Volume 4 Epilogue

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♥

September.

The time summer break was over for students and the second semester started…

And my transfer to Tokyo.

“…Phew.”

When I went out the bullet train, I saw a crowd of people walking around busily. Like always, there’s a lot of people here, and the temperature is a little hotter than Tohoku’s. Though it’s much better now than at the end of July.

Somehow, I managed to cross through the Tokyo Station crowd while I was carrying my suitcase and got into one of the taxis waiting in line to pick people up.

From the back seat, I sent a message to Miu.

“I arrived to Tokyo safe and sound.”

“That’s great.”

“Is everything alright over there? Are there are any problems? If something happens, call me immediately.”

“No, don’t worry, it’s just the first day. It’s literally only been 2 hours since I saw you off in the station.”

“Do you miss your mom?”

“How old do you think I am? You’re worrying too much. Grandma is also here, so I’ll be fine without you.”

I couldn’t help but worry and think about her, but Miu’s attitude was very cold. Geez, don’t children know how dear they are to their parents?

Well, I’m sure that Miu will be fine.

And my mom will spend the night with her today.

When I sent her a message, she said she had already gotten to the house and was making dinner. She seemed very excited, so I could leave the house in her hands without worrying.

Therefore, I thought about sending a message to Takkun… but my hand stopped.

“…”

He couldn’t come to the station to see me off.

Apparently, he had something to do.

He didn’t tell me what it was, but said it was something he had to do no matter what.

I know it’s something I can’t do anything about, but still, it’s a little depressing.

I wanted to see him once more before leaving… Ah, no, stop.

Stop, Ayako.

You can’t back down on the first day!

Because our long-distance relationship… still has three months to go.

Everything will be fine. I’m sure I can handle it.

After all… We’ve been flirting a lot this last week!

We flirted a whole lot.

Over and over again, as if we were trying to compensate for the three months we wouldn’t see each other…

Well, we didn’t see each other all the time because we had things to do and I was worried about other families seeing us, so we couldn’t be so open about it…

But despite that, we tried to find as much free time to see each other as possible.

When I thought that I wouldn’t be able to see him for a while… I couldn’t waste the time we had left and I became a lot bolder than usual. Thus, we flirted to the very last moment.

We chatted, held hands and hugged each other!

We did a lot of things that make me blush when I remember them.

The day before yesterday, we had a date and went to see Love Kaiser’s summer movie, and I think that was a plentiful week.

With these memories, I should be able to endure for three months.

No.

I need to endure it.

Because I was the one who made that choice.

“…Yes, right here. Ah, could you give me a receipt, please.”

I reached my destination after a 10 minute trip.

I thanked the driver and got off the taxi.

In front of me… there were many tall buildings. Although I was a little away from the center of the city, this still looked very crammed to me, a person who was raised in the northern city of the province. The highway next to me had a traffic volume that was unthinkable in my native city.

Looks like there’s an apartment complex over here where I’m going to live for the next three months.

There’s a station, a convenience store nearby, and many restaurants as well, so it looks like a popular place to live. Must be a luxury to be able to live here for free for three months.

…The station is close by, which means I could have gotten here easily and cheaply from Tokyo Station… but I ended up taking a cab. Well, I had no choice, I have a suitcase with me today. Besides, the company is paying for this.

After checking the address on my phone, I headed to the apartment complex.

While I somehow made my way on these unknown streets without getting lost, I received a call.

“Yo, Katsuragi-kun.”

The person on the other side of the phone was Oinomori-san.

“Did something happen?”

“No, nothing special. I was just thinking that it was about time you were arriving.”

“Yes, I’m in Tokyo already. I just got off a cab and I’m on my way to the apartment. I was going to call when I got there.”

“Oh, I see. So you still haven’t arrived. Well, I guess it’s better that way.”

“Better?”

“Oh, don’t mind that.”

“…Okay…?”

I wonder what she means.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

Oinomori-san always does things at her own pace, so it’s better to not think about it.

“Anyways, I’m really happy about this. We will be able to work together for a long time starting tomorrow. Fufu, I’m really looking forward to it.”

“…That’s right.”

Somehow, I felt deeply moved.

10 years ago, I started working for LightShip under the command of Yumemi Oinomori.

When I suddenly became a single mother, Oinomori-san had the kindness to allow me to work from home.

Since then, I’ve been working from Tohoku.

I’ve worked at home for the most part, only showing up here every once in a while.

And starting tomorrow, I’ll start working in the main office.

I was excited and nervous at the same time.

“For now, just take it easy and rest for the rest of the day. You can start working hard starting tomorrow.”

“All right… Ah, I see it.”

While I walked speaking on the phone, I saw the apartment complex that I was heading to.

“Wow, it’s incredible. It’s a lot better than I imagined.”

It was bigger and newer than the other apartments around.

Renting an apartment here clearly wasn’t cheap.

As to how much it costed… I couldn’t even imagine.

“It’s incredible, Oinomori-san. I can’t believe you have an apartment in a condominium like this one,” I said, a little surprised.

The apartment that they provided me wasn’t a corporate house (LightShip doesn’t offer corporate lodging for starters), but an apartment that belongs to Oinomori-san herself.

