Chime...
"Welcome."
I was greeted by a shop clerk waiting near the entrance as I stepped into the building, that familiar sense of being out of place washing over me.
The shop’s interior was severed from the outside world's bustle, possessing a unique, quiet atmosphere. As I glanced around, my eyes met those of a man behind the counter in the back, who watched me with a warm smile.
"Takanashi-sama. We are honored by your visit today."
"Hello, Suzuhara-san."
Suzuhara-san immediately stepped out and gave a deep, refined bow.
Whenever I received such a courteous greeting, even though I knew I was a proper customer, I never quite knew how to react. Regardless of how many times I came here, I just couldn't get used to this.
Chime...
"?! Welcome!"
Following behind me, the person who entered next caused the clerk to catch her breath in sheer surprise. She stood there, completely mesmerized by what she saw... I understood the feeling, but wait, Miss, you’re a woman too, aren't you?
"Well, well, the Young Lady of the Satsukawa family! We are delighted to have you!"
True to his experience, Suzuhara-san didn't seem shaken in the least. Maintaining his elegant and polite demeanor, he welcomed Sara-san with a pleasant smile.
Come to think of it, I believe she mentioned before that they’d met?
"Hello. Thank you for taking care of us today."
"No, no, not at all. It is a supreme joy to have the Young Lady visit our humble shop."
His posture was incredibly humble—almost reverent—reminiscent of how he treated Nishikawa-san. Sara-san shot me a slightly troubled look in response to Suzuhara-san's extreme politeness, but unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to help.
"Oh, forgive me. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to address you as 'Ma'am' instead?"
"Hehe... I don't mind either way. However, we aren't officially married just yet."
"Hoho, you’ve got me there. As expected of the Young Lady... you brushed that aside with such grace."
"I didn't particularly mean to be clever. I am simply always conscious of the fact that I will become Kazunari-san's Wife, so I didn't think it would be a problem regardless of how I was addressed."
"...I see. I am truly impressed. To think you would speak with such conviction at your age... Between that and Takanashi-sama choosing a ring so early, it seems you both already possess a fitting level of resolve."
"That may be so. In fact, Kazunari-san has already designed his future path with his promise to my father in mind..."
What was this...? I couldn't help but feel they were making our lives sound a bit more epic than they actually were.
It was true that we were moving forward with our eyes on the future, but realistically, I didn't think we were at a point where we deserved such grand praise yet. Most of it was still just plans for the future...
Then again, I suppose there weren't many high schoolers out there already mapping out the finer details of their marriage.
"Ho... I see, I see... So that is how it is."
"Suzuhara-san?"
"No, no, it’s nothing. More importantly, Takanashi-sama, if you ever find yourself in a bind, please do not hesitate to consult me. I would be happy to listen to anything, not just matters regarding our products."
"I—I see... thank you?"
Suzuhara-san was easy to talk to and incredibly knowledgeable, so I was honestly grateful for the offer... but I wondered why he was being so kind.
Was this just part of the business?
In all honesty, I didn't think I could ever be a high-enough-spending customer to warrant this much attention...
"Oh, where are my manners... Please forgive me for being so late with my proper greetings, Young Lady. I am Suzuhara, the owner and person-in-charge of this establishment. I hope to remain in your good graces."
"The pleasure is mine. I am Sara Satsukawa."
"Thank you for your courtesy. Actually, I have spotted you several times at various parties... but I never quite had the opportunity to offer a formal greeting."
"Is that so? My apologies for the oversight."
"No, no, not at all. It is an unexpected joy to introduce myself today. Besides, at those parties, seeing the Young Lady ruthlessly turn away the young men who approached was so decisive it felt refreshing..."
"I'm not sure how to take that... but I have not a shred of interest in any man other than Kazunari-san. To me, those advances are nothing more than a nuisance."
"Hoho... for the Young Lady to go that far... Takanashi-sama, you truly are a lucky man, aren't you?"
"I agree. I believe I am the happiest man in the world."
To be loved this much by Sara-san made me exactly that. I truly believed it, and whether people thought I was being lovey-dovey or overconfident, I could declare it with my head held high.
It might have been a cheesy line, but I didn't feel a hint of embarrassment.
"Hehe... and being loved by Kazunari-san makes me the happiest woman in the world too."
"Sara-san..."
"Hohoho, I never imagined I would witness such a wonderful scene. It is a delight for me to see that the bond between you two is so rock-solid."
"Eh?"
I’d actually momentarily forgotten that Suzuhara-san was standing right in front of us... No, it was nothing.
Just as he’d said, Suzuhara-san was looking at us with a beaming, heartwarming smile.
Until now, whenever we "overdid it" like this, someone would inevitably scold us. Being welcomed so wholeheartedly was a bit disorienting.
"Takanashi-sama, Satsukawa-sama... once again, congratulations on your engagement. You have my sincere blessings."
""Congratulations!!""
Following Suzuhara-san's words—which sounded almost like a formal declaration—the shop clerks all offered their congratulations in unison with deep bows.
This was the first time I had ever received such a polite celebration regarding our engagement. I wasn't entirely sure how to respond.
