#155

 

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Parents are the people closest to us.
For better or for worse, they are the first people we imitate in our life.

 

People say that children grow up watching their parents’ backs, and I am no exception.

I grew up watching my father and mother.

 

I am sure that they had no small influence in shaping the Shinra Minato that I am today.
Every time I see them, I am reminded that they we are indeed blood related.

 

 

 

 

 

Surprisingly, that day came early.
It happened suddenly, without any prior notice.

 

Four days had passed since my conversation with Yuuto.
The days of completing assignments while waiting to hear from Yuuto, who had been in contact with Shiraishi, came to an end.

 

While I was having breakfast to start the day, that person came back.

 

“Long time no see, you two.”

 

With a carry bag in one hand, the man in the suit looked first at Kaede and then at me.
His gaze, less compassionate than when he looked at my sister, as if he were merely checking on the changes, quickly shifted to the house.

 

With a single breath of relief that the living room looked much the same as it did before he left home, our father …Shinra Yuichi stepped forward.
He kept his luggage near the door and hung his suit on the back of a chair.

 

“I’m home.”

 

The encounter with my father began in a rather non-dramatic, mundane way.

 

 

“O-Otou-san! If you had called me, I would have come to pick you up.”

 

Startled Kaede quickly stood up and rushed towards him…
She took the souvenirs from her father’s hand, and when he told her so, she hurriedly took out a cold drink from the refrigerator and offered it to him.

 

He smiled, accepted it, and opened his mouth so as to speak.

 

“I just wanted to see the looks on the kids’ faces when they were surprised.”

 

“…You’re a dad with bad taste.”

 

You are old enough to be acting like a child.
When I grumbled some cold words, he turned his gaze towards me once more.

 

“Minato …you’re not bothering Kaede, are you?”

 

“Rest assured …Kaede is having an easier time than when dad is at home.”

 

It must be annoying for a daughter to have an overprotective parent nearby.

After exchanging words that seem hardly like a conversation for someone who met after a long time, the subject changed when Kaede entered the room.

 

“Isn’t mother with you?”

 

Indeed, Mom isn’t behind him.
At first I thought she would come in later with luggage or for some other reason, but apparently not.

 

Kaede wondered about the sight of dad coming home alone, and asked.

 

“Mom’s went to shopping and will come home later. She was looking forward to cooking dinner with Kaede tonight.”

 

“Jeez, you should have told me earlier…”

 

Kaede muttered in frustration, puffing out her cheeks even more.
Alright, she’s cute. Yeah it’s fine since she’s cute.

 

I don’t know what’s fine, but it’s fine.

 

With my sister by my side, I slowly pulled an empty seat next to me.

 

” …Why don’t you sit down instead of standing there?”

 

Of course, I sat some distance away.
I hate just thinking about it …a son and father bumping shoulders and having friendly conversation.

 

For father and son to be in a good relationship, this is the standard scene of the Shinra family.

Without saying thank you, he too sat down on a chair as a matter of course and spoke softly to Kaede, who sat down across from him.

 

“Kaede …is taking a bath with me today—”

 

“Don’t want to.”

 

“Then we can sleep together…”

 

“Don’t want to.”

 

An abrupt expression of affection for his daughter.
However, it was rejected with a cold tone.

 

It was also accompanied by a detached look and an expression of total rejection from her.

In response, dad calmly smiled and said…

 

 

“Minato …it’s raining today.”

 

“Wipe your tears and snot, it’s disgusting.”

 

There was not the slightest hint of a father’s dignity.

 

Shinra Yuichi

Age thirty… thir-…late thirties.

Occupation- businessman, position being a section manager.

 

He was born into a very ordinary family, and there are no major aspects in his appearance that stood out.

 

He is good at talking with people, and I think I have mentioned before that he got his current position just because he is a good talker.

He plays the cool father to his son and acts calmly in the house, perhaps wanting to show his daughter what a cool father he is.

 

However, his abilities are mediocre, and his true nature is easily exposed.
The chances increase even more so if he is pretending to have a personality that is contrary to his own.

 

He tries to express his affection for Kaede, whom he loves dearly, in ways that are completely out of his character, but has never succeeded.
He is not the type to flatter mom, Kotone, but somehow they managed to be married and have two children.

 

I don’t want to hear about my father and mother’s love affairs, so I didn’t ask, but this is the reality of our siblings’ father.

 

His selfish comments and attitude often make me mad, but I guess the reason I don’t dislike him is because of this helpless stupidity.

 

“…But, I asked you so much to call me Papa though….”

 

“I won’t ever call you that, I swear.”

 

I’m scared, Kaede, she’s scary.
Your brother’s coffee cup is vibrating at the level of a phone’s incoming call.

 

I cut to the chase with a bit of fear towards Kaede, who is consistently not changing her cold treatment of her dad.

Rather, there is only so much to talk about with this person.

 

“Oyaji… I assume you have an explanation for my arranged marriage story?”

 

The father, who had been discouraged by the cold treatment from Kaede, changed his expression to a serious one at that one question.
The words that followed didn’t show any hints of a joke.

 

“I apologize for deciding on this matter without consulting you …but there is someone I really want you to meet, and I’m not joking.”

 

The tone of his voice, the expression on his face was one I had seen several times before.
When I decided on high school, when I turned down my dad’s offer to move overseas, and when I told him that I would be living with Kaede alone.

 

There was this serious father figure.

 

“I don’t know, but it’s not for your own position or any such trivial reasons, is it?”

 

“How could I not love my son enough to give him up for my position …it’s because of the other party’s strong desire.”

 

With a sigh, he gives a small chuckle.
He does not love his son as much as his sister, but he seems to have other ways to express his love for him as well.

 

That rare expression on his face forced me to keep silence.

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ToC

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Archived Comments

ShyWhat MyBoss (on 2022-04-08 12:08:53):

“because of other party’s strong desire”

Yup…. Definitely that girl’s father

crisiscore38 (on 2022-04-08 02:00:51):

I’m getting really curious about this arranged marriage… Anyway, thanks for all these updates.

Brian Guy (on 2023-12-17 02:59:12):

Why do I get the distinct impression that Dad has a history of inappropriate designs on Kaede and resents the living heck out of Minato because she’s clung to him for safety instead?