Dango Cake Shop.
It was just past noon, and the steady stream of customers from the morning had finally died down.
"I thought it wasn't far from our house, but after walking here, it's still a bit of a trek. Whew—it's getting colder by the day."
Akina Izumi rubbed her hands together. On the way, chilly gusts of wind would blow by from time to time. What made it worse was that she had washed her hands before leaving but forgot to dry them properly because she was in a rush.
When cold wind hits wet hands still beaded with water, just thinking about that feeling makes you want to tuck your hands into your sleeves.
"I kept trying to pull your hands into my coat to warm them up, but you just dodged every time I touched you," Kaneyoshi Izumi said with a helpless laugh.
"What do you know? I was reminiscing about our high school days. Kaneyoshi, don't you remember? I used to leave early and wait for you at the park entrance, and we'd go to school together."
"What I remember most about winter isn't the snow, but having to set the alarm super early, get up before sunrise, bundle up, and bike to school. But I always forgot gloves, and the wind felt like blades cutting across my hands. It's nostalgic—but not something I want to go through again."
"I wasn't even cold until you said all that... now I'm freezing," Kaneyoshi said, pulling his neck into his coat. Akina's description had painted such a vivid picture that for a second, he felt like he was back in high school, biking through a frigid winter morning.
"Heh\~ Well, now that we've come all the way to Dango Cake Shop, we'd better buy a bunch to take home."
Akina pushed open the shop door. As soon as she entered, she saw Yui Yuigahama sitting behind the counter, holding a few sheets of letter paper and reading them. Oddly, Yui's eyes were a bit red, as if she had just been crying.
Well then, another one brought to tears by Kotomi's letter.
Hearing the door open, Yui quickly put down the letter, sniffled, and composed herself. When she saw who had come in, she froze.
"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Izumi!" Yui said, surprised. Just a moment ago, she had been reading Kotomi's letter—now Kotomi's parents had walked in.
Yui already had a naturally soft and gentle beauty. Under the cake shop's warm lighting, she looked like delicate glass. The words in Kotomi's letter—lines that hit even deeper than love confessions—had moved her so much she had shed tears of happiness.
Her big, glistening eyes looked pitiful and vulnerable, tugging at one's heartstrings.
The Izumis weren't very familiar with Yui—aside from that time when Kotomi had a fever and Yui came to visit along with Yukino and the others.
However, Akina had known about Yui for a while—not just because Kotomi often came home late from tutoring her, but also because she suspected Yui's mother might've been a classmate from her own junior high school days.
"Yui? Are you the only one here right now?"
Akina glanced at Yui, whose eyes were still red from crying. She instinctively felt concerned but didn't ask directly what had happened. As someone with experience, Akina could tell whether a girl was crying from sadness or happiness.
Despite Yui's red eyes, her expression showed the kind of joy that came from tasting something sweet.
As for what made Yui cry—
Akina's eyes instantly locked onto the letter and the Kiyomizu-yaki teacup with a starry sky pattern sitting on the counter.
Why those two? Because she noticed an opened delivery box under the counter that hadn't been thrown away yet.
"Mom went home to rest after finishing the last batch of chocolate cakes last night. I'm just tidying up the kitchen and planning to close up soon," Yui Yuigahama said softly. To be honest, she felt a little embarrassed—she had just been crying over Kotomi's letter and now Kotomi's parents had shown up.
She wasn't sure how to explain it. It was just... awkward.
She was even having trouble finding the right words to say.
"How's the cleanup going? Need a hand?" Akina asked warmly, unable to hold back a smile.
"No, no, it's okay! Thank you for the offer, Auntie!"
Akina had always had a strong personality since she was young. If she hadn't been like that, she wouldn't have tied the knot so early with Kaneyoshi back in high school. Becoming a mom had softened her a lot, but she was still firm at her core.
Coincidentally, both Kotomi and Aimi were the stubborn, headstrong type—never listening to others. The three of them bickered more often than they ate. Especially Kotomi, who had once been a sweet, mochi-soft little girl, now grown into a snarky white-haired little witch.
That's why Akina instantly took a liking to the current Yui Yuigahama, who looked so gentle and slightly pitiful with red-rimmed eyes, fresh from crying.
Yui enthusiastically led the Izumi couple around the shop, recommending desserts and passionately explaining each one—their unique traits and why they were delicious.
Normally, Yui would've liked to give these kinds of detailed recommendations, but the shop was usually too busy. Most customers came in knowing exactly what they wanted, and even if she praised another item to the skies, it didn't really change their minds.
