Chapter 24 Support Is Not Always the Best

Support Is Not Always the Best

During my interview with Okugawa-sensei, I quickly asked him what I was most concerned about.

“How is Satsuki doing in school? Is she getting along well?”

I don’t know my daughter at school.

In fact, today was the first time I learned that she wears a cat mask at school.

I wonder if she is being bullied.

Is she having a hard time?

I was very, very worried.

“Yes, I don’t think you need to worry. Although I don’t think she has any close friends, Satsuki-san is the kind of person who naturally attracts people. I guess you could say she’s popular.”

“I see. …!”

I patted my chest in relief.

Okugawa-sensei is a person who just straightforwardly tells the facts.

So when he told me that, I felt relieved.

“Good grades, excellent attitude. Flawless. I’ve been a teacher for many years, but I’ve never seen such a perfect student.”

“…I-Is that so?”

“Yes. She’s just like a ‘Perfect High School Student’. It even makes me suspicious. I can’t help but suspect that she’s wearing a cat mask.”

“I see….”

It looks like her teacher can see through her.

Satsuki is so perfect that even the teacher makes him suspicious of her.

“How are things at home? Does it seem like she’s forcing herself or holding back? Please give me your honest opinion, Itsuki-san.”

“She’s normal at home….”

“Then it should be okay… It seems like she forces herself at school, but if she’s comfortable at home, there’s no problem.”

Then Okugawa-sensei wrote something on the form in his hand.

He seems to be worried about Satsuki wearing a cat mask at school. However, he seems relieved, as if he found out that there is no problem.

He really is a good teacher who cares about his students.

“Has there been any progress at home? You haven’t told her about your relationship with her mother yet.”

“Yes… It’s embarrassing, but I haven’t told her yet.”

“There is no need to be embarrassed. There is a time for everything… Then we will continue to take care of it.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience.”

I bow my head again.

It really is comforting to have a teacher’s understanding.

From now on, unless something extraordinary happens, Satsuki’s school life will not be a problem.

“As for my biggest concern… It seems that your daughter has a dream for her future. In the last career survey, she said she wanted to be the ‘Prime Minister’.”

Then we talked about Satsuki’s dream.

“She wrote, ‘I want to change the world’. Is there any reason why she wrote that?”

“Ah, no…”

Of course, I can’t say, “She’s trying to change the law so my daughter can marry her father,” so I had no choice but to dodge the question.

“… sorry, I’m not sure. But if my daughter wants to do something, I will strongly support her. I’m her father.”

Even if her goal is a little strange,

But I will support her. My role is to give Satsuki a push.

With that in mind, I told Okugawa-sensei of my intention.

But he looked at me with a strange expression.

“Itsuki-san… You are a great person. You love, raise, and take care of a child that is not your own as if it were your own. I really respect that about you.”

“Eh? No, I am not such a great person….”

“You’re humble. When I first heard about your relationship, I thought it was impossible. If I were in your position, I would feel that I could never choose the same path as you. So I understand that you have a deep love for your daughter.”

But the teacher also said,

“However… I don’t think a parent’s role is just to “support” their child’s dreams. There are wrong ways in the world. And the only people who can stop you from going that way are your parents.”

It was “advice”.

This is an objective opinion from a third party about me trying to be more of a parent than anyone else.

“Is ‘politician’ what your daughter really wants to do? If she is as good as she is now, she can surely become anything she wants. So please reconsider your daughter’s ‘path’.”

If it’s something she wants to do, I’ll do it.

I thought that was what a “parent” was.

But Okugawa-sensei says that’s not the case.

I really appreciate this advice.

“… Thank you for your advice. I will think about it.”

I bow my head deeply and express my gratitude.

Okugawa-sensei nods slowly and adjusts his glasses.

“Yes. Please contact me again if you need anything else. I will help you as much as I can.”

“Thank you. I count on you.”

I bowed my head again and stood up.

That was the end of the interviews. I left the classroom to let the next person take over.

I thought the only thing a father could do was support her.

But that seems not to be the case. Fathers are also seniors in life. So they have a lot of advice to give.

That’s why I had to talk to Satsuki again.

“The road to Satsuki’s happiness, huh?”

I know that somehow.

But I’m not good enough to accept it.

Okugawa-sensei said that I’m a great person.

But the truth is that I’m a very weak person.

(I can’t accept her feelings….)

Satsuki’s happiest way.

That is to marry me.

I know that.

But I can’t do that. I just can’t.

I don’t have the strength to accept her feelings——