Apparently, Akina Izumi still didn't know about the situation between Kotomi Izumi and Tomoka Yuigahama. She only knew that Kotomi and Yui had a sowhat ambiguous relationship, and so she had been wanting to find a chance to talk with Yui's mother—not to discuss keeping the two apart during school, or forbidding them from early romance.
Although Akina knew that Kotomi liked girls, she didn't disapprove of the idea that her daughter might be in an early relationship. Nor did she oppose the idea of Kotomi bringing ho a girlfriend. Falling in love was fine—as long as it didn't affect her studies.
Now that she had t Yui's mother, Akina was surprised to learn that they were actually friends back in middle school. That made her think, if Kotomi really ends up marrying Yui one day… maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing!
After all, Tomoka's personality was gentle and easy to get along with. If Kotomi and Yui married and Kotomi joined the Yuigahama family, the relationship between mother- and daughter-in-law would surely be harmonious.
Still, Akina couldn't bear the thought of Kotomi marrying out. So she decided from today on to start hinting to Kotomi—to encourage her to be a bit more assertive, a bit more confident when dating her girlfriend. In simpler terms: to be the "top" one!
She hoped that when the day of marriage ca, it would be Kotomi who brought her girlfriend ho, not the other way around.
But then she rembered—weren't there several girls with ambiguous relationships with Kotomi, not just Yui?
Akina suddenly felt troubled. She didn't know what Kotomi was thinking. Was she planning to cast a wide net to choose the best one? Or… did she want them all?
"By the way, Tomoka, are you still managing the Dango Cake Shop all by yourself these days?"
"Mm, pretty much. Aside from when Yui cos by to help sotis, I handle almost everything alone. Most of the ti I'm in the kitchen, making sweets and bread."
"Doesn't that get too tiring?" Akina asked in surprise. She knew how exhausting the food industry could be. Buying ingredients and preparing everything already took so much energy. Normally, such a shop needed at least two people—one in the kitchen, and one to serve custors. Even then, closing ti always ca with fatigue.
Running an entire cake shop alone… even without seeing it, just hearing about it sounded exhausting.
"At first, it was a little rough since I wasn't used to it. But I didn't tell Yui. Knowing her, if she found out I was tired from running the shop alone, she'd probably want to quit school to help . I can't let that happen—I want her to go to university, to have better job opportunities in the future.
"I can't have her graduate high school only to co back and help run the cake shop, right?
"After a while, I got used to everything. Now I can handle the shop easily, and even have so free ti to think about trying new dessert recipes. Hiring a server would make things easier, but that's just not realistic. After paying for rent, utilities, and ingredients, I'm lucky if I can keep a small profit. There's no extra money to hire anyone."
"If you ever need any help, just tell , okay? Aren't we friends? Besides, back in middle school, I copied your howork so many tis. Every ti I did, I'd say, 'Tomoka, thank you for lending your howork—I'll repay this favor soday!'"
"Haha, speaking of that—you always copied my answers exactly! You never even changed a single one!"
"That's because I got nervous every ti I copied soone's howork! I couldn't focus enough to change the answers~"
"What kind of excuse is that?" Tomoka Yuigahama said helplessly.
Then, the two couldn't help laughing. The last ti they t had been at their middle school graduation ceremony—and now, so many years later, both their daughters were already in high school. Who would've thought that after all this ti, they could still laugh together like old friends?
"Oh, right, Akina," Tomoka suddenly said, "I've actually been working as a part-ti illustrator for a while now—doing artwork for novels, gas, and magazines. It helps earn a little extra money."
"These days, it's getting harder and harder to run a small business. If I rely solely on the cake shop as my only source of inco, it just won't work anymore."
"At first, I only took illustration commissions occasionally—just to earn a bit of extra money, buy my daughters so new clothes, and treat them to a few nice als. But recently, my illustrator account's popularity has grown, and the price per commission has increased quite a bit. So lately, I've been thinking… maybe I should close the cake shop for a while and focus on illustration full-ti."
