Uncle Hikigaya is Forever Young [29]

Earlier, when there were only two adults present, the conversation had flowed very naturally.

Now, with three adults in the room, nobody knew what to say anymore.

Awkward.

The air suddenly froze solid.

Yuigahama-san nervously tugged at the hem of her clothes, her cheeks tinged faintly pink.

Faced with this unexpected situation, this gentle, soft-spoken housewife felt utterly helpless.

She was just a full-time housewife after all—naturally a bit naïve and not skilled at handling complicated human relationships.

Usually, aside from grocery shopping or casual strolls, she rarely interacted with outsiders.

In this aspect, she was much less perceptive than her daughter.

Tōma Kazusa sat upright on the cushion Komachi had eagerly offered, separated from Hikigaya Ryōhei by the small table.

Yuigahama-san sat slightly off to the side, still a bit dazed by Hikigaya-san’s surprisingly complicated family situation.

Let’s sort things out clearly…

Hikigaya Ryōhei, a single father raising two children alone, apparently struggling financially and currently job-hunting.

And his ex-wife—who was now sitting nearby—was an incredibly gorgeous woman! Even seen from the side, she had a profile like an artist’s sketch, an ice-cold beauty that Yuigahama-san couldn’t help but envy.

Of course, Hikigaya-san himself carried an easygoing, cultured air, and didn’t appear to have always been this down-and-out. He possessed a certain indescribable dignity.

Meanwhile, his ex-wife radiated elegance and refinement, clearly dressed from head to toe in expensive clothing that an ordinary housewife like herself could never afford.

Yuigahama-san discreetly glanced at the distracted Ryōhei, then quickly stole another glance at the composed yet tense Tōma Kazusa…

This Hikigaya-san definitely had a story…

But at that moment, the strikingly beautiful woman suddenly shifted her deep, sharp gaze, directly catching Yuigahama-san’s wandering eyes.

That direct, intense look startled Yuigahama-san’s heart into a little jump.

“Ah, um...Hikigaya-san, actually, I have something else to do, so I’d better...” Under the pressure of that gaze, Yuigahama-san inwardly scolded herself for being so slow. She should have immediately excused herself!

“All right, I’ll see you out!” Ryōhei quickly replied.

Ever since Tōma Kazusa had stepped inside, everyone except Komachi had felt extremely uncomfortable—especially Ryōhei.

Although admittedly, this ex-wife of his truly was an exceptionally beautiful woman. Especially her long, glossy, raven-black hair, cut to perfection, cascading smoothly down her slender back, making her whole figure shine like a youthful maiden.

Even though Ryōhei wasn’t particularly a fan of straight black hair, he had to concede Kazusa was the kind of beauty who could easily drive men crazy.

At the doorway, Yuigahama-san softly murmured apologies and hurriedly took her leave.

The visit had ended as abruptly as it began, tailing off awkwardly.

Ryōhei glanced back into the room. Honestly, he had absolutely no desire to stay under the same roof as this woman, Tōma Kazusa.

It was obvious that this woman completely lacked tact. She belonged to the type who could kill any conversation stone-dead with just a few words.

“In about two more weeks, Hachiman’s leg will be fine, so you don’t need to worry. Today…just take Komachi out somewhere. I won’t entertain you further.”

Ryōhei let out a heavy sigh, picked up his book again, placed it firmly on the table, clearly signaling he wanted no further disturbances.

Kazusa gave her ex-husband a complicated glance, suddenly feeling a strange thought rise up within her—perhaps she didn’t really recognize this man anymore.

The look her ex-husband gave her in that brief moment…was so indifferent, almost unlike him.

Kazusa had anticipated a barrage of angry scolding from Hikigaya Ryōhei. She’d even mentally prepared herself for it.

After all, she had truly wronged him. And there were the kids to consider too.

But now it felt as though her strength had landed on a soft cushion of cotton instead.

“I had no idea so many things would happen to you afterward...” The beautiful young woman, still childishly awkward, bit her lower lip and muttered quietly.

If not for Komachi secretly poking her waist, Kazusa wouldn’t have known how to start the sentence at all.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, I get it… Just my rotten luck! Really rotten luck,” Ryōhei answered coldly without even turning his head.

Although he couldn’t deny Tōma Kazusa’s breathtaking beauty, he absolutely couldn’t stand this sort of immature woman who still clung to her childish, fairy-tale ideals.

Thanks to the original “Hikigaya Ryōhei’s” heartbreaking, tear-soaked diary, he had a good grasp on Kazusa’s personality. Even after more than a decade of marriage, she was still the sort who chased after “true love” or lived in her own selfish world.

Such people—regardless of gender—were never good to associate deeply with.

Kazusa, filled with conflicted emotions, silently lowered her head, holding her daughter’s small, tender hand tightly.

“Oh, right! Why haven’t I seen Hachiman?”

“Onii-chan! Mom’s calling for you! Why are you still in the bathroom—didn’t you say you could move by yourself now?”

Komachi jumped out of her mother’s gentle embrace and ran to the bathroom door, only to discover it locked from the inside.

“Huh?!”

Kazusa’s stunningly beautiful face instantly dimmed. She involuntarily glanced at her ex-husband, opening her mouth slightly as if to speak—

Snap!

Ryōhei abruptly closed his book and stood up.

“Miura Kōzō asked me to join him for a gathering tonight. I’m heading out now, probably coming back late. You should cook something for the kids.” The last part was obviously directed at Kazusa.

With that, he walked briskly past Kazusa without even the slightest hesitation, grabbed his coat and wallet off the cabinet by the door, and left swiftly.

His decisive, swift exit left Komachi, still standing by the bathroom door, completely stunned.

The young girl glanced uncertainly between the locked bathroom, the now-closed front door, and her mother sitting motionlessly in the main room.

Immediately, tears welled up in her large, adorable eyes.

...

“Hey, Ryōhei! How’s the job hunt going? Sorry I’ve been busy lately and forgot to check in with you.”

Just after leaving the apartment building, Ryōhei’s phone rang from his pocket. What a coincidence—it really was Miura Kōzō.

As soon as Ryōhei answered, Miura skipped formalities and immediately asked the question.

“Ah, it’s you! I’ve already started looking. Tomorrow evening, I plan to submit some resumes. Actually, I was just about to call you too. Want to grab dinner together?”

“Aren’t you supposed to cook dinner for your kids around this time? How come you’re free?” Miura’s tone sounded slightly puzzled.

“Their mother showed up!”

“Hmph!” Miura snorted disdainfully, a hint of disgust clear in his voice. “You didn’t slap her away immediately? Let me tell you—women like her just deserve a good lesson!”

“That wouldn’t be good. It’s hard enough for the kids as it is. Thankfully, she doesn’t come often.” Ryōhei sighed, clearly annoyed.

“…Ah, you’re right. Anyway, I gotta accompany Yumiko’s mom—your sister-in-law—to Chiba Municipal Hospital for a follow-up checkup today, so let’s do dinner another time. But seriously, hurry and find a decent job—that’s the most important thing.”

At the end, Miura couldn’t help but nag his friend a bit more.

After all, with Ryōhei stuck in a convenience-store part-time job, Miura was frankly embarrassed even thinking about introducing him to any of the single older women he knew.

Although labeled “leftovers,” some among them were actually quite decent catches!

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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!