she drew pictures.
When we reunited during her grandmother's memorial service, her talent had already blossomed.
Umi had been sweeping up awards since middle school.
However, she had enrolled in a rural high school.
Days of not even attending the high school art club, drawing pictures in the gaps while doing housework.
Whenever I returned to the countryside on my days off, Umi would always visit the house.
Umi would be so happy, as if she had been waiting for my return.
I recommended Umi's paintings for a competition, and she won an award.
While spending those kinds of days, I took a chance and said to Umi.
"Won't you come to my hometown?"
I obtained materials for the arts junior college and had Umi take the entrance exam.
She passed without any problems.
After that, I persuaded Umi's mother to let her live at my house, and she began living there.
Umi is poor at communicating with others.
I thought that supporting her was my role, but I saw a change after she joined the group calling themselves the Watanabe squad.
Umi, opening up to others and then talking about it happily.
It seems my role has ended.
Just then, Umi was troubled.
Takemoto confessed to her.
Agitation was visible in Umi's paintings.
I isolated Umi and Takemoto for a while, but no improvement was seen.
While I was worrying about what to do, Umi found a solution on her own.
"I want to stay friends."
Apparently, Takemoto got a girlfriend.
Even so, she wants to stay, even if it's just as friends.
I thought that might be love.
Umi is also 18. It's an age where it wouldn't be strange to know love.
My role was completely over.
All that was left was to watch Umi find her lifelong partner.
I never imagined that partner would be me.
I was slightly bewildered, but I decided to accept Umi's feelings.
And now, I am heading to Umi's parents' home.
Umi is nervous.
Naturally, I am nervous too.
I wonder if my nervousness is being transmitted to Umi?
Umi's house is in Bungotakada.
We arrive at Umi's house.
When getting out of the car, she asked anxiously, "Shu-chan, are you okay?"
"I'm okay."
I pat Umi's head.
I hold Umi's hand and press the doorbell.
"Oh, welcome home, Umi~, how unusual. How is life over there?"
"It's fine, because Shu-chan is there, ...and so,"
"Well, come inside for now."
Saying that, she guided us to the living room.
In the living room, there was a man I didn't know.
Apparently, Umi didn't know him either.
Umi and I give our greetings for now.
Bringing tea and tea snacks, Umi's mother sits next to the man.
In times like this, it's better to leave it to momentum.
"Um..."
"I'll introduce you; this is Umi's new father."
Umi and I were lost for words.
"Nice to meet you, we registered our marriage the other day."
Too abrupt. And after registering the marriage? No way...
"And now, inside my stomach, there is a new family member for Umi."
"There's a baby?"
When Umi says this, Umi's mother nods.
Umi was stunned.
"I was worried about Umi, but if she's going to be with Shuji-kun, I can be at peace."
Umi's mother was smiling the whole time.
After that, we talked.
She said Umi should register her marriage soon too.
Umi's smile was stiff.
That night, the four of us held a light banquet and then stayed over.
When sleeping next to her at night, Umi was crying.
The confusion of losing family at the same time a new family member is added.
There is likely also the sadness of losing a place to return to.
Until Umi stopped crying and fell asleep, I rubbed Umi's back beside her.
Umi clung to me.
"I don't want Shu-chan to go anywhere."
"It's okay, I promised, didn't I? That I'll stay with you for the rest of my life."
"Yes."
The next day, after eating breakfast, we relaxed and then headed back.
On the way back, we stopped by the shopping district.
It's a place famous as a Showa-era town.
Umi gazed at various things, finding them novel.
"Shu-chan, what's this?"
Umi asks various things like a child.
From the outside, we probably look like a parent and child.
In the car on the way back, Umi was sleeping.
And she was talking in her sleep.
"I love Shu-chan," and so on...
On the way back, we stop by the city hall to get the marriage registration and other necessary documents.
As for the witness column, I can just mail it and have them write it.
We ate dinner on the way back and then returned home.
Upon returning, Umi begins to draw.
A painting where the night view and fireworks are beautiful.
I fill out the documents.
"Umi, come here for a second."
Umi interrupts her work and comes to my room.
"Fill out this document. I'll mail it to your mother later."
Umi receives the document cautiously and nods.
"...Is it really okay?"
"Yeah..."
Umi says that and leaves the room.
