Side: Natsumi
Sara didn't answer the boys' questions; she simply looked at the two of them with a cold, piercing gaze. Our classmates watched the scene in silence, but I could tell the boys in particular were looking at the pair as if they were total idiots.
While I observed the rest of the class, Yuri and her friends crept up beside me. They probably wanted to ask about the conversation we’d been having earlier, but my attention was fixed on Sara. For now, I ignored them.
"...Did you hear that I was getting married?"
Wait, that was a little unexpected...
It was rare for Sara not to simply shut down a conversation from the very start. Usually, in a bothersome situation like this, she would say something like, "Why should I have to answer a question like that to people like you?" and cut them off immediately. That was the Sara I knew.
Yet here she was, showing a willingness to actually talk. It piqued my curiosity as well.
"A friend of mine said he heard you talking about it on Saturday, Satsukawa-san! He said you were already getting married... Hey, that's a lie, right!?"
"Everyone’s saying you have a boyfriend now! That’s just a rumor, isn't it!? There's no way you actually have someone like that, right!?"
The two of them pressed toward Sara, ignoring each other in their agitation. They were just shouting whatever they wanted to say, completely failing to notice the displeased expression on Sara's face.
Plus, their information seemed to be second-hand, so some of the details were slightly off.
But the fact that this talk was coming up at all meant there was no doubt that rumors about what happened on Saturday were starting to spread.
These two had probably rushed here because of that. Of course, both of them had already been rejected by her in the past... which meant that even though she’d turned them down, they were still holding onto their feelings.
There was no question that Sara had flatly rejected every single confession she’d ever received, yet guys like this still kept popping up. It was exactly what I’d been worried about—her past approach was having unintended consequences.
The problem was...
Sara viewed any man who approached her as nothing more than an annoyance, an eyesore, or a hindrance. She hated frivolous men more than anything, so she looked at those who tried to hit on her without even knowing her as objects of pure disgust. I knew for a fact she had told them to their faces that they were a nuisance.
Normally, if someone you confessed to told you that you were a nuisance, you’d just give up. But if it was just "a nuisance," some pointlessly optimistic guys might still think there was a chance, telling themselves, "I can't give up yet" or "Maybe there's still hope."
In fact, that was exactly why these insolent guys with their convenient delusions had shown up now.
Or maybe, in their own way, they were so genuinely in love with her that they couldn't give up. They might have thought that as long as she didn't have anyone else, they might have a shot someday... which I guess could be called a pure romantic feeling? Maybe?
"Whoaaa, they're living their youth! Total Aoharu!"
"Alright, where's the Wait a Minute Call!?"
"No, let's just listen. Also, that reference is old..."
It might have looked like a scene of youth to some, but from Sara's perspective—since she wanted nothing to do with anyone besides Takanashi-kun—it was nothing but a huge bother.
Yuri and the others seemed to have put their own questions on hold for the moment to enjoy the drama. Since they had inside information, they seemed to be acting with a sense of superiority... To be honest, they were clearly getting carried away.
"...I see. Because my previous responses were insufficient, it has resulted in this. In other words, I am in the same position as Hanako-san... How troublesome."
"...Sara?"
Sara muttered something under her breath. I thought I heard Hanako-san's name, and her self-deprecating tone caught my attention. She seemed lost in thought... or rather, was she even acknowledging the two boys in front of her?
"S-Satsukawa-san?"
"Um, hey..."
The two boys noticed that Sara’s vibe was different than usual. They looked a bit bewildered since she wasn't reacting to them at all.
Then again, the fact that Sara hadn't immediately shot them down was rare enough that I was probably just as confused as they were.
"For the time being... I would like people who lack common sense, such as those who shout about someone's private life, to disappear from my sight immediately."
"Ah..."
"Ugh..."
Oh, she went back to normal after all.
The biting remark was so typical of Sara that it made me wonder what that meaningful silence earlier was for. Having been told off, the two boys looked genuinely panicked, realizing they had messed up.
They finally seemed to understand just how badly they had behaved toward her. It was too late, though.
"...However, I have some thoughts on the matter, so I will answer you just this once. Of course, I will marry in the future."
That was completely unexpected.
She was still directing that cold gaze at them, but to think Sara would actually answer a question from the boys! However, the answer was so simple that I felt like it was wide open to interpretation.
