CH 17

The long-awaited Obon vacation has arrived.

Daiki was looking forward to seeing his father.

“I can’t wait to see what the day brings!”

He said, smiling to himself.

Today, his father was supposed to pick him up at the station, so he walked to the station alone.

As soon as he arrived at the station, he found his father.

He ran up to him.

“Long time no see, Dad!”

he called out to him.

“Long time no see, Daiki.

How have you been?”

He asked.

“I’ve been fine!”

Daiki replied.

He looked more kind than before.

His eyes on Daiki were different from before, and it was as if he was looking at him as his son.

That alone made Daiki happy.

Daiki got into his father’s car and headed for the ryokan where he would be staying for the day.

When he got into the car, his father said to him

“I’m sorry I couldn’t pick you up at home.

It just felt kind of awkward.”

He said.

“No problem at all!”

Daiki said.

“Thanks for saying that!”

He followed up with.

In the car, they talked about school and other things.

There was the normalcy that Daiki had hoped for, as if he cherished these casual conversations as if it made up for the time when they lived together.

It may be distorted, but the hole in his heart seems to have been filled up a little.

While having such a conversation, before Daiki knew it, they had arrived at the ryokan.

After putting the luggage in the inn, they went out to see the sights.

It was refreshing for him because he had rarely gone out alone with his father before.

It was like a fun trip for two men, touring the sights together.

In the evening, they returned to the ryokan and took a bath together.

It was a large bathroom, and Daiki was embarrassed at first to be in there with his father because he was at that age, but when he realized it, it became normal.

It seems that embarrassment is nothing if one gets used to it.

After the bath, they returned to their room.

The food was brought to the room, and it was a delicious-looking seafood dish.

The two of them enjoyed the food together.

After they finished eating, his father began to talk.

“Daiki must have heard everything…”

Daiki said

“Yes, I heard everything.”

Daiki only responded.

“I’m really sorry for everything.”

His father bowed his head and apologized.

“I had no intention of neglecting Daiki.

I was shocked when I found out that I am not related to Daiki.

…

But it doesn’t change the fact that you are my child.

…

That’s what I thought.

…

But when Daiki found out the truth, I became worried that you might not call me dad anymore, or that you might think of me as a stranger.

…

I found myself working all the time.

…

I started to avoid Daiki.

…

Unknowingly, I was hurting Daiki so that I wouldn’t have a hard time even if Daiki thought of me as a stranger.

…

If I think about it for a moment, Daiki should be the one in the most pain…

…

I’m really sorry.

…

The fact that I said I wouldn’t see Daiki until I heard what he had to say was like an insurance policy to protect myself.

…

I let Daiki choose.

…

I received a call from your mother saying that she had talked to you.

…

[For me, I have only one father, so I would appreciate it if you could be my closest uncle.]

I couldn’t stop crying when I heard that you told Togo-san that.

I want to meet Daiki and apologize to you right away.

I wanted to meet Daiki right now and hug you.

…

A father like this, but a father who is not even related to you by blood…

…

Can I be Daiki’s father…?”

Daiki answered.

“Of course!

My father has always been and will always be the only father I have!”

Daiki replied.

“Daiki! Thank you, thank you…”

He hugged Daiki, crying.

He hugged him back with a smile.

No tears are shed.

It would make him worry.

But he was happy.

When he calmed down a little, he asked the question he had been wondering about.

“Did father start to dislike mother after you found out that you are not related to me?”

And then.

“At first I only blamed your mother.

I knew what was going on before she told me.

…

But I guess we didn’t love each other in the first place.

…

You heard the story before I started going out with your mother, right?

Dad had a girlfriend, too.

…

I was in love with her, and I couldn’t stop loving her.

…

But then she suddenly disappeared…

…

It was an unexpected accident.

When I heard the news, I rushed to her place, but I couldn’t get there in time…

Yesterday she was smiling, and the next day she stopped smiling.

She was cold to the touch…

…

It was hard…

At that time…

After that, it was rough… because my goals were gone and I didn’t care about it anymore.

….

That’s when I met your mother.

She looked just like me.

…

Looking back, I used her.

…

To drown my pain, to drown my sorrow…

…

So when I heard she was pregnant, it didn’t take long for us to get married.

Then Daiki was born and I was happy.

…

But before I knew it, I started thinking about it.

…

The life with my girlfriend who is no longer with me.

…

I found myself comparing them.

I was always comparing.

There is no way I can compare with the one who is no longer here, even though it makes no sense to do so.

…

After living like that, I found out that I am not related to Daiki.

…

Your mother really thought you were my child, and every day she would get down on her knees and apologize to me.

…

I was angry at first, but then I started to think that maybe I was the one who had betrayed her.

…

I asked your mother about it.

…

She knew from the beginning that she was being compared.

She even mentioned my girlfriend’s name in my sleep.

…

I figured that in the end we were both betraying each other, that we were using each other from the beginning.

…

That doesn’t mean I forgive her, but I’m convinced that it was a mutual thing.

…

I think your mother must have suffered a lot.

She cried a lot when Daiki was not around…

She tried hard not to let Daiki see her crying.

On the other hand, I kept running away…

Running away from my lover’s death…

I ran away from your mother…

This time, I ran away from Daiki…

I’m pathetic.

…

Your mother really didn’t know what was going on, so don’t hate her.

…

I’m going to face it from now on without running away!

…

I guess I should thank your mom too!

She allowed me to be Daiki’s father!

…

I am so grateful to her for bringing you into the world!

…

Dad will never marry again.

I can’t forget my dead lover.

That’s why the only son I will ever have is and always will be

Daiki!

I wish you all the best in the future!”

He said with a smile at the end.

It made Daiki really happy.

A smile naturally overflowed onto his face.

After that, the two of them talked about various things to make up for the time they had lost so far, and ended their overnight trip by going to various places.

Without deciding when to meet again, they decided to keep in touch and build a parent-child relationship, like friends.

So they could meet whenever they wanted to.

His mother and father had also made their greetings, and had given their official approval.

They also got Togo-san’s parents to approve of their marriage, and they began to move forward with the remarriage.