I Was Sleep-Deprived at a Matchmaking Meeting and Ended Up Engaged - Chapter 31

We casually had tea nearby while we were at it.

We casually stopped at a roadside station, taking our time leisurely.

On the way back, we got caught in a traffic jam.

A traffic jam in the heat is unbearable.

But it seemed the car suffered more than we did.

Although we got through the traffic jam, the car stopped on the mountain road.

“Yay, it stopped!” Keiki said.

…Saying “yay” is strange.

For some reason, Keiki seemed a little happy that the car had stopped.

“They say foreign cars break easily, but even a Mercedes, huh?”

“Maybe it’s not suited for Japan’s climate?”

I don’t really care, but why are you half-smiling…?

“Let’s get it repaired nearby.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Should we get a hotel?”

Why? I wondered, when Keiki’s phone rang.

“Mom, what’s up?

Huh?”

Keiki’s father, Koushirou, had returned, she said.

…From Antarctica?

I thought, can you just come back suddenly like that? But it seemed that Ai simply had no idea about her husband’s schedule at all.

Well, that’s just the kind of person she is.

For better or for worse.

“She said we should introduce Ayato.

Ah, right.

We’re inviting him to the wedding too.”

Well, he is your father.

“Right, understood.”

After hanging up, Keiki turned and said,

“This is bad.

We have to get back by tonight.”

“Let’s go back.”

We should greet your father properly.

I don’t really know how long he’ll be in Japan.

“But we’re in the mountains.

Not many cars pass through.

This is troublesome.

Should we push it?”

“That’s a good idea.”

“You stay in the car.”

“I’ll push too!”

While we were doing that, Koushirou himself called.

“Nah, no need to rush.

Why are you pushing the car?

Call for help.”

“…Oh, right,” Keiki said.

“Somehow, with the phone not working and all, I felt like we were on a remote island in the middle of the ocean or isolated in the mountains.”

“Why did you feel that way?”

“Because a bridge collapsed, maybe…?”

“Huh? A bridge?

Was there one?” Ayato, unaware of the phone call from Kai and Keiki’s delusion, looked around at the surroundings, which had nothing but mountains and rice fields.

“I’m thinking of buying something as a gift.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Do we have time to stop by a department store?”

“Should be fine.

We’ve been rescued from the remote mountain wilderness.”

Keiki said something strange, as if mixing various things together.

In the end, we left the car with the dealer, had them arrange various things, and returned to the city in a replacement car.

The replacement car was also a Mercedes, though…

“We have something from the roadside station, but…”

Saying this, I looked at gifts in the department store basement.

“What kind of things does everyone like?”

While saying such things and walking, we passed the sweets section and ended up at the prepared foods area.

True to a department store basement, colorful and gorgeous prepared foods were lined up.

As Ayato stopped to look,

“What’s up?

Want to buy something that might go well with drinks?”

Keiki asked.

“Ah, sorry.

Just now, I saw ‘For Obon Troubles’ and was impressed, but it was actually ‘For Oban Appetizers.'”

“What’s ‘For Obon Troubles’…?”

Ayato tilted his head and said,

“Does eating it solve your troubles?

Like, because it’s too delicious?”

“…Well, should we buy it then?”

No, it’s not like we’re having an Obon gathering, Ayato thought, but indeed, trouble was waiting for them.