Chapter 41 - The Promised Future
(1)
The smartphone's ringtone sounds.
The time is 22:00.
I was playing games.
I wonder who it is... it's Airi.
"Hello."
"Hello~? Have you heard from Maya-san?"
"...Heard what?"
"I figured you hadn't~ I'm glad I called."
"Did something happen?"
"Listen~ we're going on a trip for three days and two nights starting tomorrow~"
They're a family that loves traveling.
By the way, this year's Golden Week schedule is three days for the first half, three days of school in between, and four days for the second half.
Well, with Airi's grades, she's probably fine.
Which means I'll be studying with Kanna for three days.
Makoto will probably be busy with his final club activities.
"I get it. Go on ahead."
"Saying 'go on ahead' makes it sound like it's someone else's business~"
She seems a little miffed.
"Sorry, be careful."
"...Toya-kun and your family are coming too~"
Huh?
"What did you just say?"
"I said~ you and your family are coming along too~"
"This is the first I'm hearing of it..."
"Try asking Maya-san~"
I leave the room with my smartphone in hand.
I speak to my parents, who are relaxing in the living room.
"Ah, I forgot to tell you. We got an invitation earlier. So we decided to go."
"It's early in the morning, so go to bed early."
I returned to my room.
"See? I told you~"
"...What about the homework?"
"If I do it after I get back, I'll finish it~. Whether I finish it beforehand or afterward, it's the same, right~?"
"We're exam students, you know?"
"I'm always saying it. If you study normally, it's fine to take a break during a long holiday~"
That's the kind of person she is...
"Well, I've officially told you now~ so get your things ready."
Airi hung up after saying what she wanted to say.
I send a message to Airi.
"Did you tell Kanna?"
The reply came back immediately.
"I told her properly."
...For now, I started preparing for the trip.
(2)
Despite departing early the next morning, there's this traffic jam.
Even taking a toilet break at a parking area is a struggle.
Every time we take a break, Father and Airi-papa switch driving duties.
In the end, we arrived at the destination in the evening.
We parked in the hotel parking lot and completed the check-in.
I'm surprised they managed to get three rooms... Had they planned this in advance?
I check the room assignments.
My parents.
Airi's parents.
Airi and I.
Huh?
Isn't something wrong?
Is this really okay? The parents
"Please take care of our daughter~"
"...U-um."
said Airi's parents.
My parents were...
"Don't go too far, okay?"
"Be gentle with her."
...They don't mind at all.
"Let's go into the room quickly, Toya-kun."
Is my way of thinking strange?
The room was quite spacious.
It has a bathroom, but since there's an open-air bath, let's go there.
There are two beds.
"It's so spacious~"
As she says this, Airi places her bag on one bed and dives onto the other bed.
"So fluffy~"
I call out to Airi, who is satisfied with the comfort of the bed.
"Hey."
"What?"
"...Where am I supposed to sleep?"
One has become a luggage rack and the other is occupied by Airi.
Naturally, there is no bed for me.
"Right here?"
Airi answers with a puzzled look.
That's right. She just placed her luggage to secure the spot.
Relieved, I placed my luggage on the bed where Airi was lying.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you mean? I'm placing my luggage..."
"Luggage goes over there~"
Saying that, Airi points to where she placed her own luggage.
...Eh?
"That's Airi's bed, isn't it?"
Airi's expression becomes stern.
"You're as dense as ever~. Do you intend to make a maiden say it until the very end?"
No, it was within my expectations.
I had a vague inkling.
I just didn't want to think about it.
Isn't this the worst pattern?
She calls herself a maiden, but this isn't a maiden's way of thinking, is it?
"I hope I'm wrong... but are we sleeping together?"
Airi nodded shyly.
I recall we were staying at this hotel for two nights...
Which means we're together for two days?
Calm down, if I persuade her, I can still manage...
"Airi, listen. A couple being alone in the same room and sleeping in the same bed... do you understand what that means?"
If I go this far, she'll understand, right?
"...If something's going to happen, I'd be looking forward to it, but Toya-kun always falls asleep."
Airi answers dissatisfiedly.
I see. That was the case.
I feel relieved.
But it was too early to be relieved.
Airi's expression remains stern.
Did I do something?
"Did something happen?"
As I say that, she clings to me.
"W-what's wrong?"
"Just realize it already, you idiot!"
Hm? Did something happen?
Then, I noticed a faint scent wafting from Airi.
This sweet and sour scent, I've smelled it somewhere... ah!
The perfume I bought...
Airi used it.
"Sorry, it's similar to the car's air freshener..."
"Liar! You were sleeping the whole time in the car!"
Ugh, damn! That's right.
"I tried using it since you bought it for me~ you're the same as always~"
"Sorry..."
This is bad, did I make the mood awkward?
I can't stand this atmosphere continuing for two days.
At that moment, Airi's smartphone rings.
"Hello... yeah, I understand."
Airi hung up and spoke.
"Papa and the others say let's eat dinner outside."
Huh? Is she not that moody?
"Hm?"
I'm spacing out.
She smiles.
"It's okay. I'm not angry."
Hearing that, I feel relieved.
"Well, shall we go?"
"Yeah!"
Saying that, Airi clings to my arm.
Do you intend to do that even in front of the parents, Airi?
For dinner, we entered a random shop and ate.
There was something I'd never heard of.
Turkish Rice.
A combination of pilaf, Napolitan spaghetti, and a pork cutlet topped with demi-glace sauce.
"Tonight's meal is you!"
Seeing me eat with gusto, Airi says one thing.
"Be that obsessed with me for once."
I choked.
"A-are you okay!?"
Airi rubs my back.
"You suddenly start saying strange things."
"It's not a strange thing~"
After that, we went back to the hotel.
Now then, shall I take a bath?
When it comes to hotels and hot springs, it's yukata.
I immediately begin changing into a yukata...
Airi is staring intently.
...
"What are you doing?"
"It's fine, it's fine, come on, change quickly."
"I can't change if you stare at me like that."
"Why?"
"It's embarrassing, isn't it!?"
"You look at my breasts, but Toya-kun won't show me yours!"
Did that happen?
"...Just so you know, I'm not taking off my underwear."
Airi makes a face as if to say "eh."
I don't think going commando is a thing when changing into a yukata.
"Then fine, just the upper body."
...I can't help it, so I start changing.
"Ah, you've got quite a bit of meat on you."
Stop using phrasing that makes me sound delicious.
"Well then, I'll change too," Airi says, and begins taking off her clothes.
Wah! At least wait until I leave the room!!
"But I've seen it once, so there's no need to worry, right?"
I hurriedly rush out of the room.
Airi is left alone.
"Coward."
After taking a bath and returning to the room, I fell asleep immediately.
For some reason, traveling by car is tiring, isn't it?
(3)
"Toya-kun, wake up..."
Hm? Is it school today?
"I said wake up?"
Ah~ I have to wake up and change...
When I open my eyes, there is Airi in a yukata...
The neckline is open and her breasts are...
...In a yukata?
I jump up in a panic.
"You finally woke up~ Papa and the others are already downstairs."
Here, one question.
"Why didn't you change first?"
"I just woke up too."
"...That's not what I mean."
It's a repeat of the same thing as last night, isn't it!
"Toya-kun isn't interested in seeing me change anyway, right!"
Saying that, Airi takes off her yukata.
...Fellow gentlemen, you understand, right?
If you're a young and energetic man, you understand, right?
What state things are in in the morning.
I'll tell you.
When Airi woke up, the duvet had been stripped away.
And for some reason, the yukata's obi had been undone.
The culprit is, needless to say, Airi.
And Airi notices the emergency situation in the lower body.
You'd think she'd scream "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" right?
But Airi was different.
"I'm glad. Toya-kun is a boy too!"
she said, looking happy.
You already knew that from when we stayed before...
The morning was spent sightseeing at famous spots.
When you go to places like this, there are couples who flirt without any regard for their surroundings, right?
I mean, you only see those kinds of couples or families with children, right?
That's why I was also open.
Taking photos together, looking around various shops.
Searching for heart-shaped stones.
We were frolicking around.
In the afternoon, we moved to the city center for lunch.
I ate champon... and sara-udon.
Airi looked stunned.
"You sure eat a lot."
In the afternoon, we moved to Chinatown.
Shumai, gyoza, steamed buns...
Drawn by the smell, I drift toward the stalls, and Airi grabs my arm and won't let go.
"After eating that much earlier, you're still in the mood to eat!"
At a souvenir shop, I was looking at a cheongsam.
If Airi wore it... it might be good.
Just as I was thinking that...
Smack
I was hit by Airi.
"You were thinking about Kanna just now, weren't you. ...It wouldn't suit me anyway."
That's not true.
With her wonderful curves, where the parts that should stand out do, and her waist is clearly defined, I wonder how well it would suit Airi if she wore it.
"I think it would suit Airi too."
"...Really?"
Airi fidgets.
She's happy, isn't she? How cute.
After that, I chose and bought souvenirs for Kanna and Makoto.
When we're together, how is it that time passes so quickly?
"It's about time to go back~"
Told by the parents, I noticed the clock had passed 17:00.
Then we ate dinner and returned to the hotel.
Once again, we both changed into yukatas.
I had stopped worrying about it.
Then, as I left the room to take a bath, I ran into the fathers.
"Going to the bath now. Just in time, let's go together. Apparently, there's something to talk about."
"...U-um."
Talk?
I wonder what it is?
(4)
The three of us soak in the open-air bath.
Pure bliss, pure bliss~♪
...Does it smell like old men? It's fine, isn't it?
"Phew~"
"Now then, Tosaka-san."
"U-um... Toya-kun."
"Yes!?"
For some reason, I stand up straight.
"What do you think of Airi?"
Huh?
"I think she's a very good person."
I never thought I'd be asked such a question at this age.
"...I'm not asking for such a formal answer."
"E-err..."
"Toya, Tosaka-san is asking whether you love Airi-san or hate her."
"I-I love her."
"I see..."
Saying that, Airi-papa falls silent.
However, after a short while, he began to speak.
"Airi is intelligent, beautiful in appearance, and a daughter I'm proud of... I don't know how we were blessed with such an excellent daughter... That daughter has only one wish... to become your bride. ...As a father, I want to grant my daughter's only wish."
Eh? Eh? They've already talked about that?
Suddenly, Airi-papa bows his head.
"I don't care if I'm called a doting father... won't you grant the wish of my proud daughter!"
Wait... hold on...
"Is there something lacking in our daughter?"
"N-no. She's a wonderful young lady, far too good for me."
"Then there's no problem... um."
"Thank you for accepting my unworthy son."
"No... I'm the one indebted to your son, who always listens to our daughter's selfishness."
"Not at all, it's my son who is indebted..."
...I tried to quietly leave the bath, but I was caught.
"Tosaka-san, let's have a drink after this. Toya, you come along too."
"I can't drink!"
"Soft drinks are fine. Show some consideration for the feelings of a father giving his daughter away as a bride."
I finally realized.
These two drank before entering the bath, didn't they?
"...Well then, shall we get out?"
"Indeed."
And so, contrary to my will, I ended up drinking at the hotel lounge.
(5)
And so, caught up by the parents, I was drinking in the lounge.
They're driving tomorrow, right? Is this really okay?
"Toya-kun~ please take care of our daughter~"
Saying that, Airi-mama cries.
"Rie-chan, what are you saying!?"
Airi says, though she doesn't seem to mind at all.
"Tosaka-san, please take care of our son."
What is Mother saying too!
The fathers are the same as always.
Around midnight, we retreated first.
"Toya, get a grip. Make sure you lead her properly."
"U-um... if it's Toya-kun, I don't mind."
Leaving the completely wasted parents behind, Airi and I returned to the room.
"That was surprising."
"Indeed... what are our parents thinking."
"What were you told in the bath?"
Airi asks.
"...That I should take care of his daughter."
Airi cheers with joy.
Is that really okay?
"Now I can be at ease."
About what!
"Now then..."
Airi urges me to get into the duvet.
Usually, I'm the one who gets in first.
"You were told to lead properly, right!"
Is she taking this seriously? It's something a drunk person said!
...I have no choice but to lie down on the bed.
...What should I do after this?
For now, I urge Airi to get into the bed.
Without hesitation, she enters the duvet and presses against me.
"Hey, give me an arm pillow."
As I put my right arm out to the side, Airi rests her head there.
"What are you going to do for me after this?"
Airi's eyes are sparkling.
But she also looked a little shy.
I bend my right arm and pull Airi's body closer to me.
Airi has her eyes closed.
If I do nothing here, I'm a coward, right?
Makoto and the others will surely laugh at me.
Determined, I take action.
I hug Airi inside the duvet.
A problem unique to men occurred, but I didn't let it bother me.
"Toya-kun..."
Airi also hugs my waist.
"I don't have to worry anymore, right?"
"About what?"
"Our parents gave their permission... I'm ready whenever."
No no, wait.
"Thinking that it's okay whenever made me think I don't have to rush."
"Airi..."
"I'll be waiting, whenever Toya-kun wants... do it."
"Yeah... but for now, this is the best I can do."
"Yeah, just doing this makes me happy... ah!"
"What's wrong?"
"Right now, I'm not wearing underwear."
"?"
"If you want to touch, go ahead."
"..."
"Toya-kun?"
"..."
"Did you fall asleep?"
I was asleep.
"Geez!"
I was smacked on the head.
"At least give me some expectation."
That night, I had a dream.
Graduating university, getting a job... and marrying Airi.
A future I haven't seen yet.
I don't know how it will turn out.
...Let's stop.
Let's think positively for now.
I've overcome the biggest difficulty.
That alone is a step forward.
That's enough.
What more could I wish for?
Airi says it's okay.
Then, what I can do is cherish Airi.
When I suddenly woke up, Airi was asleep.
I hug Airi.
"I love you."