episode_0086

There are often times in life when one simply cannot maintain a straight face.

“Ahhh~♥”

“Ah, ahh.”

And I am in such a moment right now.

As I watched Ayaka’s mother, who was glued to my side and putting food into my mouth, I simply couldn’t maintain a poker face.

No. The only one who could maintain a poker face here would be a con artist leisurely smiling at a 10-billion-won gambling table.

In other words, no one could do that.

Anyway, I was half-distracted as I ate the food Ayaka’s mother gave me.

Honestly, the food was delicious.

It couldn’t not be delicious, given that it included my favorite karaage, pork belly (I don’t know how she knew I liked that), salad, and rice.

The problem, however, was that I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t tell if the food was going into my nose or my mouth.

“Now, open wide again~♥”

“Ahh…”

Anyway, while diligently eating the food (that Ayaka’s mother spoon-fed me), I observed Ayaka’s mother’s reaction.

‘She seems to be just enjoying this…’

Ayaka’s mother’s reaction was purely one of a bright smile, as if she genuinely enjoyed feeding me.

No. Honestly, she just seemed to be truly, purely enjoying this very moment.

Thanks to that, I seriously wondered if I should just enjoy it too.

How much time passed as I ate Ayaka’s mother’s food and sorted through my complex thoughts?

“Oh, Mom… my stomach is bursting.”

I stuffed food into my stomach until it felt like it would burst.

Ayaka’s mother had piled up the food as if building a four-story stone pagoda.

I simply couldn’t ignore the effort she put into bringing the food, and with my smaller body, I forced an amount that was hard to finish into my stomach.

After finishing all the food.

Ayaka’s mother looked at my bulging stomach, her smile unchanging from before, and asked.

“Hehe, Takuya. Did you eat well?”

“Yes. I ate very well.”

Since I had indeed eaten well, I nodded and replied.

At my answer, Ayaka’s mother chuckled happily, and I asked her.

“Ayaka’s mother.”

“Yes, why~?”

“Isn’t it about time you told me how you knew I used hypnosis?”

At my serious expression, Ayaka’s mother seemed to understand my words and replied with a gentle smile.

But strangely, in Ayaka’s mother’s smile…

“Of course.”

There was an inexplicable hint of longing.

——–

We moved to a place resembling a hill with a good view, offering a clear panorama of the city.

In truth, it was too steep to be called just a hill, and it took tens of minutes by car to climb up.

Anyway, Ayaka’s mother leaned against an old wooden fence at that scenic spot and said with a contemplative expression.

“Alright~ So, where should I start?”

“From the very beginning, if possible, please.”

Because if it started in the middle, I wasn’t confident I’d understand.

At my answer, Ayaka’s mother nodded, and then began to tell the story of her past, specifically from a time shortly after Takuya was born.

***

Mori Ayaka was the daughter of a considerably upper-class family.

Her mother was from a highly esteemed family even before Japan was called an empire, and her father was a high-ranking government official.

Being raised by such parents, Ayaka grew up receiving a very strict education.

Fortunately or unfortunately, upholding the family’s honor was not Ayaka’s role, but that of her older brother and sisters.

Thanks to this, although Ayaka received a strict education, she wasn’t particularly made to do difficult tasks or burdened with high expectations.

This was because Ayaka’s parents knew very well that not all their children could be exceptional.

Since they didn’t have high expectations, there wasn’t much disappointment either.

No. From the beginning, Ayaka was merely like a gift to be married off to a capable man.

It was a gift meant to signify, “We will give you this gift, so let’s maintain our kinship.”

Ayaka also didn’t particularly oppose this fate of hers.

Because the reason she had been raised this way was all for a time like this.

She just had one small wish that she hadn’t told anyone.

Ayaka lived her life peacefully, but change eventually found its way to her as well.

The catalyst was simple.

Since she had become an adult, it was time for her to marry, so she was sent to a hospital for a check-up to ensure there were no physical problems.

“Go to the hospitals I told you about and get examined.”

“Understood.”

But this didn’t end as a simple hospital examination.

What was clearly just a normal hospital check-up escalated into a major event that would become a significant turning point in Ayaka’s life.

It was only natural. Because Ayaka was…

“I, I’m infertile?!”

