She was just cursing silently in her heart.
'That guy Hikari, he's really bad, actually led my daughter into becoming like this!'
'Being a high schooler and not studying properly but messing around with relationships between men and women is bad enough, but he even corrupted my daughter, making her indulge in pleasure!'
'This kind of person must be that type of blond-haired brat, some sort of delinquent or the like!'
'Ahhh! It's really infuriating! Just thinking about that Okamoto thing in the trash can makes me furious!'
'Tomorrow when I see him, I'll just find an excuse and make him quickly break up with Natsuha…'
The night deepened, dark clouds completely covered the crescent moon, and darkness entirely engulfed the earth.
One facing the door, one facing the window, the mother and daughter, both full of worries, fell into a deep sleep one after another.
———
The next morning.
Warm sunlight filtered through the glass window screen, shining on the soft big bed.
The four girls on the bed did not notice at all, still sound asleep.
Hikari, freshly washed and already dressed, picked up his phone and glanced at the message from Natsuha.
After replying with a short line, he turned his head and glanced at the four women whose faces were full of fatigue.
The two sisters, Hamazaki Reina and Hamazaki Risa, who yesterday had been like enemies, were now tightly holding each other.
Ruri was muttering with her lips pouting, as if chanting his name.
Only Yukina was sleeping peacefully and quietly.
After covering them with the blanket, Hikari turned around and left the room.
Coming out of Kurumiban's apartment, Hikari hailed a car and headed for Harmony Apartments.
Today was the time he and Natsuha had agreed upon to meet her mom.
Although he didn't actually feel nervous to that extent, Hikari also didn't plan on being late.
So after getting up in the morning, he didn't stay in bed, just left the apartment directly.
Of course, for that, last night he had put in quite a lot of effort, completely defeating and knocking down the three gyaru, Ruri and the others, as well as the mature older sister type Hamazaki Risa.
Only after feeding each of them until they couldn't take another bite and even felt sick at the thought of more, could he leave so smoothly this morning.
The taxi smoothly drove up to the base of Harmony Apartments.
After paying the driver, Hikari opened the door and got out.
Exchanging a few polite words with some friendly residents passing by, Hikari walked familiarly up to the third floor of Harmony Apartments.
Although he shouldn't be late, since he was meeting his girlfriend's mother, arriving early was always better than late.
So straightforwardly, Hikari headed toward Natsuha's room.
Normally, even if he was going to see Natsuha, he would knock on Yukino's door, greet her once.
But today, to avoid unexpected situations, he didn't even go to greet the very close Yukino.
But when passing by Yukino's doorway, he slightly turned his head, peeking through the curtain's gap in the window.
He faintly saw a pair of crimson eyes directly meet his own.
Hikari quickly turned his head back, not minding the faint stirrings inside, and continued walking straight toward Natsuha's room at the very end of the corridor.
And the owner of those crimson eyes, Kiriryuin Kaede, had been about to pull open the curtain to greet Hikari, but seeing him turn his head away so decisively, not even giving her a second glance, she lowered the hand she had been about to raise, her gaze slightly resentful as she looked at his departing back.
Since the incident where the ring lost control and accidentally linked her with Hikari, several days had already passed.
In recent days, Hikari had actually come to Harmony Apartments several times.
And every time, he and Yukino would indulge in deep entanglement.
Because of feelings, and both being gifted, when they practiced it was inevitably loud.
And that noise, that ruckus, made Kiriryuin Kaede, who had originally planned to focus on studying the hypnosis ring, annoyed to death.
Every time she heard it, her heart felt uncomfortable, and then her mind couldn't help but recall that day's accident.
And every time she thought of that accident, Kiriryuin Kaede would swallow her saliva just like now, licking her dry lips.
Then she couldn't help wanting to attend driving school, learning to drive a manual car herself.
But even driving a manual car, Kiriryuin Kaede still couldn't help but feel troubled.
Maybe it was because after riding in someone else's car, she realized how troublesome it was driving her own.
Even if it was her best friend's boyfriend's car.
Before that accident with Hikari, Kiriryuin Kaede had always felt it was fine driving a manual car on her own.
But after that accident, every time she finished driving manual, she would still feel a vague discomfort and faint dissatisfaction.
Like going to a massage shop and the masseuse stopping halfway. Like going to a bubble bath, the body wash already rubbed on, but they said they wouldn't continue.
Anyway, that feeling was unpleasant, driving Kiriryuin Kaede crazy.
And with the oni clan's custom that after joining one would be with only one person for life, it gave her even more of a headache.
This time, upon seeing Hikari, Kiriryuin Kaede had originally planned to greet him more kindly.
But Hikari had just glanced at her and walked straight away.
'So infuriating!'
Kiriryuin Kaede angrily yanked the curtain closed again.
———
On the other side, Hikari, having turned his head back, didn't know that Kiriryuin Kaede had thought of so many random things just because he didn't greet her.
Of course, even if he knew, he probably still wouldn't greet Kiriryuin Kaede.
After all, Natsuha's rented room was right next to Yukino's.
For today's matter, he hadn't even greeted Yukino, let alone Kiriryuin Kaede.
With a calm face, Hikari arrived at the door of Natsuha's room.
Perhaps because they already knew he'd be coming today, the door wasn't locked, just left ajar.