"An illustrator, huh?" Akina chuckled. "Looks like my prediction back in middle school was right after all. When I saw you secretly drawing during class, I knew you'd grow up to be an artist. I don't know much about illustration myself, but if you're considering going full-ti, as long as you can keep your current rate—or even raise it gradually—and maintain a steady flow of commissions each month, then it's not a bad idea to give it a try.
"After all, the cake shop is yours. You can open it again whenever you want, so you don't have to worry too much about what happens if the full-ti work doesn't go well.
"That said, since the shop space is rented, there's still so risk involved. But changing careers always cos with so degree of risk, doesn't it? It's all about what you're willing to trade off.
"Honestly, if your illustration inco is stable enough to cover your family's living expenses and both daughters' school fees, I'd actually recomnd you go full-ti as an illustrator. Let guess—you're juggling both the bakery and illustration right now, aren't you?"
Akina Izumi wasn't surprised at all that Tomoka Yuigahama worked as an illustrator. Back in middle school, Tomoka had already been better at drawing than any of their classmates.
Even then, Akina had said to her, "Tomoka, you'll definitely make it as an illustrator soday!"
"That's right," Tomoka said with a laugh. "I've been doing both. But now that my illustration inco has increased and beco more stable, I'm planning to go full-ti for a few years. As for the cake shop, I won't completely abandon it, but I won't be running it every day like before—it's just too exhausting. From now on, maybe I'll open the shop only four or five days a year, just to give myself a ntal break from drawing."
Tomoka smiled as she said this and jingled the keys in her hand. "I'm planning to close Dango Cake Shop starting tomorrow. If you want any sweets, today's your last chance to buy them."
"Hah, so that's what this was about! Alright, fine. My two precious girls have been craving desserts lately anyway. Let's stop by your shop and buy so sweets before heading ho," Akina laughed.
After her talk with Kotomi the other day, Tomoka had made up her mind. She knew that even though she still looked young, her body was already in its thirties. If she kept running between baking and illustration, she would eventually wear herself out.
She didn't want Yui or Yuka to one day force a brave smile beside her sickbed, only to cry in secret afterward.
As a parent, staying healthy was the greatest gift she could give her daughters.
Between making sweets and illustrating, Tomoka Yuigahama chose to beco a full-ti illustrator—devoting herself entirely to drawing for Kotomi Izumi!
And the bank card Kotomi had given her—that was what gave her the courage to make that choice.
The amount on that card was enormous. When Tomoka first saw the balance, she didn't even dare to look straight at it.
She couldn't understand why Kotomi trusted her enough to hand over such a card. Even if Kotomi intended to commission illustrations for a lifeti, there was no reason to pay that much in advance!
When she first received it, Tomoka had tried several tis to return the card. But Kotomi had been firm and unyielding.
Kotomi had said, "From now on, you'll be the art director for Type-Moon Realm. This is your salary in advance." That was the reason she gave to convince Tomoka to keep the card.
And in that mont, a thought beca deeply rooted in Tomoka Yuigahama's heart:
Kotomi… even if you want to be your ga company's lead artist, you don't have to give this much money. You're using that as an excuse to help my family, to let live without worry, and to make my life easier.
For that kindness you've shown to and my daughters, I'll spend my whole life repaying you.
...
Dango Cake Shop.
Because the shop would close tomorrow, every dessert today was sold at a particularly cheap price. It was, in a sense, a way to close the business with no regrets—lowering prices just enough to clear out everything without taking a loss.
Although the official closure would start tomorrow, Tomoka Yuigahama hadn't announced it publicly. She hadn't even put up a simple "Clearance Sale" sign on the window. If you didn't ask, you'd have no idea the shop would be closing tomorrow.
The decision to close had co suddenly—made the mont Tomoka woke up that morning.
That's often how decisions work. You can spend days or weeks hesitating, weighing every possibility—but when the ti finally cos to decide, it happens in an instant.
She made the decision so quickly that she hadn't even had ti to tell her two daughters yet.
Perhaps it would've been better to wait a little longer, but Tomoka Yuigahama now just wanted to focus completely on illustration. Not long ago, she had heard from Haruno Yukinoshita that Kotomi Izumi's Sword Art Online manuscripts had already reached Volu 11—and that the illustration request docunts had been written up through Volu 9.
