At Ichinose's Home (End)

The burdens of life had slightly bent her back, her expression carried an inescapable weariness, and deep in her eyes lay a weathered twilight.

This is the mother of the two girls, Ichinose Asuka.

Even though the years and life have worn her down, that beauty derived from her bone structure still stubbornly remains.

Like a pearl covered in dust, she silently tells the story of a youth that was no less beautiful than that of her daughters.

Ichinose Asuka saw Tanaka Yukishin leaning against the wall with the teacup in his hand, and then saw her daughter peeking out from behind the door, she immediately understood the situation.

She hurried forward, her face showing apology and a hint of fatigue from work.

"I'm so sorry, Tanaka... I'm Honami and Risa's mother Ichinose Asuka. I had an urgent work assignment this morning that I couldn't get out of, so I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!"

She bowed slightly, her tone filled with sincere and urgent remorse.

"Ichinose, you're too kind. I just arrived recently. Risa is very thoughtful; she even poured me some tea."

Tanaka Yukishin responded politely, handing the empty cup back to Risa, who had already quickly unfastened the security chain inside the door.

"Please come in, Tanaka -kun!"

Ichinose Asuka quickly pushed open the door and warmly welcomed Tanaka Yukishin into the house.

Stepping into the entryway, the space is small but clean.

I took off my shoes and stepped onto the old tatami mat, which was smooth but had rounded and worn edges.

The layout of the house is immediately apparent: a small living room that doubles as a dining room, with a low table and a few cushions placed in the corner.

The walls were yellowed in some places, and the furniture, though old, was spotless.

An old-fashioned small television and a small refrigerator that looked like it had been used for a long time were the main appliances.

The living space was clearly very limited, and the sense of financial hardship was palpable, even more so than what Tanaka Yukishin had imagined from outside the door.

Several inexpensive green plants on the windowsill grew tenaciously, adding a touch of life to this simple space.

This family was much poorer than he had imagined based on the few words Honami had given him.

Tanaka Yukishin couldn't help but let out another silent sigh.

A single mother raising two daughters alone and supporting their education—the hardships she endures are unimaginable.

If it weren't for the almost entirely free tuition and generous benefits at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School.

Ichinose Honami's future path will most likely be like that of countless girls struggling at the bottom of society—interruption of her studies will be the norm.

After all, there's a younger sister in the family.

If we don't want this mother, whose back is bent by life and whose energy is exhausted from overwork, to completely collapse and even suffer the tragic end of dying from overwork...

Ichinose Honami enters high school, she will probably have to start working hard to earn money to support her family.

Further education?

That was a dream that seemed unattainable.

"My home is rather simple, please excuse my humble abode. Tanaka -kun, please have a seat."

Ichinose Asuka somewhat awkwardly gestured for Tanaka Yukishin to sit down at the low table, and then knelt down herself.

Ichinose Risa sat obediently beside her mother, her eyes still sparkling as she looked at Tanaka Yukishin.

"No, Auntie and Risa have kept the house very clean and tidy."

Tian N Shan Ling Si Jiu Qi. 𫔌<Shi Zhong Xue Xin sat down calmly, without revealing any unusual expression.

After exchanging pleasantries, the conversation naturally turned to Ichinose Honami was far away at Advanced Nurturing High School.

Ichinose Asuka couldn't wait to ask her daughter everything, one question after another, like a flood that had been released.

"Tanaka -kun, Honami doing alright at school? Is she keeping up with her studies? Is she having any difficulties in her daily life? How is her health? Is she sick?"

Did she... did she mention home? Did she...?

Chapter 142, Section 141: Ichinose's House (The End)

Ichinose Asuka has many problems.

But Tanaka Yukishin didn't feel annoyed at all.

He had felt the same intense emotion when he returned home yesterday, deeply through his mother, Tanaka Fuko —behind those urgent questions lay the same unspoken love.

Every word and phrase is imbued with a mother's heavy longing and concern.

