Crossing Paths, Traumatized, and Yet… - Chapter 32

The year was safely over and it was New Year.

In Daiki’s house, it was the year that his mother and Togo-san were to marry.

They officially became a family.

The family name was to remain the same, Hamanaka.

They were very considerate so that Daiki could keep his name the same.

His parents were opposed to the change, but Daiki’s grandparents, Togo-san and his parents, pushed through the change, saying that they had listened to him and would not obey anymore.

Daiki also met and talked with them once, but they didn’t seem like bad people.

They treated Daiki well.

“Come back anytime.”

They told

From now on, Togo-san was going to commute to work from this house, so they would live together.

Thinking that it would be bad to keep calling him Togo-san, he decided to call me Tsukasa-san.

When he called him “Tsukasa-san,” he seemed to be happy.

Last year, he always came to the house on weekends, so he was used to being with me.

It seemed that things would continue to go well with him.

So on New Year’s Day, they went to the city hall to register their marriage.

Daiki also decided to go with them, and they submitted the marriage certificate without incident.

They became a married couple.

It must have been a long road for them to become husband and wife.

They overcame many hardships and suffering to finally be together today.

When he saw them smiling happily, knowing that they were happy was the best thing that could have happened to them.

He thought.

After that, the three of them went to Hatsumode (New Year’s visit to a shrine) to pay their respects.

After that, they went home.

After returning home, they ate osechi dishes and ozoni, which his mother had made for them, and spent a leisurely time talking about the three of them.

While relaxing, he looked at his cell phone and saw many messages from his friends.

“Happy New Year!”

It was coming from everyone.

Daiki also replied to all his friends.

Wakaba sent a message as well.

“Happy New Year!

I wish you all the best for this year!”

And so it went.

“Happy New Year!”

My pleasure, and I look forward to seeing you again this year!”

He sent the message.

Wakaba immediately replied

“I know it’s after the new year, but I want to give you a Christmas present!

When is a good time?”

She said

“You can give me the gift this evening!”

He replied.

“Okay! Thanks!

I’ll go give it to you in the evening!”

She replied right away.

In the evening, he was going to his father’s place for New Year’s greetings, so he agreed to meet her for a little while before he went there.

As it was, he got a little sleepy, so he took a nap.

When he woke up, it was evening and he had just received a message from Wakaba.

“Is it okay now?”

She replied.

“Yeah sure!”

He replied.

Soon after the call came, Daiki went to the front door.

Wakaba was standing in front of the house.

“Happy new year!

I look forward to counting on you this year!”

She came to tell him again.

Daiki also said

“Happy New Year!

I look forward to working with you again this year!”

They exchanged New Year’s greetings once again.

“Sorry for the delay.

Here! Merry Christmas!”

She handed him a Christmas present.

“Thank you! I’m so happy!”

Daiki accepted it.

“Are you going somewhere now, Daiki?”

she asked him.

“I’m thinking of going to my father’s place to wish him a Happy New Year!

What about you, Wakaba?”

He answered, and then asked Wakaba.

“We’re all going to eat at my grandmother’s house now!”

She said happily.

“Lucky you! Have fun!

Thanks for the present!”

He said, and was about to go inside the house.

“Hey, it’s about Ren-kun…”

Wakaba suddenly said, but Daiki, who had decided to support her, said before Wakaba could say anything

“I’m glad you got to go on a date with him!

I think you two are a beautiful couple and make a good match!

Good luck! See you later!”

and went inside the house, interrupting Wakaba’s speech.

Wakaba looked sad, but he told himself it was just his imagination.

Wakaba slowly left from in front of Daiki’s house.

“Goodmatch…”

For some reason, she felt sad.

“What did you mean by that?”

Wakaba, being Wakaba, also kept a lid on her feelings.

She didn’t want Daiki to misunderstand her, but she made him misunderstand her even more.

She was feeling indescribable, but she was not sure.

Recently, Wakaba was unsure of her feelings toward Daiki.

She thought of him as her little brother and chose to watch over him, but before she could watch over him, Daiki was getting further and further away from her.

He felt that Daiki was gradually moving away from her.

Daiki took a deep breath as he entered the house.

“I wonder if I could have been normal…”

Daiki still couldn’t fully disguise his feelings, but…

“I’ve decided I’m going to support you, so this time I’m going to listen carefully.”

He kept telling himself.