Chapter_20

A few days after I visited the future…

There were no noteworthy things that happened. Every day went on without something unusual.

I also noticed that I skipped the incident in which Sana kissed me in the club's room and the event of Haruka's breakdown.

Admittedly, I am not sure if Sana has been doing something naughty like kissing my lips when I was sleeping. Back home, I rarely locked my room. There were chances that Sana had slipped into my room and had done something to me.

If that really happened, well, she did not need to do it in secret. If she wants a kiss, I will be happy to pepper her with ones. In fact, I will give her more if she desired and consented.

Concerning Haruka's breakdown, I have yet to be tired of Haruka's cooking. They are always superb. I never get bored with them. Thus, that kind of misunderstanding that happened in the original timeline never happened.

"Seiji-kun, did something happen?"

Haruka asked me out of the blue.

We are currently in the World History Prep room.

Since Haruka became the advisor of the Home Economics club, she must inspect the club three days a week in the lunch break.

There are four full school days. The school ends at lunch on Friday. Therefore, there are only four lunch breaks in the fulltime of the school days. Thus, we only have one meeting in the World History Prep room in a week.

We are now in that rare moment for ourselves.

"Why did you ask?" I asked Haruka.

Haruka is looking at me over her shoulder. Her blue eyes are filled with concern for me. She is on my laps as I am closely hugging her, my hands wrapping her slender waist.

"Lately, whenever we have time for ourselves, you were so touchy. Not that I dislike it. Quite the contrary, I like it. However, I am curious if something happened to you… I am so worried, you know."

I do not answer Haruka immediately and opt to close my eyes and rest my face on her hair. As I sniff her silky hair, I savor her unique, alluring fragrance.

To be honest, I am not completely and utterly sure if I am okay.

Even though I told myself to move on, it was easier said than done. I am still morning for the children that I will not be able to meet anymore.

"Haruka, do you believe in the supernatural…"

"Hm? Why did you ask?"

"If I am actually someone who came from the future, what will you do?"

I am not sure why I said that. Perhaps, my mind is in an unbalanced state.

Even so, there is a limit on what I will say. I will not tell Haruka about my nature as a body snatcher, nor will I talk about my other superpowers other than the time-travel.

"If Seiji came future…"

Haruka paused.

She leans her back close to me.

I anxiously wait for her answer.

"Well, Seiji is Seiji. I do not really care if Seiji will stay as Seiji."

By the way, Haruka and I have stopped adding suffix after our name. It started with me because of the influence of my memory from the future. Then, Haruka followed my example.

"Heh… heheh," I laughed at the answer that sounded so Haruka. "I feel relieved that Haruka stays as Haruka."

"Is that related to why you seem different lately?"

"Maybe…"

"Okay! Tell me, tell me! I want to hear about the future! What will happen to us?"

Haruka sounded curious.

She seems to be indulging me but not believing about the whole Time-Travel stuff.

"We live happily and have a big family…" I began.

I feel Haruka's body shivering at my sincere voice. She holds my arms that hug her waist, her hands trembling.

"We have one daughter. Her name is Harumi. When I went to the future, it was, will, well, whatever, I'll use the past tense here. Anyway, it was ten years later. Harumi-chan was three years old and a little darling. Her grandparents, Takekage-san and Airi-san—"

"What?! How did you know Otou-sama and Okaa-sama's names, Seiji?"

Haruka interrupted me with her loud question. She twisted her body on my lap to see me. Her face contorted in shock and disbelief.

I wryly smile at her and then say, "I told you that I came from the future, right? Well, I have met them in the future. Granted, our first meeting was left to be desired. However, I could get Airi-san's blessing to date you. There were shouting involved, but, well… anyway, we are unofficially engaged, and becoming official after I graduated from high school. Then, we married after I graduated from University."

Haruka looked at me with a shell-shocked expression.

"Haruka?"

"Ah. My bad. I was trying to wrap my mind around this topic…"

"Well, it was unbelievable, I know. I don't even know how I have this power to travel through time. But alas, I cannot control this power."

"What did you mean by you cannot control your power? You won't disappear, right? You won't leave me alone, right?" asked Haruka hysterically.

She seems terrified of my disappearance.

It is when I notice that I have been underestimating Haruka's love for me.

