Sui and his companions stayed in Megumi's hometown for five days. Initially, Sui had planned to return to school as soon as possible, but the townspeople were so welcoming that they decided to extend their stay.
During these days, Sui and Megumi acted as though they had forgotten what happened that night, interacting just like before.
"Leaving already? The vacation isn't over yet. Why not stay a few more days?" Masako said, sending them off at the station with a hint of reluctance in her voice.
"It's not good to keep imposing on you," Sui replied with an awkward laugh.
The main reason for his hasty departure was that Megumi's family, especially her mother, seemed to treat him like a future son-in-law. They were overly enthusiastic, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Not at all. You've been helping at the restaurant every day, and it's us who should be embarrassed," Masako said with a smile.
"Exactly! If you leave, we won't know how to face our customers," one of the uncles added.
With Sui, Sōma, and the others helping out in the kitchen, the restaurant had been thriving. The customers were full of praise for the food they made, and now, seeing them leave, the locals felt a pang of regret.
"Please visit often when you have time," Megumi's grandfather waved and smiled warmly.
"Of course, we will," Sui replied.
"Then we'll be off. Take care, everyone," Megumi said, bowing to her family.
"Wait a moment," Masako suddenly remembered something and hurried over to Sui. She handed him a red talisman and said, "This is for good luck in your studies."
Sui took the talisman and noticed the six characters "Academic Achievement Amulet" written on it. It looked familiar—he remembered Megumi had a similar one.
Did they really see him as their future son-in-law? This thought left him feeling quite helpless.
"Hey, is this...?" Yoshino and the others were surprised.
"I think Megumi has one just like this, doesn't she?" Sōma scratched his head.
"Ah, Megumi's mother specially went to the shrine yesterday to get it," her grandfather explained with a smile.
Megumi's cheeks turned crimson with embarrassment. She knew what her mother's gesture meant and stole a glance at Sui.
"Auntie, that's not fair! Why don't we get one?" Yoshino playfully complained.
"Haha, don't worry, everyone gets one too," Masako laughed gently and then handed out three identical talismans to the others.
Then, she took Sui's talisman and, with her own hands, placed it around his neck.
"Though I have no objections to your relationship, you're all still young and should focus on your studies. Once you graduate, I won't stand in your way," Masako said with a gentle smile as she straightened Sui's collar, treating him as if he were her own son.
Sui felt even more helpless. Although Sōma and the others had also received talismans, it felt like his was specially prepared for him.
Over the past few days, Masako had been exceptionally kind and gentle to him, making him feel a mix of gratitude and guilt.
"Mom..." Megumi's face was burning as she listened to her mother. She wanted to say something, but she was too embarrassed to speak.
Sui also felt a sense of shame. How could he possibly explain to Megumi's mother that it had all been a misunderstanding and that he had accidentally shared an intimate moment with her daughter?
However, he put the amulet under his shirt and said, "Thank you, Auntie."
Masako smiled and said, "Young people should focus on their studies. Work hard."
At this moment, the train arrived at the station.
"Well, we'll be going now. Take care, everyone," Megumi waved goodbye.
Everyone boarded the train together.
As the train started moving, Sui looked out the window and saw Masako and the others still standing in front of the station, waving them off.
"Sui-kun, would you like some tea?" Megumi approached with a cup of tea in her hands.
"Ah, thank you, Megumi." Sui quickly took the cup, and in the process, their hands briefly touched. Her hand was soft, smooth, and warm.
Megumi's face instantly turned bright red, and she scurried away like a startled rabbit.
Reflecting on what had transpired between them, Sui couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
He realized he was still too indecisive when it came to relationships. He felt guilty thinking about how kindly Megumi's mother had treated him, viewing him as her future son-in-law, but he couldn't make any promises to Megumi.
On the other side, Megumi was also holding her own amulet, staring at it blankly.
"Am I really going to have to marry Sui-kun? But what about Miss Erina?" she murmured to herself, feeling conflicted.
——
After several hours of travel, they finally arrived back at Totsuki Academy.
"Ah, I'm so glad to be back! It feels like home!" Yoshino exclaimed, stretching her arms wide and breathing in deeply.
"Sui-kun, we'll head off now. We have some unpacking to do," Megumi said with a smile.
"Alright, see you later," Sui replied, waving them off.
He had already exchanged messages with Erina earlier that morning and now missed her dearly.
"Remember to bring Erina to the Polar Star Dormitory when you have time," Ryoko suggested, brushing her hair behind her ear with a smile.
"Sure," Sui nodded, then made his way to Erina's residence.
As soon as he entered, he was surrounded by his Pokémon—Miltank, Chansey, and several others—who rubbed against him affectionately, like puppies welcoming their owner home.
"Haha, you guys are so sweet," Sui said, patting their heads gently.
Before leaving for the exam, he had made sure to leave enough food for them. They weren't ordinary pets; they were smart and could take care of themselves.
"Sui, you're back?" came a delighted voice, and Erina appeared in the doorway, dressed in comfortable home clothes. She looked at him, her eyes shining with joy.
"Yes, I'm back," Sui replied, smiling.
"You must be tired. Come in," Erina said, quickly fetching a pair of slippers for him. She squatted down to help him change his shoes.
"Huh?" Sui was taken aback. Erina was being unusually attentive, and it made him feel a bit uneasy.