Source
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5612jg/74/
The father and son, facing each other at the table, do not turn their faces away from each other, but look firmly into each other’s eyes.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my dad’s face properly, and I’m a little nervous.
He seems thinner than he used to be, and I can tell he’s tired.
“….Are you busy with work?”
“Well, kind of.”
Dad replies, patting himself on the shoulder.
“Well, I don’t know what you’ve been doing since you changed jobs.”
I had no interest in my dad’s affairs, so I didn’t know about his new job until after the fact.
I didn’t care to hear about it, and I didn’t ask him what kind of work he was doing.
“Hm? I’m a detective, you know?”
“Huh !? A detective !?”
I get an answer that is diagonally opposite of what I imagined, and I shout out unintentionally.
“You’re overreacting. Is that so funny?”
“Not just funny, but are you okay with it?”
The question arises as to whether the head of the family is able to support the family by being a detective.
“Don’t worry, we’re still making money.”
I was tempted to ask him if he was really doing all right, but he had no problems at the moment, so I guess there was no problem with his income.
“What is it? You want to get to know me? I’m so glad~.”
I get angry at what he said with a smirk, but I hold it in.
“…….I have a question for you.”
“What is it?”
“…….If you received a confession from someone who didn’t like you romantically, what would you do?”
“What? Did someone confess to you?”
I nodded my head in affirmation, as anyone would have guessed when I asked the question.
I thought he would tease me, but surprisingly he was taking it seriously.
“……You really want my opinion?”
“…..For reference only.”
I reply, closing my eyes once, and my dad replies,.
“I’d go out with her if I were you.”
I get the expected answer.
“Even if you don’t like her romantically?”
“Still. Especially if I liked her as a friend.”
“…But that means there will be a difference in the vector of love and the amount of passion between you and the other person.”
In this case, Fuyusaki has romantic feelings for me, but I do not.
Fuyusaki likes “romantic” and me “friend”.
“But that’s not a reason to reject her. If it were me, I would think about whether the girl would be hurt or not.”
“It’s true that it might hurt her if I rejected her, but wouldn’t it hurt her more if she knows I went out with her even though I don’t like her?”
“You like her, don’t you? As a friend.”
“That’s true, but…..”
“Then there’s nothing wrong with that. The only course of action you should take now is to accept the confession.”
This light-hearted idea further irritates me.
As I’ve heard from myself, I never really agree with my dad.
“I’m telling you, there’s no way to shake it off without getting hurt.”
I’m thinking of a counter-argument, but my dad anticipates my reaction.
“I’ve always put the other person’s feelings before my own, that’s what I’ve always believed.”
That is my dad’s belief that I have known for a long time.
“If you reject her proposal, you won’t be hurt, but the other person will be hurt. If you agree to it, she won’t get hurt and you can have a girlfriend. There’s nothing wrong with that. You might even fall in love with her while you’re dating her.”
I understand what my dad is trying to say.
I just don’t agree with it.
“……I know it’s not my business, but can I ask you something?”
“Ask me anything, and I’ll give you the answers you need.”
“…Does marriage mean sympathy to you?”
I asked him and he laughed a little sadly.
He answers quietly.
“……My first marriage and Hitomi, then…I married her because I really like her. I got married because I really wanted to be with her. But….Kanna is different.”
“……How is that different?”
“With Kanna, it was out of complete sympathy and responsibility. I felt sorry for her because her ex-husband had violated her, and I felt responsible for her divorce.”
He was remembering those days, and his eyes looked apologetic.
“The point is that we were both heartbroken. So we thought we’d lick each other’s wounds.”
If someone else heard that, they might think he was distorted.
But I could understand my dad’s way of thinking.
I’m aware that I would do the same thing if I were in the same position.
Even if I don’t like the other person, I can easily imagine myself marrying them out of pity and responsibility.
Talking with my dad made me realize my true nature.
And it’s something I have to admit that I’m just like him.
“Stop that understanding attitude.”
As I’m thinking this, my dad looks at me with a look of utter disgust on his face.
“You’re thinking right now that you and I are a lot alike, aren’t you?
“That’s…….”
“I’m telling you, you and I are nothing alike ! Listen, you’re only interested in the people around you, and you only feel sympathy and responsibility for those around you. I’m different, I even feel sympathy for people on the TV news.”
It was strange for my dad to say such a thing so confidently, but I couldn’t help but laugh.
“That’s why you’ll always hate me.”
With that, he went to the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.
“……What am I supposed to do in the end?”
“I don’t know. You decide.”
I mutter to myself, and my dad blurts it out as if it really doesn’t matter.
“It was a mistake to ask you.”
“Of course. You’re a fool sometimes, asking advice from someone you don’t like.”
I knew my dad and I would never get along.
When I came to that conclusion and was about to leave the living room,
“Kenshiro.”
I turned my head to look at him without replying.
“You should think more easily. You’re only a high school student.”
With these light words, I left the living room.
I went into my room and lay down on my bed, letting my thoughts wander.
I close my eyes and imagine various situations.
Then I think about Fuyusaki’s feelings.
“…….”
I honestly don’t know how I feel.
But I know how Fuyusaki feels.
(Then my answer is……)
The answer was decided in my mind.
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