SWNOVELXO Chapter 43 - Reina's POV 2
After seeing Mito off, I… I’m being bombarded with questions from Mom.
“So… are you two dating?”
“Eh!? No, we’re not dating!”
“You’re still so sensitive…”
“Ugh… But…”
“Really? Didn’t you just reject his confession to avoid making us feel uncomfortable?”
“No way. To begin with, Mito doesn’t see me like that…”
“Are you sure? Maybe… sending you to a girls’ school was a mistake after all… Before you enrolled, your father was still working and we had money… And you became a scholarship student… We didn’t want you to experience the same things I did…”
“Mom… No, it’s not like that. I think I was naturally bad at it. I wasn’t very good at talking to boys.”
Mom was a beauty and apparently had a hard time.
Boys confessed to her every day, and girls bullied her…
That’s why she sent me, who looks just like her, to an all-girls school from junior high to high school.
Thanks to that, we lived a poor but fun life.
“I see… I was the same. If I hadn’t met your father, who looked at my inner self, I wonder if I’d be married by now… So, do you like him?”
“I think… I do…”
At first, I just found him intriguing and invited him for drinks…
But as we talked, my heart fluttered… It was fun…
“Why is that?”
“How do I put it… His gaze doesn’t bother me… it makes my heart flutter…”
“I see… That’s important. Anything else?”
“Eh? You’re still asking…?”
“Of course. You don’t have much experience, so you need to make a sound judgment.”
“Umm… His seriousness at work, how he rarely speaks ill of others, his calm way of speaking… I guess?”
“I see… So, he doesn’t raise his voice or anything?”
“Yeah, I think so… He listens carefully and responds accordingly?”
“Oh… He sounds like a decent person.”
“I can’t tell you more because it’s about his privacy, and I don’t know much… but it seems his father was strict…”
“Ah… I see. He’s like a man from the Showa era… so it’s a backlash from that?”
“Maybe… but I think… he’s always been kind…”
“Why do you think so?”
“Somehow… I don’t think he could be that way just from that… He’s kind to the new employees, and to me… and to everyone else… hmm…”
“Hehe… Jealous?”
“No, I’m not!”
“Hehe… So, do you want to date him?”
“Huh?……Wha——!?”
“Reina, you’re disturbing the neighbors.”
“But… but…”
“But you like him, right?”
“Y-yes… maybe.”
“Maybe… Well, it’s your first time…”
“T-that’s right!”
“But, think carefully.”
“Eh?”
“He mentioned that he’s the eldest son, so he might have to take care of his parents… Is his sister married?”
“No, she’s not…”
“I wonder if she will… or maybe if you get married… Let’s see.”
“Eh, um…?”
“Being the wife of the eldest son can be hard. You have to deal with in-laws, succession issues, inheritance matters, weddings, and funerals…”
“Wh-what… huh…?”
“Oh——looks like you’ve overheated.”
Marriage…!
I’ve been dreaming about it… but I thought I’d never be able to do it…
I thought I’d have to live a lonely life alone…
I have my dad, mom, and brother to consider…
“So… that’s why you asked Mito if he’s the eldest son…?”
“That’s part of it… But when that time comes, you’d worry about us, wouldn’t you?”
…Maybe that’s true.
I have to take care of my dad, and my mom isn’t going to be young forever…
My brother just started school…
“That’s… but family is important… does that mean it’s impossible with Mito…?”
“Hehe… You’re a kind child. Listen carefully.”
“Y-yes…”
“If that ever happens, don’t worry about us. Your mom wishes for your happiness, too. Of course, your dad and Kazuki do as well… You’re already doing it… We can’t burden you any further.”
“Mom…”
“So, when the time comes… do as you wish.”
“But…”
“He seems to be a bit… shy, I’d say. When he was complimented on his cooking, his expression was a bit awkward…”
“Yeah, that seems to be the case… he’s capable at work, but seems to lack confidence…”
“Then you have to keep pushing forward.”
“Huh?”
“People of his type… are going to be popular.”
“What do you mean!?”
“As people age… things like appearance become secondary, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. When you’re young, guys who look good or are funny or a bit cocky are popular… but around 25, it starts to change. Kind, calm, sincere, comforting people… in a good way, of course. Plus, he makes your heart race, which is absolutely wonderful.”
“Huh!?”
True, people who say they like Mito-kun…
Those are people around that age… even Morishima-san recently…
“You seem to have an inkling, huh?”
“Ah…”
“Then, work hard so you won’t lose. If it comes to it, I’ll work too. We can use your father’s inheritance, or break our fixed deposits.”
“But that’s for our retirement, and for Kazuki to get his qualifications…”
“Kazuki said it too… he can’t bear to see you unhappy because of him… he’ll get his qualifications on his own…”
“Kazuki… I see…”
“Thank you, Reina. And I’m sorry… We have been taking advantage of your kindness too much…”
“Don’t cry…”
“If only we could have told you sooner…”
“… Like I said before… I don’t regret anything. Of course, it’d be different if I were being relied on unilaterally… but that’s not the case. Everyone thinks about me.”
“Reina… having you as my daughter, I am happy. So, this time, prioritize your own happiness.”
“…I’ll think about it.”
“That’s right… Things have moved quickly… Well, I should get going.”
Saying so, my mom went home…
“But… I see…”
I love Mito-kun… there’s no doubt about it.
“I have a lot to think about, but…”
The only thing in my head was love…
“I… I want to be in a relationship with Mito-kun…”
Such a realization came to me, much too late…