Dual System in Daily World

"I see that you've never been this nervous during a county-level piano competition. You really don't seem like my daughter at all. Do you like Chisato-kun that much?"

When Kazusa turned her head to look at the street outside the floor-to-ceiling window for the third time, her mother, Youko, finally couldn't hold back and joked,

"You know the story of the loyal dog Hachiko? You look just like that cute little dog right now. The look in your eyes could only be described as lustful."

Kazusa, feeling teased, responded directly. She glared at her mother, picked up the drink in front of her, and took a sip without offering any answer.

"I reminded you when we left. We could have left half an hour early, but you kept urging me. Now I know my mother's decision was right." 

"I've wasted time waiting here. I could have watched half an episode of that TV series."

Youko held her chin with her left hand and sighed dramatically. Her habit of drinking through a straw was exactly like her daughter's.

When she let go again, the originally round straw had been flattened by her teeth.

"You haven't had any work since you came back this time. You've been lounging around at home all day."

Kazusa finally couldn't hold back her complaint.

Since her mother returned, things had changed drastically. The most obvious change was what she had just mentioned.

This beautiful woman was no longer busy with work and traveling, nor was she going out on dates with men of unknown origin. 

Instead, she was staying at home. Such an unexpected change would certainly confuse Kazusa.

"Honestly, that guy who was so casual about studying all day taught me a lesson."

Youko smiled slightly,

"Don't worry; I've earned enough money for us, mother and daughter, to live comfortably for the rest of our lives." 

"Even if we never work again, we can still do well in this society, so there's no need to worry at all."

"Who would worry about that kind of problem?"

In the end, Youko still didn't answer her daughter's question.

The reason she had been staying at home every day lately was naturally due to her health.

With her current physical condition, she could no longer handle high-intensity work or date the opposite sex.

However, she thought it best to delay revealing this to Kazusa for as long as possible.

It had been a long time since she had seen her daughter so happy, with such a bright smile; she looked almost like an idiot. 

As a mother, she couldn't bear to ruin her daughter's current mood.

Youko had invited her daughter's boyfriend to dinner today for several reasons. While getting to know Chisato better, it also served as insurance for Kazusa's future.

Although medical technology today is very advanced, no doctor can guarantee a cure for leukemia.

Considering the worst-case scenario, if she were no longer able to be by Kazusa's side due to an unforeseen accident, she needed to ensure that someone else could be there for her.

This was very important. As a mother, Youko fully understood her daughter's character.

On the surface, Kazusa seemed strong and fearless, but in private, she was just a child who would cry when hurt or faced with setbacks.

She needed someone to hold her hand at all times to give her strength and share her burdens.

I hope Suzumiya-kun is a worthy candidate.

At this moment, Youko could only sincerely hope that her daughter's judgment in choosing a partner would be as good as her musical talent.

At a quarter past three, Chisato arrived as promised.

Once he stepped into the seemingly high-end restaurant, a waiter directly led him to the table where the Touma mother and daughter were seated.

"I'm so sorry I'm late."

Before formally taking his seat, he bowed his head slightly and apologized sincerely.

However, the previously agreed time was actually four o'clock, and he was a full forty-five minutes early, so it couldn't be considered late.

But seeing that the two of them had already arrived, it was only polite to say a few courteous words.

"Indeed, Suzumiya-kun, we've been waiting for you for a long time. It's not gentlemanly to make a lady wait."

Youko was the first to respond, and everyone could tell she was joking, her smile showing no hint of displeasure.

Chisato didn't pay much attention to it, but Kazusa felt a little unhappy at the teasing and proactively addressed the joke.

"Ignore her. We just arrived a little while ago; there's still plenty of time before the appointed hour."

She sat down and then reached out, patting the seat next to her, signaling for him to sit down.

No, Kazusa, she's your mother, so you can be playful, but how am I supposed to talk to you when you say things like that?

Chisato felt a bit embarrassed, but fortunately, Youko was not a serious or rigid person. 

She smiled casually, inviting Chisato to sit down before they resumed their conversation. This helped the initial awkwardness pass smoothly.

Afterward, Youko snapped her fingers, and the waiter came over with the menu.

Once Youko finished ordering, Kazusa looked up in confusion.

"It's rare that you didn't order red wine?"

"Well~ I quit."

This conversation between mother and daughter could only be regarded as a small episode.

The key moment came after they ordered and waited for the food to be served. 

Youko rested her chin on her hands, her beautiful eyes, which were very similar to Kazusa's, focused on Chisato from beginning to end.

It wasn't until he began to feel a little uneasy and Kazusa noticed it, looking slightly unhappy, that she sweetly said,

"Suzumiya-kun, you seem like the kind of young man with a lot of ideas for your future. What are your life plans? When do you plan to marry my Kazusa?"

"!"

The moment she spoke, he was taken aback. Even though Chisato was somewhat prepared, he couldn't help but momentarily lose his voice.

Kazusa felt even more embarrassed and angry, slamming her hand on the table and standing up.

"You... what are you talking about?"

Youko pretended to be innocent,

"Hey, what's wrong with me? This isn't unusual. If you like Suzumiya-kun so much, you must be thinking about marrying him in the future."

"Shut up! You don't have to worry about my future!"

"After all, she is quite the rebellious child. she looks really cute when she's shy, but what she just said shouldn't be taken as a denial."

"Stop being so verbose, that's not—"

!

Faced with her mother, Kazusa spoke extremely angrily and paused for a moment.

At the same time, Chisato hurriedly grabbed several tissues from the tissue box and stood up to offer them to Youko.

"Aunt Dongma, here you go..."

With a worried expression, he gestured toward his nose.

At that moment, Youko slowly felt a slight warmth in her nasal cavity. She reached up to touch it and found dazzling red on her fingertips.

Taking the tissue from Chisato, she stood up.

"I'm sorry. It seems I'm still not used to being back in Japan. My physical condition is indeed not as good as when I was younger. I need to go to the bathroom."

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30+ advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta

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