Volume 6 Chapter 4

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Edited by Kashima

♥

First week of October.

The lingering summer heat is now completely gone, and it has become a completely comfortable season.

It’s been a month since the start of our unexpected life together.

I would say that this month has flown by.

It went flying by… but I would say it’s been a very intense month.

Passionate.

Special, even.

This went for both my daily life with Takkun and my life at work, they were fulfilling and busy.

…Yes. Really.

Like, really really.

I’ve been doing my job properly.

I worked almost all weekdays and even the weekends.

I didn’t come to Tokyo to just play around.

I didn’t come to flirt around with Takkun…!

I left my family behind and came here to make sure the anime adaptation of the work I manage becomes a success!

‘I Want to be Your Childhood Friend’

Commonly abbreviated as ‘Kimiosa.’

I have several other jobs to work on, but my main job right now is related to the Kimiosa anime.

I participate in meetings with the people involved in the anime to discuss things like the script and plan sale strategies to go along with the anime.

Since I’ve mainly worked remotely, this is all new to me, but at the same time, it’s also the job I’ve always wanted to do.

I’ve been living a very fulfilling life if I do say so myself, both personally and professionally.

“…So I was thinking of doing this to increase the sales of the novel as well as the manga.”

“Yeah, I like it. Very interesting indeed.”

Friday afternoon.

In one of the conference rooms at LightShip.

Oinomori-san and I were talking about a promotional plan for ‘Kimiosa.’

“Everything is fine as long as you pay attention to the two points I told you about. Keep up the good work.”

“Understood. I’ll let the editorial department know.”

I wrote down the contents of the discussion on my laptop.

After placing the documents on the table, Oinomori-san gave me a languid look.

“Do you have a script reading today, Katsuragi-kun?”

“Yeah, at three.”

“Seems you’ve got a lot on your plate. Are you sure you aren’t working yourself too hard?”

“I’m fine. I will admit it was a little tough at first, but I’ve gotten used to it. Everyone’s nice and helpful. Besides…”

“Besides?”

“While I am busy… I’m also having a lot of fun giving it my all,” I said. “Until now, I had to reject a lot of jobs that I wanted to do. I’ve had to prioritize my role as a mother to Miu since she was little over my professional life.”

“…”

“Ah! But it’s not like I hated doing it! I made the decision of becoming her mother and I’m proud of it. I don’t know if I’m explaining myself well…”

“No, I get what you mean.”

Oinomori-san gave a thin smile.

A sarcastic, yet lonely smile at the same time.

“The tough choice women have to make… Choose between their jobs or the kids,” she said, narrowing her eyes and looking into the distance. “Well, I’m just glad you’re having fun. Keep working to your heart’s content.”

She gave her usual cynical smile and continued. 

“Yup, I’m glad to hear you’re having a fulfilling personal and professional life. You’re doing the job you want to do and living with a boyfriend you love… Hey, isn’t this all thanks to my schemes?”

“…”

I didn’t want to say anything, so I silently averted my face.

I wonder what this is.

Actually, what she said is right. I’m having fun at work and my relationship with Takkun is going well. I’d definitely say I’m happy overall.

Had it turned into a long distance relationship, I’m sure we would’ve run into a lot more problems.

If I had to say whether or not this was all thanks to Oinomori-san’s schemes, I would admit it, and I should be grateful about that… but, I don’t know…

I don’t want to thank her to her face.

There’s a part of me that’s not satisfied with that.

“…Well then, I need to go to the script reading.”

“Ah, hold on a moment.”

Oinomori-san stopped me as I was about to leave.

Then she pulled out a neatly wrapped small box from her bag.

“Tomorrow is your birthday, right? We won’t see each other tomorrow, so I wanted to give it to you now. Happy birthday.”

“…Whoa. Thank you so much.”

I thanked her and accepted the small box she handed me.

My name’s Ayako Katsuragi.

3X years old.

