Comics, daily stories

Then Natsume Hiroki looked at the girl: "Yukino Yukinoshita, do you take this man to be your husband, to marry him, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, for all else, to love him, to care for him, to respect him, to accept him, until the end of your life?"

Yukino Yukinoshita smiled: "I'm willing."

Hiroki Natsume looked at another of his students: "Are you willing to be a witness for their wedding vows?"

Eriri Sawamura took a deep breath to calm herself: "I'm willing."

Finally, Natsume Hiroki looked at the bride's parents and asked, "Who married the bride to the groom?"

Yukino's eyelids twitched: "She married him willingly, with her sister's blessing."

......

Eriri Sawamura sat on the sofa, holding a bouquet of white irises in her hand. She glanced at the ring on Yukino's ring finger and fell into a daze.

Wasn't I waiting at home for my mom to cook for me? How did it turn out like this?

Yukinoshita pondered the name Nomiyama Iris, her gaze unconsciously shifting to her sister's stomach, and then to the ring.

This time it's not my sister, it's my niece, huh? Niece? Never mind, I'll go tell that woman.

Taking a deep breath, she stood up, glanced at the teachers and students still drinking at the table, and turned around: "Yukino, remember to be my bridesmaid next time."

Before Yukino could even speak, her older sister had already vanished from sight.

Eriri Sawamura opened her mouth.

Yukino Yukinoshita reached out and took her hand to comfort her: "It's okay, I'll be Eriri's bridesmaid."

Eriri Sawamura pouted: "You just said you wouldn't do it."

Yukino Yukinoshita blinked: "I was just kidding you."

She raised her hand, changing the subject: "The ring, he secretly made it for me today using snow from the mountains. Isn't it pretty?"

Eriri Sawamura glanced at it, gritted her teeth, and turned her head away: "It's not pretty."

Yukino Yukinoshita smiled and moved a little closer to Eriri, bringing the ring into her field of vision.

......

Nomiyama leaned weakly on the stern of the boat, pointing to the fishing boat moored beside him: "Don't you like the sea? This is a gift from Yukino and me. You can use it to fish, or go diving when you're bored."

Hiroki Natsume, lying on the other side of the stern, vomited for a while, then turned his head to look at the fishing boat and waved his hand: "Too valuable, don't want it."

Nomiyama turned to look at him and clicked his tongue: "Who said it was a gift for you? This is for you to use for fishing. We, your husband and I, will share the profits. You're almost forty years old. You should have a livelihood. Otherwise, are you going to live a hundred years and be a dive shop employee for the rest of your life?"

After thinking for a moment, Natsume Hiroki did not refuse again, but sighed, "I never thought that one day I would have the two of you worrying about work."

"It's all because you're too lazy," Nomiyama said bluntly. "I thought you'd open your own shop after working there for a few years, but instead you've been drinking at that shop for ten years, year after year?"

Hiroki Natsume stammered, unable to refute it. It seemed that ever since he came to Izu, he had started drinking oolong tea every day.

Nomiyama grabbed a bag and threw it at him irritably: "Inside are keys and various certificates, but you need to take the fishing boat driving test yourself. Read more books and drink less alcohol, or you'll end up with a boat but won't be able to drive it."

Natsume Hiroki turned his head away: "Alright, alright, why do you talk so much now that you're all grown up?"

Nomiyama said nothing more. He turned his back, slowly sat down along the side of the boat, and swayed his head with the waves: "Thank you, teacher."

Hiroki Natsume replied softly, "You're welcome."

He took a deep breath, suppressing the sudden surge of sadness that welled up inside him, and his voice became stronger: "Alright, when Iris is born and grows up, remember to bring her to me to see. Since she's your child, she should be very smart and cute."

"I'll head back now."

Nomiyama looked up at him as he was about to leave, thought for a moment, and then gave him some information: "Teacher, I checked before I came. That woman, like you, is not married yet. She has already left Tokyo and is teaching at Chiba Central Elementary School."

Hiroki Natsume paused, and after a long while, he waved his hand and walked toward the deck without saying a word.

Upon reaching the deck, he smiled and stepped forward, glancing at the two other students still waiting there.

As he drew nearer, he took a deep breath, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you both for taking care of my good-for-nothing brother all this time. I am extremely grateful."

