I had such a dream
“Towa-kun?”
“Oh, he looks so comfortable sleeping.”
What could be called a love consultation, Ayana and Kashiwagi finished such a conversation and returned to the classroom. There were still a few people around, and there was some noise, but Towa seemed completely unfazed, dozing off. Somenai, who had been messing with his phone by Towa’s side, chuckled and spoke up.
“We’ve been talking for a while, but he seemed sleepy and fell asleep. Should we wake him up?”
“…No, I’ll let him sleep peacefully and wake up naturally.”
Although they had plans for a date, Ayana decided to watch Towa sleep peacefully rather than go out. Kazuki, feeling there was more to talk about, decided to stay as well, and Soma, Kazuki’s boyfriend, also ended up staying.
“hehehe, such an adorable sleeping face.”
Gently stroking Towa’s cheek, Ayana chuckled as he squirmed a bit, tickled. Yet, he didn’t wake up, and Ayana gazed at Towa with an affectionate look. Kazuki and Soma, seeing Ayana’s gaze, almost envisioned a goddess in her, as they watched Towa in that state.
“That’s nice, that kind of thing. Let’s also become affectionate like that, right?”
“…Yeah. I’ll become a man who’s not embarrassed to be by Sena’s side.”
The exchange between the fresh couple was sweet and youthful, but Ayana… still wasn’t paying attention. Ayana’s gaze was fixed on Towa alone, but… Oh? It seems like he might be waking up.
“…Stop… don’t rush…”
“??”
Feeling as if he were suffocating, Ayana, almost unintentionally, reached out to touch his shoulder, but Towa suddenly opened his eyes.
“I’m a father…? Huh?”
“Towa-kun?”
Not only Ayana but Kazuki and Soma as well stared wide-eyed at Towa, who sat up with a loud voice. Looking around in confusion, Towa realized he was in a classroom and let out a relieved sigh. Sitting back down on the chair, Towa spoke up.
“I had a somewhat scary dream, in a way.”
“A scary dream?”
“Yeah… Sena and I were married, and we had kids together.”
“Well, well! Sena and Towa-kun are married in the future! Well, that’s natural, isn’t it!”
Even if it was just a dream, being married was such a happy thing. Ayana’s heart swelled with joy, but then she tilted her head in surprise. Ayana and Towa, sharing the same feelings, being married and having children, should undoubtedly be happy. So why did Towa find it scary?
“Hmm… I don’t know if I should be happy it was a dream or not.”
Feeling Ayana’s gaze on him, Towa looked back on the dream he had just seen.
“Where… is this place?”
Strange, I was supposed to be at school preparing for the sports festival. After hearing Ayana and Kazuki talk, I returned to the classroom with Soma, but I have no memory from then on. What on earth… more importantly, where is this place I’m in now, Towa wondered, tilting his head.
“…I don’t know where it is, but it feels like a very comforting place.”
From Noble mtl dot com
As comforting as being in my own home.
…Ah, I see. Suddenly, I remembered. Isn’t this the house Towa and I built shortly after getting married? Why did I forget about this place… Wait, what was I thinking just a moment ago?
“…Hmm. I don’t know.”
Folding his arms and pondering, Towa couldn’t find an answer. Just then, loud footsteps echoed. Towa knew the source of those footsteps.
“Honey, I’m home~! Daddy!!”
“Oh… Wana, you always do that, right? Stop jumping on me.”
“Aww, come on. I love Daddy so much, I can’t help it.”
“Such a troublesome child.”
“hehehe~♪”
Just in the second year of junior high, our daughter, named Wana, taking one character each from Towa and Ayana’s names. Despite still being in junior high, she had grown up quite beautifully, resembling her mother, Ayana. There were no signs of the rebellious phase approaching, which made me happy as a father… but at the same time, there was some anxiety about her being so clingy to me. Well, it’s a little complicated for a father when his daughter gets a boyfriend, but if it’s someone she likes, I’ve decided to face it properly. Of course, if the person is unworthy, I have my thoughts on that too!
