Shizuka stood at the entrance, pushing a black suitcase. Looking at the two people changing shoes in front of her, she asked,
"Have you checked everything? Nothing should be missing, right?"
Tsuna tied his shoelaces and patted the non-existent dust on his hands. He looked up at his mother, who seemed fully armed, and felt speechless.
"Mom, you have asked this question five or six times since early this morning.
Besides, we have just stayed at Grandpa's for a few days. Isn't it enough to take a few changes of clothes? Why are you carrying a suitcase?"
Shizuka ignored the second half of his sentence and threw him the black schoolbag he had placed on her suitcase, wondering,
"So many times?"
"Let's go next door and tell Shouko and the others first." At this point, Daisuke walked out from behind Shizuka with a shoulder bag on his back, interrupting their conversation.
"Yeah."
After a minute or two, they ensured the doors and windows were locked before walking to the Nishimiya residence. Tsuna knocked on the door.
After a while, they saw Yuzuru holding Hachiko's hand and opening the door. Shizuka half-knelt in front of her, rubbing her head with her hand before asking again,
"Yuzuru, are you really not going with us?"
Yuzuru shook her head like a rattle. "No, no, you guys go. I won't trouble Aunt Miyamura. I'll stay home with Hachiko."
She then squatted down and put her arm around Hachiko's neck.
Seeing this, Shizuka seemed to have guessed why Yuzuru wasn't going with them.
She raised her hand, rubbing her chin, and feigned hesitation, saying,
"I suddenly wanted to take Hachiko with me..."
When Shizuka finished her words, Yuzuru didn't hesitate, falling for it instantly. Without a blush or a beat, she changed her words,
"Then I'll go too. I suddenly feel like my sister can't live without me by her side.
And I want to see Osaka too! Take lots of beautiful photos!" By the end of her story, she almost believed it herself.
"Haha..." Shizuka saw that she had guessed right, and she couldn't help but laugh at Yuzuru's adorable expression.
Children are so easy to fool, but unfortunately, Shouko is older now, not as easy to fool as she was when she was little. Now, she hesitates before she believes anything she says.
"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. I'll take good care of Shouko, and Hachiko will be in your care, too."
Shizuka stopped laughing and reached out to poke Yuzuru on the forehead.
"Pa pa." Upon hearing this, Yuzuru patted her chest and gave a thumbs up to Shizuka, assuring her,
"Don't worry, Aunt Miyamura. Even if I'm hungry, Hachiko won't be hungry."
"Yes, yes, yes." Shizuka nodded perfunctorily.
After Shizuka had amused Yuzuru, the others stood at the door and said hello to Ito inside before preparing to take the Shouko to Osaka.
As for Yaeko, she had already gone to work as a slave at Daisuke's office.
"Yuzuru, I'll bring you some local specialties when I come back. Just be good."
Before getting into Daisuke's car, Shouko waved to Yuzuru and Ito at the entrance.
Yuzuru waved back at them, then suddenly thought of something. Putting her hands to her lips like a megaphone, she shouted to Shouko, who was already in the car:
"Got it, sis! Remember to keep an eye on Tsuna-kun, don't let those bad women from Osaka snatch him away!"
"Woof!" Hachiko chimed in, quite cooperatively.
As Yuzuru finished speaking, she saw the car, which had already driven a few meters, suddenly stop. Shouko, blushing, opened the door, got out, and ran towards her.
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From the time they set out to the Shinkansen to their destination, it took the four of them three or four hours to arrive.
As for why no one came to pick them up? Shizuka said, "Who would pick me up if I were going home? It's not like I don't know the way.
And those people would have to be free to pick me up."
After winding through the mountain roads, the taxi finally stopped in front of a quaint hot spring inn.
Tsuna immediately gazed upon the tucked-away inn, nestled at the foot of the mountain.
The main structure boasted a three-tiered, hipped roof, its dark brown cypress beams and columns gleaming with warmth in the sunlight.
Behind the inn, the wisps of hot spring mist rose almost instantly, and visitors in yukata lifted the curtains as they entered and exited, their wooden clogs clacking softly on the stone pavement. Under
the main entrance, an indigo-dyed noren curtain hung beneath a Tang-style porch, its ukiyo-e-style "Snow, Moon, and Flowers" pattern faintly visible in the warm glow of paper lanterns.
The five characters "Mito Onsen-ya" carved into the wooden doorplate bore witness to the centuries-old tradition.
"Come on, stop standing there like an idiot. It's not like you've been here before. Let's go in,"
Shizuka said, pulling a suitcase from the taxi trunk and wheeling it over to Tsuna's side. She patted his head to help him focus.
Tsuna withdrew his gaze from the hot spring inn, gently brushing off Shizuka's hand that was rubbing his head. He muttered,
"Mom, that was eight or nine years ago, okay?"
At that moment, Daisuke paid the fare and climbed down from the passenger seat. He reached for the suitcase Shizuka offered him, urging,
"Come on, let's go in. Your grandfather has prepared a room for us. Let's put down our things first and talk later."
Tsuna nodded, reached out, and took the hand of the still-shocked Shouko beside him, and followed the two men.
As they entered, a young woman's voice politely said, "Welcome."
Tsuna looked over and saw the clerk bow. It was indeed Japanese culture.
"Junko, look carefully, it's me," Shizuka reluctantly pulled the bowing girl up.
"Auntie!?" Mito Junko, pulled upright by Shizuka, only then realized the visitor wasn't a tourist.
Responding, she finally said hello to the people behind Shizuka. Tsuna and Shouko both called her "cousin," and Daisuke nodded in acknowledgment.
Mito, observing their heavy luggage, reminded her,
"Aunt, you should go upstairs and put your luggage and other belongings away. Grandpa and Grandma are resting in the main living room, and my parents are here too."
Even then, she was still wondering who the reserved, cute girl behind Tsuna was. Her parents hadn't told her about her, and her aunt and her cousin hadn't introduced her just now...
Shizuka nodded, motioning for the three people behind her to follow her upstairs.
Shizuka and the others reached a wooden door adorned with wind chimes. The faint sound of a television could be heard from within.
She knocked on the wooden door, then unceremoniously opened it and shouted joyfully to the five people inside,
"I'm back!"
At that moment, the five people inside stared at Shizuka in stunned silence. They had just heard the knock, and before they could react, Shizuka had opened the door, catching them off guard.
Then, the familiar greetings and inquiries about how everyone was doing, how Tsuna's grades were, and so on followed.
Everyone had a smile on their face, except Tsuna, Shouko, and another boy in the room.
Shouko was being reserved.
Because The boy had been staring at Shouko's face since she opened the door, never looking away.
Tsuna, on the other hand, knew the boy, Aoi, his uncle's son, the same age as him who was , and was annoyed by the way he was looking at Shouko. He quickly pulled Shouko behind him to block his gaze.
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