I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 217 The Concept of Adorable Pets! A Warm and Cozy Family in the Mountains! A New Day Begins!

Just as Fujiwara Isshin was discussing with Yamada Ichiro the promotional matters related to Kumamon and how to promote this adorable character in the future.

The Koyama family home in Kumamoto City.

Hiroshi Nohara had just put down his paintbrush, gently shaking his slightly sore arms and shoulders, and smiling as he responded to Yumeko Koyama's calls from downstairs.

"Okay, okay, I'll go down for dinner right away."

"Hurry up! Dad bought lots of fresh vegetables and beef today, we're going to eat the most delicious sukiyaki!!!" Koyama Yumeya's clear voice was like a chirping sparrow, making people feel happy just listening to it.

"Hiroshi, don't procrastinate like you do at home!" Misae's familiar voice came from below.

"Hey hey hey! Here I come!" Hiroshi pushed open the door to the studio he had prepared for himself and then walked up the narrow wooden stairs into the Japanese-style room.

At this moment, Koyama Yumeya was pacing back and forth around the tatami table piled high with ingredients, holding a porcelain bowl and chopsticks like a little glutton. Her pretty face was full of longing for the food, which made her mother, Koyama Takaya, who was carrying eggs over, unable to help but scold her: "Yumeya! A girl should be dignified!"

After all, Hiroshi Nohara, their prospective son-in-law, is still here.

"Oh dear! My brother-in-law isn't an outsider!" Xiaoshan Mengya immediately took an egg from her mother, Xiaoshan Gaoya, cracked it into her bowl, and then quickly stirred the egg with her chopsticks. Her rosy little mouth still showed dissatisfaction: "Besides, my brother-in-law, Guangzhi, is so good to me!"

"You still need to be dignified!" At this moment, in his precious storage room, his father, Yoshiharu Koyama, came out with a stern face, holding the fourteenth generation Ryusen sake.

He felt quite helpless about his youngest daughter, whom he doted on to an extreme degree.

At this point, I could only pretend to be serious and say, "A girl must be dignified! Otherwise, when you have a husband's family, if they have rules, you'll suffer!"

But these words did not frighten Xiaoshan Mengya in the slightest. Instead, she pouted and said, "It's not the old era anymore! Why should male chauvinism bind us modern girls?"

"You...!!!" Yoshiharu Koyama was instantly furious.

He was an absolute remnant of the old era.

After all, he was still the most conservative of the conservatives, the dean of studies among the academics.

"This is getting more and more lawless! The world is going to the dogs! This is getting worse and worse!" Yoshiharu Koyama slammed the sake down on the table, his already serious face becoming even more so.

However, this behavior was seen by Koyama Takaya and Koyama Miya as a helpless act because they had no other way to deal with their younger sister Koyama Yumeya.

The two exchanged a smile, set out the cutlery for each other, and chuckled softly.

Just then, Hiroshi Nohara came down.

"Oh, Hiroshi, come here! Come here!" Koyama Yoshiharu seemed to have seen a savior and invited Hiroshi over, while also voicing some of his complaints.

"Huh?" Hiroshi Nohara sat down in a daze, listening to his future father-in-law's complaints, and subconsciously looked at Yumeya, whose face was slightly red.

"Cough cough!" Mengya coughed twice, and a blush immediately spread from her cheeks to her ears: "Brother-in-law! Why are you looking at me like that!"

"..." Hiroshi Nohara was speechless.

Was the complaint that his future father-in-law was making really not directed at his pretty sister-in-law sitting next to him?

He could neither confirm nor deny it.

But thinking about it, it's understandable that at this stage, when the economic bubble has burst.

Those men lost their families, their money, and even their jobs.

Some became homeless and slept on the streets.

If things aren't going well, and you can't accept reality, then you can all find a nice high-rise building or go deep into the woods to play out the most exciting kind of 'disappearance' for the Japanese.

This was a common occurrence during the neon-lit era when the economic bubble burst.

However, Mengya didn't care at all.

She brought over a white porcelain bowl with a raw, golden egg cracked into it, and stirred it with chopsticks with a loud "clattering" sound.

