Side Yuji
Ping-ping-pi-ling!
The chime of a RAIN message notification echoed from the smartphone I had left on the table. It wasn't just mine, though. Everyone gathered there had their phones go off at the exact same moment, creating a digital chorus that filled the room.
The only way for everyone to receive a notification simultaneously was through a Group RAIN message, which meant it was almost certainly the update we had been waiting for from Kazunari.
Depending on what that message said, Hayato and I had been fully prepared to storm the Satsukawa residence and offer a dogeza if that’s what it took to fix things. We traded a quick look before checking our screens.
Todo & Tachikawa: ""Yes!!!!""
The moment Todo-san and Tachikawa-san cheered in unison, the answer was basically clear, but I checked my own screen anyway to confirm Kazunari’s success with my own eyes.
Nishikawa: "Phew... it seems things went well after all."
Hanako: "Honestly, he really kept us on pins and needles."
Natsumi: "Man, what a relief. But Sara getting engaged? If you’d told me that six months ago, I would’ve told you to stop talking in your sleep."
Nishikawa: "I would have questioned your sanity and handed you a business card for a psychiatric hospital."
Their words sounded harsh, but these were the honest impressions of two people who had known the old Satsukawa-san. To be fair, if I had only seen the way she used to be without knowing how she acted around Kazunari, I probably would have said the exact same thing.
I locked eyes with Hayato, who was wearing a massive grin as he checked his phone. Without a word, we both raised our hands and shared a resounding high-five. Smack!
Natsumi-san watched us with a mischievous smirk.
Natsumi: "Ooh, look at that—youthful energy! There’s nothing quite like male friendship, is there?"
"" !? ""
I realized then that everyone else was staring at us too. Wait, did we do something weird?
I glanced at Hayato, but he looked just as baffled as I was, shaking his head slightly.
Nishikawa: "Well, happy news is happy news. Meeting Sara’s Grandmother meant I didn’t have to reach out myself, but I think the result was actually better coming from her than it would have been coming from me."
Hanako: "True. A word from the family matriarch carries a lot more weight and persuasion."
Natsumi: "That was a total fine play on your part, Todo-san."
Todo: "I don't know... I was actually worried they’d get mad at me for meddling."
Hayato: "No way. The Grandmother even thanked us. I think you were amazing."
Tachikawa: "Nice one, Marina!"
Todo: "Y-You think so? Ehehe..."
Just like Natsumi-san said, I really thought it was a brilliant move.
Though, because of her, I missed my chance to perform the dogeza I’d been mentally preparing for.
Nishikawa: "Now then, to celebrate the future of our two friends, shall we head to the cake buffet?"
""""" No objections! """""
First of all, congratulations, best friend.
You’ve gone through so much to get here, so please, be happy.
In order to report to everyone waiting for news as quickly as possible, I sent a message to the Group RAIN telling them we had been officially recognized.
In the blink of an eye, the "Read" count hit seven. They must have all been staring at their screens waiting for me.
I’m really lucky to have friends like them...
As I prepared to send another message thanking them properly, I looked to my side. Sara-san had her own smartphone out and was happily scrolling through the flood of celebratory messages.
"We should thank everyone properly another time," I said.
"Yes, we should. I wonder how we should phrase it?"
"Fufu... I’ll leave that to you, Kazunari-san. I’m quite looking forward to seeing how you introduce me to everyone, you know?"
She gave me a mischievous little smile that made me feel more than a bit self-conscious.
How was I supposed to introduce her? As my fiancée, I guess.
Wait, did she just call me...
"Sara-san, just now, you called me by my name..."
"...Yes. If I don't start making it a habit now, I’m sure I’ll accidentally let it slip in front of others... Besides, that’s for... well, the future... after we’re married..."
Whether it was the joy or the sheer embarrassment of saying the word "marriage," Sara-san’s face flushed a deep crimson as she fidgeted and leaned her weight against me.
"Since I will be calling you 'Darling,' Kazunari-san, I want you to call me... Sara. Understood?"
She looked up at me with those pleading eyes while saying something so incredibly embarrassing that I felt my own face heating up to match hers.
I couldn’t just let her keep the upper hand, though. Partly as a thank you for earlier, I decided to give her exactly what she wanted.
"Sara."
"!?"
Sara-san turned beet-red in an instant, looking like she was about to overheat and start whistling like a teakettle. But it wasn't just her; having actually said it, I felt a wave of bashfulness that far exceeded anything I had expected.
"O-Once more... please, just one more time..."
Ugh, when she looked that happy, I couldn’t say no.
"S-Sara..."
"Yes... Darling."
"".........""
After a heavy silence, we both looked down at the floor, unable to meet each other's eyes.
T-This was too much!
If I looked up now, I felt like I would die of sheer embarrassment... and I was certain Sara-san was in the exact same boat.
"I-I’m so happy I think I might break... I-I suppose we should wait until after the w-wedding to make this permanent... Marriage... Oh, I'm so happy..."
Sara-san leaned into me, burying her face against my arm. I felt a profound sense of peace.
