Ah—this feels so good.
Warm water flowed over Sayuri's cheeks, down and down.
In the bathroom, the constant rush of water filled the air; aside from the headlamp's light, something seemed to be approaching outside the glass door.
The woman did not notice.
At that moment, the figure silently opened the door.
The figure, face cold, scanned the surroundings, finally fixing its gaze on the source of the sound.
The other seemed oblivious, a thick foam covering his head, eyes closed, humming a song, letting the approaching silhouette draw near... The newcomer stepped lightly, approached the fogged glass, extended a hand... and knocked.
"Mama?"
..."You scared me!"
Sayuri, clutching a towel to dry her hair, glared at her daughter with displeasure: "Stop knocking on the glass while I'm bathing!"
"Getting older really does bring more trouble..." the girl muttered.
"What are you talking about? Who's getting older?!"
Eriri pursed her lips, her eyes wandering, then angrily pointed the blame at her father: "It's Dad's fault! Why would he do something like this!"
She angrily recounted the recent incident to her mother.
Compared to her father, Eriri was clearly closer to her mother Sayuri; after all, mother and daughter have so much to talk about.
The mother‑and‑daughter duo entered the bedroom. Mom poured two glasses of juice, gave one to her daughter, slipped into pajamas, and loudly claimed her bed.
"So Spencer had you invite Tsukisa?" Sayuri realized, "I thought so, that girl never attends these parties. The last time, I forced her over by claiming my book sales were booming..."
Sayuri tapped her own palm and gave Eriri a sideways glance: "Eavesdropping on others—was that really the right thing to do?"
"Then will you keep listening?" Eriri knew her mother too well; her erratic nature was only second to Sen Getsusa's: "Fine, I won't listen."
Thus, as Eriri pretended to stand up and leave, she was instantly tackled by her mother.
Ah... daughters grow up and start talking back to their mothers, huh.
"My daughter is starting to not like Mom..." The woman held her head and bounced around Eriri's neck, being a bit too lively.
After a while, there was no response.
She spread her fingers and peeked through the gaps—Eriri was hugging a pillow, leaning against the headboard, silently lowering her gaze at her.
"Oh dear... fine, fine, really, Eriri is getting less cute these days," Sayuri sat up straight, curiously probing, "Then... tell me! What did you hear?"
So it goes... Eriri's muttering sounded completely reasonable to Sayuri.
But that Spencer fellow... "Your father is indeed in the wrong," Sayuri corrected her tone, "I understand his actions, after all it's a request from the Tojo Family heir, hard to refuse. But he didn't consider Tsukisa's feelings at all..."
"Just as I expected, Tsukisa is a..."
"What?"
Eriri snapped, "Did Mom already know? Why didn't you tell me!"
"Tell you? You were so sure, saying that Tsukisa has a fear of physical contact?"
It turned out she's a girl full of princess power.
Eriri: "...Who could tell that kind of thing!"
Hearing her daughter argue, Sayuri innocently pointed at herself, "Me. By the way, this kind of thing is so easy to spot, right?"
"Could it be because we didn't make an offering to the shrine maiden before birth, so we ended up with a talking Elizabeth melon?"
Elizabeth Eriri was fuming; Mom had known about this for a long time and kept it hidden.
"Well, it's to protect Tsukisa's privacy. She definitely wouldn't want anyone to know, right?"
Sayuri gently touched her daughter's hair, meaningfully, "I wouldn't discriminate or despise, but many people don't think that way. In manga it's a fun trope that 'fixes things instantly,' but in reality it's not so easily accepted."
Eriri nodded, agreeing with her mother.
"I suggest you don't bring this up in front of Tsukisa," Sayuri stretched lazily, "By the way, why has Eriri started caring about Tsukisa lately?"
Turning her head, Sayuri stared blankly at her daughter, as if noticing that some things had quietly drifted off track in everyday life.
"—No, even if I say that, what's considered 'on track' might not even exist."
"—Before reaching an ending, nothing can be concluded. Looking at that boy... 'Care?' Eriri's eyes flickered, "Because he's a friend, Mom, don't you also like Tsukisa?"
"Like? I hope my liking and your liking are the same kind of liking."
Sayuri leaned toward Eriri, smiling, pointing at her phone, "How's Tomiya doing lately?"
"You hardly ever mention him now. Could it be... a transfer of affection?"
"Mom doesn't mind, you don't have to consider Mom. Sigh, my daughter is a three‑minute‑flame flirt!"
Eriri instantly flared up, "What 'flirt'! I have nothing to do with Tomiya!"
"Not childhood sweethearts..."
"No! Yes!" Eriri crossed her arms into an X, "That guy is unbearably annoying, a self‑absorbed otaku fanatic, no thanks!"
"Oh? Just denying Aki Tomoya?"
Sayuri shook her finger, "I actually quite like Tomiya. Next time, let's have him over as a guest, okay?"
"Hmph, then Sayuri can go ask him yourself." Eriri jumped off the bed, grabbed her phone and headed for the door.
She slipped her feet into slippers, and as the girl who had just stood up, suddenly—
Huh?
Is this my room?
"Sayuri!"
A golden‑haired, claw‑like figure prepared to pounce.
"Alright, alright~" Mother buttoned her pajamas, sat up slowly, "Eriri, everything's fine, but some things you don't understand yourself, and the result is just missing out."
"Mom doesn't consider forcing you to work hard in high school or aim for a certain university rank in the future."
Sayuri shrugged, "That's absolutely hopeless. I just hope your youth doesn't end with regrets like Mom's."
Regrets?
Eriri's eyes widened, she smirked, flashing a little fang, "So, Mom also has a—"
She raised her index finger and thumb, fiddling, "There was a..."
"Yeah."
Sayuri gazed wistfully at the ceiling, fragments of memory flashing in her mind.
The woman shook her head, chuckling bitterly to herself, "If only we could have held the line back then and not let your father succeed."
"Then I wouldn't... have given birth to such an idiotic daughter."
Eriri: (／‵Д′)／ ╧╧
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