The lingering embarrassment still hadn't quite faded when I realized we had already reached the Satsukawa residence.
We passed through the gate—if it could even be called that—facing the road. All that remained was to open the Entrance, but I certainly didn't look presentable. To be honest, I was well aware of the sloppy, smitten grin I couldn't wipe off my face. If I met Mayumi-san looking like this, there was no telling what she might say.
"Fufu... until you’ve calmed down a bit more, shall I give you some 'there, there'?"
Sara-san, having apparently read my mind, made the suggestion with a playful air. The fact that she was already reaching out to pull my head toward her made it vividly clear that her words were no joke.
I mean, if someone saw us doing that right in front of the Entrance, it would be a disaster... though it was a bit late to worry about that after what we’d pulled on the street earlier.
"N-No, I’m fine... really."
"Are you sure? Holding back is... a no-no, you know?"
"I-I’m okay."
Sara-san’s gentle gaze locked onto mine, seemingly peering into my soul to read my true feelings as she always did. This was starting to feel a little dangerous.
"L-Look, Sara-san. Mayumi-san is waiting..."
"Fufu... very well."
With a wry smile that said "I suppose I'll let you off this time," Sara-san nodded, seemingly satisfied.
It wasn't that I was trying to make excuses, but if we stayed out here forever, people really would look at us strangely. I needed to get inside quickly—
Click.
Sara-san unlocked the door. She pulled the doorknob and stepped back to let me enter first... and at that very moment!
"!?"
Bloodthirst!?
"Kazunari-kun!! Welcome ba—"
"I won't let you!!"
Sara-san showed incredible reflexes against the ambush from Mayumi-san, who had clearly been lying in wait just behind the door. She lunged forward, thrusting her body in between us to form a full-body defense...
"Mugyu..."
I heard a muffled, cute groan from Mayumi-san, who had presumably crashed into Sara-san's Back.
Wait, why was I only guessing?
Because my face had been sent straight to Heaven, and my vision was pitch black, that’s why!
It had been a while since this had happened, so I had let my guard down completely...
"Geez... Sara-chan, you're so mean."
"Honestly... I can't leave an opening for a second with you. Didn't you swear during our match the other day that you wouldn't meddle with Kazunari-san unnecessarily?"
"Of course I won't meddle unnecessarily. But this is just a perfectly normal greeting from a Mother to her cute Son, you know?"
"In what way is this perfectly normal!?"
Sara-san snapped fiercely at Mayumi-san, who, as usual, showed no sign of remorse.
However, well... while I understood they were getting worked up...
Because Sara-san was pushing me back to hide me while shifting her position—likely to block Mayumi-san’s reaching hands—something soft was being pressed against my face with incredible force.
It was squishy and supple—things were becoming quite dire!
"Ehhh... but even Sara-chan gives Kazunari-kun hugs and kisses as a greeting..."
"I am the only one allowed to do that to Kazunari-san!! If you want to do it, go do it to Father!!"
"Ahn, geez, Sara-chan, you're so stingy!!"
"...Haha."
"...Kazunari-san?"
"...Kazunari-kun?"
I ended up letting out a laugh despite myself.
It wasn't that their exchange was particularly funny, or that I was enjoying this familiar scene.
"Fufu... what's the matter?"
Sara-san finally let go of my head—after giving it one final squeeze—and I slowly straightened up. When my vision finally cleared, I saw the two of them looking at me with nearly identical gentle smiles, making it very clear they were mother and daughter.
"No, I can't put it into words very well... but I guess I just felt happy."
"Happy... are you?"
"Kazunari-kun?"
"After that match during the Miss Contest, Mayumi-san was so harsh toward Sara-san at first... Even though I knew the outcome via RAIN, I was secretly worried about whether things would go back to being as friendly as they were before until I actually saw you two together. Seeing you both acting like your usual selves makes me feel relieved..."
It wasn't that I wanted Mayumi-san to continue the Physical Intimacy like she used to.
But after such a serious battle, one that had even resulted in a set of restrictions, I would have been devastated if things had become awkward between them. Even if I knew in my head that it wouldn't happen, I couldn't help but feel anxious until I saw it with my own eyes.
"Fufu... Kazunari-san, you really are..."
"...N-No, I can't take it anymore!! Kazunari-kun!!"
"Pwah!?"
With a speed unthinkable for her usual slow-paced demeanor, Mayumi-san pounced like a ferocious beast attacking its prey.
Having finally bypassed Sara-san’s iron-clad defense, I—who had let my guard down completely—had no way to resist Mayumi-san’s sudden movement.