Akina listened intently, or at least pretended to, while quietly observing Yui.
Ah, no wonder Kotomi was so willing to stay late tutoring her—such a lovely girl.
After picking their desserts and heading to the counter, Akina couldn't help glancing at the letter Yui had left nearby. It wasn't far, and even just a casual glance was enough to make out the contents.
If Akina could see it, then of course Kaneyoshi could too.
...After reading a bit of the letter and realizing who it was from, Akina's expression became a bit complicated.
Kaneyoshi, too, took off his black-rimmed glasses and rubbed his eyes quietly. The feelings in his heart were... not easy to describe.
After paying for the desserts, Kaneyoshi suddenly spoke up, his tone still gentle:
"Yuigahama-san, what exactly is your relationship with Kotomi?"
"C-Classmates... ah, friends! Kotomi and I are friends!" Yui quickly answered.
"Anything else?"
Kaneyoshi followed up unexpectedly.
"Eh? I..."
Yui felt her cheeks warming. She didn't know how to respond. Technically, she and Kotomi were just classmates—and very close friends.
But in truth, Yui had always wished for something more between her and Kotomi.
More how?
She wanted to put a "girl" in front of the word "friend."
Seeing Yui Yuigahama hesitate and stammer, Kaneyoshi exchanged a glance with Akina, then smoothly changed the subject.
Years of experience in the business world had made Kaneyoshi a master of redirecting conversations. Negotiations rarely conclude quickly, and often require navigating veiled statements and delicate tension. If you can't shift the topic skillfully, you're bound to end up devoured like a shrimp by the sharks.
"Auntie, Uncle, please wait a moment while I pack up the desserts. It'll be easier to carry them home this way."
Akina nodded and, after watching Yui for a bit, rubbed her hands together and turned to Kaneyoshi. "Where's our hot water bottle?"
"Probably in the living room drawer. I'll find it when we get home."
"Fill it with hot water later, will you? It might look sunny today, but this cold is biting. Feels like my hands are going to fall off."
Akina kept rubbing her hands to warm them up and grumbled about the weather. She loved snow but hated the cold. As a child, she'd once foolishly asked why it didn't snow in summer.
While packing up the desserts, Yui Yuigahama's ears twitched slightly. She had been quietly listening to the Izumi couple's conversation the whole time.
A thought quietly solidified in her mind.
"Auntie, Uncle, your desserts are all packed. Thank you for your patronage!"
Yui walked over holding a paper bag with a print of three dango (dumplings). The orange one representing little Tomoka was so small that if you didn't look closely, you'd think there were only two.
She walked the Izumi couple all the way to the crosswalk at the intersection. During the stroll, Akina used the opportunity to casually learn more about Yui's family situation. She asked plenty of questions—all of which Yui was able to answer.
"Yui, it's freezing out here. Head back now. No need to see us off any further. Come visit us at home sometime, okay?"
"Okay! Goodbye, Auntie, Uncle!"
Yui obediently headed back, walking a few steps before turning and waving her hand in farewell.
Once her figure disappeared from sight, Kaneyoshi silently pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He didn't like smoking, but that didn't mean he couldn't. For someone who built his career from the ground up, smoking and drinking were occupational tools.
He exhaled a puff of smoke before putting the cigarette out. He only ever took a few puffs before stopping. He let out a deep sigh and said with a helpless tone:
"Yui's a pure-hearted kid. Too innocent. She answers everything you ask."
"Kids like Yui, who grew up relying solely on their moms, spend most of their energy trying to make life easier for their parent. They rarely have time to think about anything else. Naturally, they're not the scheming type."
Just moments ago, Akina had been sweetly holding Yui's hand and chatting warmly, but now her expression turned ice cold. Just one look at her from afar would make you shiver.
"Kaneyoshi, your daughter's in high school now, and what has she learned? Nothing good! But she's mastered the art of juggling three relationships like a pro!!!"
Bringing this up, Kaneyoshi could only let out a resigned smile. Now wasn't the time for him to voice his opinion.
"Ugh... I'm so mad. I was planning to cook a huge meal to welcome Kotomi home tomorrow. But now? Ha! Forget food—she's getting the belt! If I don't spank her until she has to sleep face down for a week, I'll change my last name!"
"Writing letters and sending gifts is one thing—but did you read that letter?! Is that how normal friends write to each other? It's more romantic than any love letter! Even when we were dating in high school, the letters we wrote weren't this over-the-top!"
"That letter was way too cheesy!"
