"Alright, alright. Don't keep Byakuya waiting at the door. Come in and sit down."
Ukina put a stop to the mother-daughter squabble.
"Fine, let's just go in."
Eto didn't want to keep arguing with her mother over something so pointless.
Byakuya took off his shoes. He instinctively went to change into indoor slippers before realizing this was someone else's home.
"Excuse me, do you have disposable indoor slippers?"
Byakuya had to ask.
"Just wear little Eto's then. She likes going barefoot anyway."
Ukina said with a laugh.
"Don't be ridiculous. My shoes would be too small for him."
Eto, by contrast, had to seriously refute everything in front of Ukina—the initiative had been completely seized by her mother.
"True. I think there should be some disposable slippers."
Ukina opened a shoe cabinet and found what was needed inside.
"See, there are disposable slippers here. Old..."
Eto nearly called her an "old hag," just as she would call Yoshimura "old geezer," but she held back.
"Old what?"
A dangerous smile immediately appeared on Ukina's face.
Most women were sensitive about their age, and Ukina was no exception.
Especially since her actual age was around fifty now—she had been in her twenties when she died, and more than twenty years had passed since then until her resurrection...
Though Ukina's appearance remained youthful, being fifty years old was still a fact...
"Nothing. I was just going to say that old man Yoshimura really is something—he didn't even put the guest slippers somewhere visible..."
Eto pursed her lips slightly.
At that same moment, far away at the café, Yoshimura suddenly sneezed.
"Am I catching a cold? I suppose my body has gotten weaker since becoming human...?"
Yoshimura muttered to himself.
In truth, the opposite was happening—his body had actually become younger and healthier.
Since becoming human, he could now get proper nutrition through normal eating. That was certainly healthier than when he could only eat carrion and was perpetually malnourished.
Back at the Yoshimura residence.
Listening to the exchange between Ukina and Eto, Byakuya couldn't help but smile.
Ukina-san was probably the only person who could render Eto helpless like this.
So even Eto had days like this.
Byakuya then made his way to the living room.
Ukina went to make tea for Byakuya and Eto.
Then, while pouring tea for Byakuya, Ukina said, "I've already heard from Eto. You saved my husband and daughter, and you're the one who brought me back from the afterlife."
"Yes..."
Byakuya nodded slightly.
"I'm truly grateful. I don't know how to repay you. How about I give you my daughter to be your wife~"
Ukina's tone had started out serious and solemn, but suddenly turned playful again.
"..."
Eto couldn't help but speak up again. "Am I some kind of object now? Something you can just give away?"
"Don't be upset, Eto. Let me rephrase then—I'll have Byakuya become your husband."
Ukina's face maintained its cheerful smile throughout.
In this situation, Byakuya said nothing.
Getting to watch Eto being on the receiving end for once wasn't bad. He just needed to stay out of it.
"..."
Once again, Eto found herself with no way to deal with Ukina.
She hadn't expected her mother to be this difficult to handle...