Chapter 37 Cohabitation, Confessions, and the Fiery Junior High Student
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The following day, after sightseeing at a national treasure castle on the way, we began the return journey. Manami’s mother met us at the station by car. I stepped out of the vehicle, saying I would visit the next day to express my gratitude properly.
On the day after returning from the trip, I first went to the pet hotel in the morning to pick up Bogie, and then took the souvenirs to Manami’s home. While there, I asked for permission to marry Manami after we graduated from high school, which was cheerfully granted.
”Hirokazu-kun, do you remember the request I made?”
”The one about not before high school graduation, right? I won’t create a baby until Manami-san graduates from university. It would be a shame to have her chasing after childcare when others are enjoying their youth, and I want to enjoy my own youth as well,” I said.
”That sets my mind at ease,” Manami’s mother said. “Manami, that’s wonderful news. You can start preparing now and even live with Hirokazu-san starting tomorrow.”
”Eh! Mum, you mean we can cohabitate?”
”Are you truly alright with this?” I asked Manami’s mother.
”Manami was going to leave me someday anyway; this is just happening sooner than planned. Besides, with the entrance exams coming up, it would be difficult for her to live alone. You can put Manami to work. However, Manami, you must come home once a week.”
The next day, Manami arrived with the bare minimum of her belongings. She said she would bring the rest of her things little by little later on.
That afternoon, Manami and I went out together to the office of Watanabe-sensei, the lawyer, to report on our visit to my mother’s hometown. There, when I informed Watanabe-sensei of my plan to marry Manami after high school graduation, the lawyer was delighted and offered to be our witness.
Before the Obon¹ festival, Tanaka Yoshimi-san sent two kimonos, in addition to the yukata² worn at the inn, and a lantern for the hatsubon³ (the first Obon after a death). The lantern was a great help as I had not considered getting one at all. I immediately called to express my gratitude. At that time, I also reported my plans to marry Manami.
Following this, Manami’s mother and Watanabe-sensei also sent lanterns.
Manami and I welcomed the hatsubon together, dressing in yukata and visiting the grave.
Speaking of which, Miyama-san had come over to study for the entrance exams just before Obon, and she had discovered we were living together. At that moment, I felt that Miyama-san’s face seemed a little clouded. When I mentioned this to Manami, she simply called me oblivious. I did not understand the meaning of her remark.
After Obon, I was scheduled to attend a three-night, four-day preparatory school cram camp for the exams. During that time, Manami was to take Bogie and return to her parents’ home. As was perhaps inevitable, the day before I departed for the camp, Manami and I shared a deep session of physical intimacy.
On the day of the camp, when I arrived at the meeting place, about thirty people were already gathered. Since the school prided itself on having a select, small number of students, the attendance was lower than I had expected.
Since I only attended the prep school once a week and always had one-on-one sessions with the head instructor, Takakura-san, I had no prior acquaintance with the other students. Thus, I was met with faces that seemed to ask, ‘Who is this person?’ but as I struggled with interacting with strangers, I did not particularly mind.
The moment the bus departed, self-introductions began. There were fourteen junior high students preparing for high school entrance exams and seventeen high school students preparing for university entrance exams. The instructors included the school director, Takakura-san, and six others, including Fujita-san, who always came to my home. Among the junior high students, a girl introduced herself as Kotoha Watanabe. Having heard from Watanabe-sensei that his daughter would be participating, I involuntarily took a second look. She was the same junior high student who had been standing near the entrance the very first time I went to the school. Her hair was longer than it had been then, and she had become a beautiful girl. For a moment, I felt our eyes had met.
During the first toilet break, I attempted to greet Kotoha-san. However, Kotoha-san said nothing and simply walked off with her friends.
”Say, Kotoha, what’s your connection to that person?”
”It seems he’s an acquaintance of Papa’s,” Kotoha said.
”Isn’t he handsome? Introduce me.”
