Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess - Chapter 216: Second…

Second…

“Here you go, thank you for waiting~”

Mayumi-san returned, carrying a tray with a teapot and cups for tea.

We had decided to take a short break and enjoy some tea together.

Soon after, Sara-san also came back, carrying a tray with neatly sliced pieces of cake. It seemed there would be sweets as well—most likely homemade by Mayumi-san.

After handing everything out, Sara-san took her usual seat to my right. On the other side, Mayumi-san sat down with me between them, creating a scene that reminded me of the first time I visited this house.

Masaomi-san, noticing Mayumi-san sitting next to me, looked puzzled, but what really caught his attention was the lack of cake in front of me.

Meanwhile, seeing that two slices of cake were placed in front of Sara-san, I could already predict what was coming next.

“Kazunari-san, say ‘ahh’…”

Chomp … chew chew

As expected, it was delicious.

Today it was just a simple shortcake, but the simpler the dessert, the more it reveals the skill of the person who made it.

“Wha… so natural…”

Masaomi-san froze mid-motion, fork in hand, his eyes wide as he stared at us. I felt a bit embarrassed to admit that Sara-san feeding me had already become a reflex at this point.

“My, my, Sara-san-chan, you’ve really gotten him used to this… I’m jealous.”

“Please don’t phrase it so oddly. I simply want to do anything that will make Kazunari-san happy.”

From the way Mayumi-san said it, it almost sounded like I was a pet being fed… but honestly, I couldn’t deny that I had been spoiled enough to justify that impression.

“A-anything!? Sara-san, what do you mean by that!”

“Here, Kazunari-san, say ‘ahh’.”

She ignored him completely… Masaomi-san looked like he was about to cry.

“Kazunari-kun, say ‘ahh’ for your future mother-in-law too~.”

“What are you doing? If you want to feed someone, feed Father instead.”

I almost reflexively opened my mouth, but Sara-san’s sharp retort snapped me out of it. Mayumi-san just chuckled happily at the scene.

“Aw, but I baked this cake, so I think I have the right to feed you too… don’t you think, Kazunari-kun?”

“Absolutely not.”

Mayumi-san, who looked young enough to be mistaken for Sara-san’s older sister, tilted her head adorably as she spoke. It was unfair. But with Sara-san right beside me…

“Um…”

Even so, it was hard to say no to Mayumi-san directly. I needed to find a gentle way to decline…

“Sigh… Mayumi, that’s enough. You’re making Takanashi-san uncomfortable.”

“Yes…”

Finally, Sachie-san, who had been watching us with a wry smile, intervened. Mayumi-san, unable to defy her, reluctantly backed down. I was relieved.

***

Click…

“Come in, Kazunari-san.”

“T-thank you for having me…”

Following Sara-san as she opened the door, I stepped into her room, immediately greeted by a pleasant scent. It wasn’t an artificial aroma, but a natural, comforting fragrance.

Glancing around, the first thing that caught my eye was her bed, adorned with cute stuffed animals of cats and dogs, giving off a very girlish vibe. In contrast, her desk was lined with textbooks and dictionaries, practical and studious. Among them, however, stood a stylish photo frame that boldly asserted itself – holding the commemorative picture we took with Kuu-chan at the aquarium.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting. It seems Mother cleaned up everything I left out before we left the house, but I hadn’t checked myself yet.”

“N-no, it’s fine.”

This was actually my first time visiting Sara-san’s room, and I felt an inexplicable nervousness tightening in my chest. Even though she came to my room almost every day, being in her room felt completely different. It made me oddly self-conscious.

“…Kazunari-san.”

She wrapped her arms around me gently, her warmth and familiar scent enveloping me completely. The nervousness I had felt moments before melted away instantly.

“Feeling calmer…? Fufu, let’s stay like this a little longer.”

That gentle comfort made me want to lean into her more, and sensing this, she guided me softly to sit on the edge of her bed, embracing me even tighter.

“Other than my father, you’re the first man I’ve ever invited into my room, so… I was a little nervous too.”

“This is also… the first time I’ve been in a woman’s room. Maybe that’s why I was so tense.”

I muttered it almost to myself, but it was true. I had visited Yuzuha’s house many times as a child, but we always played in the living room, never her bedroom. This really was my first time.

“It’s a small thing, but now you’ve become another of my firsts. And I’m so happy that I am yours as well.”

As she spoke, stroking my hair softly, I could hear genuine happiness in her voice. Sara-san treasured every ‘first’ we shared, no matter how small.

