Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess

TN: I also started an original novel here. Please support me by reading! Just click on the title! Thanks!

I Reincarnated As A Trash Prince

The Language of Stones.

What should I do? I need to find some way to improve Mayumi-san’s mood…

Just as that thought crossed my mind, I suddenly remembered “that thing” tucked away in my bag.

…That’s right. If I give her this… but…

Of course, there was no real issue with handing it over. I had originally planned to save it for the next family dinner, but there wasn’t any particular reason to stick to that schedule. It would simply mean giving it a little earlier than intended.

The bigger problem, honestly, was that I hadn’t yet given the main one to Sara-san.

As far as I was concerned, I wanted to give hers to Sara-san first—before anyone else. I wanted to put her above everyone, always.

But right now, no other ideas were coming to mind, and we didn’t exactly have time to spare.

If I just sat back and did nothing, Sara-san would almost certainly get angry.

In the worst case, it could even escalate into a full-blown mother-daughter argument.

So… I suppose I have no choice but to accept this turn of events. I’ll make it up to Sara-san later—plenty.

“Um… Mayumi… Mother-in-law, this is for you.”

What I pulled from my bag was a small “something” wrapped in paper—a little misshapen from my clumsy wrapping.

I’d tried my best to package it neatly while listening to instructions, but looking at it now, it was still undeniably awkward.

Still, I’d put real care into the contents, so it shouldn’t be that bad… probably… hopefully.

“…Eh?”

Mayumi-san stared at the object I held out, her expression blank with shock. She blinked rapidly, her gaze darting back and forth between my face and the gift more times than I could count.

I’d never seen her react like this before. She was genuinely surprised.

It was… kind of adorable.

“Um… for me?”

“…Yes. Please accept it.”

Mayumi-san still looked as though she couldn’t quite believe it, but she timidly reached out all the same. Once she took it into her hands, she glanced up at my face again.

“…Kazunari-kun, may I open it?”

“Yes, of course.”

After confirming my nod, she carefully peeled away the tape with a slightly tense expression. She removed the wrapping paper just as delicately, and finally revealed the brooch inside.

“…A brooch?”

“I’m sorry… I’m not very good at crafts, so it might not be very pretty.”

“Eh…? Y-you made this yourself, Kazunari-kun!?”

“!?”

“Y-yes.”

The brooch was clearly uneven, a little unbalanced in its design. Yet Mayumi-san lifted it gently with both hands, cradling it as though it were something fragile and precious.

She raised it to eye level and gazed at it intently…

Being stared at so closely was making all the imperfections stand out even more in my mind.

“It’s really just something simple, though…”

“…May I put it on?”

“Ah, please do.”

Mayumi-san hurriedly pinned the brooch near the left breast of her jacket.

It was truly a modest piece—nothing more than beads strung together. Yet somehow, because it was Mayumi-san wearing it, even something so inexpensive looked almost elegant.

Or maybe… seeing it on her, it actually turned out better than I’d thought. Pure self-satisfaction on my part, of course.

“Fufu… fufufu… nfufufu…”

Gazing down at the brooch now proudly displayed on her chest, Mayumi-san let out soft peals of laughter.

A beaming smile lit her face—pure joy—as she repeatedly brushed and traced it with her fingertips.

…Good. She seems happy. Her mood has lifted, too… I can breathe a sigh of relief for now.

“Hey, hey, Kazunari-kun—does it suit me? Does it suit me?”

“Uh, yes. Though I do wish the craftsmanship were a little better.”

“That’s not true at all. This brooch you made for me—it’s the finest treasure I could ever receive!!”

She was practically bouncing with excitement, completely elated. Seeing her this happy did leave me with a small regret: I wished I could have prepared something better.

Budget and time constraints had limited me this time, but someday—perhaps on her birthday or Mother’s Day—I’d like to make it up to her properly.

“But why give me a present all of a sudden?”

“Because you’re always taking care of me. It’s… my way of saying thank you, Mother-in-law.”

I kept to myself the fact that she’d sent me her ring size and practically advertised her desire for a gift.

If she hadn’t, I might never have thought to prepare one in the first place. So in the end, everything worked out perfectly.

“Kazunari-kun… Kazunari-kun…”

Mayumi-san looked utterly moved, on the verge of charging over for a hug.

In fact… wasn’t she already inching closer?

This might be dangerous…

“Hey, Sara-chan, look at this! Kazunari-kun’s present—it’s adorable, isn’t it!!”

