CH 60

“H-hey. Souta. Won’t you get lost? See, we used to walk hand in hand, right?”

“How many years ago are you talking about? I’m also a teenager, you know. I’ll do my best to reject you this time.”

“Dear. No matter how long it’s been since Souta has seen you, he’ll hate you, you know.”

Watching Father-in-law playing with Souta kun, I almost laughed.

Because Souta kun looked puzzled, or rather……an unusual expression on his face.

And if it weren’t for the two of them–Souta kun would not have been born.

“That’s why, thank you very much. For raising Souta kun.”

Saying this thank you was one of the many things I wanted to tell them.

Then, after I heard a small laugh.

[ [You are welcome.] ]

I was a little happy after being told that. I lifted my head and saw the two of them smiling softly at me.

“But we’re the ones who should be thanking you.”

“Yeah. After meeting Nagi chan, Souta seems to be having a lot of fun. It’s like…..he’s a little cold, but he’s actually interested?”

Father-in-law smiled with a grin and lifted the edge of his mouth.

“No. It’s been the same since the day he met Nagi chan, but as soon as he entered school, he was talking about Nagi-chan–“

“D-Dad. That’s about it…..”

Souta kun stopped him in the middle of the story. But I was very interested in the rest of it.

Souta kun noticed me before that. ……No. I’m in the same train as him and I’ve been feeling his gaze for a long time.

That made me very happy. I stared at Souta kun unintentionally.

“……..”

Souta kun quickly averted his eyes.

I stared at Souta kun.

“…………”

Souta kun’s cheeks flushed and he scratched them with his fingers.

I looked at Souta kun

“……………”

Stared–

“……I-it’s not something to talk about outside. Let’s talk about it when we get back.”

“Yes !”

I made a gut-pose.

Mother-in-law and Father-in-law looked at me with warm faces, and I cleared my throat.

I was happy to see a new side of Souta kun.

As I was doing so, Mother-in-law spoke to me.

“Nagi chan. I wonder if Souta has been giving you any trouble since then?

“No. Not at all. On the contrary….he has been very helpful.”

Without him, I would not have become the person I am today. I would have created a rift within my family. Because I won’t be the person I am now.

“And I learned that the things you do to your family are not annoyances, they are worries. That’s what I was taught.”

If you keep refraining, saying, [I’m going to bother them] you will eventually end up worrying them.

That’s why I don’t hold back from my family.

“For me, Souta kun is already positioned as a family member.”

When I said that, Mother-in-law made a puzzled face.

Then, her face turned pale and she began to cry.

“You’ve met a really good girl…..as your mother, I’m so happy for you.”

“Wait, Mom !?”

Mother-in-law gently patted Souta kun’s head. Souta kun tried to run away in embarrassment, but Mother-in-law held his shoulder with her other hand to prevent him from running away.

“Dear ! It’s not fair ! Even I want to stroke Souta’s head !”

“You’ve already hugged Souta earlier, Dear !”

Sota’s head was squirming. This time Souta kun looked really embarrassed.

I wonder if Mother-in-law knew that too, and after about ten seconds, the storm subsided.

As I was smiling at the sight of him, Father-in-law looked at me and opened his mouth.

“Souta is smart and hardworking. And yet, he is kind. But for some reason, he couldn’t make friends. ……I think there is a part where he’s not good at speaking, and he is shy.”

After Father-in-law said that, Souta kun’s cheeks blushed a little.

After listening to Father-in-law’s words, I suddenly remembered something.

It was right after I met Souta kun.

[What should I talk about?]

[W-well. I guess you’re not used to it. That doesn’t mean I’m used to it either. ……Oh, yeah. Do you have any hobbies?]

At that time, Souta kun immediately talked back to me.

Maybe, though.

Thinking about when to talk to someone, what should I talk about? I think he was putting it all together in his head. Especially at that time, you probably expected me to talk to you.

…..If that’s the case, I don’t know even more. The reason why Souta kun could not make friends.

Now that I think about it, how did he get along with Makizaka san?

There are still many things I don’t know about Souta kun. But that’s okay.

I will know more about him from now on.

While concluding that, I looked at my Father-in-law. He was smiling with a very nice smile.

“Well, in other words. Thank you. For noticing Souta’s…..his goodness. I wanted to tell you. After hearing your story, Nagi chan.”

I shook my head at the words that followed.

“The feeling is mutual. ……No, if anything, I should be the one to thank him. Souta kun looked after me so much better than I did.”

Once I stopped. The three of them also stopped. I was not sure whether I should say it after I had calmed down, but I thought now was the right time to say it.

“Also. There is something I have been wanting to tell you, to Souta kun’s parents.”

I stared at Sotuta kun’s father and mother.

“Souta kun has helped me a lot.”

Thinking back. Souta kun has always helped me since the beginning.

“Souta kun is kind. I think the reason why Souta kun became such a reliable person is because of his original personality. However, I also think that the influence of being raised by the two of you was also a big factor. I felt so when I actually met him.”

“Come to think of it. I’ve been meaning to ask you some questions, too.”

“……? Yes, please ask anything.”

I returned that to Souta kun… like flowing water. Walking hand in hand with Souta kun with natural movements.

After a while, we arrived at the parking area. So we got into Souta kun’s father’s car and went home.

“…..I told you that I would go by train to a nearby place.”

“What do you take me for ! I couldn’t help but want to see Souta and the others as soon as possible! !”

“I knew you would say so.”

Souta kun let out a small sigh. That gesture was unusual. And a little funny. I smiled again.

Souta kun looked a little miffed at me. But he was not really angry.

He gently held out his hand to me and I held it. I intertwined my fingers with Souta kun’s so that I could strongly feel his body heat.

Souta kun’s slightly sulky expression on his face was also rare. It was fun to see so many of Souta kun’s unusual expressions today.

I held Souta kun’s hand and looked outside.

A sight I’ve never seen before. ……It’s a normal thing, but I had never been out of that town except for a school trip when I was a middle school student. It was a little fun.

“There are still a lot of buildings here, but nothing as interesting as over there. The closer we get to home, the less there is. It’s not as rural as it used to be.”

“I don’t usually see such scenery, so it’s fun just to see it.”

Shopping streets, individual stores, parks, and lakes. Every single one of them is fresh and new. There are some things that are the same as in the other town, but they are not the same in content.

“Fufu. Then why don’t you go to various places with Souta? Like Souta’s alma mater.”

“I want to go there !”

Souta kun’s alma mater. ……That means middle school and elementary school.

I wanted to see it. I wanted to see what kind of place he spent his life. Although it would be difficult to go inside.

“Well…..it’s fine. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it. Oh, by the way, Dad. I heard there’s a shopping mall that was built in the fall.”

“Yeah ! Yes, that’s right. It just opened. I went there once with your mother and there were so many people ! Why don’t you go play with Nagi chan?”

“Sure…….shall we go there then?”

Since my eyes met with Souta kun, I nodded.

I’m sure there will be lots and lots of fun things to do.

I want to know a lot more about Souta kun.

And we’ll get along better.

I held Souta kun’s hand and looked at him. My cheeks naturally relaxed.

Souta kun smiled softly when he saw me. I was filled with happiness.