I was captured instantly. As expected of a parent and child, my face was naturally buried in that same spot. I was enveloped by a terrifying mass that actually surpassed Sara-san’s. An ordinary man might have only felt joy in this situation, but for me, the panic was far greater!
"N-N-Na..."
"M-Mayumi-san!?"
"Honestly... when you say such cute things, Mother just can't hold back!!"
"Mugu!?"
The force pressing my face into that wicked "something" intensified until I didn't even have the breath to speak. That overwhelming presence was relentless... Wait, what exactly was I fighting against!?
"Kazunari-kun is such a good boy... You're so cute... There, there..."
"Wait, Mother!!! What are you doing!!! Let go of him this instant!!!"
From the side, Sara-san vigorously thrust her arm into the gap between me and Mayumi-san. She grabbed me and began to pull with tremendous strength.
Suddenly, my left arm was in big trouble too!
"Ahn, just a little bit more is fine. Kazunari-kun is happy to be hugged by Mother too, right?"
"Mugugu..."
Even if you asked me that, I couldn't speak while being smothered like this... and you didn't actually intend to let me answer, did you!?
"Kazunari-san is suffering! If you don't stop right now, I'm going to get seriously angry!!"
Just as Sara-san’s voice shifted into a higher gear of genuine anger, Mayumi-san’s embrace loosened slightly. Seizing the opening, I put everything I had into pulling away. With Sara-san’s strength added to my own, my face finally popped free... only to be pulled straight back into Kazunari-exclusive Heaven!!
It might have been inappropriate given the situation, but I couldn't help but feel that this—right here in Sara-san’s arms—was exactly where I belonged.
"Kazunari-san, are you all right? You're not hurt, are you?"
"I-I’m fine."
"I am so sorry... I let my guard down, of all things..."
"N-No, I let mine down too."
While stroking my head, Sara-san swapped our positions so that she was standing in front of me. She hugged me tighter than usual, a clear expression of her iron will: "I will never hand him over to you again."
"Aaaah, so Sara-chan’s is better after all. To think you’d be so quiet and obedient while being held by her... Mother is heartbroken."
"Of course. Kazunari-san’s favorite place is right here with me. Isn't that right, Kazunari-san?"
"Um... y-yes."
I felt a little conflicted as a man for nodding so honestly, but since it was the truth, I couldn't really help it. Though I did feel as though I had lost something else important in the process...
"Fufu... what a good boy♪"
Stroke, stroke...
Well... as long as Sara-san was happy, I honestly didn't care. It was my usual simple thought process.
"Shiku-shiku... Well then, Mother will go prepare the tea all by herself in her loneliness, okay?"
"Haa... fine. I’ll help you, so just go to the Kitchen already."
"Yay! Then Kazunari-kun, look forward to Mother’s tea sweets while you wait!"
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter...
For someone who said "shiku-shiku," Mayumi-san’s footsteps as she headed to the Kitchen were remarkably light. She was exactly the same as ever.
Even though I had just arrived, I already felt the mental exhaustion of someone who had just finished a long battle. But... I was truly glad they were acting as they always did.
……………… ……… …
Masaomi-san returned home a little earlier than usual. After we greeted him, Sara-san and Mayumi-san went to finish preparing Dinner, while Masaomi-san and I sat on the Sofa for Tea Time—a divide for which I felt my usual sense of apology.
Even though I knew perfectly well I’d be useless in the kitchen, I still felt like I should help out at least a little. However, both Sara-san and Mayumi-san were firm believers that "men shouldn't be in the kitchen."
"Phew..."
"Masaomi-san, are you tired?"
"A bit. Several of the new projects we started this year are showing significant progress. I’ve been on bullet business trips the last few days to inspect them."
"Bullet business trip...?"
"Think of them as long-distance day trips. Does that make more sense?"
"Ah, I see. Come to think of it, I think my Dad used to say he went to the neighboring prefecture on company business sometimes."
Though, I recalled Mom often making a fuss about him "conveniently staying overnight when he didn't have to" or "fiddling with expenses for entertainment," calling him a "delinquent employee."
"Yes. A neighboring prefecture isn't much. But when you have to use planes or helicopters, the travel alone wears you out."
"Helicopters... as in, real helicopters!?"
"That’s right. Depending on the location, that becomes an option."
"Wow... I guess our worlds are just different."
Masaomi-san in a suit, stepping briskly out of a helicopter... Yeah, just imagining it felt like a scene from a movie. My idea of a business trip stopped at the Shinkansen.
"Well, once you’re in the industry, it becomes common sense. I was taken aback myself when I first started accompanying my Father-in-law."
