Bypassing every formality and preamble, I lead with my most potent card right from the start.
Of course, he couldn't possibly believe it right away.
True to form, Masaomi-san’s eyes went wide, his face a mask of complete and total incomprehension. It was the look of a man who couldn't even begin to process what had just been said to him.
Or perhaps it was more like: "What on earth is this kid talking about?"
Knowing full well that Sara-san was a severe Man-hater, Masaomi-san likely wouldn't have believed me even if I’d claimed we were just "friends." Jumping straight past that to "lovers" was on a different plane of existence entirely.
That was why I had to walk him through it, step by step.
"No... I’m not sure what to say. To be honest, my head hasn't quite caught up yet..."
Masaomi-san’s reaction was precisely what I’d anticipated. He looked utterly dazed, as if his mind were still trying to process the sounds he’d just heard. He closed his eyes and fell silent, and judging that he was trying to collect himself, I decided to stop talking and wait for a moment.
"Takanashi-kun, there are a few things I’d like to hear, and some things I need to discuss."
It seemed he’d finally found his composure. He addressed me in his usual tone.
"First and foremost, I find it incredibly difficult to believe. Actually, to be blunt—I simply don't believe it."
I thought as much. I’d expected that response.
"I don't want you to misunderstand; even if I say I don't believe it, it doesn't mean I don't trust you as a person. Besides, you'd have no reason to tell such a lie. However—and I realize I'm the one saying this—when you tell me that Sara, who couldn't even handle a Male Friend, suddenly has a lover... it's just beyond my comprehension."
Calling his words incoherent might have been a bit much, but it was clear that Masaomi-san was panicking.
Still, what made me happiest was the fact that his panic was rooted in the trust he had for me. He was only this confused because he couldn't simply dismiss my words as a falsehood.
"Given Sara-san’s personality—or rather, her fundamental stance toward men—I fully understand why this is difficult to grasp."
I hesitated to use the term Man-hater so bluntly, opting for the subtler "fundamental stance," but the meaning was clearly conveyed to Masaomi-san.
"...I see. It seems you really do understand Sara. Fine. For now, let’s set aside the 'unbelievable' part. I want to hear the whole story. Since when has this been going on?"
From there, I began to recount everything that had happened between us.
I walked him through our initial meeting, how we became friends, how she started making my Bento... my Confession over Summer Vacation, and finally, how we became lovers. I kept to the essential points, summarizing our journey together.
Masaomi-san kept his eyes fixed on my face the entire time, listening in silence.
"......I see. So, you were already together by the time you started your Part-time Job at this house?"
"Yes. However, until I arrived here, I had no idea that Masaomi-san was Sara-san's Father. I’d noticed the surnames were the same, but I figured such a coincidence was impossible."
"Haha, it certainly is a bit much for a mere coincidence. But if one were to call it fate, perhaps it was inevitable after all..."
A faint smile touched his lips, and for the moment, he seemed to be taking the conversation well.
But as long as the talk of an Arranged Marriage remained, I couldn't afford to be complacent.
"Hearing your story now, things are starting to click. So that’s why Mayumi took such a strange liking to you. I did think it was odd how familiar she was from the very first day, despite it supposedly being your First Meeting. And she was consistently favorable toward you throughout your Part-time Job... If you already knew each other through Sara, that certainly explains it."
When Masaomi-san glanced to his side, Mayumi-san, who had been smiling silently until then, spoke up for the first time.
"Ufufu... I'm sorry, dear. When I heard about the person coming for the Part-time Job, quite a few things started sounding strangely familiar."
"......I see. So, pretending it was your First Meeting was just one of your pranks?"
"I'd prefer you didn't call it a prank. I simply wanted you to see him as he is, without being clouded by bias."
To be honest, I’d also thought it was just a whim on Mayumi-san’s part. But it turned out she had her own reasons.
"If I had mentioned Sara-chan, you would have inevitably been on your guard, wouldn't you? I thought that would be a waste of a perfectly good opportunity. That's why I was truly happy to see you two hit it off."
