'What's so great about Miss Nagasaki?'
'Does her generosity with money count?'
Kaito pondered for a moment, then finally said, "If I have to say something... I guess it's her personality."
Although they hadn't interacted much, Miss Nagasaki gave him the impression of someone with a very easygoing nature.
"Easygoing" didn't just mean generous, it referred to a bold and carefree personality. Being around her felt very comfortable. She was somewhat similar to Teacher Hiratsuka.
And she didn't have Teacher Hiratsuka's hot-tempered martial-artist rage either.
'Personality?'
Soyo felt her vision go dark, nearly fainting.
'The worst-case scenario has happened, Kurumizaka-kun really doesn't care about money or looks. He is only interested in my mom as a person!'
She fidgeted with her fingertips in frustration, a subconscious habit of hers when panicking, and forced a smile, "B-But… mom's age…"
'She is more than twenty years older!'
'Not five or six, not just ten or so, but at least twenty years older!'
"Age?", Kaito looked at her strangely, "She's only in her forties, not that old, right?"
'Miss Nagasaki was in her early forties. Even from a human life expectancy perspective, that was still in her prime.'
Not to mention, Kaito had lived over four hundred years in his previous life. In terms of age, Nagasaki Asuna could be his great-great-great-granddaughter.
'Only in her forties?'
'Could it be that, in Kurumizaka-kun's eyes, being forty is actually just right?'
"It's not about old or not… it's just, she's like…", Soyo's head buzzed, and her words came out incoherent, she didn't even know what she wanted to say.
Just then, there was a clack from the entryway. Nagasaki Asuna walked in carrying two bottles of very high-end sake, laughing heartily, "Soyo, mama's home! Did you treat Kaito-kun well?"
Seeing her mother's figure, Soyo finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She first apologized to Kaito, saying she'd be excusing herself for a moment, then grabbed Nagasaki Asuna, who had a clueless expression, and pulled her into the kitchen.
"Mom! I need to talk to you!"
Nagasaki Asuna was confused, 'Why does my daughter look so heartbroken and serious?'
'Did she not get along with Kaito-kun?'
'But it doesn't seem like that… Soyo looks like she is angry at me.'
'Could it be… the matter I asked Kaito-kun to keep secret about the evil spirit has been exposed?'
"Mom, how exactly did you meet Kaito?", Soyo's eyes burned with intensity. Even though she had already figured out the truth in her heart, she still… wanted to hear her mom admit it personally.
Nagasaki Asuna was startled by her daughter's blade-like stare. She looked away nervously and let out a fake laugh.
"Well… that kind of thing, does it really matter?"
This clearly guilty behavior made Soyo's heart sink.
'Could the truth… be worse than I thought?'
Soyo didn't want to think poorly of her mom.
But her mother had managed to go from a full-time housewife to building a massive business empire in just over ten years, even upgrading from an old run-down apartment to a modern, fancy duplex.
A woman this successful naturally couldn't be underestimated.
Though Kaito was stunningly beautiful and a mysterious, powerful mage, he was still young.
And being young was often synonymous with being easy to fool.
Soyo was heartbroken.
'When did my mom become such an awful adult?'
'Now she is even going after a guy more than twenty years younger…'
'This is a crime! Without a doubt, a crime!'
'I absolutely won't allow it!'
"Mom," Nagasaki Soyo raised her head, eyes firm, "I don't approve of this marriage!"
"Eh?"
Nagasaki Asuna blinked.
Her daughter's gaze burned with metaphorical flames.
As if to show her resolve, Soyo enunciated every word once more, "I said, I do not approve of this marriage!"
"B-But…", Faced with such a determined daughter, Nagasaki Asuna was at a loss, "Is there something you're unhappy with?"
'Such an otherworldly beautiful boy, how can Soyo possibly reject him?'
'Not even a moment of hesitation!'
'Wait, could it be… does my daughter like girls?'
Thinking back, Soyo had always attended all-girls schools and had very little interaction with boys her age.
She herself had been busy with work and couldn't be there for her daughter.
A teenage girl starved of affection, without proper guidance. It won't be surprising if she went astray.
'Come to think of it, didn't Soyo mention once she had a very close friend named Toga… something? Whenever she talked about her, she even smiled unconsciously.'
'So… Soyo really bent that way?'
Nagasaki Asuna swallowed nervously. She considered herself an open-minded mom and didn't have high standards for a future son-in-law, so long as he was a decent person.
Family background, grades, job… all those factors others considered important in a marriage partner, she didn't care at all.
The Nagasaki family had no shortage of money. Even if her future son-in-law was lazy and incompetent, as long as her daughter liked him, she'd support them for life.
But no matter how low her standards were… her son-in-law had to be a man, right?
Sure, Japan didn't ban same-sex marriage these days, but as the saying goes:
Yuri is beautiful—but it can't make babies.
She still wanted to have grandkids someday.
"I have no complaints about Kaito-kun," Nagasaki Soyo looked sorrowful, "I just… can't approve of this marriage."
'I also can't…'
'Stand by and watch my mother go further down the wrong path.'
'So spicy!'
She clearly had no complaints, yet still rejected Kaito flat out.
"M-Mama understands…", Nagasaki Asuna's lips trembled.
"But, mama has another question."
"You and… that girlfriend of yours, how far have you gotten? Have you kissed yet?"
Nagasaki Soyo: "?"
Nagasaki Soyo: "Eh?"
"Chotto matte!", The girl frantically waved her hands, her little face as red as a cooked shrimp, "G-Girlfriend? What are you talking about, Mom? I don't understand a word you're saying!"
"Isn't the reason you rejected Kaito-kun because you already have a lover at Tsukionomori?"
Nagasaki Asuna lit up with hope, 'Maybe I misunderstood? Maybe my daughter isn't bent?'
"That's not it at all! She's also a girl! How could I possibly like a girl?"
Even with Mutusmi, she only saw her as a dear friend. She'd never had any strange or messy thoughts.
Soyo shook her head in shame and frustration, biting her cherry lips, "I just… can't accept that you're going after someone twenty years younger than yourself! That's a crime!"
"Mom, you should feel shame! Shame!"
Nagasaki Asuna: "…"
Nagasaki Asuna: "Huh?"
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