Chapter 4 - It’s Too Early for Cohabitation (Part 1)
I felt like I had experienced this before. When I went downstairs and entered the living room, my mother and father were sitting across the table with mysterious expressions on their faces. Then they spoke in a serious tone.
"Shuuji, we need to talk. Sit down."
I've been here before and this is the third time.
"Again?"
I have had enough of this. I knew that this time it was about my fiancé again, but I just sat there trembling, not knowing what they would say to me.
It all started with my worry after the date ended.
***
I was worried again. Of course, it had to do with the fact that my fiancé was a gyaru. Until now, I had a prejudice against gyaru extroverts. However, Miran Hanatsuki, who is both a gyaru and my fiancée, is a kind-hearted girl. She made me lunch and showed interest in my otaku hobby. Although I still have some confusion about being her fiancé, I hope to get to know Miran better.
"Even though I think so, I don't know how to do it."
That was the problem I faced. Or rather, I began to worry about her even more after that date. On the other hand, even though the date wasn't perfect, Miran was happy and I could also see a new side of her that was different from the one at school. Thanks to that, I felt that we were closer than before, but because of that, I didn't know how to interact more than before. Apart from that, I was even more nervous in Miran's presence than before. Like, my heart was beating irregularly.
That's why I couldn't communicate with Miran smoothly lately. I don't know if it's because I'm a person who can't communicate well at all.
"Huh..."
What actually happened to me? Also, what should I do from now on? Should I be more proactive? But what does being proactive mean? Should I ask her out again? How about next weekend?
"Hmm~"
I picked up the photo I took with Miran at the Game Center from the table and looked at it. What does Miran think of our relationship, huh? I wish we could get to know each other better, but does Miran think so? That's an answer I won't find in a relationship guide or on the Internet.
Seriously, there's so much to think about since Miran and I became engaged. But strangely enough, I am okay with it. As I stared at the photos, I agonizingly thought, then—
"Is that a photo from your last date?", suddenly a voice from behind me startled me.
"Whoa. H-Hey!" I quickly put down the photo and looked back. Sure enough, it was my mom.
"I knocked on your door, didn't I?" she said before I asked, but I couldn't believe it.
It seems I have to lock the door! When I thought about it, she urged me to go downstairs with a serious face.
"Shuuji, come down."
"This is... no way!"
It felt like déjà vu.
When I went downstairs and entered the living room, my father and mother were sitting on the other side of the table with a mysterious look on their faces, a sight I was used to.
***
"Do you get along well with Miran-chan?"
Dad's question was as I had expected and made me sigh inwardly.
"Eh, well... that's how it is."
I'm more worried about how to deal with him than I used to be, but I'm still giving a safe answer for now.
Mom sighed sadly at me, "Since it's Shuuji... It's not that you're more sensible than before, but you can't do a thing, can you? You are a coward, right?".
"Ughhh!" I think those are exaggerated words, but Mom is absolutely right and scares me.
"The parents on the other side are worried about how you guys are interacting..." by crossing his arms and making a complicated face, Dad looked at Mom and then said to me.
"After much discussion, we decided that this holiday, we and her parents will go on a trip together."
Mom and Dad are going on a trip with her parents? I tilted my head at the strange sentence and tried to confirm it.
"So, Miran and I will go on a trip together too, right?"
"No, Shuuji and Miran will be staying here."
"What does that mean?"
I couldn't understand, but Mom said as if to clarify, "Shuuji, while we're on vacation, you and Miran-chan will stay in this house.".
I can't stand those words anymore. Um... What did Mom say? Does that mean... Does that mean... I have to stay in this house with Miran, just the two of us?
Feeling just as surprised as when they told me if I had a fiancée, I tried to confirm it again.
"Stay in this house alone with Miran? Are you serious?"
"Seriously. Shuuji will never be able to get over your awkwardness for the rest of your life if we don't do this," Mom's eyes got wet for some reason, while Dad nodded his head and said, "To grow up, you have to move on.".