”He’s just a little tall, that’s all. I have no connection to him,” Kotoha replied.
”Then, maybe I’ll confess to him,” the friend said.
”Do as you like.”
From behind, I could hear Kotoha-san’s irritated catch sound.
The group arrived at the camp location in less than two and a half hours. It was cool deep in the mountains, but perhaps due to poor signal conditions, I was unable to contact Manami via my smartphone to tell her I had arrived.
These four days were the most I had ever studied during the summer break. It was non-stop studying from morning until night. My strong desire not to fail the exams, knowing how hard Manami was working on the housework for me, kept my concentration sharp. The camp proved to be a highly productive and fulfilling experience.
The night before the last day of the camp included a barbecue as a form of relaxation. As I stood alone, a junior high student approached me. It was the same girl who had been with Kotoha-san during the toilet break.
”My name is Misuzu Nakamura,” she said. “If you don’t mind, could you give me your contact information?”
I hesitated, unsure of what I should do, when suddenly,
”Misuzu, what are you doing? Let’s go over there,” Kotoha-san called, approaching and taking Nakamura-san away. Nakamura-san kept looking back at me repeatedly, but I was saved from having to decide how to respond in such a situation.
After the barbecue, we set off fireworks. Watching the spectacle from a distance, I thought I would like to set off fireworks with Manami when I returned.
”Thinking about your girlfriend?”
I turned around and saw Kotoha-san standing there, with the expression of a playful prankster.
”I told Misuzu that you have a girlfriend, so you don’t have to worry about what just happened,” Kotoha said.
”Oh, thank you,” I replied.
”But for me, whether you have a girlfriend or not doesn’t matter…”
For a split second, there was a soft press sensation upon my lips.
”Don’t forget this was my first kiss.”
With those words, Kotoha-san rushed off toward her friends.
Despite that strange incident, the camp concluded successfully.
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Summary:
Hirokazu and Manami are given permission to cohabitate until they graduate and prepare for their respective exams, Watanabe-sensei offers to be a witness for their future marriage, and Hirokazu attends a cram camp where he meets Watanabe-sensei’s daughter, Kotoha, and her friend, Misuzu, leading to an unexpected encounter with Kotoha.
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Character Insight:
Hirokazu’s unwavering focus on his studies is driven by a deep sense of responsibility towards Manami, who is now managing their home. Manami’s mother’s decision to allow cohabitation is an unexpectedly pragmatic and supportive move, accelerating their domestic life. Kotoha Watanabe, introduced as a beautiful girl, immediately establishes herself as a bold and somewhat volatile character, challenging Hirokazu’s established relationship dynamic with her impulsive action.
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Behind the Scene:
The Obon period in Japan is traditionally a time when ancestors’ spirits are said to return, making the ritual of hatsubon a significant event for a newly grieving family member like Hirokazu.
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T/L:
¹ Obon: A Japanese Buddhist custom to honour the spirits of one’s ancestors, usually involving a trip back to the ancestral family home. ↩
² yukata: A casual summer kimono made of cotton or synthetic fabric. Often worn to festivals or traditional inns. ↩
³ hatsubon: The first Obon observance that occurs after the death of a family member. ↩
Notes:
• Bogie – A dog whose name is inspired by Humphrey Bogart and serves as a convenient reason for Mana and Hiro to spend time together outside.
• Watanabe – The protagonist’s guardian. He is a lawyer who is skilled at dealing with difficult people and has a history with Yabuta’s father.
• Yoshimi – Inn proprietress, wearing a kimono, demure woman. Hiro’s childhood friend’s mother.
• Takakura – The tutor recommended by the lawyer, Watanabe-sensei. Runs a prep school.
• Kotoha – Junior high school student, daughter of Watanabe-sensei. Became a beautiful girl (美少女) with longer hair than before.
• Misuzu – Junior high school student, friend of Kotoha Watanabe. Approached the protagonist to ask for contact information.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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