Ichin didn't even need to ask to know how things had turned out.
Never mind that his mom had sharpened her tongue years ago while building a business with his dad—even without her stepping in, just Haruno alone would have been enough to handle it.
And indeed, that was the case.
"At first she saw Utaha and the others and started asking which one was my kid, whether the rest were relatives or whatnot." His mom's lips curled into a satisfied smile as she spoke. "So I introduced them properly. This is my future daughter-in-law, these two are my goddaughters, and those two are my son's colleagues and friends. After that I talked a little about your and Utaha's studies and careers. Halfway through, she found an excuse to slip away. But it's fine—since I ran into her, I thought I'd organize a class reunion."
Reunions a few years after graduation are for showing off careers and love lives. But reunions a decade or two later? That's for showing off family and children.
Ichin hadn't expected his mom to enjoy that kind of thing too.
Still, he supported the idea. It sounded fun, and she did have a few close university friends worth catching up with.
"Sounds good, Mom. You arrange it however you like. If it runs late, Utaha and I will drive over and bring you home."
Just then, the front door opened and Haruno walked in with the others.
"Oh! Ichin, you're back already?"
Slipping off her shoes, Haruno strode into the living room. Noticing the tea boxes on the table, she said:
"While we were shopping today, I bought some really cute skirts—super short ones, too. Want to see?"
"…"
Ichin gave her a long look, then lowered his gaze to her legs, before shifting to Utaha's.
"I think Utaha's fine enough, don't you? Mom, looks like Haruno really wants to fall in love. Better set her up on a blind date before your class reunion."
His mother chuckled and nodded.
"Mm, I agree. Let's arrange it for tomorrow—it's Sunday, and that young man has the day off."
Haruno's composure cracked. Tugging at her lips, she said:
"Uh, Godmother, isn't that a little fast?"
"Fast? Not at all."
Her godmother pulled out her phone.
"I've spoken with him twice already and even showed him your photo. He has a very good impression of you, says he'd like to meet. Just trust me—I'll go with you tomorrow!"
She's even coming along?
Haruno had thought she could get away with treating it casually. She hadn't even let her own mother accompany her to past blind dates, but now her godmother insisted on tagging along?
Her mind spun quickly, and soon she realized what must have happened.
Her mother must have had a talk with her godmother.
Seeing her godmother's beaming face, Haruno could only sigh inwardly. There was no escaping tomorrow's plan.
Taking another bite of watermelon, Ichin found her defeated expression especially amusing.
Checking the weather forecast on his phone, he turned to Utaha and the others.
"Since Mom and Haruno have plans tomorrow, where should we go? Amusement park?"
Nene raised her hand eagerly.
"Disney?"
"No, just a regular amusement park." Ichin gestured.
"The kind with huge roller coasters and giant pendulums."
"Uh… maybe not."
Sakura Nene imagined it and shook her head repeatedly.
"Don't you have something… less intense?"
"How about go-karting? Not the bumper-car kind, but proper karts with a racetrack, like Mario Kart."
"Oh! That sounds great!"
Sakura Nene's eyes lit up, clearly interested.
Since Nene wanted to go, of course Umiko would as well. She smiled and added:
"I know a good place. There's even a shooting range there—I've been twice. Want to try it too?"
"Sure, why not? I came back on vacation, after all. The whole point is to have fun."
And just like that, Sunday's plan was set.
As for Ichin's father, he'd already decided on his own schedule—spending the day with old friends, drinking tea and playing cards. He was practically semi-retired now, with far more free time than before.
Once the chatting was over, Ichin's mom went to prepare dinner, with Utaha and Yukino following to help. His dad carried the newly bought tea into the study to examine it properly, while also messaging his card buddies about tomorrow's game.
With half the people gone, the living room grew quiet. Ichin finally had a chance to turn his attention toward Umiko and Sakura Nene.
Rubbing his chin, he let his gaze shift back and forth between them.
"Haruno, how were these two acting when you went to pick them up this morning?"
Haruno chuckled.
"If I had to put it into an idiom—like glue to lacquer?"
"Woooow~~~"
Even Umiko, usually boyish in her hobbies and demeanor, couldn't keep from blushing under their teasing. Despite her darker skin tone, the redness was obvious.
As for Nene, her face turned even redder. Unable to endure Ichin and Haruno's looks any longer, she grabbed Umiko's hand and dragged her into the kitchen.
"They ran away."
With a sigh, Ichin turned to Haruno.
"You'd better hurry up, Haruno. Don't end up the only single one when everyone else has paired off."
Haruno waved him off without a care.
"Don't worry about me. No matter what, there's still someone ahead of me in line."
"Poor Hiratsuka-sensei. Such bad taste in friends."
"Hehe~~~"
And at that very moment, elsewhere in the city, Hiratsuka Shizuka was walking down the street with an iced Coke in hand when she suddenly sneezed.
"Ah-choo!!"
Sniffling, she muttered to herself:
"I'm not sick… must be someone talking about me. Probably Haruno or that Ichin brat. Whatever—better find somewhere to have dinner first."
---
Sunday.
With all the plans set, Ichin got up early, ate breakfast, and then drove Utaha, Yukino, Umiko, and Sakura Nene to the go-kart track they'd reserved.
Haruno, meanwhile, obediently stayed home, waiting until the afternoon to go meet her blind date with Ichin's mom.
Patting Haruno's head, Ichin's mom smiled.
"Don't be nervous. No one's forcing you into a relationship—just meet him. If you like him, give it a try. If not, just treat it as making a new friend. His family runs a foreign-trade building materials business. Even if the blind date doesn't work out, you two might still cooperate on the business side, right?"
That was news to Haruno—she hadn't heard this before.
Looking at her godmother in surprise, Haruno asked:
"Godmother… you've talked about this with my mom, haven't you?"
Ichin's mom nodded with a smile. Haruno immediately understood—and finally let herself relax completely.
---