On my birthday tomorrow, I will finally be 3X years old.

“It’s been a while since I’ve given you something in person, hasn’t it?”

“Right, it’s been years… Whoa, fancy chocolates… Thanks for everything.”

Oinomori-san gives birthday gifts to her employees every year.

Even when I worked remotely in the Tohoku region, she used to send me high-end sweets every year through home delivery.

What a nice boss.

…Yeah, she’s a good person… Probably…

At heart… very deep at heart… Yeah.

“You’re turning 3X years old, right, Katsuragi-kun?”

“…Please don’t say it out loud. At my age, birthdays aren’t exactly a very joyous occasion anymore.”

This has been especially true after I turned 30.

The birthdays I used to look forward to as a child are now miserable events haunting me.

It’s not that I’m not happy, but the day comes with a sense of miserableness and fatigue.

Ah, I feel like… I’m getting older again…

“I forgot that my birthday is tomorrow, though I never forget Miu’s birthday.”

“That sounds very much like you, Katsuragi-kun. But this year is a little different from usual, isn’t it?” Oinomori-san said with a wry smile. “After all, it’s the birthday you share with your beloved boyfriend.”

“…”

Ah, she’s right.

This birthday will be different from the others.

It’s the first birthday I’m sharing with Takkun.

“It’s your special day, have him spoil you rotten. Birthdays only come once a year, and it’s the one day where girls can be princesses.”

“…I don’t think you could call me a girl or a princess at my age.”

“Don’t mind the details,” Oinomori-san said, laughing heartily. 

I let out a sigh… But deep in my heart, anticipation was starting to build up.

How long has it been since I looked forward to my own birthday?

♥

I came to Tokyo with the intention of living together and supporting Ayako-san, but that’s not all.

There are things I have to do for my own future and professional career.

LiliSTART.

An up-and-coming venture company that mainly deals with web services and app development.

It’s run by an acquaintance of Oinomori-san, and I’m interning there for three months.

It may not have the same hours or workload as a full-time employee, but work is work. I’m getting college credit for it and even paid.

More importantly, I got this internship through a connection.

I need to work better than the others so that I don’t tarnish Oinomori-san’s good name, who introduced me to the company.

Well.

I say others, but there was only one more university student interning at this company at the same time as me.

As a side note, this other intern just happened to be a high school classmate of mine. Crazy coincidence.

“…Hey Takumi-kun, do you think it’s absurd?”

Friday.

Lunchtime at a café.

I was working at LiliSTART today as usual.

Morning work was over and I was now on my lunch break.

I was eating with the other intern.

“Hmm… Y-Yeah?”

I gave a vague reply while looking at the person sitting in front of me.

Arisa Odaki.

She was a high school classmate of mine and had gone to a university in Tokyo after.

And now she’s interning at LiliSTART just like me.

We weren’t just classmates so to speak… But we weren’t quite ex-lovers either.

It’s kind of hard to explain, but we had to pretend to be lovers for a while due to some circumstances, but she confessed to me afterwards… Well, all of that is settled now.

I told Ayako-san everything and it’s all cleared up.

Now we’re just friends and fellow interns.

That said… Maybe we shouldn’t be having lunch together like this… But I stopped worrying too much about it.

I sent Ayako-san a message about it.

I explained to her that Odaki had invited me to lunch today and that I would be eating with her.

Ayako-san didn’t mind either. She seemed to be quite relieved after finding out Odaki had a boyfriend.

And…

The reason she had called me for lunch was to talk about said boyfriend.

“It’s absurd… Absurd I tell you,” Odaki said, looking upset. “For starters, how absurd is it that he can’t put down the toilet seat properly?! He says he does, but he always leaves it a little bit up! It’s absurd, right? Like, if you’re going to the bathroom, you are meant to fully put it down, right?”

“I-I guess?”

