The red pick-up truck smoothly enters a courtyard with a concrete floor. The courtyard was quite spacious, facing east towards a pine valley, and surrounded by an L-shaped building. At the terrace of the L-shape building, there were bamboo chairs and tables, where some elderly were chatting and enjoying snacks.

At first glance, the L-shaped building was looked like a motel.

After parking the red pick-up truck beside a double-cap Mitzubizi Strava, Kubota then turned to Yukino and Aizawa.

"Now we've arrived. Welcome to the Kirishima Family."

"Mhm," Yukino and Aizawa answered in unison while looking at the courtyard around them.

Through a short but wide corridor in the center of the L-shaped building, Kubota then led his guests down a paved road as wide as five adults standing side by side. Both sides of the road are flanked by waist-high bamboo fences that were covered by a lush vine full of purple grapes.

The road was also not in the middle of a grass field, but a vegetable garden. Cabbage, spinach, potatoes, leeks, carrots, bananas, melons, bitter melons, long beans, pumpkins, guava, lemon, mulberries, strawberries, watermelons, and various other food plants are neatly arranged as far as the eye can see.

Shizuka foundling a large twig of ripe purple grapes and said, "This place is amazing."

After smiling Kubota said, "That's because this is your first time. If you don't have a calm heart, then in a week you will feel bored and miss the city atmosphere."

"Maybe, but I have a fondness for quiet places."

"In that case, I believe you will get along very well with members of the Kirishima Family."

"I hope so."

"And, as long as you don't waste it, don't hesitate to pick the fruit that catches your attention."

"Thank you."

Without delay, Shizuka plucked a twig of a ripe purple grape and shared it with Yukino and Aizawa. Meanwhile, Takeo and Hide shared another twig.

Before long, the journey continued while Hide's group enjoying a lot of purple grapes.

- - - - -

Kubota took Hide's group to a log-house as wide as eight tatamis. The log-house was super clean, has two bathrooms, and in the center there was a fireplace with an iron pot hung above it.

In his previous life, Hide stayed at the log-house several times. So, he knew that the log-house was built without nails or metal material, but was earthquake resistant. Moreover, the log-house was built in such a way that the inside was cool when the weather was hot, but warm when the weather was cold. An ancient construction technique that was considered lost.

In fact, Hide was surprised when Kubota took him to the log-house in the inner yard, instead of the guest room in the front building. It seemed that he and the rest of the group were accepted as family and not just guests. Hide was sure that along the journey, Kubota had a hard time determining how he would treat his guests, and it was only at the last moment that he could decide. Of course, Hide didn't say a word about it.

"Well, Family's Master is on a trip, so you guys can stay here while waiting for his return." Kubota calmly continued, "My wife will come with a sleeping sheet in a moment."

"Okay, and thank you for willing to listen to our request," replied Hide gratefully.

"Don't thank me yet, wait until the Family Master decides."

"We understand."

After Kubota left, Hide's group then rushed to take a shower. With fresh bodies and clean clothes, they then sat in one corner. Hide and Takeo sat cross-legged, while Shizuka sat leaning against the wall with her legs straight and allowed her thighs to be used as pillows by Yukino and Aizawa.

While on the bullet train, both Aizawa and Yukino only slept two hours before arriving in Kano City. So, now they are sleepy again and easily fall asleep.

Hide calmly opened the conversation, "There are some traditions we need to follow while we are staying here."

"Let's hear it," said Takeo.

"Yeah, I don't want to break some taboo while becoming a guest."

Hide then said calmly, "We have to get up before the sun rises. In these months the sun rises at 05:10 am, and don't let any maids see your sleeping sheet falling apart. So, tidy it up as soon as you wake up. That way, you will earn the respect of the maids like the Kirishima Family's members."

""Okay.""

"If there is no rice when we eat but there is a menu that matches rice very well, don't ever say 'This menu is very suitable to be enjoyed with rice' or the like, because that would be tantamount to asking the host to provide rice."

""Okay.""

"Thirty meters to the left of this log-house there is a communal bath equipped with a wooden pool and filled with warm water in the morning and evening. Feel free to use it with members of the Kirishima Family but pay attention to the time when the opposite sex is using it. The schedule is at the door."

""Okay.""

Then, before Hide could continue his explanation, a crystal clear and melodious voice preceded him first.

"Ara ara, looks like Kubota wasn't lying when he said you knew the Kirishima Family very well."

