Becoming A Father Figure

Chapter 03: A Modest Abode

Around noon, Yuuta's phone rang, and he noticed it was a call from his Aunt Keiko.

Keiko, Yuuta's aunt, was his father's sister and also his legal guardian.

When Yuuta's parents had tragically passed away, initial plans were made for Yuuta and his sister, Yuri, to be raised by their aunt. However, at that time, her husband had recently passed away, and sending her own children to college required a substantial amount of money. So, with a heavy heart, she reluctantly abandoned the idea, and Yuuta grew up under his sister's care. Yuuta's own experiences had led him to willingly take care of the Takanashi sisters.

Before answering the call, Yuuta motioned to Hina to remain quiet and gestured for silence.

Hina placed her finger in front of her lips and conveyed the message to Sora and Miu to hush.

"Aunt Keiko, both Sora and Miu are with me and will be arriving shortly. I apologize for this situation," Yuuta explained on his end while also offering reassuring glances to Sora and Miu.

Sora and Miu listened with anxious anticipation. They had escaped their previous circumstances, and the thought of potentially being sent back, possibly separated, filled them with unease.

"Yuuta! Well, I understand your intentions, but regardless, I've managed to convince the Nakagawa side of the family to let this go. However, if you're not fully prepared for this, you should immediately send the three of them back!"

Keiko grasped Yuuta's motivations, which were deeply rooted in his sister's memory, but while she comprehended, she didn't entirely support his decision.

Yuuta, still on the phone, used his free hand to comfort the visibly anxious Sora and Miu, placing their hands on his leg. He even extended his hand to include Hina, who thought they were playing a game.

Nodding to reassure the three of them, Yuuta continued speaking into the phone on the other end:

"I'm sorry, but I've already made up my mind. I will take care of all three of them, and you don't need to worry about the finances. I'll find a new job as soon as possible."

Keiko's concern extended beyond money; it encompassed another aspect. "What about your university studies? If looking after them affects your education, it'll distress your sister!"

"I've considered my studies, and it won't be an issue. I can find some work at school, and it won't interfere with my education," Yuuta confidently reassured her. "Aunt, please give me two months. I'll handle all these matters as swiftly as possible."

After the call concluded, Yuuta turned to Sora and Miu, saying, "It's alright, for now."

"Thank you, Uncle!" Miu expressed her gratitude to Yuuta.

"Thank you very much; we've caused you trouble," Sora also conveyed her thanks, her appreciation for Yuuta's protective stance evident.

"You're the best, Uncle!" Hina cheered joyfully, even though her understanding of the situation was limited.

Yuuta led the three of them away from the city and into a suburban area, or rather, what appeared to be the countryside...

Here, there were scarcely any tall buildings, just one convenience store, and it had the overall ambiance of a rural area.

Sloping terrain, train tracks, farmland, and farmhouses populated the surroundings.

Hina seemed incredibly spirited, and as Yuuta neared the place where he lived with the three of them, he inquired of Hina, "Hina, you're so full of energy. Aren't you tired?"

"Not at all!" Hina confidently replied.

However...

Just two minutes later, Hina was so fatigued that she fell asleep on Yuuta's back, and he had to continue carrying her.

After another ten minutes of walking, Yuuta arrived with everyone at a two-story house that resembled a metal shed, a common sight at construction sites.

"Hina, we're here." Yuuta looked at the modest house before him, understanding the concerns of their relatives. His financial situation made it challenging to support three children.

Nonetheless, no matter how challenging it might become, they would overcome it!

"Really?" Hina opened her eyes sleepily and, after rubbing them, exclaimed with excitement, "Wow, it's so big, even bigger than our home! And there are so many rooms!"

Yuuta offered an awkward smile. While the metal shed indeed had numerous rooms, only one of them was his, and the others were rented out to other tenants.

As they ascended to the second floor and entered his room, Yuuta switched on the lights.

Hina was the first to dart inside, gleefully prancing around in the small room. "Wow, hahaha!"

Sora and Miu, surveying the room, immediately noticed the kitchen. It was incredibly tiny, barely the size of a dining table.

"This... this kitchen... it's so adorable..." Miu described the kitchen as adorable, using a term usually reserved for praising adorable children.

Hina examined the room, where Yuuta had arranged the bed and table, raised her hands, and exclaimed with excitement, "Ah, it's about the same size as the bathroom at Hina's home!"

Yuuta felt a tinge of embarrassment, realizing that his room was scarcely larger than someone else's bathroom.

"Well, please make yourselves comfortable," Yuuta invited, addressing Miu and Sora, who stood near the doorway. "Consider this a temporary arrangement, and I'll do my best to find a more suitable place."

Both nodded in agreement. Miu removed her shoes and offered a warm smile, saying, "Apologies for intruding."

The cramped entrance, with four pairs of shoes lined up, accentuated the humble nature of this abode.

Sora and Miu inspected the bathroom, complete with a toilet. "This bathroom... it's quite adorable," Miu commented.

The room comprised a kitchen, a bathroom with a toilet, and a bedroom – just these three areas. At most, there was a small balcony.

"This room is surprisingly neat," Sora observed, noting that the room wasn't as cluttered as she might have expected from a young man's space.

Shouldn't a young man's room typically be a mess?

Miu chuckled as she glanced at Yuuta, who was preoccupied with packing his belongings, his back turned to them. She exclaimed, "Oh! I've come across an adult book!"

Sora's face flushed crimson upon hearing this, and Yuuta quickly stood up. "No way! I'm pretty sure I don't have anything like that here..."

While Yuuta recollected most aspects of his life, there remained the possibility of forgetting certain details due to the intricacies of his transmigration situation. Therefore, he didn't firmly deny it.

Hina, curious, rushed over to look, only to find nothing.

Miu sheepishly admitted, "Just kidding! Just kidding~"

Yuuta breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't that type of person, even though he might have some interests in that area. It's entirely normal, right?

Noticing Yuuta's reaction, Miu grinned and teased, "Based on your reaction, you must have hidden those things somewhere else, right?"

Before Yuuta could defend himself, Sora, who was busy unpacking her suitcase, shot Miu an irritated look and scolded, "Miu!"

Realizing that her teasing had gone too far, Miu stuck her tongue out and said, "Alright, alright."

Due to the room's limited size, Yuuta stood up and looked at his bed, suggesting, "This stuff takes up too much space here. Let's move the bed outside so we can have more room."

A single bed was evidently too small for three girls, so they decided to lay out sleeping mats together.

As Yuuta stood up, Hina rushed over to him, hugging his leg and asking, "Uncle, is this your home?"

"Indeed, it is, Hina. From now on, this place is your home too," Yuuta said, gently patting Hina's head.

"Hina's home?" Hina shook her head and corrected with an innocent smile, "Hina's home is a place where you can see the sunshine!"

Hearing this, Yuuta felt a sudden twinge of emotion in his heart.