Uncle Hikigaya is Forever Young [69]

Since Ryōhei had already arranged to have hotpot with Miura Fusako and her daughter in the evening, he intended to take just a short nap.

But perhaps because it was rare for him to have so much space to stretch out, lying on Nakano-san’s old sofa, he accidentally fell into a deep sleep.

By the time he woke up, two hours had passed.

He removed the jacket someone had draped over him at some point and headed to the kitchen, finding that Hachiman had already neatly arranged all the groceries.

The children were upstairs, busily tidying their own little rooms.

Hikigaya Hachiman’s room was previously the former owner's study, which Ryōhei had cleared out for him. Useful books had been moved downstairs, piled together with his own, while the rest had been thrown away.

When Ryōhei knocked and entered Hachiman’s room, he saw the boy studying intently from a physics textbook.

Patting his son’s shoulder encouragingly, Ryōhei briefly discussed the dinner plans with him.

“Being motivated is great, but it's still just the first semester of your first year of high school—you should also take time to enjoy your youth, you know!”

After his father left, Hikigaya Hachiman bitterly reflected on those words.

Ha! Youth is nothing but a hollow illusion, merely a pretty excuse teenagers use to thoughtlessly squander the hard work of those who love them.

And it usually reeks of adolescent hormones.

Idiots filled only with passion and no responsibility at all.

Hachiman had firmly made up his mind:

First, set a small goal. He couldn’t remain unbalanced academically anymore. Being weak in certain subjects offered no future. Only by achieving solid scores across the board could he possibly aim for Tokyo University.

Girls? Keep your paws off me!

If he didn’t study hard now, how could he properly repay his father’s care later?

Besides, as a student, wasn’t studying his primary responsibility?

Even without a mother, he, his father, and his younger sisters could live a perfectly good life together!

Reflecting carefully, Hachiman realized his poor performance in science was simply because he’d never really taken it seriously. He’d always had some natural talent in liberal arts, so to avoid trouble, he’d dismissed science as unimportant.

But it was still early in the first semester—there was more than enough time to catch up.

He’d make a proper science study schedule starting this week…

...

Ryōhei washed his face, shaved lightly, threw on some casual clothes, and headed out.

Miura Kōzō’s wife, Fusako-san, had just messaged him saying she was already shopping nearby and would wait there, telling him he could arrive an hour later.

They’d agreed to meet near Mitsui Outlet Mall in Chiba’s bustling city center. Since Ryōhei had never been there before, he left a bit earlier.

He’d visited the Miura household once before, so there was no risk of mistaking Fusako-san.

She was also a gentle, family-oriented woman.

Fusako-san and Yumiko resembled each other closely, the biggest difference being Fusako’s shoulder-length black hair.

Getting along with her shouldn’t be difficult. According to Kōzō, the three of them had known each other for many years.

The original “Hikigaya Ryōhei” and the Miura couple had been very close friends.

Though they’d chatted briefly before, tonight they’d definitely have more substantial conversations. Ryōhei just hoped Fusako-san wouldn’t constantly bring up the past.

As long as they avoided discussing their school days, he believed he could handle things smoothly.

Any notable differences between himself and the original “Hikigaya Ryōhei” could be easily explained by the trauma of divorce. Considering everything he'd experienced recently, it’d be odd if his personality hadn't changed a bit, right?

...

Around 5 p.m., at a hotpot restaurant on a street near Chiba’s central shopping district, Machida Sonoko waved cheerfully to Miura Fusako, who was already seated at a quiet table, staring off into space.

“Miura-nee! Here I am!”

“Eh? You’re actually on time today?” Fusako turned her head, genuinely surprised.

After fully explaining Ryōhei’s circumstances, Fusako had felt quite relieved that Sonoko still chose to come.

“Haa… my mom was watching me like a hawk. If I’d been late, she would’ve murdered me!” Editor-san complained bitterly.

“Tsk-tsk, you look pretty nice after dressing up properly. Like this, no one would guess you’re almost thirty-two. Hehe!” Fusako-san sized Sonoko up and down teasingly, noticing her casual yet elegant skirt.

Clearly, Machida-san had applied some delicate makeup, her pale cheeks flushed slightly pink.

Honestly, Fusako had always assumed Sonoko was permanently attached to formal business suits. If she'd randomly seen her dressed casually like this in public, she probably wouldn't have recognized her at all.

“Are you praising me or insulting me? Well, I also think I look quite cute when I make an effort! Haha! I chose this outfit myself, after all!”

“Oh? You actually have such skills?”

Before leaving today, Mrs. Machida had helped Sonoko put on a light, pale-pink lace top, showing just enough of her smooth collarbones and gently hinting at her graceful shoulders. The elegant silk skirt complemented it perfectly.

According to Mrs. Machida, Sonoko needed to show off her strengths more, while speaking fewer childish words unsuitable for her age.

Sonoko sat next to Fusako-san, glancing around the sparsely populated restaurant.

“So… where is he?” She nudged Fusako-san lightly with her elbow.

“Not here yet. Actually, I haven’t told Ryōhei that this is a blind date, so try to be reserved and dignified later, okay? Stop looking so excited your eyes sparkle—it gives away your age.” Fusako-san teased with a gentle smile.

“All right, all right!”

Perhaps because it was her first time seriously participating in an arranged date, Machida Sonoko felt inexplicably nervous and expectant.

Even though she was nearly thirty-two—almost an oba-san—right now she wasn’t much different from a teenage girl of seventeen or eighteen.

“Oh, right! I asked around for you. Even though Ryōhei’s just resumed teaching, his basic annual salary during the first-year trial period already exceeds four million yen, and it’ll rise again next year. That doesn’t even include bonuses. You’ve worked long enough to know how much potential there is, right?”

“I do know! Teachers’ actual annual earnings easily exceed Tokyo’s average. And if they tutor privately at cram schools, they can absolutely make a fortune, right? Going all-out, they could easily break ten million yen in a year! Then maybe even being a full-time housewife wouldn’t be so bad?”

Editor-san’s envious exclamation drew the attention of the few nearby customers.

“Could you keep your voice down a bit!” Fusako-san felt mildly embarrassed.

“Oh… sorry…”

Machida-san quickly restrained herself, pretending nothing happened, then remembered the cold hamburger she'd bought on the way here.

Awoo! Just one little bite!

---

This is a fan translation of 比企谷大叔永远年轻 by Stargazer All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!