CH 38

“What’s wrong? All of a sudden.”

“Because we haven’t talked much.”

“That’s right, I live alone.”

I felt a little uncomfortable saying “Live alone”. I don’t live alone, but with Kaede.

“As a parent, you know, I worry.”

“………Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. You’re having fun at school, right?”

“Yeah,…. I’m having fun.”

Hearing this, Dad smiled and said, “Good”. I have been giving my parents a lot of trouble. It’s natural for them to worry.

The reason I left my hometown was because I had a fear that if I saw my ex-girlfriend and best friend, this time something inside me would break.

Besides, if I had stayed in my hometown, I wouldn’t have met Kaede, and I don’t know what would have happened to her if she hadn’t met me.

“I’m glad you don’t seem to have any regrets.”

“There’s no way…”

Dad exhaled in relief.

“I know this is a bit of a change of subject, but how’s life living together?”

“Hmm, well, we’re getting along well.”

“Ren? I really want to ask, but you’re not dating, right?”

“No, not yet.”

I added the word “not yet” at the end, although we were not dating.

“Do you like Kaede-san, Ren?”

“Yes, I do.”

I answered without any hesitation that I liked Kaede.

Then, Dad’s eyes widened, he laughed.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because I feel my son is growing up.”

“Well, I am not growing old for nothing.”

Hearing this, Dad laughed even louder. He then drank the red liquid in the wineglass.

And Looked straight at me. I swallowed hard at the pressure.

“I heard that Kaede-san’s father said he doesn’t need Kaede-san, is that correct?”

“There is no mistake…”

“I see… that must have been hard. you both still have a long life ahead of you, I hope she’ll be happy from now on.”

“I hope so, too.”

I couldn’t say I wanted to be happy. In the end, I was satisfied if Kaede was happy.

“Ren? Just one piece of advice, not as your father, but as a man and a senior in life.”

Then he slowly placed the wine glass on the table.

“Don’t let go of a woman who will cry, laugh, have fun, and sometimes get angry at you for your sake, okay?”

(T/N: Truer words than this have never been spoken)

Those words felt very heavy. I don’t know if it was because he was giving me advice from the perspective of a senior in life and not my father.

Kaede was the first person that came to mind when I heard his words.

We laughed together, she got angry with me, she cried for me.

All the conditions that he said were in place. I knew I wanted to make Kaede happy myself, I thought more strongly than before.

“I’m glad you’re having fun, and I’m glad I got to talk to you for the first time in a while.”

“Don’t you have any other questions?”

“Hmm? Maybe it’s okay because I’m not feeling strange, and you know, not all women are nasty people.”

Perhaps those words were a roundabout way of saying that if you don’t get over your trauma and move on, you will never get over the wall.

It was just a hunch, but I thought that Dad really thought so.

“Ah, that’s right, I came to get a drink.”

“Hmm? Would you like a drink with me, Ren?”

Saying so, he held a wine glass and shook the red liquid inside.

“No, no!? I’m still a minor!”

“What about it?”

“What about it… Dad, you’re drunk.”

“Hahaha, you can’t get drunk on 100% grape juice.”

“So, wine is… eh? Grape juice? 100% juice?”

The carton showed a large image of a grape, and in large letters it said, “100% fruit juice.”

I was getting more and more ashamed of myself.

“I mean, don’t drink it in that! It’s confusing.”

“I don’t mind. I’m just enjoying the atmosphere.”

“That’s fine, but… you startled me.”

Hearing this, Dad said sorry, sorry, and took another sip.

I filled my cup with barley tea and went back upstairs to my room.