Chapter 364: Chapter 362: The Mother-in-Law Who Fights with Her Daughter for Candy
(Note: Looking for something new to read? Check out my other works if you haven't already! Give it at least 5 chapters, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the journey all the way to the latest updates! [Titled; Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!])
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"What nonsense are you talking about?" Sui's face filled with exasperation, black lines metaphorically forming on his forehead.
"But I heard that Rindō-senpai came to see you, and a lot of students heard about it," Erina said, biting her lip. Her eyes were red, and her voice held a hint of tears.
She had been heartbroken upon hearing the rumor. She hadn't expected that the first person to have Sui's child would not be her.
Seeing her distressed expression, Sui didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He quickly explained, "Rindō-senpai said that on purpose—just to freeload off me."
"Really...?" Erina asked hesitantly, her voice uncertain.
"Of course," Sui sighed. "You know how Rindō-senpai is—she's always carefree and loves to tease me."
Erina thought about it for a moment and realized he was right. Given Rindō's personality, it wouldn't be out of character for her to make such a joke.
Relieved, Erina burst out laughing and lightly hit Sui on the shoulder. "Rindō-senpai is unbelievable. She made such an inappropriate joke—I was scared half to death."
"You're too naive, believing something like that so easily," Sui teased, thinking how sheltered and gullible Erina could be, especially with her limited life experiences.
"But Erina," Sui said, a smile suddenly playing on his lips. "You mentioning this reminds me of something."
"Huh? What is it?" Erina asked, looking confused. Her lips parted slightly, and her golden hair fell playfully around her cheeks, making her look adorably puzzled.
"We could start thinking about having children for real," Sui said, smiling mischievously.
"C-Children?!" Erina's face turned crimson as she stammered.
While Erina had always longed for the warmth of family life—something she had missed growing up—she had never seriously considered having children, especially at such a young age.
"I think your Grandpa would be thrilled to have a little grandchild running around," Sui teased, finding it amusing to fluster the usually composed Erina.
"We're still young! Shouldn't we focus on our studies first? Isn't it too early to think about children?" Erina blushed even deeper, nervously glancing down. "B-But maybe after graduation... that would be okay."
"After graduation? That's so far away," Sui shook his head, still teasing her.
"W-Well... then maybe next year," Erina stammered, clearly flustered. "The earliest would be next year."
"I think now is just fine," Sui said, flashing a grin.
"Now?!" Erina's face turned scarlet. Just as she was about to protest, Sui leaned in and silenced her with a kiss.
"This... This isn't the right place," Erina murmured between the kiss. Though she initially tried to resist, her small, soft fists lightly hit him before she gave in completely, surrendering to the moment.
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The next day, Sui and Erina were invited to dinner by Leonora, who was preparing to leave Japan after an extended stay. She wanted to have one last meal together before her departure.
Sui brought along the last bunch of Dia Grapes and a stash of coral candies.
That evening, Leonora, usually elegant in her long silver hair, had styled it into a bun. She wore a white dress, giving her a dignified and noble look, quite different from her usual graceful demeanor.
"Did Auntie get a new hairstyle?" Erina asked, surprised by the change.
"How do I look? Does it suit me?" Leonora asked, gently stroking her cheek.
"It looks beautiful on you," Sui nodded approvingly.
"Really? I'm glad," Leonora beamed with happiness.
"I did Mom's hair!" Alice piped up, proudly popping out from behind her mother.
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Once inside the living room, Sui handed Leonora the prepared gift. "This is for you, as a farewell gift."
"Oh, you're such a thoughtful child!" Leonora exclaimed, clearly touched. She smiled warmly. "It seems like I've truly become Sui-kun's mother-in-law."
Sui couldn't help but feel a little awkward, thinking to himself, 'Well, she 'is' my mother-in-law.'
Behind her mother's back, Alice stuck her tongue out playfully at Sui, the two exchanging a knowing look.
Afterward, Leonora washed the Dia Grapes and brought them to the table.
"These grapes are incredible! I've never seen such beautiful grapes before," Leonora marveled, gazing at the large, sparkling, diamond-like grapes.
"They're delicious. Please try some, Auntie," Erina smiled. She assumed the grapes were for Leonora, though Sui had really intended them for Alice.
"Let's see," Alice said eagerly, immediately grabbing one. After taking a bite, her eyes lit up. "Mmm! They're amazing!"
"They're so sweet and refreshing," Leonora agreed after tasting one. "This is a very sophisticated sweetness."
Both mother and daughter were clearly enjoying the grapes. Leonora, in particular, seemed to have a sweet tooth, delighting in the treat like a little girl.
Next, they tried the coral candies that Sui had brought, and they were equally impressed.
"These are delicious too!" Alice exclaimed, her cheeks puffed up as she stuffed several candies into her mouth, savoring the flavors.
"Indeed, they have a very natural, light fragrance," Leonora chimed in, also with her cheeks puffed up from the candies.
The mother and daughter looked quite cute, sitting together with candy-filled cheeks.
"Alice, you're still a child. You shouldn't eat too much candy," Leonora said, smiling mischievously as she scooped up the remaining coral candies. "I'll hold onto these for safekeeping."
"What?! Mom, that's not fair! You're just keeping them for yourself! Honestly, you're already so old, but you still love sweets like a little girl!" Alice protested, her voice rising in mock outrage.
"This is for your own good," Leonora said with a playful smile. Then she stuck out her tongue cheekily, revealing that it had been dyed various colors—green, purple—from the candies, making her look even more like a mischievous child.