Chapter 278 - 278: Yukinoshita Shizuku: How About Having Five?

New Year's Eve dinner marked the first time in years that the entire Yukinoshita family had gathered together at the old family estate.

A long table stood in the center of the main hall, neatly laid out with an exquisite spread of Japanese cuisine.

Layers of osechi filled the lacquered boxes.

Kuromame sweet black beans, kazunoko herring roe, tazukuri candied sardines — each dish carried its own auspicious meaning.

Mrs. Yukinoshita sat at the head of the table, with Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku seated across from her.

An empty seat remained beside her, an extra set of bowls and chopsticks laid out for no one.

Yukinoshita Shizuku glanced at the empty seat but said nothing.

Mrs. Yukinoshita poured a cup of sake and set it gently in front of the empty seat.

"This year... the family finally feels whole again."

Her voice was soft, murmuring, as if lost in memory.

It was as though she were speaking to whoever sat in that empty place, or perhaps only to herself.

Only when Mrs. Yukinoshita came back to herself did Tsushima Kagami press his palms together, the others following suit.

"Itadakimasu."

Yukinoshita Shizuku lowered her head and put a piece of fish into her mouth.

She chewed twice, and her eyes suddenly reddened.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Yukinoshita looked over at her.

"It's nothing."

Yukinoshita Shizuku sniffled. "It's just... it's been so long since I had Mother's fish."

"I didn't make this today," Mrs. Yukinoshita said flatly. "It's the chef's."

Yukinoshita Shizuku froze for an instant.

Tsushima Kagami barely held back a laugh.

She shot him a venomous glare, though her cheeks had already gone bright red.

The little exchange lightened the mood considerably.

Midway through dinner, the old butler came in carrying a tray with a letter on it.

"Madam, this just arrived."

Mrs. Yukinoshita took the letter and glanced at the sender's name on the envelope. Her eyebrows lifted slightly.

She didn't open it right away, setting it aside instead.

"Mother, who's it from?" Yukinoshita Shizuku asked curiously.

"It should be about the Chiba Governor's New Year reception. They're hoping we'll attend." She finished with a meaningful glance at Tsushima Kagami.

"The governor holds this reception every year," Mrs. Yukinoshita said evenly.

"Officially it's to celebrate the new year. In practice, it's where all the prominent families in Chiba Prefecture keep in touch with one another."

"Last year, the Yukinoshita family wasn't invited."

Yukinoshita Shizuku blinked, then turned to look at Tsushima Kagami as well. It was obvious the invitation was meant for him.

"How opportunistic," Mrs. Yukinoshita said, her tone flat as she lifted her teacup.

"That's simply how the world works."

She went back to eating slowly. Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku exchanged a glance, then returned to their own meals.

After dinner, the three of them watched the Kōhaku Song Contest together.

Mrs. Yukinoshita sat in the middle, with Yukinoshita Shizuku leaning against her shoulder and Tsushima Kagami on the other side.

Kagami hardly paid attention to whatever song was playing on the television.

Now and then he glanced at Yukinoshita Shizuku beside him, and now and then at Mrs. Yukinoshita.

Seeing the two of them close together gave him a deep sense of peace.

By the time the Kōhaku broadcast ended, the tolling of a nearby temple's bell came through the radio.

Amid celebrations from people all over the world at this turn of the century, the year 2000 had finally arrived.

[Author's Note: A fun fact — because the number "2000" carried such strong symbolic weight, a perfectly round number and a visual milestone, it was widely celebrated across the globe as the dawn of a new millennium, with massive celebrations everywhere. For that reason, 2000 came to be popularly known as the Millennium Year, treated as the beginning of the 21st century. But strictly by the Gregorian calendar, 2000 was actually still the final year of the twentieth century.]

Yukinoshita Shizuku sat up from her mother's shoulder and yawned. "Mother, I'm getting a little sleepy."

"Go on to bed, then."

"What about Kagami?"

"I'm about the same."

Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded, saying nothing more. Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku rose, bid her goodnight, and walked out of the main hall one after another.

As they crossed the hallway, Yukinoshita Shizuku suddenly reached out and tugged at Tsushima Kagami's sleeve.

"..."

"Hm?"

"Come to my room tonight..."

Tsushima Kagami blinked. "You really aren't afraid of your mother, are you."

"Right under her nose, no less..." "Could you be a little more discreet?"

Her face already red, Yukinoshita Shizuku turned and quickened her pace ahead of him. "Come or don't, I don't care!"

Tsushima Kagami watched her back and smiled, then followed.

Yukinoshita Shizuku's room was on the east side of the estate, a south-facing washitsu.

Two futons had already been laid out inside, set an ambiguous distance apart — not too close, not too far.

Tsushima Kagami stood in the doorway, looking at the two futons. It seemed Mrs. Yukinoshita had prepared them both.