Before the other person could reply, he straightened up, turned around, stepped onto the plank, and walked off the boat, waving his hand casually: "Alright, goodbye."

Huh? Should I take care of Kazehaya?

Eriri Sawamura blinked, then asked, "Yukino, when did Natsume-sensei become Kazehaya-nii?"

Yukino Yukinoshita watched the carefree elder disembark and disappear, then stopped waving, ruffled Eriri's hair, and whispered, "Many years ago."

She took Eriri's hand and walked towards the stern of the boat: "Alright, let's take him home."

Eriri Sawamura followed, somewhat reluctantly: "Eh, are we going home now? We might as well stay on the ship."

Yukino Yukinoshita smiled and said, "We have more than one home."

She walked to the stern of the boat and looked at the boy sleeping peacefully under the starlight, her gaze softening even more.

She took two steps forward, squatted down, and reached out to stroke his cheek.

Eriri Sawamura squatted down beside him and muttered, "He actually got drunk."

Yukino Yukinoshita's lips were gentle, and her voice was gentle as well: "Let's go home."

She reached out, stroking him with one hand and holding Eriri's hand with the other.

Even in the polar night of wind and snow, white mist still rises from that valley, making it appear lush and green.

Inside the wooden cabin, in his room, Yukino Yukinoshita slowly moved her hand down his cheek, preparing to soak in the hot spring.

My wrist was grabbed.

She turned around in surprise.

Nomiyama was full of energy and showed no signs of drunkenness whatsoever.

"Eri! Grab her! Twin tails!"

Eriri Sawamura grinned, grabbed Yukino, and pulled her onto the bed, pressing herself against her.

I told you not to drag me here to be my bridesmaid! Today I'm going to be Yukino's knight!

She quickly climbed to the front and started tying her hair into pigtails.

Yukino Yukinoshita, embarrassed and annoyed, tried to turn over, but in the next instant, he pinned her down and covered her mouth.

Her skirt was also lifted by a hand, which restlessly peered over.

"Ugh...you guys...shameless..."

Chapter 312 Snowstorm, Night Traveler

"Mother, aren't you coming with me?"

Shino obediently lowered her head, letting the person in front of her play with her hair.

"No, I can't go back to the house right now." Yukinoshita Miyabi squatted down and carefully tied a bow in her daughter's hair on the left side. After finishing, she turned to the right side and started tying another one.

Noticing her daughter's emotions, she smiled and softened her movements: "Don't worry about me. After many springs have passed, I will return to the manor. By then, Shiono will surely have grown into a beautiful young woman."

After tying the two bows, she examined them carefully, momentarily lost in thought.

Shino realized she had been in a daze for a moment, reached out and took her mother's hand, looked up, and said earnestly in her deep blue eyes: "Mother, I will not be any worse than them."

The familiar tone made Yukinoshita Miyabi pause slightly, then she gently squeezed the small hand back: "Of course, you are no worse than anyone else. You are my and his child, you are Nomiyama Shino."

After hesitating for a moment, Shiono finally asked, "Mother, what do I need to do today?"

Yukinoshita Miyabi gently kneaded the little hand and looked into her daughter's eyes: "Today is the day he officially moves into the old house. It's a big event that our family has been waiting for for a thousand years. But you don't need to make a special effort. Today, he will probably prepare the meal, and then Yukino and Megumi will go into the kitchen to help him. You don't need to help. Just say that you want to learn and stay by his side."

She helped her daughter adjust her little white dress: "You don't need to do anything extra. Just spend more time with Yukino Haruno and Eriri's family. They'll naturally be close to you."

She stood up, bent over, and gently rubbed her daughter's head, looking into her eyes: "And remember one last thing: no matter how many children your father has in the future, you are the eldest daughter in this family, so be poised and graceful."

With a serious expression on her youthful face, Shiono replied, "I understand, Mother."

So Yukinoshita Miyami straightened up and smiled, "Then let's go."

Shino nodded vigorously: "I'm off."

Yukinoshita Miyabi smiled and waved her hand: "Take care on your journey."

She paused for a moment, then added softly, "Don't force yourself, Shiono. Your happiness is the most important thing."

Shiono smiled faintly: "I understand, Mother."

The next moment, she stepped onto the courtyard of the old house, her eyes becoming timid again.

After looking around, she headed towards another courtyard.

She will try her best, and one day she will be able to bring her mother back here, or find a way to lock her father in the basement.

