The Correct Japanese Terms of Homestay Seems to Be Marriage - Chapter 32

Is it resolved? This?

There’s no more leeway until the next station. Naturally, there’s no peace of mind either.

Keitaro was panicking. Completely panicking. Because of that, his thoughts became even more scattered, his mind turning blank. He felt even less helpful than a cat’s paw, that was how Keitaro felt at the moment.

So, Keitaro decides to rely entirely on others. He throws everything onto Tsubaki.

“Come now, Tsubaki-san. Have you come up with something?”

Like a lowly servant buttering up his superior without any shame or discretion, Keitaro waits for Tsubaki’s help, rubbing his hands together using an awkwardly formal tone.

Sadly, this is the end of the road for a man who has thrown away his self-esteem.

“Hmm, let’s see…”

Tsubaki strokes his chin, deep in thought.

He seems to be putting a great deal of effort into thinking, with a seriously focused expression. Ah, how reliable.

“…Hmm…”

Meanwhile, Sofia still looks dissatisfied, pouting her lips.

“Alright, I’ve got it. Keitaro, just leave it to me like you would trust a large ship.”

Tsubaki thumps his chest and stands tall, full of confidence. It seems he’s come up with a brilliant plan. The small frame of Tsubaki now appears incredibly grand.

“Alright, I’m leaving it all to you.”

Keitaro gives that reliable back a firm slap, sending Tsubaki off to the battlefield.

“But, Keitaro…”

Hmm, what is it? Tsubaki seems to be caught on something. He stops a few steps ahead and turns back.

“What’s up?”

“Without Sofia lending an ear, nothing can start, you know.”

Hearing that, Keitaro looks towards Sofia.

“Mu-mu-mu-mu-mu…!”

There Sofia was, growling. For some reason, she’s intimidating Tsubaki. This is a beast. But not ferocious. The kind of warning a small animal gives, the cute type.

Honestly, it’s extremely adorable, but Keitaro still has no clue why Sofia has ended up like this.

However, Sofia needs to listen to Tsubaki, and even if the reason is unknown, something must be done about it. No, it must be done.

“Sofia, please. Could you listen to what he has to say?”

Keitaro gently places his hand on Sofia’s head, deciding to start by asking her quite normally. If this doesn’t work, he’ll need to think of another way to ask, but well.

“…If Keitaro says so, then okay.”

Fortunately, there was no need for that.

Sofia’s fangs were easily retracted. Though her expression remains slightly dissatisfied, she quickly calms down.

“Then, Sofia-san. Come over here for a bit.”

Tsubaki beckons Sofia with a hop, calling her over. Reluctantly, she approaches.

In a place slightly away from Keitaro, the two begin their conversation.

“Well, well, don’t be so defensive. This is a good deal for you. No, wait. It’s specifically a good deal for you.”

Tsubaki chooses his words with purpose, seemingly to capture the still guarded Sofia’s interest.

And his ploy works.

“For me, specifically?”

Sofia looks puzzled.

“Sofia-san is wanted by Keitaro’s side to…”

This is the moment to strike, Tsubaki was about to dive into the main topic when,

“I think so. I really, really think so. I think about it all the time.”

Sofia interrupts eagerly, cutting right into the flow. More than cutting, she perfectly intercepts it.

It’s like she’s a pro at quick-response quizzes. She predicted Tsubaki’s question word for word.

“Quick response, huh? 6G maybe? Well, never mind.”

Even Tsubaki is taken aback by her reaction speed, but he quickly recovers.

“I think because Keitaro is a difficult creature, attacking him head-on won’t work. That’s what I believe.”

“That’s true… I think so too.”

Sofia nods deeply, very serious. Anything about Keitaro is a top priority for her.

“So, I think you’re being too assertive, Sofia-san. That won’t do. It’ll stay the same forever. You have to make Keitaro think he needs to make a move!”

Tsubaki points a firm finger at Sofia, presenting his argument.

“That might be true… But what should I do?”

Sofia asks Tsubaki directly, seeking a quick conclusion.