Ichinose Risa beside her, also opened her eyes wide, listening intently with bated breath, her small hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, not wanting to miss any detail about her older sister.

She waited for her mother to finish asking the question before adding her own explanation.

"Yes, yes! Have you made any good friends, sister? Are you enjoying the food?"

Tanaka Yukishin patiently answered each question, her tone calm and affirmative.

"Auntie, please rest assured. She is an outstanding student, ranking among the top in her grade, and she is keeping up with the pace perfectly. As for living conditions, the dormitory is excellent. I mentioned it to Risa before; all facilities are complete and free, making life very convenient. She is also very healthy and, as far as I know, has never been sick. As for friends, she is cheerful, kind, and helpful, and is very popular in her class, having made many sincere friends. She has adapted very well and seems very happy. The school provides a variety of food options, which she has also adapted to perfectly."

He carefully selected information that was positive and did not involve sensitive points, while omitting complex situations such as points and class competition.

Whenever the topic became something that couldn't be discussed in detail, he politely brushed it off by citing "school confidentiality regulations."

Listening to Tanaka Yukishin's clear, articulate, and confident description.

Ichinose Asuka's furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and the worry in her eyes was replaced by relief.

She let out a long sigh of relief, as if a huge weight had been lifted from her heart, and her eyes even became slightly moist.

"That's great... that's great... I can finally relax now that I know she's alright. Thank you, Tanaka -kun, thank you for telling me all this."

She raised her hand and gently pressed the corner of her eye with her fingertips.

Ichinose Risa cheered excitedly in a low voice.

"I knew my sister was the best!"

She shook her mother's arm, happier than if she had been praised herself.

Afterwards, Ichinose Asuka and Ichinose Risa took turns expressing their longing for Ichinose Honami and sharing their family matters, asking Tanaka Yukishin.

"Everything is fine at home, don't worry," "Mom got a slightly easier job," "Risa made it into the top ten in this exam," "The morning glories in front of the apartment are blooming"...

These are ordinary yet deeply affectionate stories of everyday family life.

Tanaka Yukishin listened attentively, nodding occasionally, and memorizing every word.

Time flowed by in warm conversation.

When everything that needed to be said had been said, and the atmosphere gradually quieted down.

Ichinose Asuka rubbed her hands, roughened by years of hard work, and earnestly pleaded with him to stay.

"Tanaka -kun, it's really kind of you to make the trip. Why don't you stay for a simple meal? It's just a humble meal, nothing special, but it's a token of our gratitude."

Ichinose Risa to the side, also looked at him expectantly.

Tanaka Yukishin's gaze swept over the old-fashioned wall clock, and then she politely and gently bowed in refusal.

"Auntie, I'm very grateful for your kindness. However, I do have to visit another classmate's house next time, so I'm a bit pressed for time. I'll definitely come and try your cooking next time I have the chance."

His tone was gentle yet carried an unwavering firmness.

"Is that so...? That's really unfortunate."

Ichinose Asuka's face, but she quickly nodded in understanding.

Just as Tanaka Yukishin was about to get up and take her leave, he seemed to suddenly remember something.

He paused for a moment, then calmly pulled out two bundles of brand-new 10,000 yen banknotes from the inside pocket of his coat.

The thick stack of banknotes, sealed with paper strips, stood out conspicuously on the simple little table.

"Auntie, this is Honami-chan asked me to bring home. She said she was worried about household expenses, so she borrowed it from me. Please accept it."

Tanaka Yukishin's voice remained calm, as if she were placing down not a million dollars in cash, but a letter.

The air froze instantly.

Ichinose Asuka's smile froze on her face, her gaze fixed on the banknotes on the table, her eyes quickly shifting from astonishment to scrutiny and a hint of sharpness.

She raised her head, looking directly into Tanaka Yukishin's eyes, her tone no longer gentle, but filled with a mother's protectiveness and vigilance.

She asked, enunciating each word clearly.

