Sayaka did not know if it was her imagination, but it felt like there was some distance between them once again. However, she did not feel like she had acted inappropriately. She wanted her family to be peaceful and harmonious.

Was it too much to ask?

And she had come to discover that Akira was a sweet and open-minded girl. Perhaps, she was overthinking the situation. There is no way Akira would hold a grudge over the small things that Hanae had done.

"Why don't we hold a barbeque in the backyard this evening? We can eat, drink and put all bad feelings behind us." Sayaka said with an enthusiastic smile.

"It's been a while since I had good barbeque ribs." Kazuo smiled happily.

"What are you talking about? I made you some delicious pork ribs the other day." Chiharu said softly with rebuke.

Kazuo laughed. "They were quite tasty, but it is not the same. Barbeque requires an outdoor environment with grills."

"I will invite Sanraku. He has been hoping to see Daiki lately." Kaoru smiled.

With the topic change, the atmosphere changed from one of solemnity to that of a happy family. It was almost as if the earlier unpleasantness was swept away by a soft breeze. Akira looked on with some hidden amusement.

Was this façade the meaning of family?

She could not figure out why these people were satisfied with the outward appearance of purity and joy while their hearts hid darkness and schemes. They were all smiling, but each had an agenda buried inside.

She wondered if she would have been better growing up in this environment or if she had escaped the duplicity of the affluent.

Her childhood, after being kidnapped and being left to her other mother, was not much different from Nanase's. She was put under a strict learning schedule. The strong foundation she established in that period before going to the Immortal Sword Valley was the reason she was able to rise through the brigade.

Her other mother was not affectionate, but she was not bad. She cared for her and ensured she was healthy and safe. But her requirements for her learning were too high. Luckily, she could keep up with the pace she set.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult to gain a foothold in the Immortal Sword Brigade and earn her freedom from the strict life.

Despite her other mother's shortcomings, she did not pretend to be something she was not. She was a driven and focused woman with an uncompromised view on most things.

But again, she might have also had a weakness for her blood-related family based on her last letter. It was the reason she was willing to give up Akira instead of watching her grow up.

This thought made her a little curious about her other mother's blood family. She had always refused to dig into the matter due to respect for the woman. Perhaps it was time to unravel her strange childhood…

"Akira, do you want to call Seiji?" Sayaka spoke, breaking Akira from her thoughts.

"You can call him. I want to call Kaito and invite him over." Akira responded.

Sayaka thought of the wild man who was always disappearing from the city or clinging to Akira and felt uncomfortable.

"The barbeque is just for the family." Sayaka could not help saying.

"Oh, if he can't come, then I will have to leave," Akira said with a subtle smile.

Sayaka frowned a little at the words. She felt it was inappropriate for her daughter to threaten to leave a family gathering if her boyfriend did not come. She wondered if Akira was indeed holding a grudge over this matter with Hanae.

"You don't have to go so far." She said with concealed annoyance.

"Whatever do you mean?" Akira's eyes had a strange glint. "We had a date, and it is a bit rude to cancel less than an hour before the appointed time. I thought it would be convenient for him to come over. Seiji will probably bring Hina. Will you also deny my best friend entry?"

Sayaka felt even more uncomfortable after hearing the response. She realised she might have misunderstood her daughter once again. She failed to consider that Akira had not grown up with them, so her understanding of family might be different.

"This is your home. You can invite whoever you want." She backtracked after hearing the undertone in Akira's voice.

"Is that so?" Akira smiled. "We should invite Grandpa too. He is probably a little lonely."

There was a little bit of awkwardness between the mother and daughter after the exchange. However, the change was quite subtle, so it was hard for Sayaka to address the problem.

"You are right. With your grandmother still in the hospital, he is probably a little alone. I will invite him after talking with Seiji." Sayaka said.

Akira nodded before standing up from the seat and walking out of the room. The other people looked at her with interest until she left the room.

"Auntie, is Akira alright with me being here?" Hanae asked.

In the past, she would use a pitiful voice to trigger sympathy. However, she realised it was counterproductive in the long run. Therefore, her question was clear and without unnecessary emotion. It showed maturity and a willingness to accept consequences.

"She went outside to make a call. She wants to invite her friend for the barbeque." Sayaka said with reassurance in her voice.

Hanae nodded with a smile and did not ask anything further. It could be said that her stay in the mental hospital was not useless. She had learnt how to master her emotions and avoid bad behaviour. As for whether the changes were more than skin deep, only she knew.

"Don't worry, Hanae. We are here to support you." Kazuo spoke up. "And don't worry about Akira. She was such a sweet child when she was small. She was open, loving and forgiving. She is the same girl, so she will not hold a grudge over something small."

He sighed a little. "It is a shame she was too trusting when she was a child. If things had been different, she would have grown with us. She would be still our little princess."

Those words caused a strange silence in the room.

"Let me go out and call Sanraku." Kaoru stood up without ceremony.

She rushed out of the room. Sayaka looked at Kazuo with some censure in her eyes.

"Don't mention such unpleasant matters right now. You know Kaoru was supposed to be watching over Akira during that time. Mentioning the issue always makes her lose control of her emotions even though I told her that I don't blame her." Sayaka was frustrated.

Kazuo coughed awkwardly. "I forgot."

Chiharu looked between the two before smiling. "Let us focus on the barbeque. Should I go and inform the kitchen to set up?"

Sayaka was pleased with her daughter-in-law's tactfulness. "Let us go together. You should learn how to host big family meals for the future."

Chiharu smiled. That statement was music to her ears.

It seemed that she had not wasted her time and money on that mother and daughter pair for nothing.