"A-hem! Cough! ...Excuse me."
Dad let out a forced throat-clearing, seemingly trying to salvage some dignity.
Given the spectacle he’d just made, it was far too late for a little cough to fix anything... but if I pointed that out now, we’d never get anywhere. Better to just let it slide.
"So, anyway, young lady—"
"Father-in-law, please call me Sara."
"F-father..."
"Oh, for goodness' sake! Stop it already or we'll never get to the point!"
Just as Dad looked ready to start shouting again, Mom hit him with a preemptive strike.
That seemed to hold him back. He cleared his throat again, but honestly, for Dad to be this rattled... Sara-san really was a force of nature.
"Hehe... Father-in-law, did you have something you wanted to ask me?"
"A-ah. Well, forgive me if this sounds rude, but..."
"Please, ask me anything."
"Then I won't hold back... Are you really sure about my idiot son?"
"Hey, wait a minute, Dad. What's that supposed to mean!?"
"Huh? I'm just wondering why a wonderful girl like her would settle for a guy like you. Have you looked in a mirror lately?"
"What did you say!?"
I’d heard similar things plenty of times, so I wasn’t really bothered... but still, asking that right here was disrespectful to Sara-san and Masaomi-san!
"...Father-in-law, please allow me to correct you on one point. Kazunari-san is wonderful, kind, reliable, and handsome... honestly, he is such a marvelous person that he is almost too good for me. He is by no means an idiot."
"Oh..."
"Furthermore, regarding this arrangement, I am the one who would have begged for it. I have no interest in any man other than Kazunari-san, and simply being by his side makes me truly happy."
"S-so much so?"
"Yes. These are my true feelings, without a shred of falsehood. I love Kazunari-san from the bottom of my heart."
"!?"
"Sara-san..."
She spoke with such dignity and absolute conviction.
Though she appeared to be explaining it to Dad, she was actually voicing her feelings directly to me.
She always affirmed me like this. It wasn’t flattery; she truly meant it. I could feel it radiating from her gaze.
But from where I stood, Sara-san was the most wonderful woman in the world, someone so amazing she was wasted on me—
Smack!
"Ow!?"
"K-Kazunari-san!?"
For a second, I didn't understand what had happened, but Dad had just flicked my head. Hard.
Wait, wasn't this supposed to be a touching moment!?
"Ouch... What was that for, Dad!?"
"I was just acting as a proxy for the rest of the men in the world."
"What kind of logic is that!?"
"K-Kazunari-san, are you okay!?"
Sara-san hurried to my side, gently stroking the spot where Dad had hit me.
It was a small thing, but the pain receded with surprising speed. Was it just because I was head over heels for her, or was it the power of Sara-san's love? It was definitely the latter.
"Sara-san..."
"It must have hurt... There, there..."
She stroked my head over and over. It was a supreme kindness that enveloped me, healing not just the physical sting but everything inside.
Gazing into those endlessly gentle eyes while being pampered like this, my desire to just lean into her completely almost surfaced—
"...It's a 'no-no' to hold back, you know?"
"Sa-Sara-sa—waph!?"
Before I could think, Sara-san pulled my head toward her, tucking it right into her own personal heaven.
Honestly, I couldn't have been happier, though I was secretly worried about getting dirt or wrinkles on her Japanese clothing...
"Hehe... Pain, pain, fly away~"
But Sara-san didn't care about my worries at all.
Happy, joyful, concerned... and brimming with affection, she stroked my head again and again, whispering for the pain to fly away.
To an outsider, it might have looked like she was treating me like a child, but for Sara-san, it was an expression of pure love. That was why I felt so blessed and so cherished.
"O-oh... What... what are you..."
"...Ah, Sara-chan is naturally like this."
"Haaa!?"
"Sara-chan, I understand your feelings, but we can't talk like this, so please stop. A woman who makes her husband look bad in front of his parents is not a woman to be praised, you know?"
"Ugh... My apologies."
The one who spoke to Sara-san with a stern voice—totally unlike her usual self—was Mayumi-san. As I thought, she does show this distinctly strict side to Sara-san occasionally.
"I am so sorry, Kazunari-san... I just, impulsively..."
"N-no. I mean... I was happy, so..."
"Kazunari-san... Hehe, well then, we shall continue this slowly once we return home..."
"Y-yes!"
It seemed my fate to be loved—or rather, pampered—tonight was now officially sealed. Not that it wasn't a daily occurrence.
"Oh dear... I'm sorry, Kazunari-kun. Sara-chan is just..."
"Eh? No, I don't really mind..."
"Hehe... Since it can't be helped, Mother-in-law will make it up to you with loooots of—"
"Huh? Please save your sleep-talking for when you're at home. Healing Kazunari-san is a privilege granted only to me."
"Aw, how mean, Sara-chan. Mother-in-law also wants to—"
"This has absolutely nothing to do with you, Mother. Besides, didn't you promise not to stick your nose in where it doesn't belong anymore?"
