Chapter 20
“Did you bring the proof-of-parking certificate?”
“Yes, here it is.”
When I handed the documents I'd received to the dealer, he checked them carefully and nodded.
“I've confirmed everything. As you said, you'll be paying in full, correct?”
“Yes. If I order it now, it'll be ready at the end of August, right?”
“That's right. The color you ordered is very popular, so... if it becomes available sooner, we'll contact you.”
As long as I received it before school started, it didn't matter.
The car I'd ordered reflected about twenty percent of Miyuki's preferences and eighty percent of mine.
I wanted to buy a car that was about fifty-fifty, but Miyuki would obviously feel burdened by that... so I had no choice.
If I got tired of it later, I could change it after we became a couple.
Deciding to take it easy, I finished paying and returned home.
Since it was the weekend, I considered meeting Miyuki, but today I decided to review what I'd learned during the week.
Miyuki would like me more if I kept showing her how quickly I was improving.
I opened the math workbook for the subject I hated most and started solving the problems.
How much time had passed?
Around the time the oppressive heat began to fade and the surroundings grew dim,
Brrr-!
my phone began to vibrate.
I hurriedly picked up my phone and broke into a radiant smile.
Miyuki had messaged me first... I loved it...
[Isn't the weather nice today?]
[It's still just as hot.]
[It's not as hot as when we went for ice cream. Go out and have some fun.]
[Then come out.]
[I'm already out.]
Out? Who was she hanging out with?
It better not be Tetsuya.
[What are you doing?]
[Do you know Haruka? Nanase Haruka.]
If it was Nanase, then Nanase must be the same-gender friend Tetsuya had mentioned before.
Thank god. I almost had to add ten titjobs.
[Is she pretty?]
[How did you give exactly the answer I expected? When I look at it this way, maybe you haven't changed at all...]
[No. Think of it as the answer I expected from the changed version of you. Anyway, is she pretty?]
[Yeah. She's pretty.]
They say that when ordinary girls call someone pretty, they mean the opposite.
Since honest Miyuki was the one saying it, she probably really was pretty.
Then I could invite her over later and have a threesome.
[But Haruka doesn't like men like Matsuda-kun.]
A text followed immediately.
It sounded like the message contained Miyuki's true feelings, but she might have genuinely meant it that way.
My public image was kind of... trashy, after all.
[Who cares? I just asked if she's pretty. What are you wearing today?]
[Something similar to yesterday.]
[Take a picture and send it.]
[What are you talking about...? No. Did you study today?]
I took a picture of the workbook I'd been diligently solving and sent it along with a message that sounded a little boastful.
[This much?]
[You worked hard, huh? I'll praise you.]
[Then take a picture of your clothes and send it.]
[Matsuda-kun, are you a pervert?]
[No, I didn't ask for a picture of your underwear... I just said I wanted to see your outfit.]
[I said no. My coffee's here, so I'm ending this. Study hard.]
I thought we'd reached the point where she'd do at least that much for me. That was harsh.
Next time, I'll get an actual underwear picture, so remember that.
Thinking that, I turned back to the workbook, but not long afterward, a picture arrived on my phone, and the corners of my mouth lifted into a smirk.
You were going to send it anyway, so why act all prickly?
By the way, she was wearing a white blouse today.
The fabric wasn't very sheer, but those enormous tits couldn't be hidden no matter what.
Seeing her smiling brightly with a coffee held beside her cheek made me want to have Miyuki all to myself as soon as possible.
It was a shame her pants weren't visible, but I should be grateful that she'd sent me a picture at all.
[Pretty.]
After sending that concise reply, I tried to focus on studying again, but then I remembered the event.
The final event of summer vacation would take place in mid-August, during the Japanese holiday and extended break known as Obon.
Until then, I would go on dates disguised as friendly outings with Miyuki and develop our relationship further.
**
“What are you doing for Obon, Matsuda-kun?”
It was Miyuki's question as she fanned herself beneath the air conditioner.
I glanced at the calendar before answering.
“I was thinking of going to the beach or something, since I'll be bored.”
“Oh, really? Which beach?”
Miyuki's eyes widened with interest.
She, too, was going to the beach with her family starting tomorrow.
“Isshiki.”
“Huh...? That's where I'm going too...?”
“Is it really that surprising? Isshiki is nearby and the water is clear, so people often go there on holidays. You might even run into some Academy students.”
“Th-that's true, but... are you going with Takashi Watanabe?”
“No. I'm planning to go alone.”
“Ah... right...?”
She seemed oddly relieved.
Only Miyuki knew whether she was relieved because I wasn't going with Takashi or because I wasn't going with a woman...
I wanted to believe it was the latter.
“Then why don't you go with Tetsuya-kun? I heard he's coming to Isshiki too.”
I appreciated her concern for me being alone, but there was no way in hell I was going with Tetsuya.
“Wouldn't Miura be going with his family too?”
“That may be true, but... I think it'd be really boring if you went alone... So, if you're okay with it, would you like to stop by our house and go with my family?”
What was this?
Had I heard her correctly just now?
Miyuki was inviting me along on a trip with her family?
Of course, we'd only go as far as Isshiki together before going our separate ways... but it was still astonishing.
Had an additional event occurred because, as the new protagonist, I had no family and had already built up such a strong relationship with Miyuki?
Whatever the reason, there was no denying that an opportunity I couldn't pass up had appeared.
I might as well see the faces of my future mother-in-law and sister-in-law, who had only ever appeared as silhouettes when I played Dokiaka.