For some reason, the giddy Mayumi-san suddenly turned to Sara-san, seeking her opinion as if showing off—!?

“…Yes. I’m glad for you, Mother. Receiving a handmade gift from Kazunari-san must make you very happy.”

“Nfufu~ It really does… Ara, what’s wrong, Sara-chan?”

“Nothing at all. To think Mother would receive a handmade present from Kazunari-san—you’re so fortunate, aren’t you? You must be thrilled. Absolutely thrilled, I’m sure.”

Aaaah!?

S-Sara-san is far more upset than I expected!?

Her cheeks were puffed out in the most endearing way—adorable… truly adorable… It had been a while since I’d seen this side of her.

I know it’s inappropriate timing, but let me just say it: Sara-san is cute!!

No, wait—that’s not the point!!!!!

“Mou~ Sara-chan, there’s no need to sulk like that…”

Even as she spoke soothing words, Mayumi-san’s face betrayed a smug grin she couldn’t hide.

Watching her, Sara-san’s mood only darkened further…

“I’m not sulking!! And coming from the person who was pouting just moments ago, I’d rather not hear it!! Has your mood really improved already!? You recover awfully quickly!!”

Puff… Her cheeks swelled even more after being called out.

This is bad… Sara-san is so cute it hurts.

If I told her that right now, she’d probably get angry… but I really want to say it.

…And maybe… just a little… I want to poke those cheeks.

“Mou~ Sara-chan, there’s no way Kazunari-kun would forget a present for you, right?”

As she spoke, Mayumi-san glanced at me—her eyes seemed to say, “Right, Kazunari-kun?”

Of course I hadn’t forgotten, but whose fault was it that the order got messed up in the first place?

“Naturally. In fact, I had really wanted to give Sara-san’s first…”

“…Eh?”

“No, I mean—Sara-san? You didn’t seriously think I’d only prepared one for Mayumi-san, did you? If so… that actually hurts a little.”

“T-that’s not the case at all!! It’s just… hearing that it was handmade, I…”

Sara-san’s voice grew softer and softer, trailing off…

I wanted to give it to her right away without dragging this out, but seeing her this adorable stirred something mischievous in me… Just a little longer.

“Did you think I was the kind of worthless guy who’d only make one for Mayumi-san and not for you?”

“That’s not true at all!! I know perfectly well that you cherish me more than anyone…”

“Then surely you believed I’d prepared one for you too…”

“…That’s a separate matter… Uu… Kazunari-san, you’re being mean…”

C-cute… She’s too cute…

What is this?

Seeing Sara-san like this is driving me…

No, no—I should stop here. It wouldn’t be fair to her.

“Sara-san.”

“!?”

I quickly pulled her brooch from the bag and gently held it out in front of her eyes. Hers alone was specially wrapped with a ribbon.

…And the contents were special, too.

“K-Kazunari-san?”

“I worked hard to make this for you, Sara-san.”

It felt a bit embarrassing to say it myself, but I let it slide for now.

Still, I think Sara-san had been secretly hoping for one. Her lips trembled faintly, and she was clearly holding something back.

That sight was, of course, incredibly endearing…

“Th-thank you very much. May I open it?”

I nodded, and Sara-san began unwrapping it with even greater care than Mayumi-san had shown. Her expression slightly tense, she unfolded each layer delicately. When the brooch finally appeared, she broke into a radiant smile.

“Fufu… A brooch Kazunari-san made for me♪ Fufu… fufufu♪”

Sara-san swayed gently, almost as if she might start dancing, her eyes fixed joyfully on the brooch.

Seeing that blissful smile made happiness well up inside me, too.

“Nfufu, Sara-chan is just too cute~”

“W-what is it?”

“No use trying to hide it. Everything about you has gone completely soft, you know?”

“U… B-but it’s handmade by Kazunari-san. How could I not be happy? Fufu… fufufu♪”

She tried to compose her expression, but the joy kept breaking through, softening the corners of her mouth.

I still can’t give her the ring yet, but watching her this happy made me ache to present it soon.

“Ara, there’s something extra on Sara-chan’s brooch, isn’t there?”

“Yes. It seems different from Mother’s.”

I might be imagining it, but I think Sara-san emphasized the word “different.” Mayumi-san gave a wry smile…

At any rate, what they’d noticed was precisely the “special feature” unique to Sara-san’s brooch.

Though it really wasn’t anything grand.

“That’s an emerald. It’s just a simple one meant for accessories—nothing fancy.”

“An emerald…?”

“Yes, May is—”

“Your birthstone, Kazunari-san!”