After a while, she returns.
"I wrote it."
I put it in a brown envelope, write the address, and place it on the desk.
I'll put it in the post tomorrow.
I inform Umi's mother of this via phone.
It ends with a single "I understand."
Whether the fatigue from driving came from the tension, I noticed I had fallen asleep face-down on the desk.
When I woke up the next morning, a towel blanket had been placed over my shoulders.
(3)
Yuma is dexterous with his hands.
Using DIY, he makes shelves and such to secure storage space in the loft.
He lines up his textbooks and other things there.
He also made a place for me to hang my clothes.
He makes various things so that the kitchen and such can be organized neatly.
Yuma is good at housework.
As for laundry... perhaps because there is my portion, he didn't touch it, but he handles everything else.
Regarding cooking, he creates original dishes using leftovers.
Today's breakfast was also food Yuma made, lined up across the entire table.
"Because I was a latchkey kid from a young age," is his own explanation.
At this rate, there's nothing for me to do.
I'll teach Yuma how to do the laundry too.
Yuma felt hesitation about washing my underwear, but I told him, "We're living together, so don't get flustered over something like this!"
And now Yuma has gone out to his part-time job.
It's about time for me to go to my part-time job too.
Thinking I'd prepare dinner for when Yuma returns, I made it in advance.
Then, when I return from my part-time job, Yuma welcomes me.
"Welcome back, did you already eat?"
"No, I was thinking of eating now."
"Good, the rice just finished cooking."
Eh? ...
Looking at the rice cooker, steam is rising.
"Saki, you didn't set the timer, did you?"
What a blunder.
It might not be a big deal.
But I end up comparing myself, who makes such a mistake, with Yuma, who handles everything.
"I've reheated the side dishes too, shall we eat?"
"Sorry, I'm starting to hate how I just keep relying on Yuma."
I feel irritation at myself for not being able to even cook rice properly.
"You can just learn as you go. I'm happy that you're trying. Like I said before."
"I guess so."
"Now, let's eat before it gets cold."
Told by Yuma, we share dinner.
"Yuma, actually, the laundry is fine."
"Eh?"
"I want to do at least one thing properly."
"...Alright."
When dinner ends, I do the cleanup.
During that time, Yuma takes a shower and watches TV while drinking a beverage.
Once I finish cleaning, I take a shower and open the refrigerator to get a drink.
Then, I let out a "Ah."
Something I thought I had to buy more of because it was running low has been replenished.
Yuma must have noticed and bought it for me.
I take two drinks in my hand, sit next to Yuma, and hand one to him.
"Thank you."
Yuma was watching a quiz show.
"Saki, if there's something you want to watch, you can. I'm just tuning in randomly."
"There's nothing I want to watch at this hour, so this is fine. Besides, I've recorded what I want to see."
"Then watch that. It's a waste to just have the TV on."
"I've already seen it all, so there's nothing."
"I see..."
After that, the conversation doesn't continue. Is it my fault?
Should I bring up some topic for him?
"Is there anything Yuma wants to watch? Like a favorite actor?"
"I occasionally watch music programs. If I watch dramas and such, I feel bound by the time."
"Why music programs?"
"The Watanabe squad has a lot of second-party karaoke, right? I thought I'd want to increase the number of songs I can sing."
It's exactly as Yuma says. They should give it a more plausible name like "Karaoke Appreciation Society."
"Do you know why it became the Watanabe squad?"
Yuma asked me a question.
"No, I've never heard."
"Apparently, they were in the same group during their high school field trip. That's why it's the Watanabe squad."
"I see."
No wonder their bond is so strong. It's understandable that their bond is strong if they've been comrades since high school.
"Saki, you're really being your natural self in front of me, aren't you?"
Ah... That might be true.
"Should I be more... spoiled?"
"No, the current Saki is cute enough."
Is he becoming talkative because of the drink?
Or have I become able to think that because of the drink?
The word "cute," the happiest one I've ever heard in my life.
I turn off the TV and invite Yuma to bed.
Yuma, saying he still has some drink left, is drinking alone while eating snacks spread out on the table.
"If you're sleepy, you can go to sleep. I'll stay up a bit longer."
"..."
"Ah, if the light is too bright to sleep, I can turn it off? Are you up early tomorrow?"
"Do you really want to know the reason?"
