"I’m the one who knows best that I’m lacking in every possible way!! Sara-san tells me otherwise, but I don't think I’m a man worthy of her at all! Not in academics, not in sports, and certainly not as a man!"
My true feelings, which I had kept buried deep within me until now... were spilling out of my mouth one after another, independent of my will.
I knew that if Sara-san ever found out I felt this way, it would only make her sad, so I had vowed never to say it. I had spent my time telling myself to stop dwelling on how pathetic I was and instead focus on making even the slightest effort to improve.
"That’s why I swore to give my all to the things I can do right now without rushing! For now, I’m going to study as hard as I can and aim for the university I promised Masaomi-san I’d enter. Then, while I’m there, I’ll learn the business from Masaomi-san bit by bit, so that one day I can become a Member of Sawa. And then, one day!"
"...And one day?"
The President watched me intently as I shouted my vision for the future, showing no regard for appearances. He wasn't mocking me, nor was he looking at me with cold eyes; he simply watched as if holding his breath...
"I found a goal for my future... I want to become a man like Masaomi-san. Of course, that’s partly for Sara-san’s sake, but I seriously want to become that for my own sake too. That’s why I’m going to put everything I have into following in Masaomi-san’s footsteps and becoming the person I want to be!"
"...I see. And what about Sara?"
"Like I said before, I believe that will ultimately lead back to her. Once I’ve gotten even a little closer to my ideal self and can finally stand tall and say I’m a man worthy of Sara-san... that is when I’ll have you take back what you said earlier!"
"I see. So in the end, that also ties into loving Sara with everything you have... I understand perfectly. That was an excellent declaration of determination."
"...I’m sorry, I got a little too worked up."
The President’s reaction was so unexpected that I felt the wind leave my sails. As my composure returned, I was suddenly overcome by an intense sense of embarrassment.
In the heat of the moment, I had blurted out everything I never intended to say aloud... Ugh.
"Hahaha, no need to be shy. I felt the passion of youth, yet it was a remarkably logically sound declaration of determination. Your calm handling of things earlier was impressive, but this far exceeds it."
"Um...?"
The President was back to wearing a cheerful, amused smile, making me wonder where all the insults from earlier had gone. What was going on?
"I see, I see. So you want to become a man like Masaomi-kun. It isn’t just about trying to look good for Sara, nor are you simply drifting along with the situation like so many young people these days. You have your eyes set firmly on your own goals while working hard for Sara’s sake as well. Mm-hmm, that’s a very good answer. It’s impressive that you’ve thought that far at your age."
"Excuse me... President?"
"Ah, forgive me. I was testing you... or rather, I wanted to hear your true feelings. There was never any doubt that you and Sara share a mutual love, but your future path is a separate matter."
"...Huh?"
I couldn't believe my ears at the shocking words the President had just uttered.
Testing me...?
He was testing me? Does that mean...
"...President, if you were going to do something like that, I wish you would have told me beforehand," Masaomi-san said with a sigh.
"Hahaha, if I had told you, word might have leaked to him immediately. 'To deceive the enemy, first deceive the ally'... that’s a classic move, isn't it?"
"...Sigh. This is bad for my heart."
Judging by the conversation, it seemed Masaomi-san hadn't been informed of this either. But wait, that wasn't the point!
"Um... so does that mean I...?"
"My apologies. I wanted to hear, even if only a bit, your true thoughts on the future. I had already heard various things from Masaomi-kun, the others, and Yukie-san, but since you’re still a high school student... I thought you might just be playing along to keep your current relationship with Sara. Or perhaps..."
"I-I see... Well, at the very beginning, there was definitely a sense of being swept along by the momentum of it all..."
Especially at the very start, when Mayumi-san talked to me about the engagement over the phone, it was almost entirely momentum. I had simply made an immediate decision based on my conviction that I would never hesitate for Sara-san’s sake.
"That’s only natural. You’re still a high school student; it’s unreasonable to expect someone to have thought that far ahead. Furthermore, if you were raised in an ordinary family, you wouldn't have had the kind of awareness drilled into you that looks so far into the future."
