The leap in topic was so drastic that Chihaya Tetsuya's mind couldn't quite keep up with the abrupt question.
Fortunately, the vast amount of information contained in the other party's next sentence forcibly dragged his brain back to the matter at hand—
"If you truly have that intention, then I advise you to reconsider. After all, an unequal marriage will only create more unhappiness."
As Mori Minami spoke, she glanced toward Togawa Sakiko.
"You should be well aware of this point too, shouldn't you, Sakiko?"
"Yes."
Sakiko nodded with a complicated expression.
"However, please rest assured. Chihaya-nii and I are not in the kind of relationship you imagine."
"Er... is that so?"
Hearing Sakiko's response, it was Minami who was slow to react.
"But he already said all those things..."
She first let her puzzled gaze sweep back and forth between the two of them a few times before shaking her head.
"Never mind, let's set that issue aside for now... Sakiko, if you have decided to work towards becoming a designer, then what is your father doing now?"
"He..."
Sakiko opened her mouth, but it was a long while before she spoke.
"He... disappeared."
"What do you mean?"
"I gave him some living expenses before... but he didn't take them. He just left the money behind and disappeared by himself. He didn't even tell me where he was going or when he would be back."
"..." x3.
This was the first time the three people present had heard of this.
Tetsuya's and Wakaba Mutsumi's faces were filled with confusion and shock, while Minami's originally calm and composed eyes instantly became displeased.
"Hmph. So it's that again."
She first snorted in disdain before speaking.
"Sakiko, even with a man as pathetic as him... do you still not regret leaving the Togawa family with him?"
"...Mhm."
As she responded, Sakiko unconsciously turned her gaze toward Tetsuya.
More than one person had asked her this question. Even she herself had questioned her own decision on countless sleepless nights.
Yet, no matter how many times she asked, as long as she remembered those gentle eyes that had always gazed upon her proud soul, as long as she remembered the warm light that night that could illuminate the entire night sky, as long as she remembered this man named Chihaya Tetsuya, her answer would always be the same.
"Because no matter the reason, what I have suffered is an unchangeable fact. Compared to being a 'doll' who could never escape the bonds of a predetermined future, I would rather use my own will... to become a true 'human' named Togawa Sakiko!"
Even in front of this adult she had been somewhat afraid of since she was a child, Sakiko still mustered her courage and stated her thoughts with unprecedented firmness.
"I understand that the Togawa family raised me, and I understand that everything that happened to my father was his own fault. So one day, along with his portion, I will return everything I owe them... When that time comes, I will finally have the right to completely deny them."
"..."
Hearing her answer, Minami's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Never before had Sakiko acted so assertively in front of her.
But that was to be expected. After all, shadows from one's childhood often stay with a person for life. Whether it was with her own daughter or this grandniece she had high hopes for, her attitude had always been strict and cold. The result was as you could see with Mutsumi now... even with much resistance and dissent in her heart, she was unwilling, or perhaps afraid, to express it.
Minami had thought the day would never come when Sakiko would talk back to her. Yet now, the determination and spirit she displayed had directly leaped over the common knowledge of psychology and upbringing, turning her into a stronger adult who could no longer be so easily defeated by a "lecture."
This confidence, which allowed her to clearly express her thoughts, was likely the precious growth that came from leaving the Togawa family.
On the other hand, this young boy, who looked to be only a few years older than Sakiko, had also shown her a sufficiently powerful spirit and resolve.
But... that alone was still not enough.
She needed more concrete proof, something that would assure her Sakiko would not regret this in the future.
"Chihaya-san."
"Yes."
"Although I think with your understanding, you should have been able to sense something from our conversation just now, I must still explain the specific situation."
Minami straightened her posture and said:
"Sakiko's father was a small entrepreneur who married into the Togawa family. Because the difference in their status was so vast, the relationship between him and my cousin was more like that of a creditor and a debtor than a husband and wife. And that was indeed the case. In order to prove himself, her father took out a large loan from the Togawa family. As for the result... it's just as you've seen. He lost everything. And because of her father, Sakiko was treated by the Togawa family as something akin to collateral. In fact, they still think of her that way."
"..."
Hearing this all-too-fitting metaphor, Sakiko clenched her fists.
Minami continued.
"The specific amount of that debt... I won't say it. You just need to know that it is an astronomical figure that an ordinary person could never repay even if they worked desperately for their entire life. This debt should have been borne by her father alone, but... you know Sakiko's personality. This child's pride and sense of responsibility are a bit excessive. Coupled with her lack of a sense of belonging to the Togawa family, she chose to leave with her father, shouldering this massive debt together."
"I know you've already made up your mind to be with her, but for the sake of fairness, I must emphasize once again that the debt she carries is not a number that can be easily erased. If what you desire is an equal relationship, then the biggest problem you will face is this number. Don't tell me you don't care about it. As a business owner, and as a man, the instability brought by debt is far beyond your imagination."
"Chihaya-san, even with a girl who carries such a heavy burden and is not in control of her own destiny, are you still willing to accept this 'burden'?"
"Sakiko, do you truly have the resolve, while wearing these heavy shackles, to entrust your future to him, a man so tolerant and generous, who is willing to devote his life to you?"
"These... are my final questions."