Chapter 272: Throne Inside The Garden
Ayaka was truly nervous. If what Haruto said was true and they were really half-siblings, did that mean his father was actually hers too? Or maybe it was his mother?
If it was his mother, then it would explain why Mari hated her so much and why the two of them looked so different.
Ayaka was beautiful while her mother looked more like a monster because of the burn scars covering part of her face.
But why would Haruto’s mother give Ayaka to her mom? She couldn’t understand it, and the thought made her sad because it felt as though her real mother hadn’t loved her at all.
When they arrived, Ayaka was amazed because Haruto’s house was bigger than her own. In fact, it was the biggest house in the entire village.
It was a traditional Japanese house with a large gate standing at the entrance. A zen garden stretched across the front yard, and she could clearly see several large koi swimming lazily through the pond.
By the time they reached the front door, someone had already opened it for them. It was a little girl, around seven or eight years old, with such a distinctive appearance that Ayaka immediately found herself staring.
The girl’s long hair was completely white and her eyes were red like blood. It was the first time Ayaka had ever seen someone with features like that, leaving her so stunned that she barely heard what the girl was saying.
She was cute. More than that, she looked like a doll, even more doll-like than Ayaka had ever been, and the realization immediately made her jealous. What if Haruto loved this little girl more than her?
"Brother, welcome home! Who’s that girl?" she asked while pointing at Ayaka.
"My friend. Come inside, Ayaka. Don’t mind her."
Haruto’s cold tone immediately made Ayaka happy. Clearly, he didn’t like this little girl very much. Pleased by that thought, she followed him inside while the girl remained standing by the entrance with a sad expression.
However, Haruto’s sister refused to give up and quickly followed them through the long hallway. She kept asking about his day, his friends, and all sorts of other things, but Haruto barely responded to any of them.
"Where are Mom and Dad?" was the only question he asked.
The little girl immediately fell silent. She looked as though she was about to cry before quietly answering, "In the garden... they’re preparing for the usual BBQ day..."
Ayaka didn’t know what a BBQ day was, but before she could ask, Haruto grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. As they moved faster and turned down another corridor, she noticed that the entire left side of the building was lined with large windows.
Through the glass, she could see another garden outside, and more importantly, she could smell meat roasting over charcoal. The scent was so wonderful that her stomach immediately growled.
Mira was strict about how much food and water Ayaka was allowed to consume. Some days she barely ate anything at home and only had a proper meal because the school provided lunch for its students.
Most of her diet consisted of vegetables and fruit, and meat rarely appeared on the table. Sometimes it almost felt as though her mother wanted her to remain frail and thin forever.
Because of that, Ayaka quietly swallowed and tried to suppress her hunger so she wouldn’t embarrass Haruto in front of his parents.
This garden, however, was nothing like the traditional one at the front of the house. Several long tables had been arranged across the open space while charcoal grills burned in different corners.
There was also a large tree standing in the middle of the garden, its wide branches casting a pleasant shade over the area. The laughter Ayaka had heard earlier came from a couple preparing the ingredients near one of the tables.
The woman was peeling onions while chatting with the man beside her. Her short black hair framed a beautiful face, and her emerald eyes were especially striking when the sunlight caught them, making them seem as though they were glowing.
The man beside her was tall and handsome. His dark brown hair was slightly messy, and his brown eyes were filled with warmth whenever they landed on the woman.
Looking at them together, Ayaka felt as though she was staring at one of the happy families she had seen in picture books, or perhaps a prince and princess living peacefully inside their castle.
"Mom, Dad, this is the friend I told you about before. I invited her like you asked."
Haruto had already walked over to them, but the moment their eyes landed on Ayaka, their smiles slowly faltered.
The color drained from their faces, and both of them froze in place as though they had just seen a ghost.
The reaction immediately made Ayaka feel awkward. Unsure of what she should do, she simply introduced herself.
"I’m Ayaka Yoshida. Nice to meet you." She bowed politely. "Please take care of me."
The entire garden fell silent.
The only thing she could hear was the constant singing of cicadas in the distance. She didn’t even dare lift her head, afraid that she had done something wrong.
"Oh, nice to meet you, Ayaka. We’ve heard a lot about you from Haruto! Come here and help us prepare a few things before we start grilling, okay?"
It was Haruto’s mother who spoke.
When Ayaka finally looked up, she was met with a gentle smile. There was a warmth in the woman’s expression that she had never experienced before.
It was the kind of warmth she imagined a real mother would have, and it made her chest tighten so much that she almost wanted to cry.
’So she really is my real mom... and she still loves me.’
The thought instantly filled her with happiness.
However, when her gaze shifted to Haruto’s father, she noticed that his expression was completely different.
He looked uncomfortable, almost displeased by her presence, as though Ayaka herself was a thorn that didn’t belong in this peaceful garden.
Still, she could understand it in her own way.
If Haruto’s parents were really her parents too, then her existence probably reminded him of something painful.
Ayaka was still too young to understand the complicated feelings adults carried, but she knew enough to realize that staying away from him was probably the right thing to do.
That evening, they grilled meat together, and Ayaka ate more than she ever had before. Throughout the meal, she quietly watched how Haruto’s family interacted with one another. Haruto’s mother constantly looked after his younger sister, Haruka, reminding her to eat properly and wiping sauce from her cheeks whenever she made a mess.
At the same time, she repeatedly scolded Haruto for being rude and told him to spend more time taking care of his little sister instead of ignoring her.
More importantly, she also took care of Ayaka.
Every time Ayaka’s plate started to empty, she would place another piece of meat onto it, telling her to eat more because she was still growing. By the end of the meal, Ayaka’s stomach was completely full.
The only one who didn’t want to interact with her was Haruto’s father and she was glad at least she didn’t ask her to leave.
It was such a wonderful experience that she knew she would never forget it. It was also the day she learned her true mother’s name.
Mina Hayase.
To Ayaka, it was the most beautiful name in the world.
