Chokata’s roaring and actions attracted more gazes and attention.
Chokata Mitsuo, who didn’t like this feeling of disturbing others, suddenly looked deeply embarrassed.
"Toshisuke, stop shouting! Fine, fine, I won’t talk about this here anymore. Sorry, everyone, for the disturbance. Please forgive us."
After quickly stopping Toshisuke’s "Tyrannosaurus roar," Chokata Mitsuo hurriedly apologized to the people around him, quite flustered.
Hearing Chokata Mitsuo say "I won’t talk about this here," Toshisuke instantly quieted down.
The change in expression was as quick as a magic trick.
Toshisuke: (= ̄ω ̄=): "Alright, I won’t make a noise."
Aoto vaguely noticed a mischievous smile in Toshisuke’s half-closed eyes and slightly upturned mouth.
Chokata Mitsuo also noticed this smile on Toshisuke’s face.
Only to see Chokata Mitsuo put her hands on her hips, saying in exasperation:
"Toshisuke, you’re not a kid anymore, why are you still like..."
"Aaooo..."
"Alright, alright!"
Seeing that Toshisuke was about to switch to "Tyrannosaurus mode" again, Chokata Mitsuo hurriedly interrupted him.
"Stop shouting, stop shouting, ugh... really..."
Chokata Mitsuo let out a long sigh, took a sip of tea from the table.
Even though Aoto couldn’t see Chokata Mitsuo’s expression because she had her back to him, he could vaguely sense from her sigh that the elder sister seemed to have aged several years in that instant.
Toshisuke at this moment revealed a blatant mischievous smile, and happily laughed "hehehe," like a mischievous child who had succeeded in a prank.
Seeing this, Aoto couldn’t help but chuckle.
This was the Toshisuke that Aoto was familiar with... a child who seemed to never grow up.
The serious expression he had just seen didn’t suit Toshisuke at all.
After such a ruckus from Toshisuke, Chokata Mitsuo didn’t seem to have the mind to stay in the tea house any longer.
As soon as she finished drinking her tea, she hurriedly led Toshisuke away.
Although Toshisuke had joked around to brush off the topics Chokata Mitsuo had mentioned, the words she had said were still firmly remembered by Aoto.
"Give up swordsmanship..."
Aoto mumbled slowly, chewing over every word.
Toshisuke was being urged to marry by his sister... Aoto had heard this from Toshisuke before, so he wasn’t surprised.
But that his elder sister was strongly urging Toshisuke to give up learning swordsmanship... this was news to Aoto.
Aoto lifted his head and looked contemplatively in the direction the Chokatas had left.
Such things... Aoto couldn’t possibly put out of his mind...
That day, in the evening–
Edo, Little Ishikawa Hoshimura Willow Street, Shiwei Hall–
The setting sun, sinking behind the rooftops, cast a golden halo on the clouds in the sky under its afterglow.
These golden clouds stacked upon the distant mountains, painting the mountains and sky with glorious colors.
The setting sun and the arrival of darkness finally brought a coolness to Japan’s largest city.
Occasionally, a breeze would brush in from the distant skies, carrying a refreshing and uplifting scent.
Sitting cross-legged on the veranda beside the courtyard of Shiwei Hall, Toshisuke enjoyed the evening breeze while reading an arithmetic book under the still bright sunset.
In his free time, Toshisuke often studied arithmetic books and researched arithmetic alone.
Yet, despite such diligent study, Toshisuke’s arithmetic skills remained poor – but that’s another story.
Facing the yard, still as a statue, Toshisuke sat cross-legged on the veranda’s floor, his head bowed over his chest. An open arithmetic book lay on his lap.
Though he looked like he was earnestly reading, he had not turned a page for a long time.
His motionless eyes, as if out of focus, had apparently scanned the same page a hundred times.
His mind had long traveled to some distant, unknown place.
At this time, a sudden shout brought Toshisuke’s mind back from afar.
"Mr. Chokata!"
"Uh... hmm? Mr. Tachibana?"
Startled by Aoto’s unexpected call, Toshisuke’s body trembled slightly, then he quickly turned his head towards Aoto, who was striding towards him.
"Mr. Chokata, do you have a moment now? I have something I want to discuss with you."
Aoto asked Toshisuke directly.
"Huh? Something?"
Toshisuke blinked forcefully in a puzzled manner.
"I have time now... what do you want to talk about?"
"Good, if you have time."
Aoto looked around.
"Come with me. What I want to discuss shouldn’t be known by anyone else for now."
"What is it? So mysterious."
"Come with me, and you’ll find out."
Cluelessly, Toshisuke put away his arithmetic book and followed Aoto to a very secluded corner of Shiwei Hall.
Aoto craned his neck to look around, keenly listening and ensuring no outsiders were nearby, then cleared his throat forcefully.
"Mr. Chokata, today... in the tea house you often take me to, I ran into you and your elder sister."
Toshisuke’s eyes immediately widened.
"Mr. Tachibana, were you in that tea house at that time?"
"Yes, I was sitting not too far from you. And... I accidentally overheard your conversation with your sister."
As the words reached this point, Aoto’s voice paused.

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