In the Yukinoshita family's dining room, conversations on the chat group scrolled by incessantly, with various avatars flashing. Even when Rei Ao wasn't around, they would chat among themselves.

Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Drinking alone again tonight, sigh…"

Yuigahama Yui: "Shizuka-sensei, please stop drinking so much! It's bad for your health!"

Machida Sonoko: "Sigh, lonely older folks have to be careful with strong liquor."

Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Hey! What do you mean by that?!"

Hyoudou Michiru: "So, has Rei Ao-kun not come back yet?"

Rei Ao: "I'm back now, actually."

Hyoudou Michiru: "Eh?!"

Rei Ao: "Haha, I returned yesterday."

After a brief greeting, he got straight to the point.

Rei Ao: "@Shinomiya Kaguya, interested in acquiring a family business? Quality assets, a solid management team."

The group fell silent at his sudden announcement.

Shinomiya Kaguya: "Rei Ao-kun, what does this mean? Why so… out of the blue?"

Continuing to type, Rei Ao said,

Rei Ao: "My mother-in-law wants to retire, planning to sell the family enterprise. I recall you need to strengthen your position in the Shinomiya clan?"

Hayasaka Ai: "True. Lately, the young masters in Kaguya-sama's family have been stirring up trouble. If she could get her own network of businesses under her belt, it'd be a huge help in contending with her brothers."

Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Wait, you guys are suddenly talking about something massive. Also, who's this mother-in-law again?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha: "@Sawamura Sayuri, @Sakurajima Ai."

Sawamura Sayuri: "Eh? Not me."

Eriri: "Our family doesn't have a big business either."

Sakurajima Ai: "Mine's already disposed of."

Kobayashi: "Then which mother-in-law does Rei Ao have left?"

Miura Yumiko: "Another one. @Yuigahama Yuiai, what do you think?"

Yuigahama Yuiai: "Uh, my family's totally normal."

Yuigahama Yui: "Yumiko, you know our situation at home."

Rei Ao: "All right, enough guessing. It's the mother of Yukino and Haruno."

Yukinoshita Yukino: "? What happened?"

Seeing the message, both Yukino and Haruno emerged from the kitchen, speaking at the same time.

"Mother, you're selling off the family business?"

"Huh? How do you two…know this?"

Mother looked at them confused.

"Sigh, I guess I overlooked that," Rei Ao said, then directly invited Mother into a sub-group of the chat.

[Ding! You have selected "chat group sub-group" and granted it to Yukinoshita Fuyuka!]

"Oh?"

Rei Ao's eyes lit up; evidently, he now learned Yukinoshita-mama's actual name.

The moment she joined the sub-group, the chat group's interface unfolded before her, and knowledge about the chat group flooded her mind.

Mother gazed at it all in disbelief. "Th-this is…?"

…

After a bit of time—and with Rei Ao plus Yukino and Haruno explaining—Mother finally accepted the chat group's existence.

"You two already knew Rei Ao-kun could…?"

Mother looked silently at her daughters.

Haruno chuckled: "Of course! Actually, Yukino was the first to find out. So it's because of our dear Yukino that we can all enjoy the chat group, oh~"

"Nee-san…"

Yukino glared at her sister.

"Rei Ao-kun… You never cease to amaze me…"

Mother sighed, unsure what to think of her son-in-law.

"Haha, it's my honor to surprise you, Mother-in-law."

Rei Ao grinned. "Anyway, let's talk about your affairs. That Shinomiya Kaguya in the group is the heir of the Shinomiya conglomerate, currently in a power struggle within her family. If your business is entrusted to her, it'll be managed well, and it'll also help a friend—killing two birds with one stone."

Mother took a deep breath, trying to handle this surreal scenario. She knew of the Shinomiya family, a mighty giant that dwarfed Yukinoshita.

Megumi Kato: "I see there's a new member in the group, Yukinoshita Fuyuka. That must be Yukino's mother?"

Yukinoshita Fuyuka: "Hello everyone, I'm the mother of Yukino and Haruno, pleased to meet you."

She maintained her poised demeanor.

Yuigahama Yui: "Hello, Auntie!"

Yui: "Mrs. Yukinoshita? This is surprising, welcome."

The group all greeted her warmly. Mother felt both touched and unsettled by this show of hospitality.

"Mother."

Yukino gently held her hand. "Rei Ao-kun is helping you. If you truly want to let go of the Yukinoshita burden, this is the best chance."

Haruno drew close, speaking seriously for once: "We're grown. We don't need you to sacrifice everything for us. We just want you to be happy, too."

Tears welled in Mother's eyes as she looked at both daughters, then back at Rei Ao, and finally at the flood of welcoming messages in the chat. A strange sensation came over her—relief, the kind she hadn't felt in decades.

"All right…"

At last, she nodded, voice trembling.

"If all of you think this is best."

Rei Ao smiled, typing again in the group.

Rei Ao: "@Shinomiya Kaguya, you can discuss the details in private. My mother-in-law says the payment can happen later, so you can first ensure a smooth takeover. She wants to entrust her life's work to someone dependable, after all."

Shinomiya Kaguya: "Thank you so much, Rei Ao-kun. Mrs. Yukinoshita, I won't betray your trust."

Hayasaka Ai: "I'll assist Kaguya-sama as needed."

Yukinoshita Fuyuka: "Thank you."

Right after sending that message, Mother felt like she'd used up her last reserves of strength. Tears finally streamed down her face. Yukino and Haruno rushed to embrace her, the three women crying together. Rei Ao stood quietly aside, his iridescent eyes alight with satisfaction.

"I never thought… I'd ever be free of all this…"

Mother sobbed between her daughters, voice trembling.

"When I inherited the family from my mother, I believed it would consume my entire life…"

"Now you can start a new life," Rei Ao said softly, "creating new memories with your daughters."

Mother lifted her head, wiping away tears, and smiled in relief.

"I will. Thank you, Rei Ao-kun."

~~~

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