Chapter 354 - The Desired Tomorrow
(1)
"Toya-kun, it's time for breakfast!"
I wake up to Airi's loud voice.
"I can hear you fine without shouting."
I protest.
"Toya-kun is much needier during trips, so that's no good."
"What's wrong with being needy on a trip?"
"You're always needy, and if you dawdle, breakfast will be gone!"
That's awful!
I quickly wash my face and change clothes.
"Let's go, Airi!"
"Ugh..."
She seems to be worrying about something, but breakfast is more important. I grab Airi's hand and head to breakfast.
"You don't have to pull so hard! It hurts!"
When we reach the tatami room, rice is waiting.
TKG! TKG!
First, I pour a raw egg and soy sauce over the rice and wolf it down.
Then I call to the inn attendant, "Seconds!" and...
thump
"Chew your food properly! And you have to eat your side dishes too!"
"If you don't want your egg, Airi, I'll take it?"
"Ugh..."
I take the egg Airi hands me, pour it on, and wolf it down again. Then for seconds...
thump
"That's why I told you to chew properly! You haven't touched your side dishes at all!"
"So I'll eat them with my side dishes next time."
"Liar, you're just going to eat rice with nori and ask for seconds again, aren't you!?"
"Oh my, are you newlyweds? How lovely."
The inn attendant says that and gives me rice.
"We're not married yet, but he said something like a proposal yesterday~"
"Is that so? Congratulations."
"Thank you very much."
Was that considered a proposal? Airi.
But if Airi's in a good mood, that's for the best.
While Airi is talking with the inn attendant, I eat rice and nori and ask for seconds...
thump
"And that's the last one!"
"Really, you two are so close..."
If that's how it looks, that's fine. Saying something unnecessary and ruining Airi's mood wouldn't be good.
After returning from breakfast, we relax in the room until checkout time.
The two of us watch TV while looking at our phones.
I notice Airi's eyes are on my phone.
"What's wrong, Airi? Curious about my phone?"
"Yeah, I'm wondering who you're messaging."
"Oh, it's the Watanabe group. Just a guys' chat."
"I knew it..."
Airi glares at me.
"You're plotting something weird with just the guys again, aren't you?"
"That's not true. Makoto and the others are relieved that Ai-san and the others are coming back today, so I'm just replying 'Good for you.'"
"So, what are Makoto-kun and the others planning?"
"We said we'd decide next weekend, right?"
"Well, about that..."
Airi shows me her phone.
It's a message from the girls' group chat.
"Just the guys definitely means they'll talk about something unnecessary."
"That's what men do, sneaking around."
"We can't allow that."
"What should we do?"
"How about we join them?"
"Good idea!"
I'm speechless.
"Let me ask Toya-kun!"
"Please, Airi-chan."
Asking me? As if I have any right to refuse.
"Toya-kun, would it be no good~?"
How can I refuse when she asks with those eyes?
I silently operate my phone.
"The girls say they want to join."
"W-Why does Tosaka-san know? You didn't..."
"Force majeure!"
"Well, I'm being watched by Mika too."
Watanabe-kun can't defy them either.
Airi snatches my phone and starts typing.
"You guys can't go sneaking around with your little schemes!"
"N-No, we were just looking for a way to avoid getting caught up in those two's rampage."
"And yet you're dragging Toya-kun into trouble!"
A new message arrives from the Watanabe group.
"Stop hiding, you men! Come out here!"
It's Mika-san.
"We weren't hiding."
"Then it's fine if we join, right?"
Airi says.
"...Fine. With this many people, a family restaurant won't work. I'll book an izakaya for the weekend."
Watanabe-kun gives in.
"That's more like it."
Mika-san says that, and the conversation stops.
Airi smiles contentedly.
Oh well...
(2)
When I woke up in the morning, we had breakfast. Then we headed to Haneda Airport.
After checking in and passing security, we waited in the departure lounge.
"It feels like it went by in a flash."
Ai says.
"Yeah, well, I think it was a good change of pace."
"That's true."
Ai smiles.
When boarding begins, we get on the plane.
"Wasn't Kanna and the others scheduled for next April?"
"Well, yeah."
I have to celebrate that guy's debut too.
I don't know if he'll get to play in matches right away.
"K-Kanna, look at this?"
Ai holds out her phone.
It seems the guys were planning countermeasures for Makoto and Eita alone.
Then Airi and Mika barged in.
It seems the girls demanded to join as a condition.
"If you have nothing to hide, it's fine if we're together, right?"
When Airi said that, no one said anything.
"We can't even have a girls' night out carelessly anymore."
Ai says with a sigh.
That's true. If we let those guys run wild, nothing good comes of it.
It seems we still need to keep a firm grip on the reins.
Though Toya is probably fine.
Speaking of Toya...
"It was unexpected. I never thought he felt that way about Airi."
