The Correct Japanese Terms of Homestay Seems to Be Marriage - Chapter 15

Thank you

When Keitaro came out of the bath, Sophia was still in the living room, sitting neatly on the sofa.

Seeing Keitaro’s face, which had turned as red as a boiled octopus after the bath, Sophia looked worried.

“Keitaro, are you okay? Your face is all red.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just almost got a little dizzy from the hot bath.”

Keitaro fanned his flushed face with his hand, indicating there was no need to worry. He was simply feeling restless.

It was all due to his own wild imagination, making his blood rush to his head. It was embarrassing and pitiful to be worried about.

“So, did you get conscious because you took the bath after me?”

Sophia said, with a slightly mischievous smile, as if teasing.

Keitaro twitched at her words. She hit the nail on the head. It was exactly as she said.

Keitaro’s gaze slid sideways as he replied,

“…What if I did?”

Not denying it, he instead threw the question back at Sophia. This was a form of teasing back but also raised a concern that needed to be addressed.

It was important for Sophia to understand that he, too, was just a regular guy. Unlike when they were kids, maintaining an appropriate distance was essential.

A harsh reminder was needed. Sophia was too defenseless. If she acted this way around other men, she could be in danger. In fact, it was almost certain.

Keitaro couldn’t allow that to happen.

“…Ah, um… uh… hau… that… um…”

Sophia immediately looked down, her ears turning red. Fidgeting shyly, she glanced at Keitaro from time to time, seemingly trying to convey something.

Watching her, Keitaro felt an odd sense of guilt. Despite being the one embarrassed first, he lamented the world’s injustices.

“Don’t be embarrassed when you’re the one who asked…”

He wanted to complain but restrained himself, merely grumbling softly.

“From tomorrow on, I’ll go first. I think that’s better.”

“So, so, that’s true…! Yes, that’s definitely better…!”

Sophia agreed enthusiastically to Keitaro’s serious suggestion.

“Yeah, I’m seriously asking for my life.”

Keitaro sat down heavily next to Sophia, speaking earnestly.

He emphasized his plea, almost begging.

“So, is it that much of a life-or-death situation…? Ah, Keitaro. You didn’t happen to drink it, did you?”

Sophia, who had calmed her flushed face to a slight red, seemed to have forgotten the heat once it passed her throat, learning nothing. To Keitaro, it seemed like she was almost asking to be teased.

Yes, I drank it! It was delicious! He thought of saying something cheeky but instead flicked Sophia’s forehead with his index finger.

“Ow… that hurts, Keitaro…”

Sophia, teary-eyed and holding her forehead, was met with a stern gaze from Keitaro,

“Drink it? What do you take me for? Even if I did, could you live under the same roof with such a pervert?”

He threw a perfectly reasonable argument at her.

Of course, he had not actually drunk anything. Although it had crossed his mind…

Sophia then declared,

“Of course, if it were anyone other than Keitaro, it would be the death penalty! Harakiri, beheading, paradise! But if it’s Keitaro, there’s room for leniency! Confessing could even lighten the sentence! It’s a special treatment!”

She boldly declared, mixing in some surprisingly grave vocabulary.

That’s not paradise, that’s hell, Keitaro thought but kept his mouth shut, considering it better than being paraded through town.

“You sure know some difficult Japanese.”

“Eh-hem! I tried very, very hard! Praise me!”

“That’s supposed to be my line. Good job, good job. Sophia is amazing.”

Keitaro extensively petted Sophia, who presented her head as if asking for it. Yes, yes, yes.

The tables turned, and the roles reversed. It was indeed Keitaro’s turn.

Not that pampering Sophia now would nullify the earlier embarrassment, but Keitaro seized the opportunity to press on.

“Ehehe… I worked really, really hard to see Keitaro again…!”

Sophia’s trap card was activated.

Her words, accompanied by a sunflower-like smile, were earnest and made Keitaro genuinely happy. A direct attack on Keitaro.