"Not only cheesy, it hit right in the feels! Do you think I couldn't tell? Yui's red eyes? I'd bet anything she cried reading the letter Kotomi wrote her. If a simple letter made a girl cry in broad daylight... that's not 'just friends.'"
"And how did that silly girl even come up with those lines? Has she somehow taught herself to write like a pro novelist?"
"Of all the girls to flirt with, Kotomi had to pick Yui—the most stubborn, dead-set, won't-turn-back-until-she-hits-a-wall type. Is this really the daughter I raised? How did she turn into such a dog?!"
Akina's face was flushed red with anger. She was so mad that even her usual nickname for Kotomi—"silly girl"—turned into "that little mutt."
Kaneyoshi could only give a bitter smile. He had weathered his fair share of storms and didn't easily panic—not even if the sky fell. But now, he honestly didn't know what to say.
"First it was Megumi Kato, then Iroha Isshiki... and now Yui Yuigahama. Kotomi's only been in high school for what? Not even two months?"
Back when Megumi first visited their home, the Izumi couple had already picked up on some signals. As Kotomi and Megumi's relationship grew warmer and closer, her visits became more frequent—and always came bearing gifts.
It was obvious to them that Megumi had feelings for Kotomi.
And Kotomi... probably liked her too.
Just when the Izumis were about to have a heart-to-heart with their daughter and ask about her feelings toward Megumi, Iroha Isshiki started showing up more often.
Especially after the incident when Aimi got into a fight and Akina went to the school—she saw a few subtle interactions between Kotomi and Iroha that were clearly more than just casual. From that alone, Akina could tell that Iroha liked Kotomi. The only problem was that neither of them seemed to realize it yet.
The Izumis were just starting to consider asking Kotomi whether she liked Megumi or Iroha more... and then bam—in comes Yui.
Well then. Apparently, two boats weren't enough—Kotomi wanted a whole fleet.
Even someone as experienced as Kaneyoshi had to admit: This is a new one.
"In any case, when Kotomi gets back tomorrow, I'm going to sit her down and have a proper talk. All three of those girls are wonderful, but I don't care how pretty she is—she can't keep all three! If there's really something going on, she needs to make a decision."
Akina's tone was fierce. She didn't lose her temper often, but clearly, Kotomi had pushed her over the edge this time.
Still, a father always worries about his daughter. Kaneyoshi knew that if he didn't shift Akina's attention, Kotomi's butt would definitely get whipped the moment she got home.
So he raised his hand and changed the subject:
"Let's not stress too much about the kids' relationships. We've got our own problems to worry about. Dad called me last night—sounded pissed. As soon as I heard his tone, I knew it had to be about the marriage alliance thing."
When he mentioned that, Akina's brows furrowed. "I don't care what the situation is—I'm not letting Kotomi be part of some marriage alliance."
Kotomi probably didn't know it, but back in their hometown in Yamanashi, people came by almost daily with marriage proposals—mostly from prestigious families wanting to marry her off to link the families.
Little did they know, the Izumi family head—Kotomi's grandfather—hated the idea of arranged marriages.
The moment he heard someone wanted to marry his beloved granddaughter as part of a political alliance, he was absolutely against it. Even if the other family's patriarch came in person, he'd curse them out on the spot—maybe even throw a punch or two.
They had to add extra security around the estate just to keep the would-be suitors from breaking down the door.
"Of course. Neither Kotomi nor Aimi will be forced into anything like that. Their future is theirs to choose. As parents, our job is just to watch over them and give a gentle nudge when needed.
"Besides, our family has never believed in arranged marriages. From the beginning, we've rejected that tradition. Never happened before, won't happen now, and never will."
"But," Kaneyoshi added, "so many people have been coming with proposals that it's clearly weighing on Dad. That's probably why he called to ask me: does Kotomi have someone she likes? Is she seeing anyone? If so, we should bring them home during the New Year."
Akina now understood what was really bothering him.
Grandpa Izumi just wanted to see if Kotomi had someone special in her life. If she did, he could use that as an excuse to keep scaring off the matchmaking crowd—maybe even wave a gun at them until they turned around.
Yes, the Izumi family estate did, in fact, have a private arsenal.
In a way... Kotomi probably did like someone.
It's just that... there were too many.
From what her parents knew, there were already three.
Kaneyoshi still hadn't figured out how to answer his father's question.
He couldn't exactly say, "Yeah, Kotomi's seeing someone—actually, three someones. All girls."
And then what? Bring Megumi, Iroha, and Yui home for New Year's like it was no big deal?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven