Chapter 224 – The Future

Many people would like the sound of having kids when they were older. It was the childhood dream of many people to be able to grow old together with their children. However, some would realize the folly of their actions.

Children were needy entities, so you couldn't just leave them alone. A lot of new parents seemed to struggle with raising a child at first since it was a completely different thing than what they expected.

What if the child gets sick? What if the child throws a tantrum? What if the child has trouble sleeping at night?

There are an innumerable amount of problems that raising a child can bring, which is why many believe that it is the hardest occupation of all.

"I'm home!"

An older Takei opened the door to his house and announced his return from work. Although he seemed a bit exhausted from work today, there was an expectant gaze in his eyes as he awaited the little creature that would soon attack him.

"Papa!"

A little girl no older than six waddled down the stairs to go greet her father that had just returned him from work. She had the beauty of her mother with the inherited crystal-clear blue eyes and soft demeanor that she exuded. As for what she received from her father, the little girl inherited Takei's pitch-black hair and nonchalant expression.

"Marie, Papa missed you lots!" Takei cheerfully said as he hurried over to his daughter to give her a big bear hug.

Marie jumped into Takei's chest as soon as he had crouched to give her a hug. "I miss papa a lot too!"

After he had gotten married to Akari, they quickly got busy and had a daughter. Since it had been six years since then, Takei and Akari were both approaching their early 30's now.

Reaching adulthood was nice and all, but Takei didn't particularly like the back pain that came with it. Sitting at a computer desk for a long time would end up causing Takei to go home with a sore and rigid back.

He loved his job at the tech firm despite some of the minor problems he had, there was good pay and he rarely worked overtime so it was a good job for him. Thanks to him picking up a job in the tech industry, the current Tanaka household was very wealthy.

"Where's your mom?" Takei asked.

"Mama is making dinner right now!" Marie pointed towards the kitchen. "She told me to bring papa over when he got home."

Takei frowned and pretended to sob. "Oh woe is me! My beautiful wife didn't greet me when I came home. I don't think she loves me anymore..."

As if on cue, Akari popped out from the kitchen to greet Takei.

"Ara ara, you were home already? I'm sorry that I couldn't greet you since I was in the kitchen. Welcome home, Dear!"

Akari was wearing an apron while holding a ladle in one hand because she had been cooking dinner before Takei had got home. Although she was much older, Akari looked very youthful and could be easily compared to a college girl.

"Papa, I'm hungy!"

"Marie, it's not hungy. It's hungry. Hungy isn't a word," Takei chuckled.

Living the life of a family man was actually a pretty fun job that Takei enjoyed. In contrast to his past thoughts about being a house husband, Takei loved being able to take care of his family while also working full time.

Due to his role as a senior engineer, there wasn't that much he actually had to do at the company. He could always work remotely whenever he wanted, but he enjoyed the experience of going into work everyday. His day just consisted of a lot of meetings and advising for his juniors who were new to the company.

"Let's go eat dinner with mama now, shall we?" Takei suggested.

"Okay!" Marie ran around Takei and jumped onto his back. "Can you carry me to the dinner table?"

"Uh... but, it's right there? The dining room is just down the hall?"

Marie begged and pleaded with Takei. "Pwease, Papa?"

"As you wish!" Takei finally caved in.

There was no way that Takei was going to be able to handle the strength of a six-year-old's puppy eyes, so he relented and lifted her up and placed her on his back.

"Yaaaayyyy! So highhhhh!" Marie joyfully yelled out in glee.

Akari just tried her best to stifle her laughter. "Fufu, you've always been really bad at saying no to girls."

The three of them headed to the dinner table and all sat down to eat after washing their hands. Takei had taken off his coat when he got home, so he was just wearing a button-up shirt and some slacks right now. In contrast to his office-like look, Akari was wearing some homely casual loungewear that was easy to move in.

Akari had gotten a degree in fine arts after she had graduated from college, but she didn't commit to a full time job after college because she wanted to stay at home to take care of Marie. Using her fine arts degree, Akari worked a few miscellaneous remote jobs from home that required her to fully utilize her degree. The jobs that she did were on a commission based system, which was good since she wanted a good balance between being a mother and a worker.

"I guess my dreams of becoming a housewife did come true," Akari randomly mentioned during dinner.

Takei put down his chopsticks to listen to Akari. "What made you think of that? That was a bit sudden."

"I just remembered all the dreams that I had when I was in high school," Akari explained. "Most of them were just dreams of me being a housewife that welcomes her tired husband home from a long day of work, but they were very precious to me. I always tried my best to imagine what an older Takei would look like, but now I don't have to imagine, do I?"

"Nope, you don't. Because I'm right here. Next to you as always," Takei smiled as he reached over the table to ruffle Akari's hair.

"I'm here too!" Marie spoke up to join the fun.

Seeing the warm family in front of her, Akari couldn't help but shed a tear or two. This was the ideal family scenario that she had been wanting to see for so long.

"Yes, you're here too. Takei and Marie, I'm so happy to be able to have you two in my life," Akari cheerfully smiled.

Marie left her seat to hug Akari. "I love you too, Mama!"

"As do I. Takei Tanaka loves Akari Tanaka, now and forever. My heart belongs to you and only you," Takei stated.

Seeing such a warm scene unfold in front of his eyes, Takei realized that he had finally reached his goal. He had finally gotten married to the woman that he loved and was able to have a healthy child with her. There was nothing else that he could want or ask for. All Takei wanted was a future that was sculpted by his hands, and now he had finally gotten it.

Despite having reached his goals, he knew that there would likely be obstacles further ahead on his path of life.

Takei knew that there were no absolutes in life. Even something guaranteed at 100 percent was surely not going to be 100 percent all the time. He knew that the only absolute in life was that there are no absolutes.

However, that was a lie. Takei actually knew that there were two absolutes in life. The first one that he had just explained, and...

Takei Tanaka loves Akari Akazawa.

That was the other absolute in life.

—

The ending is tomorrow, so be ready~

Serious-san: Oh no... What's going to happen to us?

Sugar-chan: Are we going to die?!

Author-san: ...Of course not.

Serious-san: What's with that pause?!