Uncle Hikigaya is Forever Young [56]

The landlord of this house, Mr. Nakano, appeared to be a middle-aged man roughly the same age as Hikigaya Ryōhei.

But he looked somewhat older.

When Nakano-san showed his property documents, Ryōhei noticed his age—three years older than himself.

Thirty-eight, huh?

Judging by his face, he honestly looked almost five years older.

Already nearing forty!

After learning more about his tenant's family circumstances, Nakano-san came to understand that Ryōhei was divorced and raising children alone, which stirred some sympathy.

Nowadays, middle-aged men all had it rough.

Can't afford to get sick, can't afford to lose their jobs, can't even afford not to swallow their pride…

After signing the contract happily, pressing their fingerprints, and transferring the money, the two chatted idly for a bit.

Ryōhei found out that Nakano-san was similar to himself, also supporting a large family.

His savings had all been sunk into real estate.

Though he had finally paid off the mortgage this year, he didn't have enough money left to hold out until finding another job.

Unable to bear the financial burden, he'd decided to return to his hometown.

Nakano-san’s advantage was that his hometown had an ancestral house even bigger than this one, plus some farmland—much easier to find work that would at least feed his family.

Ryōhei’s advantage was his higher education and the stable, recession-proof teaching profession he’d fallen into—at least he probably wouldn't starve.

Tokyo and its surrounding metropolitan area were extremely unfriendly to those looking to re-enter the job market, especially amidst economic turmoil.

The two men quickly found common ground, both being middle-aged, burdened family men down on their luck.

“Ah, back then I believed fate could be grasped in my own hands. ‘Studying is the ladder to personal advancement,’ so I borrowed money and gritted my teeth through four years of university. After graduating, I worked 996 schedules daily, yet somehow felt blessed—don't you think I was basically a dog? Thought I could transform myself from a country bumpkin into a Tokyoite. But now, after losing my job, with mouths at home waiting to be fed, I realize I'm simply not qualified to remain here… Haha!”

Perhaps because it was rare to find someone his age who understood similar struggles, Nakano-san vented his frustrations openly, then exhaled deeply afterward.

“If it were just myself, I'd endure anything, but at our age, we must consider our kids… Hikigaya-kun, you're a teacher, so I'll tell you honestly—I really don't want to drag my children back to the countryside with me. For schooling, the middle schools in Tokyo are far better.”

“We’re both in the same boat. Being a teacher isn’t easy either. But you're a bit better off, Nakano-san. At least your family has some land. As for me, if I ever fail as a teacher, I’d probably just have to drop dead, haha.”

In truth, Ryōhei really had no escape route. He knew he could only keep moving forward in this city.

Without kids, he could survive no matter what. He’d endured far harsher conditions in his previous life, after all.

Before settling on teaching, he’d even worked in a sweatshop—he had genuine proletarian experience!

Originally, with just the Hikigaya siblings, it wouldn't have mattered so much.

After all, strictly speaking, these two children weren't obligations he absolutely had to shoulder. He had stuck around mostly out of responsibility, sympathy, or perhaps sheer inertia toward the original “Hikigaya Ryōhei.”

If things got too difficult, sending them back to their mother or grandmother wouldn't be a terrible choice either.

Though he held certain opinions on the values of that mother-daughter pair, ultimately, the kids’ basic survival was a more pressing concern.

But Misaki Akeno, that lovely, pitiful girl, represented a true responsibility for the current Hikigaya Ryōhei as an adult.

Because she was a child he himself had actively chosen.

He hadn't adopted her simply because she was the original “Hikigaya Ryōhei’s” niece, but because of his own heart—his remaining shred of sympathy, not yet extinguished by reality.

...

“Oh! Hikigaya-san? Finished chatting with Nakano-san?”

After bidding goodbye, Ryōhei stepped outside carrying his new set of keys, when a charming voice called out from across the small courtyard.

It appeared she’d been waiting there for him.

“Oh, Yuigahama-san! Yes, everything’s settled. The price is still within my means, so we'll be neighbors soon—please take good care of us!”

Perhaps because he’d exchanged waves of negativity with Nakano-san just now, seeing the delightful Mrs. Yuigahama again felt like being brushed gently by a warm spring breeze.

“Oh, not at all, I'm the one who’ll rely on your care! And so will my Yui! That child is always rushing about and has already dashed off again. I originally wanted her to properly greet you.”

Mrs. Yuigahama said cheerfully, her eyes curving beautifully into crescent moons.

Those sparkling eyes reflected a comfortable, gentle happiness, her cherry-colored lips like a freshly bloomed rose, alluring and vibrant.

Perhaps because she’d been cleaning up her small courtyard, her fair face was dusted lightly with a charming flush, giving her an unexpectedly cute, endearing quality.

Though such a description was somewhat unusual for a married woman, it was undeniably accurate!

Ryōhei unconsciously blinked twice, sighing softly in his heart—In this new world, could he ever find a partner who genuinely cared for him?

Due to this brief moment of melancholy, the atmosphere grew slightly awkward. As if suddenly recalling something, Mrs. Yuigahama gently waved her slender hand, saying, “Hikigaya-san, speaking of which, I baked some cookies today! A bit too many, actually. Would you mind taking some home as gifts for Hachiman-kun and Komachi-chan?”

After brief polite refusals, Ryōhei accepted, realizing they’d soon be neighbors, making such exchanges natural.

Then Mrs. Yuigahama inquired when Ryōhei planned to move in. Upon hearing he'd be moving this Saturday, she immediately insisted on helping…

She also mentioned she’d bring her daughter, Yui, for a proper house visit once they settled in.

Mrs. Yuigahama’s warm hospitality filled Ryōhei’s heart with gratitude. Even halfway home, he couldn't help but sigh, “Now that's the kind of woman who makes life comfortable and pleasant.”

He truly couldn't comprehend what the original “Hikigaya Ryōhei” had been thinking.

As for Tōma Kazusa?

Fine, he'd admit it! With porcelain-like skin, icy beauty, delicate and perfectly groomed down to that mesmerizing cascade of jet-black hair—truly captivating.

But that personality… even though he'd only met her once, Ryōhei was already ninety percent certain—Kazusa was definitely the stubborn, emotionally awkward type!

Being with that kind of coldly elegant woman might please the eyes, but wouldn't it become exhausting over time?

“Ah! That damn idiot! If only he’d bought less makeup and fewer clothes for his wife, wouldn’t I be living a bit easier now? It's so simple when you just close your eyes and ignore reality, isn’t it?!”

---

T/N: uhhh NAKANO SISTERS QUINTUPLETS???

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!