Mom is irreplaceable

It’s a bit late, but the new school year has started and I’ve finally become a third-year high school student. I have to face the final boss for me, the university entrance exam, whether I like it or not.

Well, there will be various events before that. Yeah, judging from the flow so far, that’s for sure. A smooth high school life, what’s that, is it delicious? That’s how I feel.

Since becoming a high school student, I don’t have time to breathe because of all the episodes and incidents involving school, family, best friends and… but the story I’m going to tell now isn’t directly related to me. But of course, that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant.

I found out about the story around the beginning of spring break.

I remember it was around the time when the cheerleading society was approved at school, and Momo-chan, who was relieved, was thinking about April’s cake. As usual, Momo-chan’s sweets are delicious. They’re not very elaborate sweets, but they’re full of Momo-chan’s unique ideas. Really, I wonder how she comes up with something every month.

…No, first of all, it started with information Dad had acquired.

“You all know Doremi, right? Hasebe-kun’s mother. There’s a rumor that she’s going to get remarried.”

I had brought back March’s sweets from Momo-chan to eat with my family. Oh, of course, I paid for them.

At that time, Pop and Mom were still a little awkward with each other. I thought I needed Momo-chan’s sweets to help with that. And yet…

“Ehh~~!?”

Not only me but also Mom was surprised.

Hasebe-kun is Hasebe Takeshi-kun, who has been going to the same school as me since Misora First Elementary.

Hasebe-kun’s father died in a traffic accident, and his mother runs a small Japanese restaurant called “Akiho” that his father and mother worked hard to open. His mother is a very beautiful, kind woman who looks good in a kimono.

When he was in fifth grade, Hasebe-kun drew a portrait of his mother for Mother’s Day, but it was in the style of “へのへのもへじ¹”, and he got scolded by Seki-sensei. At that time, Hasebe-kun, who was probably childish in hindsight, didn’t like the fact that his mother was always smiling and being friendly to the customers in the store. He liked his mother during the day, but he didn’t like her when she put on makeup and went to the store in the evening, so he didn’t hang out at the store.

But then, through our magic, we showed Hasebe-kun how his mother worked. We saw how hard she works to protect and run the store that she and her husband opened, and how proud she is of her work. We also saw how much she loves Hasebe-kun.

After that, he started eating at the store more often and even helping out when it’s busy.

All of this information came from Dad.

Dad, Ai-chan’s father, and the fathers of other classmates we met through each other are still regulars at “Akiho”. By the way, “Akiho” seems to be named after Hasebe-kun’s mother. This information also came from Dad. He asked me,

“Doremi, have you heard anything from Hasebe-kun?”

I shook my head and replied,

“We don’t talk much about our families, so I don’t know. We’re in different classes.”

After Pop finished eating the largest piece of the four-cut sweets, she went to take a bath, leaving me, Dad, and Mom in the living room. The atmosphere was lively and carefree while we were eating the cake, but it returned to normal after we finished eating. Phew~. Well, it wasn’t Dad’s fault for bringing up that topic, but it still bothered me.

“That’s right. Ever since I started teaching piano at home, we stopped seeing each other.”

Mom said with a nostalgic look on her face.

Even though we live in the same neighborhood, Hasebe-kun’s mother and Mom don’t have many chances to meet. When we were in elementary school, there were many school events, and usually either Dad or Mom would attend, so I became familiar with the mothers of my classmates who were either acquaintances or had a closer relationship.

But now, most of them have work, household chores, and local errands to take care of, so they only have time to chat briefly.

If it were someone like Hazuki-chan, even if we went to different schools, we would still have a lot to talk about because we’re friends, but since Hasebe-kun is a boy, there’s not much connection. When you become a high school student, boys don’t talk much except when they have something to do. If you have a common hobby or club activity, you might have something to talk about, but I’ve never heard anyone talk about their family.

I still think that mothers of girls would have more common topics to discuss. Dad must have met Hasebe-kun’s mother, for sure.

Momo-chan’s delicious sweets disappeared in no time, and our family gathering suddenly turned into an awkward conversation.

“But dear, you shouldn’t spread rumors like that. Hasebe-kun is a student preparing for the same entrance exam as Doremi, and he is at a delicate age. His mother should know better.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up for fun.”

After being scolded by Mom, Dad nodded in agreement. Even though it’s not our family’s issue, I think it’s a very delicate matter. It’s just a rumor, but still. Dad quickly realized that and wouldn’t tell anyone else, but it was still a topic that bothered us.

“Even before spring break, Hasebe-kun was the same as usual. It’s just a rumor. But you guys, even though you’re older, you seem to like gossip,” I said.

“Well, you know, the regular customers we see at the store aren’t work-related, and we’ve been friends with them for a long time because we’re the same age. When we drink together, we talk about trivial things and have a good time,” Dad explained.

For Dad and his friends, places where they can drink and talk about things unrelated to work seem to help them relax. They have become regular customers at “Bird”, where Yada-kun works part-time, and Hasebe-kun’s mother’s “Akiho”.

“Hmm? Does that mean you’re having these private conversations at Hasebe-kun’s mother’s place?” I asked.

Dad waved his hand in a panic and replied,

“No, no, of course not. Asking if there’s a good man for the beautiful proprietress is just a way to make small talk. Even though she politely denies it every time.”

