When I checked my smartphone before my afternoon classes began, I found that everyone had already replied with their acknowledgment.
After my talk with Hanako-san, I had sent a mass message to our RAIN group, explaining that I had both a report to make and a matter to consult with them about.
As for the timing, it was the same as yesterday: I would have to speak with them while Sara-san was in the bath.
To be honest, I had a vague, nagging feeling that this wasn't something we could handle on our own.
This was a situation unfolding deep within a massive corporation like Sawa Electronics. I felt that not only was it a world where outsiders had no business meddling, but also that there was likely nothing a group of mere high school students like us could actually do.
And since my parents were also outsiders to that world, I suspected the result wouldn't change even if I dragged them into it.
Therefore, today’s contact was more of a status report than anything else.
In this matter, the upcoming discussion with Masaomi-san was the only thing that truly carried weight. It was frustrating, but in the end, I felt I had no choice but to rely on him.
This sense of helplessness—this reality of having to rely entirely on others—was incredibly vexing. I wondered if there was at least something I could contribute. If I were to consult with everyone, it was in the hope that we might find some small lead through our collective wisdom, though even that felt like a long shot.
Time flew by in the blink of an eye. Soon enough, Sara-san headed for the bathroom, and it was time to start the Group RAIN call.
Me: "Good evening. Thanks for making the time today, everyone."
Nishikawa: "Good evening, Takanashi-san. You mentioned you had a serious report and a consultation?"
Hanako: "Good work. We’re short on time, so let's get started."
Todo: "This is about Satsukawa-senpai, isn't it?"
Natsumi: "Sara was acting strange today. I figured it was related to that."
Tachikawa: "Did something happen to Satsukawa-senpai?"
Hayato: "I was worried too. You two looked a bit off."
Yuji: "Everyone, let's let Issei talk first. Just give us the full picture up to a good stopping point."
Once Yuji took the lead and organized the group, I could tell they were ready to listen. I decided to lay out all the necessary information as clearly as possible.
Me: "First off, I'll just come out and say it. Sara-san has run away from home."
Everyone: "What!?"
As expected, a chorus of shocked voices erupted from the group. It was a natural reaction.
Natsumi: "Wait, hold on! What do you mean by that?!"
Nishikawa: "Natsumi, listen for now. Takanashi-san, please continue."
Me: "Right. I want to keep this brief, so I'll stick to the essentials. The reason Sara-san ran away is that her father brought her an arranged marriage talk from the company."
Everyone: "An arranged marriage!?"
It was a heavy revelation, and the impact was evident in their voices. They clearly had a mountain of questions, but they managed to keep them in check for the moment.
Me: "She's at my house right now, but she's so distressed by the arranged marriage talk that we haven't even discussed it directly yet. I heard the details of the situation from Sara-san's mother instead. I’ve decided to meet with her father this weekend. No matter what it takes, I’m going to get him to recognize our relationship. My goal is to have him settle things with the President who sent the proposal and explain the situation to the other officers who are trying to push these marriage interviews on her."
That covered the general summary. All that was left was to share what I wanted to consult them about, but…
Nishikawa: "Everyone, I'm sure you have a lot to ask, but could you leave the talking to me as your representative? Since time is a factor, it would be most efficient that way."
Everyone voiced their agreement with Nishikawa-san's proposal. I supposed that meant I would be speaking primarily with her.
Nishikawa: "Takanashi-san, I understand the situation now. However, the truth is that these kinds of stories are not uncommon in our world. Even I have had an arranged marriage talk come up twice before."
I was stunned. Nishikawa-san had gone through this too?
Nishikawa: "I am the only daughter of the Nishikawa Group President, so these things inevitably arise. But setting my own experiences aside, the same logic applies to Sara. While it isn't official yet, there are already rumors throughout the industry that Sara's father will be the next President. Even without that, he is a Senior Managing Director of a massive corporation like Sawa—an executive of immense influence. It’s hardly surprising that people would try to maneuver their way into the family."
She was dropping one shock after another, but more than that, Nishikawa-san seemed incredibly dependable today. I hadn't realized she possessed this level of poise and insight.
