The Correct Japanese Terms of Homestay Seems to Be Marriage - Chapter 20

tln : long chapter guys. please do enjoy it.

Slip of the Tongue

Tsumamoru Mall, composed of two three-story buildings and one two-story building, is the largest shopping mall in the prefecture.

Not just for the residents of Tsumamoto but attracting people from all over the prefecture, it’s always bustling, whether it’s a weekday or weekend. It’s so lively that one might mistake it for a theme park due to the never-ending stream of visitors.

Of course, today was no exception. In the crowded area near the entrance, Keitaro casually walked along and asked Sofia a simple question.

“So, what did we come here to buy?”

Upon reflection, Keitaro realized he didn’t yet know the reason for their visit. He was suddenly curious about what Sofia intended to buy.

“An apron and a stuffed animal to hug when I sleep.”

While the former was quite ordinary and didn’t pique his interest much, the latter did. A heartwarming  image formed in Keitaro’s mind.

He imagined Sofia, like a princess from a fairy tale, sleeping soundly in a luxurious bed with a canopied top, clutching a teddy bear.

“I see. The last one definitely wouldn’t be easy to bring from over there, so you’d have to buy it in Japan. Can’t sleep without it?”

“Yes. I can’t sleep well unless I’m hugging something bigger than myself. I had a hard time last night.”

Not being able to sleep well is a matter of life and death. As you know, Keitaro places sleep above almost everything else in life.

“Seriously… That’s inconvenient…”

Keitaro expressed his sympathy more seriously than Sofia herself might have felt.

“But considering your height, the criteria seem a bit strict. It has to be at least 170 cm tall, right?”

“No, it needs to be at least 180 cm.”

Sofia corrected Keitaro’s words diligently, insisting on something over 180 cm.

“It’s slightly shorter than me. First of all, I doubt they even have stuffed animals that big here.”

“Maybe they don’t…”

“But if we don’t find one, you won’t be able to sleep, and that would be a problem. Well, let’s at least look for it. And if we can’t find any, we can always buy one online. Let’s see…”

Keitaro scanned the floor map posted on a nearby wall for a store that might carry stuffed animals.

“Oh, found a place that might have them.”

Fortunately, there was a likely store on the second floor of this building. The name of a toy store everyone has heard of at least once was listed there.

It was likely that they would have stuffed animals, though whether they had them in large sizes was another question. For now, their only option was to check out this store.

“Alright, let’s go check it out.”

Saying so, Keitaro headed towards the escalator.

Following him, Sofia murmured, though her words reached neither Keitaro nor anyone else, lost in the hum of the air conditioning.

“…If Keitaro slept with me, all my problems would be solved… It’s all Keitaro’s fault I’ve ended up like this…”

***

“Alright, I think they probably have it here… Look promising?”

Upon reaching the front of the brightly colored store, one of the more conspicuous tenants within Tsumamoru Mall, Keitaro and Sofia entered. It screamed “The toy store,” and they began searching for their desired item.

All the while, they continued to attract attention.

“Look, a giant!”

“Hey, don’t say such things!”

Due to the nature of the store attracting many children, Keitaro’s height stood out even more. Standing next to Sofia, who was also quite tall, they were conspicuously noticeable. A big couple, literally.

“Let’s see… Ah, found them!”

“But they’re all small.”

Sofia pointed at a shelf filled with more reasonably sized stuffed animals, but none seemed large enough for her to hug comfortably.

“The big ones are…”

Keitaro’s gaze slid further back into the store.

“Over there.”

They found a corner dedicated to giant stuffed animals and headed there together.

“There’s a variety.”

They discovered a range of big stuffed animals from classic teddy bears to dogs, cats, crocodiles, sharks, and even oddities like turtles with rabbit ears.

However, most were around one meter tall. Finding one over 180 cm seemed to be a challenge, with only the oddities meeting Sofia’s requirements.

“Only that odd one fulfills the 180 cm requirement… What do you think, should we look online?”

“No, I like that one. Don’t you think it’s cute?”

“…Really?”

The one Sofia took a liking to was apparently called “KameUsa-kun.” (tln : Turtle Rabbit, yeah its straightforward naming)

Keitaro thought it was a rather straightforward name. Wouldn’t it usually be a rabbit with a turtle shell? Or wouldn’t “UsaKame-kun” roll off the tongue better?

“Uh… It’s a bit pricey.”

KameUsa-kun was priced at twenty thousand yen. (tln : around 133-135 usd)

It seemed a bit expensive to Sofia, but considering its size, it might be reasonable.

“Don’t worry about the price. Look, I have this.”

Keitaro took out his wallet and showed Sofia a chicly colored card with a flick of his finger.