She had a bit of egg yolk on her nose, but she didn't notice. Her eyes were fixed on the neatly arranged ingredients on the table, just like a little glutton waiting for dinner.

“Brother-in-law, look! Today’s Wagyu beef was specially bought by Dad from that ‘Black Wagyu Specialty Store’ in front of the station. Look at the marbling, isn’t it beautiful!” Mengya poked at the red and white striped beef on the plate with her chopsticks, her tone full of pride: “And this chrysanthemum greens, Mom picked them out at the morning market this morning, they’re so tender you could squeeze water out of them!”

Koyama Takaya was arranging the washed shiitake mushrooms in a bamboo basket when she heard this and patted Yumeya's hand with a smile: "You're such a glutton. Hiroshi hasn't even been sitting down for long, and you're already urging him to eat." As she spoke, she turned to look at Nohara Hiroshi, her eyes full of gentleness: "Hiroshi, drawing manga must be exhausting, right? I see you have some dark circles under your eyes. Eat more beef today to replenish your energy. I simmered the sukiyaki broth for two hours; it's very flavorful."

Just as Hiroshi Nohara was about to say thank you, he heard a "whoosh" as the door opened in the entryway, followed by Maya Koyama's voice, which sounded a little tired from just getting off work, but was still gentle: "Mom, I'm home."

"Oh, Masaya's back!" Koyama Takaya immediately got up to greet her, took the briefcase from her daughter's hand, and touched her forehead: "Did you catch a cold working overtime today? It's quite windy outside."

Koyama Maya smiled and shook her head, hanging her coat on the coat hook in the entryway: "No, I'm wearing the thick sweater you knitted, it's very warm."

She walked into the living room and greeted everyone.

She is truly an extremely virtuous and gentle lady.

"Big sister's back!" Mengya waved her chopsticks, then immediately looked at the sukiyaki on the table, stamping her feet impatiently: "Sit down, sit down! If we wait any longer, the beef will get cold!"

As soon as Yoshiji Koyama unscrewed the cap of the Juyondai sake bottle, Yumeya, smelling the aroma of the sake, became even more anxious, scratching her head and reaching out to grab the beef from the pot.

But before her chopsticks could even touch the meat, Yoshiji Koyama slapped her hand with his chopsticks.

"What's the rush!" Yoshiharu Koyama said sternly, his tone slightly scolding, "The whole family isn't even seated yet, how can you start eating first? Have you forgotten all the rules?"

Mengya withdrew her hand, pouted aggrievedly, and her eyes were a little red: "I know... Daddy is always so strict."

Upon hearing this, a soft chuckle rippled through the living room.

Koyama Takaya shook his head helplessly and handed a pair of chopsticks to Masaya: "That's just how your dad is, he's got a lot of old rules. Come on, sit down, we'll start eating once everyone's seated."

Masaya Koyama sat down next to Yumeya, gently tidying a stray hair behind her ear, and whispered comfortingly, "Dad is only doing this for your own good. It's never wrong for a girl to know her manners."

Mengya snorted but didn't argue back. Her eyes remained fixed on the beef in the pot, and her greedy look made Hiroshi Nohara laugh.

Once everyone was seated, Yoshiharu Koyama nodded and said, "Alright, let's eat."

As soon as she finished speaking, Mengya's chopsticks shot out like arrows, picking up a large piece of beef coated in egg yolk and stuffing it into her mouth.

The piping hot beef, coated in smooth egg yolk, burst with juice as she chewed it, its deliciousness making her eyes squint: "Wow—delicious! Mom's sukiyaki is definitely the best in all of Kumamoto!"

Koyama Takaya smiled broadly at his daughter's praise, and put a piece of beef on Nohara Hiroshi's and Masaya's plates: "Eat more if you like it, there's plenty left in the pot. Hiroshi, don't be shy, make yourself at home."

Hiroshi Nohara picked up a piece of beef, blew on it, and then put it in his mouth.

The Wagyu beef fat melts in the pan, and when coated with raw egg, it has a smooth and tender texture like pudding. The meaty aroma is accompanied by the sweetness of soy sauce, as well as the fresh fragrance of chrysanthemum greens and shiitake mushrooms. It is indeed delicious and eye-catching.

