V3Ch1: Overcoming sadness Part 3

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

---

Sharing dinner with the family, taking turns with the bath, and relaxing in the living room with drinks while watching TV.

Just like one of the family, Hikaru had blended completely into the Amo household.

“You two have work tomorrow, don't you? Isn't it about time you went to bed?”

As the night grew late, his mother asked Sho and Hikaru with concern.

“Ah—yeah, probably. Mom, you haven't finished the dishes yet, right? I'll help you!”

From that night on, Hikaru began calling Sho's parents “Dad” and “Mom.”

Of course, she had done so deliberately, but the timing had been prompted by something said at dinner.

“You know, with how much time we spend together, it feels lonely to still be called uncle and aunt. You might as well just call us Mom and Dad.”

“That's right… and who knows, maybe in the near future we'll officially be family in the registry. It wouldn't hurt to get used to being called Mom by Hikaru-chan already.”

It had only been a drunken dinner table remark, but both his parents and Hikaru seemed to be happy about it. Before long, Hikaru was naturally calling them Dad and Mom.

The only one who felt out of place was…

(Come on… what are the three of you getting so carried away with…?)

Sho alone couldn't keep up with the mood.

Meanwhile, his mother and Hikaru happily worked together on the dishes.

Watching them, his father turned to Sho.

“Why don't you just start dating her? Better yet, go ahead and marry her.”

Every year, his father said the same thing.

“How many times do I have to say this… Hikaru and I don't have that kind of relationship.”

To Sho, they were “childhood friends, like brother and sister.”

He didn't think there was any need to forcefully change that relationship.

And yet…

“Then why not? What's the problem? You don't dislike Hikaru-chan, right? If anything, you like her.”

That was the question his parents—both of them—couldn't help but ask.

They knew each other inside and out, made up quickly after fights, visited each other's homes, stayed overnight.

And both sets of parents were close.

With all that, how could Sho and Hikaru not end up together?

It was only natural for his parents to wonder.

Of course, part of it was also simple parental hope.

“…I don't dislike her.”

“You won't find a girl better than her. She's beautiful, cheerful, and most of all, she knows you better than anyone. She even understands about Saki…”

“Yeah, I know.”

Sho already knew all that.

But having someone else point it out didn't quite sit right with him.

“I'm thinking about it properly… about a lot of things.”

“Well, it's not like we're going to force you. But if it ever comes to marriage or anything like that, your mom and I would be all for it.”

His father left it at that without pressing further.

“All we want is for you and Hikaru-chan to be happy. Whoever it may be with—if you're both happy, that's enough for us.”

His father looked at Sho with gentle eyes.