Chapter 88: Found the Father-in-Law!

On Thursday, the paper cranes that his sister Airi had sent arrived at Misaki. Minami Yuuki scheduled the delivery for after school in the afternoon.

He wondered if these paper cranes could provide a simulation attempt. It had been three days since Airi folded the last batch of cranes. To be safe, he decided to ask Asano Nao for another batch of paper cranes.

Quickly freshening up and getting dressed, Minami Yuuki hurried downstairs.

At the Asano family's dining table, Minami Yuuki asked Asano Nao for more paper cranes under the pretense of wanting to collect a thousand cranes.

Although Asano Nao didn't understand Minami Yuuki's obsession with paper cranes, she readily agreed.

This way, after school, Minami Yuuki could at least get one simulation attempt. Now, the second problem was bothering him.

Where could he find a handsome and morally upright man to marry Ibuki Honoka?

For the past two days, he had scoured his memory and even asked his sister back home. While there were plenty of bachelors, finding a handsome one suitable to marry Ibuki Honoka proved impossible. This gave him a headache.

"Do you know any handsome, single, middle-aged men?" he asked Asano Nao abruptly.

Asano Nao was taken aback by this sudden, seemingly unrelated question and shook her head vigorously.

"Figures, you probably don't know more people than the turtles in the supermarket's seafood section," Minami Yuuki sighed.

Even Asano Nao didn't like being compared to turtles, so she glared at Minami Yuuki in retaliation.

"See you tonight, Sister." Bidding farewell to Asano Nao, Minami Yuuki grabbed his bag and lunch box and headed to school.

The weather was sunny, and the sunlight made the weeds growing stubbornly at the wall corners and the dark soil beneath them look dazzling.

Minami Yuuki hadn't intentionally timed his departure or looked out for a particular girl's presence, so he was startled to see Ibuki Yuko right in front of him.

"Good morning, senpai," he greeted Ibuki Yuko.

"Good morning," she replied normally.

"Don't say 'good morning,' say 'I love you.'"

"I'll tell the teacher."

"I was just joking, please spare me."

Minami Yuuki didn't mean to tease Ibuki Yuko, but after such intimate simulation experiences, her indifferent response left him a bit disappointed, causing him to speak frivolously.

Ibuki Yuko glanced at him, then looked back at the road ahead and quickened her pace.

However, no matter how fast her short legs moved, they couldn't outpace Minami Yuuki.

"How has Aunt Honoka been lately?" Minami Yuuki tried to gather some information.

He waited for a long time, but even after reaching the school grounds, he didn't get a response from Ibuki Yuko.

She completely ignored me!

In the simulation, you not only said "I love you" but also gave me a morning kiss!

I'll remember this grudge and once I find a suitable father-in-law candidate and start the simulation, I'll get back at you for ignoring me!

I'll play around with Mayuri and make you watch!

After parting ways with Ibuki Yuko at the stairway, Minami Yuuki entered his classroom.

"Good morning, Minami-kun," Chitose Kazumi greeted him.

"Morning, Kazumi," Minami Yuuki replied, glancing towards Ichinose Shiori's seat.

The girl had not arrived at the classroom yet.

Morning sunlight spilled over the desks and chairs by the window. Minami Yuuki's seat was in the third row by the window, with light pooling at his feet. He raised his hand, feeling the warmth of the spring sun.

"Do you know any handsome, single, middle-aged men, Kazumi?" he asked.

"Eh?" Chitose Kazumi was also taken aback by the sudden topic.

"I know an aunt who has wanted to get married for many years but hasn't found a suitable partner," Minami Yuuki explained briefly.

"Minami-kun, you really worry about many things," Chitose Kazumi remarked, sifting through her memories.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that must be seized firmly!

It's for the aunt that Minami-kun would worry about!

If one of my relatives could marry that aunt, my relationship with Minami-kun would become even closer!

Round it up, and Minami-kun and I would practically be family!

Uncle? Too fat; Second uncle? Too skinny; Third uncle? Deceased; Fourth uncle is a handsome middle-aged man, but he's my dad, and mom wouldn't agree.

After thinking through all her middle-aged male relatives, Chitose Kazumi still couldn't find a suitable candidate. She then expanded her search to acquaintances, but still came up empty.

There were plenty of handsome young men, but handsome middle-aged men… Most men stop caring about their physique and appearance by middle age.

Handsome and middle-aged are practically antonyms.

The preparatory bell rang just as she was about to regretfully tell Minami Yuuki that she couldn't find anyone. Her eyes swept over their homeroom teacher, Nakajima Yohei, who had just walked in.

"I remember now, Nakajima-sensei is divorced!" Chitose Kazumi exclaimed excitedly, thrilled to have found a solution for Minami Yuuki.

When she realized how loudly she had spoken, the entire class was already looking at her.

"Chitose Kazumi! Do you have a problem with me?" Nakajima Yohei slammed his hand on the lectern, staring directly at the girl.

This kind of situation might be nothing to a seasoned adult, but for sensitive teenagers, it was extremely embarrassing. Chitose Kazumi's shoulders trembled, and she was about to stand up with her head bowed.

Minami Yuuki raised his hand.

"Sensei, I asked her. I was a bit curious about you."

Atmosphere is a flexible thing. The same situation can feel completely different depending on who says it and how.

If Nakajima Yohei's stern words earlier felt like a courtroom interrogation, Minami Yuuki's flippant tone now made it feel like a light-hearted gossip session.

"Sensei, you're divorced? But you're still quite handsome."

"Tell us more! I'm curious!"

"Must have been a bad woman, right?"

A few nosy students seized the opportunity to banter.

"Alright, get your books out, let's start class!" Nakajima Yohei tried to regain control, but the whole class was buzzing, insisting he explain.

He had no choice but to briefly summarize.

Chitose Kazumi gratefully looked at Minami Yuuki, who made a funny face at her before attentively listening to the teacher.

Nakajima Yohei and his ex-wife had divorced amicably. They were college classmates and joined the same research institute after graduation. They had a daughter after getting married, but she had poor health and needed constant care. The institute's work was demanding, and his wife wanted to leave their daughter with her parents, but he disagreed.

His wife wanted a career, while he wanted a family, leading to their marriage breaking down. He quit his job at the institute to become a relatively free high school teacher.

Minami Yuuki used LINE to ask Ichinose Shiori, who didn't add any extra details but didn't contradict Nakajima Yohei's story either.

It seemed Nakajima Yohei was a suitable candidate.

He'd try it out once he got home!