Nishikawa: "Continuing on. If you want to suppress this situation—even if it's only a temporary measure rather than a final solution—there is one quick way to do it. But that might be a step too far just yet..."
It seemed Nishikawa-san was thinking the same thing as Mayumi-san. Since it wasn't a finalized plan, I had hesitated to report it, but now it felt necessary to bring it up.
Me: "Actually… it's not set in stone yet, but Sara-san's mother suggested that, well… from now on, I should be introduced as her fiancé, with the understanding that we will eventually marry—"
Everyone: "WHAAAT!!??"
A scream of pure astonishment exploded from my smartphone's speaker. I winced, hoping Sara-san couldn't hear them through the bathroom door.
Natsumi: "F-f-f-fiancé!!??"
Todo: "That’s amazing! Takanashi-kun, congratulations!!!!"
Hanako: "Even I didn't see it moving that fast… At this rate, she really is already your wife…"
Tachikawa: "No way, a friend is already getting engaged? But congratulations!"
Hayato: "Wow, that’s incredible. To think you've already made the decision to commit like that…"
Yuji: "I… uh… what do I even say? Is 'congratulations' the right word yet?"
Everyone was piling on with their reactions and well-wishes, but they seemed to have completely glossed over the "not set in stone" part of my sentence.
Me: "Wait, everyone, slow down! It hasn't been decided yet! And Sara-san hasn't even been told about this suggestion, so I don't know how she'll react—"
Natsumi: "Are you kidding? There's no way Sara would turn that down. If you tell her you're her fiancé, she'll be crying for joy and accepting before you can even finish the sentence."
Todo: "I agree. I can't imagine Satsukawa-senpai doing anything other than jumping at the chance."
To be honest, I suspected they were right. I felt that if I told Sara-san, she would accept instantly. But hearing everyone say it with such absolute certainty left me struggling for a response.
I needed to keep things moving. I looked to Nishikawa-san again. True to her status as a President's daughter, she seemed the most accustomed to these high-stakes family matters. Her composure was a lighthouse in the storm.
Me: "So, Nishikawa-san, about what you were saying earlier…"
I assumed that her "quick way" was exactly what I had just described, but… there was no reply.
Me: "Nishikawa-san?"
Nishikawa: "……………"
Natsumi: "Eririn! Come back from your mental journey! We need you here!"
Nishikawa: "Huh!?"
I took back everything I just thought about her poise. Far from being composed, she had been so shocked that she’d completely checked out of reality.
Me: "Um, are you okay?"
Nishikawa: "I-I-I-I'm p-p-perfectly fine, you see?"
She was clearly not fine. The dependable version of Nishikawa-san had vanished into thin air.
Nishikawa: "Ahem! S-so, congratulations… Truly, what a wonderful development…"
Me: "Again, it isn't official. I haven't even spoken to Sara-san about it—"
Nishikawa: "Of course she'll accept! It'll be an immediate 'yes', an instant decision, a total surrender, a straight shot to the altar! I'M SO JEALOUS!!!!!"
Nishikawa-san began rattling off words like a broken machine gun. She was officially a lost cause for the night.
Natsumi: "Eririn!!!!!"
Nishikawa: "Huh!?"
That was the second time Natsumi had to snap her out of it. I hoped she would stay grounded this time.
Nishikawa: "My apologies, Takanashi-san. Let us return to the topic."
Hanako: "And she’s pretending that didn't just happen."
Todo: "Hanako-san, shhh."
With time running out, I stayed quiet and let her resume her explanation.
Nishikawa: "If the two of you are… f-fiancés… and have pledged your f-f-future to one another, then I suspect the outside pressure will die down temporarily while everyone waits to see how things develop. After that, we'll simply have to devise further countermeasures as needed."
Me: "I thought so. It really is the only way, isn't it?"
Nishikawa: "Yes. However, the absolute prerequisite is that Takanashi-san must be recognized by Sara's father. If you don't clear that hurdle, there is no future to speak of. Please, devote all your energy to that for now."
