#267

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As Father left the living room, the atmosphere inside the room turned into a quiet space. Kaede gripped the documents and fell into silence, while Mother remained resolute and didn’t say a word.

I, too, just stood there, unable to do anything. There was nothing I could do. Just when I had started to gain some self-assuredness and f

elt a bit more grown up, it seemed like my hopes had been crushed.

The sudden proposition of studying abroad, the prospect of selling the family home, and, essentially, being told that I would be living on my own – it all felt like being abandoned, and at the same time, being pushed towards independence. But considering it as the latter, as a positive change, might be a bit too optimistic.

I turned my gaze towards Mother, who hadn’t spoken a word since Father returned home. Our eyes met by chance.

Her eyes were as gentle as ever. So why was my usually gentle mother not saying anything?

Honestly, I had expected her to oppose this. I thought that after Father’s explanation, she would put on a stern face and insist we all continue to live together in this house. That’s what I had hoped for, and I believed Kaede had a similar expectation. Doubt was mixed into my sister’s gaze directed at our mother.

“Is Mom on the same page as Dad?”

Representing both of us, I asked my mother. A mother of two, she didn’t look anywhere near her forties and had remarkably good skin. She raised her gaze from the floor and looked at me and Kaede alternately.

Then, after taking a deep breath, she gently spoke her mind.

“No, not at all. I’m completely against it, in fact!”

“Huh?”

“What?”

With her cheeks puffing up like a squirrel’s, she seemed to emit a ‘puff puff’ sound effect. In contrast, Kaede and I stood there dumbfounded.

…What’s going on?

I thought my parents had already made up their minds because of their earlier conversation. Kaede must have thought the same. However, my mother continued, sounding rather disgruntled.

“Selling the house, separating the siblings, leaving our son alone in Japan – there’s no benefit to any of this.”

“Then why…?”

I wanted to ask why she hadn’t said anything during the previous discussion.

Before I could form the words, she spoke.

“But, it’s just my opinion. I wish your father had listened to everything I had to say before making a decision.”

“Even if we talk about making a decision… I mean, realistically, there are no choices left, right?”

“No, you’re wrong, Minato. There are still choices… it depends on Kaede’s feelings.”

My mother’s gaze was gentle, and her voice sounded as if she was asking Kaede about her inner thoughts.

“What does Kaede think? Are you interested in studying abroad?”

“That’s… but…”

Kaede began, and then she glanced in my direction.

I immediately grasped the meaning behind her look.

If she were to go abroad, she would be worried about me being alone. However, mom quickly interjected.

“You mustn’t use your big brother as a reason.”

“…”

“Don’t burden your big brother with responsibility.”

Kaede fell silent, her words laced with strong, resolute emotions. Given the suddenness of the situation, making a sound judgment was difficult.

The deadline was set, and a single choice might lead to the family falling apart. It was a heavy decision for a first-year high school girl.

But mom softened her expression into her usual gentle smile.

“From others’ perspectives, it might seem unkind, but there’s a reason behind your father’s words.”

She spoke while adding explanations to each of my father’s unilateral statements, starting with the sudden suggestion of studying abroad.

“Your father wanted to study abroad when he was a student. He even submitted an application to the school. He believed that in the future, being proficient in various languages would put you at the forefront of your field.”

With a sense of nostalgia, she discussed the situation back then, a version of my father that only she knew. To be honest, I had no interest in any of this, but I kept listening.

“Even if someone is willing, financial constraints or the school’s judgment of suitability can result in a rejection, and your father’s study abroad request was turned down.”

So, she continued, her gaze now directed at Kaede.

“He didn’t want you to miss the possibility of achieving something he couldn’t, even if he had to reach for it with all his might.”

In response to my mother’s explanation, Kaede looked down for a moment before speaking. There was no longer any doubt or confusion in her expression.

“Even so… I can’t believe it’s my father’s decision to leave brother alone.”

Kaede spoke firmly, her voice full of determination. In moments like these, I often wondered how I should react. Should I nod and protest, saying, “Yes, yes!”? Should I pretend to shed a tear and display a sad expression…?

For now, I decided to quietly listen to my mother’s opinion.

In response to Kaede’s question, mom nodded enthusiastically.

