Now, sitting in the back seat of the family car, Miyahito listened with a gloomy expression as his mother lectured him on "proper, healthy, and wholesome" knowledge.
"Miyahito, you're both still young. Your bodies are still growing. Some behaviors simply aren't appropriate for your age yet, you know?"
"And that Kasumigaoka girl... Your father and I have looked into her. Mhm, she's indeed an excellent child. Her literary and academic talents are outstanding. So, your mother feels it would be a waste to ruin such a promising future."
"As for you, as a young man, you must understand the weight of the word 'responsibility.' Finding such an outstanding girl during your precious high school years... would you really bear to see her yet-to-bloom talents wither?"
"Your father and I have already discussed it. By your third year, we'll do our best to send you both to Waseda University. You'll study International Relations and a foreign language. As for Kasumigaoka, she can choose whatever department she likes."
...Wait, why does Utaha get to freely choose her major while I have to follow a strict schedule?
Seeing his son's wide-eyed, 'Are you biased?' expression, Satomi shot him a look.
"What are you looking at? I'm not worried about her grades. She might not even need our help."
"Look at you. You usually rank eighth in the grade." At this point, Satomi remembered what he'd done yesterday and delivered a sharp "maternal strike" to his bewildered head. "Look at what you've done. Fighting, suspension. Do you want your permanent record to be a complete mess?"
"It's not my fault!" Clutching his forehead after taking the hit, Miyahito protested grievously. "Mom, it was their fault! Utaha is the girl I've chosen for this life. I won't allow anyone to slander her!"
"And you forgot your position?" Seiichiro interjected, not looking up from the documents he was reviewing. "As the son of a Diet member, you had countless ways to handle them legally and appropriately. Yet you chose the method of a reckless brute."
Instantly, the car fell silent.
Slowly setting his documents aside and taking off his glasses, Seiichiro fixed his son with a stern, authoritative gaze.
"A kendo dojo owner's son. A girl whose family runs a small toy factory. And a bunch of yes-men with no notable backgrounds."
"Miyahito, I am disappointed in you."
Hearing this, Miyahito looked up in disbelief, meeting his father's expressionless face, which held a fleeting trace of genuine disappointment.
His lips parted and closed a few times before he finally spoke.
"I'm sorry, Father. I've disappointed you."
"Then correct it." Seiichiro's voice was heavy. "And look at your recent state."
"Your so-called 'beloved music career'... apart from one useless album, what have you actually produced?"
"Academically, you're ranking eighth in a grade of less than three hundred students across four classes. I've already spoken with your principal. At this rate, forget Waseda. You won't even get into Izu University for Mechanical Engineering."
"What exactly are you doing? Moping around all day? I feel sorry for that Kasumigaoka girl."
Seeing her husband getting angrier, nearly ready to raise a hand, Satomi quickly intervened.
"Alright, dear."
"Satomi, you..."
"Let Miyahito digest this for a moment."
She gently pushed down his arm, then turned to her son, who had his head bowed, completely withdrawn.
"Miyahito, you really need to reflect on your original intentions. Especially now that you've committed to Kasumigaoka."
"It might be a bit early to say, but you need to start thinking about your future path."
Truthfully, Satomi was also deeply dissatisfied with his recent behavior.
Setting aside everything else: his grades slipping instead of improving, abandoning his study plans, making zero progress on the music he claimed to love.
Plus, what she'd learned from Ayase about his overly dramatic, self-pitying slump.
When she first heard about his suspension for fighting, Satomi had been even more furious than Seiichiro was now.
If her husband and daughter hadn't been home, she would have rushed to Tokyo that very night.
After a long silence in the car.
"Haa..." Miyahito, who had kept his head down, suddenly let out a long, heavy sigh. Then, he lifted his head.
"I'm sorry, Mom and Dad."
"I've disappointed you both recently."
At this moment.
Noticing the cynical, carefree demeanor that had recently clouded his face had faded, washed away to reveal the steady, confident Miyahito they knew,
Seiichiro and Satomi finally felt the weight in their chests lift.
Actually, the scolding and the sharp-tongued lecture weren't just spontaneous outbursts.
Quite the opposite. The moment they accidentally saw their son hugging his first-day girlfriend openly on the street, especially seeing his frivolous, slightly arrogant, playboy-like attitude, they instantly realized his mindset had gone off track.
Combined with the information they'd gathered about his daily life over the past two days, they were certain:
Their son had lost his composure. Completely lost his bearings.
That's why they had deliberately chosen different methods to remind him to ground himself and shed his frivolity.
Otherwise, if he acted on a momentary impulse (like crossing certain youth boundaries), it would end badly for both the girl and Miyahito.
"Disappointing us isn't what matters," Satomi said, smiling as she gently ruffled his hair. "What matters is 'own up to your mistakes, stand straight when you get corrected.' Understand?"
"Yeah, I know." He finished with a slight, sheepish chuckle. "So, I've just properly accepted your 'maternal guidance,' haven't I?"
Hearing his cheeky remark, Satomi rolled her eyes, delivered another "maternal strike" to his forehead, and while he clutched his head in pain, she added:
"The moment you get home, call Kasumigaoka and apologize properly."
"Do you realize how disrespectful your behavior was just now?"
"Acting so out of line on the very first day... give it a few more days and you'll probably just take her straight to bed. Go apologize to her immediately."
Hearing the dark history brought up again, Miyahito felt so embarrassed he wanted to melt into the car seat.
Heaven help me!
I really didn't plan to do that!
I was just... carried away in the moment!
Besides, isn't this normal for teenage boys?! KUSO! Seriously! Everyone has to believe me!!
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