"Ehh~, this isn't unnecessary. Pampering a precious son is, for a Mother-in-law..."
Uh... what should I do?
It was the same dynamic as always, but the timing was terrible.
Masaomi-san gave me an apologetic signal, so I nodded back as if to say "It's alright." The real problem was Dad and Mom. Dad, especially, was staring at the scene with his jaw practically hitting the floor.
I could already tell that his subsequent questioning would be an absolute nightmare.
"H-h-hey, now... wait a minute. Why is this... like they're fighting over Kazunari..."
"Sigh... Mayumi-san hasn't changed a bit. I wonder what she likes so much about our ordinary son."
"You say she hasn't changed... does this happen all the time!?"
"Well, I've only seen things like it a few times during parent visitation days... but Sara-chan's RAIN messages mentioned that Mayumi-san kept trying to meddle with Kazunari whenever she got the chance."
"H-how envi—Kazunari!! You’ve officially made enemies of every single girl-less guy on the planet, you hear!?"
"What’s with you all of a sudden!?"
"Shut up!! Feel... no, witness the wrath of the gods—"
"……Father-in-law?"
"Y-yes!?"
Dad, who had been spewing nonsense and had swung his right hand up with momentum, froze instantly at Sara-san’s word.
She didn't look angry; she still had a gentle smile on her face. But what was it? I felt an incredible pressure, like a seven-colored aura radiating from her.
Just looking at it made me tremble.
"I understand that Father-in-law’s actions are purely an expression of affection for Kazunari-san... but even so, please keep them in moderation. Please make sure you do not cross the line…"
"U-understood... I will be very, very careful, sir—I mean, yes!!"
"I shall count on you then…… Father-in-law?"
"Y-ye-es…"
With an expression mixed with terror and shock that he’d never even shown when being scolded by Mom, Dad nodded over and over.
Even when dealing with her father-in-law, Sara-san remained unwavering.
"That's what happens when you get carried away."
"…Wait, that intensity was incredible!?"
"…Sara-chan shows absolutely no mercy to men other than Kazunari. Since you're his father, you actually got off easy."
"A-are you serious... I guess I really can’t lay a hand on Kazunari, even as a joke."
"…If it had been any other man, you might have been killed for that one hit just now."
"H-hey now, you’re joking…… that’s a joke, right?"
"…Hmph."
It seemed that thanks to Sara-san, one of the long-standing calamities in my life had finally been neutralized.
That was one more thing I had to thank her for... wait, that's not it.
"Hehe... Well then, now that Sara-chan’s greeting is finished, shall we begin our talk in earnest?"
"Indeed. Though I'm not sure if 'safely' is the word..."
"Did you say something?"
"No! N-nothing at all!"
At Sara-san’s sharp retort, even Masaomi-san shrank back.
The fact that both fathers were no match for her was now crystal clear. Not that it was news for Masaomi-san.
"He’s definitely going to be henpecked in the future."
"I wonder. Sara-chan is a bit old-fashioned, and for some reason, she seems to place Kazunari’s position above her own. Quite the opposite of me."
"Hey now…"
I didn't really care what the dynamic was as long as I could be with Sara-san. And given her personality, I could say for certain that it wouldn't end up like Mom and Dad.
Still... she occasionally showed a devilish side that reminded me of Mayumi-san... but even so, I’d be fine.
"A-hem. Well then..."
Once the air in the room had settled, Masaomi-san regained his composure and, acting as the Master of Ceremonies, suggested we start with simple self-introductions.
By the way, I had researched the etiquette for this beforehand. Since I was becoming a "groom" for their family, Masaomi-san was taking the lead. That was why he arranged this meeting and acted as the moderator, rather than my dad.
"Once again, my name is Masaomi Satsukawa, Sara’s father. Thank you very much for traveling such a long way to join us today. I am sure there will be many points where we fall short, but I look forward to your kind favor."
Masaomi-san bowed deeply and gave a perfectly smooth, dignified greeting. He looked truly reliable—a far cry from my restless dad.
"I am Masaomi’s wife, Mayumi. Even though this was a sudden and unexpected proposal, thank you very much for accepting it so positively. We are truly grateful from the bottom of our hearts."
Next was Mayumi-san, her healing type voice as pleasant as ever. But since this was a formal greeting, she had an air of dignity about her... something that reminded me of Sara-san in her role as Student Council President.
"I am Kosei Takanashi, Kazunari’s father. I cannot find the words to thank the Satsukawa family enough for everything you have done for my son…"
Then the side switched, and Dad greeted everyone. He was unusually serious.
Usually, he was flippant or elusive, but I learned today that he was capable of a proper, adult response.
To be blunt, it was so unexpected it was a shock.
"I am Kosei’s wife, Fuyumi. Honestly, I never thought a story like something out of a drama would come into my life, so it still doesn't feel quite real…"
Finally, Mom gave her greeting. While she chose polite words, she still had her usual frank atmosphere.
It seemed her initial tension had completely vanished.
