Interlude 5 The Saotome Takuya (Taa-kun) the Ex-Wife Didn't Know

The Saotome Takuya (Taa-kun) the Ex-Wife Didn’t Know

“It’s been a while, Dad. I’ve kept you waiting, haven’t I? …I’m here today to announce my marriage.”

With a soft, princely smile, he spoke those words.

To anyone listening, it would seem like he had come to report his wedding to a father he hadn’t seen in ages.

That’s exactly how it might appear.

Indeed, the father receiving this announcement was trembling.

But it wasn’t from being overcome with emotion.

Veins bulged on his forehead, and his mouth twitched visibly.

And then—

“Takuya!! You suddenly come home, and this is the first thing you say!? Where have you been until now!? And now you’re talking about marriage!? Don’t tell me you haven’t been going to school?!”

The roar echoed through the study.

It was the voice of the head of the Saotome family, filled with rage.

Anyone witnessing this scene would likely be overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of his stern demeanor.

His shouts were so powerful that even the furniture seemed to tremble.

Yet, Takuya stood unfazed, his expression calm and collected.

Then he opened his mouth to reply.

“I’ve been attending school.”

“Then why on earth are you talking about marriage?!”

“What are you saying? It’s not unusual for students to get married, is it?”

He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

At those words, sweat beaded on his father’s forehead.

Trembling, his father glared at Takuya with a look that suggested he might leap at him at any moment. But Takuya only smiled serenely, unaffected.

“You’re the one who swore to live seriously! You said you’d turn over a new leaf, go to school, and find your purpose…!”

“I am living seriously. My days are peaceful and fulfilling. And I did find it—at school.”

“…Found it?”

“Yes. I found it properly. My marriage partner.”

“How could this happen? You promised to go to school and contribute to society…”

“Fufu, Dad, you’re being ridiculous. Isn’t getting married contributing to society? With the declining birthrate, we all need to do our part. I want four children, by the way. Oh, and I’ll be dropping out of school. There’s no time for school when raising a family.”

Shrugging his shoulders as if to say, “What can you do?” Takuya nonchalantly added.

His father, still unable to process the situation, stood there, his mouth agape.

Then, regaining some composure, the father shook his head and declared sternly, “I don’t care what you say, I won’t approve of this marriage!” while throwing an object across the room.

Takuya easily dodged it.

Looking as though he pitied his father for being so unreasonable, he muttered, “What a bother.”

“I’m the one who’s bothered!”

“Well, I’m not bothered at all.”

Completely unaffected, Takuya continued to wear his princely smile.

“Haha. Well, I’ll be 20 soon. At worst, I can just wait until then.”

“Takuya… Please, reconsider. Just behave for once. Nothing good ever comes from your actions.”

“Ahaha, behave? I’m only seeking ordinary happiness, Dad.”

“Happiness…? After all the money you’ve wasted, you still talk about happiness?! Where did you even find her?!”

“Fufu, money is meant to be spent. You say such strange things, Dad.”

“It’s not just that!! How did you rent a house? And what about the car?!”

“Dad, don’t be silly. With money and per-sua-sion, most things can be taken care of.”

“Don’t tell me… Did you do something again?!”

His father’s face went pale, and he began to tremble violently.

It wasn’t an ordinary kind of trembling.

Pulling out some medication from a drawer, he gulped it down in one go.

Takuya watched this scene with an amused smile.

But that once-charming smile now looked like madness.

His father slammed the desk with a bang and let out a deep sigh.

“I can’t take it anymore… I can’t deal with you any longer. Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know.”

“But I’m your son, Dad. It’s a parent’s job to take care of their child, and money is meant for the child’s benefit.”

“…You’re not hiding anything important, are you?”

“Nothing at all. I’m just having a healthy, normal relationship. Absolutely nothing shady.”

His father felt an ominous sense of unease at Takuya’s casual response of “nothing shady.” It was as though something crucial was being kept from him.

But there was no way to truly understand what his son was thinking, so he pushed his fears aside.

“In any case, I won’t approve. Before she becomes your plaything, I’ll make sure she leaves you. Once I explain the situation, she’ll understand.”

“If you explain the situation, huh? Well, I’ll interfere with that, and even if I didn’t, I don’t think it’ll be that easy.”

“…Why do you think that?”

“Because, like me, she’s a romantic dreamer who just wants happiness. And that’s not all.”

“…?”

“There are three bonds of love between us, unbreakable no matter what.”

He didn’t understand.

It was clearly written on his father’s face.

Seeing his father’s confusion, Takuya smirked and said playfully, “You don’t get it, do you?”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. I have to plan for my happy family life now.”

“Does she truly love you? Can you honestly say she loves you with all her heart? Isn’t it possible you’re just imagining it…?”

“…Huh?”

—Takuya’s smile disappeared in an instant.

His eyes widened, and anger flashed in them as he stepped toward his father.

“Of course, she loves me! How could you think otherwise? Oh, I see. It’s because you’re just a pathetic man who only knows how to work. You don’t understand true love. True love doesn’t need words; it’s a mutual connection. Aya and I met by chance, but the moment we did, I felt a spark. Even now, I can’t forget how my heart fluttered. We’ve spent so much time together, and she’s always been there for me. She said she’d stay with me forever. Until death parts us, we’ll be together. And when one of us dies, we’ll die together—because it’d be lonely otherwise. I love her this much, and yet you—”

Suddenly calming himself, he smiled sweetly and paused for just a moment.

Then he continued…

“Dad, are you denying me?”

“…”

His father was at a loss for words.

Overwhelmed by a deep sense of loss and guilt, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Seeing this, Takuya turned on his heel and headed for the door.

“Well, I’m leaving now. Don’t interfere again, okay? I want to spend my life with her.”

“…Takuya. You won’t take any more money from this house. Once your school years are over, you’ll be disowned.”

“That’s fine. I don’t need anything as long as I have true love.”

He left with his usual serene smile.

But the atmosphere in the room was as cold as ice.

His father collapsed onto the desk, sobbing.

“…Why did he grow up like this? Where did I go wrong…?”

Tears flowed endlessly, soaking the desk.

“I have to call her while he’s not around, offer compensation, and convince her to leave… But is that enough? What should I do?!”

He slammed the desk, the sound echoing through the study.

The room filled with the lingering echoes of his voice and the faint sound of his muffled sobs.

“Aya” would discover the truth about the real Takuya much later.