In reflex, Hide, Takeo, and Shizuka turned towards the door. There, a woman in her mid-20s with a beauty no less than a brand ambassador for cosmetic products, stood with a gentle smile.

Her skin was as white as snow, while her glossy jet-black hair was tied at the end and fall freely until it reached her left breast. She wore a pair of dark blue denim trousers, a light blue V-neck shirt, and a gray yukata that fell below her knees.

Her slim and willowy waist was dangerously seductive, while her fully developed breasts were provocatively pushed out from under her shirt. They were not melon size, but they were larger than average and proportionate with her S-shaped posture.

At a glance, Hide and Shizuka could estimate that she has a golden ratio of 170/51.

Undoubtedly, the young woman was a lethal otherworldly beauty. However, her true charm was not on her physical appearance, but her calmness, maturity, and gentleness.

While her three guests were stunned by her beauty, the charming young woman signaled several maidservants to enter.

Swiftly, some of the maids set up the sleeping sheets, while some others set up several folding tables and placed a large dispenser, three large plates of fruit salad, and a lunch set. At the same time, she approached her guests.

As she sat in front of them, she said gently, "My name is Kiritani Kirishima, the only daughter of the Kirishima Family and Kubota's wife.

I'm really sorry, your sleeping sheet hasn't been prepared yet. The Idiot Kubota only told me there were some guests after he arrived.

And as the host in charge of welcoming guests, I would like to welcome you to the Kirishima Family and nice to meet you all."

Hide immediately bowed deeply before replying, "Thank you for accepting us, Mrs. Kubota, and please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Uesugi Hidetada and nice to meet you."

Without delay, Shizuka and Takeo followed Hide's action.

"Greeting Mrs. Kubota, my name is Shizuka Arakawa, and nice to meet you."

"Greeting Mrs. Kubota, my name is Takeo Ishida, and nice to meet you."

"Oh my... You all are really polite kids." Kiritani then covered her cheerful smile with her hand before continuing, "Ah... and please call me Mrs. Kiritani or Big Sis Kiritani."

"I understand," Hide quickly replied while Takeo and Shizuka nodded in unison.

After a wide smile, Kiritani then approached the two little girls who were sleeping on Shizuka's lap. "And these two sweet and adorable ones must be Yukino and Aizawa."

While Shizuka was nodding, Kiritani gently moved Aizawa to one of the sleeping sheets, followed by Shizuka who no less gently moved Yukino to the sleeping sheet next to Aizawa.

After fixing Aizawa's blanket, Kiritani then turned to Shizuka, "I have prepared a light lunch meal, young coconut water, and fruit salad. When these two sweet pumpkins wake up, please make sure they consume as much coconut water and fruit salad as possible to help their bodies make adjustments to climate change."

"I will and thank you very much."

Then a maid handed Shizuka three sets of light gray yukata and a black winged-jacket as Kiritani said, "While you all here, please wear this yukata. If the weather is too cold at night, you can add the winged-jacket.

As for Yukino and Aizawa, I'll try to find a casual kimono for them."

"Thank you very much," said Shizuka.

"Don't hesitate and please think this place as your second home, and I'll be back when it's afternoon shower time."

"Okay."

Before long, Kiritani left the log-house and Takeo immediately took a deep breath.

"I never thought that in this world there was such a beautiful woman."

"Yeah," Shizuka replied weakly.

"Mr. Kubota must have had extraordinary luck so he could marry Mrs. Kiritani."

This time, Shizuka only turned to Takeo while sighing silently.

At the same time Hide muttered inwardly, 'Dumb idiot, don't judge someone by their outer appearance.'

Hide knows for sure, if the Kirishima Family was a snake family, then Kiritani was the most venomous and dangerous snake.

Also, the reason why Kubota could snatch Kiritani's love and affection was not that he was lucky, but because he accepted her the way she was. Yes, it was because of a simple little thing called acceptance. Even so, many people don't have a heart big enough to accommodate that small thing.

Moreover, Hide believed that Shizuka would become as beautiful as Kiritani when the time comes, considering that recent research shows a human body continues to develop until the age of 22. It's just that most of the time, humans failed to see that someone who was priceless was already standing in front of their nose.

'Well, as if I have the right to say that Takeo is an idiot,' Hide continued his mumbling as he turned to Aizawa who was sleeping peacefully.

*****