Volume 13 Chapter 215 Kohina Yukari, Annoying Parent-Child Relationship
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
My mother and I had come to a café with a stunning view of Lake Biwa to have a serious talk.
”Hey! Why on earth are these guys tagging along too?”
I shot a glare at the Shiga locals who had followed us, all riled up by Aqua’s antics.
I could understand Aqua and the ‘Berry-Berry’ staff coming along, but why were these folks here?
Are they just bored?
”We have a duty to watch over you!”
”If you two break your promise, we’ll work tirelessly to cut off the water supply from Lake Biwa!”
”No worries! If anything goes wrong, we’ll have your backs!”
Really?
I eyed the Shiga locals suspiciously.
”There’s no way we could miss out on such an exciting event!”
”Exactly!”
”Hey, you guys, your true feelings are slipping out!”
Ugh… Seriously!
Why are all of that guy’s fans like this?
I sighed dramatically and cradled my head in my hands for a moment.
”You really wear your feelings on your sleeve, don’t you? How are you going to survive like that? If you bite too hard, your fans might end up hating you, you know?”
Everyone around us nodded in agreement with my mother, arms crossed.
Excuse me!
Whose side are you all on!!
Just a few seconds ago, you said you’d have my back!!
”I’ll throw those words right back at you!”
”Oh? Believe it or not, I get along just fine with people other than you!”
My mother fanned herself with a smirk, as if she had just won an argument.
Clang!
”Ah, yes! Unlike me, who says whatever comes to mind, you always hide your true feelings and expressions beneath layers of makeup!”
”W-Wait! Who are you calling heavily made up? I’m not slathering on that much!!”
Oh dear.
Where did all your usual Kyoto dialect go?
You always revert to regular Japanese when you get emotional, haven’t you noticed?
”Besides, that half-hearted Kyoto dialect doesn’t suit you at all! Our family may be from Kyoto, but you’re a Tokyo-born bride!”
”I-it’s fine, isn’t it? When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? Respecting the local culture is just… consideration, you know? Consideration, desu!”
Heh heh.
She rephrased it, didn’t she?
I give my mom a smug grin.
”More like, I’m worried you’re the one lacking consideration and causing trouble for everyone. Like, riding on Aqua-kun’s bike without permission, aren’t you?”
”I did not!!”
I lean in close to my mom, glaring at her from point-blank range.
Amidst all the chaos, someone taps me on the shoulder.
Who is it!?
I’m busy right now!!
”Kohina-senpai, a moment…”
What is it, Aqua?
Why are you making such a serious face instead of your usual goofy one?
What’s wrong?
Maybe your stomach’s acting up?
If so, go to the bathroom already.
”Kohina-senpai, the first time I met Kohina-senpai, Kohina-senpai was riding on the back of my bike without a word.”
Huh?
Was that…?
Now that you mention it, I think that did happen, but I’m not one to dwell on the past.
You should forget about it too!
”See? I knew something like that happened!”
Grrr…
I grind my teeth, frustrated that my mom got the upper hand.
”Riding on Aqua-sama’s bike without permission…?”
”That’s definitely a guilty verdict.”
”Guess we’re holding a press conference after this farce.”
”This is more important, actually. Let’s focus on this instead of the family squabble.”
”This’ll be the front-page story in the Seibaku Newspaper tomorrow.”
Hey!
Why are you guys giving me the side-eye too!?
Weren’t you all on my side!?
Ugh!
If you’re just going to get in the way, then scram already!!
”Geez, this girl…”
My mom stands up from her chair and bows towards Aqua.
W-wait a second!
Why are *you* bowing!?
”My daughter has been very rude. I’m truly sorry.”
”N-no, it’s fine. Some people might get angry, but I don’t really mind.”
The surrounding onlookers give Aqua and my mom a warm round of applause.
”As expected of Aqua-sama! He’s so magnanimous!”
”Kyaaa! Aqua-kun, you’re so cool!”
Aqua blushed, basking in the girls’ excited cheers.
Meanwhile, a few onlookers started whispering, glancing my way.
”Huh? Kohina Yukari’s mom seems pretty decent, doesn’t she?”
”Yeah, she’s totally normal.”
”I don’t get the vibe that I hates Kohina Yukari at all…”
”If anything, shouldn’t Kohina Yukari apologize to Aqua-sama?”
”Hey! Kohina Yukari! You should apologize just in case, it’ll make things easier later!”
”That’s right, that’s right! Otherwise, the Prime Minister will butt in again and start groveling on her own!”
Seriously!
What is this situation!?
I tugged on Aqua’s sleeve and mumbled, “Sorry about that time,” in a tiny voice.
