In that instant, Sayuri tensed up like a startled rabbit, quickly pressing her legs together and crossing her arms over her chest.
Despite being in her thirties, her reaction was as innocent and flustered as a young girl's.
Honestly, it was kind of adorable.
And strangely enough, the way she carried herself made this reaction seem completely natural.
"Good grief, Eriri! If you're bringing guests over, at least give me a heads-up!"
Sayuri quickly turned around while complaining.
Her hands, which had been hastily covering her chest, now shifted behind her lower back as she hurried back upstairs with quick, tapping footsteps.
"..."
Sayuri's exaggerated reaction slightly eased the almost frozen atmosphere between the three people in the room.
"She went to change her clothes. Just wait a bit. I'll go make some tea."
Eriri turned and headed to the kitchen.
Noticing that Sayuri's attire had been somewhat inappropriate, Chisato, who had quickly averted his gaze, now sat back down.
The tea was soon brought over.
Perhaps anticipating the potential chaos that might follow after explaining everything to her mother, Eriri had not prepared freshly brewed tea with hot water.
Instead, she had simply poured chilled oolong tea from the refrigerator.
The three of them sipped their tea in small sips, sitting in a row, each lost in their own thoughts, with no conversation exchanged.
Sayuri didn't keep them waiting for long. When she descended from the second floor again, she had changed into a proper dress.
"Welcome, Chisato-kun. Utaha, it's been a while."
She sat down on the side of the sofa, smiling warmly, with no trace of embarrassment from her earlier wardrobe mishap.
Although she was well aware that her daughter's friend, Utaha, had feelings for Chisato—and perhaps even some unspoken intentions—her perspective was that teenagers were bound to make mistakes.
Even someone as outstanding as Utaha, often praised as the "ideal child" by neighbors, making the mistake of competing with her friend over a boy was understandable.
After all, back in her youth, she had been somewhat similar to Utaha. She, too, had interfered in her husband's childhood friendship and ultimately emerged victorious.
That shared experience gave her a certain level of empathy, but compared to supporting her daughter's determination, that empathy felt trivial.
Chisato and Utaha politely lowered their heads slightly in greeting.
"Haha, no need to be so formal! You're all Eriri's friends. I've already thought of you as my own children, so make yourselves at home."
Sayuri's half-joking remark turned out to be strangely prophetic.
Given their current situation, with Eriri serving as the connection between them, the other two might as well be considered her "children"—just in a slightly complicated way.
"Mom, I have something very important to tell you. Please don't interrupt me and listen carefully."
Setting down her teacup, Eriri suddenly spoke.
Her expression was serious, unlike her usual lively self, and her tone carried a deliberate steadiness.
At the same time, both Chisato and Utaha unconsciously clenched their hands on their laps, their backs straightening involuntarily.
With the way all three of them were acting, even the most oblivious person would sense that something was off—let alone Sayuri, whose intuition was keen.
She immediately realized that something unusual was going on between the three of them.
Her gaze briefly passed over Utaha and Chisato before finally settling on her daughter.
Still maintaining her warm, reassuring smile, she spoke.
"Alright, I understand, Eriri."
Eriri lowered her head slightly and took a shallow breath, as if gathering her courage.
After all, explaining their current relationship dynamic to her own mother required immense bravery.
She didn't hesitate for long. Soon, she lifted her head, her eyes filled with determination, and took the first step forward.
"It's about the three of us. Actually..."
Chisato understood.
At this point, all the necessary conditions for a confession had been met.
All that remained was to tell the truth.
However, no matter how things unfolded, as the person most responsible for this situation, hiding behind Eriri while she did all the talking would go against his principles as a man.
So, without further hesitation, he interrupted Eriri.
"Wait, Eriri. Let me explain."
Eriri looked at him with a complicated expression. But after seeing the resolve in Chisato's gaze, she understood his intention.
She gave a small nod and closed her lips, refraining from speaking further.
Sayuri's expression also shifted from serious listening to mild confusion.
She thought to herself—this might be even more complicated than she had initially assumed.
"Mrs. Sawamura..."
"Chisato, I've told you before—your way of addressing me sounds way too old-fashioned. Either call me 'Mom' or 'Miss Sayuri.'"
Just as Chisato was mustering his courage to speak, Sayuri suddenly interrupted him, complaining about how outdated his form of address sounded and offering alternatives.
"..."
Being cut off at such a crucial moment made Chisato feel like his heart had almost stopped.
Are all the moms around me like this?
Aunty Youko was like this, and now Sayuri too—they're both so concerned about their age.
Would Utaha's mom be the same way?
"Mom!"
Eriri, clearly annoyed, stood up in protest. There was no need for words—her fierce glare and slightly bared canine teeth made her frustration evident.
"Hahaha~ You all looked so serious, so I just wanted to lighten the mood a little. Don't glare at me like that. I promise I won't say another unnecessary word."
Sayuri playfully covered her mouth with her hand, mimicking a motion of zipping her lips shut.
"..."
Eriri let out a small sigh, then cast a gentle glance at Chisato.
After exchanging a subtle nod with him, she sat back down, and Chisato prepared to start speaking again.
"Miss Sawamura."
But once again, he was interrupted.
And this time, the one who interrupted him was Utaha, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since entering the house.
Seizing the moment before either Chisato or Eriri could react, she stood up, first bowing slightly toward Sayuri before quickly straightening and speaking.
"In the past, I deceived you for my own selfish reasons. I sincerely apologize."
She bowed again—this time, a perfect ninety-degree bow of apology.
Her long hair fell forward due to gravity, partially obscuring her face, making her expression difficult to discern.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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