He couldn't help but nod: "Auntie's cooking is really good, even better than those high-end sukiyaki restaurants in Tokyo."

"Really?" Koyama Takaya smiled even more happily and put another piece of fish and tofu on Misae's plate: "Misa, you should eat more too. You've been busy with the manga club lately and you've lost weight."

Misae's cheeks were slightly flushed as she ate the fish and tofu in small bites. When she looked up at Hiroshi Nohara, her eyes were full of smiles.

The smooth opening of her "Future Comics Club" was entirely thanks to Hiroshi's help in finding a venue, contacting a printing company, and even entrusting them with the coloring work for "Doraemon" and "Midnight Diner". Now, the seven or eight comic artists in the club can all get a stable income, and she is full of gratitude to Hiroshi.

The group ate and chatted, creating a lively and warm atmosphere.

Yoshiji Koyama picked up a piece of enoki mushroom with his chopsticks, chewed it for a while, and suddenly sighed: "If Isshin were here today, our whole family would be together, how lively that would be."

Mengya had just stuffed a piece of radish into her mouth when she heard this and mumbled, "That's right, it feels like someone's missing when my brother-in-law isn't here."

"What brother-in-law!" Koyama Maya's face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple. She reached out and patted Mengya's arm, her tone slightly reproachful: "We're not married yet, don't call me that."

"I didn't call him that!" Mengya swallowed the radish in her mouth and retorted indignantly, "Last time my brother-in-law came to our house, I called him brother-in-law and he accepted it! Besides, you and your brother-in-law have been dating for half a year, so getting married is just a matter of time."

"You still dare to talk!" Koyama Maya's face turned even redder, with even the tips of her ears turning pink. She wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Hiroshi Nohara couldn't help but laugh as he watched the two sisters bickering.

Misae laughed along, quietly tugged at Masaya's hand, and whispered to comfort her, "Mengya just speaks without thinking, don't take it to heart."

Koyama Takaya gently patted Mengya's hand, her tone slightly reproachful: "Mengya, how many times have I told you to be careful about how you address people? Zhenya and Yixin haven't been decided yet, so don't call them anything randomly."

Mengya pouted, muttered "Okay" softly, and then lowered her head to concentrate on eating her beef.

Koyama Takaya shook his head helplessly, then turned to look at Masaya with tender eyes: "By the way, Masaya, this afternoon, Isshin's mother, Ms. Temari, called me."

"Aunt Temari?" Masaya Koyama paused, put down her chopsticks, and asked with a hint of doubt, "Did she want to see you about something?"

"What else could it be?" Mengya spoke up before Gaoya could, her eyes sparkling: "It must be about your engagement! I told you long ago, your brother-in-law's family must be getting anxious. You're already twenty-five, if you keep dragging this on, they'll think you don't want to get married."

"Mengya!" Koyama Takaya glared at Mengya, then turned to look at Masaya, and nodded with a smile: "Ms. Temari did mention that she wanted to find some time to meet with our parents and talk about you and Isshin."

"Really?" Koyama Maya's heart started racing instantly, her hands nervously gripping the hem of her clothes, and her blush deepened.

Yixin is steady and considerate, and he treats her very well. She has long regarded Yixin as the person she can entrust her life to, but she has never been too embarrassed to tell her family.

“Of course it’s true.” Koyama Takaya held Masa’s hand, her voice full of relief: “Ms. Temari said that Isshin often mentions you to her, saying that you are gentle and considerate, can cook, and know history. She likes you very much.”

Misae smiled and said, "That's great, big sister! I knew you and Isshin would make it! We'll be family from now on, isn't that wonderful?" As she spoke, she looked up at Hiroshi Nohara, her eyes filled with happiness.

Hiroshi Nohara understood Misae's gaze, reached out and gently patted the back of her hand, and smiled at her.

Misae's cheeks flushed even more, but she couldn't help but smile. Her heart was pounding like a little rabbit's.

