Reviving a whole family inevitably meant making enemies.
To the point that even sitting down for a meal couldn't be done in peace.
In the end, she had no choice but to cook for herselfjust to survive through that period.
Out of curiosity, Yukima Azuma asked another question:
Had she ever cooked for Yukino?
Naturally, the answer was never.
As expected.
Yukino had never once eaten her mother's cooking.
Yet, now tasting it for the first timeshe didn't seem to think it was bad at all.
Seeing how she kept picking at the food non-stop
Yukima Azuma couldn't help but feel, superstition or not, as if there was some kind of "mother-daughter buff" sprinkled in there.
...
After dinner
Yukima Azuma and Yukino left the ryokan again to take a walk in the snow-lit streets.
Then, they returned to their separate rooms.
Just as Yukino had said, the travel today had been tiring
It was time to rest.
Howeverdespite saying that
Once she returned to her room
Yukino stepped in front of the mirror.
Staring at the braid resting over her shoulder.
She unconsciously picked up the backless sweater again.
This time, after a moment's hesitation
Yukino began to change clothes.
She had decided: might as well be the one to make the first move.
(_)
Now that she clearly understood her own desire
Yukino resolved to do what she wanted first.
Everything else that needed thinkingcould wait.
...
Just as she finished changing "battle suit"
Yukino suddenly heard a knock at the door.
With the knocking came the sound of her own heart pounding wildly.
She quickly stepped toward the door.
After taking two deep breaths...
Yukino turned the doorknob, bracing herself for Yukima Azuma's reaction.
But instead
"M-Mother why are you..."
Seeing Mrs. Yukinoshita standing outside the door,
Yukino's eyes widened as she instinctively stepped back two paces.
Her hand tugged lightly at the hem of her sweater.
In truth, Mrs. Yukinoshita herself was feeling extremely conflicted in that moment.
After thinking through countless ways to mend their mother-daughter relationship
She had finally come to knock on the door.
What she didn't expect, however, was that the moment the door opened
She'd see her daughter, who had always been the epitome of poise and discipline, who had only ever "rebelled" once in her entire life, who always took everything seriouslydressed like this.
Granted, from the front, the sweater did appear relatively proper.
But Mrs. Yukinoshita wasn't some out-of-touch older woman who "didn't know how to use the internet."
She had seen this kind of sweater design before.
Yukino had always been a textbook "good girl" since childhood.
For a moment, Mrs. Yukinoshita was taken aback.
( — )
As the initial shock wore off, Yukino began silently backing away.
There was no way she could let this version of herself be exposed today.
She didn't know why her mother suddenly showed up here
But she didn't want to lose ground.
After all, in their previous confrontation, it had been Yukima Azuma who stepped in to help her secure her freedom.
She didn't want Azuma to worry about her anymore.
"Why did you come to see me, Mother?"
Yukino retreated to the table and asked tensely.
Being asked again
Mrs. Yukinoshita seemed to snap out of it.
Seeing her daughter standing there, tensed up and guarded
A sudden wave of sadness washed over her.
(`)
Now that she thought about it, both of her daughters
Always seemed to carry this kind of tension when facing her.
"It's nothing, I just wanted to talk with you a little."
Mrs. Yukinoshita stepped into the room.
She quietly closed the door behind her.
In the enclosed space
Yukino felt even more on edge.
But as she took a closer look at her mother
She couldn't help but feel a bit confused.
Today, Mrs. Yukinoshita seemed lacking something.
Mnnnnnn.... Ahshe was missing that overwhelming aura she usually carried.
" where should we even begin?"
Yukino furrowed her brows slightly.
Mrs. Yukinoshita took a seat at the table.
Yukino followed and sat down as well.
"Have you been doing well lately? Though I suppose I'm not really in a position to ask that."
Mrs. Yukinoshita seemed to be muttering to herself: "Forget it, anywayI just wanted to say I'm sorry."
The moment she heard the word "sorry"
Yukino's eyes widened instantly.
She never imagined
That one day, she would hear such words come from her mother's mouth.
In her mind
Her mother had always been someone who could never be wrong.
Seeing her daughter's stunned expression
Mrs. Yukinoshita let out a long sigh.
"Sigh how do I put this it's fine if you don't forgive me."