I shook my head in disagreement.
"No, what kind of move is that? This is already out of bounds!"
I have been going through a lot of things lately, even though I just went on the first date of my life. Teenage boys and girls live under the same roof, just like in a manga or anime. This is unethical treatment.
"Besides, w-what if something happens?"
"You mean what happened?"
"No, it's..." I'm at a loss for words, but Mom and Dad look very calm.
"We have nothing to worry about. After all, you are Shuuji."
I don't know if I should be happy about their confidence.
"At least, just keep your own hands."
"Hands...?"
That's how our family meeting ended.
I expected the trip plan to be just a joke, but I found out that they were serious. Early in the morning of the first day of holiday, my parents actually went on a trip with Miran's parents.
***
After seeing my parents leave that day—my heart pounded as I stayed in the house. I couldn't sit still, so I carefully cleaned my room again, as I had done many times before. I hid as many otaku items as possible in my room that would attract attention, and decorated it with some elegant interior items.
I cleaned the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, the toilet, and all the other parts of the house. I've never cleaned like this before, it feels like I've cleaned more than at the end of the year. However, I don't have anything to do now because I cleaned a few days before,
"............"
Will I stay in this house with Miran for a while?
When I tried to imagine what would happen in this cleaned house, my mind couldn't picture it because I had never experienced it. There is only a vague feeling of nervousness.
In the midst of such conditions, I am alone in the living room, looking at the clock—
Ding-dong! The intercom rang, making my heart beat faster.
"Y-Yes!"
I walked across the mopped floor to the front door. As I opened the door, sunlight streamed in, revealing a beautiful girl lit up by the sun.
"Yahoo!" Miran looked at me and gave a light greeting.
My fiancée, who was a gyaru, looked a little uncomfortable carrying a large bag.
"He-hello!" I answered awkwardly.
There was silence for a while.
"Umm... so..."
Not knowing what to do, Miran blushed and smiled at me.
"Please take care of me from today, Shuuji..."
"Me too," I replied very tense.
Maybe because she was nervous too, Miran's face looked redder than usual. So... The life of the two of us during the holidays began.
***
I gave Miran a quick tour of the house. After showing her the living room, kitchen, bathroom and toilet on the first floor, we went upstairs.
"Where is your room Shuuji? Uww."
"Uhm, this one..."
Suddenly I was asked that and my gaze started to become erratic.
Miran chuckled and went to the door of my room.
"Here?"
"Um, yes, uhm...." As I wondered how she could know that, Miran smiled.
"It's clearly visible, you know? It's easy to guess."
Really, I will be more careful next time. I moved and tried to show Miran the guest room she was sleeping in, but my fiancée wouldn't budge from the front of my room.
"Hey, hey, can I come in?" he asked.
"Eh?"
I had expected her to come into my room when we were living together, but it was too soon. So I was taken aback.
"Can't I?"
Miran, her cheeks flushed, looked at me and asked. I'm sure I tidied up my room... That's okay, right? Thinking back, I nodded my head.
"Yeah, it's okay, but it's so dirty, you know?"
I didn't forget to warn her before.
"Even if it is dirty, I don't mind, really!"
Miran nodded curiously while I went to the door and looked inside to make sure before I opened it.
"Huh, it's a nice room! Sorry to interrupt♪!"
Miran entered the room with a smile on her face and looked around with a curious look.
"............"
This is the first time a girl has entered my room. I felt really uncomfortable with the presence of a beautiful gyaru in my room, but at the same time, I was also nervous. Really, it's nice to be able to keep my room tidy.
"Shuuji usually sleeps here, huh..." Miran muttered, tilting her head towards the stylish interior I had decorated to look good.
"Is this really Shuuji's hobby? I thought there would be a lot of anime stuff or something."
This gyaru, so sharp!
By the way, I hid the otaku stuff in the cupboards and drawers.
