The morning sun filtered through the paper shoji windows, casting golden lines onto the smooth wooden floor of the farmhouse. Summer had deepened, but in the mountainside air of Uji, the heat carried more gentleness than burden. The twins, now three months old, had begun to sleep in longer stretches, and every day, they looked more and more like a perfect blend of Hana and Phuby.
Phuby stood in the kitchen, stirring a small pot of miso soup. Emi-san, their housekeeper, had taken the day off for a family errand, and today the household was on its own. Hana emerged from the hallway with tousled hair, one baby cradled in each arm. Her oversized T-shirt bore traces of spit-up and her sleepy smile was radiant.
"Morning," she said, eyes still half-closed.
Phuby looked up and grinned. "You're a masterpiece."
"I'm a mess," she chuckled.
"Same thing," he replied, kissing her cheek before taking their daughter from her arms.
The baby gurgled happily in his embrace. Phuby's smile deepened.
Today was supposed to be slow. No big deliveries, no meetings with the workers. The farm was moving like a well-oiled machine now—Yuji and Kenta managed the rows with precision, and Yuriko's daily harvests were as reliable as sunrise. They were even ahead of schedule on the second tea batch this season.
"After breakfast," Hana murmured as she poured tea, "I want to go to the baby clothing store in Kyoto. Remember, I promised Aiko-mama I'd get matching yukatas for the twins before Obon."
Phuby raised an eyebrow. "Is this an excuse to get more matchy outfits?"
"...Maybe."
He laughed. "Let's go after lunch. I'll drive."
They shared a quiet breakfast—miso soup, grilled salmon, and leftover rice balls. Then they packed the twins into the backseat of their hybrid SUV, heading into the Kyoto suburbs. The drive was smooth, the countryside blurring past in waves of green and gold. Hana sang softly in Japanese to the babies while Phuby listened, understanding more words each time.
Once in Kyoto, they stopped at a quaint boutique nestled near a canal not far from Gion. The shop owner, an elderly woman with soft hands and a warm smile, recognized Hana from their last visit. She eagerly showed them the summer collection of baby yukatas—delicate pastels with little cranes, plum blossoms, and gold thread embroidery.
"These ones," Hana said, holding up a pair with tiny koi fish on them, "These are it."
Phuby didn't argue. He never did when she had that smile.
They paid ¥22,000, roughly Rp2.015.000—not enough to activate the system. Still, it was worth every yen. Afterward, they wandered the street, stopping for iced matcha and dorayaki. The babies dozed in the stroller, looking peaceful.
As the sun started to dip lower in the sky, Phuby turned to Hana. "I've been thinking."
"Uh oh," she teased.
"I think… I want to get a few more solar panels installed. Maybe a backup generator too. If the farm expands, we'll need more reliable off-grid systems."
She nodded. "That's fair. I've also been meaning to ask—should we hire one more part-timer for harvest season?"
"I was thinking the same."
Back at the house, Phuby opened his laptop and accessed the system interface. He scrolled through the catalog of equipment, choosing:
8 new solar panels: Rp25.000.000
Backup generator upgrade: Rp18.000.000
Water pump extension and secondary storage: Rp12.000.000
The total came to Rp55.000.000—easily over the system's threshold.
SYSTEM NOTICEYou've spent more than Rp 10.000.000 — cashback activated.Cashback Granted: Rp 110.000.000
Items delivered to storage area.
Previous Balance: Rp 32.238.000.000- Rp 55.000.000 (utilities and upgrades)+ Rp 110.000.000= New Balance: Rp 32.293.000.000
"Done," Phuby murmured.
Hana peered over his shoulder. "Did the documents arrive?"
"Not needed. These are just goods. They're already in the storage building."
"Efficient, as always."
As evening settled, Phuby walked through the fields with Kenta and Om Luky, discussing future expansions and perhaps building a simple guesthouse for visiting family or friends. They mapped out rough plans while the fireflies began to appear in the distance.
Later, Phuby and Hana lay on their futon, the twins asleep between them. She reached for his hand.
"We've made something beautiful here, haven't we?" she whispered.
He nodded. "And it's just the beginning."
They said nothing more. Outside, the cicadas sang. The mountains held their silence. And in that farmhouse nestled in Uji, a love born from chance, nurtured by faith, and sealed by trust—continued to bloom.