When Tomoka learned that Haruno was sitting on such a massive pile of manuscripts and illustration notes, she was shocked. She knew Kotomi wrote fast and likely had plenty of drafts saved up, and as Kotomi's editor, Haruno naturally had a few volus waiting. But she had expected maybe four or five volus—not eleven! And when Kotomi emailed the Volu 11 manuscript, she had also attached the outlines for Volus 12 and 13.
After learning that, Tomoka realized she couldn't delay any longer. She had to close the cake shop and dedicate herself fully to illustration—determined to push her progress to at least Volu 5 before Sword Art Online Volus 2 and 3 were released.
When Tomoka asked Haruno why she hadn't told her sooner about the backlog of Kotomi's manuscripts and requests, Haruno had looked helpless.
"It's not like I didn't want to tell you," Haruno explained. "Normally, after I review the manuscripts and the illustration requirents and find no issues, I'd contact you right away to start drawing. But Kotomi told that you've been busy lately and said I shouldn't rush you—that she'd let you know herself when the ti ca."
After hearing that, Tomoka's emotions beca complicated. How could she not see what Kotomi's true intention was? Kotomi wanted to keep her from feeling pressured—to let her work slowly and comfortably, at her own pace.
But after learning this, Tomoka made up her mind even more firmly. She couldn't take advantage of Kotomi's kindness by actually taking it easy!
If Kotomi wanted her to be her sole illustrator, then she had to live up to that trust—she absolutely couldn't drag Kotomi down!
"Phew, that should be enough. Ever since I had your Baumkuchen the last ti, I've been craving it again. Now that you're closing, I don't know where I'll ever find Baumkuchen this delicious again."
Akina Izumi, who had co with Tomoka Yuigahama to the Dango Cake Shop—perhaps to support her friend's business, or maybe just because she wanted so sweets—bought a whole pile of them. Especially the maple croissants; she bought every single one left on the shelf.
But… there was no worry about waste. One of Kotomi Izumi's favorite breads was exactly that—croissants brushed with maple syrup.
If those croissants were left for Kotomi alone, she'd probably finish them in less than a day—snacking on them one after another while watching ani.
Besides croissants, Akina also bought a lot of other desserts, including butter toast bread. Toasted in a bread maker and paired with ham, vegetables, and salad dressing, it made for an easy, delicious sandwich. Thanks to the added butter and cheese, the bread was so soft and fragrant that even eating it plain, without jam, was a simple delight of gentle sweetness and fluffiness.
"Are you sure it's okay to buy this much? It'll be a waste if you can't finish it."
Tomoka Yuigahama couldn't help but remind her. Although she ran the cake shop and naturally wanted to sell as many sweets as possible, whenever soone bought too much, she would habitually caution them—after all, wasting food was never a good thing.
"It's fine, it's fine. You've seen my Kotomi's appetite before, haven't you?" Akina Izumi replied casually, waving her hand as if it were nothing.
Tomoka thought back to Kotomi's eating habits, then looked again at the mountain of desserts Akina had just bought. Her thoughts quickly shifted from "That's way too much, will they even finish it?" to "Hmm, maybe that's actually not enough for Kotomi to finish on her own…"
"Achoo!"
anwhile, Kotomi Izumi—having just woken up and rewarded herself a little after moving from day 1 to day -5—was currently in what could only be described as "sage mode." As she pondered the philosophical notion that if humanity's most primal impulse was rely hormonal, then what was the aning of our existence? And when facing the vastness of the universe, where would we ultimately go?
Just as she reached that train of thought, her nose itched, and she sneezed.
Rubbing her nose, she didn't think much of it and continued musing about the great questions of humanity, the cosmos, and life itself.
Truly fitting for that famous line Aristotle once said.
Noon.
When Akina Izumi returned ho, she went straight for Kotomi's room. The sound of her footsteps startled Kotomi, who was sitting at her computer. She imdiately thanked her lucky stars she wasn't wearing headphones—if she had been, she definitely wouldn't have heard her mother coming. She hurriedly moved her mouse to close the open window on her screen.
