While many things happened to Tobe, his life was as peaceful as ever, but it was different with Akiko Ayase, who had become the manager of his new cafe, Edelweiss.
Why did he name his cafe after a flower?
There was nothing special, but Edelweiss somehow reminded him of Yukinoshita, beautiful, proud, yet slightly lonely, which was kind of cute somehow. Naturally, it reminded him of Yuki-san, too.
Nevertheless, his cafe was a great hit, and this was normal since with the "Delicious" ability that he got from Tsubame in the world of Kaguya, anything that he produced, whether it was food, drinks, or his body fluids, would taste delicious twice or more.
Still, due to this creation of the cafe, Yuki-san never thought to hold back anymore and continued to visit his cafe almost every day. When she finished her work or during an unexpected moment, she would come to the cafe, then slip inside the house area.
In the beginning, Tobe said that he had worked as an architect and designed the property for Yuki-san's company, and Akiko believed him since she also knew that the part of the project that was designed by him was also on the way to being built.
The park that he had designed before for Yuki-san had gathered quite a lot of buzz, as its design was good.
However, as Yuki-san came consistently and whenever she came, Tobe would follow her to the second floor of the house, leaving Akiko to stay at the cafe most of the time, which made her feel a bit... confused, restless, and more importantly, having a slight doubt.
Despite being in her early 40s, Yuki-san seemed young, like those women in their mid-20s, and she didn't seem like a mother of two.
Or rather, Yuki-san was the mother of his classmate!
If it was before, Akiko might not think much, and only thought that their relationship was just limited to work, as she knew well how talented Tobe was and after staying with him for quite a while, she felt like... he was like he could do anything, and it felt cozy and warm to stay by his side that she often stayed quite late, so she could be by his side.
Still, as Yuki-san often stayed by his side, and when she went home, she appeared to be so relaxed, joyful, and more importantly, sexy.
Even as a woman, Akiko had to admit that Yuki-san was a sexy, mature woman that everyone idolized, with the elegance of a blooming rose that would bleed those who tried to touch her; only, that thorny rose was tamed, loved, and held by this young man, whose age was about the same as her daughter!
'.....'
When Akiko knew the first time about the fact that Yuki-san and Tobe had a relationship, it was when she wanted to send a lunch for the two as they had been staying on the 2nd floor for so long, but when she was about to knock the door, she heard a lewd cry from Yuki-san, which made her heart felt like being clenched tightly as her body felt so strange.
It was impossible, right?
So many times, Akiko tried to convince herself that nothing had happened between Yuki-san and Tobe, especially when Yuki-san was at her age!
Would he be attracted to an old lady like Yuki-san or her?
Shouldn't he be attracted to a beautiful, young girl like her daughter or his classmates?
Why was he attracted to a mature lady like Yuki-san?
With her experience, Akiko didn't immediately ask Tobe about this question, and just acted as usual, talking as if nothing had happened, but during her act, she also began slightly touchy toward him. While it might be weird, she had been someone who was closest to her as they often stayed together, especially when he was her boss, and it was nice to talk with him.
As an adult, it didn't mean that she was invincible, and she could do anything.
In a place that her daughter couldn't see, she needed someone whom she could talk to, release all of the pressure that she had worn from being an adult, a mother, and many other identities that she had to take on.
What is an adult?
Somehow, even as one, she couldn't even talk that she had become one, but under her understanding, being an adult meant being mature, and being mature meant that they could hold themselves.
Holding themselves from what they wished to do and doing what others expected them to do.
It was lonely, painful, and sometimes, one would cry, wishing to return to that day when they had no need to think about many things, enjoying everything like a child, yet it was impossible because they had a responsibility that they had taken on.
If she didn't find Tobe and worked under him, she would think that it was good to marry, to be with someone who could love and care about her, accompany her during her old age.
The man didn't have to be so handsome, but he could give her a sense of reliability and stability as she was exhausted from her rough life, and let her be a child when she was with him.
Though somehow, when she was with him, she couldn't help but release that inner child that she had always kept, acting like a baby, and forgot the fact that she was a mother of one.
When Akiko should have tried to make Tobe become closer to her daughter somehow, she was the one who wished to be with him, making her helpless and also hopeless, wondering why she was so desperate and also sad since she knew that he was attracted to Yuki-san, that beautiful mature woman instead of being in a regret, sadness, what she felt was a... happiness.
Yuki-san's lewd cry had always been within her mind, as Akiko thought of how it would be when she was held by him, thinking of how his manly body and muscular arms clung to her body tightly that she didn't want him to let her go, even if she was suffocated.
Was it wrong of her to think like that?
'What am I thinking?'
Still, as Akiko realized that Tobe was interested in a mature woman, she also started to get conscious of his gaze on her body, and she also subconsiously dressed herself, like how a flower would exude its pheromone to the bee, so in that way, the bee would be attracted and reproduce with her.
So, somehow, on the day that no one expected, when Tobe just sent off Yuki-san, and closed the store before thinking to rest in the living room of the house area on his cafe since he knew that he had to prepare for the battle that was about to start at his home later, he never expected that he would get a sudden jab from Akiko.
"Do you want tea, Boss?"
"Thanks."
"Wait a moment."
As Akiko prepared the tea, Tobe rested, closed his eyes, and waited for the fragrance of the tea to gently waft toward him.
"There is also a honey lemon, too."
"Thanks again."
"No problem, you have worked hard, after all." Akiko looked gentle and even offered to help. "Do you want me to give you a massage?"
"...aren't you tired, too? You should rest, too."
"It's fine. I feel like I have become healthier now."
Unlike in the past, when her work schedule was to work at night and sleep in the morning. It might not seem much, but it wrecked her body without her even realizing it, as a human body shouldn't be used to work at night, yet what could she do?
Her work required her to work at night, and she needed to take care of her daughter, so whether she wanted to or not, she had to adjust.
But now, that has changed, and she is glad for it, and grateful to that young man who has helped her to change all of that.
"Now~! Now~! Just sit~! I will give you a massage~!"
"...."
Tobe decided to close his eyes, then Akiko's delicate, yet strong fingers rubbed his temples, giving him a massage on his head, making him comfortable.
"How is it?"
"...it feels good."
"You should visit the massage specialist, you know?"
"I will try."
With his body, he had no need for others to give him a massage, but it wasn't wrong to try since it felt great to be massaged.
"So, it feels good?"
"...yup."
While her question was weird, Tobe nodded.
"Well... by the way, Boss, can I ask something?"
"Yes?"
"I know that I shouldn't have asked you this, but..."
"It's fine. If you have something you want to ask, then you should."
Did Akiko know about his relationship with her daughter?
Only—
"Well... then..." After a moment of hesitation, Akiko asked softly, nervously, with a slight hint of expectation. "Are you dating Yuki-san, the mother of your classmate?"
"....." Tobe.