"Eh? The f-future? ...A-Ah!! So that's what you meant!! Y-Yeah, that makes sense! Even Satsukawa-san would naturally think about marriage in the future! Phew... so the talk about you getting married right now was just a rumor... You had me worried there..."
"Y-Yeah! That means the talk about a boyfriend must be a rumor too!!!"
Ah, there it was.
As expected, those two ran with the interpretation that was most convenient for them. But Sara was also to blame for giving such an ambiguous answer. Then again, she usually just rejected people without any explanation at all. Maybe she was just being sloppy... or maybe she just found the whole thing tedious.
"...Well, that sounds right."
"...I was a little worried for a second."
"...No, no, wait a minute... That means..."
"Does that mean Satsukawa-san actually intends to have a boyfriend someday!!??"
「「「 !!!!!!!!! 」」」
"...Well, she can't keep being a man-hater forever."
"...So even the great Satsukawa-san thinks about those things."
"...In that case, the other story must be a rumor too."
"...Pfft... Hehehe, Satsukawa-san, what a nice, suggestive comment."
"...Do you think she's saying that on purpose?"
"...No, they asked if she was getting married, so she just answered that she would in the future."
I agreed with that. She was merely answering the question she was asked. In a way, it was a very Sara-like response.
Still... I wondered what kind of change of heart had led to this? Even just talking to the boys was a huge step for her. It made me feel like she’d grown a bit since she didn't just end it with her standard rejection, but...
"A rumor? ...Ah, if you mean the story that I am getting married right now, then that is indeed a rumor. To begin with, legally, I am not yet at an age where I can marry."
"...Eh?"
"...Hm?"
Ah... I knew it. Here it comes.
With Sara's follow-up comment, the optimistic atmosphere in the classroom turned awkward. The two boys who started this froze with puzzled expressions.
Of course, there was no way I didn't know what Sara was going to say next.
"...Age?"
"...Isn't the marriage age sixteen?"
"...That's exactly how old we are, isn't it?"
Legally speaking, it was common knowledge that the marriageable age was eighteen for men and sixteen for women. In that sense, both Sara and the rest of us were technically old enough. However, Takanashi-kun wouldn't be able to marry until he was at least eighteen.
But regarding the timing of their marriage, it seemed like they’d already decided it would happen once he got a job and finished school.
"Hey, Satsukawa-san. At our age, we can technically get married, you know?"
"Yeah, I heard they're changing it in a few years, but for now, girls can marry at Sixteen Years Old."
They seemed to think she was talking about her own age. Of course, that was a misunderstanding, so Sara looked blankly surprised, not understanding why they were correcting her.
"Yes. I am aware of that. This is not about myself, but rather that a man cannot marry until he is Eighteen Years Old. Since Kazunari-san is still sixteen, he cannot legally marry yet."
「「「 ...................................................Huh???? 」」」
"To begin with, it has already been decided that our marriage will take place after Kazunari-san finds employment at my Father's Company, and he must graduate from university before then."
「「「 ................................................... 」」」
It had finally started. As usual, she just casually dropped an absolute bombshell of a story...
I understood that for Sara, she was simply explaining the facts. But for our classmates who knew nothing, it had come so suddenly that they had no idea what she was talking about. I'm sure they heard the words, but they were all just staring at Sara in a daze, completely unable to react.
"Therefore, I am indeed getting married, but the story about it happening right now is incorrect. It is a nuisance to have groundless stories spread around for people's amusement."
...And there it was. She’d said it all.
The classmates looked like they had been completely left behind. Conversely, Sara looked somewhat satisfied, as if she had finished her explanation.
By the way, Sara had explicitly stated the core part—that she was "getting married in the future"—but I wondered if anyone had actually processed it?
For one thing...
None of them even knew who "Kazunari-san" was (lol).
".........Eh??"
".........Ah??"
The two boys who had triggered this were completely lost for words. It was clear from their expressions—which looked like they'd been hit with a stun gun—that they couldn't even begin to process what they'd just heard.
The only reason Sara had even shared this was likely because she felt it was necessary to correct the misinformation. I was a little surprised she explained it so thoroughly, but she did say she had her reasons.