"Thank you very much for your kindness."
In contrast to me, Sara-san returned a deep bow to the clerks and spoke with poised gratitude.
I see... so instead of a simple "thank you," that was how one should respond in a setting like this. I’d better take a mental note.
"...As I thought, would it be better to call you 'Ma'am' after all?"
"Hehe... feel free to do as you please. I don't mind either way. Right, Darling?"
"Eh?! I—If you're okay with it, Sara-san, then I don't mind either!?"
"Hohoho, you truly do get along splendidly. It is wonderful to see."
I felt a little like I was being left behind, but Sara-san seemed to be having fun, so I decided it wasn't a problem.
Besides, seeing her enjoy the flow of a conversation like this with someone outside our usual circle was a fresh sight. I found myself enjoying it a bit too.
"Now then, shall we move on to today's business? I assume it is regarding the ring size?"
"Yes. It seemed a bit large..."
"Understood. Then we shall take your measurements once more. And..."
Suzuhara-san wore a meaningful smirk and, for some reason, turned his gaze toward me.
"If you wouldn't mind, I would be delighted to hear the story of the day you gave her that ring."
"Ah—"
I see, so that’s what he wanted.
Indeed, it was Suzuhara-san who had advised me that I should do "that" in the first place. It was only natural for him to be curious about the outcome.
"In that case, shall I be the one to tell you?"
"Oh, that would be more than I could hope for. Then by all means, please let me hear it from the Ma'am herself."
"Um... I told you..."
"Hehe... yesterday's events are a precious memory of mine that I will never forget for as long as I live♪"
Because the topic was about me, Sara-san seemed strangely eager to talk.
Once again, I felt like I was being left in the dust...
Well... as long as she was happy, that was all that mattered to me.
Side Mayumi
"Honestly... you really are something else..."
"Ugh... I'm sorry. I'm reflecting on my actions."
He hadn't said a word in the car, but the moment we got home, Masaomi-san started his lecture.
Even I realized that I’d gone a bit too far with that stunt today... so I had no choice but to apologize sincerely.
"So... what on earth was that? I can't imagine you would commit such a reckless act without a plan."
"Mmm-hehe, I'm happy you trust me."
"Don't get carried away. Depending on your answer, I will lecture you for real, just as I promised Sara, so be prepared."
"...I'm sorry."
It had been a while since I'd seen Masaomi-san being this strict, but he was as dignified as ever... Wait, no, if I thought about stuff like that, he'd just get even angrier.
Reflect, reflect...
"Now, why did you do it? For now, I'll overlook the fact that you entered the Miss Contest itself... but it's about time you considered your age—"
"...Darling?"
"Whoa!? S—Sorry... that was a slip of the tongue."
Honestly... casually mentioning a woman's age like that, he really has no delicacy!
Even so, I think I'm young enough to be mistaken for Sara-chan's sister, you know?
By the way, my actual age is... a secret.
"...Ahem!! So, what were you trying to achieve there?"
"What I wanted to achieve... or rather, what I wanted to see... I suppose?"
"What did you want to see?"
"Sara-chan's growth."
"......I see."
"Yes. Normally, even I think there was no need to go this far. But Sara-chan only gets serious when it involves Kazunari-kun... and if she continues to do nothing but reject others and can't even manage minimum communication, what will happen later? You understand that too, don't you, Masaomi-san?"
"...That's true."
This was a very important and concerning conversation for us.
Especially if Kazunari-kun is to walk the path as Masaomi-san's successor, Sara-chan must acquire at least a minimum level of social skills.
If she were just going to be a housewife, we would have had more leeway...
"Even if I give her personal tests at home, I can't see how she acts in the real world. Besides, the Social Debut for those two is already set for the year-end party... so it's not like we have plenty of time. On that day, she'll need to greet people she barely knows while being the center of attention. Don't you think the Miss Contest was a perfect parallel to that?"
"...So you deliberately set the stage there?"
"Yes. If losing meant her life with Kazunari-kun would be interfered with, Sara-chan would undoubtedly show her true strength. And to beat me under the Miss Contest rules, she had no choice but to display a certain level of social grace even in front of a crowd. Even if she hated it in her heart..."
I didn't actually intend to force her to stop disliking others—especially men—deep down.
What she needed was only the minimum level of social skills... For example, like me, usually being a housewife while helping Masaomi-san, and appearing in public only when absolutely necessary. With that style, the required hurdle is much lower.
"I see. In other words, because Sara entered the Miss Contest, you felt it was the right timing to test her?"
"Yes. Though her entry was purely a coincidence. But since I was told I could act freely, I thought I'd go all out... you know?"
"Sigh... I suppose I'm convinced, but you still went overboard."
"Hehe... sorry. When I stood on the Miss Contest stage, I just got swept up in it♪"
It's not that I'm proud of winning three years in a row during my high school days, but remembering those times makes me so nostalgic...
I vividly remembered the day when Masaomi-kun was cheering for me from the front row.
During my victory interview, a bunch of boys confessed to me all at once... and Masaomi-kun got all worked up and angry, telling them not to spoil my victory... Mmm-hehe.
