Chapter 37: My Parents Suddenly…

TL: lime
ED: Spynine01

Winter break in high school is a short time for us students.

After the first three days of the year, time accelerated at the speed of an F-1 machine, and now there are only two days of winter break remaining.

What should I do with the remaining two days? The way I spend these two days will probably change the liveliness of my whole high school life after the winter break.

No, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I’ll still think about what I’m going to do as intended.

I made up my mind on the sofa in the living room and glanced at Shiori. She was sitting at her usual seat at the dining room table, still wearing the headphones that she referred to as a part of her body, lost in reading her book.

It’s really so… I wonder what kind of music she’s listening to right now, and what kind of books she likes to read as well…

Shiori seems to be reading mystery novels whilst listening to classical music―― Uwah… so fashionable…

She’s going to spend the next two days of the break just listening to music and reading quietly. That’s how you’re going to finish your winter vacation without regrets? Hmm… Ending the winter break with such a routine is an uncharacteristic end for a high school student.

I don’t have such a routine though. What should I do――.

As I was thinking about this, my phone on the center table suddenly shuddered.

I muttered to myself, “Shut up,” as I picked up the phone, which was shaking as it danced on the table, and looked at the screen.

“Dad?”

The caller was my dad.

“Hello.”

『Hello. Koji. How are you doing?』

“I’m fine. How about mom and dad over there?”

『We’re doing fine too.』

He replied, his voice sounding like he was telling the truth.

“――So? What’s wrong?”

『Yeah. Actually――I’ve got a New Year’s vacation.』

“Hee~. That’s great. I’ve been complaining that I don’t have any time off for New Year’s vacation for a while now.”

『I see. Well, I was at work on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day though.』

“Ahaha. It can’t be helped. ――Are you coming back to Japan then?”

『We’re already back.』

“――What?”

I asked with a clear voice.

『We came back to Japan yesterday. I really like Japan. Rice balls and miso soup. It’s the best, you know.』(TL: the italic is said in English)

“Your pronunciation is so foreign! ――If you’re gonna be coming back… at least give me a call!”

『Surprise!』

――I’m so annoyed… This parent of mine is still annoying to this day…

『――So, come home to your parents now.』

“――What?”

A serious and questioning voice comes out of my mouth, but my dad continues without any regard to it.

『Also, bring Shiori along with you.』

“No, no. It’s always so urgent. I have my own schedule, you――”

『Koji’s still on winter break, right?』

He cancels my line abruptly and asks me.

“Well, that’s…”

『You’re the one who’s thinking about doing something now that winter break is almost over, aren’t you?』

Clench… My dad laughs at me over the phone when I fall silent.

『How many years do you think I’ve been your dad? If you think about it so carefully, you’ll just end up goofing off. So come home.』

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

『Hmm? Go ahead.』

“It’s a pain in the ass. To be going home.”

As soon as I say that out loud, he responds.

『I know, I know. I’d feel the same way if I were in your shoes. You’re my son. We think alike at some points.』

“Right? So go and flirt with mom over there.”

『Okay. We’ll come over there then.』

Ah, I dug my own grave…

『That’s right, isn’t it? It’s only logical that the one who invites you should go to the party. It has nothing to do with the parent-child relationship. It’s not because we’re parents or anything, right? All right, all right. We’ll be right there soon.』

“Hey――”

『Well―. It’s been a while since I’ve been there. I’m looking forward to my son’s house.――Mom! Koji said――』

“I got it! I got it! I’m coming!”

I absolutely hate it when my parents come to my room. It’s not that they have anything to be ashamed of, but I want to avoid it for some reason.

So I gave up and replied that I would go there instead.

『Really?”』

I could easily imagine Dad’s grin over the phone.

『Well, come over soon then. Don’t forget to bring Shiori with you as well.』

With that, he hung up the phone.

“――Hah~…”

I let out a big sigh and stared at my phone for a few seconds, then put it down on the center table and walked towards the dining room table.

I don’t know if she noticed me or if I was just within her line of sight, but Shiori noticed my presence, closed her book and took off her headphones.

“What’s wrong?”

She tilted her head and asked me, so I scratched my head and sat down across from Shiori.

“I just got a call from my dad.”

“From Hiroyuki-san?”

“Ah… ――Did you know?”

“Yes, I know him. Mio-san too.”

In a way, Shiori knew that I was her fiance, so I guess it’s normal that she knows about my parents.

It doesn’t make sense that Shiori knew and I didn’t, but that doesn’t matter now.

“――then we can talk about it quickly. My parents came back to Japan, so they asked me to go back home and see them. They want me to bring Shiori along with me. Will you go with me?”

When I asked her, she replied, “Sure.”

“When are you going?”

“That would be today…”

When I said that I was sorry, Shiori left her seat with the same blank expression on her face.

“All right. I’ll get ready now then.”

I felt grateful to her for accepting my story so easily, but at the same time I felt a sense of disappointment at that.

“Are you sure? Don’t you have any other plans you want to do?”

She nodded so easily that I became worried and asked her if she had anything else to do.

“It’s okay. Kojiro should be ready soon too.”

“Really? I see. Okay then.”

This is how the two of us ended up going back to my parents house… What did my parents mean when they asked me to bring Shiori along with me――.