Seeing Zhenya's shy expression, Mengya pouted and then picked up a piece of beef and stuffed it into her mouth: "What's there to be shy about? Getting married is a good thing. But speaking of which, if my older sister gets married, will there be a big wedding? I want to be a bridesmaid and wear a pretty dress!"

"Okay, okay, I'll definitely make you my bridesmaid." Koyama Takaya smiled and ruffled Mengya's hair, then put a piece of potato on her plate: "Eat up, the potato is almost overcooked, or it'll be gone."

Mengya immediately forgot about the previous topic and focused on eating potatoes.

The atmosphere in the living room returned to its lively state. Seeing his daughters so happy, Yoshiharu Koyama felt a surge of joy. He picked up the Juyondai sake from the table and said to Hiroshi Nohara, "Hiroshi, come, have a drink with me. We're happy today, let's drink to our hearts' content!"

Hiroshi Nohara quickly took the bottle, filled Yoshiharu Koyama's glass with wine, and poured half a glass for himself: "Uncle, please drink less. Drinking too much wine is bad for your health."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Yoshiharu Koyama raised his glass, clinked it with Hiroshi Nohara's, took a sip, and said with a sigh, "Speaking of which, I really have to thank you young people. It's a blessing for Masaya to meet Isshin and for Misaya to meet you. I used to worry that they wouldn't be able to get married, but now it seems I was overthinking it."

"Uncle, you're too kind." Hiroshi Nohara smiled and took a sip of his drink.

The sake has a rich and mellow taste with a subtle aroma of rice; it is indeed a fine sake.

Koyama Takaya watched them drink, but didn't say much. He just smiled and put food on their plates, saying, "Drink slowly, eat something to line your stomach, don't drink on an empty stomach."

The group chatted for a while longer when Yoshiharu Koyama suddenly remembered something and said to Masaya, "Masaya, is Isshin been very busy lately? When I spoke to him on the phone last time, he said he had a lot of work to do at the prefectural government and often had to work overtime."

“Yes, he’s been busy with the Kumamoto promotional plan lately.” Koyama Maya nodded, then looked at Nohara Hiroshi with a hint of gratitude in her voice, “By the way, Hiroshi-kun, Ichishin said he was very happy to talk to you about Kumamon yesterday. He said your idea was great and that he would report it to the leaders of the prefectural government.”

"Kumamon?" Yoshiharu Koyama and Takasago Koyama were both taken aback and asked in unison, "Reporting to the prefectural government leaders?! Is it that high-level?"

"Of course, this is, after all, about promoting Kumamoto Prefecture, it's a very high-level project," Hiroshi Nohara explained with a smile. "After all, it can boost tourism and sales of local specialties in Kumamoto, it's a very important city-simulation cartoon character."

"Cartoon characters?" Koyama Takaya pondered. "Like Mickey Mouse from Disney, which you mentioned yesterday?"

"Pretty much." Hiroshi Nohara nodded. "I think Kumamoto's current advertising is too outdated. Young people don't like it. If there were a cute cartoon character, maybe more people would remember Kumamoto."

"That's a great idea!" Yoshiharu Koyama excitedly put down his wine glass. "My friend went to Akita last time and saw that their Akita dog plush toys were selling really well. Lots of tourists were buying them. If we had similar characters in Kumamoto, they would definitely be a hit!"

"Yes, yes!" Mengya chimed in, her eyes sparkling. "Brother-in-law, what does Kumamon look like? Is it fluffy? Does it have blush? Can I be the first to buy a Kumamon plushie?"

Hiroshi Nohara was amused by Yume's appearance: "She's round and chubby, with blush, very cute. Once the image is finalized, I'll definitely let you be the first to see it."

"Great!" Mengya cheered, then lowered her head to eat the beef again.

Maya Koyama added, "Ichishin said that he's going to visit my brother-in-law in Tokyo tomorrow with the head of the prefectural government's publicity department. He wants to talk to you in detail about Kumamon and ask you for advice on the details of the publicity."

"The prefectural government leaders invited Hiroshi Nohara?" Yoshiharu Koyama and Takasago Koyama both widened their eyes in surprise and said in unison, "That's amazing! Hiroshi, you've now gotten the prefectural government leaders to consult you?"

