Chapter 69: Confession

After chatting for a while longer, Ephnel glanced at the time and stood up.

“Dad, Mom, you rest here.”

“I’ll go prepare dinner.”

“Yukina, you can keep Uncle and Aunt company.”

“Mm…”

“Hey, wait a minute…”

Just as Ephnel was about to turn and leave, her mother called her back.

“What is it, Mom?”

“Don’t be in a hurry to prepare dinner.”

“Sit down first.”

Seeing Yanase Kaoru’s mysterious demeanor without a clear explanation, Ephnel obediently sat down next to Yukina.

The family of four now sat in a semi-circle around the coffee table.

“It’s been a long, long time since our family has sat together like this…”

Mother Yanase sighed with emotion.

“Yes, but we’ll be able to stay like this from now on, right?”

Ephnel smiled reassuringly.

Yanase Kaoru did not answer.

“Speaking of which, there’s something I almost forgot.”

“I’ll give it to you now,” Yanase Kaoru reached out and patted the shoulder of the person next to her.

“Honey, take that out.”

“Give it to them now…?”

“It’s fine.”

“Alright then.”

Soon, Yanase Takuma took out a small square box from his coat pocket.

Ephnel glanced at the box.

It was about the size of her fist.

From the outside, it was impossible to tell what material it was made of.

It was completely black and showed no luster even under the light.

“Dad, what is this?”

“This is a gift your mother and I prepared for you and Yukina.”

“That’s right,” Yanase Kaoru smiled brightly.

“Yukina, Naoto, this is for you two.”

“Don’t be fooled by its plain appearance, it’s actually very expensive.”

“Come on, take a look at what it is.”

“We brought this box back from our workplace.”

“It requires a specific technique to open.”

Father Yanase placed the box flat in his palm and tapped several places on it in a rhythmic pattern.

To Ephnel and Yukina’s surprised gazes, it popped open with a crisp click, like a disassembled Rubik’s Cube, then slowly opened to the sides like a budding flower.

The ingenious mechanism amazed Ephnel and Yukina.

The contents were slowly revealed before their eyes.

It was a pair of azure pendants, with no discernible material or pattern.

“This one is Yukina’s,” Yanase Kaoru took one out and held Yukina’s hand solemnly.

“Auntie…”

“Come, let Auntie put it on for you.”

Yanase Kaoru’s tone left no room for argument.

Yukina hesitated for a moment, then obediently leaned forward slightly.

“Takuma and I have spent too little time with you two.”

“We owe you this.”

Yanase Kaoru hung the pendant around Yukina’s neck and gently fastened the clasp.

“Auntie, don’t say that…”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Coming back this time and seeing you two grow up supporting each other, I am both gratified and heartbroken…”

“Alright, Yukina, take a look.”

“Do you like it?”

“I love it!”

Yukina nodded vigorously, a quiet smile on her face.

“The other one is yours, Naoto.”

Ephnel also leaned over and let Yanase Kaoru put the pendant on for her.

Yukina held the pendant in her palm, examining it.

She had never seen this azure material, which seemed like both crystal and metal, and found it quite fascinating.

She looked at the identical pendant on Ephnel’s neck, and her heart fluttered inexplicably.

‘Sure enough, when you like someone, even the slightest connection with them can bring joy and excitement.’

“These two pendants are a pair, one for each of you.”

“This is our blessing for you, and also a talisman representing our wishes.”

“You must take good care of them,” Yanase Kaoru’s expression turned serious.

“You’re not allowed to take them off, not even when you shower!”

“Auntie, we…”

Yanase Kaoru stopped Yukina from continuing.

“We’re only staying for three days this time.”

“Only three days?”

Ephnel and Yukina were both stunned.

“Mom, are you really in such a hurry?”

“It’s okay to stay a few more days, right…”

“Yes,” Yanase Kaoru sighed, a dark helplessness in her eyes.

“We still have many things to do.”

“Coming back this time was an unauthorized leave during a mission.”

