Seeing how his mother was hesitating to give a response, Takumi uttered, " It's with disappointment that I can see that you have no trust in me, your son."
–
Adding further down the line, he uttered, " You don't have to agree to my demand. I can also look for another alternative to get what I want."
Standing up and turning to leave, the mother reflexively stopped him as she seemed to have grasped his sincerity with his action. " Wait!" She said and Takumi stopped as he was about to take a step down the exit of the house.
" I'll agree to your terms, so you don't have to look for another alternative." The mother uttered to her son with sincerity in her heart which made Takumi instantly delighted on the spot. Adding down her sentence, " Your dad and I will lend you a hand with the adoption, but don't forget what you've promised me, Takumi—---"
" Once the adoption process has been finalized, you'll have to go on that blind date."
Grinning slightly toward his mother, he uttered, " I gave you my word and I won't break it. Once you've helped me with Luna's adoption, I'll fulfill my end of the deal, just like I've promised you."
Days later, Takumi's parents accompanied him to the Seaside Orphanage for Luna's adoption. Once they arrived at the orphanage, they immediately headed toward Lady Claire's office to talk things through and finalize things.
Lady Claire saw to them once she was done taking care of some pressing matters at the orphanage that needed her immediate attention. She was surprised to see Takumi accompanied by people she didn't know as it was the first time for her seeing them and she couldn't help but wonder who they were.
" Good day, Lady Claire!" Takumi started with a formal greeting before continuing, " Do you remember what you asked me last time I was here?"
Lady Claire nodded in affirmation to his question which gave him the confirmation to continue. " I came here today for the sole purpose of giving you my final answer."
' What answer will he give me today? Will he give me a positive or a negative response?
Lady Claire couldn't help but wonder what Takumi's final response would be. As composed as possible, he responded, " My answer is yes."
" What did you say?"
Lady Claire was stunned. Hearing Takumi's response, she thought it was nothing but her imagination speaking. Repeating his previous sentence, he said with confidence, " I'd like to adopt Luna as my daughter, Lady Claire." " I came today with my parents so they could help with all the formalities needed for the adoption."
Hearing Takumi's response once more, Lady Claire was overwhelmed and couldn't help but shed a tear of relief. Facing Takumi, she asked him once more, " Are you certain of your decision?"
' I've heard you loud and clear, but I need to make sure this is truly what you want and that you're not being pressured into this. If you were to regret your decision subsequently, my little girl would be the one bearing the suffering.'
" Once we start with things, you won't be able to change your mind later on, so think again!" " Is this truly what you want, Hasegawa-San?"
Attempting to respond to Lady Claire, his mother interrupted the flow of the conversation.
" You don't have to worry about my son changing his mind about the adoption because he'll do no such thing. As I know my son, once he has made up his mind about something, he sticks to it no matter the outcome." She uttered to the director as she exchanged glances with her son momentarily.
Backing up, the father said, " You can proceed without worry. My son is sure of the decision he has made and that is why we are here today to lend him a hand as his parents with the whole process."
Listening to the parents, Lady Claire was more than convinced and nodded. Looking through Takumi's file and financial needs, the mother suddenly said, " Takumi has a stable job and a stable income, so he'll be able to tend to his responsibilities properly and fully."
" He's currently single and that might not give him an advantage with the adoption procedure, but worry not because he won't be staying single for long. Isn't that right, Takumi?"
The mother harbored a bright grin on her face as she asked her son to confirm her words. Looking at his mother, he gave a simple nod in confirmation.
Lady Claire said, " Everything is in order, so I don't see why the adoption would be an issue."
Putting the files away, she added, " I'll proceed with your case to the judge and keep you informed once a decision has been reached." " Worry not, Hasegawa-San; This shouldn't be a long process."
Hesitating, Takumi asked Lady Claire in a formal tone, " Would it be alright to see Luna before I leave?"
Lady Claire grinned slightly and said, " Yes, why not?" " Follow me; I'll take you to Luna this instant."
Delighted, Takumi followed the director happily. Thinking on the way whether Luna would want to see him this time as she had refused him last time, it didn't take the two long to reach Luna.
Luna was playing eagerly with the kids of the orphanage. Due to how focused she was, she didn't notice Takumi and her mother's presence.
Lady Claire was about to get Luna's attention on them, but Takumi stopped her. He said in a subtle tone, " I wanted to see her, and I did. If you get her attention on us, she might run away again. It'd be best if she doesn't know about the adoption for now, not until everything is finalized."
" I don't want to give her false hope by seeing her now. That smile she has on her face at this moment, I don't want it to ever disappear. I want her to remain just as happy as she is now."
Hearing Takumi, Lady Claire said, " You're a very noble person, Hasegawa-San. Besides me, Luna will have another person to care for her and assure her happiness at all times."
Retorting to her words, " I promise to take good care of Luna and make sure that she's always happy. I promise to never let her smile vanish."
Grinning slightly, Lady Claire responded firmly, " I trust you, Hasegawa-San. I know you won't let me down."
The following day, Takumi headed to work as usual. During break time, Saunji tried to get his attention on him but to no avail.
After work, as Takumi still wasn't willing to hear him out, Saunji blocked his way as he left the office.
" Saunji, what are you doing?" Takumi questioned his actions. Saunji before him retorted, " Sorry, I didn't want to block your way but you didn't give me another option."
" Hear me out just once and I'll be out of your way," Saunji uttered in a concluding sentence.
Looking at his watch and seeing how Saunji wouldn't budge out of his way unless he complied, Takumi looked at him and said, " You have five minutes and not a second more."
Although he only had five minutes to fully explain the situation, Saunji was grateful for the chance given and said, " Thank you!"
Waiting for him to speak, Saunji started speaking a moment later. " I wanted to apologize for thinking of you as a robot. I shouldn't have thought the same as the rest of our colleagues, I'm sorry."
" I simply found it strange that you weren't close with anyone in the company that when everyone started referring to you in such a way, I had no opinion on the matter, but ever since I took the chance and spoke to you and after we went drinking together, I realized how wrong I was about you."
" I realized that my first impression of you was wrong. I shouldn't have judged you before getting the chance to know you."
Concluding his sentence, to everything Saunji said, Takumi only said the following, " Don't beat yourself up about whatever opinion you had of me at first because none of this matters to me in the slightest."
Takumi's tone changed slightly as he continued, " People are free to think whatever they want or have whatever opinion they want. None of this has any kind of importance. Also, who told you your first impression of me was wrong."
At the sound of those words, Saunji was slightly confused given the way Takumi spoke. " What do you mean?"
Grinning faintly, he retorted, " I don't have that many people I interact with because I don't see the need to. I don't see the need to get all friendly because it's troublesome."
As soon as he concluded his statement, Saunji asked with a subtle and rather sad tone, " Am I troublesome?"
Takumi was stunned by his colleague's question. When the latter uttered once more, " Do you find me troublesome?" Takumi didn't know how to react or what to say.
" If I'm being a nuisance, you can just me straight out. You don't have to mind my feelings."
Retorting, Takumi expressed himself and said, " You're not troublesome and I wasn't referring to you."
Slightly happy about Takumi's response, Saunji uttered, " If you don't find me troublesome, can we get acquainted with each other?"