Before this, Togawa Sakiko had only one impression of her mother: a coldness that seeped into her very bones.
No matter what achievements she made in her studies or in music, her mother never seemed particularly happy, only offering the bare minimum of acknowledgment.
Even as the conflict between her father and the main family intensified, her mother's attitude remained as calm and indifferent as ever.
Even when Sakiko decided to leave home with her father, her mother did not try to stop her. She just sat there as she always did, expressionlessly watching her walk out the villa's main gate.
In Sakiko's memory, it was as if her mother was completely devoid of normal human expression, always wearing a mask that made it impossible to guess her thoughts. Because of this, a deep-seated misunderstanding had taken root in her heart: that her mother simply did not care about her or her father.
However, after personally experiencing her father's unannounced departure and the long period of turmoil and worry that followed, she finally realized a self-evident truth.
"Not only have you been keeping track of my recent situation and my work, you even immediately launched an investigation the moment Father got into trouble... If you were truly indifferent to us, you would never have paid such close attention, let alone contacted me after what happened to him."
Sakiko looked directly at her mother, her tone incredibly earnest.
"As for the cold facade you put on, aside from it being part of your nature, it was also to lull the main family's vigilance... so you could protect us, wasn't it?"
Her mother's brow furrowed at these words. She immediately turned to look at Sakiko's father, her questioning gaze seeming to ask if he had said something he shouldn't have. Faced with her cold, sharp stare, her husband simply shook his head, indicating he had told their daughter nothing.
"Not only are Father's debt and his new job settled, but I also now have an important person to whom I can entrust my life, and a future path that you no longer need to worry about... So now, if you wish, you can leave the Togawa family with us at any time!"
As she said this, a hint of anticipation and pleading entered her voice.
"Once you leave the Togawa family, you won't have to be like you are now... guarding this villa all alone, will you?"
This was her reason for orchestrating this conversation.
After the incident with her father, after clearly realizing that her mother still held cherished feelings for her, she knew she wanted to repair their relationship and return to a normal family dynamic.
"..."
Faced with her daughter's sincere invitation, Sakiko's mother was silent for a long moment before she finally spoke.
"Unlike you and your father, from the day I was born, I have always been a member of the Togawa family. Because of that, my lifestyle, my way of thinking, even my values... I am a 'Togawa' through and through."
This was the first time her mother had ever spoken to her about her own past.
"The first person who made me want to change, to leave this place, was your father. You wouldn't know it to look at him now, but he was far more confident when he was younger..."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"And it was that part of him that attracted me. I believed he was the one who could free me from this cage. As for what happened after that, you should already know."
"..."
Her father had failed to live up to her mother's expectations. Not only that, but his failed attempt to prove himself had even forced him into debt with the main family, leading to his name being struck from the Togawa family register.
"Although Minami always said he ended up this way because of a moment of impulse, that wasn't actually the case," her mother said, shaking her head. "It was I who misjudged both of our abilities. It was I who selfishly turned my unrealistic expectations into a burden he could not bear. His descent into despair was his own fault, but I also bear a responsibility that I cannot shirk."
So, even after they left, she continued to play her role as a "Togawa," maneuvering against the main family while preventing them from taking harsher measures against her husband and daughter.
In her original plan, even if her husband was ultimately unable to handle the debt on his own, she could at least leave a sufficiently respectable escape route for Sakiko.
Until the young man named Chihaya Tetsuya entered her field of vision.
"First, he provided you with a job sufficient to cover your rent and living expenses. Then he took you on as his assistant, teaching you about fashion design. At first, I just thought of him as a kind designer, but just two months later, that idol concert changed everything."
The explosion in popularity of [Summer Zodiac] caused the value of the concert's key costume provider—Chihaya Tetsuya—to soar. After that, the debut of his personal brand, [Starry Sky], sent the story in a direction that was increasingly beyond her expectations.
"After one disappointment, logically, I shouldn't have placed my hopes on a young man of only nineteen. But the reality is, not only did he achieve results at the joint exhibition that I could never have imagined, he even received an exclusive interview invitation from an overseas fashion magazine, becoming a rising star in the industry. If it's this young man, perhaps entrusting Sakiko to him wouldn't be so bad."
"Mother..."
Hearing her mother's story, filled with a past of helplessness and a difficult journey, Sakiko's expression was filled with emotion.
"If that's the case, then shouldn't you leave the Togawa family with us even more!" she said again. "You just said yourself that you stayed with the main family for me and Father. Now that our problems are solved, you should have no reason to stay here any longer—"
"It's not that simple," her mother said, shaking her head. "The Togawa family is not a place you can come and go from as you please. While my years of management and operations have indeed given me my own resources and faction, they have also made it impossible for me to easily extricate myself... So, don't trouble your mind with my affairs. You've finally broken free from the main family and found the right person to entrust your life to. From now on, you just need to enjoy your own life."
