Disclaimer: All credit goes to Shingo Nanami and フクロウ. Whew, I thought I wouldn't finish this today, but thank goodness I did. Well then, I hope everyone will like this chapter. Enjoy!
Anecdote I
Part Two
Offering Kasane's grandfather the bottle of sake, he then entered the house.
The twins obediently disappeared into one of the rooms, probably off to prepare tea with the cakes.
Meanwhile, Nobunaga was lead to the living room, where he was allowed to sit down.
It was certainly a huge Japanese-styled room all right. Hardly anything was in it. Rather than a living room, it must be usually used as a parlor.
Nobunaga placed a respectable distance from Kasane's grandfather and kneeled down before him.
Since the beginning, her grandfather was sending him a scrutinizing gaze.
"What brings you here today?"
Somehow he resembled that Noh's father.
Their appearances were vastly different, but this dignified presence was somewhat similar.
It might be because he was wearing that formal kimono.
"Um… We've brought in tea."
The twins respectively entered the room, carrying in the sweets.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, the twins completely withered away.
They both left the cakes and tea before the two men.
After looking at them in the corner of his eye, Nobunaga then faced Kasane's grandfather and, for the first time in his entire life, placed two hands before him and lowered his head to the ground.
"... If I am permitted to go straight to the point, I will like to have your permission to wed your granddaughter, Kusanagi Kasane."*
"Eh."
"Ii-"
"..."
At loss for words, the twins stared at Nobunaga.
Without a single movement, Kasane's grandfather didn't avert his eyes from the him either.
"...If I recall, you were the doctor who took care of Kasane."
"Yes."
"I would like to know, why is that doctor asking for my granddaughter's hand in marriage."
"...Ever since her hospitalization, I have been going out with Kasane. Although, it seems she hasn't talked about it."
"I have never heard about it. This is a first."
"K-kasane-chan, m-marriage…"
"Oi, oi what's the meaning of this? Besides that doctor is…"
As expected, the twin's were unable to hide their unrest, began to whisper to each other.
With a single, sharp glare from their grandfather, the twins immediately shut up and became quiet.
"Shall I make them leave?"
"No, this is an important discussion; therefore, by all means, I would like them to hear it."
"Is that so."
With a deep breath, Kasane's grandfather recomposed himself.
Gaining his permission to remain in this room, they hurriedly kneeled to the ground.**
"...I had the privilege of dating your granddaughter for two years. She has frequently visited to my home and I have often been under her care."
"Two years…"
He muttered in a perplexed manner.
"I had thought that child was acting strange, but to think you have been dating her back then, I haven't had the slightest idea…. And suddenly marriage."
Kasane's grandfather heaved a sigh.
After a brief consideration, then then faced Nobunaga once more.
"That child has not yet graduated from high school. And though you looked very young, I believe you are being hasty with this marriage. I assume, that at that age, recreation is not enough."
"No, I have waited two years. And finally that person is graduating this year… I do not believe this is early."
"No, you're rushing through this. The two of you are still too young. And… if I may say this, a person like you is well recepted by women, are you not?
"..."
Nobunaga couldn't respond to Kasane's grandfather's words.
Affirming that receipt, he continued.
"So it must be true. With fine-looking doctors like yourself, surrounding women wouldn't leave them alone. As a relative who has raised Kasane, I see her in a favorable light, but even so, she is still average. You could have picked a girl more beautiful, more lovely than Kasane. If you wish to marry, then those girls would surely be a better choice for you."
Kasane's grandfather looked at him with a sharp gaze.
Though he said those words in a soft tone, they were awfully harsh.
It was obvious that he was being objected.
Though Kasane was graduating this year, she was still 18 year old.
In addition her body was a type that looked younger than her own age.
She wasn't at an age where it was impossible for them to marry, but to the world she would seem too young to wed.
However.
"No… Even so, I have no intentions of living my life with anyone else other than Kasane."
He had waited for this moment.
For two years.
For her high school graduation, he waited.
The world may tell him it's too early, but that had no importance to him.
This was the road he and Kasane will one day take.
The only difference is that the chapter finished abruptly.
If he didn't wrap things up right away, there's no telling that cat-like girl will slip past his arms and go off somewhere.
When it come to that time, it'll be too late.
He wanted a strong foundation for her to not escape from him.
He wanted her heart and body; he wished for a conclusive evidence.
Her voice.
Her affection.
Her warmth.
Her smile.
As if he'll let her go.
"...Why, do you pick out Kasane."
He quietly inquired.
Nobunaga steadily gazed at him.
Their eyes crossed paths.
"That is a question I would like to ask myself. Why I am so attracted to Kasane."
Kasane wasn't a physically attractive beauty.
In fact her appearance is more akin to a little girl.
Her contents are also awfully child-like.
She easily becomes mad then cries then smiles.
She was innocent and naive and unyielding and kindhearted… a strong girl.
That kind of girl could be found anywhere, yet at the same time, it's a type that surely can't be found anywhere.
For him to be this attached to Kasane is frightening, yet extremely interesting.
Just having her at his side, made the world so colorful.
That sort of peculiar woman, you won't find another in this world.
For him to associate with other woman is not a good joke.
He shivers at the thought of marrying and living his life with a woman that's not Kasane.
A world with Kasane; he had no need for such a dull life.
"..."
