This was a special day for Nagasaki Soyo.
For the first time in a long while, her mother had managed to free up some time to come home and have dinner with her.
"...Although it's just ordered sushi."
Soyo's mother shook her head with some regret.
"If I had known I'd have time tonight, I would have just had the chef come to the house."
"You don't have to go that far."
Soyo shook her head.
"Just being able to talk a little more with Mom... with Mother like this is enough for me."
"Soyo..."
Soyo's mother stroked her daughter's hair with a look of affection.
"I'm sorry. You must feel lonely, right? But I can't help it. After all, this is for our happiness..."
"..."
Soyo pursed her lips slightly.
She could feel her mother's care for her, and she never doubted her love, but even so, she still couldn't get what she most desired from the "happiness" her mother described.
But, it was okay.
She wasn't that selfish of a child.
As long as she knew her mother still loved her and wouldn't disappear like her father, that was enough.
So...
"It's alright."
Soyo said with a smile.
"You don't need to worry about anything on my end. Both my studies and the band are going smoothly."
"The band..."
Hearing this word, a spark lit up in her mother's eyes.
"Oh, that's right, Soyo has a new band now! How is it? Do you need me to buy you a new instrument or anything?"
"No, that's alright. I'm not lacking anything right now."
Soyo couldn't help but wave her hands with a wry smile.
"We even have someone who prepared performance outfits for us."
"Oh?"
Soyo's mother showed a curious expression.
"What kind of outfits? Let me see?"
"Okay."
Soyo immediately took out her phone and found the group photo that had been taken only after Anon's near-begging.
"Wow, what cute clothes!"
Soyo's mother exclaimed, her excitement full but her vocabulary lacking, much like a high school girl.
"Which girl is so clever with her hands?"
"We didn't make these clothes."
However, in response to her mother's question, Soyo just shook her head slightly.
"One of our band members' older brother made them."
"Oh my..."
Soyo's mother blinked, then leaned closer to Soyo's phone screen to examine it carefully.
"...Is that member's brother a professional?"
"He is a professional, yes. And a very talented young designer. He and his apprentice were responsible for everything from the design to the production of this set."
Soyo was a little surprised by her mother's assessment.
"You don't know much about clothing, do you, Mother? How could you tell at a glance?"
"Eh? Because it's rare for a boy to make clothes, isn't it? I couldn't think of any other reason besides him being a professional."
Soyo's mother gave a reason that left Soyo speechless.
"But... for you to praise him like that, now that's intriguing."
Because of her daughter's additional explanation, Soyo's mother became even more interested.
"How much did he charge you?"
"It was free."
Soyo answered truthfully.
"His sister is in the band, after all."
"Even so, the process from design to sewing is very time-consuming and labor-intensive. And these clothes look so good. For a professional, he's a bit too generous..."
Soyo's mother had a look of great surprise.
"He must really dote on his sister, right?"
"...Mhm."
Soyo averted her gaze and answered softly.
"He does dote on his sister a lot. As his sister's friends, we've also received a lot of care from him."
"That's wonderful! A man who is responsible and values his family is a truly good man!"
Soyo's mother said with a look of admiration.
"Soyo, if you're looking for a husband in the future, you have to find this type!"
"! W-what are you talking about?!"
The overly abrupt topic made Soyo instinctively sit up straight.
"I-I've never looked at him that way!"
"Oh my, don't react so strongly! I meant in the future, the future!"
Soyo's mother said nonchalantly.
"Speaking of which, which company does this designer work for? I'll go take a quick look!"
"There she goes again..."
For Soyo, her mother's "occupational hazard" of looking up people's workplaces at the drop of a hat was already a common sight.
"Right now, he's working as an associate designer at the [KaZoKu] studio for the [EGAO] brand, but... he's about to strike out on his own and start his own personal brand."
"...Hm? At a time like this?"
The carefree smile on her mother's face faded slightly.
"The fashion industry has been quite turbulent lately. Many small and medium-sized brands have already been acquired and absorbed by [nozAK!]. And ever since they got capital backing, they've been engaging in more and more under-the-table operations. I've already had many clients pull out because of their disruptions..."
She muttered to herself, then subconsciously asked:
"Who would dare to sponsor a personal brand at a time like this... Ah."
Halfway through her question, Soyo's mother suddenly realized that the person sitting in front of her was not a colleague from the company, but her own daughter.
However, just as she was about to apologize for her slip, her daughter actually gave her an answer.
"...A young lady named Sakurakouji Luna."
Soyo relayed the information she had recently gotten from talking with Mutsumi.
"The two sides have already agreed on a contract. Once he finishes the work he has on hand, he'll officially start preparing to set up his own business."
"Sakurakouji Luna..."
Hearing this name, her mother's expression became completely serious.
"She was our consulting firm's 'number one arch-nemesis' last year. I never want to be asked about the behavioral logic of such a whimsical investor again... But she's been much quieter in recent months. Why would she suddenly invest in a personal brand now..."
And from what she knew, although Luna's investments were reckless, they were mostly in well-known companies or ones with promising prospects. What was it about a studio like this, going against the industry trend and with an uncertain future, that had attracted this willful young lady...
...
"Soyo."
"Yes?"
"Your celebration party this weekend, did you invite this designer?"
"Eh? Ah, well, his sister said he would be coming..."
"Good. In that case, this weekend... I'll take an hour or two off as well."
Under Soyo's somewhat dazed gaze, her mother said:
"I'd like to meet this designer."