I Was Sleep-Deprived at a Matchmaking Meeting and Ended Up Engaged - Chapter 36

While thinking that the mahjong tournament was getting quite large-scale… Ayato, who had lost early, was making cup noodles in the kitchen.

It was because everyone said they were getting a little hungry.

By the way, this was something she always thought.

People who said they were “a little hungry” would say that, but then eat quite heartily…

But she understood why they’d say it, thinking this, Ayato poured hot water from the kettle with a glug-glug sound.

Earlier, Hiroshi, Yumie’s husband, had come to pick her up, worried that his wife was late.

Naturally, he got dragged into the mahjong game.

Moreover,

“Ooh, Hiro-kun, long time no see!”

A neighborhood uncle who happened to greet them on the street had joined in too.

“When it gets like this, it never ends, huh.

Back in the day, during times like these, a late-night soba stall would come around, and everyone would eat together, apparently.”

“That sounds nice.”

To Keiki, who said this, Ayato chuckled and said,

“My dad admired that kind of thing too.

It seems he wanted to try living in a world different from the one he’d known until then.”

Ayato’s father, Fujimiya Shoji, lived a daily life where he was somewhat pushed around by strong women.

Even so, he always seemed oddly happy.

“Kinda feels like we don’t have enough cup noodles.”

Turning around to check the number of people, Ayato said.

“Then, shall I go buy some?”

“No, going all the way out is a hassle, so maybe with ochazuke or…”

She started to say that, but Keiki, looking a bit embarrassed, said,

“If I go buy them, I can be alone with you for a while, right?”

“Ah, r-really…? Okay, then.”

She said flustered.

Saying “Okay, then” was embarrassing too, she thought.

“The cup noodles are running short, I’ll go buy more—”

She said, turning back.

Yeah, yeah— came the casual replies from everyone.

“Kai-san, you’re totally not a pushover!”

“Yumie, your beginner’s luck is insane!”

…They’re really getting into it, she thought, stepping outside, where it suddenly became quiet, with only the sound of insects audible.

It feels like a different world, she thought, but immediately, wahahaha— laughter and the sound of shuffling tiles came through the window.

She chuckled a little.

“Shall we go to the convenience store?”

“Umm, the nearby ones are closed—

Ah, now that I think of it, there’s a supermarket that’s still open.

I thought it was a 24-hour supermarket, but it turns out it’s open until midnight.”

Since she never went after midnight anyway, she hadn’t realized it until now.

“I see.

Shall we take the car?”

Keiki said, so she got into the passenger seat of his car.

It felt both familiar and unfamiliar.

The moment she opened the door, the car smell, different from her family’s car, made her a little nervous still.

But, once we’re married, this car will become our family car, huh—

Marriage, huh.

Somehow, I’ve come this far on momentum.

Is it really okay? Marrying someone like me? She found herself thinking belatedly.

The night drive, separated from the heat outside, was comfortable.

“Yokimi-kun is so cute.

His cheeks are all soft and squishy.”

Yokimi, who had been super excited earlier with so many people around,

had already fallen asleep.

With all that clattering mahjong noise, kids can really sleep well, huh, Ayato thought.

Bouncing around energetically, Yokimi had said,

“The other day, I went out with Grandma and Gramps in their car!”

and was scolded by Yumie, who said with a wry smile,

“Stop saying ‘Gramps.’

Don’t say ‘Gramps.'”

Watching Yumie, Hiroshi, and Yokimi, she thought it would be nice to build a family that felt that comforting.

Just then, a shadow resembling a cat darted tot-tot-tot-tot out into the night road.

Keiki stopped the car.

The black cat went on its way, but Ayato bowed slightly toward the cat.

Since she’d do that for a person, just out of habit.

But after doing it, she wondered if she seemed weird, and laughed, saying to Keiki,

“Ah, that was a cat, wasn’t it?”

Well, it’s fine even if it was a cat.

The cat didn’t even look at me, she thought, when abruptly Keiki said,

“I want to get married.”

“Eh? With the cat?”

She reflexively asked back, but Keiki looked at her and said,

“With you.

I thought that just now.”

—Just now?!

“I’ve thought it before, but I thought it again now.

I thought it strongly just now.”

Keiki said.

“Even though you haven’t been by my side for my entire life until now.

I can’t imagine you not being by my side from now on.”

“M-me too!

Even though our meeting was a sleepy arranged marriage!”

Keiki made a face that said, You didn’t need to say that part right now.

“Me too!

From now on, forever!

I want to be with Shirakami-san!”

Keiki laughed and gently kissed her.

What is this?

I don’t really get it, but thank you, cat!

Thank you, cup noodles!

Thank you, mahjong!

Thank you, Hanami-chan!

Yuya, you’re getting completely crushed, but are you okay?

Mixing in a few unrelated things, Ayato felt gratitude for all the various things that had led her here, to this moment.

“I’ll bow to the cat too!”

Hamako said,

“I’ll go to Antarctica and get married!”

Ran said.

She didn’t really get it, but the company cafeteria was noisy again today.

“Lost at mahjong, and lost in love too.

What a very Yuya-like ending, huh.”

Midori said,

“I’m not dead!

I just got dumped!”

Yuya was shouting.