“Kazunari-san… the conversation has progressed so quickly, I still can’t quite grasp it but… in the future, we…”

“Honestly, I can’t quite grasp it either. Even talk of marriage still feels vague to me… it’s just that… knowing I can always be with you, Sara-san… that alone makes me happy.”

I felt I needed to be honest with her, so I shared my feelings openly.

To me, right now, it didn’t feel like ‘marriage’. It felt like we had been given permission to be together forever.

“Marriage or not, the essence is the same – it’s about living happily together. Though… of course, there are differences.”

“Yeah, even I understand that much. Right now, it’s still just a promise, but… someday, I think the reality will sink in.”

For now, it was enough to know that we had promised to stay together from here on.

“Yes. But… why did things suddenly move this far? I’m very happy, but it just seemed so sudden.”

I had kept my conversation with Mayumi-san about the arranged marriage proposals a secret until today, so for Sara-san, it must have felt abrupt. But now, there was no reason to hide it.

“I heard from Mayumi-san about the arranged marriage talks… she said there might be more in the future. I hated that idea. I don’t want to be separated from you, Sara-san. And I couldn’t stand the thought of other guys approaching you when I’m here. So… if I wanted to shut them all up…”

“…That’s when the engagement came up.”

“Yeah. But for me, it wasn’t about the title of fiancé or husband. What mattered was that it meant I could stay by your side forever. As long as I can always be with you, Sara-san, I…”

Before I could finish, my face was pressed into her chest.

Being held like this, stroked gently, made me feel so relaxed I might fall asleep. I needed to stay focused…

“…You thought all of that for my sake… compared to you, I feel so pathetic. But I will never show weakness again. I’ve sworn my future to you, Kazunari-san. There is nothing left for me to fear.”

Her strong, confident declaration was just like the dignified Sara-san I knew and loved.

“I’m sure there will be many difficult things ahead. But I will always support you, Kazunari-san. Let’s work hard together.”

“…Yeah.”

I was certain – there would be challenges I couldn’t even imagine yet. But as long as Sara-san was with me, I could overcome them. I believed that completely.

“I will do my best… to become a man so strong that no one would even dare approach you, because they’d all know you’re mine.”

“Kazunari-san… that makes me so happy… I love you.”

Silence filled the room, but even without words, our feelings reached each other clearly.

Held in Sara-san’s arms like that, I didn’t know how long we stayed embraced before she whispered softly:

“…Kazunari-san, may I create a first memory with you in this room?”

A memory…?

I wondered what she meant, but there was no reason to refuse.

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

She gently pulled away just enough to meet my eyes, smiling beautifully.

“I promised it would be from me this time…”

I wasn’t so dense as to not understand what she meant. The memory she spoke of was…

Sara-san’s beautiful face drew closer. She had declared she would take the lead this time, so I didn’t move.

“Now and forever, I will be by your side… I love you… my beloved…”

Chu…

Our second kiss. Surrounded by gentle warmth, neither of us wanted to part, and even after the kiss ended, we remained in each other’s arms. This would become our first memory in her room.

***

Yet another epilogue to shatter the lingering afterglow

Mayumi-san’s POV.

“Masaomi-san, now that we’ve confirmed Takanashi-san’s intentions, please report it to the company. I’m sure they’d prefer to avoid unnecessary rumors, so it’s best to handle it quickly.”

“Yes. We’ll need to lay the groundwork too. Ideally, I’d like to introduce them to the president at the year-end party… so I’ll ask them to attend.”

“I see. I’ll also write a note to Shoji-san. Once the adoption process is complete, I’d like to transfer at least my shares, even if not Mayumi-san’s, as soon as possible.”

“Understood. First, I’ll arrange a meeting with Takanashi-kun’s parents…”

Masaomi-san and Sachie-san were exchanging opinions rapidly, like a business meeting.

I stayed quiet, listening. This development was exactly as I had expected, similar to when Masaomi-san became our son-in-law years ago. Back then, Father was still alive…

“…Will that satisfy everyone on the surface? After that, once he actually joins the company…”

“Takanashi-san will be fine.”

“Yes. By the way, President Nishikawa said…”

Despite his shock over Sara-san, Masaomi-san now wore an expression that balanced his roles as both father and future company president. He must have been deeply happy when Kazunari-kun spoke to him so sincerely. It was obvious he was trying hard to hide his joy.

In the end, everything was falling into place. Kazunari-kun probably didn’t fully grasp his position yet, but that was fine. For now, he should focus on what he can do, and when he grows in mind and body, he can be told the rest.

As his future mother-in-law, I will support my dear son alongside my daughter.

Still… to think he’d say such adorable things about Masaomi-san… fufu… it was so sweet, I almost couldn’t hold back.

I’m really looking forward to everything from here on.