Volume 1 Chapter 19

Volume 1 + Chapter 19: Meeting The Parents

Teacher Shimizu walked into the kitchen to prepare the meal, leaving the game male lead and me in the living room with complicated expressions.

[…Watanabe-san, you’re still as amazing as ever.]

The game male lead said this. His expression was only complicated at the very beginning. He then adjusted his emotions well, and in the end, only genuine admiration remained.

The male leads of dating games are, for the most part, characters with very good personalities.

Aside from a few special exceptions, the view that dating game male leads are essentially good people is not wrong.

And this guy, I could even say that among good-guy male leads, he qualifies as an exceptionally good person.

He possesses elegant and handsome features, with a slender ponytail tied at the nape of his neck that reaches all the way down to his waist.

His cherry-blossom red hair color resembles that of sakura petals, yet it is deeper and richer than cherry blossom pink.

One might think such a color would look incongruous, but it matches the male lead’s【Spirit】color perfectly, leaving no thought other than “beautiful.”

A personality of a great good person, with a prince-like appearance.

He is the type that girls like very much, complemented by his unique talents and reputation.

He is the ideal candidate for a romantic partner, as well as a marriage partner, in the hearts of girls.

A male lead with such a high configuration will surely make those heroine characters with “blinded eyes” see the light once more.

And make those heroines who mistook fish eyes for pearls realize their mistakes.

The more I thought about it, the softer my gaze toward the male lead became.

[Horikita-san, could you please interact more with Hina from now on?]

I suggested this.

[Huh? …Why?]

The male lead was a bit confused by my sudden request.

[Because Hina has a disease that only you can cure.]

My gaze grew even softer as I looked at the male lead and said this.

[A disease? Is it serious?]

Hearing me say this, the male lead asked with concern.

[It is somewhat serious, because isn’t Hina usually silent and withdrawn? Adding to that the fact that she just had surgery and must recuperate at home, she was already very quiet, and due to loneliness, it would be bad if she developed depression.]

[Even though Yuna is there, Yuna is family, which is different from the effect of us visiting her. Also, because I will be studying with Teacher Shimizu, I won’t be able to visit Hina for a long time. So I want to ask Horikita-san to visit Hina often and talk with her more.]

With wide eyes, I began to speak earnest nonsense.

After appropriately showing hesitation and worry, I watched the increasingly determined expression on the male lead’s face.

Then I knew, this was a done deal.

[Alright! Watanabe-san, leave it to me! I will definitely go talk to Hina every day!]

The male lead, now ignited with a sense of mission, looked to me like a divine child glowing with holy light.

[I’m counting on you, Horikita-san!]

[Ah, leave it to me!]

The male lead, full of manly spirit, made a fist, tapped it against his own chest, and gave me his promise.

Yes, I really am counting on you.

Please, by all means, dazzle that girl Hina until she’s utterly bewitched.

[You two get along so well.]

Teacher Shimizu came out carrying dishes, and seeing our harmonious conversation, she showed a faint smile.

[Teacher Shimizu, let me help too.]

[Ah, Teacher. I’ll go as well.]

In the kitchen, I served the rice, and the male lead carried the rice bowls out.

After also ladling out the remaining soup, I carried the two soup bowls out as well.

Then, together with Teacher Shimizu and the male lead, I ate a very harmonious dinner.

After the meal, Teacher Shimizu discussed serious matters with me.

[If Yuu doesn’t mind, I would like to go to your home together with you a little later.]

[Teacher Shimizu, please wait a moment. I need to let my parents know. They’ve been so busy lately that they haven’t come home.]

[Alright.]

Teacher Shimizu nodded. I took out my phone and called.

[Dee… dee… dee… Hello? Yuu-yuu? Why the call?]

[Dad, Teacher Shimizu wants to meet you tonight. Can you come back this evening?]

[Teacher Shimizu?]

[Yes. Is that convenient?]

Even though I heard the doubt in my father’s voice, I didn’t explain further.

[Ah… ah, yes! We’re free! We’re free! You bring the teacher over, and we’ll come back right away.]

Even though my father didn’t know who Teacher Shimizu was, as long as it was my request, he and my mother never refused.

[Okay, Dad. Please be careful on the road with Mom.]

Leaving these words of concern, I hung up.

[Are your parents available?] Teacher Shimizu asked.

[They are, Teacher Shimizu.]

I showed a cute smile and made an OK gesture.

[Good. Tomoya, get ready. After I drop you off at home, I’ll go to Yuu’s house.]

Teacher Shimizu put on her coat and moved very briskly.

Since I hadn’t brought anything and only needed to take myself, I followed Teacher Shimizu’s pace and put on my shoes in the large entryway.

But the male lead, having just returned from abroad and still needing to load his luggage into the car, had a hard time.

Teacher Shimizu, who had no intention of helping at all, showed a sly smile. Standing by the car, she cheerfully watched the male lead, who wore a pained expression, struggled to lift his suitcase, and gritted his teeth as he loaded it into the vehicle.

After finally getting the luggage in the car, the young male lead, still lacking in strength, caught his breath and then got into the car.

Sitting in the passenger seat, I laughed together with Teacher Shimizu, who was also smiling as she glanced over.

After dropping the male lead off at his home, Teacher Shimizu used the navigation system to navigate to our destination.

Along the way, I only had to point the way a little, and we arrived at the front door.

Seeing that the house was still dark, it seemed my parents still needed some time.

I took out my keys to open the door, picked up the remote control to turn on the lights in the room, then crouched down and took out new slippers for guests at the entryway.

[Teacher Shimizu, would you like milk or plain boiled water?]

I asked as I walked into the kitchen connected to the living room.

[Milk is fine.]

[Okay.]

I took out the milk from the refrigerator, poured it into a pot to warm it up, then poured the warm milk into prepared mugs.

I carried the two mugs of milk out. As soon as I stepped out, I saw Teacher Shimizu in the living room, looking at the certificates of merit inside a glass cabinet and the books placed there.

[Teacher Shimizu, here you go.]

[Good, thank you, Yuu.]

Taking the milk, Teacher Shimizu sipped it slowly. Her eyes did not move away from the entire cabinet full of books.

[Did You buy all of these?] Teacher Shimizu put down her milk and asked.

[Yes, I did.]

[How impressive.]

The murmured words were soft, but I heard them clearly. Without saying anything, I stood with Teacher Shimizu for a while.

[Won’t you sit down, Teacher Shimizu?]

Thinking that standing like this wasn’t a solution, I spoke up.

[I would like to take a look at Yuu’s childhood photos. Is that okay?]

For some reason, Teacher Shimizu suddenly made the request to see pictures of me as a child.

Saying this, Teacher Shimizu showed a sweet smile, unlike her previous image, like that of a young girl. I nodded in puzzlement, went to the photo cabinet, and took out several stacks of photo albums.

I carried the photo albums and placed them on the living room table. Teacher Shimizu cooperatively sat down on the sofa and began looking through one album.

I, on the other hand, went back into the kitchen to cut up some fruit platter for Teacher Shimizu to eat.

After preparing the fruit platter and placing two forks on it, I carried it out and put it on the table.

Watching Teacher Shimizu’s persistent smile, she seemed to be very happy.

I couldn’t understand what made her so happy about looking at my childhood photos.

After all, they weren’t photos of parents or important people, just pictures of a newly accepted student as a child.

Why would she be happy?

I glanced at Teacher Shimizu with puzzlement, then walked over to the beanbag sofa near the balcony and picked up the book I had been reading this morning.

Returning to the sofa area, I sat down next to Teacher Shimizu and began reading. I noticed along the way that while looking at the photo album, she also remembered to eat the fruit.

So I relaxed a little and read my book with peace of mind.

I don’t know how long passed, but finally the sound of a car parking came from outside.

Then came clattering noises and my father’s anxious shouting.

[Yuu-yuu!!!! Teacher Shimizu hasn’t… left… has she…?]

My father, who nearly fell and had a hairstyle as messy as if ravaged by a strong wind, steadied his steps and finally saw Teacher Shimizu sitting on the sofa.

Then, my mother, with hair like a bird’s nest on her head, also came in panting and leaning against the wall. After they looked at each other, there was an awkward silence.

[……….]

My mother, her face red, silently hid behind the sofa near the door.

My father, with a stiff face and moving his arms and legs unnaturally (left arm with left leg), took out his winter hat from the small living room cabinet and put it on.

And Teacher Shimizu was trying very hard to suppress her laughter.

[Oh dear… you really saw an embarrassing side of us.]

[Our daughter is in your care.]

My father, putting on his hat and forcibly acting as if nothing had happened, spoke with Teacher Shimizu.

Meanwhile, I found a comb and walked over to my mother, who was hiding behind the sofa.

Feeling too ashamed to show her face, my mother sobbed with a pitiful and helpless back.

I helplessly crouched down and gently combed the “bird’s nest” on her head.

I didn’t know why her hair had turned into that style, but knowing that my parents had rushed back very hard for my sake was enough.

[Ah, ah, yes, no problem. Thank you for taking such considerate care of our daughter.]

[Mhm, mhm, please don’t say that. The fact that Yuu can become your student is something we feel very proud and honored about.]

After learning that Teacher Shimizu was a【Spirit Envoy】, my father’s voice suddenly became synthetic-sounding, very formal and mechanical in its response.

Meanwhile, his eyes were extraordinarily restless, darting back and forth like a sieve, shaking from the【Spirit Envoy】 badge and certificate on the table, then shaking to Teacher Shimizu’s face.

Truly, a pair of very busy eyes.

Sensing that my father might not hold up much longer, he was already showing signs of rolling his eyes, I immediately pulled my now-tidied mother over to my father’s side.

But with my mother by his side, my father regained his composure and held on again.

He looked at Teacher Shimizu with determined eyes, showing none of the eye-rolling expressions from before.

[Alright, then starting tomorrow, Yuu will be staying at my place for one month.]

Having reached a conclusion, Teacher Shimizu also realized how much her presence had shocked my parents.

She promptly gathered up the items on the table and briskly stood up to take her leave.

Seeing Teacher Shimizu’s movement, I immediately followed behind her to see her out.

[See you tomorrow, Yuu.]

Before getting into the car, Teacher Shimizu patted my hair.

After saying this with a smile, she waved goodbye to me and drove away.

After I returned inside, my father had gone as soft as a shrimp, sprawled limply across my mother’s lap.

And my mother was soothing her startled husband, gently stroking his hair with her hand.

Knowing my father still needed time to recover, I sat across from them and continued reading my book.

Along the way, I placed the remaining half of the fruit platter in the middle and handed the fork to my mother. And so I read while eating fruit.

My mother, meanwhile, ate fruit while stroking my father’s head.

By the time the fruit was almost finished, my father had also recovered. Looking like he had aged several years, he sat up.

[Yuu-yuu, have you really decided to become a【Spirit Envoy】in the future?]

This is a question that other families would never ask their own child, but my father asked it with clear understanding.

Perhaps he had noticed my previously ordinary plans.

I had understood my parents’ gentleness from long ago, and I felt the muscles of my entire face soften.

With a very candid attitude, I looked into my father’s eyes.

[I want our family to always be as happy as we are right now. That’s enough.]

My smile seemed to dissolve my father’s worries, and his tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.

[That’s right… Yuu-yuu has always been helping Mom and Dad, from the past until now.]

My father said this with a gentle smile, but halfway through, tears spilled from the corners of his eyes.

Wiping his tears clumsily with his sleeve, my father quickly turned his head around and hugged my mother, not wanting to show his face.

My father made no sound of crying, I could only see his body trembling.

Understanding each other, respecting each other’s thoughts.

That is what family is, isn’t it?

[https://ko-fi.com/golden_dragon]