She had secretly dug a space under the house without her parents' knowledge.

"Yo, Shimono."

Yukino watched the girl in the white dress walk into the yard and waved to her as she swung on the swing.

"Sister, and Aunt Lily, and Aster."

Shimono obediently came to their side.

"Come on, come on up, let your sister take you on the swing."

Yukino's gaze lingered for a moment on the black ribbon bows on either side of her cheeks, then she grinned, picked her up, and put her in her arms.

"Tsk, you lost to your sister again."

Sawamura Sayuri pinched Shino's cheek, then continued pushing the swing in front of her. Of course, she was talking to Haruno, and this "little sister" was not referring to Shino.

"Losing? What does luck have to do with winning or losing?" Yukinoshita Haruno sneered, glancing at her. "You should worry more about your precious baby. In a threesome, she missed out on the honeymoon phase because she was pregnant, but she did manage to be a bridesmaid."

Sawamura Sayuri gritted her teeth: "Why can't Eriri have any good things happen to them?"

"Eriri will never lose!"

Ziwan stood on the swing, her purple eyes wide, her black twin ponytails swaying in the wind. She stretched out her short legs, trying to kick the person on the swing next to her, but was pressed down by Xiaobaihe.

Sawamura Sayuri said seriously, "Swing properly on the swing, don't fool around."

For once, Ziwan defied her mother and still tried to reach out with her foot.

"Eriri won't lose! Yukino Yukinoshita is nothing! I'll just go and speak up for Eriri to the men!"

"Yes, yes, he spoils you the most."

Yukino Yukino gave a perfunctory answer, raising her gaze to the rooftops of the row of houses in the courtyard, lost in thought.

If anyone should be anxious, it should be her. Why has she been so well-behaved these past two days? Could she be pregnant too?

"It snowed late into the night, and they held their wedding."

Xingye glanced at the person sitting to the side, drinking and lost in thought, and reminded him, "She's always wanted to compete with you."

Xuexia Xuewan picked up the wine bottle and took a few gulps, then wiped her mouth casually: "I'm not young anymore, I have no interest in arguing with them."

Hiratsuka Shizuka was drinking next to her when she heard this and spat it out. After wiping her mouth, she reached out and patted the person next to her on the back: "It must be hard for you to cheat and get pregnant on purpose and still say such nonsense."

Xuexia Xuewan threw down the wine bottle and raised her eyebrows: "Is this what I want? One of them is staring at me directly, another is plotting against me behind my back, and the others seem neutral but actually want to kick me when I'm down. What did I do to deserve this? I haven't been back to my house much these past few years, I've been living a life of hardship, and every now and then I go to his house and they lead the charge to cause trouble, both openly and secretly."

She stood up, kicked a tile away, and put her hands on her hips: "I'm a law-abiding, honest person, and they still try to bully me. It's outrageous!"

Kitahara Yuko stood behind her sister, gazing absently at the old house that was no longer familiar to her. Upon hearing this, her expression shifted slightly, revealing a hint of helplessness: "You drag him out for more than ten days at a time without him ever refusing you. It's normal for them to have opinions."

Xuexia Xuewan scoffed, "Can't they take a longer view? Life is a long journey, why bother arguing with me about such a short time? They might as well worry about those two hundred or so people in the underworld."

Kitahara Yuko remained silent, thinking to herself that if there were no other way, you would probably lock him up at home and not let him go for even a day. There's no such thing as forever.

"Life is long, but we only live for the present moment."

Xingye said this calmly, then floated lightly off the roof: "I'm going to go play with Shiono Shiwan."

Xueye watched her leave without saying anything, but simply shifted her gaze to the neighboring courtyard on the other side.

Is she making pastries? But are the pastries Yui makes even edible?

"Yui, you must not do anything other than kneading dough."

Yumiko Miura stood in front of her best friend, her face serious: "Don't cause any trouble. We'll definitely be able to make delicious pastries together."

Yui Yuigahama, dressed in a maid outfit, pouted. Simply asking someone to knead dough hardly qualifies as cooperation.

Hina Ebina placed the dough on the work surface, opened the cherry blossoms that were floating in the air, and cheered for Yui: "Well, there's no need to be so harsh. Actually, there are ways Yui can help."

Yui Yuigahama's eyes lit up, and she immediately looked over eagerly.