"Ah—well, my home was relatively hands-off. They tended to respect my own will."
"I see. Well, since the result is a young man like yourself, it means your parents' policy wasn't wrong, doesn't it?"
"D-Do you think so?"
I didn't think it was that grand of a story; I felt like I had simply looked at my dad as a cautionary tale... but whatever.
"In any case, I’ve heard your true intentions. I understand well that your future path is a firm one that balances your own ideals and your devotion to Sara. Thinking that far ahead at your age is quite a feat. Moreover, you didn’t back down an inch against me. Your mental strength in suppressing your anger and responding calmly even after being so blatantly provoked is remarkable. If this had been the child of some other officer, their useless pride would have gotten in the way, and the conversation wouldn’t have made it this far."
"...What I said earlier wasn't actually that noble. I just know that I lack confidence in myself right now and that anything I say lacks weight... so until I can prove myself..."
What I had said earlier were the feelings I usually kept locked away—vows that I was still far from fulfilling.
I never intended to tell anyone—especially not Sara-san. I knew that if she found out I was thinking that way, she would be angry... and it would only make her sad.
"Hahaha, that’s exactly why I told you not to be so humble. It’s truly interesting that you understand your situation so calmly and can speak your mind so clearly without putting on airs. Moreover, you don’t seem intimidated by me at all; it seems you’ve gained a lot of experience that doesn't match your age."
"...I just think of myself as pathetic, though."
"That’s fine for now. People with empty confidence tend to get worked up and deny things, or they talk big about being able to do things they haven’t even tried. In the end, they rely entirely on those around them; if they fail, it’s everyone else’s fault, and if they succeed, it’s all thanks to them. It’s quite transparent."
"I-Is that how it is?"
He had suddenly started using rather profound phrasing. I wondered if he had some personal thoughts on the matter.
"Oh, my apologies. That was unnecessary. In any case, what’s important is confidence backed by solid ability, not shallow confidence born of pride or vanity. People like that are the ones who dodge responsibility by blaming those around them when they fail, losing all credibility. That’s why the character to calmly observe your situation and make a positive effort is necessary."
"...Yes. I agree with that."
"Having too little confidence is its own problem, but in that case, you just have to work hard to gain it. Especially once you enter society, there are countless times where you have to say you can do something even if you lack the confidence. Furthermore, in your case, you’ll need even more courage to step forward aggressively while hiding that part of yourself... but it seems you’ll be fine on that front. That declaration of determination you made to me earlier was quite something."
"Ahaha... earlier, I just got a bit heated. I think I just got stubborn."
Thinking back on my behavior, did I really talk that big to the President of a super-giant enterprise? I had just gotten worked up because he was disparaging Sara-san.
"So, President, what is the final verdict?"
Masaomi-san, who had been watching our conversation quietly until now, finally spoke up as if he were losing his patience.
"Ah, I’ve achieved my objective, so there’s no problem. I’ve seen clearly that he has his eyes set on the future and has decided to follow in your footsteps. I understand now that he isn't just being swept along by the situation because he wants to keep dating Sara. I had to confirm that first, or there would be major trouble later on."
"I believe I reported that clearly enough myself..."
"Hahaha, that’s true, but I wanted to see for myself. Besides, you wouldn't have been able to draw out his innermost thoughts. For better or worse, his mental strength doesn’t seem to match his age at all... He must have gone through some quite extraordinary experiences."
I reflexively caught my breath at his final, quiet remark.
To think he could analyze me to that extent after such a brief exchange... It was staggering how deeply he could read a person. As expected of the man who oversees one of the country's leading conglomerates.
"Haha, rest easy. I have no intention of prying into your private life. But please don’t forget that those experiences have ultimately contributed to your charm."
"Yes... thank you very much."
My past experiences were part of my charm... I had never looked at it that way, so it was a real eye-opener. I suppose that was one way of thinking about it.
