Happy Ending.

2007/++/++ 00:00

The stroke of midnight—the date changes.

Today is my girlfriend’s long-awaited birthday.

The present is paid for and prepared; the only question is when to hand it over.

I started by congratulating her on her lucky day.

ME:	Happy birthday, my dear.
Y-KO:	Mm, thanks. Alas, now the gap between us grows one year wider.
ME:	Oh, only for a few months. You’ll be back to a two-year lead in a few months.
Y-KO:	That’s all right for now, but what happens when I’m about to turn thirty and you’re still in your youthful twenties? Of course, I don’t really mind.
	I like the sound of “younger boyfriend.” And you like older ladies, don’t you?
ME:	It’s true that I have no qualms with the older women…

But it’s not like that’s my bag, y’know?

I would have fallen in love with Y-ko even if she was younger than me.

—Of course, I don’t say this stuff out loud.

But enough about that.

ME:	It’s funny, you don’t really have that older woman image, though.
Y-KO:	What?! Why not?!
	What about me doesn’t fit the archetype?!
ME:	Maybe when we first met, but not anymore…
	I’m just saying, you don’t really give off that “big sister” aura…
Y-KO:	… Hmph. What does that make me, then?
ME:	Umm… More like a master, if anything.
Y-KO:	Hmmmm. Master, huh…?
	I like the ring of it! Sebas! From now on, you will call me master!
ME:	What?! Is that really what you want?!
	I was hoping your reaction would be more like,
	“Oh no, is that how you’ve seen me all this time? I’ll do the cooking and laundry from now on!”
Y-KO:	Nope, sorry. Besides, I like your cooking.
ME:	…… Thank you. I like your cooking, too, though.
Y-KO:	Oh, all right, then. I’ll make tomorrow’s dinner.
ME:	Nope, sorry.
	The date has changed, and it’s now your birthday. That means I’m cooking tonight.
Y-KO:	……
ME:	… What’s up?
Y-KO:	… A thought just occurred to me. You don’t want to let me cook, do you?
ME:	……

… Busted.

Laundry is one thing, but when it comes to food,

sometimes I just like to give her a bit of a hard time.

At some point in time, I realized that having someone wholeheartedly enjoy my cooking was a greater pleasure than I ever could have imagined.

Y-KO:	… What are you now, a housewife?
ME:	All thanks to your long and tireless training.
Y-KO:	Heh… Nice one, me. But wait a second. Does that mean I no longer have the option of being that babelike older lady who’s also a killer cook?
ME:	I guess that would be the case.
Y-KO:	Damn… Oh well!
	I guess I can try to seduce you through other avenues of attack, then!
ME:	Oh? Like what?
Y-KO:	Big Brother Sebas! I can’t figure out my homework. Will you help me do it?
ME:	The little sister method…?

Plus, Sebas is bad enough, but Big Brother Sebas is just ludicrous.

There has to be a less surreal nickname to use.

And in the end, it’s always me doing everything!

Y-KO:	It’s a question where I have to debate whether Kira is seme or uke for at least four hundred words…
ME:	I’ve never even heard of such an assignment!
	And even if it was real, I would never want a little sister who asked her big brother for help on it!
Y-KO:	Huh? It’s the same question I asked my older brother.

……

Of course.

She would do this.

She’s a little sister with a Gundam otaku for a brother.

ME:	… And I’m sure you traumatized your brother for life.
Y-KO:	Actually, this is what he said:
	“Save those questions for that boyfriend of yours…”
ME:	Why?! Damn, I didn’t know your brother was my enemy, too!
	I believed in my heart of hearts that he of all people would sympathize with me!
Y-KO:	But it was just a one-sided crush all along.
ME:	That’s a very misleading way to phrase that emotion.
Y-KO:	Oh… was it requited?
ME:	There was no love to begin with!!
	And can you imagine a more disturbing love triangle?!

Your boyfriend and your older brother in love with each other.

… Why the hell am I thinking about this?