(Darn it, she’s cute… but now’s not the time, idiot! First, I need to properly say thank you.)

Slapping his own cheek to snap out of it, Keitaro decided to get to the point.

“…Hey, Sophia. Thanks for earlier. I really appreciated it.”

He stopped petting her and placed both hands on his knees, bowing deeply. His gratitude was immeasurable.

Without Sophia, he surely wouldn’t have made it out of his self-punishing labyrinth of memories. Whenever he reflected on his past, he always ended up like that.

“Hehe, it’s nothing. If I could help Keitaro, that’s all the happiness I need.”

Sophia smiled gently and warmly at Keitaro, looking truly pleased.

She might indeed be a saint.

“…Aren’t you going to ask? The reason why I was crying like a child earlier…”

A sixteen-year-old high school boy crying unabashedly in front of someone. Surely, she must be curious about the reason, Keitaro thought, asking Sophia.

He had no obligation to keep secrets. While he didn’t plan to volunteer his shameful past, it was a different matter. Sophia had the right to ask.

“If Keitaro wants to talk, I’ll listen anytime. But if you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to. I won’t ask anything.”

Sophia’s resolute attitude and clear refusal showed her conviction, making Keitaro feel ashamed.

Sophia would never be the insensitive person to pry into someone’s hidden past. He had misjudged her.

“…I see.”

“Yes, that’s how it is.”

After Sophia nodded, there was a moment of silence.

“…So, if there ever comes a time when I absolutely want to talk about it, be there to listen, okay?”

Keitaro’s words, cutting through the brief silence, were somehow refreshing. Whether it was his tone, way of speaking, or perhaps the innocent expression fitting his age.

Keitaro, who had thought he would never share his past with anyone, now felt certain that the time to open up would eventually come.

“Of course. If it’s okay with me, I’d be happy to listen. I’ll lend you my ears.”

“Don’t listen too seriously. It’s not a fun story, so just half-listen, okay?”

“Impossible. My ears are made to catch every word Keitaro says.”

“What kind of structure is that? Living together with such ability is fatal, hey.”

“Ah, by the way, that’s something Keitaro once told me.”

“Eh… Did I say something that silly?”

“Yes, you did. When I was a shy introvert, barely able to speak, and felt sorry about it… Keitaro kindly told me that.”

“You remember well.”

“Ehehe, because I was really, really happy… So, don’t worry. No matter how softly you speak, I can hear you clearly. You can go at your own pace. I’m listening, so take your time, little by little… Keitaro told me that.”

“…I was pretty cool back then, huh.”

“Yes! But no! Keitaro is cool now, too!”

“Nah, I definitely couldn’t say those words now.”

“…That’s true. If the current Keitaro said that… it might be a bit too much.”

“Being so straightforward hurts a bit, you know.”

“Ah, no, I didn’t mean it in a bad way! In a good way!”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to force a follow-up.”

“But it’s different! Really, Keitaro is just――”

And so, the two continued to chat amicably.

Sitting side by side, they spent time as if making up for the moments they couldn’t share together, blossoming conversations with warm expressions.

“―Ah, it’s already this late. I should probably go to sleep.”

After talking for over an hour and losing track of time, Keitaro finally noticed it was past 11 PM, thanks to the wall clock in his peripheral vision.

Considering Sophia’s fatigue, it was probably time to go to bed. Though they still had much to talk about, Keitaro reluctantly decided to end the conversation.

“Ah… right. Then, let’s call it a day for our memorable first day. It was a very fruitful day! Thinking about spending every day like this with Keitaro makes me so excited!”

Realizing it was late just like Keitaro, Sophia initially pouted regretfully but then brightened up, her eyes sparkling as she joyfully voiced her anticipation.

Hearing her words, Keitaro, without hiding his true feelings or being shy,

“Yeah, me too.”

He nodded sincerely and strongly.