"Hehe... It's the same for us. Meeting Kazunari-kun was like a miracle for us as well... Ah, but for Sara-chan, it was destiny."
"Destiny?"
"Yes. We were two people who overcame countless layers of circumstances to find each other as the only ones who truly needed the other... Therefore, I can say with pride that this meeting was destiny and necessity."
"I feel the same way. Even before I met Sara-san... I felt like I had been searching for her all along. That's why I came to this town and met her…"
If our past circumstances had established us as the people who needed each other, then the fact that we had met—and that I had moved to this town of all places—made sense if you consider that it was all destined.
Even if people thought this was just a romanticist’s dream, we truly believed it.
"Hehe... They truly are so deeply in love. To think that Kazunari-kun has even pledged his future to Sara-chan... as a parent, nothing makes me happier. Right, Masaomi-san?"
"Yes. The person Sara finally fell for turned out to be the ideal young man for us as well. This kind of miracle—er, destiny—is something I definitely want to support with everything I have."
"Masaomi-san... Mayumi-san…"
I felt a wave of gratitude. I would make Sara-san happy, obviously, but I also wanted to live up to the expectations they had of me. Not out of obligation, but because I wanted to.
"…I see. To be honest, I thought there were quite a lot of irregular things about this arrangement, but it seems there's real weight behind it."
"Yes. I'll explain those details to you afterward. However..."
"Ah, please don't worry about that. As we discussed on the phone the other day, both my wife and I have already decided to respect Kazunari’s wishes in this matter."
"That’s right. Though we do have some concerns about whether this boy is truly good enough... after all, Sara-chan is in such high demand…"
"Mother-in-law… as I said before, I have absolutely no interest in any man other than Kazunari-san. Being only with Kazunari-san... being able to walk together by his side is my greatest happiness."
"…Yes. I knew you’d say that, Sara-chan, but I still wanted to say it. I’m sorry… and thank you."
"Yes."
At Sara-san’s words, stated clearly as a declaration, Mom gave a small nod and a joyful smile. But Dad was still staring blankly.
"Hehe... We’re still at the greeting stage, but the conversation suddenly got quite deep."
"Ha, haha, yes. Honestly, I’m just shocked that my son is being so welcomed by all of you."
"That is just how special Kazunari-kun is to us."
"Man... my son, huh…"
While responding to Masaomi-san, Dad still looked like he hadn't fully wrapped his head around it.
"Well... the mere fact that he is the first boy my precious daughter ever fell for makes him special enough to us."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes."
Even after hearing Mayumi-san’s explanation, Dad still tilted his head curiously.
"Excuse me. I have brought your drinks."
Just as the conversation hit a natural lull, the shop clerks came in carrying beer and other drinks.
The somewhat heavy atmosphere loosened up at least a little.
"Now then, let’s leave the difficult talk for later and have a toast to deepen our acquaintance."
"Oh, that’s a great idea! You can't have a meeting like this without alcohol."
"Haha... from the way you say that, it seems you enjoy your drinks quite a bit."
"No, no, I only drink socially. Surely someone in your position has many such occasions as well?"
"Actually, I try to refrain as much as possible. Besides, my daughter would get cross with me."
"Ah, I see… that must be quite tough."
As far as I knew, Masaomi-san didn't drink much. Meanwhile, Dad loved beer, even if he was limited to one can a day by his allowance.
"Don’t you go drinking too much. We still have important things to discuss."
"I know, I know, jeez."
"Masaomi-san, don't get carried away just because you’re happy, alright?"
"I-I know."
Both fathers were clearly under the thumb of their wives.
"Hehe... then Father-in-law, allow me to pour for you."
"Ohhh, why thank you…"
"Then, for Masaomi-san, I’ll…"
"Thank you, Kazunari-kun. My, this is unexpectedly pleasant."
I decided to follow Sara-san’s lead.
"That's not fair, Masaomi-san. I want Kazunari-kun to…"
"Ahaha… then I'll pour for Mayumi-san as well."
"Mother-in-law, if you would allow me to pour for you."
"Sorry, Sara-chan. Even for me."
I poured for Mayumi-san, wondering if she could handle it.
"I'm fine. I can handle a glass for the occasion. But, if Mother-in-law ends up getting drunk…"
Mayumi-san gave me a mischievous look.
"Hehe… I'd want Kazunari-kun to nurse—"
"It will be fine. I'll throw you out into the hallway so you sober up quickly."
"Sara-chan, that’s cruel!?"
Sara-san's cold retort made Mayumi-san fake-cry. Dad's face was completely melting at the sight of her, but Mom was already glaring.
"A-hem!! N-now then, shall we have a toast?"
"Indeed. Everyone, please take your glasses… To the prosperity of the Takanashi and Satsukawa families, and to celebrate the good match of our children… Cheers!!"
"Cheers!!"
Everyone joined in.
And so, this formal introduction meeting, filled with expectation, anxiety, and my own major resolution, truly began.