Her tone was still even, but the words she spoke were no longer cold.
"Congratulations. You have completely fulfilled the conditions I set before, and have thereby obtained freedom in the truest sense. And thank you... for still being willing to acknowledge me as your mother, who failed to fulfill any of her responsibilities."
With that, she turned her gaze to Tetsuya and gave him a slight bow.
"Chihaya-san, I leave Sakiko in your care. Please, I implore you, give her the happiness that I was never able to obtain."
"Mother..."
Having failed to persuade her, Sakiko lowered her head, her expression one of unwillingness.
By now, she completely understood her mother's thoughts and the efforts she had made. But just as her mother had said, to pay the price for the impulsiveness of her youth, to fulfill her final responsibility, even with the debt settled and her own freedom secured, her mother still could not sever ties with the Togawa family as cleanly as she had. She could not obtain the freedom she had sought since she was young.
"Um, please wait a moment."
Just as the three of them were each lost in a sense of helpless sorrow, Tetsuya suddenly spoke up.
"Mrs. Togawa, you said that as a separate faction, you are still constrained by the Togawa family... but what if, in the future, your faction grew strong enough to surpass the main family?"
"...What did you say? My faction... surpassing the main family?"
Her mother frowned, a rare sight.
"How is that possible? If I were to develop to that extent, wouldn't that mean my own faction would become the true 'main family'?"
"Mhm, that's right," Tetsuya nodded. "If you develop to that point in the future, then you would no longer need to consider their opinions, correct?"
"That is true... but that is an impossible goal to achieve," she stated.
However, faced with her pessimism and finality, Tetsuya's attitude was simple.
"How will we know if we don't try?" he said, his tone very serious. "Just as you said, my [Starry Sky] is confirmed to be on the [TGC] stage, and I've received an invitation from a French fashion magazine. My future development is almost certain..."
"And so?" Her mother crossed her arms, her expression and tone so calm it was hard to argue against. "Even if your fashion brand makes it to Paris Fashion Week and becomes a top global brand... it doesn't mean you can contend with the Togawa Group, which covers multiple industries—"
"Then, there's Sakiko's [Ave Mujica] and another band called [MyGO!!!!!], which will continue to develop in the music industry. While I'm not sure how far they'll go, judging by the quality of their first original song, they certainly have great potential. You yourself saw that potential, which is why you wanted to invest in her band, isn't it?"
"...That is correct," her mother nodded. "Although there was a personal element, that single did indeed show me their commercial potential. I am also inclined to believe they will achieve great things in the future."
"!"
Sakiko's eyes widened in surprise. She had never expected her serious, high-born, and worldly mother to have such a high opinion of her band.
Tetsuya continued, "Next, there are the two exclusive models under my brand, who are also the two idols of the group [Summer Zodiac]. Besides their influence in the idol industry, they also have considerable and promising potential and value in the film and entertainment circles in the future."
"Mhm, Hoshino Ai and Misumi Uika, was it? I looked into them when I was investigating your brand. They are indeed popular artists not to be underestimated..."
"Also, next year I will be joining Filia Girls' Academy as an assistant instructor. While working there, I'll have the opportunity to meet more young ladies from noble families in different industries, and even cooperate directly with the powers behind them. I believe that the people who send their daughters to that school will be, more or less, interested in me as Jean-san's student. When that time comes, this network of contacts could also become a reliable resource."
"..."
As Tetsuya continued his presentation, Sakiko's mother finally began to understand his true intentions.
"You... want to wager all of your resources as chips, and bet on me?"
"Mmm, 'bet' is a little inaccurate," he said. "Considering my relationship with Sakiko, you are also my family in the future, and your affairs are my affairs. So, rather than a bet, it should be seen as support for family."
"Tetsuya-kun!"
Hearing these words, Sakiko's expression instantly lit up.
In fact, as he had listed off those names one by one, she had felt a strong sense of déjà vu...
Because what he was listing was the content of the [Harem Plan] she had formulated before—a team spanning multiple fields, all dedicated to supporting him. And now, with his brand on the right track and their relationship officially established, he was taking that very plan as his own strength and preparing to, in turn, support her mother.
"Because of my personal experiences, I place an especially high value on family ties and relatives. Perhaps in your eyes, you are content now that Sakiko has gained her freedom. But for me, that is far from enough."
What Chihaya Tetsuya desired was to bring happiness to everyone.
And that, of course, included the dearest relatives of the person he loved.
"I will become your strength and help you become the next 'main family' of the Togawa house. When that time comes, you will be able to find happiness and freedom alongside Sakiko with peace of mind."
Under his future mother-in-law's increasingly astonished gaze, he declared his intentions.
"What do you think of my proposal?"