Chapter 6
In the hospital room, Minamino's mother was adjusting her bed, trying to raise her body up. Her left hand was connected to an IV tube, but her complexion seemed slightly better than earlier.
"Sorry for looking like this. Nice to meet you, I'm Chinatsu's mother. Thank you so much for helping me in such a difficult situation."
With a glance in my direction, she bowed her head. However, unlike her vacant look from before, her eyes now seemed to be appraising me thoroughly. This was probably her true self. I felt my posture naturally straighten.
Hence, I also needed to conduct myself properly. Switching into a more formal manner for adults, I spoke.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Hajime Satou, a classmate of Chinatsu-san. I'm really relieved that things didn't get worse. And… well, I know this isn't the best timing to bring it up, but I must apologize for entering your home without permission while you were away. I understand you might be concerned, but Chinatsu-san and I are friends. She invited me this time to a place with delicious crepes, so I joined her to have it in your house. I'm sorry for any inconvenience I might have caused."
There was probably a need to express gratitude as well. But, I felt there was more to it than that. So, I made sure to convey that clearly and thoroughly. Even when talking to adults, I knew that if I spoke sincerely and didn't resort to clear lies or evasion, many adults would listen, even if my words sounded odd.
"...My."
Minamino's mother opened her mouth slightly, seeming a bit taken aback. Come to think of it, it would be a bit difficult to have a conversation without knowing her name. With that in mind, I continued. I was more nervous than usual, maybe because this wasn't a situation my uncle had taught me before.
"And if I may, could I ask for your name? I always always refer to Chinatsu-san as 'Minamino,' and it also seems odd to call you 'Minamino-san.' On the other hand, calling you 'Auntie' or 'Mother' also feels impolite."
"Fufu... fufufu. Then, to reiterate, my name is Suzuka. Is calling you 'Hajime-kun' fine? You're quite the polite young man. I almost felt like I was talking to one of our clients."
I didn't notice it when we were carrying her earlier, but her smiling face resembled Minamino's quite a bit.
"I apologize if I sounded a bit presumptuous. There have been various situations that have led me to be quite accustomed to greetings with people I meet for the first time, so if it came across as impudent, I'm sorry."
"It's fine, my daughter is not that great either. Are you really the same age? But anyway, to think that Chinatsu has a boyfriend like you... Honestly, it really is a relief. It's just that I happened to come home early today, and I couldn't deny that the first thought I had when I got home was, 'Even though she comes home late at night nowadays, she's already bringing a guy over?' You see, I always hear about how 'advanced' kids are these days."
Perhaps my greeting had an effect; her expression and demeanor were now softer, and I appreciated her sense of humor as she began telling jokes.
"H-Hey, Mom!? What are you saying?"
In response to her playful remarks, Minamino, who had been silent, began to panic.
"My, I can see that Hajime is a good boy. However, I can't approve of bringing a boy into the house without even telling me. I do understand that I've been busy with work lately, and I know I've been making you feel lonely... And it seems like your recent late returns were because of him, huh?"
"It's not like... you're wrong, but we're not like that, okay?"
"...Well, let's put this topic aside for now. Besides, the doctor told me I'll need to stay in the hospital for a few days. I also need to bring some money and a change of clothes."
However, it seems that it's getting late already, Suzuka-san continued with a thoughtful expression.
"Ah, if that's the case, I can lend you some money for now. You can buy what you need from the hospital shop today and then bring the necessary things from home starting tomorrow. How about it? I think it's better to have everything you need. Plus, since it's getting late, I was planning to send Chinatsu-san back in a taxi."
"Huh?" Minamino exclaimed, and Suzuka-san frowned slightly.
"I mean, even if you say you'll lend me money, you're still a high school student, right? Besides, about your parents..."
"As for the details. Chinatsu-san knows everything, and I'll leave it to her to explain to you afterwards... But just to let you know, I don't have parents; they passed away in an accident. However, I'm earning decently through part-time jobs and investments."
"That's... And even if you say you're making money..."
"Um... (I'm a bit hesitant to go into specifics, but it's mainly from managing my parents' inheritance, monthly income from video clips, and part-time jobs…)"
Suzuka-san was still doubtful and hesitated. I leaned in a bit closer and mentioned a slightly more specific figure. I felt hesitant to say it loud enough for Minamino to hear, as it might come across as bragging. To begin with, if it wasn't for my uncle, I wouldn't have been able to do anything.
"――――!? That's surprising... I understand, maybe it's rude to treat you like a child or hold back from your offer... For now, let me lean on you a bit in this situation. Anyway, I'm sorry, but can I ask you to excuse the both of us for a moment? I'll tell Chinatsu about the underwear and other things I need, and I'll also give her the PIN for our bank account."
"Ah... got it. Minamino, I'll step outside for a bit."
Saying that, I stepped outside the hospital room.
Honestly, meeting Minamino's mother for the first time was quite nerve-wracking, but I felt that I hadn't made a bad impression.
Maybe because of the nervousness, I had stopped noticing the smell of the hospital.
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(6/7)
You unconsciously flexed to her mother, Satou! She definitely approved of you already!
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