"Oh, you must have hidden them, right! You don't have to hide them!"
Like just now, I almost turned my eyes to a hidden place and hurriedly said to Miran, "I did, I did. So just forget my room, and let's go over there! I'll take you to your room!"
Miran muttered to me as I asked her to leave the room.
"Oh, I see, we're not sleeping together, are we?"
"No, we're not going to sleep together, we shouldn't, okay!"
Miran laughed at my nervousness. I know it is a joke, but it is hard for me to ignore it!
***
After showing Miran around the house—
"............"
We are alone in the living room now, but unlike before, there is silence.
"............"
Usually it was Miran who talked to me, but this time she was silent, probably because she was nervous or thinking about something. If so, I don't even know what to do or say! I'm the King of Indoors, which is second to none when it comes to spending time indoors, but when I'm indoors now, I don't even know what to do.
"............"
After the silence continued for a while—suddenly, kruuuk~ my stomach rumbled. Come to think of it, I haven't eaten since this morning! I tried to calm my stomach right then and there, but Miran suddenly stood up as if excited.
"I'm going to cook!"
"Eh, I'll help you too."
"That's okay! Shuuji can wait here."
Even though she said that, I felt uncomfortable if I didn't do anything, so I followed Miran and took a look at the state of the kitchen. Miran, who was standing in the kitchen, quickly checked the utensils and ingredients and started cooking.
"So great..."
It was the first time I saw Miran cooking, but in fact she was more proficient than I imagined, so I was stunned to see her. There was no way to help her! All I could do was put the dishes away and arrange them without disturbing Miran.
***
"This is it!"
"Wow, it looks so delicious!"
The food was ready in no time, and a variety of breakfasts with miso soup were served on the dining table.
"Miran, you are great!"
"I'm embarrassed to be praised, you know." Miran smiled shyly as I openly complimented her.
"Itadakimasu!"
Then we clasped our hands together and began to eat, immediately a taste that matched what we had imagined filled our mouths.
"It's so delicious!"
Hearing my comment, Miran stroked her chest in relief.
"Thank goodness. I was training for today."
"For today..."
"Just like the bento, I want Shuuji to enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal."
"Oh, thank you..." I was so happy to hear those words and continued to eat to quell the pounding in my chest.
Huh? I looked at Miran's hand and tilted my head, noticing that her hand had stopped and she was eating almost nothing.
"Miran, you're not eating?"
"Yeah, I'm not that hungry anyway, I'm just watching Shuuji eat."
"It's kind of embarrassing... But thanks for trying so hard for me."
I scratched my head and thanked Miran again. With Miran staring at me, I finished my breakfast—and then washed the dishes.
***
But what should I do? I finished the dishes, and now I feel so bored. I saw Miran sitting on the sofa in the living room, and then something occurred to me. Should we go out? Or stay in and watch a movie? While I was thinking about what to do, Miran turned her head and asked me.
"Oh yeah, can we watch that anime you told me about when we went out?"
"Uhm, yes. We can watch it."
I have it on a video streaming app, and I also have a BD BOX that I bought with my New Year's money. [TN: BD = Blueray Disc]
"If you don't mind, can I watch it?"
"Is it okay?" I made sure.
It's not hard for an otaku to show the work he likes. On the contrary, it can be considered a gift. My question, "Is it okay?" is to find out if it is boring for a gyaru to watch.
"This is Shuuji's favorite movie, right? I really want to see it! Oh, but for Shuuji who has seen the movie once, it feels boring, right?"
"No, it's not like that. I'll prepare it."
Otaku can watch and enjoy their favorite works as much as they want, so such worries are completely unfounded. Once you've watched it, it's better to buy a BD with a bonus video than to watch it again using the app.
With a quick thought, I went straight back to the room to get the BD BOX I had hidden there. Then I went back to the living room and inserted the BD into the TV player.
"Uwaa! The picture is so good!" when I saw Miran exclaim happily, I became excited. So, I watched anime with her all day.
I can watch anime non-stop, but I don't want a beginner to watch it all at once.
"I'll make you some tea."
"Thanks!"
I paused at the right moment, then went to make tea and served it to Miran. While drinking tea, we talked about anime, schools, the latest popular applications, and many other things. Though most of the time, I just listened.
"So, Hanako had a fight with her boyfriend—"
"It's complicated, huh..."
"But you know? Three days later, they made up instead, so Adzuki and I laughed at them."
While I sipped the tea, I listened to stories about Miran's gyaru friends. When I saw my face reflected in the cup, my lips seemed to smile wider than I had imagined. Hearing Miran talk happily gave me a sense of comfort. Even the nervousness I felt at the beginning disappeared.
***
I thought the tension had completely subsided, but then come the night, something happened that made my heart explode. The trigger was something my fiancée said.
When the variety show we were watching together was over, she stretched her body and said, "It looks like I have to take a shower soon....".
Ah, it's time, huh? I almost replied with those words, but one word stuck in my mind. Bath?! Really? She is going to take a bath in this house, right? A bad feeling like smoke rose in my mind, and then I quickly shook my head to get rid of it.
"I'll heat the water first!" I was so aware of it that I only responded with that sentence.
When I went to the bathroom as if nothing had happened, Miran blurted out this question,
"Does Shuuji want to join me?"
"Eh!?"
She's also stunned by my tense reaction.
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"What the heck. I'm just kidding, you know!"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha, of course I know that," I also laughed for a while.
"Or do you really want to go in with me?" Miran asked looking at me. The sight of her blushing face almost made my heart explode, but this time I stood my ground.
"Again, you must be joking, right? I'll heat the water for the bath."
I left the living room and went to heat the water with shaking legs. After a while, the water in the bathtub was warm.
"............"
Now I'm so nervous and tense. The reason for this was the sound of the water and the faint humming in the bathroom.
"At this time, Miran is taking a bath—"
Actually, Miran was taking a shower right now, but every time the sound from the bathroom reaches my ears, I can't help but feel this uneasy feeling. I try to block it out with the TV or other noises, but it is only at times like this that my hearing becomes too sharp to pick up the sound clearly. When the sound of the shower started, I finally almost imagined Miran taking a shower. To avoid the thought, I shook my head and said some numbers.
"3.1415926535 ... 8979323846 ... 2643383279—"
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Phi! To relieve my anxiety, I searched for phi on my smartphone and frantically memorized it. It is quite effective and is able to get rid of the anxiety for a while. However, I'm reminded of a theory I learned on TV back then, that phi includes all the sequences of number in the world—if that's the case, does it include three Miran measures? After thinking about it, I got stuck again. I repeated the fierce struggle over and over again for I don't know how long.
"Shuuji, I have finished, here!"
Miran, who had just finished showering, returned to the living room. I was fascinated by Miran's different appearance. I've only ever seen her in her school uniform and casual clothes when she goes out on the street, but after a shower she looks so vulnerable in her home clothes.
"I bought new home clothes, what do you think?"
"Yes, I think... it's cute."
"Thanks♪."
Although her skin was not exposed, her curves were clearly visible through her clothes. This made me feel embarrassed and I lowered my head when I looked at her.
"I'm tired today, so I'll go to bed first."
"Oh, have a good sleep. I will also sleep after I take a shower." As I said good night, I went to the bathroom.
I looked into the bathroom and wondered if Miran was here just now. Then I tried hard not to imagine that, because my worries started to rage again. For the first time in my life, I felt nervous about taking a shower. Without taking too much time, I quickly left the bathroom and returned to my room.
Miran and I are in separate rooms, of course. Lying in bed—I couldn't fall asleep because I kept thinking about the fact that there was a girl sleeping under the same roof as me—added to my anxiety.
TL:
YouthTL (JP-ID), Retallia (ID-EN)
PF & ED: Retallia