Chapter 8: The Revelation of Our Relationship

Scene 1: Akari and the Shimizus

Just then, Sora and Daichi approached the Shimizus. The sisters were so concentrated that they didn't even notice them. Daichi tapped Asuka on the shoulder; she turned her head to see who it was and got such a scare her heart almost jumped out of her chest. Nervous, Asuka said: —Hey Daichi, what are you doing here? —She started playing with her hair out of nervousness because she had been caught spying.

When Natsuki and Suki heard Asuka talking to Daichi, they froze in terror, knowing they had been found. They turned around slowly. Meanwhile, Daichi answered her: —Nothing much, we saw you guys were at the plaza and decided to come over. Since Kouta was going to be around here too, it seemed strange that you were at the same plaza. By the way, where is Himari?

Natsuki thought: "Did Kouta tell them?". Suki said in her thoughts: "They already caught us spying." Immobilized, Asuka didn't know how to respond, so to try to get out of trouble and keep them from finding out, she said while scratching her head out of nervousness: —We came shopping. It's a plaza we visit often.

Sora had already realized Asuka was lying and told her directly: —By the way, my mom wanted to meet you. —All three of them were left with a look that said (We're in trouble now), while asking themselves: "Mom?".

To fix the situation, Asuka bowed her head to Sora and Daichi as an apology and said: —I'm sorry, we were keeping an eye on Himari. —The moment she said "Himari," she realized she had given herself away. Suki thought to herself: "You just blew our cover Asuka, you just had to say it," while facepalming.

Akari stepped in front of them and greeted them: —Good morning, young ladies, I'm Akari, the Yoshida boys' mother. They had told me so much about you, and now that they saw you at the plaza, I asked if I could meet you. I apologize if I scared you; I just wanted to know who my son Kouta was going out with.

Suki stepped forward and greeted her: —Good morning, Mrs. Yoshida. It's a pleasure to meet you. Right now my sister isn't here, but it's true that she is with your son Kouta. I see you want to get to know us, so please feel free to ask whatever you need to know.

Akari began asking them questions about themselves. Watching them from a distance, her husband Kenji wondered: "What could be going on?" What Kouta and Himari didn't know was that, at that very moment, their future with their families was being decided.

Scene 2: Probability

Meanwhile, Kouta and Himari were enjoying a delicious lunch akin to a Mexican tasting menu, chatting about various things. Just then, Himari felt intrigued as a question crossed her mind about whether he was seeing another girl.

She occasionally watches different anime shows and has seen that the famous "harems" often form. She didn't want to be part of one, believing that shared love doesn't exist because, in the end, one girl would always be favored over another.

So, feeling nervous, she summoned the courage to ask Kouta before letting her hopes get any higher: —Forgive me for asking this, Kouta, but... do you currently have a girlfriend?

Kouta froze, feeling nervous and tense at the question as memories of Itsuki and their relationship—which had ended terribly—came rushing back. That joy he was feeling suddenly turned into internal sadness and pain, so he answered, tense and solemn: —Of course not, Himari. Two years ago, I had a girlfriend named Itsuki, but it didn't turn out the way I expected.

Kouta stood up while clutching his shirt as if an insect had bitten him, saying: —Give me a moment. —She replied: —Yes, of course. —He headed to the men's restroom while she remained seated, finishing her lunch while wondering to herself: "Now what did I do?", "Did he have a really bad experience with that Itsuki?", "If I ever become his girlfriend someday, I hope he doesn't remember me the way he remembers her if we end up breaking up."

Inside the men's restroom, he leaned against the sink and stared into the mirror with a look lost in thought. Then, he prayed to God: "I know You gave me that past so I could change; however, it is so painful. But I know You sometimes set very difficult trials for Your children, so thank You for allowing me to have that experience—I was on the brink of losing myself forever."

Afterward, he told himself: "I can't keep Himari waiting any longer." He washed his hands and stepped out of the restroom to return to his table. When he got back, a worried Himari asked him: —Is everything okay, or was my question uncomfortable? —He calmly replied: —Everything's fine, I just felt like an insect was inside my clothes. —He didn't want to tell her anything more about Itsuki.

Akari was still talking with the Shimizus. After asking them various questions, she saw that they were good girls and felt much more at ease regarding her son. The Shimizus had calmed down too, clearing away the tense atmosphere that had built up earlier.

Kenji looked at his watch, saw the time, and was surprised by how much time had already passed, so he decided to head over to his wife. Ren grabbed his dad's arm and said in a steady, calm voice: —Let Mom stay with them so she can feel relieved. I'll send Sora a text to let him know we'll be at the electronics store so we can entertain ourselves looking around for a bit. —Kenji wrapped an arm around him and whispered: —Thanks for looking out for her!

Aquí tienes la traducción de la Escena 3 al inglés estadounidense con un tono natural, fluido y expresivo, manteniendo estrictamente todas tus reglas de formato (guiones largos — para diálogos, comillas " para pensamientos y paréntesis () para aclaraciones) y respetando sin cambios todos los nombres personales, lugares y marcas tal como los escribiste (Aoi Ishikawa, Akari, Asuka, Daichi, Himari, Kouta, Lined, Natsuki, Ren, Sakura, Shimizu, Sora, Suidobashi, Suki, Tako Beru, Yoshida):