My Japanese Childhood Friend Is Too Flirty - Chapter 136



135. ‘Surely Not’ Can Get You (2)

Time passed, and 4 weeks later.

Today is Aki’s second regular check-up, and also the weekend we promised to visit Aki’s parents and greet them.

Aki and I woke up early in the morning, finished getting ready to go out, and went to the booked hospital for the regular check-up.

Thankfully, the test results were very good, and since the baby’s appearance was clearly visible on the ultrasound scan now that we were entering the 8th week of pregnancy, we asked for a few pictures. I plan to show these pictures to Aki’s parents first, and then to my own parents.

“……Haa.”

“Husband, nervous?”

“Yeah. Of course I’m nervous….”

It’s not like today is the first time I’m greeting Aki’s parents. But I don’t know why I’m so nervous.

As I stood in front of the front door and let out an anxious sigh, Aki gently wrapped her arm around mine.

“Don’t be too nervous. Papa wouldn’t hit you, would he?”

“……That’s making me even *more* nervous, you know?”

The guilty conscience speaks volumes. I know in my head that Aki’s father is a very gentle person, so the chance of that happening is slim, but the thought that you never know with people keeps making my heart race.

“What should I say to your father and mother…?”

“Hmm… Ah, how about this? Father, give me your daughter!”

“No, that’s… a bit much.”

I was trying to say it seriously, but it sounded too much like a joke. And more than anything, if I said that, I really might get slapped.

It wasn’t an unfounded fear, seeing as ‘Father, give me your daughter!’ is practically a staple line in morning dramas. A man getting slapped by the woman’s parents after saying that is practically a societal agreement at this point.

…Being nervous is making me think all sorts of things. I shook my head and cleared my throat. I should warm up my voice now, so I don’t embarrass myself when I get inside.

“Ah, ah. Ahem, Father, good afternoon. Mother, it’s been a while. This isn’t much, but I brought some red ginseng for the two of you to enjoy…”

“…Heh. How cute.”

Aki, who was watching me from the side, chuckled. I was seriously practicing, for my sake.

“All ready, dear?”

“Uh-huh. I’m good. …Shall I ring the bell?”

I asked, glancing nervously at the doorbell.

Aki nodded, smiling.

I swallowed hard once, and carefully pressed the doorbell.

*Ding-dong!*

──…Yes, who is it?

“Ah. Hello, Mother. It’s Woo-joo.”

──Ah~ Woo-joo, you’re here? Just a moment~

*Beep, clunk-*

I heard the sound of the front door unlocking.

Then, the door creaked open, and Aki’s mother, wearing an apron, greeted us.

“Oh my~ Woo-joo, it’s been so long. Almost a month, isn’t it?”

“Ah. It’s been a while. Hello, Mother…”

“Come in, come in! Oh, was traffic bad on the way? It’s the weekend, so I was worried it might be congested?”

“Mama, *I’m* here too, you know…?”

Aki pouted, looking a little resentful as she voiced her dissatisfaction to her mother. Her mother, who had been looking at me the whole time, finally turned her head.

“Yes, our precious daughter is here too, welcome~”

“Hmph. Too late to fix it now…?”

“Eh, don’t be like that. Come here, my daughter~!”

Her mother opened her arms wide and embraced Aki gently. Aki pretended to resist, trying to pull back, but she didn’t really seem to mind as she hugged her mother back.

“It must be hard living out there? I’m so proud of you~”

“Mama, I’m hardly a child anymore….”

“Twenty? Still a babe, no question! Oh my, our little girl~”

“Aish, really….”

Though her tone feigned annoyance, the corners of her lips tilted upward.

Have you ever seen such an unforthcoming girl?

Still, Aki is undeniably endearing….

“How is living with your husband? Is it fun?”

“Well, it’s not so bad, I suppose….”

“Heh…. Of course it’s wonderful. Living with your husband, whom you love to death, every single day, so very intensely….”

“Yes, yes…?! Wh-What! Mama…!”

“…….”

Being a Westerner, she speaks so frankly. If my own parents were here, they couldn’t imagine this type of language .

Anyway, unsure how to respond, I pretended not to hear and averted my gaze. For about thirty seconds.

“But, is it really true?”

“……Pardon? What is?”

“What you said on the phone about two weeks ago. About… some good news coming soon….”

“Ah, ah. That…? Yes, well. Maybe….”

In the meantime, Aki and her mother were practically whispering, engaging in their own private conversation.

They were close enough that I could easily eavesdrop if I wanted to, but I purposefully didn’t. For some reason, I already had a pretty good idea of what they were talking about.

“Oh, look at my manners. I’ve left you standing in the entryway far too long, haven’t I? Let’s go in. Papa is in the living room.”

“Yes. Please excuse me….”

Hesitantly, I stepped inside.

Following Aki’s mother, I walked down the hallway and into the living room…. There, seated at the dining table, was Aki’s father.