"Tanaka -kun, forgive my bluntness, but what exactly is your relationship with Honami? The way you call her 'Honami-chan'... seems to go beyond the boundaries of ordinary classmates. Besides, I know my daughter very well; she has a strong sense of pride and would never easily borrow such a large sum of money from a classmate, especially a male classmate."

Her gaze swept across Tanaka Yukishin's expression like a searchlight, trying to find any clues.

Ichinose Risa next to her, also covered her mouth, her big eyes filled with shock. She looked at the money and then at Tanaka Yukishin, barely daring to breathe.

Faced with Ichinose Asuka's sudden, tense scrutiny and questioning, Tanaka Yukishin felt a sense of anticipated trouble.

It wasn't that easy after all.

The mother was more observant and vigilant than he had expected.

However, considering that this is a single mother who supports her family on her own, this caution seems reasonable.

But he maintained his composure and gentle demeanor.

He lowered his eyes slightly, seemingly carefully considering his words.

The brief silence actually increased the weight and credibility of the words.

After a moment, he raised his eyes again, meeting Ichinose Asuka's questioning and probing gaze with composure, and spoke clearly and frankly.

"Auntie, please don't worry. My relationship with Honami-chan is..."

"If I were to pinpoint exactly where we are, we're somewhere between friends and good friends, falling into the category of fairly close friends. At least for now."

He deliberately used the name "Honami-chan" clearly again, speaking frankly.

While emphasizing the word "currently," the author only touched upon it briefly without going into further detail.

"As for this money," he changed the subject, his gaze sincerely meeting Ichinose Asuka's, "Precisely because I know Honami-chan is a very independent girl with a strong sense of self-respect, you should understand that she would never have easily asked me for help if she didn't truly care about her family and worry about your and her sister's lives."

[Heart Sound] activated, Tanaka Yukishin consciously restrained her overly dazzling presence, maximizing her reassuring and trustworthy charisma.

This power is not deceptive, but rather conveys his kindness and sincerity directly, like the warm sun.

He continued calmly stating the irrefutable facts.

"This one million yen might be a huge sum for Honami-chan right now, but it's really not a burden for me. Please accept it; it will allow Honami-chan to focus on her studies at school. As for repayment, you don't need to worry at all. I believe that with Honami-chan's ability and sense of responsibility, she will definitely repay me as agreed once she starts working or has an income after graduation. This is just mutual help between friends; there are no other conditions attached."

What he said was true; ever since his "cheat code" was activated, money was no longer a problem.

He subsidized his family with far more money through various means than that.

It's just that I'm constrained by my parents' values and the resulting anxiety.

That's why the Tanaka family wasn't elevated to a life of luxury and ease.

Listening to Tanaka Yukishin's advice, Ichinose Asuka fell silent.

Tanaka Yukishin's words were logically clear and her attitude was sincere and earnest.

Especially the line, "She cares deeply about her family and worries about your life with your sister."

Like a precise arrow, it instantly struck the softest and most bitter spot in Ichinose Asuka's heart.

She could feel the strange, indescribable sincerity and persuasiveness emanating from the boy opposite her, which made her tense nerves involuntarily relax a little.

One million yen!

The cold, hard numbers of reality struck her reason like a heavy hammer.

Especially in this kind of family environment!

One million yen!

This is enough to cover Risa's tuition for the next two years, allow her to quit her late-night part-time job, spend more time with her growing daughter Risa in the evenings, and buy her daughters some decent winter clothes...

Ichinose Asuka's gaze returned to the two bundles of banknotes, her heart churning with turmoil.

A tremendous temptation, enough to change her current predicament, and a deep anxiety about her daughter's future, fought fiercely in her heart like two ferocious beasts.

She feared that this unbelievably handsome young man might have designs on her daughter, and that her daughter might repeat the same tumultuous love life she had experienced in her youth.

Children from poor families have too little room for error.

Not to mention single-parent families in Japan.