"Why are you just standing there? Come in."

Yukinoshita Shizuku had already burrowed under her covers, only her eyes visible as she watched him.

Tsushima Kagami turned off the light and lay down in the futon beside hers.

In the darkness, neither of them spoke.

Moonlight filtered in through the shoji paper.

A long while passed.

"Kagami."

"Mm."

"Are you asleep?"

"No."

"What did Mother actually say to you today?"

Tsushima Kagami chuckled in the dark. "I told you already — we discussed whose surname the kids would take."

"Be serious!"

Under the covers, Yukinoshita Shizuku kicked at the blanket, the fabric rustling.

"Mother said... if we end up having several sons, could one of them be adopted into the Yukinoshita family."

Silence fell beside her — so quiet that even their breathing became distinct.

Tsushima Kagami turned his head slightly, looking over by the moonlight.

He saw Yukinoshita Shizuku staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, lips slightly parted, her expression frozen as if something had struck her still.

"Yukinoshita Shizuku?"

"Mother... why would she say something like that..."

"Who said anything about having that many!" "Then let's not have any." "That won't do either."

In the dark, Yukinoshita Shizuku's voice rose slightly.

"I just meant not that many. How many does Kagami want?" Yukinoshita Shizuku turned her head to look at him in the dark. "Wouldn't one be enough?"

"...? Doesn't Kagami like kids?" "They're a lot of trouble to raise, after all." "So how many does Yukinoshita Shizuku want, then?" Tsushima Kagami asked in turn.

Yukinoshita Shizuku pulled her hand out from under the blanket, looking at her ten fingers, faintly visible in the dark. "Three... five, maybe."

"Five in one go? Wouldn't that make you a sow?"

"No, no," Tsushima Kagami said, holding back laughter. "Who said five at once! Didn't you just say not to have that many?"

"Is five a lot?"

"Isn't five not a lot?"

"So when you said not to have too many earlier, how many did you actually think we'd have?"

Yukinoshita Shizuku, who had once been awestruck by one of Sayuri's doujinshi where the heroine gave birth to an entire soccer team's worth of children, clearly realized that her own idea of childbirth was somewhat divorced from reality.

She yanked the blanket up over her face and curled into a tight ball under the covers.

Tsushima Kagami looked at the lump of blanket and couldn't help laughing.

"What are you laughing at!"

The muffled voice came from beneath the blanket. "Nothing."

"You're totally laughing!"

"Fine, fine, I'll stop."

He really did stop laughing. But he still thought that this version of Yukinoshita Shizuku was awfully cute.

On the third day of the new year, Chiba City was still thick with holiday atmosphere.

Shops along the street hung kadomatsu for the new year, and the air still carried traces of smoke from the pine wood burned on New Year's Eve to welcome the year god.

Tsushima Kagami sat in the back seat of the Yukinoshita family's black sedan, watching through the window as the familiar residential streets gradually gave way to the cluster of Chiba City's most upscale ryotei.

Mrs. Yukinoshita wore a black furisode kimono embroidered with pale gold chrysanthemum patterns, its obi a deep, somber vermilion. Her hair was piled high, baring the long line of her neck.

In the front passenger seat, Yukinoshita Shizuku wore a pale cherry-pink houmongi, its sleeves and hem dotted with sprays of weeping plum blossom.

Tsushima Kagami himself wore a crested haori and hakama, subtle family crests printed on the black fabric.

It was already the third formal outfit he'd worn over the New Year holidays.

A good number of cars were already parked outside the mansion, uniformly black luxury sedans, with the occasional embassy vehicle bearing diplomatic plates.

Mrs. Yukinoshita stepped out of the car, straightened her collar, and glanced back at Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku. "Stay close to me."

The three of them crossed the approach path paved with Mikage granite and arrived before the mansion's main hall.

A middle-aged man in a black haori stood at the entrance.

"Mrs. Yukinoshita, welcome, welcome! The Governor is waiting for you inside."

"Thank you for your trouble." Mrs. Yukinoshita gave a small nod, her bearing composed and elegant.

Tsushima Kagami followed half a step behind her, with Yukinoshita Shizuku half a step behind him in turn.

The instant the three of them stepped into the main hall, the previously noisy room fell briefly silent.

Countless eyes turned toward them.

Tsushima Kagami straightened his back almost by instinct.

The recent whirlwind of interviews, TV appearances, and formal award ceremonies had trained him somewhat, and he'd grown a little used to this kind of scrutiny.

But it still made him uneasy.

"Ah, Mrs. Yukinoshita!" A tall man in a gray crested haori approached, a standard social smile fixed on his face.

"This must be Sensei Tsushima? I've heard so much about you!" "I'm the president of the Chiba Daily. My name is Sato."

Tsushima Kagami gave a small bow. "Mr. Sato, a pleasure."

