Akina Izumi tossed aside the broom handle and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Some mothers, instead of gaining weight after childbirth, ended up with even better figures than before—likely because their kids were just too much to handle. As the saying goes, go three days without disciplining them and they'll be tearing the roof off the house.
Over time, Akina had come to realize that disciplining her daughter was the most physically demanding—and possibly most effective—form of weight loss.
Especially when it came to her gremlin of a daughter, Kotomi Izumi. If she wasn't disciplined daily, she'd start quietly stirring up trouble.
Akina glanced at Kotomi, who was lying limp on the sofa like a half-dead ragdoll, and didn't feel the slightest twinge of guilt. After all, she'd known since Kotomi was little just how much strength to use.
And let's be real—even if Kotomi now looked like she was pitifully trembling and sobbing, her expression buried, anyone unfamiliar might think Akina had gone overboard and made her daughter cry.
In reality? She was fine. Give her five minutes to rub her butt, and she'd be bouncing around like nothing happened.
Meanwhile, Kotomi's father, Kaneyoshi Izumi, simply watched the scene unfold from the side. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak up for his daughter, but frankly, after what she'd done—juggling three different girls at once—she kind of had it coming.
Yes, three. All of them girls.
That fact alone made Kaneyoshi feel all kinds of complicated. Both he and Akina were pretty open-minded as parents. When they first learned Kotomi liked girls, they had been shocked and a bit overwhelmed, but after a few days, they gradually came to accept it.
If their daughter truly loved another girl, they wouldn't stand in the way. But they also weren't about to go out of their way to help until the feelings between the two were proven genuine.
It was for their sake.
Because once both people were certain of each other's hearts, then no amount of storms in the future could shake their bond or the life they build together.
Truth be told, if they really wanted to, the Izumi couple could shield Kotomi and whoever she loved from all life's hardships.
But no parent can protect their children forever. Someday, they would grow old. Someday, they would pass away.
And when that day came, the girls who had once been under their wing would suddenly find themselves standing alone in a world full of tempests. Would they panic? Would they be lost and helpless, unsure of what to do?
Kaneyoshi and Akina didn't want that for their daughters. So from an early age, they had raised them to be independent.
Now, with the question of relationships on the table, they wanted Kotomi to make her own decisions and learn what it meant to take responsibility.
And, in fairness, she really was independent. With royalties from writing novels and drawing manga, Kotomi earned far more than most graduates just entering the corporate world.
Financially, Kotomi was smart and capable. There was little to worry about.
Since they hadn't seen any signs that Kotomi was dating, the Izumi couple had assumed she simply wasn't interested—that she saw romance as a distraction and was focused on her career. So they'd taken a laid-back, wait-and-see approach.
Turns out, they were wrong.
Not only was Kotomi interested in love—she'd been quietly harboring something big all along.
She was dating.
Girls.
Not just one. From what her parents could gather, possibly three.
Three?!
Who would've thought Kotomi would be the type to pull something like this?
No wonder Akina had lost it today and pinned her down across her lap.
Even Kaneyoshi, battle-hardened veteran of the business world, was rubbing his temple in frustration. He had seen all kinds of chaos in his career—negotiated deals under intense pressure, navigated corporate warfare—but his daughter's love life was starting to give him a headache.
Compared to Kotomi, their second daughter Aimi was the least worry-inducing. Currently in her third year of middle school, her full focus was on studying and she showed no interest whatsoever in dating.
Her goal was to get into a prestigious university, and she was putting in hundreds of times more effort than most. Despite being a third-year middle schooler, she studied harder than most high school seniors.
Her grades were consistently top-tier. During the last parent-teacher meeting, the teacher had even said that if she continued performing at her current level, she could very well get into one of Tokyo's top high schools and might even qualify for the honors class.
To her parents, Aimi seemed completely insulated from the world of love and romance.
For now, she was easy to manage. But once her entrance exams were over, the Izumi couple planned to have a good talk with her. Life wasn't only about academics.
Back when they found that letter Kotomi had written to Yui Yuigahama at the dango cake shop, Akina and Kaneyoshi had stayed up late that night talking about her.
