Following Tomoka Yuigahama into her bedroom, Kotomi Izumi instinctively started heading toward the small side room, as she always did.
But Tomoka called out to stop her.
"No need to go to the side room. Just… just sit down."
Halfway through her sentence, Tomoka suddenly realized that aside from that little study area, there wasn't really any other suitable place in her bedroom for them to talk. But since she'd already spoken, she had no choice but to sit down on the edge of the bed and pat the spot beside her, gesturing for Kotomi to sit as well.
Kotomi felt a bit puzzled as to why they weren't going into the side room. Since the door was slightly ajar, she glanced inside and saw several half-finished snack bags scattered across the desk—and beside the mouse, an open can of fruit beer.
She immediately understood.
The last few times she'd been there, Tomoka had always kept that space spotless and tidy. Now, though, the desk looked a little messy. That must be why she didn't want Kotomi to go in.
So that's it. She's embarrassed I'll see her workspace all cluttered like this? Kotomi thought, suppressing a small laugh. How cute…
She pretended not to notice anything, smiled softly, and sat down beside Tomoka at the edge of the bed.
There was something about the situation that felt strange to Kotomi, though she didn't know whether she should say it out loud—just sitting here on the bed together like this… felt oddly awkward.
She tried to calm herself, repeating silently in her mind: Mrs. Yuigahama is Yui and Yuka's mother. She's Yui and Yuka's mother. But instead of helping, the thought only made her heart beat faster.
After all, Kotomi had long since realized her feelings for Tomoka Yuigahama. She loved her. She wanted to pursue her. She had even once secretly kissed her on the forehead while she slept and softly confessed her feelings.
Tomoka never knew about those moments—but Kotomi looked forward to the day when she could confess openly, with her eyes wide open, telling her how much she loved her, kissing her, holding her close.
And now that she thought about it—
Where was she at this very moment?
In Tomoka Yuigahama's bedroom.
And right now, it was just the two of them—alone—sitting together on the bed.
Suddenly, a spark seemed to flash through Kotomi's mind, roaring like thunder.
Could this… could this be my chance?
Tomoka Yuigahama was in her thirties now. The youthful innocence of her girlhood had long since given way to the gentle allure of a mature woman. Especially with her naturally playful personality, that mix of maturity and charm—that was exactly why the first woman Kotomi ever fell for wasn't Megumi Kato, nor Mashiro Shiina, but Tomoka Yuigahama.
Yes—she had fallen for her at first sight.
From the very first meeting, Kotomi had known she was special.
She'd always been honest with herself about her feelings.
I love Megumi Kato. I love Mashiro Shiina. I love Yui Yuigahama. I love—
And now, facing Tomoka Yuigahama, I won't deny what I feel. Love is love. Affection is affection. When it comes to love, hesitation isn't kindness—it's cowardice. I'll face it head-on!
Even if she refused her this time, it didn't matter. Kotomi never expected to succeed right away. She had time—she had patience—and she had confidence. One day, she would make Tomoka Yuigahama fall in love with her.
Looking at the woman before her—radiant as spring blossoms, beautiful as morning sunlight, with a trace of melancholy in her eyes—Kotomi felt an overwhelming urge to hold her, to protect her.
Her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard, just as she was about to speak—
But before she could, Tomoka spoke first.
"Kotomi… are you and Yui… dating?"
"Eh?"
Kotomi froze. It felt as if she were a Harley motorcycle, engine revved, just about to roar forward—only to suddenly stall out.
It wasn't that she felt she'd lost control of the situation; rather, her experience with Megumi Kato and Yui Yuigahama had already taught her one simple truth: being the first to act didn't necessarily mean you'd win in the end.
For example, Kotomi Izumi always liked to take the initiative—thinking that by doing so, she could seize control, turn things around, and stop always being the one on the bottom. But every time, within mere seconds, Megumi or Yui would flip the tables on her, completely overpowering her.
What made Kotomi's mind go blank now wasn't that—it was Tomoka Yuigahama's question. When did she find out about me and Yui dating?! She had only agreed to Yui's confession yesterday!