Her love for me is so deep that hearing a chance that I will disappear from her life sends her to frenzy.

"Don't worry. I won't disappear on you. I swear. Look! I'm here, right?"

Haruka furiously nods her head as she tightly hugs me. She has shifted her position on my laps and has turned her body to get easy access for hugging me.

"Right, right. You're here. Sorry. I panicked. I was terrified. I love you so much that I don't know what I will do if you suddenly disappear…" said Haruka after recovering from her panic.

"I love you too, Haruka."

"Me too. I love you so, so~o much!"

We look at each other eyes. I am not sure who initiated the kiss first. My tongue is already dominating hers in Haruka's mouth.

After a few moments passed, we end our kiss.

I see Haruka's red face. Her eyes are glossy as her mind is muddled by our passionate kiss.

"Um, yeah. Our child… tell me about our child!" demanded Haruka after she recovered.

Her eyes are so intense that I feel anxious.

After calming myself, I tell Haruka about Harumi. Our pride and joy…

"Seiji…"

Haruka's call stopped me.

I have been telling her about Harumi. When she was born, when she first turned around her crib, and when she first crawled… her first word, her first step, her first of everything that I can remember…

I was absorbed in my tale that I lost track of time.

"What?" I asked Haruka.

"Why are you crying? Why are you sad? Please tell me, Seiji? I am so worried…"

Haruka seems as if going to cry. Her face is contorting in anguish instead of excitement or happiness due to the tale of our future daughter…

"Huh?"

At first, I was confused. Then, I find that I have been quietly crying when I touch my cheek.

"Tears? I am crying? What? Why am—I see…"

I was confused and questioned myself. Then, I realized why I was quietly crying.

"Seiji…" called Haruka.

I rest my face on Haruka's bosom, ignoring her call. Then, I let my grieving tears overflow.

I guess I need this…

I need to properly grieve…

I have been pushing this matter so far, not really getting the closure to move on.

Haruka allows me to have my moment. She silently supports me, embraces me, and rubs my back. It is not much, but it helps me.

After a few moments passed, Haruka opens her mouth.

"Now, would you tell me why are you sad, Seiji? Please, I want—no. I must know… If not, I can't be at ease."

I keep my mouth shut for a few moments until I tell her.

I tell Haruka about the parallel times and multiverse theory…

…how 'my' original future and the last future that I visited were vastly different…

…how I will never meet my children whom I dearly love…

Haruka silently listens to my ramblings. She quietly gives her support when I am at my worst.

After I finished my ramblings, Haruka speaks up.

"I don't know what to do to make you feel better. I really want to make you feel better. But, I cannot understand your sadness. I am not a time-traveler. But…"

Haruka briefly pauses.

"But, I think that Harumi-chan wouldn't want for her papa to be sad because of her. If she is smart like what you told me, then I am sure that Harumi-chan wants her papa to move on and look at the future."

I slightly turn up my head to see her face from her bosom. I see her motherly expression that overlaps with the future Haruka.

"Thank you, Haruka. You're a good woman. No. You're the best woman in the whole world. I feel fortunate, honored, and blessed to be your boyfriend."

Haruka kindly smiles at me. She combs my hair as I release all grief in my chest.

Before long, I finish my mourning, and I am now ready to face the future.

I know that I will experience this grief again when I travel to and return from the future. However, I will endure. I will remember all children I have and cherish them dearly.

Even if their mothers cannot remember their existence, I, their father, will keep their memory until the end of my natural lifespan.

After all, being forgotten is more painful than anything.

"Now, what will we do?" Haruka anxiously asked.

I am perplexed by her question. Then, I notice that the lunch break has ended, and we have been there for a while. I have skipped the fifth class.

"Haruka, do you have any class to teach in the fifth period?"

"Actually, no. I do not. But, I have a class to teach in the sixth period."

"Well, I guess we are lucky."

"What about you, Seiji? You have skipped your fifth period."

"I think I will skip the sixth period too. I will stay in the infirmary. That is not a lie since I really feel unwell," I said with a wan smile.

Haruka gives me a concerned look before nodding her head in agreement.

"Then, I will tell your teacher about it."

After that, we leave the World History Prep room. We are carefully skulking to the infirmary. Thankfully, we do not meet school staff or students on the way there.