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Approval (許し Yurushi) is the second story in Flesh-Colored Horror. It was originally published in Monthly Halloween in 1988.

Plot[]

Kyosuke and Misuzu are a couple that wish to get married. However, Misuzu's father is constantly refusing to allow them to marry. Misuzu's brother, Setsuo, also takes his father's side and tells Kyosuke to stop asking. Frustrated by constantly being rejected, Kyosuke chooses to break up with Misuzu, telling her that he can't go on like this.

At work, Kyosuke begins falling for his friend Yuko, who is sympathetic to his problem. After going out to dinner with her, Kyosuke runs into Setsuo. He tells Kyosuke that he wants him to marry Misuzu. Kyosuke, angry, tells him that he doesn't want to go through with it again. Setsuo gives Kyosuke his father's favorite drink and tells him to try anyway, even if his father says no. Later that night, Misuzu arrives to bring Kyosuke to her house.

At the meeting, her father still refuses to allow them to marry. While outside, Misuzu tells Kyosuke that she still loves him and asks him if he's seeing someone else, as it's been a month. Kyosuke denies that he's seeing anyone, not knowing that Setsuo is spying on them.

Sometime later, Yuko gives Kyosuke a "late Valentine's Day gift". He invites her over to his house for dinner. As they are about to kiss, the doorbell rings. It's Misuzu, coming to bring Kyosuke to her house again. While in the car, she asks him if Yuko is his new girlfriend. Kyosuke tells her that she is and gets out of the cab, telling Misuzu that that he realized that he loves Yuko.

The next day, Kyosuke finds out that Yuko has become ill and hasn't come in. He finds out that she's in the hospital, but when he goes to visit her, he finds out that she has just died. Kyosuke mourns Yuko at home when suddenly, the doorbell rings. Misuzu lets herself in and asks Kyosuke what's wrong. He tells her that Yuko died and both of them stay up the whole night crying.

Thirteen years later, Kyosuke has since gotten back together with Misuzu. However, her father still refuses to allow them to marry. Kyosuke tells him that no matter how old he gets, he will never give up. When he and Misuzu go back to his car, Kyosuke realizes that he left his bag in the house. As he goes to retrieve it, he overhears Setsuo and his father talking. It turns out Misuzu's father is angry that his daughter was "taken away" from him and that he refuses to allow Kyosuke to get what he wants. Angry, Kyosuke runs back to find Misuzu, but sees that she's disappeared.

Sometime later, Kyosuke continues to ask for Misuzu's hand in marriage. He plans to murder Misuzu's father by poisoning his drinks, as once her father is dead, he and Misuzu can marry. Time passes and eventually, her father lays dying in the hospital. On his deathbed, Misuzu's father admits the truth.

Thirteen years ago, Misuzu told her father that her love for Kyosuke was real after they broke up. Her father still denied them permission to marry, which caused Misuzu to commit suicide. When Setsuo began to see her spirit with Kyosuke, her father decided to use the marriage situation as a way to see his dead daughter, as he felt guilty for causing her death. After saying this, he dies.

Kyosuke doesn't believe it, but when he turns around, Misuzu is gone. Kyosuke is reduced to spending all of his time alone in his apartment, wallowing in his misery while Misuzu's ghost visits him every night, telling him that their marriage is now approved.

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