Mother's New Text Message

As soon as Hayashi Sakura opened the heavy box that came into her doorstep first thing in the morning, all sorts of vegetables freshly picked from their farm immediately got their attention.

Alan's eyes twinkled in pure delight. Surely, with all the processed vegetables available right now in the market, he has never ever since fresh-from-the-farm kind of variety, thus he exclaimed, "Wow! Vegetables!"

"Yep… vegetables." Sakura found his reaction weird, but she still confirmed it for him while smiling shyly.

"You don't know how lucky you are to have such a farm that produces fresh vegetables! Ours here in the city is either a processed one or totally rotten already but is still made fresh using chemicals… you know what I'm saying?"

Sakura chuckled with his sheepish reaction. She never expected this kind of reaction from a multi-billionaire heir at all!

During her life in Kyoto City, Sakura often complained about how they ate nothing but vegetables. When they had meat, it was only at special occasions such as the Cultural Festival or their birthdays, but it has never been anything else for her. She was sick of it.

Now that Alan mentions it, Sakura starts to think he's right. Rural people would always think of the city people as lucky for having such nice things that they can't enjoy for themselves.

It only occurred to Sakura now how the city people also think of the rural people as lucky when it comes to having fresh food and environment every single day.

Out of nowhere, Sakura felt embarrassed for all the complaints and whinings she did when she was still a small kid. But, that's all in the past now and she was still a mindless child back then.

Looking at Alan smilingly, Sakura pointed to the variety of vegetables present in front of them and said, "You know what, pick whichever you like. I surely can't finish this all, can I?"

A wide smile was painted on Alan's face before he responded enthusiastically, "Wow! You mean it?"

Sakura nodded in response to his question.

"Well then, I won't hold back anymore! I'm sure my sister would be so delighted when she sees this! She's a vegetarian, after all"

Sakura's eyes widened upon Alan mentioning his sister.

Woah! That little girl is a vegetarian? No wonder her skin is so good, as well as her hair and figure!

Alan first checked the time in his wristwatch to see if he was already late or something. Seeing that he still has plenty of time to dig into Sakura's box of freshly-picked vegetables from their farm, he took his sweet time and even asked for a large container from her where he'lll contain all of the vegetables he's going to choose.

While Alan was choosing from the box, Sakura picked up her phone from the side table and immediately thought of sending her mom a text message.

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To: Mom

Hey mom! I just got your vegetables today! Thank you so much! Also, you wouldn't mind if I share it with others, right? After all, this is too much for me to eat up in a couple of weeks. I don't want them to end up getting rotten.

---

Sakura clicked the send button before she puts down her phone and returned her gaze to Alan as he happily picked the vegetable of his choice. Her mom is still probably busy with household chores so Sakura assumed that it might take her a bit too long for her to reply.

As for her dad, well… that old man is not a tech-savvy type of dad and won't even bring his phone with him when he goes out. So... never mind texting him or it would only end up unread in his box for a hundred years!

Once Alan was done picking vegetables from Sakura's box, he now picks up the large container that Sakura let him borrow for a while and went on his merry way back to his apartment room after he thanked the girl wholeheartedly.

Sakura peeked on the box once more and saw that there were still more left and sighed in frustration. I guess it's vegetables for the whole month, huh?

***

It was a good thing Sakura was able to bring clean and ready-to-use Tupperwares where she can store all her vegetables from her parents and immediately put all of them inside the fridge. In that way, she can keep them from being rotten so easily.

With one last satisfied look at her neatly arranged refrigerator, Sakura set the temperature into the right amount and closed it immediately. She then checked the time from her wall clock hanging on her living room and it currently says quarter to nine.

Damn it! All that effort me and Alan exerted earlier just to push this damn box took a lot of time. Now, I can't have a video call with my mom!

Before dashing towards her bathroom to shower, Sakura sends one final message to her mom, saying she can't video call right now and needs to hurry towards school.

She was already on the verge of clicking the send button when a new message pops up on their inbox just now. Before clicking the send button, Sakura reads her mother's message first and her fingers were literally frozen on the spot afterward.

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From: Mom

By the way, I came across this young man who introduced himself as Yamamoto Ryuuji on my way to the market yesterday afternoon. He said he was a close friend of yours and wants to know how you have been these past few months. Isn't he a sweet guy?

---

After reading the message, Sakura secretly sneered in her heart and sent the message that she was about to send to her mom earlier before reading this.

What? Does mom find this cunning guy as sweet?!

If only she knows what his true colors were, then would my mom only realize that he is anything but sweet!

But then something occurred in Sakura's mind, thus making her pause for a moment and begin contemplating what just happened.

Just why the hell would that bastard approach my mother in the first place, huh?!