Misae looked at Hiroshi Nohara with pride and admiration in her eyes.

She already knew that Guangzhi was very capable, but she didn't expect that even the leaders of the county government would value him so much.

Hiroshi Nohara smiled, his tone calm: "It's nothing really, just a suggestion for Isshin. Since the prefectural government leaders want to talk, I'll discuss it with them and try to get Kumamon on the scene as soon as possible. I also have detailed ideas for a 'cute pet' series, which might help Kumamoto attract more tourists." "A cute pet series?" Maya Koyama asked curiously, "Brother-in-law, are there any other cartoon characters?"

“Yes,” Hiroshi Nohara nodded, “Besides Kumamon, we can also design other cute animal characters based on the characteristics of different regions. For example, we can make a takoyaki-shaped cartoon character for Osaka, and a little rabbit wearing a kimono for Kyoto. This way, we can promote local characteristics and form a series to attract more attention.”

"This idea is fantastic!" Yoshiji Koyama slammed his hand on the table excitedly. "Hiroshi, how come your brain works so well? If this series can be made, tourism in Japan will definitely become even more popular!"

Koyama Takaya nodded in agreement: "Yes, then Kumamoto will definitely become the most popular place, the fruit farmers will be able to sell their tangerines, and everyone's lives will be better."

Seeing the family's excitement, Hiroshi Nohara felt a warmth in his heart. He had transmigrated to this world, going from an ordinary office worker to a department head at Tokyo TV, with his own career and family like Misae and the Koyama family. He felt very lucky.

"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore, the food's getting cold." Koyama Takaya smiled and served everyone some food. "Eat up, and I'll make you some red bean soup to cleanse your palate."

"Great! Great!" Mengya cheered immediately, picking up another piece of beef and stuffing it into her mouth.

The atmosphere in the living room was still lively, with the aroma of sukiyaki mixed with the scent of sake filling the air.

The night outside the window grew darker, and the lights of Kumamoto City shimmered like scattered diamonds on black velvet.

Looking at the harmonious scene before him, Hiroshi Nohara suddenly had an idea—perhaps this was the meaning of his journey to this world: to use his abilities to make the people around him happy and content.

He picked up his chopsticks, placed a piece of pumpkin, Misae's favorite, on her plate, and said softly, "Eat more, there will be red bean soup later."

Misae looked up at him and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, and whispered, "You should eat more too, Hiroshi."

Hiroshi Nohara nodded, feeling a sense of reassurance as he looked at Misae's smiling face.

He knew that the road ahead was long and there was much to do, such as promoting Kumamon, the Tokyo elections, and dealing with the impending bubble economy crisis.

But as long as he has these people by his side and this love for life, he is confident that he can do everything well.

Meanwhile, in some corner of Kumamoto, perhaps some are already hoping that the adorable character called "Kumamon" can bring a different future to this city.

……

Morning light streamed through the wooden lattice windows, casting dappled patterns on the tatami mats, while the faint, sweet aroma of last night's sukiyaki lingered in the air.

When Hiroshi Nohara opened his eyes, Misae was sleeping soundly in his arms. Her long hair was spread out on the pillow, and the tip of her nose trembled gently with her breathing, like a docile kitten.

Hiroshi lowered his head and gently placed a kiss on her smooth forehead.

When his fingertips brushed against her cheek, Misae's eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't wake up. She just snuggled closer to him and mumbled something in her sleep: "Hiroshi... beef..."

Hiroshi chuckled and gently brushed the stray hairs from her forehead. This girl, she was even dreaming about the sukiyaki from last night.

He carefully moved Misae's hand away, and when he got up, his movements were as light as a feather, as if he were afraid of waking her.

As I walked down the corridor, I could already hear the soft clatter of bowls and chopsticks coming from downstairs. I knew without a doubt that my mother, Koyama Takaya, was preparing breakfast.

Hiroshi first went into the studio that had been specially prepared for him. He pushed open the door and saw the storyboard for Yu Yu Hakusho, which he hadn't finished drawing the night before, spread out on the table. Pencils and erasers were neatly arranged to one side.