Mom and I looked at each other in disbelief. I felt sorry for Hasebe-kun’s mother, but I think she’s more than capable of handling Dad and his friends.

Yada-kun, who has been friends with Hasebe-kun since elementary school, sometimes talks to him at school. But still, they both seemed the same to me.

Even though I told Dad not to talk about it, I’m still worried. There’s no guarantee that Hasebe-kun’s mother won’t remarry. She’s still beautiful.

What if… it’s just a matter of what if. For example, if Dad died in an accident, and Mom considered remarrying, like Hasebe-kun’s mother, what would Pop and I do?

We would definitely be strongly against it. Pop and I would definitely not accept anyone other than Harukaze Keisuke as our father. If another man appeared and said,

“Call me your stepfather from now on.”

…No, that’s not a joke! We would never allow it!

Huh? Even though it was just a hypothetical situation, tears were about to come out. Let’s stop these weird thoughts. They’re too far from reality.

At MAHO-do, I made no mention of that topic. Hana-chan, who doesn’t have a father and mother like me and Pop, wouldn’t understand. Besides, I don’t know Hasebe-kun’s or his mother’s feelings, and I don’t even know if she will actually remarry. I thought it was an inappropriate topic for small talk.

I had forgotten about that topic because I was relieved that Pop and Mom’s cold war had ended, and I was able to report my own career path.

Then, I suddenly remembered it about two weeks later when I was studying with Itoko-chan and the others.

By Itoko-chan, I mean Hamada Itoko-chan. She officially started living with her relative, Tsukasa-san, last month.

Tsukasa-san is Itoko-chan’s uncle, but he’s like an aunt. To be honest, he’s what you would call an “onee-kei” (an effeminate man) in today’s terms. He apparently works as a mama of a certain type of nightclub at night.

Tsukasa-san lived alone in a house, and Itoko-chan moved in with him. Itoko-chan has many siblings, and she couldn’t study for the exam as she had to take care of her brothers and sisters and do housework. So she persuaded her parents to let her move in with Tsukasa-san as a last resort.

At first, Itoko-chan and I were surprised by Tsukasa-san, but he was very reliable, like an older brother or sister.

It seems like he does his housework all at once when the nightclub is not open, and he also teaches us how to study when we go to his place.

That day, I was studying with the usual members: Shimakura Kaori-chan, Kudo Mutsumi-chan, and Iida Kanae-chan. During our conversation, we somehow ended up discussing Hasebe-kun’s mother. This was brought up after we remembered that Mutsumi-chan was actually Hasebe-kun’s childhood friend.

“I heard about it the other day too.”

Kaori-chan, who is well-informed, replied calmly with a nonchalant face. Mutsumi-chan, who was sitting next to her, seemed surprised because she was hearing it for the first time.

Itoko-chan’s family works in real estate, and Kanae-chan’s family runs a steakhouse, so they probably get a lot of information. They both nodded, seeming to know about it. So, in contrast to Mutsumi-chan, Itoko-chan calmly said,

“Dad mentioned that kind of thing briefly last week, but no one believed it.”

“Yeah, I think so too. Mutsumi-chan, you haven’t heard from Hasebe-kun, have you?”

Kanae-chan immediately agreed and asked Mutsumi-chan.

“When I was worried about my club activities, I talked to him, but he didn’t talk to me about that at all…”

Mutsumi-chan answered in a shaken manner,

“Indeed.”

And Itoko-chan replied with a cold tone. Itoko-chan wasn’t worried about Mutsumi-chan’s concerned expression, but rather, she thought it was truly impossible. Kanae-chan felt the same way.

At this rate, Ai-chan’s father is also a regular customer of Hasebe-kun’s mother’s store just like Dad, so he might know about it too.

Mutsumi-chan really seemed to not know anything at all, and turned to Kaori-chan to ask her.

“Kaori-chan, is the rumor about Auntie’s remarriage really a hoax?”

It was natural that Mutsumi-chan, who goes to a different school, didn’t know, but since she’s Hasebe-kun’s childhood friend, she’s probably curious.

“Umm, there has never been any talk of Auntie getting remarried before.”

Kaori-chan looked at Itoko-chan and said, “Right?” seeking agreement.

“Yeah, that’s right. Even if it was a true story, it would be unnatural for it to come out during Hasebe-kun’s exam period.”

Itoko-chan replied while looking at Kaori-chan. Then, Kaori-chan looked at me and said,

“It’s a little too sudden, isn’t it? Doremi-chan probably thinks so too.”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s impossible for Auntie to remarry without saying anything to Hasebe-kun.”

I said firmly.

Auntie is a beautiful proprietress, and it wouldn’t be strange if that rumor came up, but she always thinks about Hasebe-kun first. I knew that clearly since elementary school.

We looked at each other and nodded. We all had the same idea. Why did that topic suddenly come up?

“Maybe there was some misunderstanding, or the story got distorted like in a game of telephone, since even Mutsumi-chan, his childhood friend, didn’t know.”

Kanae-chan suggested, and we nodded again. However, Mutsumi-chan persisted and asked Kaori-chan.

“But, was there something that could have sparked such a rumor?”

Kaori-chan shrugged her shoulders with a sigh,

“There might have been something like that. But since Hasebe-kun’s behavior hasn’t changed, I think it’s just a baseless rumor.”

