Chapter 100
Hiiragi’s Mother — Part 3
“Eeeeeeeehhh!? You really agreed!?”
As a result of Natsumi-chan being surprised, she ended up shouted on top of her lungs yet again .
“Natsumi . How many times do I have to tell you to not shout shamefully like that?”
“Ah, yes… b-but, Mother, is it really okay…?”
“He’s your friend, right? Wouldn’t be weird of me to not trust you?”
“That is true, but…”
During the previous two or three times that I had my time leap released, Natsumi-chan in the future was the one who convinced Hiiragi Papa to let us live together . At that time, Hiiragi Mama was opposed to us . She was either using the convenient reason that a teacher and student dating was improper or the fact that I wasn’t someone chosen by her as a reason .
I came back into the past in order to change that . So, it isn’t that strange for Hiiragi Mama’s thinking to change .
“That’s great . ”
Natsumi-chan spoke in a quiet voice .
If you say it’s good, well, it is good, but… somehow, something feels off . Hiiragi Mama, who says stuff like shouting is improper, is going to allow a teacher and student to date each other . Isn’t it strange for her to entrust her precious daughter to someone she has only met for 4 maybe 5 minutes?
“Umm, is it really okay?”
“Sanadsan, if you don’t need something like that, then there’s no need to accept it, you know?”
“There’s no way that’s the case . From now on, I Ummm… want to be with her forever… She’s a wonderful woman . ”
It’s a good thing that the person herself was not present . I would probably hear to no end about my current embarrassment .
“Waaah… you really really love her…”
Even Natsumi-chan was embarrassed by my lines . Don’t say it again, it’s embarrassing .
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“To be loved is also one part of a woman’s status . Haruka has really met a good person . ”
Hiiragi Mama’s smile was one that I knew very well . It was exactly the same as Hiiragi-chan’s fake smile .
I don’t know what’s at the bottom of this, but let’s get into the real topic . s
“I heard that you were in a fight with Haruksan… Do you not desire to make up with her?”
“There’s no need . ”
I was firmly shot down . It seemed like she didn’t want to talk about it anymore .
It’s probably this . This is the weird feeling I had .
“I don’t remember raising a daughter that doesn’t listen to her parents . She can go anywhere she wants . ”
“… There’s no need to go that—”
It’s not because of me that she said okay to our relationship . It would have been fine with anyone . In other words, she doesn’t care about Hiiragi-chan .
“Thief-kun… don’t dig too deep…”
Natsumi pulled on my clothes and warned me in a small voice, but I still don’t know a thing about how Hiiragi Mama feels about Hiiragi-chan .
“She would have graduated from college and then joined the HRG company to learn about society and form connections—it’s strange for that child to go off alone . ”
“It’s not strange . What Haruksan is doing is normal . ”
“The Hiiragi family is not a normal family . ”
Dammit . Saying something so elegant .
“It almost seemed like she was going to make form a connection with the Sanjou family, and yet, she doesn’t quit her current job, she won’t do work for the HRG company, and she won’t marry the partner that we decided on—none of that will work . The selfishness that I thought would settle down as she became an adult has only grown . The Hiiragi family does not need a daughter that refuses to do what she is told . ”
“Doesn’t need”? Don’t treat my Hiiragi-chan as an object .
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I was about to snap, but even if I were to speak out, it wouldn’t help them make up .
“I don’t think that Haruksan has regretted any of the decisions that she has made for herself . However, about the things that you guys have said and she has ignored, she has at least some sort of guilt . I believe that she wants to properly talk with you guys about it . ”
“Did Haruka say that? When she returned last time, it didn’t seem that way though?”
“No, she… didn’t say it directly . ”
Hiiragi Mama raised her chin as if to tell me to look at her .
“When we brought up the marriage interview, she suddenly said that she was leaving . That would be rude to the other party, so all we could do was to “keep her from leaving . ” There wasn’t even a speck of willingness to talk in her behavior . ”
“Then, why did she come back? Isn’t it because she thinks that her current relationship with her mother isn’t right? ”
I could feel my blood rise . My voice was louder than I thought it would be . However, I couldn’t stop it .