President Sato's gaze lingered on Tsushima Kagami's face for a few seconds before shifting to Mrs. Yukinoshita.

"Mrs. Yukinoshita is truly fortunate, to have such an outstanding future son-in-law."

Mrs. Yukinoshita wore a perfectly composed smile.

Tsushima Kagami's background was hardly a secret anymore, by this point.

Everyone knew by now that he had already reclaimed his own family name, that he was no longer the Yukinoshita family's adopted son-in-law.

But in recent times, anyone paying attention could see that the Yukinoshita family's swift resurgence owed a great deal to this one young man.

In other words, while Tsushima Kagami had taken back his family name, everything about his conduct suggested he had no intention of reviving the Tsushima family's fortunes — if anything, he seemed to be tying himself even more closely to the Yukinoshitas.

"You flatter him, Mr. Sato. Kagami still has much to learn, and could use the guidance of his seniors."

The remark was polite and airtight, neither confirming nor denying the term "future son-in-law."

"Not at all, not at all — Mr. Tsushima is the pride of Japan's literary world!" "The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, Second Class — that's no small honor."

Even as he spoke, more people gathered around.

"Is this Mr. Tsushima Kagami? I've heard so much about you!" "I'm from the Chiba Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Here's my card."

"Mr. Tsushima, I'm the Dean of the Faculty of Letters at Chiba University. I wonder if you'd be interested in giving a special lecture?"

Tsushima Kagami met this sudden burst of enthusiasm with a polite smile fixed in place. But he was already growing weary underneath it.

Mrs. Yukinoshita, without any visible change, stepped half a pace closer to him and smoothly took over the conversation.

"We appreciate everyone's kind intentions, but today is the Governor's New Year reception." "It's probably best not to bring up private matters here."

She said it with a smile, her tone gentle, but there was steel beneath the softness.

The people who had gathered around exchanged glances and, taking the hint, smiled good-naturedly. "Of course, of course, Mrs. Yukinoshita is quite right. We'll pay a proper visit another day."

The crowd gradually dispersed. Yukinoshita Shizuku, who had been standing behind Tsushima Kagami the whole time, quietly reached out and tugged at his sleeve.

"Big celebrity, you doing okay?"

He glanced back at her, lowering his voice. "Just really tired, and really bored."

"Same here," Yukinoshita Shizuku said quietly.

"The way they're all looking at you — like you're a slab of prime meat."

Tsushima Kagami nearly laughed out loud.

Mrs. Yukinoshita turned and glanced at the two of them. "Go sit over there and get something to eat. I'll handle things here."

Tsushima Kagami hesitated. "Mother, wouldn't that be..."

"It's fine." Mrs. Yukinoshita cut him off. "You were never in a position that required you to entertain these people anyway."

"As a world-class literary master, it's only right that you keep some aloofness of your own."

She paused, the corner of her mouth curving slightly. "Besides, the less easily you associate with people, the more weight they'll think you carry."

Tsushima Kagami blinked, then nodded. "Understood."

He gave a small bow and led Yukinoshita Shizuku toward a spot by the windows.

A few low tables and cushions had been set up there, a rest area specifically for guests who preferred not to socialize.

No sooner had they sat down than a server brought over food and drink.

Yukinoshita Shizuku picked up her chopsticks, popped a piece of sea bream sashimi into her mouth, and chewed with puffed-out cheeks.

"Kagami, do you think Mother can handle all that on her own?"

Tsushima Kagami looked back. Mrs. Yukinoshita was surrounded by several women in gorgeous kimonos, a perfectly measured smile on her face as she handled them with cool composure.

He looked away. "Your mother's better at handling situations like this than you are, a hundred times over."

"...Are you saying I'm bad at socializing?"

"You said it, not me."

"Hmph, then find someone else to handle your socializing from now on!"

Tsushima Kagami said, smiling as he ate, "Then I'll ask Akane-senpai to help out at parties and things from now on." "I feel like Akane-senpai's been getting more and more of Mother's air of authority lately, too."

"How dare you!" Yukinoshita Shizuku pinched his side without changing expression.

Kagami didn't dodge, only laughed. "You're the one who said it." "I'm just following Yukinoshita Shizuku's orders in earnest!" "I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Yukinoshita Shizuku puffed out her cheeks but didn't argue back.

The two of them ate quietly for a while. Tsushima Kagami's gaze happened to sweep across a corner on the other side of the hall, and then he stopped short. A woman in a kimono sat there.

Her kimono was a deep indigo, painted with white camellia patterns, its obi an understated silver-gray. A white juban peeked out at the sleeves and collar, setting off the lovely line of her neck.

Her hair, rarely seen up, was pinned into a bun, baring the pale skin behind her ears.

She was looking down at the small dish in front of her, chopsticks holding a piece of grilled food that she seemed in no hurry to eat.

