In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 115

Chapter 115: In the Span of Ten Years

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A strong wind howled through the observation deck. From here, one could see all the way to the distant horizon.

“I never thought I’d come back here again, but this time we’re lucky. Maybe because of the strong wind, the haze has completely cleared.”

“This place holds symbolic meaning for me. I wanted to come here again with you and see it for myself and if we were going to start over, I decided it had to be from here.”

Yuko and Kousei gazed out in deep emotion at a single island floating far away on the ocean, an island known as the “Center of the Earth.” It was an island formed at the impact site of a massive meteorite, unlike anything ever happened in Earth’s history.

Located in the center of the Pacific Ocean, the surrounding area spanning several dozen kilometers remained restricted even now. But on clear days, with some luck, it could be seen from afar like this.

“Starting from the anomaly that occurred here, the world branched into multiple futures, different from the original Earth. But most of those branching worlds couldn’t withstand the changes and vanished.”

Kousei began to speak calmly, eyes fixed on the island. What he spoke of was a secret of this world—perhaps. It was still just a hypothetical tale that he had pursued for the past ten years.

“This world should have disappeared too. But for some reason—perhaps on a whim—a godlike entity beyond human understanding intervened. As a result, by sustaining this ‘dream world that grants dreams’ with protective energy, this world managed to survive. Does that sound about right?”

“…Geez… What a troublesome one you are. I can’t tell you what’s right or wrong. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I know. This theory is just something I and the other diary owners pieced together, like a puzzle, from fragments of the world’s secrets. But I don’t think it’s far off from the truth.”

“I knew from the diary that you’d been gathering information about this world. But I never imagined you’d share that theory with me. I never thought a day like this would come.”

“I’m sorry. It’s only natural you’d feel that way. I made you wait far too long, but it was never because I was denying your existence. Quite the opposite. You’re the only one I can talk to about this kind of thing. You’re the only one I can show my true feelings to.”

“Even if you say something like that out of the blue, I can’t just believe it right away. I even thought you might never return to Japan…”

Kousei gently took both of Yuko’s hands in his, gazing into her eyes as he continued speaking. It was the most serious expression she’d ever seen on him.

“Yuko. Thanks to the time you gave me, I was able to decide, on my own, what kind of future I want to walk toward.”

Yuko understood—Kousei was about to say something important and he was ready to change.

“After traveling through this world, talking to so many people, I finally understood. This isn’t some fantasy world. Just like the world we came from, this is a real place where real people live, laugh, cry, and struggle to survive.”

“…That’s right. Even if this world has changed, the people who live in it are the same. They carry human worries and hopes and live each day with those conflicts in their heart.”

“I’ve been so stubborn and foolish. It took me ten years to accept something so obvious. Even when women were genuinely kind to me, I couldn’t believe it, and I just kept dragging things out without reaching a conclusion. But now, I understand. That time was necessary for me. So the only person I owe an apology to is you. Yuko, I’m sorry for making you wait so long.”

“You don’t have to apologize. It was me who brought you to this world without your consent. If you’ve found a reason to live again, then I’m happy too.”

Still holding her hands, Kousei knelt before her and looked up. Then he began to speak the words of a vow he had been holding in his heart.

“Yuko. Once again, I vow here on this land—my unwavering love for you. Alongside the delicate vanilla flower that reminds me of you. The potted plant bloomed too long ago and has now borne fruit, but my feelings are always in full bloom. Even if it’s the feelings of a clueless guy like me… Will you accept them?”

“Of course. To have you propose to me twice… I must be the happiest woman alive.”

Kousei smiled like a flower blooming in the sun. As he stood up slowly, Yuko couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“Last time, I made the vow in a desperate mental state, so it came off like I was clinging to you. It wasn’t romantic at all. I regretted that so much. So this time, I tried to make it up with a vow on a vanilla flower. But maybe it was too sudden and didn’t make any sense? I was trying to play off the flower’s meaning.”

“It’s okay. I’m incredibly happy right now. And of course I know the meaning of the vanilla flower. It means…”

Her words were sealed with a kiss of promise. The words were “eternal and unchanging.” After ten years, Kousei had finally arrived at his conclusion—a vow of eternal love to Yuko.

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“All right. Now that I’ve redone my proposal, let’s go have some real fun.”

Back at the cottage of their hotel, the two relaxed and talked about their upcoming plans.

“That sounds good. We need that once in a while. After all, once I go back to Japan, I’m a mom. That’s fun in its own way, but still…”

“It still feels strange. I’m a ‘dad’ too, right? But I was really surprised by Yuusei-kun. He looks almost exactly like me, but his personality is so… Mellow? Or maybe flexible? Watching how naturally he adapts, I think… He’s going to be something great.”

“That might be true. I was surprised too, actually. I was so nervous going back to Japan to meet him for the first time and then those two were living together like real siblings too. He even called me ‘Mom’ right away.”

“I can totally imagine that. Yui is the same type. Still, to be promoted to ‘Apostle’ in just a year… That’s impressive. You really found the perfect candidate.”

“He’s been incredibly cooperative and helpful. I can also tell he genuinely enjoys it, which makes all the difference. Those kids are a joy to watch.”

“I’m glad the next generation is so reliable. Maybe now I can finally focus entirely on vanilla?”

“What, even more? If you devote yourself any more, you might not be able to come back to Japan at all!”

“That won’t happen. Thanks to Yuusei-kun, I’ve been able to expand my work too.”

“You mean the ‘World Committee for the Love and Popularization of Pudding’?”

“Yeah. Working at a trading company was convenient for travel, but I asked Catherine to help me launch something more cultural. That’s how the committee started.”

“And what do you plan to do with it?”

“To begin with, all sorts of pudding-related events and the first one’s going to be in Japan. First impressions matter, so I’m going big. Japan has one of the highest populations in this world, and its sweets market is huge. I’m going to make it a success. Of course, I’m going to do it with Yuusei-kun’s help.”

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