“And this is where the arranged marriage proposal comes in. No matter how mature Minato appears to be, self-sufficiency is not guaranteed. If both mother and sister are abroad, who will watch over Minato closely?”

“So, President acting as a substitute for you two…? That seems too disrespectful to the other side, and I’d rather refuse.”

“Of course, it’s not an arranged marriage decided unilaterally by us. The other party also sees Minato as a suitable match. It’s not about financial interests; it’s just a case of mutual desires aligning.”

If only I had heard this information directly from my father during the previous conversation, how much lighter would my heart be now? Nevertheless, hearing it from my mother was enough to ease the burden that had weighed on my mind.

As I lowered my gaze and let out a sigh, mom continued cheerfully.

“Well, when your father told me about this, I was so angry that I gave him four slaps across the face, so don’t worry, Minato.”

“…Right.”

Rather, that’s really not okay.

So, the reason for your tense atmosphere when you returned home was this, huh? Well, I was seriously concerned about it.

I even considered the possibility that your father might have talked you into submission, and you had transformed into the silent kind who doesn’t utter a word.

But now, I somewhat understand the reasons behind her behaviour, and I feel relieved to some extent.

In fact, I’m not doing anything but feeling relieved throughout this conversation. I’m so relieved that I might even consider changing my last name to ‘Ando-san’* in honor of this relief. < 安堵 (ando) = relief >

However, I must reaffirm that the main issue remains unresolved. As if to confirm this, mom turns her gaze towards Kaede.

“Though I haven’t told your father yet, the school hasn’t confirmed your study abroad plans. They can’t just change a child’s future career path based on a parent’s unilateral decision.”

“Mom… thank you so much!”

Finally showing a bright expression, Kaede is met with a small smile from mom before she immediately returns to the main topic.

“That’s good, Kaede. Minato will help you in any situation, but when it comes to life choices, it’s important not to use your brother as an excuse. You can’t let others bear responsibility for your life decisions.”

Upon hearing my mother’s words, Kaede nods slightly. Time to think is limited, but this is a crucial decision that will shape her future. I’ll quietly watch and support her until she finds her answer.

Thinking about this, my mother’s gaze turns toward me.

“Minato, during these three days, try talking to Dad honestly… You should understand the reason why you don’t see eye to eye with him. He’s really simple.”

I reluctantly nodded in agreement with my mother’s proposal. It had been years since I had a serious conversation with my father.

Just imagining it brought back unpleasant memories, but…

With a sense of apology for the sudden issue my father had brought up, mom gently ruffled Kaede’s hair.

‘It’s okay’, she assured her by whispering that, and then it was my turn next.

I’m not at the age to be patted on by my parents… but considering the situation I couldn’t refuse. But instead, with her eyelids closed, mom took a step towards me and poked her lips out, clearly expecting something.

“Mommy is sorry, Minato~”

“Who’s going to do that…”

I said, putting my finger on the center of her forehead, preventing her from getting too close. Both Kaede and mom finally smiled, bringing a slight cheer to the atmosphere in the living room.

Kaede needed some time to think on her own. I had to respect that.

As for myself, while my sister worked hard, I couldn’t afford to be petulant.

I decided to think about when was the last time I had a serious conversation with my father, looking out at the courtyard through the window.

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: Did ya think I'd update daily...? 😅 jk, was updating my laptop yesterday. --- --- ### Archived Comments **Mirilu** *(on 2023-10-13 21:07:17)*: > "updating my laptop yesterday." > > You're giving me some bad flashbacks about that one time I updated my laptop the day before the exams. Was considering commiting raiding Microsoft at that moment... > > Anyway, this part makes me feel conflicted. You awlays hear people complain about thier missed opportunities but is it really the right thing to do to assume your child will regret her life choices as well, so you force her to do the things you regretted not doing in the past? I don't think though. Instead, as a parent, he should have made Kaede naturally develop an interest towards other cultures. You can do that as a parent but you really shouldn't do it this dad is trying to do it... **BrutalBotX** *(on 2023-10-13 21:34:13)*: > Nah man, I had my fair share of that stuff already. So if it takes too long, I just boot up from Linux via my thumb drive.