Find Your Own Bass… (2)
"Oh my?"
Yuuna lit up the moment she got the message from her daughter Ayane.
It wasn't joy over her daughter's date announcement.
Of course, she was happy if things were going well on the romance front, but there was another factor at play.
From a housewife's perspective, her daughter's message boiled down to this:
'We'll eat out today, so no need to pack lunch.'
A perfect summary.
Yuuna nodded to herself, pleased with her own insight.
"Looks like these lazy days are coming to an end."
Lounging leisurely in the living room with yokan and green tea, she murmured with feigned regret.
She recalled how Ayane had always been a handful of a child—maybe all daughters were like that.
Personality-wise and in every other way, she was full of issues. No idea who she took after.
Katsuragi Ayane.
Intensely jealous, possessive, obsessive.
She had all the worst traits for loving a partner, yet her personality was so timid she couldn't express them properly.
Watching her was frustrating enough to make your gut twist. It was why her love life dragged on so slowly.
If Tae-il hadn't always been by her side, Yuuna would've worried about Ayane every single day.
Even when Tae-il scolded her for fussing too much, she couldn't fully trust him.
This was her daughter, after all—she knew her better than anyone.
Contrary to her mother's fretting, Ayane was doing just fine.
Good grades, great personality—she was on the morals committee and got along with everyone at school.
Whatever she was up to, she had earned massive trust from those around her, to the point where she was the poster child for model students.
'Ma'am, as you know, Katsuragi is an outstanding student.'
'Wait, my Ayane?'
During parent-teacher conferences, Yuuna felt like she'd stepped into another world.
The teacher's glowing review of Ayane was still a running joke in the Katsuragi household.
Her husband, a total daughter spoiler, just beamed innocently at the praise.
But Yuuna, who knew the real Ayane—a flawed, clumsy mess—couldn't believe it.
In her eyes, Ayane was still an immature child in need of care.
But maybe it was time to change that thinking.
'Having competition really lights a fire under her.'
Societies without competition stagnate.
Yuuna's daughter had treated Tae-il like a fish already hooked, coasting along lazily.
With no one around as excellent as her, arrogance was inevitable.
She had confidence.
Confidence that even if Tae-il went to another girl, she could win him back.
The problem was, that "confidence" was just arrogance—and she only realized it after a rival appeared.
Once the rival showed up, Ayane was pushed aside without a fight.
The newcomer was that formidable.
Tenma Izumi.
The star of the talk show Yuuna was currently watching.
"Huh. So her family's always been into music..."
Yuuna chewed on her yokan, analyzing her daughter's toughest rival.
Not so much to help Ayane, but out of pure curiosity about Tenma Izumi.
"She's really pretty. Guess celebrities are on another level?"
Her glowing appearance under the lights screamed star power.
Combined with Ayane's testimony that she was stunning in person, the beauty was legit.
"Jealous. Pretty and a great singer."
Beauty was a talent, sure, but human greed knew no bounds.
Yuuna was no exception.
Blessed with natural looks and a youthful face, she still coveted Izumi's musical talent.
She muttered without thinking.
"If only I'd challenged myself more when I was young..."
Before meeting her husband, Yuuna had been street-cast by agencies multiple times.
Back then, the attention felt burdensome, and lacking any real talent, she'd turned them all down. Just knowing she was attractive enough for aggressive scouting satisfied her.
'After meeting Hotaru, I turned down everything for him.'
If she'd chosen the idol path back then, could she have discovered new talents in herself?
The thought startled her.
'Am I... regretting it?'
Yuuna gave a wry smile.
Definitely.
Upon reflection, there was a pang of regret.
Lately, watching dramas or movies, she'd feel it whenever actors performed—maybe because of their skills.
They'd earned their spots through effort, yet watching made her oddly confident.
I could do better if I tried. That ignorant arrogance only fools could feel.
Her face burned at the mere thought of such hubris. She shook her head, cheeks flushing.
