"Here we are. Sorry to keep you all waiting."
Mayumi-san returned to the room, carrying a tray laden with a teapot and several cups of black tea. We had decided to take a short break and enjoy some refreshments.
Sara-san followed shortly after, carrying another tray with slices of cake. It seemed a snack was in order—likely something Mayumi-san had prepared in advance.
Once everything was served, Sara-san took her fixed position on my right. Mayumi-san, however, sat directly on my left, effectively sandwiching me between them. The sight felt like a vivid flashback to the very first time I had visited this house.
Masaomi-san looked confused as to why Mayumi-san had claimed the seat next to me, but he seemed even more preoccupied by the fact that there was no cake sitting in front of me.
Of course, since I saw two slices of cake sitting in front of Sara-san, I could already guess what was about to happen.
"Kazunari-san, say 'aahn'..."
Nom... chew, chew.
As expected, it was delicious. It was a standard shortcake, but simple recipes really brought out the skill of the baker.
"Wh— How can you two do that so naturally...?" Masaomi-san stammered, frozen with his own fork halfway to his mouth as he stared at us in shock.
I suppose I was just as much to blame. Opening my mouth for Sara-san whenever she offered an "aahn" had practically become a conditioned reflex by now.
"Oh my," Mayumi-san teased. "It looks like Sara-chan has him quite well-trained. I'm almost jealous."
"Please don't make it sound so scandalous, Mother," Sara-san countered. "I simply want to do anything I can to make Kazunari-san happy."
The way Mayumi-san put it made me sound like a house-broken pet, but looking back on how often I had been fed by her daughter, I couldn't exactly argue the point.
"A-A-Anything?! Sara, what on earth do you mean by that?!"
"Here, Kazunari-san. Another 'aahn.'"
She was flat-out ignoring him now. Masaomi-san looked like he was on the verge of tears.
"Kazunari-kun, your mother-in-law wants to give you an 'aahn' too."
"What do you think you're doing? If you want to do that, do it for Father," Sara-san snapped.
I almost opened my mouth out of habit, but I managed to stop myself just in time thanks to Sara-san’s intervention. Mayumi-san simply laughed, clearly enjoying the chaos.
"Ehh? But I was the one who baked this cake, so I think I should have the right... Don't you agree, Kazunari-kun?"
"Absolutely not," Sara-san said firmly.
I felt like Mayumi-san was fighting dirty by tilting her head so cutely—she really did look like she could be Sara-san’s older sister—but for Sara-san’s sake, I had to stay strong.
"Well, uh..."
Even so, it was hard to give her a direct "no" since she was being so kind. I struggled to find a polite way to decline.
"Good grief... Mayumi, that’s enough. You’re troubling Takanashi-san."
"Yes, Mother..."
Yukie-san, who had been watching the scene with a wry smile, finally stepped in to scold Mayumi-san. Apparently, Mayumi-san couldn't defy her, and she backed down with a reluctant but obedient pout. I was saved.
Click.
"Now then, Kazunari-san, please come in."
"E-Excuse me..."
I followed Sara-san into her room. As I crossed the threshold, a faint, lovely scent drifted past my nose. It wasn't the artificial smell of perfume or aroma oils, but something much more natural.
Looking around, the first thing I noticed was the bed. It was a picture of girlish charm, covered in adorable cat and dog plushies. In contrast, her desk was strictly functional, lined with reference books and dictionaries. However, one item stood out: a stylish photo frame containing the commemorative photo we had taken with Kuu-chan during our aquarium date.
"I apologize for the wait. It seems my mother cleaned up the mess I left when I ran away, but I hadn't had a chance to check the state of things myself yet."
"No, it's... it's fine."
This was the first time I had ever set foot in Sara-san's room. Despite the fact that we spent time together in my room almost every day, the change in location made me feel incredibly nervous. Being in her personal space felt fundamentally different, and the realization made me feel strangely bashful.
"...Kazunari-san."
She stepped forward and wrapped me in a gentle embrace. I was instantly enveloped by her warmth and the scent I loved so much. Just like that, the tension in my body melted away.
"You’ve calmed down now, haven't you? Fufu... let's hug for a while longer."
Her embrace was so comforting that I found myself leaning into her, wanting to be pampered. Sensing my reaction, Sara-san guided me toward the bed. We sat down on the edge together, and she pulled me into a deeper hug.
"Aside from my father, you are the first man I have ever invited into my room. I was actually a little nervous myself."
"It's also the first time I've ever been in a girl's room. Maybe that's why I was so stiff."
I muttered the words as if questioning myself. Of course, I had been to Yuzuha’s house plenty of times as a kid, but we had always played in the living room. I didn't have a single memory of ever going into her actual bedroom. So, it was true—this really was a first.
"It is a small thing, but it makes me happy to know that I have claimed another of Kazunari-san’s firsts. Just as I am happy that another of my firsts belongs to you."
Sara-san’s voice was filled with genuine joy as she stroked my hair. She truly cherished the idea of our "firsts" belonging to one another, no matter how trivial they might seem.
"Kazunari-san... everything is moving so quickly that it hasn't quite sunk in yet. But in the future... we will be..."