"Katagiri-kun. Yeah... he seems like he's been holding it in."
"But maybe it's a really simple answer."
"What do you mean?"
"Like, he got drunk and said it on a whim?"
"That does sound more like Katagiri-kun."
But those are the scariest ones. When they're frustrated, there's no telling what they'll do.
When he snaps, Toya is probably the most dangerous in the Watanabe group.
The plane takes off.
After lifting off, we gaze at the sky.
"Looks like there are still problems waiting when we get back."
"We'll just have to solve them one by one."
"Yeah."
Ai smiles.
We'll probably keep having trouble with our husbands while piling up our daily lives.
I can't talk about others either. Once the crisis passes, we forget the heat.
Saying "never again, never again," but in the end, we forgive.
But if nothing happened, that would be worrying too.
They're probably releasing stress in their own way, right?
So how should we release ours?
If we have a girls' night out, it creates a spark for a guys' night out.
Men might be that kind of creature.
If we women don't take the helm, their lives are precarious.
So we should just steer firmly.
Just hold the reins.
Even the ideal Toya, when he bands together, might say anything.
The relationship between Toya and Airi must be ideal.
Should I have stubbornly taken him instead?
It's useless to say that now.
I made the best choice back then, so I don't regret it now.
I'll live days where I can praise myself for living without throwing myself away.
I want to end my life without regrets, living days without giving up on myself.
The plane lands at the local airport.
From there, we take the highway bus to the station area.
Ai is also sending messages.
"I just arrived. Heading to the station area now."
The time of "the free-spirited woman traveling" is over.
From here begins "the housewife taking care of her useless husband."
(3)
"Oh? Isn't that Eita?"
"Oh? Makoto... Makoto too?"
I bumped into Eita at the station.
We talked while waiting for the train.
It seems each of our wives was having a good time in Tokyo.
"Come pick me up today. At least treat me to dinner!"
"Well, it's good I guess..."
The conclusion we both came to after thinking was that one phrase.
"Hey, Makoto... I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"Want to have dinner together? I'm scared of Ai..."
He doesn't want to be alone with her, apparently.
He might still make a mistake.
I feel the same. Whether Eita will be a control rod or not aside.
"Then, how about the four of us eat together?"
"Thanks! You're a lifesaver."
The train came, so we got on.
When we arrived at the station, we waited for the two of them at the highway bus stop.
Then the bus carrying them arrived.
And when they got off the bus, they spotted us.
They approach quietly.
Eita seems unsure what to say.
I guess I'll have to show him how it's done!
"Welcome back, Kanna. I'm really sorry this time!"
I bow my head.
"Stop making a fool of yourself in front of others."
Kanna says that, so I lift my head.
"Well, see you, Ai. Let's go, Makoto."
That matter.
"About that, Kanna..."
"?"
I tell Kanna that Eita and the others will join us, and we'll have dinner for four.
Kanna laughs.
"Scared to be alone?"
Ai-san had the same reaction.
"It's fine. But it's still early for dinner. What do you want to do?"
"Let me carry your bags for now. Want to kill time watching a movie?"
"Sounds good, but is there anything good?"
"Nah, anything's fine as long as we can kill time."
"...Alright."
Then we watched a movie.
I fell asleep, so I don't remember the content.
After the movie ended, Kanna woke me up.
Then we killed time looking at some gift shops.
When the reserved time came, we headed to the restaurant.
After much deliberation, we chose a sushi place.
We clinked glasses.
"Before I get drunk, I want to confirm something..."
I started.
"What?"
"Kanna, show me your left hand."
"Sure."
Kanna holds out her left hand.
On it was the ring I gave her, firmly in place.
I sigh in relief.
"If you're that anxious, don't do it in the first place."
Kanna says and laughs.
After that, we enjoyed the meal normally.
We had some alcohol, but we were fine.
When we finished, we left the restaurant.
"You're not thinking of going home just like that, are you?"
Kanna seems in a good mood from the alcohol.
Well, time-wise, we could probably go for another round.
"Want to go to your mom's bar, Kanna?"
"That sounds good."
"Ai, want to come too?"
"I don't mind."
The four of us go to a snack bar, and Kanna's mother welcomes us.
"Kanna, you were in Tokyo, right? Welcome back. How was Tokyo after so long?"
"It was more amazing than the school trip."
"I bet it was~"
"Did you guys make up with your wives?"
"Thanks to you all."
"Hahaha."
Eita can only force a dry laugh.
We drank a little longer.
We were drinking at the counter.
Kanna was talking with her mom.
Eita seemed to be drinking amicably with Ai-san...
"Still, that was rough, Makoto!? I had a terrible time!"
Eita is acting strange.
"While I was worried, you guys were on vacation in Tokyo! That's ridiculous!"
I pretended not to hear.
"You were worried too, Makoto! Say something! You must have some complaints too, right?"
