021. After Work, Then Transforming into a Dotting Father (Part Two)

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Kiyotsugu Toyokawa felt a flood of mixed emotions in his heart. He recalled a web novel he had read before from Tokyo University. The protagonist in that story was a magical girl who had long since retired. After his wife passed away, he had been raising his daughter alone. He had intended to leave the world of magical girls forever—even if it meant going from a once-renowned hero to a middle-aged office worker facing a midlife crisis, he was fine with that. Until—he discovered that his daughter was a magical girl.

When Toyokawa first started reading that novel, he couldn’t stop laughing. It was a brilliantly crafted idea: a man who, after losing his wife, chooses to become a magical girl himself. Amid his midlife crisis, he also had to deal with the trials of adolescence his daughter faced. In a way, it was quite amusing. At the time, he hadn’t thought much beyond the warmth of family life. With Mizuho at home, his daughter would never feel lonely. She would surely grow up healthy, live a peaceful life like any ordinary person, and grow old gracefully. This was Toyokawa’s greatest wish.

But alas, life rarely goes as planned. The death of his wife struck him down again, marking the greatest setback since his graduation mission at Kassel Academy. He thought he had forgotten that deep sense of helplessness and profound sorrow, but those memories came rushing back tenfold at her funeral.

“I hope Shoko’s lineage... won’t be too turbulent...” Toyokawa thought silently. Only now did he truly understand what the opening of that novel he once read as a joke was trying to convey. Now, in this respect, he shared a similar sorrow with the book’s protagonist. The only consolation was that his daughter, Shoko Toyokawa, hadn’t yet fully awakened her Golden Eyes and become a true half-blood.

He looked at Shoko and gave a gentle smile. “Go to bed early; you have classes tomorrow morning.”

“All right, I’ll sleep soon,” Shoko nodded obediently. “The Moon Forest Music Festival is about to start, and I’m still undecided about going.”

“If you have friends to go with, then you should,” Toyokawa said. “You play the piano very well; maybe one day I’ll see you on stage.”

“I’m looking forward to that day too,” Shoko’s eyes shone with hope, but then dimmed slightly. “But Mom won’t be able to see it.”

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“Damn it,” Toyokawa cursed inwardly, wishing he could slap himself. Mizuho had taught their daughter piano when she was alive; Shoko’s skill was entirely thanks to her mother. Since her passing, every time Shoko played the piano, she would think of her mother and even kept her mother’s doll beside the instrument. Now, by bringing up the piano, hadn’t he just made Shoko sad again because of her mother?

Toyokawa carefully chose his words, weighing each one. “Your mother will always be with you.”

As soon as he said it, he wanted to slap himself again. What kind of words were those? They sounded like something out of a horror movie—how could that comfort a teenage girl?

Yet, Shoko nodded firmly and her eyes sparkled once more. “I understand what you mean, Father. Mother surely wants me to play well because it’s something that belongs to ‘us.’”

“I’m going to wash up now, Father. You should rest early too.” Toyokawa was stunned, watching his daughter walk away, unable to move for a long time.

———

“Phew.”

The night passed quietly. The sun rose as usual, ushering in a new day.

Yuzuki Nagumo got up and prepared some breakfast. He planned to make his lunchbox at the same time, then suddenly remembered the cucumbers Waka Mutsuki had given him yesterday.

“Oh, I almost forgot about this.”

Yuzuki realized he had left the cucumbers in his bag without taking them out after coming home.

“Hopefully, they haven’t dried out…”

He opened the handbag he hadn’t opened since coming home yesterday. Inside, the small box Waka had handed him lay quietly.

He hurriedly opened it. Thankfully, the bag and box had shielded them from some sunlight, so the cucumbers were only slightly dehydrated and still fairly fresh.

Looking at the exquisitely crafted chocolate box and the cucumbers inside, he couldn’t help but feel moved.

Waka Mutsuki had grown up under the spotlight, constantly scrutinized because of her parents’ fame. The cold atmosphere at home made her feel that everything around her came from her parents, and that she herself was worthless.

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Perhaps, to her, one of the most precious treasures was the cucumbers she had grown with her own hands. Hence the strange combination of high-end branded packaging holding small cucumbers. It was a unique gesture of affection from a young girl.

Yuzuki activated his system panel’s level 3 cooking skills, using the cucumbers and some other ingredients to make a lunchbox, then headed straight to school.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

From the school gate to the classroom, many classmates greeted each other warmly.

After a day of novelty, the students of Moon Forest had grown somewhat accustomed to the new male transfer student. At least fewer people stared at him throughout the way.

Yuzuki passed by the school’s academic building and saw a figure in the adjacent garden.

The garden was a small plot Moon Forest had set aside for students to cultivate. They could grow vegetables there, and some clubs held activities in this space.

Generally, the young ladies of Moon Forest were obsessed with cute potted plants like succulents. Few truly enjoyed planting fruits and vegetables.

Waka Mutsuki was an exception—she was passionate about cultivating these crops.

At that moment, Waka was inspecting her cucumber patch.

Tender green vines shyly reached toward bamboo frames, their leaves covered with a fine soft fuzz, with several small yellow flowers nearby.

At this time of year, the cucumbers were already mostly ripe. She had picked some of the better ones, some taken home, others given away.

Yuzuki quietly approached and stood beside her.

Sensing someone’s presence, Waka gently turned her head, and upon seeing Yuzuki, she turned back.

Cucumbers could be grown through spring, summer, and autumn. She was preparing for the next planting season.

Water from the watering can sprinkled over the cucumber patch, soaking into the soil.

Waka truly loved her cucumbers.

Yuzuki sighed softly. Although she also grew other vegetables like eggplants, the cucumbers were clearly her greatest concern. Even her chat avatar featured a small yellow cucumber flower.

He stood quietly, waiting for Waka to pour the last drop of water onto the cucumber leaves.