Ryuji was a man who had always been captivated by nature, which was why he reveled in his mountainous abode. His sprawling residence nestled amidst the grandeur of Y Mountain, one of Kyoto's majestic peaks. At one point, the mountain was almost named after himself, but the man humbly declined, preferring to honor the mountain's original identity, since it felt more harmonious, more connected to the natural world.

The name 'Nakamura' carried the weight of an ancient lineage, dating back to a renowned clan from bygone eras. It came as no surprise that Ryuji himself had become a famous figure, as he had worked tirelessly to attain all that he possessed. From his youth, he had possessed an astute mind, and that brilliance remained unchanged with the passage of time. Through years of unrelenting effort, he had ascended to the pinnacle of influence, commanding respect and admiration on a global scale. His very presence bestowed blessings upon those beneath him, and he became a beacon of inspiration for countless other renowned persons.

After all, how many could boast of owning a mountain?

And Y Mountain was merely one of his many residences, mind.

His return from a grueling month-long journey marked the arrival of a well-deserved respite. Fumi Nakamura, Ryuji's beloved wife of almost half a century, greeted him with tender care, helping him peel off his coat. The flame of their love burned as brightly as ever, untouched by the ravages of time. Like Ryuji, Fumi displayed few traces of aging, as if they had discovered the secret to eternal youth. Be it sorcery or the art of living well, they held the key to gracefully defying the years.

"It was far more eventful than I had anticipated," Ryuji confessed, offering his wife a condensed account of his experiences at the Harada Mansion.

"Oh, how could the Haradas stoop so low?" Fumi's surprise was palpable, but a gentle pat on her husband's shoulder conveyed unwavering support. "But you did your best, dear. I'm certain the two you aided will forever cherish your kindness."

"And what is this? After a month apart, all I receive is a cold pat on the shoulder?" Ryuji playfully protested, pulling his wife closer, his hands encircling her waist, until their bodies melded together. He captured her lips in a tender kiss. "Are you teasing me, my love?"

Fumi chuckled, her laughter like a melody dancing in the air. "Is this truly the appropriate setting, my dear?"

Indeed, they found themselves in the living room, where curious eyes observed their intimate display in hushed awe.

Haruki Fukuda, the second youngest child in the room at the tender age of six, broke the silence with an innocent snort, muttering, "Gross."

"Please reserve your affection for the privacy of your bedroom," reasoned Ryo Nakamura, the eldest grandson at thirteen, as he adjusted his spectacles atop his nose.

Ayame Fukuda, Haruki's older sister of eleven, giggled at the complaints, finding amusement in their interplay.

Beside her, Hanako Nakamura, aged nine, remained fixated on the older couple, as if expecting more. She sat alongside her mischievous younger brother, Hiromi Nakamura, aged five, who playfully poked at Haruki, solely for the sake of riling him up.

Ryuji chuckled, drawing his wife even closer. "Can't I steal a kiss from my beloved in the sanctuary of my own home? Don't act as if you weren't eagerly awaiting my return, you rascals."

"You're a week early, grandfather," Ryo remarked, his focus unyielding as he continued typing on his laptop. "Didn't you say you would be away for at least forty days?"

"I had fewer clients to visit," Ryuji admitted, scratching his head.

"And whose fault is that?" someone murmured begrudgingly.

Yuichiro, who had been standing silently at the entrance, devoid of any noticeable presence, finally made his presence known. Having greeted everyone else in the room, he emitted one last disdainful snort directed at his boss, before shouldering the luggage and retreating to his own quarters upstairs. Exhaustion etched across his features, he seemed unlikely to rejoin the gathering anytime soon.

Sakuraku was nowhere to be found, having vanished long ago to attend to other pressing matters.

Returning his attention back to his laptop, Ryo feverishly typed away, engrossed in what appeared to be an assignment. He paid little attention to the world around him at this point.

"Oh, by the way, Maki paid us a visit a few days ago," Fumi recalled as she brought her husband a cup of tea.

Unlike most wealthy households, the Nakamuras preferred to keep their staff to a minimum. A handful of skilled guards were stationed at the base of the mountain, a few caretakers tended to the yard, and three maids shouldered the responsibility of larger tasks like laundry and cleaning the grand estate. As for more domestic duties like cooking and sewing, Fumi took pleasure in keeping her hands busy, occasionally lending a hand with the household chores.

Ryuji's face lit up upon hearing the news. "Did she come alone?"

"Of course not, she brought Uncle Akashi along," Ryo scoffed, as if his grandfather's question was utterly unnecessary.

Ryuji let out a disapproving sound as he accepted the cup from his wife.

"You really do hold grudges," Fumi laughed. "But for someone who dislikes his son-in-law, you certainly dote on their children."