"Was it something else?"
"Completely different."
"Then, why?"
"I want you to hold me right now!"
The most embarrassing line I've ever uttered in my life.
It took Yuma some time to understand the meaning.
"Ah, I see."
"I see" is not it!!
"If you understand, then that's enough. Hurry up, finish your drink and come to bed!"
"Got it."
Yuma drinks the beverage down to the last drop and gets into bed.
Even Yuma, who can do anything, has flaws.
Being incredibly dense and being poor at nighttime activities.
Dexterous hands, but a clumsy personality.
In the dwelling of love with such a Yuma, I enjoyed the night.
(4)
"Toya-kun, good work~"
Even within the PC screen, the chat log is filled with "Good work~"
"Toya-kun's character is strong! He took down a whole bunch by himself."
I think Airi, who was watching that, is amazing too.
Kiritani-kun also tells me, "As expected, it's completely different when Toya is here."
Well, that's just the kind of character I am.
"Airi, want to try too?"
"Hmm..."
While Airi is pondering, her smartphone rings.
Looking at the smartphone, it's a message from Kinoshita-san.
An image had been sent.
A diamond ring, scattered as if melting into platinum, placed on Kinoshita-san's white and slender ring finger.
"It's a wedding ring!"
Airi cries out while looking at her own smartphone.
"Isn't it just a ring!?"
However, as if affirming Airi's claim, a marriage registration had also been sent.
"See?"
Airi says triumphantly.
The speed from confession to marriage was abnormally fast.
"When is the ceremony?"
"I thought everyone might be free in February of next year. Is it okay if I invite everyone?"
When Kinoshita-san says that, everyone says, "Anytime is fine."
"That's fast~"
"I wonder if it's considering Tange-sensei's age?"
"Ah, that's right."
An age-gap marriage, huh. Moreover, a marriage between relatives. I wonder how that is? There must be various things.
"School starts tomorrow, so let's sleep soon, okay?"
Airi says that and gets into bed.
Finally, the break ends today.
I also stand up and get into bed.
Airi dims the lights.
At that moment, the phone rings.
It's a street racer.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Katagiri-kun. Can you come out for a bit now?"
"I can't, I have school tomorrow."
"Then, maybe next weekend..."
"The weekend is my girlfriend's birthday, so..."
"Then would the following week be okay?"
"...What happened?"
"...You know the Hashimoto brothers, right?"
Ah, those people I beat twice.
"I remember them, but did something happen?"
"They're saying they want to add you to the team..."
"Please decline."
It seems they are discussing something. A different person answers the phone.
"Hello, I am Hashimoto Ryota."
"Hello."
"I want you to take on the role of our team's ace driver. We will cover transportation expenses and such. And, I will impart to you as much technique as I can teach."
"I'm all set."
"I could introduce you to a professional team."
"I'm not interested in professionals."
"...Contact me if you change your mind."
With that, the phone call ended.
"Toya-kun, what was the call about?"
"They told me to join a street racer team."
"That's absolutely forbidden! It would be better if I caught you watching erotic videos in the middle of the night! You might die, so it's no!"
"I declined."
I soothe the excited Airi.
"Actually, I almost want to forbid you from going to the mountains too..."
"It's not that kind of car, though."
"That's not the point!"
"I know. I won't go."
"..."
"What's wrong?"
Airi is hesitating, trying to say something.
When I tell her it's okay, go ahead and say it, Airi opens her mouth.
"I thought about the promise not to go... but I wondered if forbidding all of Toya-kun's hobbies would be too restrictive."
If that's the case, the answer is simple.
"In that case, may I propose two conditions from my side?"
"Whaaat?"
"One is that I want you to allow me to play games when Airi is sleeping or something. I'll stop when Airi wants attention."
"...Ugh. And the other one?"
"Can I go to the mountains only when Airi is riding next to me? I won't put my bride in any danger."
"...Alright. You must absolutely never go to the mountains alone, okay?"
Airi emphasizes.
"I know."
"Then, let's sleep for real this time."
"Yeah..."
Saying that, I sleep.
"Ugh, Toya-kun is so mean for actually falling asleep~!"
While being patted lightly, I fell asleep enjoying Airi's touch, which was so pleasant I barely noticed.
And so, the summer vacation ends, and I face the second semester for the second time.