Seeing Kotomi's startled expression, Tomoka sighed softly. Even though Kotomi hadn't said a word yet, she already knew the answer.
Kotomi really was dating Yui.
When Kotomi remained silent, Tomoka continued gently:
"I'm not angry. In fact, I'm happy that you and Yui are together. It's just… what you two did this morning—it's still too soon for that."
Tomoka took a deep breath, forcing down the complicated emotions twisting in her chest, and spoke as calmly as she could. Her tone was patient, almost motherly—a heartfelt piece of advice from an adult to her daughter and her daughter's girlfriend. Not jealousy. Not longing. Just concern.
Kotomi nearly fell off the bed. Wait—this morning?! Had Tomoka been outside the door watching?! How else could she know what happened between her and Yui?!
If Tomoka really had seen that scene…
Kotomi's cheeks flushed crimson. She pressed both hands to her face, unable to stop the heat spreading across it. Too embarrassing!!!
But since Tomoka already knew, Kotomi took a deep breath, stood up from the bed, and walked to stand directly before her.
Then—
"Aunt Tomoka, I truly love Yui. But you're right—it was too soon. I'm very sorry!!!"
Kotomi dropped to her knees and performed a perfect formal bow of apology.
In this situation, she felt that a simple bow wasn't enough—only a full, proper dogeza could express her sincerity.
Seeing Kotomi suddenly kneel and bow so earnestly, Tomoka panicked.
"I—I told you I'm not angry! You silly girl, get up, quick! The floor's cold, and your body's still recovering… If you catch a chill, that would be bad!"
At last, worried she might not get up, Tomoka reached out and helped Kotomi back onto the bed, gently covering her small hands with her own.
"Aunt Tomoka, I really am sorry," Kotomi said sincerely, her eyes clear and steady. "But please believe me—I'll always treat Yui well."
And she meant every word. Because when Kotomi Izumi loved someone—she always loved them with her whole heart.
Kotomi Izumi's sincere words and expression should have filled Tomoka Yuigahama's heart with joy. She wanted her daughter to be happy, and now Kotomi had expressed her genuine feelings for Yui.
As a mother, what right did she have to complain?
At most, she simply needed to find a suitable time to gently remind Yui and Kotomi that even in love, one must understand and respect certain boundaries.
Tomoka was open-minded when it came to her daughter's relationships. As long as both sides truly loved each other, treated each other kindly, and were happy together, she didn't care about gender. Even if the person her daughter loved was another girl, she would still give her blessing.
Love was the meeting of two hearts—not merely the attraction between two sexes.
Tomoka had known for a long time that Yui had feelings for Kotomi. Now that Yui's wish had finally come true—that she had gathered the courage to confess and begun dating Kotomi—Tomoka should have been happy, relieved even.
So why… why was the strongest emotion in her heart envy?
Why did she feel such an ache of jealousy? She knew the answer all too well—and that was precisely why she couldn't admit it. She refused to acknowledge that she envied her own daughter. She refused to face the storm of emotions swirling in her chest.
Tomoka stayed silent for a long time. Kotomi didn't speak either, respecting the quiet between them.
It was a long while before Tomoka finally found her voice again.
"Thank you for loving Yui," she said softly. "She's always liked you, but she never had the courage to tell you. Now that she's finally confessed and you two are together, I'm really… really happy for her."
"Kotomi, I'm entrusting Yui to you. Please, take good care of her.
"She's never been in love before. She doesn't know what's right or wrong in a relationship. So she'll probably just—foolishly—give you her entire heart. Please, don't ever betray that. Don't hurt her. I'm begging you."
"I'll make sure Yui feels that falling for me, loving me, and one day marrying me was the best decision she's ever made," Kotomi said solemnly, bowing her head. "I'll make her happy. I swear it."
Hearing that, Tomoka smiled, wiping away the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes.
"You're already thinking about marriage when you've only just started dating? Honestly, Kotomi, I don't even know what to say to you…"
"That's because I really love Yui," Kotomi replied with quiet seriousness.
And I love you too, Aunt Tomoka… she added silently in her heart, keeping those words locked away for now.