Kaori-chan spoke like a detective, and we were all convinced, and returned our gaze to our notes. It’s a shame that my grades haven’t improved even though I finally set a goal of becoming a teacher.

“Mutsumi-chan, why don’t you just ask Auntie about it? Like, ‘Is there such a rumor?’ in a lighthearted way. I’ll investigate too. Where did the rumor come from, and what’s the truth? If we know for sure, we’ll be relieved.”

Kaori-chan winked at Mutsumi-chan.

“Uh… okay.”

Mutsumi-chan looked a little relieved, and we resumed studying.

In the end, the topic came up at MAHO-do too. It’s because Ai-chan’s father is the same as Dad, and since Hasebe-kun’s mother’s store is a regular spot for them, and Tamaki Reika, who is for some reason well-informed about local topics, happened to come to MAHO-do to buy sweets and mentioned it briefly. Everyone knew about it.

“I haven’t seen Hasebe-kun’s mother since elementary school, but Papa said she’s calm and beautiful.”

“Oh, is Hazuki-chan’s father also a regular?”

Ai-chan looked surprised. I had an image of Hazuki-chan’s father going to expensive restaurants in Ginza with people from movie companies and TV stations, but he also visits a small local restaurant.

“Recently, both Mama and I have been able to cook, but Papa said that the food Auntie makes reminds him of Baaya’s homemade dishes.”

Oh yeah, Dad also said that Auntie’s restaurant has delicious food.

“Is that so? Hana wants to try it too!”

“It’s a small Japanese restaurant. I also want to go and try it.”

Hana-chan and Momo-chan also joined in the conversation.

“It’s more like home-cooked food than Japanese food. I also cook, but I can’t make things that take a lot of time. I often eat Japanese-style side dishes outside or buy them from convenience stores.”

Onpu-chan is busy. She couldn’t even break an egg before. But now she’s cooking too. Maybe she’s better at cooking than me.

“Hana-chan is still too young to go to a restaurant that serves alcohol.”

Hana-chan was disappointed, but when Onpu-chan said she would buy her some traditional Japanese side dishes from the depachika² next time, she instantly smiled.

When it comes to Japanese food in my house, it’s probably just simmered dishes or grilled fish. Mom’s cooking is always delicious, but we often have meals that suit my and Pop’s tastes, so maybe Dad sometimes wants something different.

Even though I often eat delicious sweets at MAHO-do, cookies and pancakes made by Mom are a comforting taste that I’ve been eating since I was a child. I also make sweets occasionally, but I still feel like I’m only halfway there, not as good as Momo-chan or Mom. So I understand how Dad feels.

“Dad said there’s a regular customer who has been coming lately. He seems to have lively conversations with that man,” Ai-chan said.

“Dad also said that Auntie’s store has a cozy atmosphere, and that’s why the regulars have increased, right?”

When I asked, Ai-chan said,

“If it were a small Japanese restaurant near the train station, I would understand. But Hasebe-kun’s mother’s store is far from the city center, and Dad said that man is not a local.”

“Then maybe he’s on a business trip or something. He must have become a fan of Auntie’s home-cooked food.”

Hazuki-chan answered. I also think that opinion is unexpectedly correct. I asked Hazuki-chan,

“Hasebe-kun and Yada-kun have been friends since elementary school, right? Have you heard anything?”

Hazuki-chan shook her head. That’s right.

“Your fathers are half jealous and half amused because a rare regular customer from outside the local area has appeared at Hasebe-kun’s mother’s store.”

Onpu-chan summarized the conversation clearly. Momo-chan nodded in agreement and continued.

“Sometimes I pass by the store and see Auntie. She hasn’t changed at all since elementary school. It doesn’t feel like she has a son in his third year of high school.”

I think Momo-chan’s mother is young enough though. It’s just a different type. She’s a lovely Japanese beauty…

“That’s right. Don’t you think Tachibana Kyouhei-san’s mother, Shouko-san, looks similar when she wears a kimono?”

When I said that,

“I get the image a little bit, but I don’t feel like Shouko-san has a son in university. Besides, that mother and son don’t look alike at all,” Ai-chan added.

“Aww, Hana wants to see Tachibana-san and Shouko-san soon. When will Tamaki bring them over?”

Both of them are not in the local area now. I haven’t seen them at all either.

But still, pretty women are really tempting. I used to be the unluckiest pretty girl in the world, but someday I hope to be a pretty woman instead of a pretty girl. Now… now I’m just an ordinary pretty girl.

“For now, Kaori-chan said she would look into it and Mutsumi-chan was also interested, so we’ll know next week,” I said.

“By then, the rumors might have already died down.”

Ai-chan might be right.

Even though it’s a new semester, it’s not really fresh anymore when you’re in your third year. Our homeroom teacher is still Yamaki-sensei, also known as Leon, for three consecutive years. Leon is a really straightforward person, but sometimes he looks really unmotivated when he interacts with us.

But you know what? I’m not disappointed like I was when I first enrolled. I also know the good things about Leon. During class, he proceeds as if leaving us students behind, but the small talk in between is actually filled with trivia? Useful information? It might come in handy someday. The important things are summarized in the handouts. These handouts are excellent and are said to be often used in university entrance exams. His handwriting on the blackboard is bad, but the handouts are neatly printed from the computer.

However, in my case, because he is the advisor and I am the manager of the soccer team, I often see him outside the classroom. That’s why I wish I had a different homeroom teacher.