He sat down at the low table, stretched his wrists, and picked up a pencil. The moment the pencil tip glided across the paper, his thoughts instantly became clear.

Yesterday I promised Shueisha that I would deliver three chapters of Yu Yu Hakusho and two chapters of Doraemon this month, and I also have to rush to finish the new chapter of Midnight Diner. Even if he is fast, he has to hurry.

The pencil scratched on the paper, and Yusuke Urameshi's fighting moves gradually took shape.

The chirping of early-rising sparrows drifted in from outside the window, while the sizzling sound of Gao Ya frying fish downstairs mingled with the aroma of soy sauce. Meng Ya's occasional coquettish voice as she spoke to her sister added to the ambiance. These subtle sounds made the morning feel exceptionally peaceful.

After finishing the storyboard for one chapter of "Yu Yu Hakusho," Hiroshi raised his hand and glanced at his watch; it was only six o'clock.

He stretched and was about to change the manuscript for "Doraemon" when he suddenly heard light footsteps behind him.

"Hiroshi... why are you up so early?" Misae stood at the door, rubbing her eyes. Her hair was still messy, and she was still wearing her pajamas from last night. Her cheeks were flushed from just waking up.

Hiroshi turned around, smiled, and waved: "Come and sit down."

Misae walked over and leaned close to him to look at the sketches on the table. Her eyes slowly widened: "This is... a new plot for Yu Yu Hakusho?"

"Yes, we're about to move on to a new chapter." Hiroshi handed her a pencil. "Want to give it a try?"

Misae quickly waved her hand, her cheeks flushing even more: "I can't do it, it's not good." She looked at the neatly stacked sketches on the table, then at the faint dark circles under Hiroshi's eyes, and suddenly felt a little guilty: "It's all my fault, I slept too soundly last night and didn't even help you. You're clearly more tired than me, yet you still got up so early to draw..."

Hiroshi put down his pen, reached out and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice soft: "Silly girl, why are you saying all this to me? You've already worked hard enough managing the manga club for me. Drawing is my job, and it's something I enjoy doing, it's not tiring."

He lowered his head and gently pecked the corner of her lips: "Besides, with me here, how could I let you get tired? In the future, if you feel overwhelmed by things at home or at the comic book club, just tell me, don't try to handle it all by yourself."

Misae leaned against him, her ears turning bright red, and whispered an "Mmm," her fingers gently clutching the hem of his clothes.

My heart was pounding, but I felt warm inside, like I was carrying a little sun.

Just then, the sliding door was flung open with a "whoosh," and Mengya stood in the doorway, clutching a cushion and calling out, "Brother-in-law! Sister Meiya! Mom is calling..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw the two of them embracing, and her face flushed red to her ears. The pillow in her hand fell to the ground with a thud.

As if burned, she whirled around and slammed the sliding door shut. From outside came her panicked voice: "I'm so sorry! I didn't see anything! Brother-in-law, why aren't you sleeping in the art studio? Why are you in Misae's room?!"

Hiroshi and Misae exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh. Misae buried her head in Hiroshi's chest, too shy to look up.

Koyama's voice came from downstairs soon after, tinged with exasperation: "Mengya! You brat, what are you doing running around like this! You think you can just barge into Meiya's room like that? Come down here! Stop causing trouble upstairs!"

"Okay, Mom!" Mengya's voice faded into the distance, tinged with a hint of grievance. "I just wanted to call them for dinner..."

Hiroshi patted Misae on the back and said with a smile, "Alright, go down now. If you don't go soon, Auntie will get impatient."

Misae nodded, stepped out of his arms, smoothed her hair, straightened his collar, and whispered, "Then... let's go down quickly."

The two walked out of the room hand in hand. As soon as they went down the stairs, they saw Mengya sitting at the dining table with her head down and her ears red.

Yoshiharu Koyama held the newspaper, pretending not to see it, while Koyama Takaya busied himself between the kitchen and the dining room, a knowing smile on his face.