“R-right.”

As Sara-san said, emerald is the birthstone for May—my birth month. But this was merely an inexpensive stone meant for costume jewelry; it truly wasn’t anything special.

I’d used Sara-san’s birthstone, sapphire, in the locket I gave her before, so this time I added my own birthstone, emerald, to the brooch.

For good measure, I’d checked the stone’s meaning (thanks to Nishikawa-san), and it included things like luck, happiness, and success in love—generally positive, so there shouldn’t be any issue.

“Nfufu~ Is this your way of showing the world? Like, ‘Sara-chan belongs to me~’?”

“Eh!? N-no, I wouldn’t go that far—”

“Even if that were your intention, I wouldn’t mind in the slightest. In fact… fufu♪”

“Sara-san?”

What’s going on?

Ever since realizing it was an emerald, Sara-san’s joy had grown even brighter.

The fact that it was my birthstone… made her that happy?

“Hey, Kazunari-kun—did you choose emerald because you considered the stone’s meaning, too?”

“Yes. I looked it up beforehand and decided based on that.”

“Ara ara. Then it’s only natural this one is exclusively for Sara-chan. You must be thrilled, Sara-chan~”

“Yes. This is something only I—the woman who will become Kazunari-san’s wife—am allowed to wear♪”

“Eh… to?”

Because she’ll become my “wife,” the emerald makes it “exclusive to Sara-san”?

What does that mean?

It’s true the stone carries many auspicious meanings, but was there one that made it exclusively hers…?

“It’s true, but Sara-chan is getting a little carried away, isn’t she? Well, being told ‘marital love’ so directly by Kazunari-kun…”

“Fuu!?”

“Ara, is something wrong, Kazunari-kun?”

“Kazunari-san?”

“N-n-n-no, nothing.”

Marital love!?

I’d never heard that meaning!

So that’s why Sara-san got even more excited when she saw the emerald.

If it truly carries that meaning, then it makes perfect sense for the brooch to be “exclusive to Sara-san.”

Still… even if I didn’t know, it feels like I ended up proclaiming a bit too much…

No—the meaning itself is wonderful, so I have no problem with that!

“Fufu… How do I look?”

Sara-san promptly pinned the brooch to her left chest, wearing a faintly proud expression. Unlike Mayumi-san’s, the emerald caught the light at least a little, adding a touch of splendor.

Though honestly, the biggest difference was simply that Sara-san was the one wearing it.

“It suits you beautifully. Though if I’m greedy, I do wish I could have made something less lopsided—something better…”

“Kazunari-san, no.”

Smiling, Sara-san stepped closer and lightly poked my forehead.

I thought she’d pull away, but instead she suddenly stretched her arms out, pulling me into a swift embrace.

“This brooch you made for me has already become an irreplaceable treasure. So it is not ‘just’ anything, all right? Saying such harsh things earns you a scolding♪”

“Sara-san…”

“I shall cherish it for life, alongside the locket you gave me before. And please don’t worry about the stone’s meaning.”

“Ah…”

As I thought… I really can’t hide anything from Sara-san.

She must have realized I hadn’t known about “marital love” and said that to spare my feelings.

She’d been so happy—I felt a little guilty for the oversight.

But even without knowing, I’m certain now that it was the right gift for her. In fact, I think it’s perfectly suited as something from me.

So…

“I’m sorry… But hearing that only reaffirmed for me that I absolutely had to give it to you. So please accept it with the meaning of marital love in mind. Marriage is still far off, but I…”

“Fufu… Understood. Then I shall formally accept this emerald as your declaration to me.”

“Y-yes, something like that—mguh.”

Tight…

Sara-san answered with delight, tightening her embrace just a fraction.

I may have stumbled at the end because of my ignorance about the stone, but she still accepted it joyfully. That alone made me happy.

So I let my own feelings show, leaning into her and indulging a little.

“Kazunari-san… Thank you so much.”

“No—more importantly, I want you to feel free to wear this brooch casually. That’s part of why I chose to make it myself, even if it’s inexpensive.”

“…But to me, this is—”

“No. If this stone represents our marital love, then I want you to keep it with you always.”

“Yes… Understood.”

When I pressed the point a bit more firmly, Sara-san readily agreed.

She almost always prioritizes my wishes, yielding to me as long as I’m not clearly wrong. And because she’s like that, I try not to push unless it truly matters. This time, I really wanted her to wear it daily, so I insisted.

“I will treasure and wear Kazunari-san’s brooch.”

