CH 17

“I’m sorry, Ayana, for helping me out.”

“No, no. I like doing it so please don’t mind it.”

I was sitting on the couch and Ayana and my mom were happily preparing dinner with me in the background. In the end, Ayana decided to stay at my house and came home with me. …… and then I ran into my mother, who had finished work earlier and was coming home.

It was not uncommon for Ayana to come to my house like this, but with the different atmosphere between them, Ayana’s situation was apparent to my mother, who gave her congratulations. For me , it was embarrassing, but Ayana was very happy to receive such words from my mother and ended up calling her “Mother-in-law, please take care of me from now on” or something like that. And then, my mother went wild and hugged Ayana tightly.

“Towa-kun, please wait a little longer.”

“Don’t worry. He can wait forever because it’s his beloved’s cooking, right?”

…..Like I said, stop grinning, Mom.”

I averted my gaze to the TV, where a popular comedian was performing a routine. But my attention was drawn to the photo displayed next to the TV. In the picture, there was a man and a woman, and a small boy being held by the man…that little boy was me, and the other two were my mother and father.

I could only remember fragments of my father, nothing more. It was just bits and pieces…like he wasn’t really there. Maybe it was because he was never mentioned in the game.

“….Fumu.”

I stood up and walked closer to the photo. Towa’s features resembled his father’s. Based on the timing of the photo, he was probably still in kindergarten or around that age…of course, his mother and father were much younger then.

I stared at the photo for a while, lost in thought, until Ayana called my name.

“Towa-kun? Your food is ready.”

“Oops. Got it.”

I walked over to the table, and saw an extravagant meal set out, like it was some kind of celebration.

“It’s a special day for Towa-kun and Ayana-chan. I went all out.”

“It’s not like we got married or anything, though.”

“But we will someday, right?”

“…?”

Why is Ayana able to say things like that without showing any embarrassment? …Wait, on closer inspection, her cheeks are a little red. Only Towa and Ayana were blushing, and my mother was happily squinting her eyes. What is this atmosphere?

We all sat down at the table without a word, and began the meal by putting our hands together.

“I thought nikujaga (meat and potato stew) would be a classic, but…how is it?”

“It’s just the right amount of sweetness. I like this taste.”

“Fufu, I’m glad to hear that.”

I feel happy when Ayana is happy. Not only was the nikujaga delicious, but all of the other dishes were as well.

Of course, it’s always delicious when my mother cooks, but with Ayana’s help, it’s even more delicious. …I said a lot, but the best thing is just having the person you like cook for you. That alone is enough to satisfy me.

As we enjoyed the meal and shared our thoughts with Ayana, my mother murmured something.

“I wish he could see this scene too.”

I immediately knew who “he” was. My mother had a sad expression, but there was no longer any sorrow from the past. That alone was enough to put my mind at ease. …But this might also be a good opportunity. I decided to ask my mother.

“How did Mom and Dad meet?”

“Ara?　You want to hear about it?　I don’t mind talking about it, but I’m …… a little embarrassed.”

It’s a rare expression of embarrassment on my mom’s face.

I thought I’d stop if I started to see even the slightest bit of sadness, but she seems to be getting on a little too well with the booze.

Ayana was still staring at Mom, as if she was curious. Mom, seeing both of us staring at her, said it was inevitable and then opened her mouth.

“I met that man —– Ryo-san after I got into a fight with a bunch of other guys.”

“……O-ou”

I knew Mom was an ex-Yan, but I didn’t think the subject would come up here. Ayana and I looked at each other for a moment, but quickly returned our gaze to Mom. Mom continued talking, oblivious to us.

“I remember walking with a burning cheek and trying to buy a drink from a vending machine when I met Ryo. Even though we had just met, he was concerned about a delinquent like me. No matter how many times I told him to stay away from me, he didn’t listen.”

…Mom, I don’t think someone who was concerned about you on your first meeting would say “stay away, octopus.

“….. I, you know. I was a delinquent, but I must have been a softy. I often saw Ryo-san on the street and he would talk to me, and he was very kind to me, and I fell in love with him. Then I stopped being a delinquent and started to change my attitude toward life. The teachers at school were very surprised.”

“…..I see.”

“Hey Mom….”

“Yes?”

I understand that Mom is a very strong woman precisely because we’ve always been together. Knowing that she has a past as a “Yankee” , it’s no surprise that she’s strong-willed… Ah, I see. So Mom also had a time like that. It’s hard to describe how I feel when I hear stories about Mom’s youth.

Then I guess senior year of high school,…… and that’s about when we started dating, and that’s where we are now.”

I see, I’m not going to ask …… the rest of the way. Because the rest is probably as I know it.

“It’s wonderful that you got together …… and got married …….”