“And you want to know something else? I thought it was weird how fast he came out after flushing… but to my surprise, he only washes his right hand! Only his right hand! When I asked him about it, he said ‘Well, I’m only touching the dirty parts with my right hand.’ Like, that’s not how someone washes their hands, you know? Am I the weird one here or do all men do this? Hey, Takumi-kun, do you only wash one hand yourself?”

“No, I wash both hands properly…”

I was getting overwhelmed by the increasingly angrier Odaki.

Even though we were done eating, I don’t think it is appropriate to talk about restrooms out loud in the middle of a place where people eat… But I couldn’t quite voice my opinion in this situation.

Odaki seemed to have been dating her boyfriend for about two years now.

They were thinking about living together soon… But while they stayed at each other’s houses, she gathered a few complaints about her partner.

“I don’t know what to call him other than sloppy. Last time he stayed at my house, it was garbage day, so I asked him to take it out… But all he did was take out the trash bag and called it a day. You would normally put a new trash bag in the can, right? You’re meant to do both.

“I-I guess.”

“When I complained about it, he retorted with ‘I did what you told me to. If you want me to put a trash bag, then say it and I’ll do it’…! Argh, this is so frustrating! Are all men like this? Do you also do this, Takumi-kun?”

“No, I always put a new bag there. If anything, it’s Ayako-san who forgets and I put a new one when I notice.”

“…Oh, really?” Odaki heaved a big sigh. “You’re perfect, Takumi-kun, like the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. Should I go out with you instead?”

“…You what now?”

“Ahaha, I’m kidding. I know you have a wonderful girlfriend.”

After laughing lightly, her expression returned to one of dissatisfaction and anxiety.

“I’m getting a little worried though. We’re looking for an apartment to live in… But I don’t know if we’ll be able to get along like this.”

“…You’ll be fine,” I said.

I didn’t have any basis to say that, I just had a feeling.

“Well, you’ll understand once you live together. If anything, I’m jealous of you.”

“Jealous of what?”

“How to say it… You don’t have to put up a front.”

“…”

“Ayako-san and I did the opposite. We were too mindful of the other at the beginning, forcing ourselves to be the perfect couple for the other and there were very few moments where we could let our guard down around the other. That’s what I mean.”

I think a big part of the reason that we did all of that was because we started living together right after we began dating.

We were nervous out of our minds since this was our first, and then we were thrown into an apartment to live together.

Both of us were so afraid of being disliked by the other that we were too reserved to say what we wanted.

“Well, we’ve gotten used to each other by now, so we’re living a lot more naturally.”

“Hmm, I see. So it depends on the couple.”

Well yeah.

It depends on a lot of things.

Moreover, we’re a couple with a ten year age difference, which is quite the unusual relationship in the eyes of the public.

The typical views about love don’t apply to everyone.

It’s up to each couple to gradually find their own way.

“…Ah, speaking of which,” said Odaki, after finishing the water in her glass, as if she had remembered something. “Ayako-san’s birthday is coming soon, right?”

“Yeah, it’s tomorrow.”

“Oh, interesting. Are you thinking of doing something?”

“Of course,” I said. “In fact, I’ve already prepared a little surprise.”

♥

“…I-I’m beat.”

It was past seven in the evening.

I passed the entrance of the apartment and dragged my feet towards the elevator.

I’m tired.

Really tired today.

I thought I was getting used to the script readings, but it seems like they’re still taking a toll on me. Today’s meeting took an hour longer than scheduled, which, in a certain way, was just as scheduled.

These long meetings are mentally exhausting.

“I’m beat… I’m starving…”

Groaning, I left the elevator for my unit.

Takkun was at his internship today, but he is already back. According to his message, dinner was also ready.

I felt sorry towards my wonderful boyfriend.

But, well… I shouldn’t feel too bad about it.

It’s too tiring to be reserved, so let’s just appreciate Takkun’s kindness here and let him spoil me.

Besides…

It’s my birthday tomorrow!

Meaning that… I can let him spoil me rotten every once in a while!