“In Japan, there’s a famous saying, ‘If pushing doesn’t work, try pulling.’ Right now, Keitaro is too complacent with the status quo, so breaking that arrogance is crucial.”

“If pushing doesn’t work, try pulling…”

Sofia mutters to herself, seemingly unaware of this approach. The idea of pulling away from Keitaro had never occurred to her.

“What’s needed is a tsundere approach. Imagine reversing the roles, with Keitaro always wanting to be by Sofia’s side.”

Tsubaki continues, even giving a detailed example.

“…Ehehe… That would be amazing…”

Upon imagining it, Sofia’s face melts like ice cream in the summer sun, almost dripping with joy.

“And then, what if one day Keitaro suddenly becomes cold? Like, he won’t even come close or look at you.”

“…I’d… just die, normally.”

Sofia immediately looks gloomy, her face filled with despair.

Her emotions are very transparent. Of course, this applies only to matters concerning Keitaro.

“That’s what I mean, Sofia-san. If you suddenly become cold towards Keitaro, he definitely won’t be calm.”

“…”

Sofia listens silently, her face like that of a student on the verge of exams. She can’t miss a single word.

“Also, there’s the issue of becoming too familiar. If you’re always together, both at home and outside, Keitaro might take your presence for granted.”

“…Yes, you have a point.”

Sofia nods.

“By becoming cold, Keitaro will start feeling uneasy, and that unease will accumulate until it explodes when he gets home.”

Tsubaki explains confidently, ending his talk with an explosion gesture.

With that, the story concludes. Thank you for listening.

“…Explosion…”

Sofia imagines. Actually, fantasizes might be more accurate.

The scene is at the entrance. As soon as she comes home, Keitaro suddenly hugs her from behind.

“Sofia, I can’t stand it anymore. I want you. You’re not getting any sleep tonight.”

No, who is this?

“…Keitaro… no, that’s not right… we’re still at the entrance… hehe, hehehe…”

Sofia’s face is indescribable, far beyond merely being disheveled.

It’s only because she’s the supremely beautiful Sofia that she’s forgiven for making that face. If a regular person made that face, they’d be reported, no question. That’s how bad it was.

“Alright, Keitaro. The plan’s complete.”

Tsubaki returns with a refreshing smile, giving a thumbs-up.

“Wait, what exactly did you tell her? That doesn’t look okay to me.”

Keitaro frowns, pointing at Sofia, who’s clearly not in her normal state.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. It went perfectly.”

“No, it doesn’t look okay at all… Hey, Sofia…?”

Cautiously, Keitaro calls out to Sofia.

Instantly,

“Ah!”

Sofia lifts her head as if snapped back to reality,

“It’s fine! It’s not like I like Keitaro at all!”

Clearly, a severe anomaly has occurred.

Sofia’s character has changed. This isn’t tsundere… not exactly. The tone might be right, but upon closer listening, it’s not tsundere at all. She’s just doting. A new style, indeed.

“Uh, I love you too.”

Keitaro responds with a strained expression, deciding to retreat for now. The situation is bad. Fighting without understanding the situation will only lead to a dead end, as history shows.

He slowly steps back, grabs Tsubaki, the likely culprit, and they start whispering again.

“(Hey, hey? What exactly did you tell her? It’s obviously wrong, no matter how you look at it.)”

“(Pff… What I told her was exactly what Keitaro wanted. I just taught Sofia the importance of maintaining a proper distance.)”

“(Just taught her about distance, huh…?)”

While strangling a laughing Tsubaki, Keitaro checks on Sofia again.

Sofia is,

“Hmph…!”

Unfortunately, unchanged. She’s still acting like a classic tsundere heroine, crossing her arms, turning away, puffing her cheeks, and glancing over occasionally.

Keitaro doesn’t know how to deal with this. He can’t find the right answer.

(How did it even get to this…)

Indeed, this situation might make it harder for other students to catch on to their relationship, but the discomfort is undeniable. Whether this is helpful or not is debatable.

Somehow, Tsubaki’s strategy might have been a success. With Keitaro distracted by Sofia, his worries are endless.