So the new school term started, and with Golden Week approaching, I participated in a study group at Tsukasa-san’s house one day after school. When I arrived at Tsukasa-san’s house, everyone else was already there.

Since Tsukasa-san was off, he agreed to help us with our studies. He’s pretty strict, you know.

I was late because I wanted to bring Momo-chan’s April sweets as a souvenir. I was really grateful to Tsukasa-san and since club activities will be getting busier from now on, and when Momo-chan and Hana-chan start the cheerleading society, MAHO-do might need more help. It might not be so easy for everyone to get together from now on.

“Tsukasa-san, these are MAHO-do’s sweets. Let’s eat them together.”

When I handed Momo-chan’s sweets to Tsukasa-san, he happily accepted them and said,

“Thank you, Doremi-chan. Let’s study for an hour first. We’ll enjoy ourselves later.”

Tsukasa-san’s smile can be scary sometimes. I opened my new textbook. I’m trying to overcome my weakness in classical literature. Even though I’m a humanities student, I can research English and history on my own, and I have friends who can teach me. But classical literature has different topics depending on the textbook, and even though I don’t dislike it, I really don’t understand why ancient Japanese people used such words. When I appeal to Tsukasa-san,

“That’s true. But even without knowing every word, you should be able to somewhat grasp the overall meaning.”

“Hmm. Well, I suppose I get the gist.”

I replied uncertainly. Tsukasa-san flipped through my textbook and said,

“As long as you understand what you’re reading, that’s enough. When grammar and other things get involved, it suddenly becomes boring. Oh, but if you understand Japanese history to some extent, you might be able to understand it even better.”

“Eh~~, really!? Since my homeroom teacher is the world history teacher, I chose world history as my exam subject~. If I had known that, I would have chosen Japanese history. Ah, I’m the unluckiest pretty girl in the world~.”

I dramatically collapsed onto the table. Kaori-chan laughed and said,

“Ah, it’s been a while since I heard that phrase from Doremi-chan!”

Everyone laughed. Tsukasa-san, the only one with a bewildered expression, said,

“Doremi-chan, you have a lot of courage to say you’re a pretty girl.”

“T-That’s because…”

When I looked at Tsukasa-san with watery eyes,

“From a certain perspective, you could be considered cute… I guess…”

He said with a wandering gaze.

Seeing me sink even further into dejection, Kaori-chan deftly changed the subject.

“I like the Heike Monogatari³. It’s like the aesthetics of destruction, right?”

She said with a dreamy face, and Tsukasa-san jumped in.

“I like it too, the Heike Monogatari. And the Warring States period is also good. I hate war though~.”

“The Warring States warlords are great, right~?”

The two of them seemed to feel some kind of sympathy for each other. But suddenly, Tsukasa-san became serious,

“Whether you’re in the humanities or the sciences, you have to study for the exams, but what’s important is what happens after you pass the exams. Doremi-chan, you said that university entrance exams are like the final boss before, but university is just the entrance to a long life.”

He’s really convincing. Maybe exaggerating everything is my downside. But even so, I can’t relax, which is why my grades are like this now.

“Also, language skills are important. Even if you understand the content of classical literature and English, if you lack good writing skills, you’ll get negative points. From now on, you have to study small essays thoroughly.”

Tsukasa-san is like a private tutor. But he’s really dependable. I’m really glad that Itoko-chan came to Tsukasa-san’s place. With this, Itoko-chan’s grades are sure to improve. I have to keep up so that I won’t fall behind.

After studying for a solid hour, the scent of tea drifted from the kitchen. I cleared the table and unveiled Momo-chan’s cake.

“Wow, it’s so pretty!”

Everyone leaned in towards the cake. This month’s whole cake is square. It’s covered in chocolate and decorated with lines of green, red, and orange cream squeezed out vertically and horizontally. Yeah, it’s like a checkered pattern.

“I heard she imagined the checkered pattern on the school uniform for the new semester. There is also a white chocolate version, but I brought a more chic chocolate today.”

Tsukasa-san also put his tea on the table and said,

“MAHO-do makes a new cake every month, right? I thought it would be strawberry since it’s spring, but the check pattern is refreshing.”

“But there’s plenty of strawberry cream inside.”

Itoko-chan said, excitedly looking at the slice of cake on her plate. As expected, whipped cream and strawberries are a classic combination. Kaori-chan examined it from various angles and said,

“Since the sponge is also chocolate-colored, the white cream and the red of the strawberry go really well with the dark color of the chocolate cake.”

Even Mutsumi-chan, who was not feeling well, finally showed a smile. Kanae-chan showed her best smile and said,

“Looks delicious~~. Oh well, my diet starts tomorrow!”

Everyone nodded. In front of such delicious sweets, the word “diet” is taboo.

“Let’s eat!”

Without anyone leading, we naturally said it, and we ate Momo-chan’s sweets. It really made us smile.

After quickly finishing our sweets, we couldn’t bring ourselves to resume studying and naturally started talking about Hasebe-kun’s mother. First, Kaori-chan started the conversation.

“Well, the new regular is someone from a design office. I know that he is divorced and currently single.”

“Huh, so is it really a remarriage?”

When we looked at Mutsumi-chan, she had a gloomy expression and said,

“…I couldn’t bring up the topic of remarriage.”

“But you talked to Hasebe-kun, right?”

