Judge Yoshizawa—Rinto's domineering and surprisingly tsundere future father-in-law—glared at him through his glasses.
"I need a clear answer from you. Kasumi and Sumire—which one do you actually like?"
"I know my daughters are both the sweetest, cutest girls in the world, but you can't be greedy and take them both… That would be bigamy!"
Father-in-law… is this really the level of the problem here? Rinto could only silently twitch, unsure how to respond.
He clearly felt that no matter what answer he gave, he'd step into a trap.
So instead, he quietly sipped his coffee, patiently letting his future father-in-law vent:
"In the end, it's not like I'm some unreasonable old man who meddles in my daughters' love lives. I won't interfere, but I at least deserve some preparation, don't I? Imagine my shock when my daughters suddenly bring home some random boy they picked up off the street, telling me he's got nowhere else to live and should move in immediately! How was I supposed to accept that?!"
"Even worse, their mother likes you so much now I've ended up the lowest-ranking member of the household! Well, sure, I was always at the bottom—but how can I rank even lower than some stray boy?!… And Sojiro, laugh all you want now, but just wait until your daughter brings a man home—then we'll see who's laughing!"
"Ahem—!" Sojiro, doubled over with laughter behind the counter, suddenly choked and coughed awkwardly, pretending he hadn't heard.
Middle-aged men have it rough… Rinto silently prayed he wouldn't end up like that someday.
After carefully considering his words, Rinto finally responded:
"I'm truly flattered by your high regard for me, Ojisan."
"Kasumi and Sumire really are wonderful girls. I see both of them as my dear younger sisters, so please give me some more time. I'd like things to develop naturally…"
"Hmm, that's true enough. Young love—especially first love—tends to fade over time anyway."
The judge's casual yet blunt remark inadvertently revealed his skepticism toward teenage romance.
Not that he belittled Rinto—he was just stating what he considered obvious facts:
"Kasumi and Sumire are exceptional. Their future will expand rapidly as they grow, their horizons broadening to the world stage. These few years in high school will be the last they spend as carefree children. I want them to enjoy their youth, and even if that means relationships with the opposite sex, I won't restrict them."
"Rinto, you're polite, modest, and genuinely good-natured. Your starting point may be low, but if you're willing to work hard to keep pace with my daughters, I won't hesitate to support you."
The dignified man adjusted his glasses, speaking like a CEO appraising a fresh-faced intern.
"Have you decided on your future yet—law or medicine, perhaps? I've seen your transfer exam scores; they're impressive, especially your perfect score in English."
"Considering your circumstances as an orphan, your talent is outstanding. But it's not yet enough to match my daughters. I can handle any student loan arrangements for you, so just focus on achieving good results."
"...Thank you, Yoshizawa-ojisan."
Rinto understood clearly—this was a pressure test.
The judge deliberately adopted this intimidating stance, offering no breathing room as he continuously piled on pressure.
This was also his "Persona," deliberately showing his harsher side to test Rinto.
And despite his strictness, it could also be considered genuine kindness.
Rinto calmly met his gaze.
"I'm very grateful for your advice, and I'll seriously consider it. As you know, I've mostly studied independently until now. Honestly, I'm really enjoying being able to attend school alongside peers my age for the first time."
"So I'd like to continue enjoying this school life with Kasumi and Sumire for now. Of course, I'll keep up academically and set a good example for them. Otherwise, with how outstanding they already are in athletics, I'd really feel ashamed if they beat me academically as well."
The judge sighed helplessly.
"...Well, that's true. Especially Kasumi… with those grades of hers…"
The old father's words trailed off into a silent lament.
After all, Kasumi was so carefree about her academics that even figuring out how many subjects she'd fail was impossible. Besides athletics, perhaps only health education was safe from her academic disasters.
Either way, Rinto seemed to have passed the judge's test.
Relaxing his harsh tone, the judge smiled with genuine warmth.
"Young people deserve to enjoy their youth, not just bear pressure. With your capabilities and maturity, you can follow your own path."
"—Oh, but how much longer do you plan on continuing that cohabitation arrangement of yours?"
There it is.
Rinto had been hoping the judge might skip this point, but no such luck.
Looking puzzled, Yoshizawa stroked his chin/
"The person you're living with—Ms. Kawaragi, correct? A 20-year-old woman from Hokkaido, unemployed. Dropped out of high school, last education level middle school. Her income relies solely on part-time jobs and selling so-called independent music?"
"Is your relationship purely as roommates, or is there something deeper? These self-proclaimed musicians without steady jobs are common all around Shinjuku and Shimokitazawa. They squander their youth, numbing themselves with alcohol and fan worship. You shouldn't associate too deeply with someone like that—you're better than that."
"..."
Rinto didn't respond, only calmly met his gaze.
He had nothing to argue. From the perspective of someone like the judge, all those criticisms were valid.
But Rinto couldn't help but think: If Ann or Ryuji were here, they'd surely be passionately arguing right now.
Even Kasumi and Sumire, sweet girls that they were, would no doubt challenge their father's arrogant judgments, insisting he shouldn't label others so easily.
Imagining how his friends might respond, Rinto felt no anger at all.
"Please don't worry. Ms. Kawaragi and I have a purely platonic friendship. She's taught me a great deal about adult life, and I consider her a valued mentor and friend."
Indeed, she'd taught him plenty—like how to properly wash women's underwear, remove alcohol stains and vomit from pantyhose, and handle hungover people… truly valuable life skills.
"...Alright then. That's good."
The judge carefully observed Rinto a moment longer, accepting his sincere response for now.
Finishing his coffee, he placed a 10,000-yen bill on the table and stood, adjusting his suit. Before leaving, he patted Rinto gently on the shoulder:
"I still have work waiting, so I'll be going first. If you ever decide to move out, let me know—I can recommend some reliable landlords."
"Thank you, Ojisan. I'll remember that."
Rinto accepted the offer graciously, bidding him farewell.
Only after the wind chime at the door tinkled again, signaling the judge's exit, did the café's atmosphere finally relax.
As Rinto let out a relieved breath, a small chocolate appeared on the table before him.
Looking up, he saw the suave and stylish Sojiro grinning mischievously:
"It's on the house. High-and-mighty types like him love slapping labels on others, don't they? Courting his daughters sure seems tough—you better mentally prepare yourself."