And so, even though Tomoka Yuigahama had discovered the truth about Yui and Kotomi's relationship, she didn't oppose it. Instead, she accepted it—supported it.
After they finished talking, Tomoka suggested that Kotomi rest in Yui's room upstairs, since she was still a girl herself and surely needed time to recover after her first experience.
"Kotomi, why don't you rest here in my room instead?" Tomoka offered kindly. "That way, you won't have to climb the stairs. You can lie here while I go back to the side room to draw."
But Kotomi shook her head with a gentle smile, refusing the offer.
"No need. I'm not so weak that I can't even walk up the stairs yet."
She stood up as she spoke.
Just as she reached the doorway, Tomoka's voice stopped her once more.
"Oh, and Kotomi—please don't tell Yui about what we just talked about. Promise me."
Kotomi understood perfectly why she asked that. She nodded and said earnestly, "Unless you give me permission, I'll never tell her. I'll take this secret to my grave."
Tomoka chuckled softly, though there was a trace of emotion in her smile. "You can be so dramatic sometimes… but you always make people trust you. Maybe that's just your charm."
"I'll take that as a compliment, Aunt Tomoka," Kotomi replied with a warm smile.
Then, leaning lightly on the wall for support, Kotomi left Tomoka's room and slowly made her way back upstairs—to Yui Yuigahama's bedroom.
Kotomi Izumi had originally planned to go out on a date with Yui Yuigahama that afternoon, but given her current state, that was out of the question. A nap sounded far more realistic.
She hadn't felt it before, but the moment she entered Yui's bedroom, slipped off her clothes, and sat down on the bed, her eyelids began to droop heavily. She was so sleepy she could hardly keep them open.
All she wanted now was to crawl under the blanket, let Yui hold her, and drift off into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Yui, who had been half asleep herself, immediately perked up when she saw Kotomi return. She quickly sat up and patted the spare pillow she had already prepared beside her, her expression clearly saying, Come here, Kotomi, come lie down!
She had spent quite a while rummaging through the closet earlier just to find that pillow—it had been stuffed under the blanket all this time.
Kotomi glanced at Yui's eager face and couldn't help giving her a playful glare before flicking her forehead lightly.
"I feel like my whole body's about to fall apart… You, my little dumpling—who would've thought you could be that fierce?"
"Hehehe~" Yui giggled sheepishly. Even after being flicked on the forehead, she took Kotomi's words as a compliment.
And in truth, they were. Though Kotomi was utterly exhausted, she was also deeply satisfied.
"Kotomi, then maybe…" Yui began, her tone laced with suggestion. Having tasted sweetness once, she was already tempted again.
But before she could finish, Kotomi gently bonked her on the head and firmly pulled the blanket over herself.
"Sleep. I'm tired," she said matter-of-factly.
Seeing that, Yui could only nod obediently and lie down beside her.
Barely ten minutes passed before Yui's voice broke the silence again.
"Kotomi… can I hold you while we sleep? Just holding, I promise! Nothing else!"
Her tone was so serious, so righteous, that Kotomi almost believed her.
Kotomi hesitated for a moment, but when she saw Yui's pleading, puppy-like eyes that looked as if she might cry if refused, she sighed softly and nodded.
The moment Kotomi agreed, the pitiful puppy instantly turned into an overjoyed one. Yui let out a small cheer and immediately wrapped her arms tightly around Kotomi.
Kotomi had expected that even though Yui said she only wanted to hold her, she would end up doing something more once they were in each other's arms.
In fact, that was exactly why Kotomi had agreed to let her—she wanted Yui to do something.
But to her surprise… ten whole minutes passed, and Yui didn't move at all.
She was simply holding Kotomi, breathing softly, sound asleep.
Kotomi stared at her in silence. She had been waiting for something—only for Yui to fall asleep first.
And she was sleeping so peacefully, too.
"You really do take things literally… You said you wouldn't do anything, and you really didn't," Kotomi whispered with a faint smile.
Her lips curved softly as she looked at Yui's innocent sleeping face. Then, leaning in close, she gently kissed Yui's cherry-colored lips, wrapped her arms around her in return, and slowly drifted into dreams herself.
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