“Right?　Ryo-san was a really good person. Really. …..”

Mom trailed off, looking down for a moment. It was an unfair thing to think, but why did he have to leave this woman behind?

Mom looked up from her beer and pointed to the picture I had just seen.

“Look, that’s Ryo-san. And the small one is small Towa. Isn’t this the first time you see this, Ayana?”

“Waa!　Please let me see it!”

Ayana approached the photo and looked at it as if she was observing it carefully.

Little Towa-kun, so cute. …… And this is …… Huh?”

Ayana tilted her head while looking at the photos. Ayana’s gaze is fixed on my father.

“Ayana?”

“… No, it’s nothing. Fufu, Towa-kun’s coolness is just like his father, isn’t it?”

“I know, right! He was really cool! Ryo-san was really a good person.”

“Mom? You’re looping your words, you know?”

Mom seemed to have had a bit too much beer. I decided to stop her from drinking any further and took away the can of beer she was about to open. She looked dissatisfied, but seemed to realize that she had drunk too much, so she didn’t throw a tantrum and peacefully ended dinner time.

While Mom did the dishes, I went to take a bath first. Then, while Ayana was in the bath, I cleaned up the room a bit and brought in some spare futons. As for Mom? She was already fast asleep, snoring in her own room.

“… Today was quite eventful, wasn’t it?”

Sitting on the bed, I reflected on what had happened today.

I suddenly felt sick, but then I remembered many things, and I confessed to Ayana to change her future. My feelings were conveyed, and we became real lovers, and today was really an intense day.

As I was reminiscing about today like that, Ayana came into the room.

“Fue. I feel refreshed. It felt really good.”

“Welcome back.”

“I’m home.”

She wrapped herself in the nightgown that was already there, and sat next to me. The sweet scent emitted by the girl and the fact that she had just taken a bath made her look strangely sexy, and I became conscious of it.

Knowing or not knowing that I was feeling nervous, Ayana leaned against me and put her head on my shoulder.

“I wonder if it’s okay for me to be this happy. To be able to be Towa-kun’s girlfriend.”

“I feel the same way. Having such a wonderful person like Ayana by my side, I’m really happy.”

We looked at each other and approached each other’s faces, intending to just touch and kiss. But…

“….Unn…!”

“Hm!?”

Ayana’s tongue entered my mouth.

She intertwined her tongue as if she were desperately seeking it, and I responded to her just as eagerly. After a while, we parted our faces, and silver threads stretched and broke from both of our mouths. And then, I naturally pushed Ayana’s body down.

Ayana placed her hand on my chest and guided my hand to her own chest, inviting me to feel her large and soft br*asts. I could feel the beat of her heart from within them. I became a little self-conscious and applied more pressure with my hand, causing Ayana’s body to shiver slightly.

“Towa-kun,……, please come.”

I didn’t stop when she said that.

[third person POV]

After a little while, they took a bath together and worked hard, then came back to the room and fell on the bed to show their tiredness.

Ayana let him use the bed and Towa tried to use the futon, but he could not refuse Ayana’s suggestion to sleep together.

Towa was tired and soon fell asleep. Ayana was disappointed because she wanted to talk to him a little more, but she smiled and said that it would be fine if she could see his face, which only she knew, closer to her than to anyone else.

“Towa-kun, I really like you. I’m glad I met you.”

These were Ayana’s sincere words. She could have told him even if he was awake, but now she felt like telling him softly. Ayana was happy to be with Towa, feeling his warmth and smelling his scent. One thing Ayana thought back on.

(……The person in that photo looked just like Towa. I know it’s natural because they are father and son,…… but I’ve seen that person …… who looks like Towa’s father.)

The resemblance is Towa, it’s not a matter of course.

Ayana tried to dig up her memory when she felt she had seen him in the past …… on some occasion, but unfortunately it didn’t come up.

She thought about it for a while, but in the end it didn’t come to mind, and Ayana stopped thinking about it for now.

“…..Suu……suuu”

“…… Gufu.”

Ayana leaned closer to the sleeping Towa, but he didn’t wake up. Ayana leaned in even closer, so that she could feel Towa with her whole body.

(…… I think I’m going to sleep better than usual today. I’m really happy to have someone I love by my side.)

Gradually, she becomes sleepier and sleepier. But when Ayana felt she could sleep more comfortably than usual, she followed Towa into the dream world.

Gradually, she becomes sleepier and sleepier. But when Ayana felt she could sleep more comfortably than usual, she followed Towa into the dream world.

(……Huh, come to think of it, why did my mother mention Akemi to me at that …… time? She must have met her after the accident.)

[I knew from that moment on that he was a disgusting child. With a mother like that, it’s no wonder he’s not getting a good education.]