Let's do it again, Yukino.

After saying that, Chunri walked towards the various stalls around her.

……

Junko pulled Yukino down to sit on an empty chair.

The moon has quietly risen in the east.

Gently waving her round fan, Junko gazed at Haruhi's arrogant figure as she pushed her way through the crowd and strolled domineeringly among the various stalls.

Before long, looking at the lively festival, Junko clicked her tongue and turned her head to look at Yukino Yukinoshita sitting next to her.

"This is the first time I've seen Xiao Qing care about a girl to this extent. You're very good."

"aunt?"

When Junko suddenly mentioned her, Yukinoshita felt a sudden surge of tension, completely forgetting Yuihama's instructions to her during the day.

"If I remember correctly, your name is Yukino Yukinoshita, right?"

She ignored the panic on Yukinoshita's pretty face, her overly alluring eyes gleaming with a subtle light.

"Yes, Auntie."

"Don't call me Auntie anymore, do I look that old? Just call me Chunzi like Xiao Qing does, it's more friendly, isn't it?"

In front of Yukino, she laughed heartily without any regard for elders.

"Don't be so nervous. We will never interfere with any of Xiao Qing's choices. Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt comfortable bringing you to us. You just need to treat us as Xiao Qing's guardian."

A gentle breeze blew out from under the woman's fan, accompanied by her voice, sweeter than sugar.

In her memory, he hadn't seen such a beautiful night view in a long time either.

Yukino gazed at the profile of the woman she would have called her mother in her past life.

Just as Haruhi said, his mother was very beautiful. Her appearance, temperament, figure, and even the charm she exuded in every gesture and smile were things that Yukino, who had lived two lives, never possessed.

"That won't do. You are, after all, that fool's mother, and also..."

Yukino quickly shook her head, blushing as she denied it.

"Idiot... Pfft, this is the first time I've heard someone call Haru this. But, Yukino, you're not wrong, Haru really is an idiot."

With her face hidden by a round fan, Junko seemed unable to suppress her laughter, giggling uncontrollably.

Fireflies seemed to be dancing in the jungle not far from them, like stars falling from the night sky to the ground, drawing circles in the air, which was quite interesting.

In the height of summer, the touch of the night air feels cool to the touch, and the sound of the summer breeze can be heard everywhere.

Junko sat on the bench, wearing a yukata with a butterfly pattern, her flawless feet in wooden clogs swinging gently like a child's.

Watching several lively and adorable little boys running around with cotton candy in their hands, led by adults, Junko suddenly scratched her head, half-closed her eyes, and chuckled.

Yukino knew that familiar smile all too well; that idiot would also show that heartbreaking smile when he felt lonely.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve attended the festival with that child. Just how long has it been?”

"I don't remember very clearly. Maybe it was when I was in kindergarten, or maybe it was a New Year's shrine visit we did together when I was in elementary school."

She spoke very softly, so softly that only Xiaoxue next to her could hear her.

"aunt."

Yukino's voice softened involuntarily, all traces of her usual coldness vanishing.

"Ok?"

Junko tilted her head and looked at Yuki.

"You can move back in with that idiot, I'll make him agree."

"..."

Looking at the round fan in her hand, Junko thought for a moment, pursed her lips, and finally shook her head.

"no need."

"Why?!"

Xiaoxue was puzzled by the woman's answer; she didn't think there was no affection between the mother and son.

Junko fell silent.

"Because we've done all that we could..."

Under the moonlight, Junko stared at the round fan in her hand and murmured softly.

"?!"

Snow suddenly welled up with tears in her eyes.

"I'm not kidding, you know. I also learned about his life at school from Hiratsuka-sensei. He's not as naughty as before, and he's studying very hard! Junko, I really admire Haru. I thought that since Haru works so hard, I should do something for him, but in the end, I really couldn't help him at all."

"Auntie, please don't say that..."

The woman placed her hand on her hair by her forehead, seemingly recalling the time she spent living with the "idiot" Xiaoxue had mentioned.