"Children have nothing to do with their parents' mistakes. Besides," he turned his gaze toward Ayame and Haruki, mumbling, "They don't resemble Akashi in the slightest. Of course, I adore them."

"Ayame takes after her father a bit, though," Fumi remarked.

"I don't think so," Ryuji grumbled before adding more seriously to the topic concerning his daughter. "If that child was visiting, she should have at least stayed a little longer."

"And have you complain endlessly about her husband? Besides, she brought some news," Fumi explained. "Apparently, she plans on moving to Chiba Prefecture soon."

Ryuji almost choked on his tea. "That's news to me!"

Fumi motioned for him to lower his voice before continuing, "You can't keep her in this house forever. Maki has her own family now and she's ready to settle down elsewhere. Let her be."

"Not with that punk—" Ryuji abruptly trailed off when he felt movement at his feet and glanced down to see little Haruki rummaging through his briefcase.

Once again, he had forgotten about the presence of the children, his carefully crafted insults for Akashi Fukuda hanging unspoken. Ryuji sighed and swallowed his words.

Haruki rummaging through his belongings was nothing out of the ordinary. The child often did so whenever his grandfather returned from his various trips, searching for souvenirs.

Not wanting to feel left out, little Hiromi joined in the fun and started rummaging through the case as well. After rummaging for a while, he let out a small gasp.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, what's this?"

He had discovered one of the "portraits" that Ken had drawn.

Ryuji couldn't help but smile as he looked at it. "It's a gift from a little friend. He's around your age."

Hiromi's face lit up. "That's amazing!"

"Come show it to grandma," Fumi beckoned, and Hiromi stood up to show her. "Is this the same boy you mentioned earlier, Ryuji?"

"Yes, and he's a truly kind-hearted kid," he told her. "I just hope that he and his mother won't face too many hardships in the future."

"I wanna draw too, I wanna draw too!" Hiromi squealed, frantically scouring for more portraits. Discovering two additional ones only heightened his excitement, and he eagerly showed them off to Haruki, for some inexplicable reason.

Haruki couldn't fathom why his younger cousin was so thrilled. Initially disinterested in the portraits, he casually dismissed Hiromi's disruptive antics and offhandedly declared, "I can do better."

"No, you can't!" Hiromi readily retorted.

"That's right, he can't," Ryuji chimed in, offering his support.

Witnessing even his own grandfather turning against him, Haruki swiftly rose to his feet, snatching the sheet of paper from Hiromi's grasp to inspect it closely.

All these vibrant colors and intricate drawings— and were those flowers?—Haruki realized he was completely incapable of such artistic prowess. Defeat loomed, but he stubbornly refused to acknowledge it, scoffing, "Tsk, so what if he can handle a little paint? It's not a big deal."

Hanako joined the group, intrigued by the commotion. She picked up one of the drawings and turned to Ryuji, asking, "How old is he, Grandpa?"

"Five," he replied.

"Huh, he's so young," Ayame remarked, joining the conversation.

"Wow, like me! Like me!" Hiromi excitedly exclaimed.

"And he managed to do this after just one lesson," Ryuji proudly added.

"If that's the case, then this kid is truly impressive," Ryo finally tore his gaze away from his screen, briefly scanning the 'portraits'. "Hopefully, he'll maintain that level of talent as he grows older."

"He's bound to," Ryuji asserted confidently.

Growing increasingly irritated by the ceaseless praise for an imaginary person, Haruki eventually left the group, calling for Peach and Spot as he made his way out.

"Little Rue, where are you going?" Ryuji called after him.

"Dojo," Haruki responded.

"Don't forget that Little Juwon is coming over today," Fumi reminded, causing Haruki to halt in his tracks.

After a moment of contemplation, the child replied, "I'll be back soon. If I'm late, he can find me there."

As soon as the boy left, Fumi slapped her husband on the shoulder, scolding him. "It's your fault, you know. Introducing the kids to martial arts at such a young age. Now all Little Haru thinks about is fighting-fighting-fighting. He's only in elementary school, and some of his teachers are already intimidated by him. Even the other kids are scared. It's a miracle he found someone like the Kim's son who can tolerate him."

"He'll be fine as he grows up," Ryuji nonchalantly responded. "I speak from personal experience."

"He'll face challenges when he moves," Fumi reminded, causing her husband to grimace guiltily.

With a sigh, Ryuji sympathetically shook his head. "If only he had the chance to meet Little Ginger in person, perhaps he wouldn't be so resentful."

Fumi chuckled. "Wouldn't he just end up picking on him? Look at how different they are."

However, Ryuji silently disagreed. Maybe it was because he knew the kind of kid Ginger was, but something nagged at him, suggesting that his grandson and Ginger would get along if they ever had the opportunity to meet.

But did such fortunate coincidences truly exist? Who knew.

~~~~~~