"You're here? Please sit down." Gao Ya placed a bowl of miso soup in front of Hiroshi and handed Misae a pair of chopsticks: "I made your favorite tamagoyaki and grilled mackerel today. They're freshly made, so eat them while they're hot."

Hiroshi looked at the dining table. On the glass plate was a golden-brown tamagoyaki with a slightly charred edge; the grilled mackerel had a crispy skin and was sprinkled with seaweed flakes; there was also a small dish of pickled radish with a bright color; the white rice was steaming hot, and there was a small bowl of natto next to it—a typical Japanese breakfast, but it tasted like home.

"Wow, it looks delicious!" Misae picked up her chopsticks, took a small piece of tamagoyaki and put it in her mouth. Her eyes immediately lit up: "Mom, your tamagoyaki is getting better and better! It's even more delicious than the 'Old Shop Tamagoyaki' in Tokyo!"

"Eat more if you like it." Gao Ya smiled so much her eyes narrowed, and then put another piece of fish on her plate: "This fish was just bought from the market this morning, it's very fresh and has few bones, so eat more to nourish yourself."

Mengya also picked up a piece of thick omelet and whispered, "Mom's thick omelet is the best..." But after saying that, she secretly glanced at Guangzhi and Meiya, her cheeks still a little red.

Yoshiji Koyama put down his newspaper, picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of natto mixed with rice, and said to Hiroshi, "Hiroshi, where are you planning to go today? If you're free, how about we go to the morning market? They have fresh winter bamboo shoots lately, let's buy some and make a soup."

Hiroshi drank the miso soup, the warmth sliding down his throat, and he sighed contentedly. He put down his bowl and said, "Uncle, I'm afraid it's not possible today. I made an appointment with Fujiwara Isshin yesterday to talk to him about Kumamon, and I'll need to borrow your car."

"Oh right." Yoshiharu Koyama paused for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, you can take the car. It's parked right outside; it's that old Toyota."

He scratched his head a little sheepishly as he spoke, "It's just that the car is a bit old, not as good as your Toyota Crown. Don't mind."

Guangzhi laughed and put down his chopsticks: "Uncle, what are you saying? How could I complain? Your car is so well maintained, it looks much newer than other cars of the same age. Besides, a car is meant to be driven, as long as it's comfortable and safe, it doesn't matter if it's new or old."

"I'm glad you don't mind." Yoshiharu Koyama breathed a sigh of relief, then remembered something: "Oh right, we were going to talk about that... Kumamon thing, right?"

“Yes,” Hiroshi nodded, “I’m really keen to submit the Kumamon proposal to the prefectural government, hoping to promote Kumamoto through this character and boost tourism and sales of local specialties. I’ve arranged to talk to him about it in detail today and see if there are any adjustments that need to be made to the proposal.”

“That’s a great idea!” Koyama Takaya chimed in. “Last time I went back to my parents’ house, the old lady next door said that her grandson works in Tokyo and doesn’t dare tell his colleagues that he’s from Kumamoto, for fear that people will say, ‘You only have volcanoes where you live.’ If there were a cute cartoon character, maybe people’s impression of Kumamoto would change.”

"That's right!" Mengya looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Brother-in-law, when will the Kumamon plushies be made? I want to be the first to buy them! I also want to give them to my classmates at school so they know that Kumamon has such a cute character!"

Hiroshi smiled and said, "Soon. Once the plan is finalized, we'll arrange production. You'll definitely be the first one to get it."

"Great!" Mengya cheered, picked up another piece of thick omelet, and ate it with even more relish.

At this moment, Masaya also put down her chopsticks. Today she was wearing a beige dress, and her hair was neatly combed, making her look exceptionally dignified.

She wiped her mouth and said to everyone, "I need to go to school early today; I still have lessons to prepare. I'll be going now."

"Be careful on the road." Gao Ya handed over the two lunch boxes she had prepared in advance, and reminded her, "These are breakfast and lunch. Remember to eat, don't forget again because you're busy." She was obviously used to Koyama Masaya's busy schedule.

"Okay, Mom." Masaya nodded, then looked at Hiroshi: "Hiroshi-kun, if you need my help when you're talking to Isshin, just let me know."