Don't drag me into this!
"Oh? If you have complaints too, Makoto, you can say them. I'm in a good mood today. I'll listen carefully."
This is bad. I need to cut this off.
"Kanna. How was Tokyo?"
"Huh?"
"No, I thought we could drink while talking about your travels."
"Weren't you listening? I just said I..."
"I'm relieved you're back, Kanna. That's how I really feel. I feel like I've got a new lease on life."
"So that's your real feeling?"
"Yeah."
"Then I'll say my real feeling too."
Kanna grins.
"I met an old friend over there. One was the girl I met on the high school trip, and the other was her boyfriend. The guy I used to like."
"R-Really..."
"I was frustrated. To think it was still going on. And he's decided to sign a pro basketball contract, and they'll get married when the official contract is finalized."
"I-I see..."
"I wanted to show off too. That I have such a wonderful husband."
Huh?
"I was frustrated too. That even though he's such a useless, hopeless husband, he's happy."
Ai-san says too.
"We promised each other. That next time we go, we'll introduce our husbands."
Kanna says.
"I understand from the phone call that you're remorseful. So at least when we're drinking, stop being so formal. I'm your wife, the only one. Relax a bit."
"...Sorry."
"Stop with the gloomy talk."
"Okay. Then let's liven things up."
"Yeah, let's."
Kanna laughs.
"Does this place have karaoke?"
"We do."
With that, she hands me a terminal and a microphone.
I start singing.
Even if we're far apart, our feelings are connected.
Even if mischievous fate tries to break us, it won't break.
Everyone deep down knows that the desired tomorrow lies ahead.
I want to show you someday that the seeds of conflict in these sunny days will disappear.
This world is falling apart without stopping the hurt, but just meeting you makes me unafraid of anything.
Even if this body burns out completely, I'll devote it to you.
So that one day, the reborn world will reach your eyes.
The romance that connects us...
As expected, Eita was getting a lecture from Ai-san.
"Ai, we're going home before the last train. What will you do?"
"...I have a lot to say to this idiot, so go ahead. I'll stay somewhere, like a hotel."
"Ai, we should also..."
"Shut up. This idiot came home and immediately made me angry!"
We let Ai-san and the others stay behind and headed to the station.
"Will they be okay? Eita and the others?"
"They'll be fine, right?"
Kanna seems fine too.
We take the last train to Ozai, then walk from there.
Oh no!
When we arrive in front of the house, I hug Kanna.
"I'm really sorry. I realized I need you."
"I understand. Let's go inside."
"C-Can we stay like this a little longer..."
It seems like a futile resistance.
"...Makoto, move. Open the door right now."
"I love you, Kanna."
"I know, just open it."
"I don't want to let you go right now."
"Stop blabbering and open it already!"
My meager resistance was in vain as Kanna shakes me off, unlocks the door, and opens it.
If I seriously hugged Kanna, she might break, right?
Inside was a deplorable room.
Remains of cup noodles and bento. Plastic bottles and empty cans scattered on the floor. To top it off, too lazy to sleep in bed, the futon was laid on the floor. Naturally, the futon was dirty.
Kanna silently checks the kitchen and the changing room.
The kitchen had become a rotting sea, and the changing room had three days' worth of laundry overflowing.
Kanna looks at me and grins.
"Indeed, it seems you need me, Makoto..."
So you understand, Kanna.
"...You really think that's enough!? You idiot! How can it get this messy in just three days!"
I realize I've made another mistake.
"Y-Yeah, I'll clean it up right now."
"...Wait."
Kanna stops me from cleaning up.
"N-No, but there's no place to sleep, right? You must be tired from the trip, so let me handle it."
"Just stay still! ...What's that smell?"
She says and walks into the room.
Then she discovers the source of the stench.
"This idiot... when did you buy something like this!?"
"W-Watch TV and calm down."
That was the final blow of the day. Seeing that item, she made her decision.
"I've decided... I'm not going to talk about breaking up with you."
She tears up the divorce papers stained with something that could be juice or coffee.
"I'm going to beat you straight from scratch! I won't let you escape! Be prepared!"
Kanna's expression was calm.
For now, let's turn off the TV. We'll talk after that.
(4)
I arrived home that night.
Toya-kun seemed to be in a hurry for some reason. As soon as we finished lunch, he got on the highway and headed to our local area.
Then, without even eating dinner, he went to my house.
I wonder what's wrong?
"Oh my~ Toya-kun and Airi-chan! What brings you here~?"
"Is uncle home?"
"Daddy is in the bath right now, so come in and wait."
Business with Daddy?
I wonder what it is?
Another incident, maybe?
While waiting in the living room, Rie-chan brought us juice.
Toya-kun downed it in one gulp.
I don't know what business he has, but getting too tense isn't good, you know?