"...Are you two quite finished? We should probably get back to the conversation. Also, if you keep flirting like that, I think Masaomi-san might actually pass away. Please save the lovey-dovey stuff for when it's just the two of you, okay?"
The voice that pulled us back from our private world was Mayumi-san’s, laced with a wry chuckle.
Startled, I looked up. Mayumi-san was watching us with an amused "good grief" expression, Yukie-san was smiling warmly, and... Masaomi-san sat there looking dazed, as if his soul had been sucked out through a straw.
"...Ahem! W-Well then, shall we continue? Although, for now, we’re mostly talking about future plans."
I could tell he was trying to reclaim the serious atmosphere, but unfortunately, the mood was far too light to be weighed down again.
Mostly because, right next to me, Sara-san was radiating a full-throttle aura of pure bliss.
"F-First of all, please leave the difficult logistics to us. We won't do anything to make life hard for you two."
"It's okay, you can trust us," Mayumi-san added.
"Indeed. I shall be keeping a very close eye on things as well," Yukie-san said.
With all three of them saying that, there was no way I wouldn't trust them. More importantly, I knew they were putting Sara-san’s happiness first, so I had no reason to doubt them.
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
When I gave my answer while looking him in the eye, Masaomi-san nodded firmly.
"So, first, I’d like to confirm: Takanashi-kun, have you decided what you want to do regarding your future path?"
"No, to be honest... I haven't really decided on a specific career until now."
I had thought about my future before, but I’d never had a clear goal. Now, if Sara-san was going to university, I wanted to go where she was. When it came to employment, I felt a strong desire to aim for Masaomi-san’s company. However, since a big part of that was just wanting to be with Sara-san, it felt a little "impure," and I wasn't sure if I could say it with total confidence. But the feeling that I wanted to become an adult like Masaomi-san... that wasn't a lie.
"Please remember that this is my preference, not a command. But if you do choose to join Sawa as we discussed, please understand that your options will naturally be somewhat narrowed down."
"I understand."
"Thank you. To stick to the main points: after high school, I would like you to aim for a top-tier university. If you're going to commute from here, there is realistically only one choice... which, coincidentally, is the alma mater of both Mayumi and myself."
University... I had expected as much, but it seemed I really did need to buckle down and think about higher education. If it had to be within commuting distance, Masaomi-san was right—there was only one real option.
"I don't like saying that academic pedigree is everything, but in the corporate world, it carries weight. And while you're at university, I want you to start learning the ropes of my work, little by little. That's why I'd like you to start setting your sights on a goal now."
Just listening to him talk made me feel a spark of nervous tension. It was as if the vague idea of a "future" in my head had suddenly been mapped out with specific destinations and milestones.
"I'll say it again: this is my hope, not an order. But since you spoke so seriously earlier, I wanted to be honest about what I'm hoping for."
"...Thank you. I’ll be honest too... up until now, my future path was entirely centered on Sara-san. I figured if she went to university, I’d go there too, and after that, I’d go wherever I could stay by her side. That’s why, in my heart, I felt that if Sawa was where I needed to be to stay with her, then that’s where I’d go."
I thought he might be disappointed by such a simple answer, but I wanted him to know that I wasn't just being flippant about it. I wanted to be transparent.
"But I do have one more goal. It’s too embarrassing to say the name, but there is someone I respect very much. I want to become the kind of man he is. I want to aim for Sawa because I think I can achieve both goals there—being with Sara-san and becoming like that person."
Put that way, it was probably obvious who I was talking about... but that was fine.
".............I see."
Masaomi-san whispered that single phrase with a complicated expression. He clearly understood, but he was choosing to keep his emotions in check.
"......T-That’s it! I’m at my limit! Kazunari-kun!!"
Suddenly, I was yanked to the left with incredible force and found myself smothered in Mayumi-san’s overwhelming embrace.
W-What happened!?
"Oh, seriously, why are you so cute!? Masaomi-san might be able to hold back, but I can’t! To think such a wonderful boy is going to be my son... I’m so happy!!"
I descended into a panic as she ruffled my hair and squeezed me. W-What was I supposed to do!?
"Hah!? Wait—what are you doing, Mother!? I told you that was my role!!!"
Sara-san, whose brain had briefly short-circuited at her mother's sudden move, snapped back to reality and lunged to reclaim me.
She peeled me away from Mayumi-san with shocking strength, pulling me back against her own chest and twisting her body to shield me from her mother.
"Aw, Sara-chan, no fair..."
"Don't talk nonsense! Hugging Kazunari-san and saying 'there, there' to him is my role and mine alone!"
With that declaration, Sara-san began to gently stroke my hair. Ugh, I could feel all the tension leaving my body...
"Fufu... Kazunari-san, we’re aiming for the same path, so let’s work hard together. We’ll be together forever from now on."
"U-Um, Sara-san, I was still in the middle of talking to Masaomi-san..."
"Right. Then just a little longer..."
Sara-san squeezed me tightly one last time, clearly reluctant to let go.
"...Oh my. It seems Sara-chan is even bolder than Mayumi was..."
"...I don't think I ever went that far in front of my own mother, though..."
It seemed Sara-san’s maternal power had already eclipsed her mother's...