"After all, you grew up in the Yukinoshita household."
"If you ever feel like coming back to visit, just come."
"The affairs of the family will no longer have anything to do with you."
That last sentence sounded like a severing of ties
But to Yukino, it didn't feel that way at all.
That she was no longer involved in the Yukinoshita family
In truth, it meant that Mrs. Yukinoshita was completely letting her go.
Even though Yukino had left home
This change in her mother's attitude
Still felt like a dream.
"Why so suddenly" Yukino fumbled, unsure how to even voice the questions stirring in her heart.
Mrs. Yukinoshita only shook her head slightly.
"It's not really that sudden. Anyway you've done very well."
She was someone who valued results above all else.
When Yukino left home, Mrs. Yukinoshita opposed it
Because at the time, she believed that decision wouldn't lead to any worthwhile outcome.
But now that the results had changed
So had her perspective.
In truth, even if Yukima Azuma hadn't invited her here
Mrs. Yukinoshita had long wanted to find a chance to speak with Yukino alone.
Chapter 303: First, how about a loving hug?
Chapter 303: First, how about a loving hug?
The sudden appearance of Mrs. Yukinoshita made Yukino flustered and at a loss.
The words Mrs. Yukinoshita uttered made Yukino even more unsure of what to do.
Even though she carried her own will, Yukino had run away from home.
But it wasn't until Mrs. Yukinoshita spoke up.
Clearly, there had always been a knot in Yukino's heart.
After all, Mrs. Yukinoshita was still Yukino's mother.
And now, whether that knot could be untied or not was still unknown.
But Yukino was obviously falling into slight confusion.
She didn't understand why the mother who had always been like a dictator ever since she was young,
Would suddenly appear in front of her, saying words that sounded like an apology.
After a brief moment of daze, Yukino's train of thought reconnected.
Temporarily setting aside her mother's attitude.
Yukino quickly thought about the fact that Mrs. Yukinoshita's appearance here must have been arranged by Yukima Azuma.
After all, not to mention other things, even the travel destination was only decided by the two of them not long ago.
If Yukima Azuma hadn't informed Mrs. Yukinoshita, clearly, she wouldn't have been able to know.
Thinking about how Yukima Azuma once said he would give her a special gift.
For a moment, Yukino didn't know what kind of expression she should show.
"Could it be that Azuma asked mother to come and apologize to me?"
Yukino's suspicion was spoken in a tone almost like a confirmation.
She was just seeking verification.
"He said you've been smiling too little lately, so he asked me to come help."
"Using contract cooperation and connections as conditions for exchange."
Mrs. Yukinoshita, without any hesitation, sold out Yukima Azuma.
She even recounted it word for word.
However, speaking so clearly conveyed a message.
That was, the apology from Mrs. Yukinoshita was actually something she wanted to say herself.
It wasn't an instruction given by Yukima Azuma.
Yukino's expression continuously shifted.
A boy who could protect her to this extent, even going so far as to threaten her mother.
Regarding this, Yukino only felt deeply touched.
()
At the same time, she also found it a little funny.
Yukino felt that she didn't actually care that much about these things.
After all, there were people and matters in front of her more worthy of concern.
Past matters, it would be better to let them pass.
At least, subjectively, that's what Yukino thought.
But if someone were to capture her face at the moment she encountered Mrs. Yukinoshita...
And show it to Yukino herself, perhaps she would realize that her thoughts and her subconscious were not aligned.
Knowing that her mother came here because of her smile.
Yukino couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed.
The room sank into silence for a moment.
In the end, it was still Yukino who suppressed a laugh and opened her mouth to ask:
"Then... what do you plan to do?"
Being asked what to do, Mrs. Yukinoshita,
For the first time in her life, in front of her own daughter, revealed a bewildered expression.
The beautiful woman lowered her eyes, clearly also thinking about the issue.
Mrs. Yukinoshita, known as the "Witch of Chiba."
Only in this aspect, truly had no experience whatsoever.
Honestly, she really didn't know how to coax children in the past.
In fact, on the way here, Mrs. Yukinoshita had thought of quite a few methods.
For example, she had gone into the kitchen and personally cooked.
But when really facing her daughter, Mrs. Yukinoshita realized that the prepared methods... were rather difficult to carry out.
"First... how about a hug?"
