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Saying Hello
“It’s okay, isn’t it? You’re in a relationship, so why don’t you just say hello?”
The manager-san had a dandy smile on his face, but he didn’t know the details of why we were dating.
That’s why he can say such irresponsible things.
“Or what? You guys don’t like each other?””
“Huh
, that’s
”
He looked at me as if he saw right through me, and I glanced at Hishinuma-san to ask for help.
“Um
 that’s
”
Hey, why are your cheeks blushing?
Don’t turn your face away shyly, it makes me weirdly conscious of you.
I also felt somewhat embarrassed and looked away from Hishinuma-san.
Seeing us, the manager laughed loudly even though there were customers.
“Hahahaha! By the looks of it, there’s nothing wrong with that!”
“Eh
? No, that’s not what 
”
“Don’t worry, it’s not a marriage ceremony, so go ahead and take it easy.”
“Ke, we’re getting married
”
The manager-san’s words caused Hishinuma-san’s face to turn bright red.
Stop it! Don’t embarrass her more than this!
However, it might be annoying if I refused at this point.
So, I had no choice but to make up my mind.
“I understand,  I’ll go
 and say hello.”
“Eh? Are we getting married
?”
“As a boyfriend!”
It seems that Hishinuma-san has nothing but marriage on her mind.
That’s how I ended up at Hishinuma-san’s parents’ house to greet her.
Her parent’s house is quite normal, and her parents sitting in front of me are also normal people.
“No, but I didn’t realize I was dealing with such a sincere looking young man. 
Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
I’m sorry, I was in a relationship with her for dishonest reasons. Well, I can’t really say that.
Because both of her parents are smiling and happy.
“Your name is Shoryu Kiryu, right? What did you like about Hanarei?”
“Ugh
”
Here it comes, the royal question that parents ask their dating partners.
But I had been simulating it in my head for the past week, so I answered with a fake smile.
“Um, Hanarei-chan is very attentive and also kind enough to share her supper with me many times. She was also very nice to me at my part-time job and made me feel at home just by being next to her. That’s what attracted me to her.”
Perfect! I was able to answer just as I had planned.
By weaving facts into a lie, the lie becomes reliable.
By the way, the lie is the part that I am not attracted to Hishinuma-san.
Other than that, everything else was true.
“Ah, uh
”
Hishinuma-san blushed and turned her way at my words, while her parents looked impressed.
“That’s right. He really is a well-made young man. You’ve got a good man, Hanarei. There will be no one else as good as him, and you can’t let him go, okay?”
Ugh, the harmonious smiles of her parents pierce my heart and it hurts.
I feel like I’m deceiving them, and it’s really uncomfortable.
Maybe I should have said no?
“We’re celebrating tonight.”
“Yes, let’s show off our skills.”
“Huh? No, no, you don’t have to go that far
”
“No, no, son-in-law. Don’t worry about it. We want to celebrate.”
“Son-in-law?”
Before I knew it, my name had changed to Son-in-law.
Eh? Wait, I was here to greet you as your daughter’s boyfriend, and now you’re already talking about marriage?
I looked at Hishinuma-san to ask help, but she was silent with her cheeks still red.
Hey!? Please say something!