Uncle Hikigaya is Forever Young [71]

Truth be told, Deputy Chief Editor Machida held a lofty—even aloof—position in the eyes of most authors.

After all, she was attractive, talented, and exuded the distinctive charm of a professional woman.

Whenever most authors mentioned Editor Machida, it was always with a tone of pure admiration mingled with a healthy dose of reverence, seemingly forgetting she was nearly a thirty-two-year-old spinster.

Even if someone remembered, they wouldn't dare mention it face-to-face, instead frequently flattering her with comments like, “You look wonderful, Machida-san!”

That Machida-san had yet to find a suitable man probably had something to do with all the sugary flattery she'd swallowed over the years.

Recently, however, she'd become somewhat aware of this fact—

The reason I can’t find a boyfriend… is obviously all these damn pigeons’ fault!

...

While lost in thought, Machida-san saw the man across from her gently extend his right hand, palm upward, instantly giving off an easygoing feeling.

Is he… trying to shake hands?

Right, right!

It’s our first meeting after all!

Thus, Machida Sonoko, the unmarried woman of a certain age, reached out and clasped hands with Hikigaya Ryōhei.

Wah, wah!

Is my palm sweaty? Will he laugh at me for being nervous?

Machida-san’s mind raced through several thoughts in just a heartbeat.

She felt her hand being gently grasped, then lightly shaken two or three times, almost as if matching the pounding rhythm of her heartbeat.

Of course, Machida had met plenty of men before, and shaking hands over meals was hardly unusual, but somehow this time was… different.

How exactly, she couldn’t quite say.

Before she could analyze the sensation clearly, Ryōhei had already let go of her hand.

Somewhat embarrassed, she withdrew her hand and placed it back on her thigh.

And then, she just froze up, smiling awkwardly.

Fortunately, she had Mrs. Miura as her wingwoman. For the next few minutes, pouring tea, ordering dishes, and asking after Hikigaya Ryōhei’s recent life helped Machida avoid an awkward silence.

Machida-san silently cursed herself. Clearly, she'd taken this matchmaking dinner seriously, yet when it came time to shine, she faltered.

In the past few years, she'd handled matchmaking arranged by her mother just fine—hadn’t she?

Heck, she'd even chased off several candidates with her words alone!

“Ryōhei, you haven’t taught much before, right? Is everything going well at Sōbu High now?”

When Miura Fusako saw Machida's foolish expression today, she immediately guessed the woman would drop the ball.

But this was actually good—it meant this idiot genuinely wanted to marry, and her first impression of Ryōhei wasn’t bad!

Mrs. Miura had plenty of experience as a wingwoman dating back to her teenage years. Back then, her girlfriends often dragged her along precisely because she was famously eager to meddle—no, rather, she was a person of integrity, helpful and righteous!

“It’s going alright. At first, I had to spend time getting familiar with the textbooks, but things are gradually getting smoother. By the way, Machida-san, where do you currently work?”

Hikigaya Ryōhei and Mrs. Miura were conversing like mature adults fully aware of the matchmaking scenario.

Both knew clearly: matchmaking was matchmaking!

First meetings inevitably meant small talk—not aimless chatting, but focused on basic topics like personal backgrounds and worldviews.

If things clicked, there’d be a second time; if not, it ended there—no awkwardness necessary.

Machida-san, however, seemed a bit stiff. She’d originally thought they’d chat about politics, trending topics, or recent films—interesting subjects like that.

She still didn't grasp that matchmaking wasn't a casual encounter.

Conversations here were meant to gauge compatibility, not to wander aimlessly around pointless subjects.

But since she’d been asked—and Mrs. Miura was jabbing her thigh—she reluctantly began giving her best self-introduction.

Feeling nervous, she recited stiffly, as if reading from a résumé, “Um… I work at Fujikawa Fantastic Bunko as an editor. Currently, I'm Deputy Chief Editor. This year, I’m thirty—ouch!”

Machida-san nearly blurted out her age and hastily bit her tongue.

Miura Fusako felt a rush of secondhand embarrassment.

Machida Sonoko, you're thirty-two, aren't you?

It was just matchmaking; how could she perform so badly?

They were adults! At this age, matchmaking meant laying out conditions clearly—forming a partnership if possible, or at least gaining another acquaintance if not.

Wasn’t that enough?

Did Machida want to make up for missed classes from her youth and experience some youthful romance now?

On the other hand, Ryōhei’s behavior was impeccable, calm, and confident, giving Mrs. Miura a newfound appreciation for him.

As a housewife, she hadn't met Ryōhei much in recent years, so she had initially worried he might resist matchmaking.

After all, he’d once been so infatuated with that Tōma Kazusa woman!

Aside from her looks, what exactly was so great about that woman anyway?

Miura Fusako had assumed Ryōhei would need at least a year or two to recover.

“Haha, Machida-san, there’s no need to be so tense. Speaking of editing, when I was younger, I almost joined a publishing house myself. Unfortunately, I didn’t pass the final round of interviews.”

Just as Mrs. Miura was about to intervene on Machida’s behalf, Ryōhei proactively smoothed the atmosphere.

“Really? Ahh, I honestly regret becoming an editor these days. All my authors are pigeons! Most of them are completely useless! Only one or two have any real talent! But generally speaking, the talented ones won’t listen, and those who listen have no talent—it's exhausting!”

Speaking about her profession finally sparked a glow in Machida's eyes, her words tumbling out in a rush.

She certainly wasn't shy; she just hadn’t known how to open the conversation. Once opened, however...

For Ryōhei’s part, he wasn't truly looking for a life partner immediately. But he wasn't a young kid anymore, nor like Machida-san, whose age advanced while her heart stayed young, so he had no strong opinions about matchmaking.

Just a meal, just passing time.

And judging by first impressions, Machida Sonoko was indeed quite eye-catching.

Ryōhei found Miss Editor’s manner of speaking straightforward, her voice pleasing to the ear.

Considering she was friends with Fusako, she must be around thirty, yet dressed younger than her years.

Her skin was notably fair, her short black hair stylishly glossy, and she had a pair of seductive cherry lips with a particularly graceful outline.

Her figure wasn't bad either—those ample curves gently rising beneath her lace blouse… had she intentionally worn a smaller bra?

She was really going all-out for matchmaking!

“The economy isn’t great lately. The publishing industry is facing a harsh winter. Paper book readers are already dwindling, and sales keep dropping… Speaking of which, Hikigaya-san, are there fewer students at your school now?”

Machida-san couldn't stop talking once she got onto professional matters, though at least she knew how to engage in interaction.

“Well, children still need schooling, after all!”

“Ah, true! Being a teacher sounds wonderful!”

Ryōhei didn't mind chatting and dining with a woman like this. Of course, at this point, it was merely courtesy—not like he’d fallen for her immediately. He wasn't some impulsive kid.

Rationally, though, he felt Machida-san seemed to have a favorable impression of him.

It wasn’t ego talking, but experience.

Ryōhei knew from experience that whether matchmaking would work depended entirely on the look in the other's eyes at the first meeting.

If their gaze was calm and passive—no chance.

If calm yet active—they recognized your good points.

And if their eyes were shining brightly, filled with enthusiasm… just like this Editor-san right now…

---

A/N: I’ve already resigned myself to matchmaking!

This is a fan translation of 比企谷大叔永远年轻 by Stargazer All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!