Having Had My Bride Stolen, I Just Want to Live Peacefully - Chapter 3

“Arata is a good child.”

“Mom, trully?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

I felt a soft stroke on my head.

That hand is warm and very comforting.

It makes me feel fluffy and happy.

“Am I not the child you don’t need?”

A complex face appeared on my mother’s face for a moment, but soon disappeared, and she hugged me with a loving smile.

“You’re not a child I don’t need, but Arata is my proud son.”

“I’m so happy! I’ll be a better child!”

This is a happy memory from my childhood.

But my mother is no longer here.

I have to wake up from this dream.

―Arata-san… Good, good. Good boy, good boy.

“Ugh… Huh?”

I slowly open my eyelids.

My vision was still misty, but I seemed to have woken up from the dream.

“Ahh!!”

There was a loud bang.

“What! What happened?!”

I sat up and looked around.

As I gradually cleared my view, I could see Nene-chan wearing my clothes and holding her head under a high table.

“Ouch…”

Why is Nene-chan here?

Why is she wearing my clothes?

“…Is this a dream?”

I drew my face close as if to make sure.

Big, beautiful eyes and thin, elegant lips.

I put my hand on her cheek and it’s a little cool and soft.

This is such a realistic dream.

“Good morning, brother-in-law…”

“Yes, good morning.”

Haa, I think I was told the same thing just recently.

I try to remember.

Well, I was robbed of my bride, and I had a terrible experience, and I could not get to sleep in the morning, and Nene-chan came to my house, and after that…

As I think about it, I realize that the temperature of my hands is only rising.

Ah. This isn’t a dream… It’s reality?

“I-I’m sorry!”

After knowing what I was doing, I hurriedly let go of my hand and distanced myself from Nene-chan.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. I know you’re just half asleep.”

“No, I’ve done something really bad. I’m sorry.”

What have I done?

I’m glad Nene-chan forgave me.

It’s a crime for an old man to touch a high school girl.

“But brother-in-law, do you remember what happened?”

Nene-chan peeps into my face anxiously.

“What happened?”

Was it before I woke up?

“I remember eating the bento and thinking about how to dry your school uniform.”

“I-I see. That’s all you remembered.”

Nene-chan looked somewhat relieved.

She’s a kind girl who’s worried that my memory might be confused.

Once again, I looked around to check the situation and found pillows and blankets at my feet.

Nene-chan, who noticed my gaze, explained it.

“I couldn’t carry brother-in-law because you were too big, so I brought the pillow and the blanket from the bedroom. I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Don’t worry about it. Thank you very much for preparing it for me.”

So that means…

“Did I fall asleep?”

“Yes, that’s right. I was surprised when you suddenly fell.”

But she said that she was relieved that I was snoring right away with a soft smile.

I almost fell in love with her mature expression, but that’s not the time.

“What time is it!?”

“Hmm, it’s twelve o’clock in the afternoon?”

“W-what about school…?”

“I can’t leave brother-in-law alone.”

What are you talking about? Nene-chan said, with a face that seemed to want to be said as if it were a matter of course.

“Yes, I know… I’m so sorry. Because of me.”

“It’s all right. Nene’s such a bad child. Nobody will say anything if I skip school.”

That doesn’t sound right, I don’t think it’s a follow-up.

However, there is one thing that bothers me about what she said earlier.

“No, Nene-chan is not a bad child. You took charge of mother-in-law’s errand, came all the way here, and looked after me until I woke up. Nene-chan is a good child.”

“Hm…”

Nene-chan clenched her lips and stared at me.

Did I possibly make her angry?

Calling her a good child, but I treated her like a child.

“I’m sorry for saying such a strange thing all of a sudden.”

“Huh, why are you apologizing?”

“I thought I offended you because I treated you like a good child.”

“Jeez, you’re overthinking. But brother-in-law has been apologizing for a while.”

Hehe. Nene-chan laughs merrily.

Why is she laughing?

It’s hard to be an old guy.

After laughing for a while, Nene-chan takes a seat at the table and turns around with a serious face.

Nene-chan clapped her hands across the table, and I sat down to be urged by it.

Ah, am I being treated more like a child? Is it just my imagination?

I was just thinking about it when I was approached.

“By any chance, haven’t you slept a wink since then?”

“Um, w-well…”

“It’s only natural that something like that just happened… I’m sorry.”

“Nene-chan shouldn’t apologize.”

“No, it’s only natural for the relatives to apologize if someone in their family does something wrong.”

Is that so.

Unfortunately, I’m not close to my family, so I don’t really understand that feeling.

I am responsible for everything I have done.

“But why did I fall asleep all of a sudden?”

I say, perhaps, prefacing my explanation.

“I continuously prepare for the ceremony through repeated consecutive shifts and overtime. It finally happened at that point, and I was in a situation where I had not been at rest for a long time.”

Nene-chan is listening without saying anything.

Her nod from time to time feels pleasant.

“When I ate that bento, it was so delicious and warm, and I felt like I was going to fall asleep and all the tension caught up with me.”

“I see. That bento meant that much…”

“Ah, it is no exaggeration to say that the meticulous work of the maker was the best and that it was the most delicious food I had ever eaten. So.”

―Thank you.

“I’d appreciate it if you could tell mother-in-law that I was very grateful.”

“O-okay. I’ll let her know.”

Oops, did you talk too much?

Nene-chan, who had been listening straight up until a while ago, turned away.

“I must go to school soon. I can still make it in time for the fifth period.”

Then Nene-chan got up and headed to the bathroom.

Soon after, she changed into her uniform and came out.

After collecting the bento from the sink that she was probably washing while I was sleeping, she put back in her shoes at the front door.

“You may not be happy to hear this from me. Cheer up.”

“No, I’m glad to hear that. Thank you.”

“I’m glad. Well then, see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

I saw her back as she walked out of the door.

See you tomorrow? I didn’t hear that wrong.

It was so natural that I took it for granted.

Well, that’s just a greeting.

It’s like socializing, and it won’t mean much.

I suddenly looked out of the window and saw the rain rising and a ray of light shining through the thick clouds.