“Yes, looking at the test results. It’s quite serious…”

Infertile. Meaning, her body had difficulty conceiving.

No. She was told it wasn’t just difficult to conceive, but that she might not be able to conceive at all.

This news, naturally, turned Ayaka’s family upside down.

It was only natural for a commotion to erupt, as the gift that was supposed to be precious and carefully packaged for delivery was revealed to be defective.

No, beyond just a commotion…

“It’s all because her parents raised her wrong.”

“Infertility in this day and age…”

“This means we have to introduce someone else, damn it.”

She was told to take responsibility for causing problems in the family’s affairs.

And ironically…

“What on earth did you do to your body to make it like that?!”

“Did you go meet some man somewhere, like your sister did?!”

This responsibility was also shifted to Ayaka, who was already suffering the most.

Even though the doctor said it was congenital and could be slowly improved, Ayaka’s parents pushed her even harder.

It was natural. They had intended to marry her off at the most valuable time, but now couldn’t, so Ayaka’s parents were understandably annoyed.

But the one who was truly most hurt was Ayaka herself.

‘I can’t have children?’

Ayaka had always grown up obedient to her parents, but if there was one wish she had for herself, it was to have her own child.

Seeing a baby peacefully sleeping in her arms. That had been Ayaka’s long-held dream.

Perhaps that was why. When her cousins with babies visited, Ayaka was particularly good at playing with the children.

Giving birth to her own precious, precious child was like her only wish.

That wish had been shattered.

Perhaps Ayaka was more tormented than anyone else in the family.

Of course, no one understood Ayaka’s feelings.

And so, time passed again.

Ayaka was half-abandoned by her family.

Of course, she wasn’t completely discarded.

Her parents hadn’t had many expectations for Ayaka to begin with, and since pregnancy might be possible with rehabilitation, they had her attend university to at least build up more qualifications during that time.

Of course, even this time was agonizing for Ayaka.

‘Can I really give birth?’

Ayaka waited for the train to go to school, rubbing her belly while thinking the same thoughts she had dozens of times a day.

It was a normal belly, no different from usual, but thinking of this belly, or more precisely, her uterus, kept piling up anxiety.

That she couldn’t give birth to the child she so longed for.

‘I don’t know…’

That anxiety.

Thanks to it, she just sighed deeply today as well, waiting for the train.

It would have been good if she had just spent the day like that, but today was not a very lucky day.

“Pretty noona, want to hang out with us?”

“I’m busy.”

“Then at least your number.”

Because a group of delinquents, out hunting for girls in broad daylight, had latched onto her.

And because they were very persistent, her annoyance flared up intensely.

So she was about to shout for a station attendant when…

—*Swish.*

Suddenly, a girl with black eyes and hair, wearing a pure white dress and hat, took her hand.

And what’s more…

“Mom. Let’s go quickly.”

calling her ‘Mom.’

“Ah, u-un. Let’s go quickly?”

It was incredibly sudden, but Ayaka wasn’t foolish enough to miss such an opportunity, so she immediately took the child’s hand and escaped.

Having thus safely escaped, Ayaka expressed her gratitude to the little lady who had saved her.

“Little lady. Thank you.”

And in response to this gratitude, the little lady said.

“Are you really thankful?”

“Uh, of course?”

“Then…”

Very boldly, as if it were an absolute must.

“Please raise me.”

She asked to be raised by her.

Ayaka, at that moment, felt an inexplicable sense of destiny.

***

Listening to Ayaka’s mother’s story for a long time, I was slightly dumbfounded.

Like, ‘Why feel destiny there?’

No. Honestly, isn’t that true?

It’s not even anything else, just being saved, and she felt destiny?

Honestly, it seemed a bit strange, but well, she said so herself.

Just then, I focused on listening to Ayaka’s mother’s story.

—*Crack.*

Suddenly, a cracking sound came from the fence Ayaka’s mother was leaning against.

“Mom! Get out of the way, quickly!”

Startled by the sound, I told Ayaka’s mother to get away from the fence, but it was already too late.

—*Clang!*

“Huh?”

Ayaka’s mother was falling straight down with the fence. At that sight, I lunged towards Ayaka’s mother without an inch of hesitation.

—*Thud!*

With a loud crash, moments later, only a quiet silence lingered on the hill where Ayaka’s mother and Takuya had been.