When Itoko-chan asked,

“Hasebe-kun decided to become a chef. So, he’s considering whether to go to a vocational school or apprentice in a restaurant. He naturally consulted Auntie about this, but she had a complicated expression,” Mutsumi-chan said.

“Hasebe-kun is stubborn, so once he says he wants to become a chef, he won’t change his mind.”

I also agreed with Itoko-chan’s opinion.

“Does that mean he wants to take over his mother’s store someday?”

In response to my question, Mutsumi-chan had a vague expression and said,

“Maybe he wants to reduce his mother’s burden…”

Then, Tsukasa-san, who had brewed fresh tea and brought it over, said bluntly,

“Mutsumi-chan, you’re indecisive. Isn’t there something else that you’re more concerned about?”

Tsukasa-san placed a cup in front of each of us and smiled, as if he were a fortune teller or a witch. It’s a strange way to call a man a witch. I’m also a witch apprentice myself, but I look like an ordinary person. I stared blankly at Tsukasa-san’s well-manicured nails and long fingers and thought vaguely about it.

“…The other day, I tried to go to Auntie’s store, and Hasebe-kun and a girl were laughing together very friendly. Auntie and a man were also there…”

“Is the man the rumored remarriage?”

When Kaori-chan asked, Mutsumi-chan said,

“I don’t know. It was the first time I saw him, but since it was before the store opened, he could just be an acquaintance.”

“Mutsumi-chan, it’s not his mother you’re worried about. If it were me, I’d ask who the girl is.”

When Tsukasa-san said with a smile, Mutsumi-chan’s face turned red in no time. Then, we realized that Mutsumi-chan liked Hasebe-kun. We all thought “I knew it” but didn’t say anything.

“If you’re just worried, it’s a waste of time.”

After being pushed by Tsukasa-san, Mutsumi-chan lifted her face.

“Even if she’s his girlfriend, you can just steal him. Or give up quickly and find a better man. You’re still young, unlike me.”

Tsukasa winked at us and suggested that our tea was getting cold, so we sipped from our cups. The tea after the cake was mint tea.

Tsukasa-san drank the mint tea deliciously and slowly placed the cup on the saucer, saying,

“Anyway, today’s kids are surprisingly conservative, don’t you think?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I mean their way of thinking is old-fashioned. They could be more open-minded.”

We looked at each other, not understanding what Tsukasa-san was trying to say.

“I’m talking about their attitude toward love. I think that humans, regardless of gender, need love no matter how old they get.”

“……”

We fell silent, not knowing how to react.

“Shouldn’t Hasebe-kun’s mother be able to love again? If she finds a good person, wouldn’t it be okay for her to get remarried?”

“I don’t know… I’ve thought about it too. If I were in Hasebe-kun’s position and the topic of remarriage came up with my Mom, I would definitely oppose it.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with me.

“But is that just for your own selfish reasons, or are you really thinking about your mother’s well-being?”

“……”

We fell silent again.

“Try to imagine Hasebe-kun getting married. Can you imagine him valuing his own wife more than his mother? If his wife and mother don’t get along and it causes tension in the family or they end up living separately, what will happen to his mother?”

“W-Well…”

As I was bewildered,

“If that does happen, wouldn’t it be better if she remarried so she wouldn’t have to spend her later years alone?”

“That’s true, but…”

Before I could argue with him, Mutsumi-chan said,

“I don’t think Hasebe-kun will marry someone who will make his mother’s life difficult!”

Her voice was so loud that we all looked at Mutsumi-chan.

“He’s always cherished his mother, and I don’t think that will change in the future!”

She looked at Tsukasa-san, clearly criticizing him.

“Oh my, how pure… Fufu, you girls are really innocent. Well, I might have been like that too when I was 17 or 18.”

Tsukasa-san smiled and said that.

After that, we continued studying as if nothing had happened. When I glanced at Mutsumi-chan’s face, she seemed restless, holding her mechanical pencil, thinking for a while, and flipping through her reference book in a hurry.

On the way back from Itoko-chan’s lodging​, I decided to walk home with Mutsumi-chan.

After saying goodbye to Kaori-chan and Kanako-chan, I told Mutsumi-chan,

“Even though you quit the wrestling team, I still think you look best in the ring.”

Mutsumi-chan looked confused by my sudden words.

“And I think that nothing will happen unless you get in the ring and face Hasebe-kun.”

Mutsumi-chan finally understood what I was trying to say, and her expression softened.

“Thank you, Doremi-chan. I’ll get in the ring and try talking to Hasebe-kun properly.”

“Yeah, that’s great!”

I smiled, and Mutsumi-chan smiled too.

“You’re really good at pushing people forward, Doremi-chan. Maybe you’re meant to be a teacher.”

“Haha, do you really think so?”

I scratched my head in embarrassment and Mutsumi-chan quickly added,

“But before that, you have to pass the university entrance exam.”

“You’re right.”

We looked at each other and laughed.

Come to think of it, none of the MAHO-do members knew Tsukasa-san directly. I wondered if I was able to convey what I wanted to say with my poor vocabulary and expression.

Upon hearing my story, Onpu-chan listened with great interest and said,

“There are people like that sometimes.”

“People like what?”

“People who have good intuition and can give you the answer you want straight up… maybe?”

“Yes, yes, that’s the feeling!”

