Chapter 57: Meet the Mother

"Ugh. That decrepit old hag... Calling an emergency meeting for something that could be put off to tomorrow."  Mina grumbled to herself, cursing her boss.

Stopping at the front door, she reaches into her bag to grab her keys, but stop before she could slip her fingers inside.

"Oh, right. Those two are at home."

Mina retracts her hand, and turns back to the door.

"Hinano! Akari! Open the door!"  she yelled.

While waiting for one of her daughters to open the door, she arched her back, and stretched. A satisfying crack sound echoed as a result.

"Oof... That was louder than usual. Maybe I should join Hinano and apply for a gym membership."

As Mina was reflecting on the fact she's getting in on years, the door finally opened.

"Took you long e- nough..."  The words die in her throat as her brain registers who exactly opened the door for her.

Before her stands a cute, yet handsome young man with curly lavender hair.

The image of her speechless face is reflected on his beautiful lavender eyes.

Wearing a brown apron over a white shirt and jeans, he looks like the househusband in the hentai she watched the other day.

"Did- Did I knock on the wrong house..?"  Mina muttered, leaning towards the possibility of her being at the wrong house than to believe there's just a random boy in her house.

'Why does he look familiar, though..?'

The young househusband(?) then bowed his head, his hands resting on top of each other over his waist.

"It's nice to meet you, okaa-san (mother). My name is Andy Tsukishiro, and I'm Hinano's boyfriend."

Mina blinks. 

"E-Eh? M-My Hinano has a b-boyfriend..?"  Her lips trembling as she muttered the fact that seems so hard to believe.

Her eldest daughter's boyfriend then turned around.

Looking over his shoulder, Andy parts his lips.

"Dinner will be ready in half an hour, so please take a bath and rest until then."

After that, he walked back inside with the relaxed air of someone who has lived in this house for years.

As he did, Mina breathlessly stared at her future son-in-law's rear. His jeans hugging it just right.

'...... Did Hinano save a country in her past life..?'

She still can't believe her otaku daughter managed to get such a man.

.

.

I twist the knob and turn off the stove. Though the curry in the pot continues to boil.

I look behind me and lock eyes with Hina sitting at the dinner table.

"Hina could you set the table?"

"Gladly."  

She stands up, pushing back her chair.

Originally, there were only three chairs, but since I'm here, Hina brought out a fourth.

She then hands me the stack of plates she retrieved.

"You really didn't have to cook dinner, Andy. You're a guest, after all."  she says, and she's completely right. I didn't have to do this, but I have my reasons.

Lightly shaking my head, I take the topmost plate.

"It's fine. I want to make a good impression on your mother, Hina."

'If I want Hina's mother to accept me, this is the least I could do.'

Shortly after, a chuckle echoed from my girlfriend's throat.

"Just from meeting you, I'm sure she's already imagining her grandkids."  Hina joked as she placed the glass cups on the table.

As for me, I'm pouring a serving of curry on one half of the plate while the other half has fresh, steaming hot rice.

Repeating it three more times, I now had four plates of curry and rice.

Taking a plate in each hand, I moved them over to the table. Placing each one next to the set of utensils Hina had laid out beforehand.

By the time I put down the last plate, Akari and her mother had come downstairs.

"Mmm... I haven't had homecooked curry in so long..."  Hina's mother; Mina-san commented with a smile on her face.

I then notice that Akari who's next to her is visibly excited. Her throat flexed from swallowing her spit.

 A smile naturally forms on my lips from seeing how eager they are to eat the food I made.

"I made plenty, so eat as much as you want."

Following that, I took off the apron I borrowed and hanged it back where I got it from.

With that, I take my seat next to Hina. The wonderful smell of curry wafts into my nose, enticing my appetite.

We exchanged glances, then brought our hands together.

""""Thank you for the food.""""

With that little ritual over, we dug into the meal in front of us.

Using a spoon, I scooped up some curry then some rice.

Bringing it to my lips, I opened my mouth and took it in.

Immediately the taste of freshly cooked curry assaulted my taste buds.

Hot, spicy, and rich in flavor.

'I was worried about cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen, but it turned out pretty well. Good job me.'

After a little self-complimenting I glance around me and saw that nobody was saying anything. 

Not even a peep.

They're just staring blankly at their plates.

"Is the food not to your liking?"  I spoke up, hoping to get a response.

Finally, Mina-san raised her head and looked at Hina sitting across from her.

"Hinano."

"Yes, mother?"

"If you don't marry him, I will."

"Eh??"

"Rest assured, I won't ever let him go, mother."

Just like that, a ridiculous exchange between mother and daughter just happened right in front of me,

'I see where Hina got her weirdness from now.'

Thankfully nothing weirder than that happened. 

"Tsukishiro-kun."

"You can just call me Andy, mother."

"... Then Andy, what made you fall in love with Hinano? She may be my daughter, but she's not really... charming enough to capture a man's heart."

'Ouch. That's a little harsh, but I can see what she means.'

"Well, as we spent more time together, I realized we have great chemistry."