“Wana, don’t trouble Towa-kun too much.”
“I know… Mom, you’re so lucky. You got to marry such a wonderful person like Dad.”
“Because Towa-kun and I. We went through a lot during our school days, but we were never apart even for a moment. Right?”
“That’s right… we’ve always been together.”
In their mid-thirties, but always looking youthful, my pride and joy, my wife Ayana, held onto my arm as she burned with a competitive spirit against Wana’s clinging.
“Wana, the bath is ready, go take one. You must be sweaty from basketball, right?”
“Oh, right! Okay, I’ll go!”
Watching Wana dash off, Ayana and I exchanged wry smiles.
“She’s really stuck on Towa-kun forever… It seems like she shouldn’t expect a boyfriend anytime soon.”
“Yeah, that’s true. But can’t help but think it’s kinda nice.”
“No, it’s not. I can’t relax when she’s always so attached to Towa-kun.”
Ayana hugged me tightly. This part of her hasn’t changed no matter how many years have passed since our student days. Well, I’ve always loved my adorable wife.
“Oh, right. I made too much soup, so I’ll share some with the neighbors.”
“Got it. Please convey my thanks for always taking care of us.”
“Understood.”
Our neighbors are a single mother family, and we help each other out through community activities. Not just me, Ayana also has close ties with them, especially since their child is in the same grade as Wana, leading to frequent visits back and forth.
“Hey, where’s your mom?”
“Oh, she’s just next door… Wait, what are you doing!?”
“hehehe, you heard something good, huh.”
Wana, clad in only a bath towel, returned. She approached me as if eyeing her prey, making me inadvertently avert my gaze from her wet hair and the well-inherited proportions from Ayana.
With a firm grip, Wana grabbed my arm as she leaned into me on the sofa… Oh, the sofa got wet, but this lightning strike is coming from Ayana.
“Father, is it wrong for a daughter to fall in love with her father?”
“Generally speaking, it’s not good…”
“Would you absolutely reject it even if it caused your daughter pain?”
Oh, the front door opened, probably Ayana returning.
“…Mm, seems trying to bring a serious atmosphere doesn’t work on you, Dad. Frustrating!”
Certainly, there’s a desire to always cherish one’s own daughter, and even setting aside parental bias, I think Wana is an attractive girl. But still, certain boundaries must be upheld. In a world like a game, the relationship between parent and child might be different, but… Oh, is this a game world? I suddenly remembered something I had long forgotten.
“Hey, Dad, let’s kiss. Then maybe I’ll give up—”
“Hey.”
“Huh!?”
A low, commanding voice echoed through the living room. Wana, who had quickly sat up, turned her gaze behind with a rattling noise like a tin doll. There stood Ayana emitting a dark red aura.
“Even if she’s your daughter, it’s unacceptable to make a move on Towa-kun… Are you prepared?”
“…Dad, help!”
“Hmph!”
“W-Wait, Mom!? My head feels like… Ouchouchouchouch!”
Oh, the bath towel fell. But Ayana continued her Iron Claw on Wana unfazed. …Yeah, this is pretty much our daily life. Sometimes, Kanzaki-san joins in for fun, but Ayana always repels her.
“…I thought my brains were gonna spill out for real.”
“If you’ve learned your lesson, then tempting Towa-kun—”
“Opening!!”
Wana swiftly leaped at me. And…
“Ah… Ahhhhh!!!!!!”
“hehehehe, gotcha!”
“…………”
…Tonight, I’ll have to be on guard for Ayana; otherwise, I might just fall prey to her.
Thinking about the night to come, I let out a dry chuckle.
“…I had a dream like that.”
“You remember it very vividly… But for my daughter to become my enemy, it’s all because Towa-kun is too charming!!”
“…You guys are really close, huh?”
“Marriage, huh… It’s early, but I’m looking forward to it.”
“…Yeah.”
Another noisy day comes to an end today.