In the end, they still couldn't figure out what Kotomi was really thinking. All they could say was, "Kotomi's really grown up."
Akina went to the kitchen for a glass of water and, upon returning, saw Kotomi still lying on the couch trembling dramatically as if she were crying. She couldn't help but twitch her lips in amusement. Walking over, she gave Kotomi's shoulder a nudge.
"Cut the act. Can you at least tone down that smile on your lips? I'm trying to pretend I don't see it, but you're making it impossible."
Hearing that, Kotomi, tired from lying face-down so long, finally sat up.
Seeing her move so easily, Akina rolled her eyes. See? Totally fine. She'd probably been crying out earlier while getting spanked, but in her head, she was already planning how many bowls of rice she'd eat for lunch.
"Ahh... this girl of mine," Akina sighed and sat down beside her, picking up the four pairs of gloves. With a sentimental tone, she said:
"What is this even? The palm and the back of the hand are both made of flesh—how do you choose between them? You can't have both the fish and the bear paw."
"Then how about we fatten up both the palm and the back? I'll order delivery—how about some roasted pig's feet, Mom?" Kotomi interjected, trying to change the subject.
She'd long since mastered the art of topic diversion, a tactic learned from her father.
Kaneyoshi used it in business negotiations. Kotomi? Mostly to dodge parental interrogations.
Akina flicked Kotomi lightly on the forehead. "Don't change the subject. Now, tell me clearly: what's your relationship with Yui Yuigahama?"
"We're classmates."
"And Iroha Isshiki? Don't think I didn't notice last time—her eyes were glued to you the whole time."
"I'm older than her, so let's call it... a cross-generational friendship!"
"Get out of here with that! Don't act so smug. You're barely a year or two older. You started school late, remember?"
Akina continued grumbling, but Kotomi held fast to her line—classmate, friend—never giving an inch, making it impossible to catch her out.
So Akina switched tactics.
"Alright then, between Iroha Isshiki and Yui Yuigahama—who do you like?"
"Both!" Kotomi replied without hesitation.
Akina: "..."
Kaneyoshi: "..."
Akina had tried to get answers out of Kotomi in a roundabout way several times, but her daughter was firm: she insisted her relationships with Yui Yuigahama and Iroha Isshiki were strictly as classmates and friends.
Akina and Kaneyoshi exchanged a glance. They had originally planned to ask what Kotomi's relationship with Megumi Kato was, too, but clearly, there was no point. Kotomi would just give the same answer.
Akina took a deep breath. It was like having a mountain of strength but only being able to punch into a pillow—completely ineffective. In frustration, she gave Kotomi's bottom another swat. That was all they could do for now.
If they kept pressing, even someone with low blood pressure might be enraged into hypertension.
"Should we tell Aimi about this?" Akina asked casually as she peeled an apple.
"Absolutely not!!!"
Kotomi, who had taken her earlier spanking in stride, jumped to her feet the moment she heard her mother mention telling Aimi. She shouted in alarm, breaking into a cold sweat.
Akina could tell whoever she told wouldn't matter to Kotomi—anyone but Aimi.
If Aimi found out...
Kotomi swallowed nervously—not from hunger, but from fear. She still remembered that night vividly, and the answer she had long since decided in her heart, yet never found the right moment to say to Aimi.
Whether or not Akina told Aimi, it would effectively push Kotomi toward finally confronting that question: when would she confess her answer to Aimi?
Thank goodness Mom doesn't know how Aimi really feels about me... otherwise, I might start wondering if she was doing this on purpose, Kotomi thought.
The final consensus between the Izumi parents and Kotomi was to keep the matter from Aimi.
Kotomi's reasoning was sound:
"Aimi is in the middle of exam prep for high school. This is such a trivial matter; there's no need to distract her now. It might even interfere with her studies."
Hearing that, her parents agreed. It made sense.
For now, the topic was set aside.
...
"Lamb, scallions, mushrooms, cabbage, pork, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, barbecue seasoning... how is this even a lunch grocery list? It's like Mom wants me to restock half the kitchen."