“She probably feels a little bit bad for being rebellious towards her parents and going her own way, since she even came back today! She definitely wants to talk it out if given the opportunity . It’s scary being rejected all the time . However, if you’re always having that sort of attitude, of course, Hiiragi-chan wouldn’t have the courage!”
Just as I was about to stand up, Natsumi-chan pulled on my clothes to stop me .
“Th-thief-kun… calm down . Take deep breaths, deep breaths . Ah, how about some more tea—”
“I’m good now . Sorry . ”
“O-of course…”
Fuuu, fuuu, I could hear myself letting out a haggard breath . Before I realized it, I had somehow gotten angry .
While being surprised Hiiragi Mama continued to look at me, and after taking a slight moment, she tilted her cup .
“She’s already turned 24 . A woman that has already been touched by another person is something that no one would want . The only way for her to be of use to the Hiiragi family, is to become a wife anyway . ”
“Stop treating her like an object! She’s the daughter that you raised, right!? Thanks to you, sexual intercourse is banned until marriage… W-we haven’t done anything yet though…”
“That last part was super quiet…”
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Even in such a serious occurrence, Natsumi-chan was on the verge of snapping .
“Ummm, this is just for clarification, but I still intend to have a pure relationship…”
“Your voice is so quiet . It’s like you were a different person earlier . ”
B-be quiet .
If I just leave this be, the future would just continue on like the Cold War, with no opportunity for them to talk . Hiiragi Mama knows nothing about Hiiragi-chan at all .
I finally regained my calm .
“You as her mother might not care too much about Haruksan . However, that’s not true for her . Please try to understand and talk with her face to face . ”
As if understanding something, Hiiragi Mama gave a calm smile .
“Even if I have no control over her, it seems that if you do something about it, Haruka will somehow end up listening . ”
That might be the case, but what are you saying with a smile like that?
As I felt a chill, Natsumi-chan banged on the table .
“—If you do that, I definitely won’t allow it . It’s fine if she’s still on bad terms with Mama . It’s fine if they don’t make up . As long as Haru-chan is happy, I think that’s fine . However, if you plan on getting in the way of that, no matter who it is, I won’t forgive them . ”
“It’s just a joke . Mind your words, also, your gaze . Stop it . ”
“Yes . ”
As Hiiragi Mama turned towards me, her mouth loosened .
“You really seem to have Natsumi all under control . ”
“It’s for Haruksan’s happiness, right? Also, rather than under control, we’re friends . ”
“I’m sorry if I made you feel bad . I just meant that you are thought of quite well by others . ”
Still, it was a line with a lot of thorns in it .
“About Haruka, if Sanadsan is serious, then, of course, I won’t give any opposition . This is a decision made after proper thinking, different from before . ”
“For that, thank you very much . ”
As I bowed my head, her index finger stood up .
“I have one condition . You’re persistence, appearance, courtesy, charisma—I have taken a liking to you… At some point, you will marry into the Hiiragi family . Or maybe adoption . That is the condition for dating and marrying Haruka . ”
“Wah . That’s quite unreasonable…”
Natsumi-chan, with her eyes wide, looked at Hiiiragi Mama and me in turn .
“Ah . If it’s just that, then it’s fine . ”
“That was quick . ”
It’s not like having her as a bride meant anything to the Sanada family anyways .
Well, I’ll become a little bit like Masuo-san, and I might feel a little inferior, but if I can date Hiiragi-chan, and marry her, then that’s cheap . [1]
“It’s fine if your partner is Natsumi too you know?”
“Mother!”
With a red face, Natsumi once again hit the table and voiced protest . It was a slightly quieter voice than earlier .
Like this, without knowing if it was of merit or not, Hiiragi Mama had taken a liking to me .
TN:
Reference to The Wonderful World of Sazae-san . Masuo-san is a character from the manga and also marries into his wife’s family .