Even Oinomori-san said so… And…

It’s only here in Tokyo that we can spoil and pamper each other. Once we go back, we won’t be spending nearly as much time together.

“…Alright.”

After I made up my mind, I reached for the front door.

Alright, I’ll let him spoil me!

I don’t care how old I am! I’ll let Takkun spoil me rotten this weekend!

I’ll enjoy my birthday as if I were a princess!

“Takkun, I’m home! Ayako-chan’s back!

Right after opening the door, I immediately switched gears.

Doing things halfway through would be more embarrassing!

If I’m going to act spoiled, then I very well will act as such!

If I’m going to act lovestruck, then I very well will act as such!

Variation is important!

“Ah geez, I’m so~ve~ry~ti~red~. Ayako-chan’s worked too hard and is too tired. I can’t move anymore!” I said in a spoiled voice lying down in the doorway without even taking off my shoes. “Gee, this is awful! I don’t even have the energy to take off my shoes! Takkun, come take off my shoes. Ta~ke~them~off~! Take off my shoes and my tights!”

I complained, flailing my arms and legs wildly.

“Haa, I can’t take it anymore. I don’t want to do aaanything! I’ve decided not to do anything else today! You do everything, Takkun! Come carry me in your arms like a princess.”

…Did I overdo it?

No!

Not at all!

Today’s special!

After all, it’s my birthday tomorrow!

I’m a princess this weekend!

“Ayako-chan can’t take off her clothes on her own! Come help take them off, Takkun. Take off my suit and underwear! Ufufufu… You’re happy about it, aren’t you? I can tell because you’re a pervert~. A per~vert~.”

Ah, what is this?

I’m gradually getting less embarrassed about it.

This is so fun. Getting spoiled is fun!

“Fufufu~. Do you want to take a bath together again? I can’t wash my body on my own, so I need you to do it for me~. I need a full body wash~. In exchange… I could wash you too. From~top~to~bottom~!”

…I think that I’m losing my princess character here… but that’s fine.

It’s just us two in the house.

It’s not like anyone else will see or hear this!

“Geez, what are you doing Takkun? Come quickly and carry me~ I want you to carry and play with me~. I want to flirt with you lots and lots… I don’t wanna be alone, don’t wanna, don’t wanna!”

I was getting impatient since he wasn’t coming over to carry me fast enough, and I was flailing around like a five-year-old that didn’t get a toy she wanted from the store—

Until, at last, I heard a noise from the back of the room.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer.

There he comes.

I couldn’t wait anymore. I wanted to see how Takkun would react when he saw me acting so spoiled. Well, I was sure he would accept me like this and spoil me rotten.

However.

The moment I looked up, my excited heart was instantly thrown into despair.

“…Mom.”

I doubted my eyes.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I didn’t want to believe it.

I thought it was a dream, I wanted it to be a dream.

I would’ve gladly taken on a 500 million yen loan if this would become a dream.

But… Regardless of how many times I blinked or rubbed my eyes, the face looking at me never changed.

“…Mi-Mi-Mi-Mi…u…?”

It was Miu.

What came out of the back of the room was my dear daughter.

She looked down on me, who was lying down on her back in the doorway without even taking off her shoes, with a face that seemed as if she had gathered all the sorrow and despair in the world within her.

I wonder what she’s feeling.

What’s going through the mind of a teenager after witnessing her over 30-year-old mother lying on the ground, referring to herself as Ayako-chan, flailing around and saying she wants to have sex with her boyfriend in the bath?

I was paralyzed, as if I had been tied up.

I felt all the blood in my body had been drained and I almost fainted.

Reuniting with my beloved daughter for the first time in a month had turned into a hellish situation.

The room was filled with nasty mood.

An air of complete awkwardness.

Miu and I sat across each other at the kitchen table.

But neither of us… even tried to make eye contact with the other.