I call out to Toya-kun, but he seems lost in thought, not really here.
I wonder what's wrong?
Daddy came out of the bath.
Rie-chan explains to Daddy.
Daddy sits on the sofa.
"What's up? So suddenly?"
Toya-kun doesn't state his business for a while.
After a bit, he finally starts talking.
"Actually, I was thinking during the trip with Airi..."
"Hmm..."
"I'll be a working adult starting next year. I'm thinking of becoming independent. I discussed it with Airi too, but I decided that sooner is better."
"U-Umm..."
Daddy seems to have guessed.
I notice too.
"I'm thinking of looking for a house and moving starting next year. I have enough savings. I won't make Airi suffer needlessly. I'll propose within a year after graduation. So, as a practice run, or rather... please let me live with Airi!"
"..."
Daddy listens quietly without saying anything.
Then he slowly begins to speak.
"You've finally made that decision, haven't you? How long I've dreamed of those words... Rie?"
"Yes~?"
"These two haven't had dinner yet, have they? Order them some sushi."
"Yes~"
"U-Um, your answer..."
"That's right! Contact the Katagiri household too! Tonight is a pre-celebration! The real celebration will be when you report the marriage!"
"That sounds like a plan~"
Rie-chan orders sushi delivery and calls the Katagiri family.
Toya-kun is dumbfounded.
Daddy firmly grabs Toya-kun's shoulders.
"...Thank you for making my daughter's dream come true!"
"U-Um. I haven't said I want to marry her yet..."
"It's a marriage-aimed cohabitation, right!? My daughter may still be immature, but I'm counting on you."
"Y-Yes."
"Tosaka-san! Is that true?"
Toya-kun's father says.
"Yes. He just said 'please let us live together'..."
"Oh! You finally came around too!?"
The fathers are getting excited.
"Toya. Make sure to take good care of Airi-chan."
"Maya-san, I didn't raise my daughter to be that fragile~"
Rie-chan and Maya-san are also excited.
Me and Toya-kun are confused.
That night, a rehearsal celebration was held.
We had sushi and alcohol, had a lively time, and then went back to Toya-kun's house.
"I'll help with the move~"
Rie-chan waves.
Daddy seems to be drinking alone.
Apparently, he wants to get drunk by himself.
Toya-kun takes a bath first. I take a bath, grab two chu-hais, and go back to the room.
When I return to the room, Toya-kun is looking at me with a serious expression.
"Toya-kun, I brought some for you too~"
"Thanks."
First, we drink.
I have to relax Toya-kun.
Then I start talking.
"What was that about so suddenly?"
"I wanted to tell you, Airi. My feelings."
"Feelings?"
"Yeah, I wanted to tell you that I seriously want to be with you."
"...Thank you. But even without doing that, they've reached me, plenty."
Toya-kun hugs me.
Maybe it's the alcohol. Toya-kun holds me and says.
"I'll definitely make you happy!"
Toya-kun says loudly.
"No way~"
"Eh?"
I untangle the arms of the bewildered Toya-kun, sit seiza in front of him, and face him.
"I'm still immature. But if I'm fine as I am, please be happy together with me."
I hug Toya-kun and kiss him.
"A-Alright..."
Toya-kun is stunned.
"It was so sudden, I was surprised. I thought you were acting weird since noon, but you were thinking about that."
"Yeah. There's a saying, 'Strike while the iron is hot.' So I thought I had to hurry."
"Why are you so impatient? Did you think I'd go far away?"
"Ah, no. I was impatient, I guess."
"Huh?"
Toya-kun says.
Seeing everyone who's married, he feels impatient too. He'll be a working adult from next year.
He's got a job lined up. The immediate problems are solved.
He thought it wouldn't be good to make me wait without reason when I'm hoping for it.
I see...
But, Toya-kun, you're mistaken, you know?
thump
"I said I'd wait forever. You don't have to be so impatient. What you just said is enough. We've taken another step toward the dream."
"I'll definitely fulfill your dream, Airi."
"Ugh... isn't that a proposal?"
My dream is to become Toya-kun's wife. Saying you'll fulfill that dream is a proposal, right?
"Can I hear your answer... now?"
"I already said it a moment ago."
"Eh?"
"That we'll become happy together..."
"Ah!"
He's so dense when it comes to himself.
"So, Toya-kun, where are you thinking of living?"
"You can drive, Airi, so you can shop anywhere, right?"
"Yeah."
"I'd like it near my workplace. It'd be convenient for commuting."
Since his workplace is near the station, he says he can also commute by train.
"Can I say my preference?"
"Sure."
"I'd like it near the station too. So I can easily get to Blue Bird."
The supermarket is close too.
"Looks like it'll be an exciting year."
"It's still early~ It's September~"
"Yeah."
It's just the beginning of autumn, but our hearts are looking forward to the distant future, the desired tomorrow.