Observing Nobunaga's unwavering gaze, Kasane's grander considered those words for a little while.
Deep attachment and strong sentiment.
It madly colored those crimson eyes.
Above all, those eyes tinted with insanity were breathtaking.
He's a frightening man.
"...That girl is hard-headed like me."
He softly muttered.
"I'm aware of that."
He replied back.
As of now, he could see that.
"She is also inflexible."
"I understand."
He already had known Kasane's annoying and troublesome habits since long ago.
"...However, even so she is someone who perseveres through anything though a bit clumsy, but very cheerful… Such an adorable fellow."
"...I know that very well."
He knew her good points and bad points, all of them.
Combining them altogether, he could only feel love for her.
From the depth of his heart.
"Is that so."
Hearing Nobunaga's unhesitant answer, Kasane's grandfather heaved a sigh.
It felt as if his persuasion had failed to move him.
As if feeling grateful to his formal posture, he relaxed his legs a bit.***
Silence reigned the room.
With tense expressions, the twins gazed at them.
After a long while, or perhaps only a short moment, Kasane's grandfather broke the silence.
"...Your name was Doctor Oda Nobunaga, I presume."
"Yes."
Without a second thought, Nobunaga placed his hands before his knees and placed weight on both of them.
That was how tense he was.
"Since her youth, she had gone through much hardships. When her parents passed away, she took care of her brothers, even when she was in so much pain."
"..."
With a far-off gaze, as if gazing into a memory, he told Nobunaga.
In Kasane's grandfather's history was a Kasane that Nobunaga has never known.
"...I wish for her to live in happiness to counter her days of suffering. I wish for her to marry like everyone else, to have her blessed with happiness with the child she'll have with the man she loves."
"..."
Such a calm voice.
He turned to Nobunaga with gentle eyes,
Surely they were not for him.
It was a gaze solely for the girl who was not here.
In those narrowed eyes, he felt deep love.
"Therefore, if by chance, you betray her, I will not remain calm."
He quietly told him.
What he saw beyond that man's figure was his deep and profound love of his granddaughter and genuine worry for her safety.
"...I am arrogant and self-centered… Surely when I marry Kasane, there will be times when I see her as troublesome. Perhaps, we may get into many fights and there may be times when I will make her cry. However."
Returning the grandfather's gaze, Nobunaga continued.
"I am confident that throughout my life I am the only one who will love her and give her that happiness."
He bluntly stated and with his hands on the floor, he bowed his head to the floor.****
"...Please give your granddaughter to me."
A calm, and indubitable voice.
"...It is I who wish for your cooperation with Kasane….. Nobunaga-dono."
Like Nobunaga, Kasane's grandfather bowed his head.
"S-so the doctor and Kasane-chan are really going to get married!?"
After their grandfather gave his permission, they followed Nobunaga out the Kusanagi manor to the gate.
While seeing him off, the twins had relentlessly regulated him, causing the man to give them annoyed looks.
"Ahh,"
"When!?"
"Not in the far future. I will change the family register very soon."
"Yet, Kasane never told us anything about marriage, that's not really acceptable." Kasane's grandfather said, as if complaining.
Usually, after a couple talk about it, they will then go the the woman's protector, in this case him, to ask for his permission.
However, Kasane showed no signs of planning to get married.
She went by her day normally as usual.
After some thought, he reached to a conclusion.
He had no intentions of interfering.
However, it was his parental affections that wished for her to at least consult with him.
He wanted to hear of her plans for marriage from Kasane's own mouth so he could then prepared his heart for this.
It didn't show on his face, but he was severely upset.
"However Nobunaga-dono… why didn't you bring Kasane with you?"
Normally both people would come to report their plans of marriage, or at least that was his generation did.
Does that mean that this generation had changed?
"...Well… I haven't told her yet."
"...Ha?"
"Eh?"
The whole family raised their voices at his statement.
"I still haven't told anything to the person herself yet."
"...Wha-... Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"
It seems that relations extends to the grandfather as well.
All of them reacted the same way.
He was astonished how their voices coexisted well together.
"That's why I plan to buy a collar called an engagement ring and gain her approval for marriage."*5
The three of them in a row dumbly stared at him for his words.
"I am fully aware that she will not refuse me, after all."
He pleasantly said and after a small nod, he climbed into his car and drove off.
Seeing him off, Kasane's grandfather thought how his granddaughter fell for an outrageous and felt pity for her. He was starting to regret giving his permission so early.
TBC
*Nobunaga is actually using really, really formal words here. That's so unlike him and you can feel the pressure here. Hopefully my translations shows this… Hopefully... Ahahaha...
** Sitting properly(seiza), instead of cross-legged.
***Seiza hurts a lot! Seriously when I watching a kendo match, we once had to sit like that through a 45 minute long battle. My legs felt like boots afterward! Ehh as for this sentence, I believe the situation was so tense that he was grateful for this distraction.
****His head is lowered a bit. So this scene is almost like ch 26 pg 16, with his back a bit hunched over.
*5 His words return back to normal. Lol I guess he thinks that once he gains the grandfather's approval he's good to go.
Well then. I don't think I will be able to update in a while. It may be a week later or a month later...I'm not so sure, but I will will finish this, I promise you all. I will upload Anecdote II and then return to Owari's Strays. Until then, I hope everyone has an enjoyable day!