Mutsumi-chan was definitely troubled at that time. Well, it’s already been resolved, so I told everyone about it. Momo-chan turned to Hazuki-chan and said,

“Hazuki-chan, you’re also childhood friends with Yada-kun, right? He works part-time at a place where adult women come, and he’s handsome and popular at school too. Are they interested in him?”

“And he probably gets a lot of chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Don’t they all know that he has a girlfriend named Hazuki?”

Hana-chan does not seem to fully understand this kind of feeling yet. Even though she will definitely pass the entrance exam for the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Science III, she’s still a kid.

“A childhood friend is someone you’ve known since you were a kid. When did you start becoming aware of Yada-kun?” Ai-chan asked.

The question was directed at Hazuki-chan, who looked bewildered as the focus suddenly shifted to her.

“Well, when we were in kindergarten, Masaru-kun gave me a dove ocarina that he treasured. I think it was from that time. And then, when we went to different schools in middle school, I felt lonely. After that, even though we were in different genres, we talked about wanting to become professionals in the same music world…”

Hazuki-chan was about to say more when she exclaimed,

“Come on, why are you making me say all this?”

Her face turned bright red.

Yada-kun was quiet and not very lively in class. Although he played the trumpet well, I didn’t realize that he was seriously aiming to become a professional. I had no idea. Even though we go to the same school. It seems that Hazuki-chan and I had different perspectives.

Hazuki-chan has been particularly ambitious lately. She said she wants to challenge all the major competitions she can enter this year, both domestic and international.

The volunteer experience was an opportunity for her to open up new horizons by transforming herself into Luna, and later on, her father’s films were recognized overseas and his career started to flourish. It feels nostalgic to think back to the old Hazuki-chan, who was shy and retiring.

“Forget about Hazuki-chan’s story, what’s the deal with Mutsumi-chan, Hasebe-kun, and Auntie’s remarriage being resolved?” Ai-chan interrupted.

I went off on a tangent again. If I talk any longer about Hazuki-chan, I’m going to hear some silly jokes. Hana-chan came up to me and asked urgently,

“Yeah, who was the girl at Auntie’s store? Was the rumor about the remarriage a hoax? Explain it to us, Doremi.”

“Okay, okay, I got it.”

I explained it in order.

Mutsumi-chan had been considering quitting the wrestling team when she became a third-year student. That’s when she consulted with Hasebe-kun. He encouraged her to keep going. It’s true that Mutsumi-chan has worked hard so far, but it’s also true that she hasn’t had any results. She can’t switch to another sport like Ai-chan can. Wrestling has a weight class system, and Mutsumi-chan is petite, so it’s difficult for her.

Our soccer team also has tough practices and it’s hard to become a regular player. Like some of the underclassmen members who like soccer but can’t keep up with it on their own. However, some people choose to become managers just to stay close to the team. I think it’s up to each person. Even I am just barely hanging on and became a manager because I was pulled into it.

Mutsumi-chan had made her decision, but she was still feeling unsure. When she heard about Auntie’s remarriage, she went to Hasebe-kun’s place surprised.

“Hasebe-kun wanted to become a chef after seeing his mother working,” Ai-chan said.

“Yeah. Hasebe-kun is like Yada-kun, not very sociable and the type to start a fight. He’s also like Tachibana-senpai,” I said.

“That’s true. Yada-kun’s popularity skyrocketed after he started working part-time and met GB-san and the others. He was already cool, and now he’s thriving…”

“Momo-chan, that’s not relevant now.”

Hazuki-chan shyly interrupted Momo-chan’s story.

“Just like how Auntie thinks about Hasebe-kun first, Hasebe-kun must also care about Auntie. Thinking about becoming a chef is also a natural flow.”

When I said that, everyone nodded with the same idea. Hana-chan didn’t know because we only went to elementary school together for a short time.

Mutsumi-chan felt a little self-loathing along with her own setback, but seeing Hasebe-kun having a clear vision for the future and respecting his mother confidently made her feel reliable.

“I understand that Hasebe-kun, who grew up watching his mother, wants to become a chef, but doesn’t he seem a bit like a mama’s boy? Maybe it can’t be helped because his mother raised him alone.”

Onpu-chan said softly. It’s true that I really love Mom too, and I’m always thinking about how amazing she is, so I can understand that feeling.

“She’s a very beautiful mother.”

“Onpu-chan, Momo-chan, that’s not what we’re talking about now,” Ai-chan interrupted.

“Sorry.”

Onpu-chan stuck out her tongue.

“Hello.”

A familiar voice was heard from the lobby.

“It’s Mutsumi-chan!”

When I said that, everyone’s eyes sparkled.

As we all went out to the lobby, Mutsumi-chan had a surprised expression on her face.

“Oh, even Onpu-chan is here…!”

Except for me, it had been a while since everyone had seen Mutsumi-chan, so we exchanged greetings and talked about trivial things…

Mutsumi-chan became serious from her smile and looked down while saying to me,

“Doremi-chan, excuse me for a moment. I’d like to talk to you alone.”

Whether Ai-chan overheard her or not, she smiled and said,

“It’s okay, Mutsumi-chan. Don’t worry about us.”

Onpu-chan also added,

“We all heard from Doremi-chan.”

“R-Really…?”

I scratched my head and said,

“Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan’s father is a regular at ‘Akiho’, so they knew about Hasebe-kun’s mother’s situation to some extent, and they told everyone.”