"To be honest, it hasn't sunk in for me either. The idea of marriage still feels like a vague concept. I just know that I'm happy because I'll be able to stay by your side forever."
I decided to be completely honest with her about my feelings. To me, this wasn't so much about the social contract of marriage as it was about being officially allowed to stay together.
"Marriage is ultimately just a name for that very thing," she said softly. "It is a promise that we will live our lives together and be happy. Though, naturally, there are many legal and social differences involved."
"I suppose you're right. Even I understand that much. It's just a promise for now, but I'm sure the reality will settle in eventually."
For now, the simple fact that we had promised to spend our lives together was enough.
"Yes. But... why did you decide to take the conversation that far? I am overjoyed, of course, but it was quite sudden."
Since I had kept my prior discussion with Mayumi-san a secret until today, it must have seemed like a bolt from the blue to her. There was no point in hiding it anymore, though it was a bit embarrassing to admit.
"Mayumi-san told me about the arranged marriage talk. She said those kinds of offers would probably keep coming, and I hated the thought of it. I don't want to be apart from you, Sara-san. You already have me, so why should other guys be allowed to pursue you? When I told her I wanted to shut them up..."
"...That was when the talk of becoming my fiancé began?"
"Yeah. But for me, the words 'fiancé' or 'marriage' weren't as important as the fact that they meant I could stay with you. I decided that as long as I could be with you forever, I wouldn't hesitate about Masaomi-san, or the company, or anything—mgh."
I couldn't finish my sentence because Sara-san suddenly pulled my head into her chest. If I stayed like this, being stroked and cuddled, I was liable to fall asleep from pure bliss. I had to keep my wits about me.
"...To think you were considering my well-being to such an extent. I feel ashamed of how weak I was. But I promise you, I will never show such a pathetic side of myself again. Now that we have pledged our futures to one another, I have nothing left to fear."
Her declaration was firm and resolute—the same dignified, gallant Sara-san I had always admired.
"There will undoubtedly be many hardships ahead of us. But I will always be here to support you, Kazunari-san. Let's work hard together."
"...I will."
I knew for a fact that we would face difficulties we couldn't even imagine yet. But I also knew that as long as she was with me, I could push through anything. Someday...
"I'll do my best. I'm going to become a man worthy of you—someone so impressive that any other guy would just give up and realize they never stood a chance."
"Kazunari-san... I'm so happy... I love you..."
A comfortable silence settled over the room. We didn't need words to understand what the other was feeling. We stayed in each other's arms for a long time until Sara-san whispered into my ear.
"...Kazunari-san, may I have a first memory in this room?"
A memory in the room? I didn't know what she had in mind, but I certainly wasn't going to say no.
"Of course."
"Thank you."
Sara-san gently pulled back, though she kept her hands on me. She looked into my eyes with a beautiful, lingering smile.
"I believe I promised that the next one would be from me..."
Even I wasn't so dense that I didn't understand what she meant. She was talking about her promise from before.
Her face slowly drew closer to mine. Since she had declared she would be the one to take the lead, I stayed still, waiting for her.
"From now on, and forever, I will be by your side... I love you... Darling..."
Our lips met. It was our second kiss, shared in the gentle, quiet atmosphere of her room. Even after we eventually pulled apart, we remained in each other's arms, loath to break the spell. This would be our very first memory in this room together.
Side: Mayumi
"Masaomi-san, now that we have confirmed Takanashi-san's resolve, please see to the company reports. The children won't want any trouble, so please handle the groundwork as quickly as possible to prevent any rumors."
"I understand. It will require some maneuvering, but if possible, I would like to introduce the two of them to the President at the year-end party. I'll have them attend then."
"Very well," Mother said. "I shall write a letter to Shoji-san myself. Once the adoption is finalized, regardless of Mayumi’s holdings, I want to transfer my own shares to the boy as soon as possible."
"Understood. First, I will need to speak with Kazunari-kun’s parents..."
Masaomi-san and Mother were rapidly exchanging opinions like two executives in a board meeting. I listened without interrupting, though this was exactly what I had expected. It was very similar to the process Masaomi-san went through when he became an adopted son-in-law.
Of course, back then, my father was still alive to oversee it all...
"...On the surface, this should satisfy the stakeholders. After that, once he actually joins the company..."
"I'm sure Takanashi-san will be more than capable."
"Indeed. By the way, the President of the Nishikawa Group mentioned..."
Despite the shock he’d received regarding Sara-chan, Masaomi-san now looked remarkably confident, balancing his role as a father with his position as the Managing Director and future President of Sawa Electronics. I suspect he was actually moved to tears by what Kazunari-kun said about him earlier. I could see how hard he was trying to hide his joy.
In any case, I'm truly glad everything seems to be working out. Kazunari-kun probably doesn't realize just how important his new position is yet, but that’s perfectly fine. For now, he can just focus on doing his best with the things right in front of him. When he has grown a bit more, both in mind and body, we can explain the rest to him.
Until then, I’ll fulfill my role as his mother-in-law and support my dear "son" alongside my daughter.
Still, the way Kazunari-kun spoke about wanting to be like Masaomi-san was just... nfu-fufu... He said such precious things, I almost couldn't contain myself.
I have so much to look forward to.