See?
I apologized properly!
Is this good enough already!?
”Good job apologizing!”
”You’ve grown, Kohina Yukari.”
”Sniff, sniff… To think the day would come when Kohina Yukari would actually apologize…”
”Our Kohina Yukari is truly sorry.”
”Aqua-sama, Kohina Yukari didn’t mean any harm. Please forgive her.”
”That’s right, she’s still just a kid. Look, her height is still kid-sized, too.”
When did you guys become my mother anyway!?
Ughhhhh!
Why are all his fans such weirdos!?
And don’t mention my height!
I’m actually pretty self-conscious about being shorter than my mom and grandma, you know!
”Ugh… Anyway, you said you want to talk, but what exactly are we discussing?”
”Oh, isn’t this rare? We actually agree. I don’t have anything to discuss anymore.”
Now that I’m an adult, there are things I understand.
Unlike me, who lives for myself, my mother seems to live to protect our home, even if it means sacrificing herself.
There’s no way we could understand each other by talking now, not when we’re both so careful.
If we promise not to interfere in each other’s business and keep our distance, maybe we could still get along in the future.
But that’s not the kind of discussion he wants, is it?
As my mother and I sat in silence, turning our faces away from each other, someone approached the table.
”You two really haven’t changed, have you?”
”Ah!”
”Oh, Grandma!?”
I gasped in surprise as my grandmother suddenly appeared behind me.
”Grandma, why are you here…?”
”Well, of course! I’m here for my daughter and granddaughter. It’s settled already.”
I wanted to say that was unnecessary, but after all the training Grandma put me and my mom through, we couldn’t muster a comeback.
My mom and I fell silent at Grandma’s words.
Seeing our expressions, Grandma smiled triumphantly.
”Oh, come on! I only came because Aqua-sama asked me to! Why do I have to come all the way here just for your silly fight?”
Grandma pulled a Yuu-onii postcard from her bag and started begging Aqua for a signature.
Hey!
Stop it!!
It’s embarrassing to have you beg for a signature like that!
After getting Aqua’s signature, Grandma looked at us again with an exasperated expression.
”Huh? You two haven’t made up yet? You should’ve settled this while I was getting Aqua-sama’s signature. I don’t know who you take after, but you’re both so slow.”
”Grandma, this isn’t that simple…”
Yes!
Go on, say more!
I nodded vigorously from behind my mom.
”What’s the big deal? I even followed this reckless, thoughtless idiot granddaughter of mine on the bus when she ran away from home.”
”Grandma!?”
Huh…?
She was on the bus when I ran away…?
What?
Who was…?
My head spun in confusion as I stared at my mom without blinking.
”Ah… yes! It was just to make sure she didn’t cause anyone trouble. I had no choice!”
Yes, yes!
Of course.
You’re like that!
She didn’t want me to do something that would tarnish our family’s name by causing trouble for others.
I was a bit agitated for no reason, but I had a feeling it was something like that.
”Every day, she’d call at the exact times when her daughter wasn’t around? And sometimes when it wasn’t me, Yukari would pick up and she’d hang up in a panic?”
Now that I think about it, there were times when I’d answer the house phone and get hung up on without a word… Could that maybe have been…?
I turn my gaze back to my mother.
”Well, that’s because of a guardian’s supervisory responsibility!!”
Y-Yeah, right!
It makes sense coming from a mother who cares about appearances and decorum.
”Hmph. On days off, you’d travel from Kyoto to Tokyo just to sneak a peek at your daughter from a spot where she wouldn’t see you, and then head back without saying a word?”
Huh…?
Why would you do something like that?
I direct my gaze back at my mother.
”Th-That too, is part of a guardian’s responsibility…”
Wait a sec!
Don’t mumble, speak up clearly like you always do!!
My mother catches my gaze and looks at me with a face that’s hard to describe.
That’s why──What’s with that expression?!
”W-Well, I don’t really think anything of this child, you see!!”
After hearing my mother’s words, Grandma lets out a big sigh and buries her face in her hands.
And the onlookers, who had been watching this exchange, were staring at me with wide eyes.
Wh-What?!
Those eyes are saying I should say something, aren’t they?!
There’s no way I can make a comment in this kind of atmosphere, right?!
”Objection!”
Aqua stands up from his seat nearby, pointing his index finger forward.
Ignoring his weird pose, you need to do something about this atmosphere, and fast!!
”Mom… You just said you don’t really think anything of Kohina-senpai.”
”Uh, um…”
Aqua receives his personal tablet from the manager, Komachi-chan, who is nearby.
”Everyone, take a look at this photo!”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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