Y-KO:	… Kinda hot, actually.
ME:	Kinda not hot, actually! Kinda really gross!
Y-KO:	But there’s still one problem.
ME:	Oh, trust me, there’s well more than one problem with that…
Y-KO:	Both you and my brother seem like the uke type.
ME:	……

If there’s a real problem, it’s Y-ko’s fundamental fujoshi nature…

Why are we even talking about this?

I’m in my girlfriend’s room on her birthday, and we’re talking about possibly the most inappropriate topic imaginable for such an occasion.

Of course, it’s not like I haven’t grown completely used to this by now.

I’m used to it,

I enjoy it, and I’m happy with it.

No matter what the topic is, when I’m with my girlfriend, I’m happy.

The days that pass by are all incredibly precious to me.

Y-KO:	—Hmm, but you know…
ME:	?
Y-KO:	I’m amazed that you still love me.
ME:	… What?
Y-KO:	I mean, look at me. I’m not as good at cooking as I pretend…
	In fact, I just let you do all of the cooking.
	My boobs are small, I don’t really act my age, and I’m selfish.
	Most of all—
ME:	—You’re a fujoshi?
Y-KO:	…… Yeah. I’m a fujoshi.
	It’s weird for me to say this myself… but sometimes I get worried.
	Like is it right for things to be this way?
ME:	……
Y-KO:	I feel bad, but I’ll probably keep being a fujoshi, keep being selfish, and keep calling you Sebas forever.
ME:	Great.
Y-KO:	But because of that, I think I’ll also love you forever.
	… I guess that makes it an equivalent exchange?
ME:	I see.

Equivalent exchange.

It’s a phrase I’ve heard from Y-ko’s lips countless times since I began dating her,

but I never imagined it would be used in such a serious context…

Y-KO:	I guess all I’m saying is, “Here’s looking at more time with you, Sebas.”
ME:	Y-ko.
Y-KO:	Oh, come on. It was hard for me to say all that, so don’t give me your usual snappy comebacks.
ME:	Actually, I wasn’t going to snap at you… I was just going to say that, although it’s not exactly as if I’m doing this to return the favor for those nice things you just said… I have something I want to tell you, too.

And I pulled out the present I had hidden for this moment.

I put the little case into Y-ko’s hand.

—The case that held a ring fitted to her finger size.

ME:	I want you to be with me forever.
Y-KO:	……
ME:	……
Y-KO:	… Okay, I think pulling this stunt at a time like this is uncalled for.
ME:	You think so?
Y-KO:	I mean, this case… It’s what I think it is, right?
ME:	Yes. Exactly what it looks like.
Y-KO:	… Just one question.
ME:	What is it?
Y-KO:	Which finger should I put the ring on?

And with a devilish little grin, she opened the case up in front of me.

—Oh, come on.

The answer should be obvious.

I silently pulled the ring out of the case and took her left hand.

ME:

This one.

And I slipped it on her left ring finger.

Y-KO:	—Thank you.
ME:	No problem.
Y-KO:	… Didn’t you ever learn that you shouldn’t make a girl cry?
ME:	I did.
Y-KO:	Well, you failed… stupid Sebas. I ought to scold you.
ME:	I’m sorry.
Y-KO:	…… But just this time, I’ll forgive you. Tears of joy don’t count.
ME:	Oh good. You’re scary when you’re mad.
Y-KO:	Argh! Come here and let me use your shirt.
	I’ll mess it up with tears and snot.
ME:	Of course, madam. Here you are.

And I pulled her close to me.

—Since the day I met her…

I’ve been exasperated by the amount of manga she buys.

I’ve been shocked at the BL she smuggles into my apartment.

I’ve been impressed by her expansive knowledge of anime.

I’ve been aroused by the maid uniform she wears.

I’m sure that in the future, I’ll continue to be manipulated by her fujoshi hobbies.

And I’m sure that slowly but surely, her tastes will rub off on me.

Day by eccentric, precious day.

I’m sure I’ll always be by her side as her Sebas.

After all, even in my arms, she said—

“Here’s looking at a long life ahead, Sebas.”

—And her head finally raised again, I answered,

“As you say, Y-ko.”