Chapter 539: Your Mom Is Really Strict

Chapter 539: Your Mom Is Really Strict

Himekoji didn’t skip school, but both Akiko and the Lady of the Wicked Lord’s Eye did.

The latter was catching up on sleep, while the former said she was staying back to take care of Mashiro.

This made Himekoji nervous. With both of them staying home after what happened, he wondered if something might go down again.

But wondering was all he did. Asking him to stay home at a time like this? No way! He had this horrible feeling… like he’d be scared the crazy sister might force herself on him…

At school, he felt dazed the whole day. His mind was a mess. He kept thinking about lots of stuff. He was surprised by how crazy he’d acted yesterday. He also felt a little hopeful about the days to come.

Reality and dreams felt different, after all.

But speaking of dreams…

Last night was wildly messy, but he was probably asleep before 2 AM. At the time, Himekoji had worried that just as the first half ended in real life, the second half would start up in his dreams. But instead, he slept straight through until morning.

No dreams all night.

So naturally, he didn’t see Yukinoshita in his dream.

Just what was up with that dream?

Two days without it happening now… Could it mean that string of dreams was over?

Himekoji had finally found a good way to properly talk to Yukinoshita…

In a dream, maybe a confused Yukinoshita would calmly accept that she was carrying his kid?

It felt easier to talk about it there, and the chance of success felt higher.

Lost in these thoughts, Himekoji dragged himself through class until the end of the day. When he went to the Service Club, Yukinoshita wasn’t there again.

“Yukino-chan was absent today! She skipped the whole day. Hikki and I thought she might be sick, so we called and tried to visit, but she turned us down…”

Yuigahama told him this with a pout, looking totally wronged. She looked like a neglected little wife. Her sad, resentful eyes made even Himekoji feel guilty.

But hey, Yukinoshita’s the one who ignored you, not me! No need to look at me like that!

Lately, Yukinoshita had been skipping out early a lot. She’d definitely spent less time with Yuigahama than before.

Yukinoshita was really the worst!

Thinking this, Himekoji practically fled the Service Club. The resentful stare on his back just got stronger…

He planned to head straight to Yukinoshita’s house. She turned down Yuigahama and Hikigaya, but she hadn’t rejected him! Not that he planned to call first.

But right as he decided that, before he could even leave school, Hiratsuka Shizuka stopped him. Standing next to her was beaming Mama Shizuka.

Himekoji’s legs suddenly shook with fear. For no reason…

“You haven’t forgotten what today is, have you?”

Mama Shizuka walked up, asking Himekoji kindly.

“Huh? Uh…”

What day? That question totally stumped him!

It wasn’t a holiday or his Imouto’s birthday… Why was Mama Shizuka asking?

“Hmm?”

Seeing that Himekoji couldn’t answer, Mama Shizuka’s kindly smile stiffened.

“You young people are so careless! It’s the 21st today!”

“The 21st?”

So… what exactly was significant about the 21st?

Himekoji racked his brain but couldn’t figure it out. Beside him, the Female Teacher frantically gave him signals with her eyes and mouthed words—

Fertile days! Fertile days!

“Oh! It’s Hiratsuka… Shizuka’s fertile days!”

With the Female Teacher’s reminder, it finally clicked for Himekoji.

“Don’t yell it out loud!”

The Female Teacher immediately stomped viciously on his foot. Hiratsuka Shizuka’s face flushed blood-red as she complained.

“Haha…”

Feeling the weird looks from people nearby, Himekoji just scratched the back of his head and forced a laugh.

He just reacted without thinking when he finally got the right answer… Not intentional.

“As long as you remember! Good! So tonight, you both have to give it your all! Do not disappoint your father and me!”

“Huh? Give it… our all?”

What exactly did “give it our all” mean?

Himekoji shot a questioning look at the Female Teacher. She blinked rapidly, then suddenly avoided his gaze.

It looked like “Don’t look at me, I’m too embarrassed to say.”

“Ah, come to think of it, our family hasn’t sat down for a proper meal together since we met! Tonight, I’m cooking myself. Let our son in-law see what I can do!”

Mama Shizuka had clearly been looking forward to this day for a long time, her excitement bubbling over.

In front of her mom, Hiratsuka Shizuka actually acted a bit more girlish… though it might be a tad late for that…

“Baby Shizu” hooked her arm through her mom’s, wriggling adorably as she whined—

“Mom, we’re not even married yet!”

Sh-she was… actually whining?!

Himekoji’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Exactly! That just reminded me. We need to arrange your marriage quickly! Otherwise, that wedding dress won’t fit well over a big belly.”

Her main worry wasn’t the premarital pregnancy, but the wedding dress not fitting…

“So, Mom, about having a baby… maybe Akito and I should do that after we’re married?”

Hiratsuka Shizuka spoke while frantically signaling Himekoji with her eyes to back her up. Catching on, Himekoji quickly added.

“Y-yeah, Mom… What’s the rush? Gotta get married properly first, right? Haha… So, tonight… maybe let’s skip it?”

“Skip?”

Hearing that her daughter and son in-law dared voice such rebellious thoughts, Mama Shizuka was absolutely furious. Her eyebrows knotted, radiating stern authority.

“No skipping! No skipping! Skip tonight, what about tomorrow night? The night after? Young people! You just don’t take things seriously! Always want to put things off later! Remember the saying: ‘Tomorrow is followed by yet another tomorrow. How many tomorrows are there? If things are always left for tomorrow, all efforts will come to naught!’ In short: finish today’s work today, and continue again tomorrow! Especially these fertile days! They ’re critical! You cannot slack off! Not even one day! Day and night! Baby-making is a process that takes patience! Only then can we build up successfully, day by day! I’ve already planned your schedule for these days: work at sunrise, rest at sunset!”

“Ahem…”

Her whole speech was filled with days days days. Himekoji felt it deep in his tired legs and dizzy head. He only felt slightly revived at the “rest at sunset” part. The sun was going down soon… Did that mean he’d escape tonight?

“You’re getting your hopes up! When my mom says ‘rest at sunset,’ the ‘rest’ means sleep… like, lying down to sleep… Not actually sleeping…”

Like she could read his mind, the Female Teacher (a proper language teacher, after all) leaned close and whispered the professional interpretation of that phrase into his ear.

“In other words, work starts at sunrise… and you still have to work at sunset…”

“Emmmmmm…”

Himekoji’s legs wobbled violently. He gulped, his throat dry as he rasped out:

“Your mom is really strict.”