“…Well, that’s the gist of it. Yeah, Taku-nii invited me over, so I came in secret. Since tomorrow’s your birthday, he wanted the three of us to spend the day together.”

“…O-Oh, did he…?”

“…I declined at first, but Taku-nii insisted I should be here too. He wanted this all to be a surprise, so neither of us told you about it…”

“…I-I see.”

“And Taku-nii… He went out to buy some salad dressing, since you ran out.”

“…S-So that’s why.”

We both kept our heads down and awkwardly talked with one another.

At any rate, I now understood why Miu was here.

This was all part of Takkun’s plan.

Seemed to be a surprise to celebrate my birthday.

I guess he thought I should spend my birthday with my daughter and that us three should celebrate together. Yeah, that’s something Takkun would do.

But… But, you know, Takkun…

Can I tell you just one thing?

I know none of this is your fault, but can I tell you just one thing?

Do you see what you’ve cauuuuseeeeddd?!

“…”

“…”

After a brief explanation of the situation, we both fell silent again.

This is harsh.

And way too awkward to the point that I want to throw up.

What kind of situation is this?!

This is one of the most embarrassing blunders of my life!

I can’t believe my daughter saw me acting like that…!

Ah, geez… I want to die… I want to die from embarrassment.

What kind of face should I make as her mother from now on…?

“…Um, mom.”

Perhaps unable to bear with the silence, Miu opened her mouth.

“N-No matter what… you’ll always be my mom.”

“…Don’t give me such a strained smiiileeee…!”

A smile so strained I could almost hear the creaking!

She’s trying really hard to make me feel better!

Trying to wrap me up with as much kindness as possible!

“I-It’s fine… I’ll forget everything that happened today. Yup… I’ll pretend nothing happened. Now we can continue having a normal mother-daughter relationship… On the surface.”

“What do you mean on the surface?!”

Can we really not go back to normal anymore?!

Was this so bad that it’s destroyed the relationship we’ve built over the last decade?!

“U-Uuuuuhh… Stop it, Miu. You don’t need to be so oddly kind with me. Go on, tease me. Make fun of me and laugh as you always do…”

“…I can’t. I can’t even laugh at this situation even if I wanted to,” said Miu with a fully disheartened expression, erasing her forced smile. “I don’t know how to deal with such an abomination of a mother…”

“A-Abomination…?”

“Rather… I’m the one who wants to cry. If anything, I’m the victim here. This is a lifelong trauma.”

“Ugh…”

I couldn’t say anything back…

She was right, the victim here was Miu.

If my own mother had done something like that in the doorway… I would’ve reevaluated my relationship with my family.

“I never thought you and Taku-nii were acting like a disgusting couple of idiots while living together…”

“Y-You got it wrong! I don’t ever do this! Today was just because… uh… B-Because tomorrow is my birthday…”

“So what if tomorrow is your birthday?”

“Since it was my birthday… I thought he would be fine tending to my every request, so I figured it was okay to behave like that… Yes…”

I-It’s useless.

I have no excuses for this.

None of this justified it.

I was so scared of Miu’s cold stare that I unconsciously started sounding more polite.

Ah… Why did this have to happen?

The contempt and pity in her eyes while she looked at me hurt…

I may have lost my dignity as a mother forever. In the future, if Miu makes a mistake and I try to reprimand her, she can always cite this incident as a way to shut me up…!

It’s over.

I’m done as a mother…

“…Haaa…”

While I was self-pitying, Miu let out a big sigh in response.

“Well, I don’t really care.”

“Huh…?”

“I was desperate, astonished, speechless, scared, ashamed… I couldn’t stand it any longer so I wanted to die… But then I felt a little relieved.”

“R-Relieved…?”

“Yeah, that you and Taku-nii are getting along well.”

Miu said, smiling.

It was a natural smile, unlike the forced one she had before.

“I was worried about you two still acting like strangers after a month of living together, but it looks like that worry was unnecessary.”