"...True. If I had known about his connection to Sara then, I can't deny that my interactions with him during the job would have changed. Though I can't even begin to imagine how they would have played out."
"Right? But because I kept it vague then, I didn't expect things to take this kind of turn. I do reflect on that part."
As she said this, Mayumi-san bowed her head—not to Masaomi-san, but to me.
However, far from blaming her, I felt nothing but gratitude toward her.
"Please don't apologize! I've only just learned your true intentions, but I was the one who went along with it. Besides, I could have properly spoken up at the end based on my own judgment. But I thought I should talk to Sara-san first, and I ended up putting it off..."
Yes, I could have said something if I had truly wanted to. The fact that I hadn't was my own decision and my own responsibility. Mayumi-san was not at fault in the slightest.
"......Fufu. You really are an interesting young man. You might be a High School Student by age, but your way of thinking seems far beyond your years. I’ve been curious about that for a while. Tell me, have you perhaps gone through experiences that most people your age don't?"
I was momentarily caught off guard by his sharp insight. I’d only told Masaomi-san the bare essentials.
"Just as I thought. Experience and practice are the ultimate teachers. There is a world of difference between someone who has only grown their knowledge at a desk and someone who has grown through lived experience. I’d suspected that your maturity and ability to take action were the result of growing through some very unusual, precious experiences. .............That’s exactly why I took such a liking to you."
I didn't quite catch his final murmur, but I was surprised by how closely Masaomi-san had been observing me. I was happy, of course, but I wondered why he’d been so attentive to me in the first place...
"Ah, that reminds me, you told me quite a bit about your lover, Takanashi-kun. Does that mean all of those stories were actually about Sara?"
Masaomi-san shifted the topic back to Sara-san, though it felt like a deliberate move.
Now that he mentioned it, I remembered discussing various things back when I didn't realize he was Sara-san's Father.
Wait... I didn't say anything weird, did I? I couldn't remember the details of our conversations, which made me feel a bit uneasy.
"Yes. I'm sorry about that time..."
"No, you didn't know, so it couldn't be helped. However... if those stories were indeed about Sara, then I’m sorry to say this, but it makes it even more unbelievable. The Sara you described bears no resemblance to the daughter I’ve seen as her parent."
Masaomi-san furrowed his brows, looking deeply troubled.
Actually, come to think of it, wouldn't it be easier if I just showed him the photos on my Smartphone? Part of me wanted him to understand through our conversation, but if he couldn't move past this disbelief, the talk wouldn't progress.
"Sigh... Dear, isn't it time you accepted reality? After hearing all this, are you honestly suggesting that Kazunari-kun's Story is a fabrication?"
Having seemingly run out of patience, Mayumi-san finally stepped in. Just as we’d discussed over the phone, she was acting as my total ally. Honestly, it was a massive help.
"N-No, I’m not going that far. The story is far too detailed to be made up, and above all, Takanashi-kun is a trustworthy young man. I also understand that he’s had a connection with Mayumi for some time, and when I think about how that started, I know it could only be through Sara. I mean, did you just call him Kazunari-kun!?"
Faced with Mayumi-san’s questioning, Masaomi-san’s words began to tumble out in a rapid-fire rush. It really seemed like he stood no chance against her.
"My, is it wrong to call him by his name? He’s Sara-chan's Lover, after all. Since they'll be together from now on, calling him Takanashi-san would be so terribly formal, wouldn't it? Right, Kazunari-kun?"
"Eh!? No, I, Mayumi-san?"
I’d been watching the exchange with some relief while she spoke for me, but suddenly the spotlight was back on me. I was completely unprepared, especially for the content of her question.
"Goodness, haven't I already told you to call me Mother-in-law? Come on, one more time!"
"M-Mother?"
"Yeees. I feel like the nuance is still a bit off, but we'll work on that in time, won't we?"
She said "in time," even though I’d said it just like she wanted...