“Our colleagues are still working day and night, pressing forward.”

“We can’t just abandon them.”

Yanase Takuma looked at his wife without a word.

“But, seeing you two this time, I feel it was all worth it.”

Yanase Kaoru raised her hand and gently touched Ephnel and Yukina’s cheeks, her faint smile reassuring.

“Alright, go on and do what you need to do.”

“Let me taste my son’s cooking!”

Ephnel’s cooking skills were mostly honed through accumulated practice.

With her parents not at home, and for certain considerations, Ephnel did not hire a maid.

She managed all the household chores and three meals a day by herself.

To please Yukina, Ephnel had even specially asked others for advice.

In short, although Ephnel’s cooking skills were not at the level of a professional chef, she could still create her own unique flavor when it came to everyday dishes and desserts.

At the dinner table, the family chatted and laughed.

Yukina’s reserve gradually melted away, and she said a few more words when asked about school.

“By the way, Naoto,” Yanase Kaoru seemed to have been brewing this for a while, and suddenly turned the topic to Ephnel.

“I have something I want to ask you.”

“Mom, just say whatever you want to say.”

“I have a feeling there’s the scent of a young girl in this house.”

“You… don’t happen to have a girlfriend you’re not telling us about, do you?”

“Pfft…”

Hearing Mother Yanase’s suspicion, Ephnel and Yukina both held their breath and almost choked.

“Mom, what are you talking about…”

“Yukina is also…”

“I’m not talking about Yukina, I can tell the difference,” Mother Yanase said with conviction.

“Actually, I don’t object to you being in a relationship at all.”

“In fact, I’m all for it!”

“But your dad and I have finally come back.”

“You can’t just hide your little girlfriend, can you?”

“Your dad and I are also very curious about our son’s girlfriend.”

Towards the end, Yanase Kaoru couldn’t help but laugh, reminiscent of her radiant youth.

However…

Ephnel’s face was troubled.

‘Where was she supposed to find a girlfriend?’

However, seeing the strange expressions on Ephnel and Yukina’s faces, Yanase Kaoru became even more certain of her guess.

“To be honest, you have a bit of that scent on you.”

“I smelled it when I hugged you just now.”

“I’m absolutely sure,” Yanase Kaoru wagged her finger and pointed at Ephnel, analyzing seriously.

“There’s nothing to hide at this point.”

“I’m not going to do anything to her.”

“Why don’t you ask her out to meet tomorrow?”

“If possible, I’d like to take a few pictures of her.”

“She might be my future daughter-in-law, you know.”

Yanase Kaoru giggled, and was quickly stopped by Ephnel.

“W-wait, Mom, I don’t have a girlfriend, really.”

“The person you’re talking about is actually…”

“Don’t be in a hurry to deny it,” seeing Ephnel’s firm denial, Yanase Kaoru wasn’t anxious.

Instead, she started with her younger sister.

“Yukina, tell Auntie, does your brother have a girlfriend?”

Yukina’s eyes widened.

She looked at Yanase Kaoru, then at Ephnel.

“Onii-chan really doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

She answered seriously.

‘Even if she did, it could only be herself.’

‘In that case, they would have already met, taken pictures, and there would be no need to arrange a meeting.’

“Ehh? Not yet…”

“‘Not yet’ means it’s developing?” Yanase Kaoru seemed to have gone down a rabbit hole, her expression even more gossipy.

“Then I’m even more curious.”

“What kind of beauty could catch my son’s eye?”

“Wait a minute, Mom, please let me finish…”

“Okay, go on.”

“I probably know who you’re talking about, but she is absolutely, and can never be, my girlfriend.”

“Please stop guessing…”

“Then… who is it?”

Although Ephnel’s firm attitude made Mother Yanase a bit unwilling, she decided to first clarify the crucial element—”who is that girl.”

At this moment, Father Yanase, who had been eating with his head down, also pricked up his ears.

“It’s Ephnel,” Ephnel’s shoulders slumped in resignation, intending to confess.