"Was that so?"
"Yes. My own Family Home was quite ordinary. It took me a while to get used to how things were done."
"I see. For some reason, I just assumed you were used to all that from the start, Masaomi-san."
Since I’d never seen him at work, I had just imagined that he’d always been at a high level, a "man who could get anything done" from day one.
"Ahaha. I’m glad you think so, but no one is perfect at their job from the beginning. I spent time rotating through various departments while helping my Father-in-law with his work. It took a long time before I finally started to see the big picture."
"...I see."
"Yeah. So, don't rush. Just take your time learning things. It’s a path I’ve walked too, so I believe I can provide the right support for whatever you find difficult."
"T-Thank you very much. It’s a bit early to be talking about the future, but I’ll do my best!"
Before any of that, I had to graduate high school and handle University Admission... and even before that, I had the Term-end Exam next month. Sara-san had been helping me with my studies, and I’d been attending every Class diligently, so I felt like I could do better this term than the last.
"Ah... speaking of family homes, it just reminded me—where is your family home, Masaomi-san?"
Knowing Mayumi-san’s family lived here, I realized I hadn't heard much about Masaomi-san’s side. Given that Sara-san had visited during the Summer Vacation, I knew his parents were still around... wait. Now that I thought about it, I felt like they had mentioned something about a Grave Visit for his Grandparents.
"Ah, my family home... or more accurately, my Grandparents' home. I suppose I haven't told you that story yet."
"No. I only heard that Sara-san went to your family home during Summer Vacation."
"Right. I wasn't born in this city, but in a more rural area. But because of my Father’s job transfers, we moved here when I was small. So in a sense, my family home is also in this city... but after my Grandparents passed away, my parents closed up their house and moved into my Grandparents' old home."
"I see. So, the 'current family home' is the house where your Grandparents lived?"
"Exactly. To add to that, it just so happens that one of our group companies is in that city, so my Father is currently there as a Seconded Officer from the main office."
"A Seconded Officer..."
I wasn't entirely sure what that meant in terms of status, but I understood now. The Grave Visit Sara-san mentioned was for Masaomi-san’s Grandparents—her Great-grandfather and Great-grandmother.
"Well, you’ll likely meet them soon. They’ll be coming to the year-end party, and they're quite eager to size up their precious Grandchild's future husband."
"Eh!? Size... me up!?"
What was with that ominous phrasing!? I had nothing but a bad feeling about this!
"Ahaha, don't worry too much. Even my Father can't stand up to Sara. Once they see how you two usually are, I’m sure they'll be convinced in no time."
"I-I see. Well, if you say so..."
Even as I said it, I couldn't deny the lingering shred of anxiety. But no matter what anyone said, I had no intention of backing down. So, in the end... it didn't really matter.
"And... right, I suppose it’s not exactly a side note, but have you heard about my Mother-in-law, Yukie-san?"
"Um... I’ve heard the basics. Sara-san and I were actually planning to go report to her together during the upcoming holiday."
We hadn't yet officially reported that I’d given her the Engagement Ring or that I’d made my formal Proposal, so we wanted to go talk to her soon. I’d heard quite a bit about Yukie-san from Sara-san, and I’d spoken with the woman herself, so I didn't think I was missing any vital information. As for that Shrine—which apparently was more of a memorial site for a specific figure—it wasn't actually Yukie-san’s family home, but a connection dating back to a previous generation.
"Well, you’ve met her before, and you’ll be hearing it from her directly, so it should be fine. By the way... about that 'report,' would you mind letting me hear it too? I saw the general situation at the school, but tell me exactly how it happened—"
"Now, now, let's save that talk for after the Meal. I want to hear the story from Kazunari-kun too. It’s unfair for Masaomi-san to get it all to himself."
"Oops..."
Having finished the dinner prep, Mayumi-san walked over with the light pitter-patter of her Slippers. Had she been eavesdropping?
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kazunari-san. Come, let's have our Meal while it’s hot."
"Ah, y-yes."
"Nfufu..."
Following behind her, Sara-san arrived with a peaceful smile. I was momentarily captivated by her beauty, which earned me a little giggle from Mayumi-san. But I couldn't help it—it was Sara-san’s fault for being so wonderful.
"Ahaha... yeah, this is nice."
"Yes... I think so too."
I couldn't put the feeling into words perfectly, but... with Sara-san here, and Masaomi-san and Mayumi-san here, and me being part of it all... it felt like a warm, true home. I felt as though I finally understood what Masaomi-san meant—that this warmth was exactly what he cherished.