Here's the rest of the prologue:
Grabbing Jin’s arm, Basara moved to a place where their voices wouldn’t reach Mio and Maria--- to the corner of the passage.
“…Sorry, but can you say that again?”
Basara crossed his arms and tapped with the index finger of his right hand on his left upper arm.
“Mh? ‘Hey---You said, that you wanted a little sister, right?’ That one?”
“How far are you going back! I meant about the stuff about your marriage partner being overseas!”
“So you heard it after all. So, what about it?”
“It’s weird! That on a meeting for a remarriage, she herself wouldn’t show up!”
Even more so, when they were the ones that wanted to meet as soon as possible. He wasn’t going to blame her about going on a business trip, but a meeting without her was pointless. Actually,
“I hope I’m wrong, but… you’re not getting tricked, are you?”
“Haha. No, don’t worry. Besides, do you really think I could be tricked?”
Certainly. If anything, he was the type to trick. This phony father.
“But--- then we could just have done the meeting once she came back….”
“I’m afraid there’s a reason as to why we better hurry up.”
Jin changed his expression from a smile into a serious one.
“Basara… Now that you saw these two, what do you think?”
“What you ask… Well, cute, I guess.”
At any rate, he thought they were some kind of idols when he saw them first. So
…A reason as to why to hurry up, huh…
Judging by the conversation, Basara finally came to understand that reason. The prospect of remarriage meant that they were a family of just mother and daughters. And that mother was currently overseas on a long time business trip.
“I’m sure, a parent would worry, if these two are all left by themselves… Is that why?”
“Yeah. Actually, the two of them seem to be under the attack of some suspicious person. To begin with, when I first met them at the city, a weird guy was picking on them. Besides, there also seems to be a persistent stalker.”
“For real…”
The world sure was dangerous, but to think there were actual casualties. It certainly was a pressing matter. The police didn’t interfere with personal matters. They wouldn’t move unless something happened, which would be too late then.
“I heard that Maria-chan stopped going to school, because of that stalker. Those who want to go to school should just do so, but for someone who can’t, it’s painful. Even if she’s smiling so brightly right now.”
Jin said.
“Well, for these reasons, I would like us to start living together already, if you have no objections. They also say a remarriage is more likely to work out if you know each other better beforehand.”
“You mean to temporarily take care of them and see if it’s possible to live together as a family?”
“This is some kind of destiny. If we can protect them, then you would like to, right?”
On Jin’s words, Basara fell silent. It was a silence of affirmation. And
…Mh?
Suddenly he made eye-contact with Mio on the other side. Just like the earlier forceful attitude had been a lie, she had a worried expression. Basara narrowed his eyes and asked Jin besides him.
“---For how long?”
“For starters, a year. It might turn out we’re totally unsuited to live together or reach a conclusion about the remarriage, but--- They will only get back to living alone, once a certain level of their safety is guaranteed. After hearing all this, I wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore later when I know that something happened to them.”
He had a point. When their mother comes back in a year and it was time to decide about the remarriage, it would all fall apart if something had happened to Mio or Maira.
More importantly--- Basara himself didn’t want Mio or Maria to suffer.
“But were are we going to live? Our house doesn’t have any rooms to spare.”
“We’ll rent a suitable one. I already have my eyes on one. We should create an environment as close as possible to a family, since we’re trying to find out if we’re compatible. And it’ll quicken things if we actually do get married.”
“…Do these two know about the living together?”
“Yeah. They would gladly do so, if you agree.”
On Jin’s words, Basara stayed quiet for a while. But, soon enough he mumbled slowly.
“……Okay. It’s something you decided, Dad. So I’m fine with it.”
He wasn’t really casual about it. It were his true feelings.
“I see. Sorry for not telling you anything and proceeding on my own.”
“It’s fine. You must have your reasons for doing so.”
He should just tell him everything once he was able to.
He and Jin were blood-related child and father, but their trust in each other was far beyond just that.
Every since the time when Basara had caused that problem--- the time when he threw away everything to protect him.
“Let’s get back, Dad…Or they will worry.”
Saying so, Basara returned to their table with Jin. When they said down on their seats,
“…Uh- Uhm,”
with a timidly tone, Maria tried to confirm their state of affairs.
“Ah, sorry… Just some talk amongst men.”
“He made such a serious face that I wondered what it’s going to be about, but then he said ‘These two are so cute that I can’t suppress my arousal’. Geez, boys in their puberty sure are horny.”
“Hahaha. Dad, that will have an afterpiece.”
An afterpiece about fists at night. Just with him and his father.
And then, to Mio, who looked as just worried as Maria,
“I was surprised by all the stuff I heard yesterday…But, it’s all right now.”
Basara said.
“Until your mother gets back and even though we still don’t know if the remarriage will work out… I think it’s a good idea to try out living together as a family before instead of just suddenly remarrying. Let’s slowly get to know more about each other.”
“…Really?”
Mio asked worried, whereupon Basara nodded a “Yeah”.
“We’re a men’s household, so having girls around really helps… Right, Dad?”
“Right. Besides, I always wanted a cute daughter. Basara also pestered me forever about wanting a little sister. So don’t show any reservation, you two.”
“Thank you.” “Yay, please take good care of us.”
Mio and Maria quickly lowered her heads. And then
“Well then, take care of me, Basara-kun.”
Raising her head, Mio gave him a smirking smiling face.
“But--- if you happened to come into the toilet again, I’ll kill you a hundred times then.”
“……Yes.”
Her eyes were serious. When Basara’s expression stiffened up, Jin said summing up.
“Okay then…. let’s get along as family from now on.”
This declaration made with a smile, was the beginning of a new life-style.
“There might arise issues, but--- let’s become happy together.”
Therefore--- even though prospects for a grim future hang somewhat in the air, it still felt peaceful.
Same for Toujou Basara’s every day life----and for the world.
21/21 pages. Prolgoue complete.