"I knew from the start that Hina was chasing me as a man, so I unconsciously saw her in a romantic light. So when she confessed to me, I didn't look back and said yes. Since then, we've been happy together."  I confessed, recalling how my relationship with Hina started until it progressed to what it is today.

"Mhm, mhm........."

Mina-san didn't say anything after that.

Then without warning her hands flew up and covered her face.

"AAAHHHHHH!!"  she screamed. There was no warning, no explanation, just an unwarranted scream.

"My daughter is getting to experience the romance I never haddddd!"

"I'm so jealous! But also really happy she won't be an eternal loner like me!"

"Umm..."

Though a little confusing, I understand she's just overjoyed her daughter found happiness.

And at a same time, a sadness bloomed inside me.

'Right... Mina-san doesn't have a husband. She had Hina and Akari through artificial insemination..."

That means when they move out, she'll be all alone again.

Imagining such a sight made my heart heavy.

And unfortunately, there's nothing I can do to help.

'Or is there..?'

A certain idea popped into my head. 

"Mother?"

At my call, Mina-san pulled her hands away and lowered her head to look at me.

"Yes, Andy?"

I spare a brief glance at Hina, then turn back to her.

"If it's okay with you, then in the future when Hina and I have gotten married and have our own house, you can live with us. That way, we can look after you in your later years, and you won't be alone."

"""Eh?"""

The three women collectively stared at me with surprise.

'I've heard it's not common in Japanese culture anymore, but in Filipino culture we live and care for our parents when they're old.'

Grandpa and grandma living alone? An extremely rare occurrence in the Philippines. The concept of "retirement homes" is something exclusive to the West, as far as I'm concerned.

That's why it hurts my heart to even think of Mina-san growing old alone.

"No, no. I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to inconvenience you two."  Mina-san waved nervously waved both of her hands in front of her.

To that, I shake my head.

"I insist, mother. It pains my heart just imagining you alone once Hina and Akari move out. I won't be able to sleep at night then, knowing you don't have anyone looking after you."  I confess.

I turn to look at Hina sitting next to me. Her expression a complicated mix of emotions.

"That's okay with you, right, Hina?"

"Oh, um...."

"If we can't afford it, then I'll keep working until we can buy a big house."

When I said that, Hina snapped to look at me with wide eyes.

"You don't need to do that, Andy! I'm sure with my income combined with the others, we can afford a big house without you having to work!"  Hina said aloud, refusing the idea of me having to work post-marriage.

"Others?"  Mina-san spoke up, noticing a detail in what Hina just said.

Her eyes darT between me and Hina.

"When you say others, does that mean..."  she trailed off. Though the look in her eyes tells me she's not far off, rather she's right on it.

"It's as you think, mother. Hina isn't my only girlfriend."  I confessed, coming clean to hopefully my future mother-in-law.

Since it has come to this, it's best she knows now rather than later.

"........"

Mina-san didn't say anything for a while. Just blinking as she wondered how she should respond to this newfound information.

Then

"Haaa...."

Mina-san slumped in her seat like a deflated balloon.

"With how amazing you are, I really shouldn't be surprised." 

A small chuckle escapes her after.

Soon Mina-san sat straight again.

Her eyes focus on me.

"Could you at least promise me you'll love Hinano as much as the others?"

It wasn't a question, but a plea.

One she made as a mother for her daughter.

Yet I didn't need to think about it. My answer had long been decided.

"I promise I won't neglect her, mother. I love Hinano as much as I do the others. She's my girlfriend, after all."  I say with a smile on my face, hoping this will be enough to reassure her.

Mina-san breathes, exhaling deeply.

"That's good enough. Thank you, Andy."

After that, we continued eating dinner. 

.

.

*Hick*

"My swee- ties! Grandma loves eeeaachh and every one of youuu~!"  Mina-san mumbled to herself. Her cheeks flushed red from the several cans of beers she drank earlier. Her cheek flat against the table.

"Hah..."  A sharp sigh left Akari as she walked to her mother's side.

She lowered herself and slid an arm around Mina-san's back. Slinging one of her mother's arms around her shoulder.

"I'll take this drunkard upstairs."  Akari said as supported her mother up.

"Good night, Akari."  I waved at her briefly.

She stops for a second, then nodded. "Right. Good night, Andy."

After one last exchange, Akari resumed the chore of tucking her intoxicated mother to bed.

Leaving just me, and Hina who is currently washing the dishes.

For a while, neither of us said anything. I just watched Hina's back as she scrubbed the plates.

".... I know I'm being weird, but are you sure you don't want to-"

"I don't, Hina. And that's final."  I cut her off before she could finish. I already know what she was going to say.

It was obvious she was going to bring up the threesome offer again.

Seriously, how can she say such a thing?

'But it would be a lie to say I didn't consider it...'

Though I've adapted fairly well to this reverse world, my mind is ultimately still that of my old world.

'The idea of banging a pair of sisters... As a man, I can't deny how hot that sounds.'

But in the end, my answer is no.

Even if I really want to experience it, it just doesn't feel right.

Not to mention it would make my relationship with Akari even more complicated than it already is.

'It should be obvious, but I'm only going to do it with my girlfriends from now on. I don't want any more complicated relationships...'

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