“That makes me happy.”

“Yes… Kazunari-san… fufu.”

Sara-san let out a joyful little laugh and, still holding me close, gently stroked my hair again and again. She even pressed her cheek lightly against the top of my head, nuzzling softly…

…Wait, that’s a bit…

“Kazunari-san…”

“Y-yes!?”

“…Could you lift your face just a little?”

Following her gentle request, I slowly pulled away from my usual spot and tilted my head up.

We ended up gazing at each other from mere inches apart, and I found myself unable to look away from her tender eyes…

“”……””

As we stared silently, Sara-san’s eyelids drifted shut.

The moment I realized it, her approaching lips sealed mine.

“N…”

Chuu…

The soft sensation of Sara-san’s lips sent my heart racing wildly. At this rate, it felt ready to run completely out of control.

Today I’d spent so much time thinking of her—choosing the ring, making the brooch—and being apart had only intensified my longing. Perhaps that was why this kiss felt even more overwhelming than usual…

“Kazunari-san…”

After parting, Sara-san looked at me again with the same gentle gaze as before the kiss.

People often say eyes can draw you in; right now, hers truly felt that way.

“I love you… as I always have, and as I always will… forever.”

“…Me too.”

“Kazunari-san… once more… n…”

Chuu…

The second kiss came suddenly, and I couldn’t close my eyes in time. Sara-san’s beautiful face, eyes gently shut, filled my entire vision—lovely, beloved…

As she slowly drew back, I watched her with a dazed, enchanted expression.

“…Fufu… Kazunari-san, are you all right? Your face is…”

“Uu… I-it’s because Sara-san…”

“Kazunari-san, you’re adorable…”

“No, I mean—calling me adorable is…”

“…Adorable… I love you so much, Kazunari-san… n…”

Chuu…

“Mguu.”

The moment she looked at me with that wistful expression, a third kiss followed.

This one lacked urgency but carried even deeper feeling…

W-wait… this is bad—I’m the one in danger now!?

“N…”

Chuu…

The third kiss lasted far longer than the first two.

Sara-san’s arms circled me, holding my head in place so I couldn’t turn away or pull back. I was completely at her mercy.

Time seemed to stretch into eternity; her meltingly sweet kiss emptied my mind of everything else. Only when she finally, slowly parted did thought return.

Uu… I know exactly what kind of face I’m making right now… My legs feel weak…

“S-S-S-Sara-san…”

“…Kazunari-san, your face is bright red♪”

“Uwaaah—even if you say that… it’s because of you, Sara-san…”

“Fufu… Come here?”

Having apparently satisfied herself with three kisses, Sara-san guided my head back to its usual resting place. I was honestly grateful not to have my pathetic expression seen any longer…

“…I’m sorry. You were just so irresistibly cute… and it was payback for teasing me earlier♪”

“…Uu.”

So that’s what it was…

A little playful mischief on my part, and this is the result. I’ll have to be more careful from now on.

“Fufu… Please stay still like a good boy until we both calm down… I’m a little embarrassed too…”

“…Sara-san.”

Her quiet words—sweet yet shy—sent my heart racing again. Whispered in that voice, there was no way I could ignore them… That’s unfair, Sara-san.

Nade nade…

Pon… pon…

As I surrendered to her embrace, Sara-san soothed me gently, as though trying to settle our heightened emotions. To an outsider, it might look like she was treating me like a child.

But this was simply her way of showing affection, and I didn’t mind one bit. I loved it, so I let myself indulge completely.

That’s why… I pressed my face a little closer into her chest…

“N… Kazunari-san.”

“…Sara-san.”

“Fufu… You really are a spoiled one♪”

Sara-san accepted my clinginess with genuine delight.

If I ever thought this made me look pathetic in her eyes, I wouldn’t cling so openly. But knowing how much she truly loves it… that’s why I can relax and be spoiled.

Nade nade…

Pon… pon…

“Kazunari-san, about the brooch…”

“Yes?”

After a quiet moment simply holding each other, Sara-san spoke again.

Was something wrong with it?

“Unfortunately, I can’t pin it to my school uniform. So would it be all right if I attach it to my bag when I go to school?”

“Yes. That would actually make me very happy.”

I don’t know the exact rules, but wearing a non-regulation brooch on the uniform would probably be problematic.

Still, the fact that she’d thought it through and wanted to bring it anyway filled me with joy.

“Fufu… If anyone at school asks about it, may I tell them it’s a brooch symbolizing marital love from my husband?”

“Eeh!?”