“It’s nothing special. It’s just an apartment that I accidentally bought because the real state agency that sold it to me made me think it was a good investment. Seriously… that real state agency is really good at what they do. They sent a handsome young man, just how I like them, to do business with me.”

“…Haah, I see.”

Apparently, rich people inadvertently sign contracts for apartments when handsome men come to sell it to them.

As always, my boss is still a woman that earns a lot of money, but also wastes a lot of it.

No, I guess that this one is an investment, it can’t be considered a waste.

“I used to rent it, but lately, it’s become a pain in the ass, so I simply left it abandoned. I’m actually glad you’re going to live there.”

“In that case, I won’t feel bad about living in it.”

“Mhm. Actually… in that apartment,” said Oinomori-san, clearly happy. “To celebrate your new life, I prepared a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?”

“You’ll see it when you open the apartment, so just wait for it.”

“…I got a bad feeling about this.”

“Hey, that hurts. What kind of image do you have of me?” said Oinomori-san, sounding offended.

Well, the same as I usually do.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. I’ve prepared something that will definitely make you happy,” she said confidently and hung up.

Something that will make me happy?

I wonder what it is.

If it was an expensive liquor or a luxurious cut of meat, I’d definitely be happy.

I entered the condominium’s building while I was thinking about several things.

Using the key they had sent me beforehand, I passed by the automatic lock entrance.

I took the elevator to the apartment’s floor.

“It’s here.”

I stood in front of the apartment at the corner of the tenth floor and sighed.

Here is the place I’ll live for the next three months.

I’ll work hard and do my best.

I had to get away from Takkun to come work here, so I have to work hard or I’d feel bad for him.

“…Haah.”

The moment I remembered Takkun, I felt extremely alone.

Haah… I want to see him.

I want to see him as soon as possible.

I wanted to open this door and find Takkun standing there.

But there was no way that would happen.

I inserted the key in the locked while I was thinking of futile things, but…

“Hm…? Huh?”

The door was already open.

Huh? Why?

Maybe the manager came by? Or perhaps… I got the wrong apartment? Or maybe it’s the surprise Oinomori-san mentioned? Don’t tell me… She came to see me in person?

Thinking about several things, I decided to press the intercom.

Ding dong.

After a few seconds, the door opened.

And… I was speechless.

“Huh…?”

It was a very familiar person who opened the door.

Someone I’ve known for a long time, who I started to date recently and flirted all week long with, my dear boyfriend…

Takkun was standing in front of me.

“Huh? Wha?”

Panic. Shock. Confusion.

I blinked many times.

At first, I thought it was an illusion. I thought my mind and heart were so desperate to see Takkun that they had created an illusion.

But… that didn’t seem to be the case.

No matter how many times I blinked or rubbed my eyes, he was still there.

A real Takkun was in front of me.

“Huh, wha…? T-Takkun, why—”

“…I’m sorry!”

Before my extreme confusion, He deeply bowed his head.

“I’m extremely sorry for not telling you until today… but I couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to. I had to keep it a secret from you… That was the condition Oinomori-san gave me.”

“Huh? Huh?”

What does this mean?

Oinomori-san? Condition?

I don’t understand anything at all.

What’s going on?

“Uhm… Where to start… Well… basically…” With an embarrassed expression, but without hesitating, Takkun said, “I’ll live with you starting today.”

“…”

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

I shouted internally.

I barely had enough sanity left to worry about the neighbors… but still, I didn’t understand anything. I don’t understand what is happening at all.

Don’t tell me… is this Oinomori-san’s surprise?

What kind of plot did they make behind my back?

I can’t follow the pace of the situation at all, but the man I had in front of me, was without a doubt, the real Takkun…

Which means that the declaration of us living together was undeniably true.

I thought that our relationship, which had finally started, would begin with a long-distance relationship.

But it looks like it will begin with a ‘living together’ setting.

Picture’s translation:

Written text at the right: Musume Janakute, watashi (mama) ga suki nano!?

Volume 4 is here.

At the end of volume 3
I was thinking:
“Yay! They’re together now!”
But I was on the edge of my seat when the two of them
met up this volume…

But finally,
Mama and him got
to the starting line!

It’s fun to delve into mama’s work,
and although there’s the obstacle of long distance from now on,
I wonder if this is the start of a humorous daily life
of a beginner in love…♥

O-Or rather, that’s what I thought.
T-They’re suddenly going to live together?!

Volume 5!! When is volume 5 coming out?!?!?!

This postscript illustration is
an adaptation of a rejected draft
for the cover of volume 2.

In the rain, a wet married woman* is looking over her shoulder
at a pack of hydrangeas
(Not actually a married woman)

I wanted to draw Mama in a way that
exuded a moist sexual allure
and also a sense of the seasons.

I hope I can keep drawing Mama more
in the future.

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0 words to go. Here’s the long awaited epilogue and with it, the end of the volume. I usually like to use the last chapter as a way to thank those who helped me with the volume, but this time it’s just me, even the translation at the end, that was just me and my scuffed japanese. Regardless, I’d like to thank all of you who patiently waited for me to release the chapters and for the kind comments, I do read them all. For that one person asking for the volume 3 epubs, I already uploaded them along with volume 4, download link is here or in the TOC. Volume 5 is coming out in May and I will try to translate it as well, so don’t worry about that. That’s all I wanted to say, thank you all very much for reading! See you on volume 5!