Uncle Hikigaya is Forever Young [27]

At least Hikigaya Hachiman could finally sleep on a proper bed again, bringing an end to his weeks-long ordeal of sleeping on futons alongside his father. Yet, he didn’t feel happy in the slightest. By the time he fully recovered and returned to school, he’d surely have missed the crucial window to blend into the new class environment…

The house only had one single bed, and without Ryōhei even mentioning it, Komachi had thoughtfully given it up to her brother.

Currently, the father and daughter shared futons on the floor. Komachi was secretly delighted—sleeping shoulder-to-shoulder with her dad felt far safer at night than being alone in a bed.

She hadn’t had a single bad dream since.

After just a few days in the hospital, Hachiman had asked his father to bring him home.

Although the generous local aristocrat—the Yukinoshita family—had covered a full month’s hospital stay, Ryōhei could only deliver dinner each night, meaning Hachiman had to buy overpriced, tasteless hospital lunches during the day.

Besides, every evening, seeing his father arrive, panting heavily, beads of sweat dripping down his face, left a bitter taste in Hachiman’s mouth.

Considering his maturity, far beyond that of his peers, he easily understood that his father was cycling to the hospital daily to save on taxi fares. After all, one taxi ride would wipe out an hour and a half’s worth of wages from part-time work.

The distance from their home wasn’t too great, but cycling fast was the only way to ensure the meals didn’t turn cold by arrival.

Kids who experienced sudden hardship were always extra sensitive. Though understanding a parent’s burdens could be seen positively, was it really a good thing for someone his age, meant to enjoy carefree youth, to have such painfully heavy awareness?

When Ryōhei heard Hachiman’s request, he didn’t hesitate much. After confirming once, he promptly went through the discharge process, and even splurged again on a rare taxi ride to take his son home.

...

Another week passed. Hikigaya Hachiman was recovering well—he could already hobble slowly by supporting himself against walls.

Clearly, the Yukinoshita family’s driver had excellent skills, managing to minimize injuries even amidst a sudden accident.

Two days earlier, their grandmother, Tōma Yōko, had stopped by while Ryōhei was at work, bringing plenty of nutritious food and a generous cash gift for her grandson’s recovery.

That night, the siblings nervously watched their father’s reaction, hearts pounding anxiously.

After all, their dad had explicitly said long ago that they should cut all ties with this grandmother.

Letting them travel with her previously was already unusual enough; now their grandmother’s unexpected visit might seriously anger him. But rather than appearing angry, their father had casually praised Grandma Yōko a few times, leaving the siblings momentarily speechless, half-suspecting his praise was actually sarcastic.

...

Another weekend came around—one of those rare days when their father stayed at home.

Hikigaya Hachiman was propped up in bed, quietly studying his textbooks. Next to him sat Komachi, the normally energetic little girl unusually quiet this Sunday morning.

Their father was hunched over a small table, reading books and taking notes.

Every evening, Ryōhei spent two disciplined hours studying, with remarkable consistency and determination, and on weekends he’d practically study from morning until night.

Sometimes he wrote furiously, sometimes quietly murmured passages to himself, and sometimes pondered deeply in silence.

Watching their father immerse himself so deeply in studying was something entirely new for the siblings. They often exchanged silent glances.

Dad really has changed, hasn’t he?

He said he's preparing for a teaching position, but is it really necessary to push himself this hard?

Both Hachiman and Komachi shared these similar thoughts, unconsciously attributing this drastic change in their father’s personality to the shock of their mother leaving the family.

Clearly, their father was determined to fully abandon his previous life—even changing careers entirely.

But considering they were still sensitive in the aftermath of their parents’ divorce, now heavily dependent on their only remaining guardian, neither sibling dared to question their father’s decisions openly, afraid they might reopen painful wounds.

Even lively Komachi, who once innocently mentioned “Mom” without hesitation, had stopped doing so entirely after observing their father’s subtle changes.

Though, deep down, as a child from a previously happy home, she likely still dreamed that one day their parents might reunite…

Of course, she’d never admit to secretly exchanging messages with her mother.

...

A knock at the door interrupted Ryōhei’s focused study.

He stood up, stretching stiffly. Before he’d taken two steps—

Komachi suddenly squealed happily and rushed to answer the door ahead of him.

Then, the little girl’s cheerful expression suddenly froze.

Standing outside was an elegantly beautiful woman, with tea-colored hair, radiating a gentle aura of comfort. She smiled warmly, eyes softly curved, her porcelain-white skin looking even more delicate in the sunlight.

“Eh? So, Hikigaya-san also has a daughter?” the lovely tea-haired woman murmured softly to herself, blinking in momentary surprise as she gazed down at Komachi.

“Yuigahama-san? How did you find your way here?” Ryōhei asked, approaching with genuine surprise.

After that awkward encounter at the hospital, he hadn’t expected to meet Yuigahama Asuna again.

He’d assumed their paths would never cross again.

Though she’d made an excellent first impression, he really wasn’t in a position to be making female friends right now.

Not to mention, she was married, wasn’t she? Wait, that thought was getting off-track…

“My sudden visit must seem rude, but I really felt the need to formally thank you again for your son’s kindness in saving my daughter, Yui. Sorry for intruding like this!”

Yuigahama-san politely bowed, her delicate figure gracefully lowering. A refined, cultured aura filled the air.

Komachi awkwardly stepped aside, watching this sudden visitor with conflicted feelings.

“Mom is still prettier!” she muttered defensively in her heart, reflexively comparing this auntie with her absent mother.

Ryōhei, oblivious to Komachi’s little internal drama, paused half a second before remembering basic courtesy.

“Ah, it’s no bother at all—please, come in. Although the place is embarrassingly tiny, haha! And yes, this is indeed my daughter, Komachi.” He reached out and gently rested a hand atop Komachi’s head.

“…Hello, Yuigahama-san,” Komachi greeted stiffly.

“Oh, hello there! What an adorable child! Hikigaya-san, you’re really blessed—a son and a daughter,” Yuigahama-san said sweetly, giving Komachi a gentle smile that made the little girl tremble slightly.

Entering, Yuigahama-san gracefully slipped off her shoes in the entryway, then calmly removed her knit cardigan, folding it neatly over one arm.

In truth, when she’d first met Hikigaya Ryōhei, Yuigahama-san had assumed he was a white-collar office worker. She hadn’t expected to find him living crammed into a tiny room barely over twenty square meters with two children.

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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!