"Umu, a good answer. Hahaha, as expected of Sara. She’s caught a truly interesting young man. He’s a type that was completely absent from any candidates I could have introduced. This will be something to look forward to."
"President, the expression ‘caught’ is a bit..."
"Oh, was that a slip of the tongue? It’s true that Sara is a person who couldn’t be further from such calculated motives... Though it’s precisely because of that that she has a difficult personality in a sense—she won’t even look at someone unless she truly acknowledges them."
The way the President described Sara-san while looking truly happy... his words were very much to the point. It was a sign of how well he understood her. It seemed the story about him thinking of Sara-san as his own grandchild wasn't wrong at all.
"Now then, let me introduce myself properly, Kazunari Takanashi-kun. I am Shoji Satsukawa... the man who serves, however unworthily, as the Representative Director and President of this Sawa Group."
"President, that’s..."
"It’s the truth. I am not originally of that caliber; I only took on this position as a pinch hitter in my brother’s stead. I only accepted it on the condition that when the time comes, I will hand over the position to the proper person."
"Um...?"
Just when I thought we were getting to a formal greeting, the President and Masaomi-san began a meaningful exchange, and I wasn't sure how to react. I already knew the story about the current President being a temporary appointment, but...
"Ah, forgive me. You’ve probably heard some of this, but due to those circumstances, I’m just a man who is temporarily sitting in the 'President' chair. That said, it doesn’t change the fact that I am the official President. Once again, I look forward to working with you."
"Y-Yes. I, as well, look forward to working with you. I am Kazunari Takanashi."
I quickly shook the smiling President’s offered right hand and gave a polite bow. I tripped over my words just a bit.
"Hahaha, don't be so formal. I’m going to be your relative in the future, after all. You can just call me Great-uncle comfortably. If that’s hard to say, you can even call me Uncle."
"Eh? B-But Masaomi-san calls you President..."
"In my case, there are matters of public and private distinctions," Masaomi-san explained. "For your reference, Mayumi calls the President ‘Uncle,’ and Sara calls him ‘Great-uncle.’"
"Eh? Ah, then I’ll go with Great-uncle too."
I knew I was being simple, but if Sara-san called him that, I wanted to call him that too. Besides, I didn't really have any other choice, did I?
"Hahaha, then it’s settled. Though in your case, once you join Sawa, you’ll probably need to distinguish between public and private just like Masaomi-kun..."
"Ah, that’s true. Hmm, in that case, maybe I should call you President after all..."
"Well, you can deal with that flexibly. I don't want my grandson-in-law to be standing on ceremony with me."
"I understand. Then I’ll go with Great-uncle after all."
It wasn’t as if I didn't have any inner conflict about calling the President of a major corporation that, but Sara-san did it, and the man himself had given his blessing.
"Haha. Now that the matter of names is settled... let’s start with a word of thanks."
"Thanks?"
"Yes. Regarding the Yamasaki Industries Matter, you were of great help to us."
"Ah, s-so when you said 'the matter' earlier, you meant..."
"Correct. If that scandal had spread and reached Sawa... if, by some chance, those involved here had been prosecuted, the impact would have been immeasurable. Especially since it involved harm to minors, the damage would have been severe, particularly for our international image."
"I... see."
I hadn't heard Sawa’s name mentioned in that incident, but given it was a systematic criminal organization, the fact that such a large company vanished in an instant was a massive event. And I was the one who had initiated it.
"There’s no need for you to worry about it. They reaped what they sowed. They got what they deserved."
"I know. I think myself that I did something incredible... but I don't regret it."
That was simply the conclusion reached after I did what I had to in my own way. It was the end result of that path. Since the alternative was the possibility of Sara-san being hurt because of me, I didn't regret it at all. However...
"But I did all of that for my own personal reasons. A past I wanted to forget came back, and I had no choice but to do it to finally break free. If I hadn't, it seemed like it would affect Sara-san... and everyone else around me."
In the end, it was for my own sake. While it certainly meant protecting Sara-san, the root cause was my past. If our relationship was the reason she was being targeted, then it was my responsibility to prevent it.
"That’s why there’s no reason for you to thank me."
"Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t change the fact that we were saved as a result. So no matter what you say, this is an unshakeable fact."
"Kazunari-kun, I might have said this before, but even if it was for personal reasons, the fact remains that you helped us," Masaomi-san added. "It’s only natural to say thank you for that, and there’s no reason for you to hold back."
"Masaomi-kun is right. If I were trying to give you a monetary reward as a thank-you right now and you refused, I would understand... though I suppose I’ll have to think of something else. It seems you would flatly refuse such a thing if I tried it now."
"O-Of course I would!"
I already felt like I had no right to be thanked; receiving money on top of that was out of the question! I didn't do it for that.
"...I understand. Then, I’ll accept the sentiment, at least."
"Please do. Although it’s not the sort of thing that should be settled with just sentiment, we’ll leave that for another day."
"No, um, I really don’t need anything."
"Hahaha, when you refuse that much, it makes me want to do something for you all the more. That’s just human nature. Especially since you’re the partner of my dear granddaughter..."
"Indeed," Masaomi-san said. "I haven't properly thanked him for this either. After all, he protected my precious daughter."
"Hey now, if it’s that kind of thank-you, then leave it to me. For the sake of my dear granddaughter..."
"No, no, this is my role as her father. Even if you are the President, I can’t yield on this..."
"That’s why I’m saying I’ll..."
"No, I will..."
"Um..."
Before I knew it, they seemed to have forgotten about me and started competing over who doted on Sara-san more. But it was clear the President really did love Sara-san like his own grandchild.
"Oops, forgive me. At any rate, we’ll discuss this another day... alright?"
Noticing my speechless expression, the President cleared his throat and brought the topic to a close. Well, if he was going to go that far, it would be rude to keep refusing.
"Yes. But really..."
"It’s fine. Rest assured I won’t do anything to trouble you. After all, if I did such a thing, Sara would be angry with me, wouldn’t she?"
"That’s true. If we did something to trouble Kazunari-kun, Sara would direct her anger at us, and I’m not joking," Masaomi-san said. "In fact, Mayumi has already been put in her place several times."
"Ho, for even that Mayumi to be put in her place... I look forward to the future then. Though if she’s that strong-willed, I worry he might end up under her thumb."
"Haha, I don’t think you need to worry about that. In fact, it seems Sara makes it her top priority to support Kazunari-kun."
"...Yes. Sara-san truly cares about me... so I also want to prioritize her."
Because Sara-san prioritized me over herself to the utmost degree, it was only natural for me to do the same for her.
"I see... haha, what a fresh and heartwarming story. To think a man would appear who could capture her heart to such an extent."
"Yes. I doubted my own eyes and ears at first... but once you see the two of them together, I think you’ll have no choice but to acknowledge it, President."
"I’ve acknowledged it from the start, haven’t I? After all, if he’s the only man that Sara herself found, it goes without saying that he’s no ordinary person. Not to mention the Yamasaki Industries Matter, and even Yukie-san and President Nishikawa..."
"That’s true. With all those conditions lined up, I had no choice but to wave the white flag immediately."
Masaomi-san and the President laughed together as they looked at me, seemingly enjoying themselves.
"In any case, this means the search for Sara’s partner has successfully concluded. Which means next is... finally your turn, isn't it, Masaomi-kun?"
"President?"
"From the beginning, I’ve only been a pinch hitter until you could succeed my brother. It was always decided that when the time came, I would step down. And considering external matters, we should at least resolve the situation of you holding dual roles as soon as possible."
"...President, that topic is..."
Once again, a meaningful conversation had suddenly begun between the two. Even if I knew it wasn't my place to butt in, was this even something I should be hearing?
"It’s not as if it has to be right this instant. However, once the project you’re currently working on is successfully finished and has yielded solid results..."
The President stopped there, his expression tightening.
"I intend to officially announce you... as the Next President."
He stated it clearly, with absolute certainty.