Inside the quiet restaurant, Yuto and Yaeko Nishimiya sat across from each other.
Shouko sat nearby, watching the two of them with wide, curious eyes.
"About what happened this morning... I was at work, but my mother told me everything," Yaeko said, her voice heavy with gratitude.
Though the deep exhaustion of overwork was etched into her features, she still carried a fierce spirited energy.
It was easy to see how beautiful she must have been before life wore her down.
"Thank you so much, Kamisaka-san, for stepping in to protect Shouko."
"It was nothing, really. Anyone would have done the same in that situation," Yuto smiled gently, trying to ease the tension.
"You're too kind. Shouko told me you were the only one who stepped forward. Everyone else just turned a blind eye." Yaeko sighed softly, her strict demeanor melting away as she looked at her daughter.
She could be harsh with Shouko sometimes, but her fierce love for her child was undeniable.
"Let's not dwell on the past," Yuto said with a warm smile. "Why don't we discuss the business at hand?"
He felt like he was throwing punches into cotton.
All his carefully planned negotiation tactics were useless now that he knew he was dealing with Shouko's mother.
He glanced at the little girl, she caught his eye and beamed, a bright happy smile spreading across her face.
Yaeko's expression shifted back to business. "I believe you've already gotten a good look at the flower shop next door. I'll be taking my personal items, but the fixtures and everything else can be handed over to you, Kamisaka-san."
Yuto nodded.
After walking through the empty space earlier, he had formed a rough estimate.
The flower shop was about the same size as his restaurant.
Factoring in the remaining tables and cabinets, he figured a fair market value was around 3.6 to 3.7 million yen.
"How much were you hoping to get for the transfer, Nishimiya-san?" Yuto asked.
Yaeko frowned slightly, her eyes flickering with hesitation.
She took a deep, shaky breath before stating her price.
"Three million yen."
Yuto's heart sank a little.
That price was a significant loss for her.
He glanced at Shouko, who couldn't hear the conversation and was simply kicking her feet happily.
Yuto knew exactly why Yaeko was lowballing herself—it was her way of paying him back for saving her daughter.
But he refused to take advantage of a struggling single mother.
"Nishimiya-san, let's make it 3.5 million yen," Yuto countered calmly.
Yaeko's eyes widened in disbelief.
She hadn't expected him to push back in her favor.
She was willing to swallow the financial pain to repay her debt of gratitude, yet this young man was handing that advantage right back to her.
"If that price works for you, let's sign the contract," Yuto said softly.
"Thank you... really, thank you so much," Yaeko whispered, her voice cracking.
She bowed her head deeply, hiding her face so her daughter wouldn't see her break down.
Yuto sighed quietly.
He reached over, gently patted Shouko's hair, and pulled her notebook closer.
[Would Shouko like to go see the backyard?]
The little girl nodded vigorously.
Curiosity is a child's greatest instinct.
[Why don't you go explore the yard for a bit? Big brother needs to talk with your mom about boring grown-up stuff.]
Shouko looked at her mother, then at Yuto.
She nodded, hopped down from her chair, and trotted toward the back door, leaving her notebook on the table.
Once the little girl was out of sight, Yuto slid a box of tissues across the table.
"Thank you," Yaeko choked out, taking a tissue and pressing it to her eyes.
She had been holding her tears back for Shouko's sake.
Now that they were alone, the dam finally broke.
A mother's love makes her strong, but the weight she carried was immense.
"Will 3.5 million yen be enough for Shouko to attend a specialized school?" Yuto asked gently once she had steadied her breathing.
"It should be just about enough," Yaeko nodded slowly, wiping her cheeks.
The money from selling the shop would cover the steep tuition, but improving their daily living conditions would still be a steep uphill battle.
Still, her main goal was getting Shouko into a safe environment.
Every time her daughter came home bruised from bullies, Yaeko felt an agonizing helplessness.
She never wanted Shouko to endure that kind of pain again.
"You've worked so hard, Nishimiya-san," Yuto said, his voice laced with genuine empathy.
Only those who have truly struggled understand how cruel the world can be.
Yaeko's eyes grew red again.
"Life always has its turning points. Please don't give up hope, the future will get better," Yuto encouraged her earnestly.
Yaeko nodded silently.
Looking at the young man sitting across from her, she felt an odd sense of comfort.
He seemed far more mature than his age suggested, like someone who had weathered countless storms of his own.
...
They signed the paperwork, and Yuto went to the backyard to fetch Shouko.
When she returned to the dining room, her mother waved her over, ready to head out for her night shift.
But Shouko grabbed her notebook instead.
[Mom, I don't want to go home right now. I want to stay here with Yuto-nii. Can you pick me up after work?]
Yaeko frowned, grabbing the pen.
[No, you will just be a nuisance to him.]
Reading her mother's reply, Shouko's shoulders slumped in disappointment.
Yuto smiled and ruffled the girl's pink hair.
"It's fine, Nishimiya-san. If she wants to stay, let her stay. I don't mind the company at all."
His quick offer made Yaeko hesitate.
Shouko sensed the shifting tide and looked up at her mother with wide, pleading eyes.
Finally, Yaeko let out a long, defeated sigh that sounded a lot like relief.
"Alright then. I'll leave her in your care, Kamisaka-san."
She took the pen and wrote one last strict note in the notebook.
[You must not cause any trouble for him, do you understand?]
Shouko hugged the notebook to her chest and nodded furiously.
"Please trust me, she'll be perfectly safe here," Yuto said, understanding a mother's lingering anxiety.
Yaeko waved her hands quickly. "That's not what I meant. You brought her home safely this morning; I trust you. I'm just worried she might get in the way of your business tonight."
"Don't worry," Yuto laughed softly. "My customers are a good bunch. They're going to love having her around..."
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