"...You're not reflecting at all, are you?"
"How rude... of course I am."
"If you say so... but your popularity back then was a nightmare. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through?"
"Mmm-hehe... those were the days. But..."
"Yeah. Today's Sara was something else entirely. The general audience's excitement seemed almost abnormal..."
"Yes. I noticed that too."
From the stage, the excitement of the general guests and students from other schools was particularly intense. They had clearly come to the Miss Contest specifically to see Sara-chan...
But...
"Well, after what they saw today, it'll be fine."
"Probably. Even from where I was watching, there were many people leaving in an uproar after finding out about the engagement."
"Mmm-hehe, Sara-chan is a dangerous woman too. But it can't be helped; she only has eyes for Kazunari-kun."
"...Come to think of it, Kazunari-kun was also being talked about by the girls. They called him cute or something..."
"Oh my, has someone already noticed Kazunari-kun's charms? Too bad, though—those are a privilege reserved only for Sara-chan and me, you know?"
It was too late to notice his good points now. He was already engaged to Sara-chan, and it was a done deal that he'd become my cute son. Besides, given his personality, there was absolutely no way he would ever do anything to make Sara-chan feel insecure... hehe.
"Sigh... you... before you talk about privileges, show a little self-restraint."
"Eh?"
"Don't 'eh' me! You know Sara won't be happy if you keep messing with Kazunari-kun unnecessarily, don't you?"
"I know. That's why I said I wouldn't mess with him 'unnecessarily' anymore, right?"
"...If you say so."
Even so, what was with that skeptical look?
I don't break my promises, you know.
In front of Sara-chan, I won't mess with Kazunari-kun unnecessarily anymore.
But Sara-chan alone will likely face various difficulties in the future... and that's when it'll be time for her mother-in-law to step in, won't it?
...Mu-hu-hu.
"Honestly... please pull yourself together. From now on, you'll have more opportunities to appear in public too."
"Yes, yes, I know. Since it's for my cute children, I'll do my part. But first... it's the formal introduction to Kazunari-kun's parents."
"Yeah. We are welcoming their precious son into the family as an adopted child, after all."
"That's right. Besides, Kazunari-kun's parents will become our relatives too..."
It might sound premature, but the Satsukawa family... we are the management family of the Sawa Group.
Naturally, a fair number of relatives are involved as officers, and since Sara-chan is the one and only direct lineage of the main house, it’s our honest wish to have Kazunari-kun's parents take on appropriate positions as well.
But there are many things we won't know until we actually meet them... though I'm certain I'll be able to get along with Fuyumi-san.
"Well, we can think about the details later. For now, it's about Kazunari-kun himself and the engagement."
"Yes. We also have to explain our family business."
This wasn't a conversation that could be finished easily, so we were set to explain the details at the formal introduction. I was sure they’d be stunned.
But they were the parents who respected Kazunari-kun's will and quickly approved even the adoption...
"Fey... even so, to think the day would come so soon when we would talk about Sara's engagement... I thought it was still far in the future."
"True. I’d braced myself for it to be quite a while away... but it's a happy miscalculation, so I welcome it with open arms!"
For Sara-chan to suddenly get a boyfriend and then already be engaged... what would I have thought if I heard that story last year? I’d definitely have said it was unbelievable and told someone to save the sleep-talking for when they were actually in bed.
"Well... it's because someone capable of perfectly covering all the bases miraculously appeared as Sara's lover... I agree that it's most welcome."
"Mmm-hehe... to think he'd win over her grandmother, and even have President Nishikawa show up—Kazunari-kun truly was extraordinary. But it's exactly because he's that kind of boy that I'm looking forward to the future."
"I feel the same. I'm truly glad the person Sara chose was Kazunari-kun."
"Oh, for you to go that far... what brought this on?"
It was old news that Masaomi-san had accepted Kazunari-kun... but I wondered what brought on this sudden praise.
"No... the other day, we had a bit of a man-to-man talk. I entrusted Sara to him once again."
"...Hehe, that's good."
"Yeah. I was able to speak from the heart, and I have no hesitation in entrusting my precious daughter to him. Kazunari-kun is undoubtedly my son."
"Masaomi-san..."
For the great Masaomi-san to say that, I was dying to know what they talked about. But since he called it a "man-to-man talk," it would be uncouth to pry... oh well, I'd just back off gracefully.
"Mmm-hehe... I'm really looking forward to what's ahead. Thanks to Kazunari-kun, Sara-chan is growing, Masaomi-san has a promising successor, and I'll have a very, very cute son♪"
"......"
"Masaomi-san?"
"No... it's nothing. I just thought you're quite invested yourself. But come to think of it, that was the case from the beginning."
"Of course. After all, he's the first boy that Sara-chan ever became close with. Besides, he's such a good boy..."
"...That's true."
I'm truly glad that Kazunari-kun became Sara-chan's beloved.
As time passed, I found myself thinking that more and more.
I'm sure many difficult things await those two from now on... but it'll be okay.
For the sake of a future where we can all laugh together, let's keep moving forward alongside them.