“…”

“If anything, I think you guys are getting along a tad too well. I don’t know how to feel about my own mom calling herself Ayako-chan and acting like a spoiled child…”

“~~! L-Like I said, that was just for today! I don’t usually behave like this! Usually we act more… naturally, like an adult couple would.”

“I don’t mind either way.”

I desperately tried to explain myself, but Miu didn’t take me seriously.

She smiled as if she were convinced.

“After you guys return home, you’ll have to live in different houses for a while, so please enjoy being in your own little world to your heart’s content for as long as you can.”

“Miu…”

I was speechless before her kind tolerant attitude.

Mature and kind as usual.

My daughter was so reliable that I felt like I was losing face as her mother.

“When you come back, you’ll have to take good care of me~.”

“…Don’t get carried away. Speaking of which, how’s your life going at home? You’re helping out grandma and not letting her do everything, right?”

“I am.”

“Are you studying properly?”

“I am.”

“Do you mean it?”

“I do.”

“Do you mind if I confirm that with your grandma?”

“…”

“Why did you get quiet?!”

And while we had our mother-daughter conversation…

“…I’m back. Ah, you’re back, Ayako-san.”

Takkun returned from his shopping trip.

The three of us ate dinner while telling what each of us had been up to.

It had been quite a long time since us three had dinner like this.

We tended to have dinner together with Takkun after he was done with Miu’s tutoring.

“…Ah, geez, that really surprised me,” I said with a sigh, washing the dishes along with Takkun. 

Since Miu was a guest, she didn’t take part in the household chores and instead laid on the sofa playing with her phone. She seems to have started feeling at home quite fast…

“I never thought you would invite Miu without telling me.”

“Sorry, just wanted to surprise you a little.”

Takkun smiled bitterly but looked happy.

He probably thought his surprise was a huge success.

And in all fairness… It certainly was, but I don’t think it was in the way he expected.

But it is indeed a surprise that I will never forget.

A memory that will haunt mother and daughter alike to our graves.

“I really wanted Miu to be here for your birthday, Ayako-san.”

“I-I see.”

I’m glad you feel that way…

But it would’ve been a far less traumatic and happy surprise if I had returned to the apartment as usual and not done anything out of the ordinary!

Wait… Why did I even do that in the first place?

Right… This is all Oinomori-san’s fault.

She’s pure evil…!

“Um… Did you perhaps not like it?” Asked Takkun with an anxious look, probably because of the look of despair on my face as I recalled the tragedy that had occurred just a little while ago. “It’s your first birthday since we’re a couple, so shouldn’t we celebrate it together…? Sorry, I thought about it a lot and…”

“N-No, you’re misunderstanding. It’s not that.”

I denied it in a hurry.

“It’s just that when I opened the door and saw Miu… it was a bit surprising.”

Well, a bit is the understatement of the year here. I was surprised to death.

I was deeply traumatized.

But the more we talked, I gradually…

“I felt… relieved.”

I was relieved.

It was awkward at first, and I wondered what would happen, but as we talked calmly and ate dinner together, I felt my heart settling down.

“I wonder if it’s because I felt guilty. I left her alone to come to Tokyo for my job and live with my boyfriend…”

The more fulfilling the cohabitation life was… the more unsettled I was.

I felt sorry for leaving Miu alone to do whatever I wanted.

I felt bad as a mother.

A sense of guilt stemming from a sense of duty had started to sprout a little in the depths of my heart.

“Well, this is just the way I looked at it. I know that Miu was the one supporting me to come to Tokyo, but I felt bad leaving her alone… I don’t know, maybe I’m not ready to let her leave the nest after all?” I said with a wry smile. “That’s why… I’m really happy that you called her over. With Miu here, I can enjoy my birthday without worries.”

For better or worse, I now realize that I was a mother to the core.

This is not me being arrogant or boastful, I truly think so.

No matter what I do, I always end up thinking about my children first.

That’s how I’ve lived my life for the past ten years ever since I took Miu in.

