Kazuya looked at his grandmother, as if she was hearing about what Sayuri had just done for the first time, and she hadn’t fully discussed it with her. So, is this a win for Sayuri?
Chizuru’s reluctance, Kazuya’s opposition, the grandmothers’ concession, and Chizuru’s agreement, are all ultimately irrelevant. Sayuri Ichiinose is a woman with a screenwriter’s identity, terrifying.
“Really, Grandma, why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Sure enough, Chizuru broke down immediately, complaining to her grandmother.
…
“Well, why don’t you two go back to your rooms and get settled?” Sayuri’s grandmother smiled warmly.
Kazuya Kinoshita and Chizuru Mizuhara, feeling conflicted, made a hasty retreat in the midst of their grandmother’s laughter.
They reached the elevator, Kazuya and Chizuru alone together.
“Kinoshita-kun, I’m sorry, my grandmother has caused you trouble.” Chizuru stood next to Kazuya, looking at their blurred reflection in the elevator door.
“No, my grandmother was involved too, and it’s not really a big deal, you don’t need to apologize.” Even if Sayuri’s grandmother had some ulterior motives, Kazuya wasn’t going to hold it against her. After all, she had no malicious intentions.
“Also, there’s something I need your help with.” Chizuru said, slightly embarrassed.
“What is it?” Kazuya felt that this was probably related to Chizuru’s grandmother and him.
He had a feeling that this was going to be a lot of trouble.
“It’s best if we discuss it properly in the room, it’ll be easier to talk about then.” Chizuru scratched her hair, trying to ease her frustration.
“Okay, the elevator isn’t really the best place to have a conversation.”
Kazuya nodded.
“Here we are, I’ll head off first.”
Kazuya took the key Sayuri’s grandmother had given him, opened the door, and waited for Chizuru to enter the room, being a gentleman.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Why don’t you choose a room, then we can each go back to our rooms and put our things away.” Kazuya suggested.
“Okay, can I have the one outside?”
Chizuru pointed to the room closer to the door.
“Sure, I don’t mind.” Kazuya walked into the other room.
…
The room was fully equipped with two yukatas, towels, and bathroom amenities, including bath products. The refrigerator in the room was stocked with drinks, beer, and even pear wood sake, all for free.
However, Chizuru was probably underage and couldn’t drink.
There was a large balcony onsen bathtub in the room, big enough for two people, but it was a bit inappropriate for Kazuya and Chizuru, who were not a couple.
The entire Rimoku-kan was filled with beautiful scenery, even if it wasn’t the red leaf season, it was still incredibly beautiful.
Speaking of which, I heard the Rimoku-kan is at its most beautiful during the red leaf season, but even now in July, the room still offers a breathtaking view.
Kazuya finished unpacking and left his room, just in time to run into Chizuru, who was also leaving her room.
They both sat on the tatami mats, ready to talk.
Chizuru’s face was slightly flushed, as if she were shy: “You…”
…
The living room was very spacious, with nothing but a TV from a few years ago.
Chizuru looked at Kazuya with some embarrassment, hesitant to speak: “There’s something I need your help with.”
“Go ahead.”
Kazuya nodded, it was going to be a hassle anyway, why not get it over with?
“You know my grandmother and your grandmother are trying to set us up, right?” Chizuru said, looking at Kazuya’s cheeks as she mentioned being set up.
There was three parts shyness, three parts dissatisfaction, and four parts helplessness in her voice.
“It’s true, I don’t know what’s the problem, Chizuru-san, maybe we should just see less of each other?”
If only it were that simple, Kazuya thought.
“No.” Chizuru sighed, then said in a low, sad tone: “You know my grandmother’s been hospitalized.”
“Yes, Sayuri’s grandmother and my grandmother are patients in the same ward, we even met at the hospital last time.”
Kazuya nodded, Chizuru must have more to say.
“Even though she’s been discharged now, her health hasn’t improved. It’s just that it’s about the same whether she’s in the hospital or at home, so she was discharged.” Even though Chizuru had known about her grandmother’s poor health for a long time, she still spoke with sadness in her voice.
“Really?” Kazuya didn’t know how to comfort Chizuru, sometimes a simple “look on the bright side” is just a useless consolation from someone who’s not really involved.
“Right, because my grandmother and I are the only family we have, so she’s the one she worries about the most in this world.” Chizuru’s words were filled with a sad kind of happiness, her grandmother’s care was the warmest thing in the world to her.
“Then?” Kazuya, as a listener, knew that the main point was coming soon.
“So, I hope we can cooperate with my grandmother’s matchmaking.” Chizuru bit her lip, suppressing her shyness: “Of course, it’s not like I mean anything else, it’s just that I want her to be happy with what she’s doing for me, so she won’t be so worried.
“Well,…” Although it would seem like a win for Kazuya to be close to a beautiful girl like Chizuru, there was a feeling of awkwardness for him. It’s like going on a blind date with your ex-girlfriend, you know.
“Of course, Kinoshita-san doesn’t have to do too much, just cooperate with Grandma’s matchmaking.” Chizuru continued: “If you have a girlfriend or other reasons, you can drop out anytime. We won’t bother Kinoshita-san’s normal life.”
Looking at Chizuru, Kazuya seemed to see two possible outcomes:
1. Refusal, his relationship with Chizuru would be clean and they would be strangers from then on.
2. Acceptance, and then the relationship would be like a web, getting tighter and tighter, their story would only just begin.
There was no doubt that Chizuru loved her grandmother, and Sayuri’s grandmother loved Chizuru as well. Since Grandma was setting up Chizuru and Kazuya, it meant she approved of Kazuya’s character.
This wasn’t something you could just say “let your grandma set you up with someone else” and have it work. Chizuru was not an object, she was her grandmother’s most beloved granddaughter. Sayuri’s grandmother wanted to give her more after she was gone, including someone to love her in her place.
“Okay, but if Sayuri’s grandmother’s matchmaking goes too far, I’m going to refuse.” Kazuya gave a preemptive warning.
“Of course.” Chizuru relaxed and smiled when she heard Kazuya’s confirmation: “Thank you for that.”
“You don’t need to thank me, I like Sayuri’s grandmother too, it’s only right to do something for her.
Kazuya smiled back.