“You have a card, Keitaro?”

“I got it as a commemoration when I entered high school. I hardly used it last year, so a bit of splurging should be allowed. Besides, being suddenly told to live together like this, I’d be in trouble without a bit more financial support.”

“No, that’s not right. I feel bad. I have money too, and I’ll buy this myself.”

“Don’t be shy. I’ll be getting delicious meals from you, so I can’t let you spend a single penny.”

Keitaro, who usually just sleeps, hardly ever has the opportunity to buy anything. He goes straight home from school without detours and eats at the free school cafeteria. A vending machine drink on the way home is about the extent of his spending.

His lifestyle is so frugal and simple that a card seems almost unnecessary.

“We’ll have to discuss this with my parents during tonight’s video call. We need to set a limit on our monthly living expenses, or our sense of money might go astray.”

“That’s true, but! But this is something I’m buying for myself, so it doesn’t count as living expenses!”

Sofia won’t easily agree, insisting on paying for it herself.

But Keitaro isn’t backing down.

“Don’t hesitate. We’re practically family. My parents wouldn’t want you to hold back either. They think of you as their daughter. Otherwise, they wouldn’t let their only son live alone with you.”

Keitaro looked straight into Sofia’s eyes, candidly expressing his thoughts.

He didn’t like the idea of Sofia being reserved around him. It made him feel uncomfortable to have her act distantly.

“Family…?”

“Yeah, family.”

Keitaro nodded slowly but firmly.

“Does that mean I’m like a sister to you?”

“Hmm? Uh, that doesn’t quite fit. If I had to say… maybe more like a wife?” (tln : bro really not hesitating at all)

Keitaro frowned, placed a finger to his chin in thought, then casually responded after about five seconds.

“…!”

“…?!”

Seeing Sofia’s reaction, similar to being startled around a corner, Keitaro took a moment before realizing what he had just said.

“…What did I just blurt out?! Even if it felt right, that’s the last thing I should say?!”

Keitaro felt a sudden rush of heat to his face.

He tried to explain himself, but his thoughts were tangled, and he couldn’t find the right words.

“Ah, what I meant was?!”

“…I, I, I understand!!”

“You do?! Well, if you understand, that’s good, but!”

“Yes!! It’s just a figure of speech, right?!”

“Exactly! Just because it felt right doesn’t mean I actually want that!”

Their voices were unusually brisk, but somewhat strained. Keitaro, while pulling his hat down to cover his entire face, and Sofia, looking in the opposite direction, both had their faces flushed as they stumbled over their words.

“…”

After a moment of silence, an awkward air flowed between them.

“I… messed up… Don’t get the wrong idea, idiot. Cooking meals for me is just like what my mom did, right? Thinking you’re doing it because you like me… that kind of premature thought leads to crime. Misunderstanding men are just disgraceful…”

Keitaro reminded himself for even entertaining thoughts unbefitting his stature, such as wanting Sofia as a wife.

Yet, his racing heartbeat wouldn’t calm down easily. His agitation circulated through his body like blood.

Unable to initiate conversation due to a tight throat, the silence dragged on.

Both were waiting for a moment to break the ice, but since they were leaving it up to the other, that moment seemed never to come.

This was their current state.

“…”

“…”

They kept glancing at each other, but as soon as their eyes met, they hurriedly looked away.

This wasn’t going to create an opportunity. They were making progress backward. At this rate, they might remain in this state forever.

Naturally, standing in front of the stuffed animal corner in this tense manner only attracted more attention.

“What’s that, Mommy?”

“Oh, to be young again… Ah, youth…”

They were met with the innocent gazes of children and the very, very lukewarm stares of their parents.

However, the two were too preoccupied to notice, engulfed in their own embarrassment.

But they couldn’t stay like this forever. Taking a deep breath in and out, Keitaro filled his lungs with fresh air and expelled both carbon dioxide and his shame.

He readjusted his hat, determinedly looking at Sofia.

“Well, this should be the last of it. It’s too conspicuous to carry around, so it’s better to buy the apron first.”

With a sharp turn of the wheel, Keitaro tried to change the subject.

“Yes, I agree. Let’s do that.”

Sofia seemed to catch on to his intent and quickly went along with it.

“There’s a general store on this floor, so it should be quick. Let’s go buy it.”

“Yes, understood.”

Keitaro attempted to walk out of the store, trying to appear calm, but his movements were as stiff as a rusty tin man.

Sofia was no different.

On their way to the next destination, the heat in their cheeks lingered stubbornly.

tln : this chapter is so sweet. maybe this is how newly married couple first shopping together ? 🙂