Kuroha was once again riding on the car in direction to the Yaoyorozu house. Technically, he could have simply teleported directly in Momo's bedroom, but it would have surely made most of the magic lose its power.

Over the years, Kuroha went out on many dates. It was always with Momo and Himiko. Still, he slowly but surely understood some little things. A date didn’t have to be flashy with roses and all that. Of course, a flashy date from time to time was something necessary, but most of the time, something simple but heartfelt would have more impact. 

This means that rather than the date itself, it was how you set the date that was important.  This was even more so for the first date. 

The way you acted, what you wore, the words you said, the place you went. Everything would be magnified to the extreme. Something that would have been inconsequential during a normal date might become a death sentence if it happens during the first date. 

In short, the first date showed how much you understood your companion and how much you wanted to know about her and cared for her.

No stress...Yes, no stress. 

----

As she waited for Kuroha to come, Suzuka was currently stressing so much she felt like she would barf.

It wasn’t just her first date with Kuroha. It was her FIRST date. Despite being 20 years old, she never even touched the hand of a boy outside of work-related matters.

‘In this kind of situation, shouldn’t it be the more experienced one directing the date?’

Now she understood why Momo had been so stressed back then. This kind of sensation was simply inhumane. She didn’t even sleep all night. She sighed before blushing as she looked at the clothes her mother had chosen for her.

‘I hope that they don’t look weird on me.’

*Ding* *Dong*

She blanched at this sound.

‘He is here and I am not even ready.’

“MOM!!!”

A voice sounded from a little far away,

“GOT IT.”

She heaved a sigh of relief. It was really heartwarming to have someone who understands you even if you didn’t finish your sentence.

---

The yaoyorozu house was, in reality, more like a mini-city. The field itself was extremely large, and in this field, apart from the very large main house, there were other smaller houses. Well, small only when compared to the main house.

Kuroha was currently standing in front of one of those houses. It was a rather simple but beautiful two stories high house painted entirely in white. After ringing, he simply stood and waited. In his hand was a chocolate box, a gift not for Suzuka, but for her mother. After all, he had never met her. It would be rude to come for their first meeting with empty hands. Even more so with how the relationship between him and Suzuka might develop.

The sound of the door opening brought him back, and he had his breath taken away. Suzuka’s mother was very beautiful. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder if there was some weird polarity in the Yaoyorozu family. Momo was very well endowed, but her mother was a flat board. Here it was the opposite. Though at least, Suzuka wasn’t as flat as Temari.

‘I am really becoming more perverted as time passes.’

This happened very fast, as such, from Sakura’s viewpoint, Kuroha simply stopped in one second before beginning to speak.

“Hello, madam, I am Hayate Kuroha. This is the first time we met, so I would be happy if you could accept my gift.”

Saying so, he presented her the chocolate box with a small bow,

“Oh my…”

A bright smile formed on Sakura voice,

“What a polite young man. Please, enter. My Suzu-chan is still preparing herself. She should be ready in a few minutes.”

“Thank you.”

----

Kuroha curiously looked around as he entered the house. He was a little surprised. After being used to the usual opulence of the Yaoyorozu, seeing such a simple house was a little refreshing. Of course, everything was still of high quality. But compared to sitting on a toilet that costed more than your yearly school tuition, you could say the current deco was rather plain.

“Kuroha-kun, take a seat. Would you like a little tea?”

“Yes thank you, madam.”

“Oh~! You’re making me seem older than I look. Just call me Sakura.”

A few minutes later, Sakura and Kuroha sat face to face, a table and two cup of tea between them. He didn’t know why, but he could feel a rather heavy pressure in the air. This had nothing to do with power. It just seemed that the previous light-hearted atmosphere became somber.

Suddenly, Sakura bowed and said, 

“Soon, my daughter will come down. I will ask only one thing.”

“Please, do not hurt my daughter. She is my most precious gift. Please take care of her. She is the sun of my life. Please protect her.”

“Please, madam…”

“No, listen to me.”

She took a deep breath and said,

“I am not trying to threaten you. Kuroha, what is marriage for you? What does it mean to give birth to a child born out of the love between you and your wife?”

She didn’t wait and continued,

“A marriage should be a relationship of mutual love and assistance. It’s the union between two couples who have vowed to walk together until death separates them. When you take a partner, you stop being alone. Your life stops being yours to do as you please. You become responsible not just toward yourself but toward your other halves.”

“...”

“Kuroha. I do not think that there’s an age for love. But love should never be treated as a game. I do not care if others have a different concept of marriage, but for me, the moment you decide to accept Suzuka as one of your wives then it means you have another life on your back, and…”

“When you finally have a child?” Her eyes began to blaze with fervor and love. “You must become a rock. NO. A mountain. You must never flinch in the face of adversity. You must always stand tall with a smile on your face. Even if your back is covered in wounds and drenched by your blood, it does not matter. Your front must always be spotless. Your child must never fear. Your child should always live with the conviction that even if the sky was to fall, you will be here to hold it for him. This is what it means to be a parent, this what it means to be a spouse.”

She raised her upper-body and said,

“I will not begrudge you if you’re simply in lust. At the end of the day, I hold no regard for the so-called virginity. But, when you decide to bring the relationship one step further. When you decide to really form a family, you must hold this resolve. Otherwise, I will never forgive you.”

Kuroha looked deeply at this woman. She was a strong woman. A woman worthy of respect. He decided to be forthright with her, 

"Sakura. I will not promise that your daughter will never be hurt. Such a thing is simply impossible. Even now I do not know what place she has in my heart. At the very least she is inferior to Momo's. But, I can promise you one thing. If my relationship with her was to ever break through. No matter what happens, I will be willing to lay my life for her."

Silence fell for a few seconds, but the heavy atmosphere was suddenly swept away by a dazzling smile from Sakura. 

"Thank you for your honesty. I am letting my daughter in your hands."

----

What Sakura didn't know was that, high on the stairs, behind a wall, a young woman was crouching down with her head between her thighs. 

Once the discussion was finished she got up and went to her room, while murmuring, 

"Thank you for everything mother."

A single tear trailed down on her face. She didn't know if God existed but if he did, she was eternally thankful to have such a good mother. 

----

Few minutes later, Kuroha who had stayed silent suddenly raised his head and looked in the direction of the stairs. Steps could be heard and then, he sucked in his breath at the view...