He was wearing glasses with square frames. He was always a gentle soul, but with the glasses on, his aura was particularly impressive. How to say it, like a respected university professor? Whenever I have to visit a professor’s office to ask a question, the head of the department is always sitting just like that.

“Hello, Father. It’s been a while.”

I bowed deeply at ninety degrees.

Aki’s father looked me up and down before slowly nodding his head.

“Yes. I hope your trip here wasn’t too difficult.”

“Ah, thank you….”

Even to someone as young as me, he speaks with complete politeness. His respectful manner remains the same.

Well, I suppose it’s only natural, seeing as how the man hasn’t changed.

“Ah, Papa!”

“Hmm…. Yes, Aki’s here.”

“Heh. Yes. What were you doing, Papa?”

“Just reading the newspaper while waiting for you two…. Ahem….”

Aki threw her arms around her father. And laughed brightly, like a child.

Her father swallowed the words he was about to say, offering a wry smile as he hugged Aki back, patting her gently. I watched this intimate family moment from a short distance.

‘If only….’

The child born between Aki and I, if they grew up healthy and strong, reaching Aki’s age now. Wouldn’t our home atmosphere at that time be just like this? Warm and harmonious.

“My daughter, being so affectionate all of a sudden makes me a bit suspicious….”

“Huh…. What? What’s suspicious?”

“Be honest. You’re hiding something from your papa, aren’t you?”

“…….”

Warm and harmonious…… right?

“Excuse me, Father. This is red ginseng. I thought you could share it with Mother later.”

I chose my moment and stepped in smoothly. Aki and her father slowly separated from their embrace.

“Ah, is that so? How did you know I liked red ginseng…. Thank you. I’ll enjoy it. We have coffee and green tea, which do you prefer?”

“I’ll have green tea. Aki, you’ll have green tea too, right?”

“Yup. I’ll take green tea too.”

“Two green teas, one coffee…. …Dear?”

“Yes, dear~”

“Oh, and don’t just stand there. Your legs must be tired.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I gave a light bow and sat down opposite her father. The house was so large, the dining table was huge as well. It was nothing like the table in my and Aki’s place, where we could reach each other with a hand even when sitting across from each other.

The rich truly are different. While I was internally marveling, Aki approached my side.

“……Ahem, ahem.”

Aki pulled out a chair at the table and sat down, glancing sidelong at me. And cleared her throat cutely. It was a signal that the mood had relaxed, and it was time to bring up the main topic.

‘Hmm, here it comes….’

I’ll speak when Mother arrives too. With that decided, I waited patiently. Before long, Mother came into the living room carrying two cups of green tea and one of coffee.

“Here, green tea for you, Uju and Aki. And coffee for my darling~”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll enjoy this, Mama~”

I sipped at my share of green tea.

A pleasant sweetness eased the tension coiled within me.

“…Father, about…”

Father, who was nursing his coffee, raised his head.

I set down my teacup and placed my hands on my knees.

“Well, it’s that…”

*’…We’re going to have a child.’*

“…”

The very thought made my hands tremble so.

Just a few words, yet I felt such tautness. Though I’d just had tea, I licked my parched lips.

It was then.

“Papa, can we get married?”

“…Huh? Married?”

Aki had skipped all the preliminaries and launched straight into the main point.

For a moment, I stopped, my intended words hanging in the air. Eyes wide, I stared at Aki.

Oblivious to my gaze, Aki continued, a smile playing on her lips.

“We’ve lived together for about six months, and I think we’re ready to get married.”

“Ah, is that so…?”

“Yes. You’ll give us your blessing, won’t you, Papa?”

“…Hmm. It is rather sudden.”

Father stroked his impressively grown beard.

“What do you think, dear?”

“I’ll defer to your judgment.”

“Is that so? Then…”

Father drew out the end of his sentence.

Without a doubt, these were the most agonizing five seconds of my entire twenty years.

My heart clenched, I waited, and Father slowly began to speak.

“If you two are happy… I don’t see that I have any reason to object…”

“Huk, really? So, you’re giving us your blessing?”

“Mmhmm. Yes. Go on and get married.”

“…….”

Huh.

It’s working out this easily…?

“Seobangnim, they said we can get married…! Hee, that’s wonderful, isn’t it?”

“……Huh? Ah. Yeah.”

Frankly, I’m a little dumbfounded. I came prepared to be persuasive, but they gave their permission much more readily than I expected.

“Now then, since the topic is out, let me ask. When would you two like to hold the wedding? After Uju finishes his time with the space forces? Or after you both graduate from university?”

“No. We’d like to do it as soon as possible.”

“As soon as possible…?”

Abeonim tilted his head, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Yes. Because…”

Aki placed a hand on her lower abdomen.

“I’m… pregnant.”

“…….”

“……Oh my.”

“……?!”

Drip drip-.

Abeonim spilled his coffee.