"M-Moth—!? M-Mayumi, what are you thinking? First calling Takanashi-kun by his name, and now this... it’s almost as if—"
Masaomi-san’s composed facade was crumbling, but that just showed how overwhelmed he was. Through their exchange, he seemed to have finally realized Mayumi-san’s intentions.
But was she really intending to make me Sara-san’s Fiancé right here and now? I’d already made up my mind to accept that, but would Masaomi-san—who could barely believe we were even "lovers"—actually go that far?
"Oh, do I have to spell it out for you? Then let me say it clearly: I have already accepted Kazunari-kun as Sara-chan's Partner. This boy will absolutely make Sara-chan happy... or rather, Sara-chan can’t be happy with anyone but Kazunari-kun."
Being told that so definitively was quite embarrassing, but since Mayumi-san was going that far, I had to stand my ground.
"......Does Mayumi really feel that strongly?"
Masaomi-san looked shaken; he clearly hadn't expected her to be so adamant.
"Now, if you understand that much, what is it that’s still bothering you? There’s no longer any room for doubt, is there?"
"No, Mayumi, surely you understand my side too? I thought Sara's Man-hating was a serious case. Even at the Early Spring Company Party, she ignored every man who approached her and left immediately. The President saw that and grew concerned..."
Could that President’s "worthless interference" have stemmed from that? Regardless of whether it was right or wrong, Masaomi-san and the President were acting out of concern for Sara-san, which made it difficult to just be angry with them...
"Sara-chan absolutely detests boys like that who clearly have ulterior motives when they hit on her. Besides, seeing that kind of behavior only makes her Man-hating worse."
"But in reality, she can't remain a Man-hater forever if she's to enter society. I have no intention of entrusting Sara to some unknown man, but as a member of the Satsukawa Family, she inevitably has to be involved with the company. Besides, this Arranged Marriage Partner is a university student, but he's already studying at our company and is a very polite young man..."
We’d been talking about whether he could believe my relationship with Sara-san, but the conversation had somehow drifted off-course.
As I was wondering how to steer it back, my eyes were drawn to the door near the Entrance...
Wait. Was that a shadow behind the frosted glass?
BOOM!
!!??
In that instant, the door flew open with tremendous force. The impact was so violent that the dolls and ornaments displayed near the door were nearly knocked over.
And standing there, looking utterly furious, was Sara-san, glaring at Masaomi-san.
W-Why is she here!? What about Natsumi-senpai and Nishikawa-san!?
"I see. I understand perfectly well now that you've been entertaining some incredibly meddlesome and pathetic talk. So, I assume you've already flatly rejected the proposal, haven't you?"
Her tone was icy enough to draw blood as she interrogated Masaomi-san. Conversely, Masaomi-san looked genuinely relieved to see her, a small smile appearing on his face.
"Sara! You're back. Honestly, I was so worried..."
"Have you already become hard of hearing? I’m asking if you rejected it."
That was harsh. She was giving him absolutely no room to breathe. I could see Masaomi-san’s smile twitching, and the sound of Mayumi-san letting out a muffled "pfft" was strangely vivid.
"Sara-san... why are you here...?"
"...I am so sorry, Kazunari-san. It is because of my own weakness... that things have come to this..."
Her fury toward Masaomi-san evaporated in an instant, replaced by a clouded expression. Her presence here must mean she’d come to some sort of resolution. Did Natsumi-senpai and Nishikawa-san say something to her...?
"No, I’m the one who should apologize. I came here without telling you and went ahead with the discussion on my own..."
As she listened, Sara-san slowly walked toward me. She placed a hand on my arm and smiled softly.
"Please do not say that. It was my own fault for not consulting you. But for you to go this far for my sake, all by yourself..."
Sara-san leaned closer. Her expression was one I hadn't seen in far too long—a true, cloudless smile from the bottom of her heart.
"I am truly happy... I love you, Kazunari-san..."
Chu...
A soft, warm sensation pressed against my cheek.
My beloved Sara-san had finally, truly found her footing.
"............Eh... Wh... Wh..."
And sitting across from us was Masaomi-san—his mouth agape, frozen in a state of absolute, wordless shock.