()
In the end, Mrs. Yukinoshita could only awkwardly say that.
Yukino felt that her mother's persona had truly collapsed.
To the point that, right in front of Mrs. Yukinoshita, she almost couldn't help but burst into laughter.
In the past, Yukino would never have dared to casually reveal any expression in front of Mrs. Yukinoshita.
Standing up, Yukino walked toward Mrs. Yukinoshita.
Mrs. Yukinoshita also stood up, hesitantly opening her arms.
It could be seen that the beautiful woman's movements were extremely clumsy.
In the end, it was still Yukino who took the initiative to rush forward and hug her mother.
The stiff arms of Mrs. Yukinoshita also wrapped around her.
Mother and daughter, for the first time since kindergarten, hugged each other again.
()()
The corners of Yukino's mouth slightly lifted.
Even though she knew her mother had been threatened by Yukima Azuma into coming to coax her.
This hug still made her feel very comfortable.
However, her smile quickly stiffened.
Mrs. Yukinoshita's fingers rested on Yukino's exposed back.
Because of her surging emotions, Yukino had forgotten what she was wearing.
The beautiful woman's fingers brushed across her smooth back, making Yukino involuntarily shiver.
She immediately wriggled out of Mrs. Yukinoshita's embrace.
Yukino stiffly took two steps back, hiding her hands behind her back.
( //>///
Seeing her daughter's guilty posture, like a thief,
The complicated feelings that Mrs. Yukinoshita had just now were immediately swept away.
Only the understanding smile of an experienced woman remained as she looked at her little daughter.
"Alright, stop hiding, do you really think I don't know how to go online?"
"I could tell the moment I walked in."
"Looks like I came at the wrong time tonight."
"You... aren't that young anymore either, so take care of this matter properly yourself."
"If you two have children in the future but don't have time to care for them, just bring them back to the Yukinoshita house."
After a fierce teasing,
Mrs. Yukinoshita waved her hand.
Then she turned around and left decisively.
Being teased by her own biological mother, Yukino's face flushed red.
She looked no different from a little girl pouting in anger.
><
It was like she was painted with the pink hues of sunset.
Several times she tried to open her mouth to say something, but in the end, her small lips only moved slightly before closing again.
Finally, watching Mrs. Yukinoshita open the door and leave,
Yukino lightly bit her cherry lips.
That faint, awkward feeling unique to adolescence.
Yukino really didn't expect that even after graduating from university, she could still experience this kind of feeling.
Adding to her youthful experiences was nice and all.
But this kind of experience, please spare me!
What's the point of adding such embarrassing experiences!
She buried her head into the blanket.
Deciding to temporarily play ostrich for a while.
( ,,'',,)
.....
Outside the room, in the corridor.
Yukima Azuma was peeking through the gap in the door, spying into Yukino's room.
When Mrs. Yukinoshita arrived, Yukima Azuma had keenly sensed it.
In fact, Yukima Azuma hadn't expected Mrs. Yukinoshita to charge in directly on just the first day.
When he invited the beautiful woman to have a meal together and was rejected, Yukima Azuma thought she would wait until the end of the trip to act.
Even though he felt there probably wouldn't be any major problems.
Just to be safe,
Yukima Azuma still kept watch by the door.
In case anything tense happened inside.
Yukima Azuma had already prepared himself to rush in for rescue at any moment.
After peeking for a while.
Mrs. Yukinoshita, with an extremely satisfied expression, lightly and gracefully stepped out.
Leaving Yukima Azuma stunned.
(" v ") ?
Because someone like Mrs. Yukinoshita, coaxing her daughter, should have been very difficult, right?
Why did she look so happy?
Mrs. Yukinoshita had just stepped out when she happened to meet Yukima Azuma face-to-face.
She slightly raised her eyebrow.
Mrs. Yukinoshita lightly curled her lips and said:
"It's rare to have a holiday, so let you two enjoy yourselves first."
"Once you're done having fun, I'll fulfill my promise, it won't be too late."
After speaking, she turned and walked away without the slightest hesitation.
Watching the relaxed figure of Mrs. Yukinoshita leaving,
Yukima Azuma sank into deep thought.
Why is this not matching the script I imagined...?
Azuma: Aizen-sensei, my Keikaku not Doori!