Through the crack, Hikari faintly saw two pairs of shoes placed on the mat at the entrance.
He could also faintly hear voices inside, both female.
One was familiar, Natsuha's voice.
The other was unfamiliar, probably her mother as Natsuha had said.
Without hesitation, Hikari raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.
"Please come in."
That unfamiliar yet magnetic female voice spoke.
Hikari pushed the door, took off his shoes at the entrance, and walked inside.
But after only a few steps, Natsuha came up to meet him.
"Hikari-kun!", Natsuha greeted happily, but today she didn't throw herself into his arms and kiss him passionately like usual. She probably suppressed that impulse.
"Good morning, Natsuha-chan," Hikari also smiled, greeting her.
"My mom is sitting right there, come with me," Natsuha whispered quietly into Hikari's ear, then led him into the living room.
As soon as they entered, Hikari saw a graceful figure sitting at the table in the center of the living room.
Following Natsuha's lead, Hikari sat on the other side of the table.
He accepted the tea handed over by Natsuha, then slightly turned his head to look at the woman across from him.
It was a beautiful middle-aged woman in a white kimono, looking about thirty, with smooth purple hair pinned up with a wooden hairpin. Her features were elegant, with a pair of lovely almond-shaped eyes.
Her refined features and fair skin made her mature beauty radiant, a strikingly beautiful woman from any angle.
Natsuha's beauty was probably inherited from her.
And as Hikari observed her, the woman's almond eyes also kept flickering, seemingly observing him.
The two looked at each other, Hikari thinking whether to speak first, but Natsuha's mother suddenly spoke.
The middle-aged beauty introduced herself, "Hello, my name is Shinomiya Yuko, I'm Natsuha-chan's mother."
"Hello Aunt Yuko, my name is Hikari," Hikari politely introduced himself.
Shinomiya Yuko asked again, "Hikari… may I call you Hikari-kun?"
"You may," Hikari nodded slightly.
Shinomiya Yuko suddenly smiled and asked, "Hikari-kun, you're dating my daughter Natsuha now, right?"
Hikari nodded, "Yes, Aunt Yuko, I'm dating Natsuha."
Saying this, he lifted the teacup and drank, while Shinomiya Yuko looked at him with a faint smile.
———
Actually, when Shinomiya Yuko had just asked if they were dating, his instinct had been to say, 'Sort of.'
After all, he hadn't formally confessed to Natsuha, nor had they officially established a relationship.
But thinking it over, Natsuha had confessed to him, and their relationship was already solid and deep, names didn't really matter.
Besides, who says dating multiple women at once doesn't count as dating?
With a clear conscience, Hikari's thoughts flashed by, but his face stayed politely smiling.
And sitting across, Shinomiya Yuko kept looking at him with a smiling gaze.
Seeing Hikari calmly confirm her suspicion, Yuko suddenly said, "Actually, last week when I learned Natsuha started dating after coming to Tokyo to study, I was very uneasy."
Hikari didn't respond, since he could tell Yuko wasn't seeking a reply yet, those words were just the opening, the incantation before the spell.
What followed would probably be what she truly wanted to say.
Sure enough, Yuko continued, "The reason I was uneasy is that, although I never forbade her from dating, after all Natsuha is only a high schooler now. Just like you, Hikari-kun, she isn't an adult yet. Physically and mentally… well, mainly mentally, she isn't mature yet."
Glancing at Natsuha's chest, still smaller than hers but likely to match in a few years, Yuko slightly corrected her words.
"Mm, Aunt Yuko's concerns are reasonable," Hikari nodded.
If it were a normal high schooler, hearing Yuko say he wasn't mature, he might have hastily argued.
Saying things like he was mature, grown up, that though he was in high school he was as good as an adult, that he'd take care of Natsuha and so on.
But Hikari, with the mind of an adult, didn't spout those seemingly useful but actually hollow "classic high school lines."
Because he clearly knew that in an adult's eyes, such words from a minor were no different from farts, completely ineffective.
Just like minors being impulsive and immature, adults with fixed values also had their stubbornness and prejudices.
So, instead of contradicting her, it was better to listen quietly, even agree at the right time, and then prove himself through actual actions to win her over.
Looking at Yuko, whose face carried a gentle smile but still made Natsuha beside him unbearably nervous, Hikari was already prepared to be scolded and reproached.
After all, at the time Yuko hadn't just caught them dating or holding hands on the street.
According to Natsuha, Yuko had already found used Okamotos in her room's trash can.
But for the scolding that might come, Hikari had already prepared several responses, to block any demand that he break up with Natsuha, while also ensuring Natsuha and her mother wouldn't have too severe a conflict.
Ensuring their relationship could continue smoothly as Natsuha wished, without making things too tense with Yuko.
Though she had already heard much from Hikari before, seeing her mother and boyfriend sit facing each other like this, Natsuha couldn't help but feel tense.
But what Yuko said next surprised both Natsuha and Hikari.
"To be honest, before meeting you, Hikari-kun, I thought you'd be that type of blond-haired, untrustworthy-looking guy," Yuko smiled warmly, "After all, Natsuha's childhood friend back in the village, what was his name again, he wasn't reliable either. And Natsuha, while decent in studies, isn't exactly bright. As her mother, I know my own genes well enough."
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