Aimi muttered as she looked over the items in the bag she was carrying—a heavy, filled-to-the-brim paper grocery sack. After checking the note her mom had left on top and confirming she had bought everything listed, she walked toward the shared e-bike rental spot near the supermarket.
Normally, Aimi wouldn't splurge on a shared e-bike ride. She had recently blown through most of her allowance on gacha capsule toys and was trying to save money—not just for herself, but for the future she dreamed of, buying a home and supporting Kotomi.
These days, she even stopped buying drinks at the school shop and only bought bottled water.
She had once completed a full set of polar bear-themed capsule toys and listed it for resale, hoping to recoup some of her funds. The prices had been sky-high for a while—like ocean-view property, people joked. But recently, the market had tanked. Now, she couldn't even sell them at cost.
The thought still made Aimi depressed.
But today, she was willing to splurge on an e-bike ride. Why?
Because her sister was finally home!
Kotomi had only been away in Kyoto for three days, but to Aimi, it felt like thirty years.
She had checked her phone almost every few seconds, wondering what time it was, what day it was, whether Kotomi had messaged her, and when she would come home.
At long last, the wait was over. Kotomi was finally back.
Grinning with excitement, Aimi twisted the bike's throttle to full. She shot forward like a rocket—thankfully, the brakes were good, and she was able to bring it back down to a safe speed just in time.
"Ah... that was close... Are rental e-bikes really this fast now?" Aimi muttered, her face pale with surprise. She hadn't ridden an e-bike much before—usually, Kotomi was the one pedaling while she sat on the back. Naturally, she had no real sense of the bike's speed.
Luckily, Aimi was smart and a quick learner. In no time, she got the hang of it.
The streets were relatively empty, so she allowed herself to ride a little faster. The wind blowing past her cheeks reminded her that it had been a long time since she'd last ridden a bike.
Her private middle school wasn't too far from home. After autumn started, the first period began at 8:40 a.m., which meant she could easily walk without worrying about being late. There wasn't much reason to ride every day.
When had she last ridden a bike?
She couldn't quite remember. Maybe a year ago?
She recalled how, when they were younger, Kotomi had always struggled to learn how to ride a bicycle. Back then, Aimi would carry her on the bike when they went out. As they got older, the roles reversed: Kotomi would ride an e-bike, and Aimi would ride on the back.
To Aimi, the days before Kotomi entered high school were the happiest. They spent every day together.
But now that Kotomi was in high school, Aimi couldn't help but feel the distance growing between them. They still saw each other every day—so why did it feel like Kotomi was slipping further and further away?
She understood it. And yet, she didn't.
So she waited for Kotomi's answer.
She arrived at the nearest e-bike return station, got off, and carried the heavy bag of groceries toward home. The closer she got to the front door, the more her heart filled with anticipation.
"Is Onee-chan home yet?!"
Her pace quickened, then turned into a full run until she reached the front door.
As she set down the grocery bag to grab her key, the door unexpectedly opened. Suddenly, the weight in her hands vanished. She looked up in surprise to see Kotomi standing there, holding the bag for her, those pink crystal-like eyes smiling warmly.
"Aimi, welcome home."
They stood still for a moment, gazing at each other.
Before Kotomi could react, Aimi threw her arms around her in a tight hug. Like someone sprinting with all their strength to close a widening, invisible gap between them, Aimi held on as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Onee-chan!" she cried, sobbing uncontrollably.
Kotomi instinctively tried to hug her back, but her hands were still full with the heavy grocery bag.
Just then, Kaneyoshi appeared, having come to see what the noise was about. Wordlessly, he walked over, took the bag from Kotomi's arms, and carried it to the kitchen.
He didn't say a single word the entire time—just quietly took the bag so Kotomi could free her hands.
Kotomi blinked, then silently mouthed a thank-you to her dad. With her arms now free, she hugged Aimi tightly in return and said gently:
"You're crying like this over just three days? Still the same little Aimi who hasn't grown up at all~"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven