Having Had My Bride Stolen, I Just Want to Live Peacefully - Chapter 19

“Good morning, brother-in-law.”

“Yes, good morning.”

As usual, we greet each other through the intercom.

But today’s Nene-chan seemed somewhat less cheerful.

“Please excuse me for intrusion.”

“Go ahead.”

I think it’s different from usual.

Maybe she’s not in a good mood because she was sullen on her way home yesterday.

Still, why does she deliver bento like this?

“I’m afraid Nene-chan is not doing well. Are you all right?”

“…Let me charge.”

She doesn’t answer my question.

Did I really make her angry?

But I don’t know.

I decided to do Nene-chan’s favor, as it seemed to go in the wrong direction to pursue her here.

When it comes to charging, it’s her smartphone.

“If you need a smartphone charger, it’s over there, so you can use it freely.”

“Thank you.”

Nene-chan headed straight to the charger and came back with the cord plugged into her smartphone.

I set out the bento that was given to me on the table.

“Thank you for the meal.”

The main side dish of the bento was the saikyo-yaki^[1]Saikyo-yaki is a fish slice pickled overnight in white miso, then grilled. of sawara.

It was carefully made today too, and I could feel the warmth from it, and it was delicious.

However, I felt that there were not many conversations today.

Neither I nor Nene-chan are very talkative, but it’s very quiet.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Thank you very much.”

This is also becoming a familiar exchange.

After a little silence, Nene-chan opens her mouth.

“Do you have a moment, brother-in-law?”

Is it finally here?

I was prepared to get in trouble, but the words that followed were unexpected.

“I’d like to borrow your necktie.”

“A necktie?”

Nene-chan nods.

Now that I look closely, there is no ribbon that she usually wears, and her neck is clean.

She must have decided that she didn’t have a ribbon, so she was going to replace it with my tie.

Was she depressed by any chance because she left something behind?

I’m glad she’s not in a bad mood.

“I have a necktie. But it’s not a school designation, is it okay?”

“Yes, any necktie. But if you have a high school necktie, that would be better.”

“All right, I’ll look for it.”

In order to encourage Nene-chan, who is depressed, I head to look for it.

It’s probably sleeping in a cardboard box at the back of the closet.

“Nene-chan, wait a minute. Here it is, Amagamine High School’s necktie.”

“Ah, did you really have it?”

“Yes, I’ve always been a good man of things. I don’t throw it away so easily.”

“That’s a very good thing. Thank you for looking for it, brother-in-law.”

“You’re welcome.”

As I spoke, I handed over the necktie.

Nene-chan’s face brightens.

Nene-chan leaves her seat and stands in front of the mirror.

She tried to tie her necktie around her neck, but she couldn’t tie it properly.

I see. Has she ever worn a necktie that’s a ribbon?

“It’s not going to work out very well from before.”

She couldn’t see it, so I went up to Nene-chan’s side and borrowed the tie.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Then I stoop a little in front of Nene-chan.

Our eyes are almost at eye level.

Since she’s a high school student, I think plain knots are fine.

I tie the tie with a familiar hand.

“Okay, it’s done.”

A task that has been repeated over and over again.

Some people don’t like neckties because they’re too formal, but I like them more than I expected.

Yes, the dimples are beautiful and it’s perfect.

“What do you think? Isn’t it painful?”

“…It’s painful.”

When I looked up at Nene-chan, her face turned red.

I hurriedly loosened the tie.

Nene-chan was holding her chest and taking a deep breath slowly.

It’s strange, I don’t mean to tighten it so tight.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it.”

After that, Nene-chan repeatedly touched and checked the tie that had been tied while looking in the mirror.

It’s almost time, so I’ll see her off at the front door.

“Right. Is your phone fully charged now?”

“Yes, it’s full.”

It was Nene-chan who answered cheerfully with a small peace sign.

◇◆◇

Amagamine High School.

“Ah, Fujisaki-san. Wait a minute!”

On the way to the mobile class, Nene is stopped by her homeroom teacher, Kohinata Yuki.

“Do you need anything, Kohinata-sensei?”

“No, I have nothing particular to do. I just wanted to apologize for interrupting you all of a sudden yesterday.”

Yuki bowed her head slightly.

“You don’t have to apologize. I’m not angry at all that you cut into my precious time.”

“You’re absolutely mad, aren’t you!?”

Nene had a low blood pressure look on her face, but Yuki couldn’t help feeling a thorn behind her words.

“Whoa, Fujisaki-san and Kohinata-sensei are talking. Fujisaki-san looks older than her.”

“There is no doubt about it. But Kohinata-sensei, though she is short. She’s a grown-up, isn’t she?”

“Certainly. A young girl with huge breasts? I’ve never seen it in my life.”

A male student watching the scene from a distance was whispering dirty talk.

Both of them were often mentioned in school topics.

“I’m not really angry, so it’s okay.”

“You must have been mad!? I’m sorry about that!”

Yuki apologized again and seemed to have finished talking.

“Ah, Fujisaki-san, it’s unusual for her to wear a tie today.”

Yuki realizes that Nene is different from usual.

Yuki was a good teacher who was still new as a teacher but cared more about students than anyone else.

Her appearance, character, and single-minded attitude are popular with students and parents.

And even though Amagamine High School has standard clothes, it is basically free.

Even though they are free, there are not many students who go to school in plain clothes, and most of them show their individuality with ribbons and socks on standard clothes.

Among them, Nene always wore a ribbon in standard clothes.

But she’s wearing a tie today, so it stands out a little bit.

“Is that so?”

“It’s usually a ribbon, isn’t it? …That’s it! It’s an old uniform tie from Amagamine High School!”

The liberalization of clothing was implemented in recent years.

That’s why the pattern is familiar and memorable to the graduates.

“Fujisaki-san, where did you…?”

“Well, where?”

Nene smiles invincibly.

“N-no way!! Ichinose-sensei!?”

“Kohinata-sensei, you’re being too loud.”

“I-I’m sorry!”

Yuki apologizes, and her breast shakes every time.

“What Kohinata-sensei said was correct. And he tied it up for me this morning.”

Nene talks, touching her tie as if it were okay.

“M-m-m-morning!? I was wondering what kind of relationship Fujisaki-san has with Ichinose-sensei―”

“I have to go now, so please excuse me.”

“Ah, wait a minute!”

Nene had finished the conversation and headed to her destination.

Yuki thinks by herself while looking at her back.

“Hmm, I’m curious. Is it possible that the two of them have an unusual relationship? But yesterday, Ichinose-sensei was called brother. What’s going on? The more I think about it, the less I understand it. Even so, I envy you too much to have your tie tied…”

It was a strategy of expanding the interpretation of the other party by giving less information.

Yuki, who had been thinking for a while, came back to herself with the sound of the school bell.

“Yikes! I have to go to class too!”

Thus the little counterattack of Nene ended with victory.