Chapter 326: 136. Natsuki Kuri wants to become a Fox Girl
The evening is approaching.
The beach is scorching hot, with the wind carrying a strong smell of tides. Fujiwara Reya took a deep breath and gazed up at the orange sky. As he stretched his arms upward, he could still distinctly feel the heat of the summer sun. Shortly after, the waves started to cool his feet with their icy touch.
Under the soda bottle beside him, a newspaper was pressed down.
The main page of the newspaper reported on the chaos at the Minami-Izu Town summer festival, roughly describing how a film company, in pursuit of more realistic effects, had shot illegally without notifying anyone, causing a commotion. The company has since published an apology and suspended operations indefinitely.
As he was not a seasoned politician, these pieces of news seemed full of flaws to Fujiwara Reya. However, a politician only needed to make the average person believe; as for those who didn’t, they could just keep guessing, since the reports didn’t mention anything about the supernatural.
At five o’clock, Fujiwara Reya returned to the dojo.
He sneaked into Mrs. Kasahara’s room first, where the mother and daughter were just about to try on clothes.
"Xiangxiang, come here and try this on with mom." Mrs. Kasahara placed a bundle of clothes wrapped in paper on her lap, unwrapped the paper, and the smooth feel of the crepe fabric filled her with an uncontrollable girlish joy, as she incessantly measured the sleeve lengths with her fingers.
"Is this set mom’s?" Kasahara Asuka’s eyes sparkled.
"Yes, it is."
"What about mine, any pattern?"
"Oh, the pattern is very pretty!"
"Are the sleeves a bit short?"
"Oh? I don’t think so." Mrs. Kasahara lifted the sleeve of the mourning garment and compared it to her arm, "See, it’s just right."
Kasahara Asuka squatted down and untied another package, revealing a black mourning outfit inside.
"Is this the sash? Such good satin, oh,... mom, the style is too ugly!"
"It’s a mourning outfit, dear." Mrs. Kasahara smiled.
Black mourning garments undoubtedly don’t suit young ladies. Even the embroidery on the sash was black.
Kasahara Asuka pouted: "Wearing mourning clothes to watch fireworks feels so weird."
"Isn’t that even better?" Mrs. Kasahara cupped her tender face with her hands, saying proudly, "Widow’s charm is a plus, you know."
"But I’m a beautiful girl!" Kasahara Asuka rolled her eyes at her mother.
Next, the mother and daughter started changing clothes.
Fujiwara Reya turned his back.
He only listened to the sounds, not looking at the people.
In those very faint sounds, he could accurately distinguish the sound of an arm slipping into a sleeve, tightening a belt, and adjusting a collar.
After they put on their clothes, Fujiwara Reya heard Mrs. Kasahara laughingly call him "little rascal."
"Had I known I’d be scolded even without peeking, I would’ve taken a look." He walked into the room and said.
"What do you think of these clothes?" Mrs. Kasahara spread her arms like a peacock fanning its tail and elegantly spun in front of him.
"Black mourning clothes make a woman look even more stunning." Fujiwara Reya gave her a thumbs-up.
"Smooth talker." Mrs. Kasahara chided with a glance, turning to tie the sash for her daughter. Fujiwara Reya observed his junior in her mourning outfit from the side. Perhaps because mourning clothes weren’t age-specific, his junior seemed to have aged two or three years suddenly, gaining a bit of maturity, and her bosom appeared more ample.
Mrs. Kasahara finished tying her younger daughter’s sash and adjusted her collar.
"Xiangxiang looks like a grown-up, mom doesn’t like it at all."
"Oh?"
"Once you’re grown, you’re not just mommy’s little girl anymore." Mrs. Kasahara ruffled her younger daughter’s hair. Perhaps because the sash was tied a bit too snugly, her younger daughter’s figure appeared even more statuesque, easily stirring up improper thoughts.
"Asuka’s expression doesn’t match the mourning outfit." Fujiwara Reya remarked from the side.
Upon his comment, only then did Mrs. Kasahara notice that her daughter seemed as joyful as wearing new year’s ceremonial clothes. A new, pure white collar peeped out from the black kimono, with a rose-tinted, smiling face just above it.
Her daughter’s radiant face made Mrs. Kasahara feel overjoyed beyond belief.
"Xiangxiang, take a few steps for mom to see."
"Sure." Kasahara Asuka imitated a model’s runway walk, swaying her hips back and forth as she moved.
Hey, hey, these are mourning clothes, you should be more sorrowful... Fujiwara Reya inwardly screamed, hunching his shoulders.
"Fujiwara, come here." Mrs. Kasahara straightened up and faced Fujiwara Reya. Perhaps the black mourning clothes accentuated her widow’s mature figure, making her look susceptible to mistreatment.
"Mother." Fujiwara Reya bowed to her.
"Don’t be so fake!" Mrs. Kasahara said in a mix of laughter and tears, handing him another sash, "Help mom tie the sash."
"Eh?"
Kasahara Asuka was dumbfounded beside them.
"You heard her; she asked for it." Fujiwara Reya sympathetically glanced at his junior.
"Mom, you’re too crafty!" Kasahara Asuka pouted, puffing her cheeks indignantly, her eyes wide, "First you personally help Asuka tie her sash, then you ask the senior to help you, ugh, it’s so unfair!"
"This is life’s wisdom." Mrs. Kasahara looked very pleased, evidently finding great joy in teasing her daughter.
Fujiwara Reya took the sash and walked around to Mrs. Kasahara’s back.
The palm-wide obi wrapped around her waist layer by layer, slowly tightening, outlining her chest into a perfect, prominent arc.
Her white neck contrasted with the black kimono and dense black hair, blossoming like a dark rose.
"Hmmm, why can’t I tie the knot? Just a moment, Mother..." Fujiwara Reya clumsily bundled the two ends of the sash with a rather vexed expression. Yet his eyes carried a layer of joy, clearly not wanting to let go too quickly.