「「「 ................................................... 」」」
It wasn't just those two; the entire classroom was speechless. Everyone was standing there with their mouths hanging open, staring blankly at Sara.
Yuri and the others clearly hadn't expected the conversation to go this far either. They couldn't hide their shock, looking at each other while using fingers and silent mouthing to communicate... I mean, what were they even doing?
"Satsukawa-san!!!"
"Are you r-really... did you really promise to marry Takanashi-kun!!??"
Just as I was thinking that, Yuri suddenly sprang into action and rushed toward Sara. Looking completely captivated, she leaned over the desk and pelted her with questions.
She was obviously just asking out of pure curiosity, but Yuri didn't seem to realize that her questions were like a finishing blow to the boys.
"Yu-Yuri-san, please calm down."
"Oops, sorry, sorry! It just sounded so incredible that I couldn't help myself!"
Sara seemed surprised by the sudden approach, but she didn't treat Yuri coldly or act like it was a bother. It seemed she had truly accepted Yuri and the others as friends. Well, the truth was probably just that she was happy to be asked about Takanashi-kun.
"N-No... it's fine. What was your question?"
"Everything!! Did you really promise to marry him!? Does that mean you're in an Engagement!? When did it happen!?"
"Yes. We got engaged just the other day."
「「「 ENGAGED!!?? 」」」
Sara admitted to the engagement so easily it was almost anticlimactic.
But because she was so casual about it, it felt like our classmates conversely couldn't wrap their heads around it. Their reactions were stunned and disjointed.
"Whaaaaaaat!? W-Who proposed!? It was you, right, Satsukawa-san!?"
"No, well... Kazunari-san said... that it should be on the premise of marriage..."
Remembering that moment, Sara's cheeks turned a faint crimson as a blissful smile played on her lips.
For a devoted maiden like Sara, being proposed to by her beloved Takanashi-kun must have literally been a dream come true. She looked so truly happy that her smile could have put anyone at ease.
Except...
That smile...
To the boys watching Sara right now, that smile was basically a death sentence.
"...It's a lie, right... It's a lie...?"
"...Ha, haha, hahahaha... th-th-that's a good one."
"...No, no, no, no... Is this a dream? It has to be a dream."
"...There's no way. There's no way Satsukawa-san is already engaged."
"...Y-Yeah, that's right... It's fine... It must be a misunderstanding... It's fine."
In particular, some of the boys were starting to get hollow, glazed-over looks in their eyes. They were muttering to themselves like they were chanting a dark spell.
Eririn often did something similar when she fell into her Dark Side mode, but when boys did it, it wasn't just scary... it was honestly creepy.
"Whoaaaa!!! Takanashi-kun is the man!!!"
"B-But why did it happen so suddenly!!?? I've never heard of an engagement in high school before!!??"
"Right!!?? W-Well, they're so close it's not exactly surprising, but still!!!"
The trio, who were already obsessed with Sara's love life, were reaching a fever pitch over the shock of the engagement. Completely ignoring the rest of the class, their excitement had already hit its limit.
"There were various circumstances. I'm afraid I showed a rather pathetic side of myself, but Kazunari-san went and persuaded my father all on his own. This was the result."
"I see!! And that's how you got engaged!?"
"He went to settle things with her father alone!? Takanashi-kun has some serious guts!!"
"Fufu... Kazunari-san is a very reliable, wonderful man, after all."
For Sara, hearing Takanashi-kun being praised made her happier than being praised herself. Seeing her so genuinely happy about Yuri's compliments was almost heartwarming.
The rest of the room, however, was anything but peaceful.
"A girlfriend's father is basically the final boss for a boyfriend, right? And he went man-to-man with him..."
"I haven't talked to Takanashi-kun directly yet, but is he really that manly?"
"Yes, of course. Because..."
"Because??"
For some reason, Sara paused here for dramatic effect. I wondered what she was going to—
"...Because he is my beloved husband♪"
Oh, that smile was the final blow... for the boys.
With such a happy smile, hearing her call him her "husband" meant they had no choice but to give up. They had no choice but to accept reality.
As for the boys who witnessed this...
"IT'S A LIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Ding-dong, dang-dong.
At that exact moment, a chorus of screams, punctuated by the school bell, echoed through every single second-year classroom.