They say, "No one knows a child better than a parent," but sometimes, the reverse is also true.
Like in the case of Haru and his parents after his transmigration. His father had always been the steady and reliable type—so honest he hardly resembled someone who'd been navigating the workplace jungle for decades. Even when trouble or frustration arose at work, he swallowed it all in silence.
That was why, even as a child, Haru would make it a point to chat with him—deliberately picking frivolous topics to lighten his father's mood and help him relieve stress.
He always succeeded, but he also noticed something else—his father, proud of his son's growing excellence, began trying to "step up" himself again, as if to reclaim a father's dignity.
…All of which ultimately failed, of course.
His mother, on the other hand, was different. Having led a relatively sheltered life, she still retained a youthful, almost schoolgirl-like innocence.
Once Haru noticed that, he made it his mission to expand the family's business and quietly shield that innocence from the harsher sides of life.
Because of that, mother and son could talk about anything. They gamed together. They chatted about which new actor had recently gone viral.
As for her favorite actor? Not the ever-popular Takuya Kimura, no—her pick was the composed and intelligent Masato Sakai.
But if someone brought up her son? Then Masato Sakai had to step aside. In her heart, no one beat her own child.
Which was precisely why, right now, a mere fleeting shift in Haru's expression was instantly caught by his mother.
She smiled and gently placed her hands on his shoulders, her tone calm but knowing.
"I had a nice chat with her today, you know. She seemed a little reserved at first, but I could tell—deep down, she really wanted to get closer to me."
"You can tell that just like that? As expected of you, O Great Mother. I couldn't even manage that," Haru replied, laying it on thick with a sycophantic smile.
She chuckled and gave him a light smack on the head.
"I'm not so easy to fool these days, you know. If you think you can distract me with flattery, forget it."
"Now, now, when have I ever lied to you? My respect has always been sincere."
"Okay, enough of that," she said, brushing him off with a smirk. "Anyway, I thought she seemed pleasant, so I exchanged contact info with her."
She took out her phone, eyes twinkling with mischief. "So? Should I invite her over for dinner sometime?"
He replied coolly, "That's your decision to make."
"Still playing it calm, huh? No wonder you're my son. Even now, you're as composed as ever."
"That's because I respect you more than anyone. Why would I ever be nervous around you?"
"Very formal today, huh? Then what about your dad?"
"In your presence, Dad will always come second."
That last line had her laughing uncontrollably. Delighted, she left the kitchen and returned to the living room, where her husband was affectionately petting their orange cat. The two exchanged glances. The husband, caught in the act, sheepishly put down the cat and pretended to focus on the TV.
But she was in too good a mood to tease him.
She sat down beside him and immediately said,"What did you think of that girl we ran into today? Kasumigaoka Utaha, I mean."
"She seemed polite," her husband replied matter-of-factly.
"That's it? Just one line? Say a bit more!"
"Why would I?"
She grinned, voice lowering into a playful whisper."My woman's intuition says that girl likes our Haru."
"So?"
Still no reaction from her husband. She rolled her eyes."This is our son's future we're talking about! Don't you care even a little?"
"Didn't he already start dating Yukino? Why should I concern myself with other girls?"
She huffed. "But I think Utaha-chan is great too! She's beautiful, has a fantastic figure…"
Then she fell into her own spiral."I mean, I really do love Yukino. She's the cutest girl in the world. But then Utaha is also so pretty... Do you think Haru might be torn between them?"
Her husband calmly replied,"I don't think we need to worry too much. Haru's always been decisive. Honestly, by the time he was in third grade, his logic was already faster than mine."
She burst out laughing."Look at you! A dad made helpless by his son's excellence!"
The poor man fell silent, awkward and defeated.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Haru continued prepping lunch while mulling over what his mother had said.
She really did seem fond of Utaha.
Then again, it made sense. Utaha's appearance and temperament were nearly flawless—an iron will, steely discipline, and a core of quiet resolve.
Thinking of her made Haru sigh softly, lost in reflection.
Utaha always gave off an aloof air—so cool and distant that it could even feel a little gloomy, especially at school.
But inside, she was sensitive and deeply nuanced, occasionally even letting slip a mischievous streak.
Whether in front of him or when interacting with Yukino, she had showcased this side of herself more than once.
And beneath that rich inner world, she possessed a will of steel.
You could also call it stubbornness.
Even when faced with someone like Yukino—who had already ascended the mountaintop and could gaze down upon everyone else—Utaha still gritted her teeth and pushed forward with unwavering determination, eventually issuing a direct challenge.
She'd lost many times. But never once had she backed down.
Haru rubbed his face and thought to himself: With a girl like that, if she gets too close to Mom, given how childish and cheerful Mom can be, she's bound to be coaxed into pure joy in no time.
Even Yukino, as strong as she was, often blushed and smiled like a bashful girl when dealing with his mother.
With that in mind, he finished chopping vegetables and impulsively decided to make an extra serving of food.
He knew his mother well—once she had the idea to invite Utaha over, she'd probably hesitate for a moment, then go through with it.
Sure enough, after twenty-some minutes in the kitchen, Haru came out to grab a glass of water and immediately saw the two women chatting and laughing beside the kotatsu.
His dad was sitting nearby, watching a financial news program alone, while those two—one older, one younger—wore the brightest smiles.
Utaha's cheeks were flushed, and her smile was especially genuine.
Yup… she's fallen victim to Mom's "praise technique." Completely disarmed.
Haru, feeling a sense of déjà vu, gave Utaha a quick greeting, then walked over to pour himself some water. Only after that did he pretend to be surprised.
"Wait, Mom, you actually invited Senpai over? Isn't it New Year's? Shouldn't she be spending time with her family?"
Utaha smiled and shook her head. "It's no problem. I can go home in time for dinner."
Haru's mother added cheerfully,"Besides Yukino, I've never seen a girl as beautiful as you, Utaha. You two becoming friends with Haru… I bet this rascal laughs about it in his sleep."
Haru groaned, "Weren't you just praising me earlier? Now I'm suddenly a 'rascal'?"
His mom puffed up proudly."Well, weren't you just all 'Yes ma'am, no ma'am' a minute ago? Now look at your tone."
"That's because I was trying to make a good impression."
"So now that you're done impressing me, you're showing your true colors?" she huffed playfully. "Am I that easy to fool in your eyes?"
Haru held up his hands in surrender. "No, no. Fine, I'll go back to cooking."
Utaha couldn't help but giggle.
As he left the room, his mother leaned in and gently took Utaha's hand."Wanna hear what he was like as a kid?"
Utaha's eyes sparkled. "Can I?"
"Of course you can."
And just like that, Haru's mother launched into tales of his childhood achievements and embarrassing antics. Haru's father, initially pretending to stay out of it, eventually stopped paying attention to the TV and occasionally cut in to correct her—insisting that his son was even more amazing than she made him sound.
Through their conversation, Utaha learned a great deal more about Haru.
And it made her feel content.
Because it meant—she was catching up to Yukino, little by little.
Lose first, win later—that's my strategy!
Her thoughts were clear.
The only reason she kept losing so often was because she'd started so far behind Yukino.
But if she just kept going… she'd eventually start winning more and more.
Even if she couldn't win big, she'd at least drag Yukino into a draw.