"Actually, when Xiaoqing was little, we knew that Xiaoqing wasn't stupid, but we didn't have enough money to send him to tutoring school, and we weren't smart enough to tutor him in all his subjects. We didn't even have time to listen to his complaints about the troubles he encountered in kindergarten because of work."

She also admitted that her love for Xiao Qing was as fragile as glass.

“I know I’m not a mother at all, so all I can do for Xiao Qing’s future is pray to God.”

Holding a round fan in one hand and counting her past shortcomings on the other, when Junko counted to her little finger for the second time, her soft, boneless hand was grasped by a rather thick hand that reached out from the side.

Junko pouted and looked up, clearly annoyed, after being interrupted.

However, the next moment a fragrant aroma wafted into my nose, and all my dissatisfaction vanished.

Takoyaki, grilled squid, yakisoba, cake, marshmallows, candied apples, and other foods caught her eye.

The boy held the pile of dazzling food, his lips pursed and his brows furrowed tightly.

When he came to his senses in the spring, his hands were already full.

My last bit of savings, Gian's (Kasuga Gian's) personal stash, is really gone.

It's too awful.

……

……

"Choose whatever you want to eat! Do you want me to feed you?!"

Looking at Junko, who was staring blankly at him without moving, beads of sweat appeared on the boy's forehead, and his voice was hoarse with a hint of indifference.

"And I've never believed in gods or Buddhas."

After thinking about it,

For some reason, he added another sentence in the spring.

Chapter 109: Should we view the fireworks about to rise from below or from the side?

The festival continued.

Junko smiled and pulled Haruhi, who had returned, to sit on the bench next to her. The fan in her hand was replaced by takoyaki.

"Oh, oh, it's so hot, but the takoyaki at the festival is definitely the best. It's even more delicious than what we usually eat outside. Let's give the rest to Haru."

Junko handed the half-eaten takoyaki to Haruhi, and then took other food she had bought from Haruhi's arms.

Before long, Haruhi's stomach was filled with all sorts of food that Junko had only taken a bite of and then pushed all of it back to him. From the takoyaki at the beginning to the dumplings, squid, fried noodles, and cream cake later on, almost the entire food stall was filled to the brim.

"You idiot, you ate dinner at my apartment before you came here, and you still ate so much. Did you even consider my stomach?"

"And if you're going to eat it, you should finish it properly. What's with trying a little bit of everything? You paid for all of this."

"What does it matter? Anyway, with Xiao Qing here, none of this will go to waste. Besides, I just like to eat a little bit of everything."

Junko, her cherry lips untouched by lipstick, exhaled a puff of white steam from the heat of her food. Smiling broadly, she hugged Haruhi's arm and began eating other foods.

With a series of gulps, the woman pulled out another can of beer from behind her back as if by magic and started drinking it nonchalantly.

A woman dressed in an ancient-style butterfly yukata, her bare feet dangling in mid-air, sat on the bench. Crystalline liquid flowed from her mouth down to her smooth neck. Although she was already at an age where she was mature beyond her years, her mental age was comparable to that of Kasuga Gian in Yukino's mind.

"Where did you put this beer just now? Hiss—was it ice cold?"

Even on a summer night, the temperature doesn't necessarily remain consistently hot and humid; you'll already be drenched in sweat after eating in the spring.

"It's a secret."

"You're not allowed to drink anymore."

"Yukino, Haruka doesn't allow Junko to drink alcohol, what do you think?"

Junko's teary eyes were fixed on the silent Yuki sitting on her other side.

"He'll agree, won't he, Kasuga-kun?"

On the bench, Xiaoxue shook her head, comforting Chunzi who was playing the victim, while her beautiful face turned towards Chunri, her small, delicate hands eager to reach out.

"..."

Aikido? In public...

Sure enough, Chunri was startled and took two steps back, scratching her head helplessly.

"Hey, but don't drink too much. This is the last can tonight."

"We understand."

"On summer nights, ice-cold beer definitely tastes the best!!"

"Turn the volume down!!"

While complaining, Chunri chewed on the apple candy in her mouth in small bites, the sugary and sweet taste mingling in her mouth.

Junko drank and chatted happily under the full moon in the night sky.

"Isn't candied apple delicious?"

"……generally."