Living Normally In An Abnormal World - Chapter 109: Meeting Friends and Mother

Chapter 109: Meeting Friends and Mother

“Hey, Yuuto, you’ve been growing your hair lately, but why?”

“Oh, it’s for Tanabata.”

“Sorry, I don’t quite understand what you’re saying.”

During break time, Mutsu asked Yuuto a casual question.

Back when he first enrolled, his hair was short, but now it has grown to his shoulders. Mutsu didn’t know this, but despite Early Seed’s request for him not to grow his hair, he has been doing so.

Mutsu’s head became even more confused upon hearing Yuuto’s response.

“Tanabata, right? It’s the Star Festival, where people decorate their wishes on bamboo leaves, believing that the gods will grant them.”

“Yeah.”

“So, you want me to grant your wishes more than those gods, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll decorate your hair with those wishful messages.”

“You’re an idiot, Yuuto.”

“This is a photo from last year.”

“What’s this? It’s amazing! I’ll take a photo later.”

Mutsu recognized that Yuuto was still a bit crazy, but after seeing a photo of Yuuto’s black hair decorated with colorful messages, he couldn’t help but be amazed.

“At first, my sister decorated my hair like this. She thought that I would grant her wishes better than those gods, who might not even exist.”

“I see, I get it to some extent.”

“Others saw it and seemed to agree, so they took down their wishes from the bamboo and started attaching them to my hair.”

“You’re being naturally sexually harassed!”

“And so, it became an annual event.”

“Hmm, that’s impressive.”

Mutsu stopped trying to understand.

The only thing he understood was that madness is contagious.

Yuuto, who was talking about such madness, interjected and stopped the conversation. He reacted with surprise to the call and vibration on his phone, and immediately answered it.

“Hello? What’s up, Mana? What? Really?”

After his surprised reaction, he quickly checked the contents of his bag, which was in his locker.

“Sorry, I really forgot. Are you already here? I’ll come right away, wait for me.”

After ending the call, Mutsu asked Yuuto who it was, and he replied concisely, “My mother.” It seems she came to deliver his bento, which he had forgotten.

Normally, one would think that she was trying to use her child as an excuse to have a relationship with another man, but there was no sign of that at all.

Everyone around them thought the same.

“Since it’s a chance, it’s okay to greet her, right?”

“Sure, but let’s go quickly so we don’t keep her waiting.”

Mutsu hurriedly said this and ran towards the entrance.

(I think this is the first time I’ve run to meet a woman.)

That’s what Mutsu thought.

“Yuu-kun, you forgot it~”

“Thank you~”

“You’re such a forgetful person~”

Mana, who was on a vacation day, had made bento for Yuuto and Yuuna. However, she came to the school to deliver it to Yuuto, who had forgotten it on the table.

After arriving at the school by car, she contacted Yuuto and had him come to the school gate where she was waiting.

Even though he’s a middle school student and still a child, Mutsu lightly patted Yuuto’s head. Yuuto, feeling a little embarrassed, blushed slightly and turned away.

However, he didn’t push her hand away, accepting it.

“Is school fun?”

“I think so, you’ve asked me that before.”

“Oh, if it’s not fun, you can just stay at home.”

“If it becomes difficult, I’ll become a househusband.”

Mana and Yuuto have had this conversation so many times that she couldn’t count, but seeing Yuuto talk about it, she thought he was enjoying his youth and having fun.

“What do you want to eat tonight?”

“Stew.”

“I feel like you only ever ask for that.”

“Because I like Mana’s stew.”

“I’ll make a lot for you, then.”

“Thanks.”

As Mana was about to leave after finishing her business, a man approached her.

“You must be Yuuto’s mother. I’m Kinjō Mutsu. Yuuto has been a great help to me.”

“Thank you for your kind words. I’m Kinoshita Mana. Please take care of Yuu-kun.”

“… Yuu-kun?”

“… Did you just laugh at me in your mind?”

“What are you talking about? I would never think of such a thing.”

Normally, one would find it funny to see a person bigger than oneself being called “kun” by their mother. At first, Mutsu thought it was a mistake, but after hearing it twice, he realized it was reality, not a lie.

However, Mutsu responded so quickly that Mana lightly chopped him on the head.

“You didn’t have to come, right? I mean, it’s your mother.”

In fact, there were classmates who were hiding and watching the two of them talk from the entrance of the school building, away from the gate.

“Sorry, I’m just an ordinary woman in her forties.”

(No, she’s not ordinary.)

Mutsu was aware of his good looks.

For a first-time meeting, it was natural for a woman to blush and become nervous, but Mana showed no such signs. She even had the confidence to make a joke.

She didn’t look at him with a critical eye, either.

This was the first time Mutsu had received a natural smile from someone other than a family member.

This son was just as crazy as his parent.

“She’s definitely crazy!”

“It’s your first meeting, Mutsu.”

“But Yuuto was also rude to my grandmothermother, right?”

“… Yuu-kun?”

“… You just laughed at me in your mind, didn’t you?”

“I can’t help but say that. Fusō-san is so beautiful and elegant.”

“I’ll tell your grandmother.”

“Don’t say that, when we meet, I’ll be embarrassed.”

“It’s rare for Yuu-kun to praise someone like that.”

“She was incredibly beautiful. I was amazed that a person could maintain such beauty.”

Seeing Yuuto reminisce, Mutsu decided in his heart to tell his grandmother about the day’s events.

“Well, if I stay any longer, we might get security called on us, so I’ll be going now.”

“Okay.”

“Yes, let’s meet again if there’s a chance.”

“Bye, Mutsu-kun. Yuu-kun, look forward to dinner tonight.”

“Okay.”

Mana said this, lightly tapped Yuuto’s head a few times, and then got into her car without showing any signs of reluctance. Yuuto, who was still smiling, waved goodbye until the car disappeared from view. Mutsu, who was watching from the side, saw Yuuto’s expression and understood to some extent how much Yuuto valued Mana.

“You really value Mana, don’t you?”

“Yeah, she’s important to me.”

“… I see.”

Yuuto boldly and without embarrassment declared this. Mutsu thought he could at least show a little bit of hesitation.

“Have you ever been in love, Yuuto?”

“… To be honest, I’m not sure.”

“Really?”

“As I spent time with her, I realized how important she was to me and how much I wanted her to be happy. I never really thought about when it started.”

“… Don’t say embarrassing things like that.”

“You’re the one who made me say it.”

“You’re too confident.”

“I don’t have anything to hide.”

Yuuto tilted his head, wondering why he should hide it.

The more he talked, the more he seemed to be boasting about his love life. Mutsu could easily imagine that Elina, Maria, Shiori, Hanaka, and Yaya, as well as Erina, were the people Yuuto wanted to be happy, aside from his family.

“Let’s go back. Break time is almost over.”

“Yeah, tell me about it later.”

“It’s just a normal, close-knit family like any other, right?”

“Sure, that’s fine.”

Mutsu thought to himself.

There’s no way a madman’s family could be just like any other.