“Okay, thank you, Ms. Masaya.” Hiroshi nodded.

Mengya suddenly shoveled two mouthfuls of rice into her mouth, then put down her chopsticks and jumped up: "Big sister! I'll go with you! I want to get to school early today too, so I can tell my classmates about Kumamon!"

She grabbed her schoolbag and was about to leave with Zhenya.

Gao Ya quickly called out to her, "Meng Ya! You haven't finished your breakfast yet! Have a couple more bites!"

"I don't want to eat anymore, Mom! I'm going with my older sister, we can just buy some bread on the way!" Mengya's voice was already at the door: "Brother-in-law! Sister Meiya! I'm leaving!"

Masaya smiled helplessly, waved to everyone, and followed Yumeya away.

Yoshiharu Koyama watched Yumiya's retreating figure and sighed helplessly, "This child is still so impulsive. What will become of her after she gets married?"

Gao Ya rolled her eyes at him: "It's too early to talk about these things now. Meng Ya is still young. She'll understand when she's older." She then served Guang Zhi a bowl of rice: "Guang Zhi, eat more so you'll have the energy to drive later. When you talk to Yi Xin, don't rush, speak slowly."

"Yes, I know." Guangzhi took the rice bowl and picked up a piece of fish: "Auntie, you should eat too. Don't just keep putting food on our plates."

Miya also picked up a thick omelet for Takaya: "Mom, you should try it too. Today's thick omelet is really delicious."

"Okay." Gao Ya nodded with a smile, her eyes full of satisfaction.

Looking at the children in front of me, I feel that my life is peaceful and happy.

After finishing breakfast, Hiroshi got up to clear the dishes.

Gao Ya quickly stopped him: "Guangzhi, you can sit down, I'll take care of it. You go and get ready, don't keep Yixin waiting."

"Auntie, let me do it, you take a rest." Guangzhi still took the bowl and chopsticks: "Anyway, it's not much trouble, it'll be ready soon."

Misae stood up too: "I'll help you pack."

The two went into the kitchen; Hiroshi washed the dishes, and Misae wiped the table, working together in perfect harmony.

Gao Ya stood at the door and looked on, smiling as she said to Koyama Yoshiharu, "Look at the two of them, how well-matched they are."

Yoshiharu Koyama put down his teacup and nodded: "Yes, Hiroshi is a steady and responsible boy. I feel at ease with Misae with him."

Soon, Hiroshi and Misae finished cleaning up the kitchen. Hiroshi picked up his coat and said to the Koyama couple, "Uncle, Auntie, I'll be going now. I won't call you if I'm late for lunch."

"Okay, be careful on the road," Gao Ya instructed. "Drive slowly and have a safe trip."

Misae saw him to the door, straightened his coat collar, and whispered, "Don't tire yourself out too much when you're talking to Isshin. If you need me to come over and help, just text me on my pager."

Hiroshi nodded and reached out to pinch her cheek: "I know. Don't be too idle at home. If there's an emergency at the manga club, go and take care of it first. You don't need to wait for me."

He lowered his head and kissed her forehead: "I'm leaving."

"Okay, be careful on the road." Misae watched his retreating figure until he started the car, then turned and went home.

Hiroshi drove Yoshiharu Koyama's old Toyota slowly out of the alley.

In the early morning in Kumamoto City, there were not many pedestrians on the streets, and the sunlight shone on the asphalt, giving it a warm glow.

He turned on the radio, and the morning news was playing, occasionally interspersed with a few upbeat tunes.

As Hiroshi gripped the steering wheel, he recalled the scene of embracing Misae, Yumeya's flustered appearance, and the gentle smiles of the Koyama couple, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Having been in this world for so long, he finally felt at home. Now, he not only had to do his job well, but also help Isshin push forward the Kumamon project and make Kumamon a better place—this was not only for Isshin and the Koyama family, but also for himself and for this world where he had already deeply rooted himself.

The car drove past the cherry blossom tree at the street corner; tiny buds were already sprouting on the branches. Hiroshi gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes hardening.

A new day has begun.

P.S.: Still asking for votes!
(End of this chapter)