She was right. In our current situation, nothing moved forward unless I earned Masaomi-san’s approval. It was too early to worry about the steps that followed.
Me: "I understand. Thank you so much! Sorry, everyone, but I think Sara-san is about to finish her bath, so I have to go."
Nishikawa: "T-T-T-THE BATH!?"
Natsumi: "Oh, for heaven's sake. Takanashi-kun, don't worry about us. Go take care of Sara!"
With everyone’s words of encouragement ringing in my ears, I ended the call.
"The bath… a bath in a house where a man lives alone… just how far has Sara gone…"
"Eririn, those two are basically an engaged couple now. Just get used to it already."
As I soothed Eririn, who had drifted off on another mental journey, I expected the call to end now that Takanashi-kun had left.
However, Hanako-san seemed to have something else on her mind. She turned back to Eri.
Hanako: "Nishikawa-san, what do you really think? I noticed you held back a bit during the call."
Nishikawa: "………As expected, you saw through me."
Ah, she's back to normal.
Sensing a shift in the atmosphere, the rest of the group stayed silent, listening intently to the two of them.
Hanako: "Honestly, this situation is in a different league entirely. Based on what I've heard, at this rate…"
It seemed Hanako-san had grasped the grim reality of the situation. I, too, had a vague feeling that this wouldn't be easy.
Nishikawa: "Yes. I suppose I should be honest with all of you. Even if those two become fiances, it will only buy them time. This isn't just a matter of personal romance. There is a corporate stage involved, and there are countless motivations behind this arranged marriage talk. To truly silence them, being a fiancé isn't enough. To put it bluntly, the cycle won't end unless he is recognized as someone the company actually needs. Takanashi-san is still just a high school student; a career is a lifetime away for him. If he were to realize the sheer scale of the wall in front of him, he might break under the weight of his own helplessness."
Hanako: "You're right. Takanashi-kun doesn't truly understand the nature of his wife's family home yet. He doesn't understand what it means to be with her, or what it means to marry into that world, or the position he’ll be forced into. But because he knows he doesn't understand, he's doing everything in his power just to keep his own heart steady."
The conversation had turned incredibly heavy. It was a weight I felt in my chest.
I understood now that this wasn't on the same level as the 'likes' and 'dislikes' of our own high school romances. I used to call Eririn 'Young Lady' as a joke, but hearing the crushing reality she had to navigate made me realize I could never handle such a burden.
It was impossible for me. And that meant there was absolutely nothing we could do to help them.
Recognizing our own powerlessness, the group fell into a hushed silence.
Nishikawa: "As a final resort, Sara could choose to leave her family. If she discards the Satsukawa name and severs ties with Sawa Electronics, the two of them could live a normal life and have a normal marriage. I don't think Sara would hesitate for a second, and I believe her parents would support that choice if it came to it. However, Takanashi-san would never allow her to make that sacrifice."
Hanako: "If he were the type of person who could take the easy way out, he wouldn't be struggling like this."
This wasn't a problem that high school students like us could solve. But if we told Takanashi-kun that, he might lose his resolve entirely. That was why Eririn hadn't mentioned it during the call. Instead, she had given him a tangible goal he could achieve through his own effort: winning over Masaomi-san.
Hanako: "It's frustrating, but this is beyond us. It might only be a temporary fix, but for now, we have to trust the movements of the wife's family home. Beyond that… if there is any other hope, it lies with you, Nishikawa-san."
"……I know. I'll see if there’s anything the Nishikawa Group can do to provide support from the sidelines. Perhaps there's a way…"
It was incredible. I could hardly believe these were people my own age talking. Eririn had been groomed as a successor since childhood, so I could understand her perspective, but Hanako-san continued to amaze me. I’d always thought of her as a mysterious junior with a unique aura, but her mental maturity was far beyond anything I’d imagined.
Ultimately, the discussion reached its end. There was no point in agonizing over it further; we weren't going to find a miraculous solution on our own.
After promising Eririn that we would do whatever we could and swearing that we would never tell the couple about this part of our conversation, we finally ended the call.