Re: Date a Singularity

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Patch Note:

- New Chapter (Brand new)!

Chapter IV - Prelude IV

Leaving Kurumi and Sawa's School. Like that, they went from there, straight to Sawa's house.

"Oh my~ Ikari-chan, Kurumi-chan, welcome~"

Miho, Sawa's mother, was the one who had greeted them as they got to Sawa's.

Yamauchi Miho.

Despite being in her thirties, she looked as if she were in her mid-twenties.

One could see who Sawa resembled at a glance.

"A sleepover at your side, huh?"

In their living room, it was only Ikari and Miho that sat here; Kurumi had slyly left him there and dipped on her own.

She had followed Sawa to her room, and just as Ikari was thinking of how to escape, Miho had called for him.

Well, it was more of a planned tactic between the three females, and yes. It worked well.

Ikari hadn't noticed a thing.

Rather, there's no way he'd noticed a massage passed through a subtle wink of an eye between females.

But that wasn't of any concern. This was. He was in the living room with Miho when he suddenly heard—

"My girl. Sawa. I leave her in your hands."

Miho had suddenly said that, patting a small cat in her hands, that was chestnut, who Sawa had adopted from the streets.

"Huh?"

Ikari, on the other hand, had his eyes widened slightly when he saw Miho, gently bowing her head lightly to him.

What was this woman getting at?

It couldn't be what he was thinking, could it?

Miho's words made him on edge, evident as he sat upright.

"That girl, all she talks about is you. Although Sawa is usually cheerful, she becomes entirely different when it comes to you."

Miho said, raising her head up as she mulled it over. No, that wasn't how she should put it:

"Not that she isn't cheerful, and I'm sure a smart child like you knows what I'm getting at, hm?"

"Honestly, I should have had this conversation with you a few months back, but hn, I decided to give you time."

Hearing Miho's wods was shocking to say the least; how couldn't he not understand?

Everything she said, he understood. 

Especially when she said she leaves Sawa to him, that was…

He didn't know how to react. Yes. He knew Sawa loved him, however, hearing her mother acknowledge it, perhaps, he didn't know how to feel about it.

"You see, it's not only Sawa; hm, Aya too. She boasts about you every chance she gets, hmph!"

Of course. 

'Mother.' 

Ikari's lips curled into a wry smile as he thought so. But if that's the case, then wouldn't she…

"That's right. I know too."

Seeing Ikari's gaze on her, she nodded, as if she knew what he was thinking.

They didn't need to say much; both were pretty much on the same page.

"You see, Aya cried to me about that, of course, something along the lines that her son would never get a wife because of Kurumi-chan."

Ikari flinched, hearing that.

Yet, as Miho tried saying that with a serious expression, she burst into a laugh.

"Haah. Only she would say something like that…"

Ikari himself didn't mind, hence, he shook his head and said that.

"I know, right!"

And Miho, hearing Ikari say that only made her laugh louder. 

But as she did, she stopped, and then her gaze became solemn and serious once again.

The living room almost became heavy once again.

"Sawa, that child loves you."

Miho herself expressed those thoughts with a weary smile. 

She had known Ikari for three years and was fully aware of how capable he was.

After all, it wasn't just Sawa and Aya who constantly praised him—Ikari's own father frequently bragged about his son's accomplishments.

Years of interaction with Ikari had convinced Miho that he was not only reliable but trustworthy.

She couldn't help but think, He must be a genius.

However, even geniuses had their shortcomings. 

And in Ikari's case, it was painfully obvious that he was lacking in certain emotional areas.

His parents had done their best to guide him, but at this point, there wasn't much more they could do. 

They understood that separating Ikari and Kurumi wasn't an option.

Thus, a third person who understood the dynamics between them was necessary.

Sawa, for her part, was fully aware of Kurumi's feelings for Ikari. Yet, she never thought poorly of it.

In fact, she was happy. 

She loved Kurumi dearly—almost as much as she loved Ikari. 

No, if she were honest, she loved Ikari more. But that didn't mean she would back down.

Sawa viewed Kurumi as a rival. 

While she cherished her bond with Kurumi, she had no intention of stepping aside just because Kurumi loved Ikari too.

Because of that, Ikari's parents and Sawa's parents, without Ikari and Kurumi's knowledge, had met.

From the hints he'd picked up, Ikari had pieced together what had happened, and unsurprisingly, his conclusion was correct.

"Haha…"

Ikari let out a self-deprecating chuckle, leaning back in his chair with a weary sigh. However—

"And you! Don't run away from your responsibilities; if not, you'll disappoint both of them!"

Miho's sudden statement snapped Ikari back to attention. She was pointing at him with a pout, her tone both stern and teasing.

"If you're not ready, at least man up. Feigning obliviousness won't get you anywhere. And don't think for a second I don't know—you love those two."

"You can't hide the way you look at them."

Ikari winced at her words, his composure faltering for a moment.

He originally thought that only Kurumi and Sawa knew him like an open book; however, this woman…

She was as formidable as his now-on-paper fiancées.

So, he had thought.

"Miho-san." He started hesitantly.

"No! Call me mother."

Also, she was as wilful as Sawa in that regard too.

"Haha, mother."

Ikari, who had always kept a calm face, at this moment couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Eh? Even someone like Ikari can feel embarrassed too, Miho had thought so with a mischievous grin.

"By the way, do your best to hold yourself back; it isn't time yet, you know."

Miho had meant that teasingly; however, in response, she had only re-triggered his defence mechanisms.

"Don't worry, Mother, I know."

Ikari, who had said that with the faintest of smiles, couldn't help but reassure Miho.

She didn't know why, but she felt so. His words were reassuring.

Well, he was someone who passed Tokisaki Tatsuya's test after all. That's why both siblings live alone.

'Surely, he didn't expect it. Fufufu.'

Miho thought with a laugh.

"Well, let me get them both for you; wouldn't want to keep you waiting."

Miho said that suggestively as she walked away from the living room, leaving Ikari and Sawa's cat, Chestnut, together.

Both looked at each other for a moment before jumping at each other.

"Chestnut~"

"Meow~"

Both were simply friends like so. Chestnut was a male, and sometimes, Ikari would complain to it, and it would nearly meow in response.

Over the course of three years, both had grown closer.

"Meow."

"I know, right? I didn't expect it; heck, my heart is still beating fast, but I don't know how to go about this. Chestnut, no, Chestnut-sama, teach me the way."

Ikari kept Chestnut on the table in the middle of the living room, bowing towards Chestnut as the cat raised its head high.

"Meow~!"

Chestnut meowed with an air of authority.

Ikari straightened, looking serious. "Chestnut…"

The cat nodded as if to impart wisdom, but then—

"Ha!? What do you mean by that!?"

"MEOW!"

Chestnut meowed louder, his tone almost scolding.

But of course, to Ikari, all of these are currently a front he put up.

Only he knows about what's to come.

And what he hated the most was making promises he couldn't keep.

Were it the Ikari before he got his memories back, then he would have accepted.

But not him. Not now. There's no reason to cause them that much pain.

"No. Thank you Chestnut-sama."

"Meow~"