87. Entrance Exams Over, Cohabitation Begins. And a Trip to Japan. (4)

Stepping inside, a kindly-looking woman greeted us. Her appearance suggested she was in her fifties, and she wore comfortable clothing with an apron, as if she’d been interrupted from her housework.

‘Ah, someone who works here?’

She bore no resemblance whatsoever to Aki’s family.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Aki beamed and embraced the woman.

“Auntie, long time no see! Have you been well~?”

“With the young lady not at the main house, of course I haven’t! Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

“Hehe, sorry. I was a little busy with entrance exams. I’ll come visit often from now on. …Oh, and Auntie. This is…”

Aki gestured towards me with her eyes.

I bowed respectfully.

“Hello. I’m Ju Uju, Aki’s boyfriend.”

“Aigoo! So that’s how it was. No wonder you’re so striking, you must be our young lady’s boyfriend…!”

“…*Euhm*. Imo, what do you think? Handsome, right?”

“Of course. Handsome beyond compare. The most handsome of all the young men I know around Agassi’s age? It seems our Agassi takes right after her mother, doesn’t she? Both of them have such a good eye for men, oh my, oh my….”

*Clap*, the ajumma even clapped her hands, giving an exaggerated reaction.

Anyone could tell she was just saying it to make me feel good, but even knowing it was flattery, there was no one who disliked being praised, and I felt strangely proud.

“By the way, Imo. What’s for dinner?”

“Galbi for dinner. Heard our young lady was coming and made it sweet and savory. It’s been ready for five minutes, should I serve it right away?”

“Ah, before that, I should greet grandfather first. He’s on the third floor, right?”

“Yes. As always, he’s reading in the study.”

“Uh-huh, I see. Got it. I’ll head up for a bit~”

Seemingly used to it, Aki took off her shoes and slipped into indoor slippers.

I changed into guest slippers from the corner of the shoe rack and followed after Aki. Unlike the modern exterior of the building, the inside, including the hallway walls and interior decorations, was all wood tones.

Perhaps because of that, a classic and elegant old-timey feel seemed to emanate from every place I looked. Expensive houses really do have an atmosphere all their own.

For some reason, it felt like I should be wearing a kimono, and I passed through the strangely atmospheric hallway and ascended the stairs to the second floor. Then past the second floor to the third, where Aki’s grandfather resided, and stood before the study door.

‘The door is a sliding door….’

Instead of grabbing a doorknob and turning, you place your hand on a recessed part and slide it sideways.

Just as I said before, the exterior of the building is modern, but the inside truly has a proper old-timey feel.

“Woo-joo-chan, ready?”

Aki glanced at me before opening the door.

Even the way we were entering was unusual, so I was a little nervous, but I nodded, trying my best not to show it.

“Ready… Should I knock?”

“Ah, no. Grandfather dislikes it when someone knocks while he’s reading. *Atashi* will do it.”

“Ah, okay.” I took a small step back.

Aki stood in front of the door in my place.

“Grandfather, we’re here~!” She said in a booming voice.

“……”

What’s the difference between that and knocking…?

Before I could ask, a rustling sound came from inside the tatami door.

“Come in, come in now.”

“Ah, yes~!”

Aki answered brightly and slid open the paper screen door with a *dreeeuk*. In that instant, the whole scene of the study came into view, and I was caught off guard by how much older it felt than I’d imagined.

*Wow, the floor is tatami…?*

Isn’t that something you only see in old *ryokan* – like, inns – or in dramas? I’d only ever seen tatami in media; this was my first time seeing it in real life, and my eyes naturally widened.

I was a little entranced by the picture-perfect Japanese-style room, and then Aki gave my arm a little tap.

“Uju-chan, take off your slippers. You have to take them off to go in here.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“I don’t know, just sorry…”

“…Hehehe. Don’t be nervous. There’s no need to be.”

Aki told me, playfully nudging my arm, but it wasn’t like I could just *not* be nervous.

I swallowed hard and slowly stepped into the tatami study. On both walls were several wooden bookshelves crammed full of all sorts of books, and on the opposite side of the room, sitting on a low cushion, was Aki’s grandfather, with a *kiseru* pipe in his mouth.

*Wow, his outfit…*

I half-expected it, but he was really wearing a *kimono*.

I know it’s rude to stare at someone so much older than me, but I couldn’t help myself, and I scanned Aki’s grandfather from head to toe.

His white hair pulled back in a high knot, the deep wrinkles around his eyes, the *kiseru* in his mouth, the wide-sleeved blue *kimono*.

“Grandpa! Were you smoking again behind my back? I told you it’s bad for your health!”

“Aki, you’re starting to sound like your father. The first thing you say to your dear old grandpa after seeing him is to nag him about smoking? Tch, tch…”

“You’ll live longer if you quit smoking. Don’t you know smoking causes lung cancer?”

“What good is an old man in his eighties living any longer? No matter. Grandpa will just smoke as much as he pleases and die early.”

“Aah, you’re saying that again…!”

Aki was clearly used to this, as she threw up her hands in exasperation and went over to her grandfather.

*It’s not just the clothes, but the way he speaks really gives off an old-timer vibe…*

I don’t know. I can’t say I’m perfectly fluent in Japanese, but even *I* can tell he has this old-fashioned way of speaking?

Between the backdrop of the tatami room and that unique way of speaking, Aki’s grandfather was just like a Japanese old man out of a picture.

“You said you wanted to see me get married and have great-grandchildren. If you smoke and die early, you won’t see either, so are you really okay with that?”

“Well, what can be done? A person’s life and death is all in the hands of fate; if that’s grandpa’s fate, then I must humbly accept…”

“Grandpa!”

“Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll quit, I’ll…”

With a feigned reluctance, Aki’s grandfather set down his kiseru and waved his hand dismissively.

Only then did Aki, seemingly satisfied, smile prettily, and cast a quick, self-conscious glance at me, standing a short distance away.

“Grandfather. Let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend, Uju-chan.”

“Good day to you. I am Ju Uju, Aki’s boyfriend.”

My turn, long awaited. Without delay, I bowed deeply, introducing myself in Japanese.

“Oh, is that so. You’re the boy Aki mentioned? The one who, long ago, bewitched her and ran off with her.”

“…Excuse me?”

Me, running off with Aki? What was this all about?

For a moment, completely bewildered, I glanced at Aki. She, as if caught red-handed, blushed a little, and grabbing her grandfather’s sleeve, shook it as if to say, “Why would you say such a thing!”

“A-ah, Grandfather! You promised you wouldn’t mention that!”

“Hoh, did I? Old age must be getting to me, I’ve been rather forgetful lately.”

“Ah…”

Could this be a story from when we were children?

That time, when my parents and I went to the Japanese embassy and I first met Aki.

The only thing that could be described as “running away” was that, so it must be.

“Don’t lie. You’re just saying that to embarrass me! Do you think I don’t know your heart, Grandfather…?!”

“Speaking of which, do you know how frantically the embassy staff searched for you back then, Aki? The girl who was clearly in the lounge suddenly disappeared, causing quite a stir. Fortunately, someone found you in the nearby park, together with the son of a Korean staff member. Otherwise, it could have become a diplomatic incident…”

“Agh, really! Grandfather…!”

“……”

I just wanted to play with Aki because she was cute, but back then, such a commotion had been happening at the embassy…?

Figuring it would be disadvantageous to pretend I remembered, I simply gazed at the books on the shelves. From this day forward, that day is erased from my mind.

“Enough with the jokes… So, your name is Ju Uju, was it?”

Aki’s grandfather gazed at me.

Sensing that he was getting to the point, I straightened my back.

“Yes, that is correct. Grandfather.”

“This old man has a few questions to ask, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Ah, no, of course not. You can ask me anything.”

“Your answers are so straightforward, I like that. Now, please have a seat. Aki, you sit down beside him.”

Following his instructions, I sat seiza-style on the tatami mat.

Aki also came and sat carefully beside me, and Aki’s grandfather, observing the two of us sitting side by side, stroked his neatly trimmed white beard.

“Young man, do you know how old I am this year?”

“Ah, um…”

“…Eighty-two. Eighty-three next year.”

“Ah, I heard you’ll be eighty-three next year.”

“Indeed. That’s right. Next year, no, tomorrow I’ll be eighty-three.”

Aki’s grandfather picked up his long-stemmed pipe.

“Do you know what joy a person finds in this world when they reach eighty-three?”

“Uh… My apologies. I truly don’t know.”

“There’s no need to apologize. It’s normal not to know, in truth.”

Puff.

Aki’s grandfather puffed on his long-stemmed pipe.

For a moment, Aki’s eyebrows shot up sharply, but I grasped Aki’s hand, indicating with it that we should hear the story out.

“The joy of watching one’s granddaughter’s playful antics.”

“Pardon?”

“I said, the joy of watching one’s granddaughter’s playful antics.”

“Ah, I see…”

A sidelong glance.

Unknowingly, I looked toward Aki.

“…….”

“…….”

It seemed she was far past the age for playful antics for her grandfather.

No sooner had the thought formed, than Aki’s grandfather chuckled softly.

“But, our granddaughter is perhaps a little too old to be engaging in such antics, no?”

“Ah, yes. Is that so…?”

“Yes. So, what should one do?”

“Hmm…”

I pondered it for a moment, but couldn’t quite grasp it.

I briefly glanced at Aki, wondering if she knew, but she looked equally perplexed. It seemed she didn’t know either.

“Might I inquire as to the answer…?”

“Simple, it is. If a granddaughter won’t do, one must employ a great-granddaughter… you see.”

“Eh… great-granddaughter?”

What was that supposed to mean? Did Aki actually have an older sister? I was sure I’d heard she was an only child. Something felt off. So, with just my eyes, I asked, ‘Aki, did you have a sister?’ Aki shook her head, a clear ‘no.’

“…So, about that.”

Aki’s grandfather leaned his upper body toward us.

“When are you thinking of getting married?”

“…Pardon?”

“Marriage, I mean marriage. You and my granddaughter.”

His posture was a little hunched, but his expression was utterly earnest.

“As you know, I’m eighty-three now. To be frank, I’m an old man who could go any day now, so I’m a little, no, *very* impatient.”

“…”

“…”

“I want to see a great-grandchild, and I want to see my granddaughter married, but there’s an order to things, so the wedding should come first. Ah, if possible, I’d like to be able to stand on my own two feet at my granddaughter’s wedding. If that’s going to happen, we should set a date as soon as possible. If your intentions are firm, I’ll personally step forward…”

“…Cough.”

“Oh, *really*! Grandpaaa…!!”