In the moonlit estate, white dew warmed the sky, and the plain moon drifted like flowing water. Moonlight spilled across the heavens like dancing gauze, soft and hazy as it descended into the world.
In such a beautiful environment, Yukio walked alone beneath the moon, listening to the clear chirping of insects. Soon, he saw two figures—one tall and one small—standing there, each leaning close to the other.
When he approached, following the moonlight, he could see that Sakura was with their daughter, Suzume, posing cutely in front of a set-up camera.
Yukio could not help smiling. Sakura was still the same as ever, passionate about photography. After coming to his home, she often wandered around with her camera.
Now many of the photos in the house had been taken by Sakura. After ten-odd years, looking back at those youthful photos could bring so much emotion to one's heart.
Suzume noticed Yukio too, and immediately waved happily. "Daddy! Over here, over here! Come take a picture with us!"
Suzume was a year or two younger than Wan Xinyi. She was at the most innocent and romantic age for a little girl, and even her voice carried the milky softness and sweetness that made people melt.
Sakura was also sweet and gentle. Now that she was already a wife, she no longer wore glasses, no longer hunched and curved her back. She stood there gracefully beneath the moonlight, her jade-like body radiant, eyes clear, brows soft.
Looking at his beloved wife, who watched him with a full face of happy anticipation, Yukio slowed his steps and came over. When he met Sakura's gaze, for a moment, he actually could not quite look away.
Luckily, he still had a daughter. Suzume looked left at her father, then right at her mother, vaguely feeling that she was a little superfluous. She tottered over and hugged Yukio's leg. "Daddy, aren't you going to take a picture with me and Mommy?"
That soft, waxy voice was enough to turn even a freezing block of hundred-refined steel into something soft around one's finger. Yukio immediately crouched down and picked up his daughter.
The sudden lift made Suzume laugh happily. She no longer had that pitiful, wronged look from before. She happily turned her head this way and that, feeling that the scenery was limitless from up high.
She had usually grown used to looking up at the world. After becoming taller, she discovered that the world was truly wonderful, and that she would need to grow very tall in the future! Suzume silently kissed his cheek in her heart.
Sakura doted on her daughter even more. Back when she was a student, she had been afraid to look people in the eye because of the harm she had suffered. Slowly, she developed the habit of keeping others at a distance.
But after meeting Yukio, her life seemed to open wide. Her relationship with Yukio was very close, but also like that of gentle, harmonious siblings who could talk about anything.
Still, Sakura herself understood very clearly that aside from Yukio, her daughter Suzume was the person closest to her. After all, this was the child she had carried through so much hardship to bring into the world. No matter whom she was distant from, she could not possibly be distant from her daughter.
That was why Sakura could be said to be the gentlest and most loving mother in the house. She came over too and gently kissed Suzume's little face. "Suzume still hasn't taken a photo with Daddy and Mommy yet~"
Feeling her parents' love, Suzume smiled like a little sun, so beautiful even the moon in the sky could not compare.
Yukio also laughed. He suddenly hooked an arm around Sakura and refused to let go. "Suzume gets a turn, but what about mine?"
Sakura's brows lifted gently. She did not know if she was truly shy or not, but she gave Yukio a tender, lingering look. Even after so many years as husband and wife, she was still flustered by her beloved's gaze. Her lotus-like steps shifted lightly, and she kissed Yukio's face.
That satisfied Yukio greatly, but it also made their daughter Suzume hurriedly cover her eyes. "Aiya, Daddy, Mommy, embarrassing."
Sakura was teased by her daughter until her face flushed. Greatly satisfied, Yukio found the scene somewhat funny. Sure enough, there was a bit of a bloodline advantage here. Even Sakura, who was clearly the most awkward and easily embarrassed one, had become so much better in this warm, quiet night that her cheeks turned rosy with heat, and for a moment, she was too shy to speak.
After a little while, when she heard no movement, Suzume dared to lower the small hand covering her eyes. She looked at her embarrassed mother, then at her proud, smiling father, and felt that she really was a little extra.
A child who understands things really can make use of their little brain. Although she was somewhat wronged, if she could make Daddy and Mommy happy, then a little grievance did not matter. "Daddy, put me down. I'm going to go play with Onee-chan."
"Hmm?" As dark clouds filled the sky, why was Yukio's insight so sharp? He immediately sensed Suzume's intense grievance and hurriedly said warmly, "Why? Sweet girl, you don't like Daddy anymore?"
"No, no." Suzume quickly shook her head. "It's just… I just want Daddy to spend more time with Mommy."
Sakura lowered her head slightly too, looking at Suzume with a complicated expression. Whether her daughter was thinking too much or not, she could probably imagine what this was about. She and her daughter looked at each other for a while.
"Daddy will stay with both of you right now." Yukio tried to soften his voice as much as possible. That was how he always spoke when dealing with the children.
"Mm." Suzume still refused to respond. On her young face, a stubbornness unique to children appeared. "No, no."
"I… I actually know. I'm really disturbing Daddy and Mommy spending time together. It's like… it's like when Daddy, you go find Shiina-mama, or when Ibuki-mama spends the night, it's always a whole night."
"But when you come to Mommy and me, it's always just for a little while. You never stay overnight. I'm the one who's disturbing you and Mommy. Otherwise, Daddy could stay with Mommy all night."
"From now on, I'll go sleep with Onee-chan. Then Daddy can stay, and he can spend the night with Mommy. I don't mind."
Even so, she still felt wronged inside. But if it could win such a good thing for her mother, she was willing.
Such a sensible, heartfelt child made the tiny, wronged feelings in Suzume's heart scatter until they were clean and bright again. Her smile returned.
"!" When Sakura heard this, she nearly broke down. Her brain lowered its head in shame once more. Daughter! What are you saying?!
Yukio also looked at Suzume awkwardly. For a moment, his whole face had an oddly tangled expression, awkward and embarrassed.
Why didn't he spend the night with Sakura? It was not that Yukio lacked the strength, nor was Sakura too charming.
In married life, he had indeed gradually come to Sakura less often. It was still all right now, and Sakura still loved him deeply. But if this continued for too many years, things might still grow worse.
If Yukio spent an entire night with her, Sakura might not be able to keep from asking for another round, and by then Sakura would probably shake herself apart from head to toe.
Before Suzume was born, Yukio had also gently tried to accompany Sakura. But afterward, he discovered that Sakura really could not handle it. It was too harmful to her, so he gradually let things become like this.
Now, after hearing what his daughter meant, he truly realized he had not been thoughtful enough. Should this sort of thing really be solved by his daughter?
Under the moonlight, this pair of father and mother fell into distress.
But even if it was distress, it was still the happiest kind of distress.