I don’t think I’m ready to let go of my child just yet.

A woman who thinks like this despite having a boyfriend may be seen well to the eyes of the men in the world.

But…

The person who chose me—And that I chose, was the person that understood my troublesome feelings better than anyone else.

“I’m glad you’re pleased with the surprise.”

Takkun smiled happily.

“Ah, but,” bringing his face close to mine, he whispered in my ear. “We are having a separate celebration after Miu leaves. Just the two of us.”

“…Huh?”

Separate?

Just the two of us?!

“I wasn’t sure if I should have invited Miu and celebrate with us three, or to celebrate by ourselves now that we’re living together… So, after much deliberation, I concluded on doing both.”

“U-Uuhh… Are you sure about having me celebrate twice?”

“Of course, it’s no big deal.”

“But, you know… I’m not so young anymore…”

“I don’t care about your age. I’m doing this because I want to,” he said with a smile.

Ah, geez, what’s with this boyfriend of mine?

Isn’t he a little too perfect?

Is it okay for me to be treated like this?

Thinking about it now… It was wrong of me to try to act all spoiled just because it was my birthday…

Because Takkun will spoil me regardless of the occasion!

He always treats me like a princess!

Ah, this is bliss.

“…Why are you grinning?”

“…?!”

A calm voice from the side brought me to my senses.

Miu, who had come to the kitchen without me noticing, was staring daggers at me.

“M-Miu…”

“It feels as if you two were a newlywed couple. Hurry up and get married soon, will you?”

“H-Hey, what are you saying now? Geez!”

“By the way, Taku-nii,” Miu turned to Takkun, completely ignoring me. “You made a reservation for a nice dinner tomorrow night, right?”

“Yeah…? Wait, I told you not to say anything about that yet…”

“So it’s my turn during the day. I want you both to show me around Tokyo.”

Also ignoring Takkun’s retort, Miu smiled happily.

“I came all the way over here, so I better make the most of it. I want to go to this big CD store in Shibuya that has a huge panel of this boy band I like. I want to go take a picture.”

“Hey, hold on a moment, Miu.”

“What is it?”

“Not Shibuya.”

“Why not?”

“Because Shibuya’s… a city full of partying youngsters. It’s still too early for you to go there.”

“What’s with the prejudice? You’re talking like an auntie from the boonies.”

“Auntie from the boonies…?! Nngh… A-At any rate, we’re not going. I’ve already been there twice or thrice.”

I don’t want Miu to go… Or rather, I’m just a little scared.

Shibuya, a town for youngsters, is a little scary.

Like Kabukicho at night. TL/N: Where the red-light district is located.

Well… Maybe this is how aunties from the boonies think…?

“Let’s discuss where the three of us are going tomorrow. Well, it’s my birthday tomorrow, so I want some preferential treatme—”

“…Ayako-chan.”

“…!”

Miu blurted that out with a displeased look on her face.

With that one line, all blood had drained from me.

“W-W-Wa… M-Miu…”

“What was that about Ayako-chan, Miu?”

“Oh Taku-nii, you gotta hear this. Earlier, mom—”

“Aaahhhh!”

I hurriedly grabbed Miu, covered her mouth and desperately tried to appeal to her in a whisper.

“S-Stop that, Miu… This is a secret. What happened earlier stays between us!”

“Then, Shibuya.”

“…F-Fine, I’ll take you there.”

“I want new clothes too.”

“…I’ll buy them.”

“And I want money for my social network games.”

“…Fine, I’ll give it to you.”

“Yahoo! I love you mom!”

Miu, having completely won over during negotiations, shouted in joy and left us alone.

I was so tired that I almost fell on my butt, but I managed to hold on.

“I’m not sure I completely understand what just happened, but are you sure about going to Shibuya tomorrow.”

“…Yes. I’m begging you.”

I weakly nodded.

Good grief.

Mothers are no match for their children after all.

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