I could earn some points with them, too.
“Uh... won't your family feel burdened?”
“Remember what happened at the shrine? When you did that good deed for the orphanage?”
“That was your father, not me.”
“You're awfully modest when it matters, aren't you? If not for you, I would've thought that little kid was just a thief, so you did do a good deed.”
“Let's say I did. But why does that matter?”
“When we had dinner with my family last time, Dad mentioned you. He said you were a really thoughtful kid... and that I seemed to have made a good new friend. When he added that you were gradually changing for the better despite having been a delinquent, Mom and Sis said they wanted to know more about you.”
Father-in-law, what am I supposed to do if you keep helping me like this?
The loser masturbation... I'll save it for later.
“So it'll be okay?”
“Yeah.”
“It is tempting... but are you really sure? What about you?”
“I don't mind at all either.”
“Then come with us as far as Isshiki.”
“Okay. You know where our house is, right? Come by nine tomorrow morning. If you oversleep, we'll leave without you.”
After giving me that playful warning, Miyuki stood up.
At the same time, Tetsuya came out of the bathroom.
He's been using our bathroom a lot lately. Is the toilet at his house clogged?
What a rude bastard.
**
Carrying gifts in both hands, I arrived in front of Miyuki's house and quickened my pace when I saw the four of them standing together.
I was breathing heavily from the weight of the bags, so as soon as I set them down, I looked over Miyuki's family.
I'd already seen Wataru once at the shrine, so I skipped over him...
Unlike Miyuki's soft, gentle eyes, the corners of her sister's eyes rose slightly.
She was just as sweet and gentle overall, but she gave off a subtly sensual charm.
Miyuki's mother looked remarkably similar to her youngest daughter.
She looked like a woman in her late twenties, but did this family have some kind of genetically blessed bloodline?
It made sense that the heroine's family would be beautiful, but this was just unfair.
Especially that benevolent smile she was giving me... I felt like I might fall for her.
What had Wataru done in his past life to have people like that around him?
I was jealous. Should I bring out the loser masturbation again?
No, enough with the trashy thoughts.
Today, at least, I was going to transform into a good man worthy of Miyuki.
After quickly scanning them, I bowed with proper form.
“Hello, I'm Ken Matsuda.”
At my spirited greeting, Wataru stepped forward and lightly patted me on the shoulder.
“Welcome. You arrived early.”
Who could have guessed they would already be outside, but it was a good thing I'd timed things so I arrived about twenty minutes early.
After exchanging introductions with Miyuki's family, I picked up the luggage I'd brought and approached her mother, who introduced herself as Midori.
“Ma'am, these are gifts... I hope you'll accept them. Since it's Obon... I bought them as a sort of ochugen gift.”
Midori and her eldest daughter, Kana, widened their eyes.
Miyuki did the same.
Judging by their reactions, they seemed to have thought the luggage contained things for me to use.
“Are these gifts for us?”
I scratched the back of my head shyly before answering Midori.
“Yes... I bought some beer, seasonal fruit, and a few other things. So you can enjoy them at Isshiki...”
It might feel like a burden, but this was a future son-in-law giving his future in-laws a gift with them in mind, so just accept it.
Covering her mouth like a girl, Midori expressed her thanks.
“You really didn't have to... Thank you so much. We'll enjoy them, Matsuda-kun.”
“Not at all.”
“Are you planning to stay only at the beach?”
“Yes.”
“Then let's eat them together. It would feel bad if we ate them by ourselves.”
Since they were Miyuki's family, I knew they'd say something like that, which was why I'd only bought food.
I waved both hands and said,
“It's all right. I'll just impose on you until Isshiki.”
“Don't be like that. You said you're going alone, right? You're not going to spend the whole time swimming and playing by yourself.”
“Still, this is a family trip...”
“Are we making you uncomfortable?”
“No... That's not it.”
“Then it's settled, right?”
“Ah, well...”
Not knowing what to do, I couldn't give them any answer.
Of course, I was putting on an act. I was trying to make Miyuki step in and suggest that I eat with them first.
As expected, Miyuki, who had been talking with Kana, came over and smiled brightly as if to say it was fine.
“Let's do that, Matsuda-kun. Sis is okay with it too. Dad just said yes.”
I had never intended to keep refusing, so I stopped pretending.
I looked at Midori and Wataru and bowed just as I had earlier.
“.... I look forward to it.”
At my words, Wataru clapped his hands sharply, as if to lighten the mood.
“It's decided, then. Shall we get going?”
“I'll help load the luggage.”
“Would you?”
“Yes.”
After loading the luggage with Wataru, I rode in his sedan toward Isshiki.
My seat was by the left window, with Miyuki sitting beside me.
Does Miyuki's shampoo smell like cherries today? It was so fragrant.
As I talked with Miyuki and her family, I went over the playbook for how to act when the event occurred.
This event took place at the beach, and it would be fair to call it a competition with Tetsuya.
The key was to make the first move before that bastard started acting up.
And I was ready to do exactly that.
Tetsuya would be left empty-handed again, licking his fingers after the chicken got away.
There was no way he could get the jump on me when I knew the exact timing of the event.
If that happened, I wouldn't deserve to be Dokiaka's protagonist.
But why was this cock acting up? Was it because my leg was touching Miyuki's?
It kept trying to get hard whenever it felt like it. What the hell.
Now wasn't the time for this. Calm down, you bastard.