Her brow was faintly furrowed, the corners of her mouth turned slightly down.

She looked distinctly unhappy.

"Shizu?"

Yukinoshita Shizuku followed his gaze and froze as well. "So the Hiratsuka family got invited too."

Yukinoshita Shizuku opened her mouth as if searching for the right word. "So... so pretty."

Tsushima Kagami nodded.

Hiratsuka Shizuka had always been tall and slender, and in a kimono, all the femininity usually hidden under casual clothes and sneakers came rushing to the surface at once.

The problem was... she looked deeply unhappy. Extremely unhappy.

What drew even more attention was the middle-aged couple standing beside her.

The man wore a dark gray crested haori, tall and lean, his hair streaked with gray. But the shape of his features bore a faint resemblance to Hiratsuka Shizuka's.

The woman wore a deep purple houmongi, her hair piled high, her makeup delicate and impeccable.

The two of them were speaking with an elderly man nearby who looked rather distinguished, glancing down now and then at Hiratsuka Shizuka where she sat.

Tsushima Kagami set down his chopsticks and stood up. "Come on, let's go say hello." "Okay."

The two of them crossed the main hall, weaving around clusters of people making small talk, and arrived at the corner where Hiratsuka Shizuka sat.

Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to sense someone approaching and looked up. The instant she saw Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku, her expression visibly eased.

But the next second, she settled right back into her "I'm very unhappy, don't bother me" look. "Yo."

She gave a vague greeting. "What are you two doing here."

"The Chiba Governor's New Year reception — the Yukinoshita family got an invitation too."

Tsushima Kagami sat down across from her, looking over her kimono. "First time I've seen you in one of these." "Does it look good?" "It does." He nodded, quite honestly.

"Though you look pretty unhappy."

Hiratsuka Shizuka tugged at the corner of her mouth. "My mom pinned me at the vanity table for a solid two hours, and I've still got to deal with a bunch of rich boys later. How am I supposed to be happy about that."

"Well, you're dealing with one right now," Tsushima Kagami said, smiling and pointing at himself.

Just then, the middle-aged couple talking nearby seemed to notice the commotion.

Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother turned her head, her gaze landing on Tsushima Kagami. Her eyes widened just slightly before quickly settling back into a proper smile.

"Shizu, who are these two..."

"My classmates."

Hiratsuka Shizuka's tone was as flat as reading from a textbook. "Tsushima Kagami, Yukinoshita Shizuku."

Clearly, Mrs. Hiratsuka had already recognized Tsushima Kagami. But out of courtesy, she'd let her daughter make the introduction herself, so it wouldn't seem too deliberate.

"Oh my, so this is the Mr. Tsushima from the Yukinoshita family?"

Her smile turned a touch more genuine, and she bowed slightly. "I'm Shizu's mother. Thank you for looking after her."

Tsushima Kagami quickly bowed. "Mrs. Hiratsuka, you're too kind. If anything, Shizu's the one who's been looking after me."

Hiratsuka Shizuka's father turned as well, looking Tsushima Kagami up and down.

There was a scrutinizing edge to his gaze, though he put it away quickly.

"So you're Mr. Tsushima?" "Yes, sir." "Hm."

Hiratsuka Shizuka's father nodded and said nothing more. But that single "hm" seemed to carry some meaning Tsushima Kagami couldn't quite decipher.

Just then, Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother leaned close to her daughter and murmured something, her voice lowered.

Hiratsuka Shizuka's face visibly darkened another shade. "Mom!" "I'm just saying."

Her mother laughed and turned back to Tsushima Kagami. "Mr. Tsushima, our Shizu hasn't been causing trouble at school, has she?"

"No, not at all," Tsushima Kagami said quickly, waving a hand. "Good, good."

Hiratsuka Shizuka's mother glanced at her daughter, something complicated in her eyes. "This one's been like this since she was little — never bothers to dress up, always in tracksuits, and she smokes too..." "Mom!" Hiratsuka Shizuka's voice climbed a notch. "This is a public place!"

"All right, all right, I'll stop," her mother said, laughing and shaking her head, then turned to her husband beside her. "Let's go say hello to Mr. Ueo. Let Shizu stay here with her classmates for a bit."

Hiratsuka Shizuka's father nodded, and before leaving, glanced once more at Tsushima Kagami. There seemed to be some faint... anticipation in that look? Tsushima Kagami couldn't be sure.

Once the two elders had walked off, Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a long breath. Her whole body seemed to shed a thousand pounds of weight, shoulders slumping. "So annoying."

"It's like this every single New Year — dragging me out to socialize, making me wear a kimono, making me..." She trailed off, not finishing the thought.

Yukinoshita Shizuku eyed her suspiciously. "Shizu, what did your mom just say to you?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka fell silent for a moment. "Nothing..." But the tips of her ears had clearly gone red.

____

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