Akina Nakamori was busy and full of energy. Looking at her thoughtful actions, Chieko had a real feeling that her daughter had become the mistress of someone else's house.
Although Akina has not yet married Shinichi Iwahashi, she seems to have entered her new life with great anticipation.
Akina Nakamori devotes herself wholeheartedly to it, and one can immediately feel her unreservedness.
Seeing her working so hard to start a new life made Chieko feel gratified that her daughter had held the doorknob to happiness.
However, he was not worried about her unreservedness.
To entertain her mother, Akina Nakamori prepared carefully. Her daughter, who inherited the cooking skills from her mother, used this cooking skills to entertain her mother in turn. Despite this association, the taste of Akina Nakamori's cooking is still different from that of Chieko.
different.
"I'd like a cup of hot tea, please, Akina-chan." Chieko told her daughter.
Akina Nakamori stood up and walked to the kitchen. Shinichi Iwahashi asked Chieko, "Do you want me to serve you something more?"
"The carrot cake tastes very good." Chieko handed the plate over.
Iwahashi Shinichi couldn't help but smile, "I like this carrot cake too."
Maybe it was because Shinichi Iwahashi liked it that this radish cake became Akina's specialty. Chieko looked at Shinichi Iwahashi who was working for her and said to him, "Shinichi-kun is such a considerate person."
"It's a matter of duty." Iwahashi Shinichi picked up the carrot cake, put it on the plate, and handed it back to Chieko. He picked up the wine bottle and poured himself a glass of beer.
Chieko saw this and joked: "I really envy people who can drink happily."
From this point of view, Nakamori Akina's good drinking ability is probably inherited from her mother. Iwahashi Shinichi heard Chieko say this, but he didn't pick up the wine glass. Chieko looked at it and smiled and made a gesture of invitation. This hearty,
Her informal personality made Shinichi Iwahashi feel less uncomfortable than when he was alone with her elders.
"Shinichi, you're going to drink up the whole bottle." Nakamori Akina came back with the brewed tea and suddenly said as she looked at Iwahashi Shinichi, who was having a good chat with her mother.
It was unclear whether she really cared about the bottle of beer or was acting coquettishly with her mother. Chieko put on a look of indifference and picked up the tea cup her daughter placed in front of her. Saying this in front of her mother seemed childish.
.
"If you want to drink, there will definitely be a cup left for you." Iwahashi Shinichi responded calmly.
Akina Nakamori sat down, stretched out her glass to Shinichi Iwahashi, and asked him to pour the wine, "Of course."
Iwahashi Shinichi smiled and poured her a glass.
Seeing the interaction between the two people, Chieko also felt at ease. Akina Nakamori didn't feel ashamed at all in front of her mother, so she clinked glasses with Shinichi Iwahashi and took a sip with satisfaction.
After half past nine, Chieko was ready to say goodbye. Iwahashi Shinichi picked up the phone receiver and called the taxi company.
"Thank you for your hospitality today." Chieko said goodbye to her daughter and Iwahashi Shinichi in front of the entrance. She was smiling, and from her expression, she showed a bit of reserve as if she were a guest at her daughter's home.
It's not that Chieko did this on purpose, rather, it was natural under the circumstances.
Kenta, the coquettish ghost who became familiar with Chieko, was now spinning at her feet again. Akina Nakamori put the shawl on her mother's head and said with a smile: "Welcome to come again, mother."
Chieko agreed and said: "You and Shinichi-kun are also welcome to come to my home..."
As she spoke, Nakamori Akina more or less noticed something was wrong, but for a while, she couldn't figure out what was wrong with her mother's words, so she just nodded, "Shenichi and I will go there in a while.
"
Iwahashi Shinichi came over, looked at the mother and daughter who were saying goodbye, and his eyes fell on Chieko, "How about I give you one as a gift?"
"Then I'll leave it to you." It was Nakamori Akina who answered.
It would be a bit weird if two people went to see off Chieko together. Since Iwahashi Shinichi took the initiative, let him leave it to him. Nakamori Akina's idea was innocent and simple, and she trusted Iwahashi Shinichi without hesitation.
…
Iwahashi Shinichi and Chieko stepped out of the building. The autumn mood was getting stronger and the night temperature was a little cooler. Chieko was smiling. At this time, she thanked Iwahashi Shinichi again, "I asked you to come out to see me off."
"If you say that again, I'll feel embarrassed." Iwahashi Shinichi also laughed.
Chieko saw this restraint on his face for the first time and found it interesting. But she also had a different view of this young man who looked mature and steady.
She smiled, "Okay, I won't say that next time..." The smile on Chieko's face faded. Iwahashi Shinichi's expression changed slightly and he remained silent, but what he showed was that he was ready to listen.
of silence.
Chieko looked at his face and said, "Mr. Akio of our family is borrowing money outside."
"Thanks to you, Shinichi-kun, for helping suppress the news before." Chieko sincerely thanked Shinichi Iwahashi for thinking about Akina Nakamori.
Iwahashi Shinichi answered her, "For Akina, it's for myself."
"It's so reliable." Chieko smiled again. There was this person who took her daughter Akina's matter as his own and stood in front of her. Thinking about this, Chieko couldn't help but be moved.
Thinking about it carefully, looking at the appearance of her daughter who has devoted herself wholeheartedly to her new life, as a mother, she is only happy for her and does not worry that her unreserved commitment will come to nothing.
This kind of peace of mind actually comes from the recognition of Shinichi Iwahashi.
I believe that in all aspects of this young man's life, including at this moment, when there was no one to talk to, the fact that he spoke to him was also based on trust.
But she suddenly mentioned this matter again, not to thank him again. Chieko told him, "A while ago, Akio-san went back."
My husband, who had been away from home for more than a year, finally came home.
For Chieko, welcoming a husband who returned to the family as if nothing had happened has been a common occurrence in her married life for the past few decades. It seems as if this is a matter of course, as if this is the fate of being a wife.
For Nakamori Akio, that house is a house with his surname. His wife and children named "Nakamori" also got this surname from him. It seems that whenever he goes back, he should
Being welcomed is a matter of course.
"It's so easy to be the head of a family." Chieko seemed to be telling a joke to Iwahashi Shinichi.
From this expression and tone, there was no hint of distress at all.
It was rare for Shinichi Iwahashi to be alone with Chieko and chat with her.
At this moment, looking at the indifferent expression on her face, it seemed that she had a deeper understanding of Chieko's personality.
