Chapter 199
Minami Kotori was a truly gentle girl.
The qualities of a devoted, loving wife were reflected clearly in her every action. There were times when she was so obedient and yielding that it stirred a deep sense of affection in anyone who looked at her.
Because of that, Mineo also showered her with an immense amount of love and care.
The two of them didn't go wandering off anywhere; they simply sat quietly on a park bench, leaning into one another. In the peaceful silence of their surroundings, they could occasionally feel the steady rhythm of each other's heartbeats and the unspoken feelings of their hearts.
After a few minutes, Minami Kotori lifted her head from Mineo's embrace. Her soft eyes gazed up at him with a quiet intensity.
"Mineo-oniichan!"
"I can feel that Honoka and Umi seem to have feelings for you too, Mineo-oniichan."
"If it's possible, I really want to be able to stay together with them."
Mineo, of course, understood the underlying meaning behind Kotori's words. To be honest, he had no intention of letting Honoka or Umi go either. After all, the three of them were best friends. If they were to be pulled apart, wouldn't that become a massive regret in their lives?
It was just that Honoka and Umi had personalities quite different from Kotori's.
Honoka was relatively easy to deal with because she had a free spirit and was brave enough to embrace new things. Umi, however, was far more conservative, which meant certain things couldn't be rushed.
As the saying goes, sometimes feelings need a torrential storm, and sometimes they need the steady flow of a calm stream.
Seeing the look of dependence in Kotori's eyes, Mineo smiled and spoke softly.
"Matters of the heart can't be rushed. We should just let things flow naturally."
"For now, Kotori, you don't need to think too much. Knowing that I can make you feel happy and content is enough for me."
Kotori's body was incredibly light. Even as she sat in his arms, Mineo could barely feel her weight. Moreover, there was a wonderful fragrance clinging to her, a natural freshness that was uniquely hers. Mineo lowered his head and gently kissed Kotori's cheek, causing a deep crimson blush to immediately spread across her face once again.
Then, Mineo said to her:
"I'm going to see Honoka and Umi after this. Do you want to come with me? I don't think they would mind if you joined us."
Hearing his suggestion, Kotori immediately shook her head.
"No, the time coming up belongs to Honoka and Umi. I shouldn't interrupt their date with Mineo-oniichan."
"Mineo-oniichan, I have to go home soon to work on the costume designs for everyone. You go ahead and meet up with them first."
"The next time you want to see me, just ask and I'll come running immediately."
"Alright then, I won't get in the way of your costume designing. By the way, Kotori, could I ask a favor of you?"
"Eh?"
Hearing Mineo's request, Kotori looked at him with curiosity written all over her face.
"Mineo-oniichan, what kind of favor? If it's something I can do, I definitely won't say no."
Mineo leaned in and whispered a few sentences into Minami Kotori's ear. In an instant, her face turned a bright, burning red. An indescribable sense of shyness welled up in her heart. She looked down, not daring to meet his eyes. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes and murmured softly:
"I... I understand, Mineo-oniichan!"
"From now on... from now on, I'll make improvements based on what you like, Mineo-oniichan."
"I... I will definitely be a good girl and listen to what you say."
Seeing her face adorned with such an enticing blush, Mineo couldn't resist pinching her small cheek again.
"As expected, Kotori is the most obedient. I really wasn't wrong to give you all my affection."
"Okay, I'll walk you home first. There's still some time before I meet Honoka and the others, so I'll stay with you for a bit longer."
After walking Kotori to her front door, she glanced around the area. Seeing that no one was nearby, she suddenly stood on her tiptoes and gave Mineo a soft kiss on the cheek.
The next second, she hugged him tightly.
"Mineo-oniichan, I'm going inside now. If you miss me, you have to tell me right away!"
"Don't worry. Whenever I have a free moment, I'll come find you!"
Mineo watched as Minami Kotori's figure disappeared into the house before turning around to walk in the other direction.
His next date target was Honoka, and the location happened to be her house. After thinking it over, he stopped by a nearby fruit stand to pick up some fresh fruit.
Then, he arrived at the Kousaka residence.
Honoka's family ran a wagashi shop. The first floor was the shop itself, while the second floor served as their living quarters. When he pushed the door open and stepped inside, he saw a woman with a gentle temperament standing at the front counter. A warm smile graced her face.
"Welcome!"
"Are you here to buy some sweets?"
Mineo recognized her identity immediately. She was Kousaka Honoka's mother. However, since her name was never mentioned in the original series, he didn't know what to call her specifically.
"Hello, Ma'am! I'm here to visit Honoka."
"I'm a good friend of hers, Takamine Mineo."
"I've come all the way from China."
"Eh? A friend of Honoka's?"
Hearing his introduction, the lady was a bit surprised. But she quickly stepped out from behind the counter with a friendly air.
"Since you're a friend of Honoka's, please, come on in."
"Honoka is upstairs. I'll call her for you..."
"Honoka! Come down quickly, your friend is here to see you!"
As her mother called out, Honoka's energetic voice immediately echoed from the second floor.
"Is Mineo-kun here?"
"Coming, I'm coming!"
"I'll be right down!"
Accompanied by the sound of rapid footsteps, Honoka—who was wearing white knee-high socks—came dashing down the stairs full of excitement.
"Mineo-kun! Welcome to my house!"
"Come on up, I'll make some tea for you."
Honoka bounced over to Mineo's side. Shortly after, Umi also made her way down from the upper floor.
"Mineo-kun, good afternoon."
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