Mutsumi-chan understood and had a lovely expression. It was clearly different from before, so I brought it up.

“You have a refreshed face. Did you find out something?”

Mutsumi-chan nodded and said calmly,

“As Doremi-chan told me before, I gathered the courage to step into the ring.”

Then Hana-chan was surprised and said,

“Huh? Didn’t Kudo-chan quit the wrestling team?”

She had an out-of-place reaction, so Mutsumi-chan chuckled.

“Hana-chan, please be quiet for a moment.”

I stopped her and asked,

“So, what did Hasebe-kun say?”

Mutsumi-chan talked with a gentle expression.

“The regular customer who came to Hasebe-kun’s mother’s place was originally just a normal customer, but after she found out he’s the director of a design office, she consulted with him about renovating the store.”

Even Dad didn’t tell me about that, so I asked in surprise,

“Is Auntie’s store going to be renovated?”

Mutsumi-chan nodded and said,

“Yes, but the design will change again.”

When Auntie found out that Hasebe-kun wanted to become a chef, she wanted to renovate the store to suit his height and build. She thought about retiring eventually and leaving the store to him, and there were a lot of things that were getting old anyway.

Mutsumi-chan chuckled and said,

“Of course, they couldn’t have a meeting during business hours, so they went to the design office or talked in a cafe. But it seems like Hasebe-kun noticed and was worried.”

“Oh, that’s why rumors of a remarriage started. Hasebe-kun didn’t show it on his face, but don’t you think he was worried about it?”

Hazuki-chan also laughed softly. Mutsumi-chan continued,

“But Hasebe-kun didn’t know anything about the store renovation or that his mother was thinking of leaving the store to him. He still has a long way from becoming independent, so he was thinking of working together to make the store prosperous before that happens.”

“If Hasebe-kun suddenly took over, the store’s concept would change. It seems like Auntie and Hasebe-kun have different ideas.”

Momo-chan, who is now the head of MAHO-do, nodded and spoke. I see, it must be difficult when the generation changes.

“So, what about the girl you mentioned earlier?”

I urged her to continue because I was curious.

“Right. That girl is the only daughter of the director of the design office. She’s a university student and also aiming to become an architect like her father. Unlike Hasebe-kun, her mother has passed away and she’s a daddy’s girl. She was worried when she found out that her father had been meeting a beautiful woman lately, so she showed up in front of Auntie’s store.”

Mutsumi-chan spoke with a smile, so I wanted to ask a little more.

“She was there in front of the store the whole time? She seems suspicious.”

If she wasn’t a university student, she would really seem that way. Mutsumi-chan chuckled at the sound of “suspicious” and said,

“It was before the store opened, and Hasebe-kun knew that a man was coming to the store, so he wasn’t calm. That’s when he discovered the girl.”

“Oh, I see now.”

Ai-chan said with a satisfied expression. As expected, Hasebe-kun was worried about the man his mother often met outside of the store’s business hours. But Mutsumi-chan said that it was difficult for him to ask his mother about it, especially if she said she really wanted to remarry. As childhood friends, Mutsumi-chan understood Hasebe-kun’s personality. Now we know most of the story.

“When Hasebe-kun tried to talk to her out of suspicion, she ended up complaining back, and they started arguing in front of the store in a tit-for-tat manner.”

That girl wasn’t one to back down from a fight with Hasebe-kun. I couldn’t help but say with a sigh,

“That’s so immature, arguing with a girl.”

Onpu-chan, who usually doesn’t interject, said with a rare comment,

“It’s not very mature, but maybe that’s why he’s called a mama’s boy.”

Hazuki-chan urged her to continue in a moderate tone. Mutsumi-chan didn’t seem to agree with the term “mama’s boy”, but maybe boys and girls have different feelings towards their mothers.

“It seems like Auntie and the director heard the commotion outside the store. When the two of them came out, it turned out that they were two parent-child pairs. All four of them were surprised. But after that, the misunderstanding was quickly resolved.”

“Eh, that’s the twist~~?”

Undeterred by Ai-chan’s retort, Mutsumi-chan continued,

“After that, the girl and Hasebe-kun somehow hit it off, and since it was getting dark, Hasebe-kun accompanied the girl to the train station.”

That’s where Mutsumi-chan witnessed it. Of course, if you only focus on that, it might be shocking, but that’s the truth. If we weren’t friends, I would have wanted to see a more dramatic turn of events. Just kidding.

“So, they decided to renovate the store after all. But instead of accommodating Hasebe-kun, they decided to expand the kitchen and fix it so that Hasebe-kun and Auntie can work together.”

“I see. I’m glad everything was resolved, Mutsumi-chan.”

When I said that, Mutsumi-chan made a victory sign with a slightly embarrassed expression. It felt like the energetic Mutsumi-chan was finally back.

After Mutsumi-chan left, the topic of Hasebe-kun was still hot at MAHO-do. Ai-chan seemed to be thinking the same thing as me and said,

“I was expecting a more dramatic development.”

“That’s not true. It ended up in the best possible way.”

Hazuki-chan scolded her, and Ai-chan stuck out her tongue.

“In that case, the director’s daughter is a daddy’s girl. So that’s why she gets along with Hasebe-kun, a mama’s boy.”

Hana-chan was suddenly interested and spoke up.

“Momoko, what’s a daddy’s girl and a mama’s boy?”

Momo-chan covered her mouth with her hand, as if saying “oops”. Majorika glared at us. It was Onpu-chan’s turn to speak up in times like these.

“A mama’s boy is someone who loves his mother, and a daddy’s girl is someone who loves her father, but an upgraded version of both, Hana-chan.”

Onpu-chan explained with a smile. It’s mostly accurate… right?

“Hmmm, Hana doesn’t have either.”

“That’s true, but there’s Queen, Majorika, and Lala, right?”

I said, looking at Majorika and Lala.

“Yeah, I like them… but Majorika is a little annoying… but I like her.”

Hana-chan’s voice trailed off, but both of them should have heard it loud and clear.

“At least we know you’re not a mama’s boy,” Ai-chan joked.

Majorika looked like she had a complicated expression, not sure whether to be happy or angry, but Ai-chan casually moved on, so we somehow managed to avoid the mama’s boy explanation.

The following Monday, after finishing a study session at Tsukasa-san’s house, I hurried to MAHO-do with big news in tow.

“Everyone, listen to this! It’s big news!”

I jumped into the kitchen without changing into my patissiere outfit. Everyone was there.

“What’s the big news?”

Hazuki-chan asked.

“Did you win the lottery?”

Ai-chan joked.

“No, listen. I heard it from Mutsumi-chan earlier…”

Before I could reveal the big news, Onpu-chan asked directly,

“Did Mutsumi-chan start dating Hasebe-kun?”

H-How did she know!? I was the one who was surprised, Onpu-chan.

“Y-Yeah… as Tsukasa-san said, Mutsumi-chan was more worried about the girl than Auntie’s remarriage. In the end, she breathed a sigh of relief because both problems were solved at once!”

“At once?”

I dropped a hint and Ai-chan picked up on it immediately. As expected of an Osaka person.

“She was suddenly confessed to!”

“It happened───! …Well, that’s how it feels when I say it this way.”

Thank you once again for the enthusiastic response, Ai-chan. With everyone’s attention on me, I couldn’t help but feel my heart pounding as if I were the one being confessed to.

Kudo, since the other day, Yada has been treating me like a mama's boy. What do you think about a guy being a mama's boy?

That’s what Hasebe-kun said to Mutsumi-chan.

I think most guys are mama's boys. But you can't trust someone who hates his mother, and Hasebe-kun really cares about his mother. I think that's different from being a mama's boy.

That’s what she said in response. I’m sure Hasebe-kun’s heart skipped a beat when he heard her words.

“So, he talked about dating, and Mutsumi-chan said okay.”

“Kyaaa!”

We didn’t scream, but everyone was really excited. Hazuki-chan had a dreamy expression on her face.

“The talk about Hasebe-kun’s mother’s remarriage suddenly brought them closer together.”

Even though she’s lovey-dovey with Yada-kun, she put her hand over her heart with a happy expression like she had just read a romance novel.

“The timing was perfect for when she was considering quitting the club activities. It’s kind of an enviable happy ending, isn’t it?”

For some reason, Onpu-chan, who has little experience with romance, let out a sigh and said. Maybe she was jealous after all.

“Aww~~, if things didn’t work out, I was thinking that Hana-chan and I would cheer them on! Right?”

Momo-chan struck a cheerleading pose and said to Hana-chan.

“That’s right! Hana and her friends will cheer for anything!”

She spread her arms wide.

So, Mutsumi-chan, whose real life is very fulfilling, joined the cheerleading society that Momo-chan and Hana-chan had started.

Mutsumi-chan decided to help the two of them while she has free time after quitting the club activities. Although Mutsumi-chan is not an official member because she goes to a different school, she has athleticism, good movements, and has strengthened her muscles in the wrestling team, even though she is petite, which impressed Seki-sensei. Recently, she has been enthusiastically participating in practice as well.

Tsukasa-san seemed to secretly worry about it because of their complicated relationship, but it seems to have been resolved nicely, and he’s relieved now. Even after Golden Week, I decided to study at Itoko-chan’s place a few times a month.

Itoko-chan has experience helping her siblings with their entrance exams, so she’s good at teaching. It’s a big help. I think Itoko-chan and Tsukasa-san are really related by blood because they can be quite strict. If I make the same mistake again, they won’t hesitate to scold me. If my midterm exam scores don’t improve, I don’t know what they’ll say, so I’ll do my best.

Kaori-chan started working part-time at Kanae-chan’s store. She said she wanted to save a lot of money so she could buy a new camera.

Kanae-chan said she wanted to expand the lunch menu as well as the nighttime steak menu. She grew up seeing her parents work hard just like Hasebe-kun did. Even though she said it was like a predetermined path she was put on, she doesn’t actually hate the job.

Apart from Mom, I haven’t seen much of Dad’s work. But I’m thinking of reading the articles he wrote as a writer more seriously.

Everyone is doing their best, but I also think that being a manager is the second most important job after studying. We’re steadily advancing through the prefectural tournament that just started. It’s still early summer, but I’ve already gotten completely tanned. Can’t I even look like an ordinary pretty girl anymore? Onpu-chan recommended some sunscreen cream, but I don’t know if it’s effective because the sun is too strong.

As we welcome the early summer, a new incident involving Hana-chan broke out, but I’ll tell you about it later.