"My precious girl, are you here? Co, let Mom pinch those cheeks! You've made so proud!" Akina's voice rang out as she entered—and before Kotomi could react, her soft cheeks were already caught in Akina's hands.
Kotomi froze, completely confused.
What's going on?
Did Hiratsuka-sensei betray at the parent eting? Did she tell Mom that I play on my phone and nap during class? Did she make Mom so mad she's acting nice out of spite?!
She hadn't yet noticed the certificate in Akina's hand, and her heart was racing. She frantically tried to recall her recent interactions with Shizuka Hiratsuka. Had she done anything that might've upset her?
Nothing ca to mind—and even if she had, there was no way Hiratsuka-sensei would actually tattle on her at a parent eting. The two of them were practically partners in cri now. Well, maybe "partners in cri" wasn't quite right—but at least, they were allies sharing the sa boat. If one sank, they both would.
"Mom, mom, stop pinching my cheeks already! What's going on? You go to one parent eting and co back this excited?" Kotomi decided to cut to the chase.
If Hiratsuka really had ratted her out, then fine—she could take a spanking. But if that were true, Hiratsuka would have a much bigger problem on her hands. Kotomi was already thinking about going to school that afternoon and storming into the teacher's office to give Hiratsuka a piece of her mind.
If that woman thought she could talk behind her back and still expect her to show up for next month's dinner with her parents, she was dead wrong. No matter how much flattery or bribery Hiratsuka tried, Kotomi wouldn't go.
The ship of friendship between her and Hiratsuka-sensei would sink right then and there!
Let her experience firsthand what it ant to "enjoy tornting your wife for a mont, then burn in the fires of chasing her back later!"
Well… technically, she wasn't Hiratsuka's wife yet. But close enough!
"Tada! Guess what this is? A certificate! You took first place twice in a row—first in your grade, first in all of Tokyo! Hiratsuka-sensei even prepared a special certificate for you. You were the very first student she praised at the eting! You have no idea how proud I felt!"
Akina excitedly held up the certificate in front of Kotomi's face.
Kotomi finally relaxed once she realized what it was. So Hiratsuka hadn't complained—she'd praised her! And the reason her mom was so worked up was because she'd received an award.
"Oh, so it was a certificate! Mom, are your emotions delayed or sothing? I told you right after the midterm results ca out that I'd taken first place again, both in school and in all of Tokyo! Why didn't you get this excited back then? Also—Mom, let go already! What, are you kneading my cheeks like dough or sothing?"
"I already knew your scores, of course—but what made so emotional was hearing you praised at the parent eting and seeing you finally get a brand-new certificate! Let's see… the last ti you got one was back in kindergarten, wasn't it? You wrote ten characters correctly on a little test, and your teachers—and even the principal—were so excited they almost cried! They made you a certificate on the spot."
Having her childhood story brought up made Kotomi Izumi feel embarrassed, as expected. But when she saw the look on her mother's face, a wave of guilt welled up in her chest. Even though her parents had always said grades didn't matter, what parent wouldn't secretly hope to hear their child praised during a parent-teacher eting?
Thinking back, every ti her parents had attended a eting before, the teachers' comnts had been full of helpless sighs or criticism. Yet when her parents ca ho, they never scolded her. They always comforted her instead.
Rembering that, Kotomi felt her nose sting. She let her mother continue gently kneading her cheeks and said quietly but firmly:
"Mom, next ti you and Dad go to a parent eting, I'll make sure you hear the teachers praising again."
Akina Izumi paused, then softly brushed her hand through Kotomi's hair. Her voice was warm and tender as she said:
"There's no need to pressure yourself. As long as you try your best and live and study at a pace that makes you happy, your father and I will always be proud of you. How about hamburger steak for lunch today?"
"…And mashed potatoes, too."
"Haha, sure thing. Huh? Why are you tearing up, sweetheart?"
"I just… feel bad. I used to embarrass you and Dad so much. Every ti you went to a parent eting, all you heard were complaints about …"
"How could you ever embarrass us?" Akina said with a soft smile. "Whether praise or criticism, no matter what others say about you, you and Aimi will always be the most precious little angels in Mom and Dad's hearts. That will never change—past, present, or future."
—
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