"Ugh, get a grip. Am I getting old?"
It reminded her of guys spouting expert commentary on pro athletes during slumps, like they were geniuses.
She resolved never to become someone who bashed others and hurriedly shoved more yokan in her mouth.
As the sweet treat melted away, so did the negativity.
'Whatever. I'm content with my life now. No real regrets.'
No regrets.
Married to her husband, with Ayane—she was truly happy.
Having tasted this happiness, even if she went back, she couldn't choose differently.
Give her the same options a hundred times; she'd pick the same path.
And keep listening to her daughter's complaints, basking in her husband's love.
That was enough.
Lost in warm reflections on her housewife life—
Clunk.
The front door burst open, shattering the mood.
Followed by her daughter's familiar voice...
"Mooommm!"
A voice brimming with hassle.
Yuuna glanced at the clock.
"Why's she home already...?"
It wasn't even 11 yet.
No way this was the girl who'd been buzzing about her date since morning.
"Mooommm!"
Ayane barreled past the entryway straight into the living room.
Her face was beet red—whether from running or excitement, who knew.
"What's up? Date flop already?"
"Check out my outfit!"
Ayane went straight for the kill.
"Outfit?"
"Yeah! I need clothes! To blow Shin's mind!"
Good—talk of mind-blowing meant the date was still on.
Yuuna sighed, piecing it together.
"Jeez, even this you need Mom for?"
Her gaze screamed pathetic daughter, but Ayane stood firm.
"You used to dress so well everyone thought you were a model! Help your daughter out!"
"It wasn't that extreme..."
Yuuna backpedaled slyly but stood up with a resigned air, brushing off her butt.
Pretending nonchalance, but her lips twitched upward—she was thrilled.
"Alright, how should we do this? Any specific vibe?"
"Grown-up enough to mesmerize Shin!"
"With your figure? Dream on."
"Aaaah!"
Yuuna nodded with a wry smile at her whining.
"But does your closet even have stuff that fits your taste?"
She voiced her subtle concern.
Apart from occasional frilly dresses for special occasions, Ayane favored extreme coverage.
Even in summer, dark pants and long shirts—stuffy as hell.
"Wonder if there's anything decent in there..."
Yuuna's eyes drooped with worry. No clothes meant no dice.
Ayane timidly piped up.
"W-well, friends pushed me to buy some stuff to try..."
"For real? Let's check 'em out!"
"Uh, yeah..."
They headed straight to her room.
Ayane blushed at showing her closet to Mom at her age, but needs must.
Steeling herself, she laid out the clothes her friends had insisted on—summer wear, all skimpy on fabric.
"Not a single one you'd normally wear."
"Y-yeah..."
"But these? They'll work."
Yuuna grinned, holding one up to Ayane's frame.
"You should thank your friends."
"Really?"
Yuuna nodded.
Coordination time.
Tae-il still preferred comfy clothes, now as ever.
Tokyo summers were fiercer than Korea's.
Average temps aside, the island humidity was hellish.
Shade or breeze? Still sweltering.
So he stuck to bright, simple solid tees and shorts.
Main colors: white and beige.
The pinnacle of safe.
That was the plan today too.
Changed in a flash—guy efficiency—and as he headed out, he paused.
Is this okay?
Ayane's expectant face kept flashing in his mind.
He'd never thought of their outings as dates before.
"Agh..."
Somehow, minding Ayane made it feel like a date.
Going out with a girl—isn't that a date... technically?
He backtracked to the closet.
He owed Ayane big time.
Hell, he'd only come this far thanks to her.
Plus, ditching someone who'd wait through failures? Bad manners.
"Gotta put in a little more effort..."
He rummaged again.
Too casual wasn't cutting it.
"Eh, it's not for Ayane—it's 'cause the spot's a butler cafe."
Self-hypnosis via excuses as he dug through.
Butler cafe sounded like host club vibes—prime dudes everywhere.
He couldn't lose to them.
Why?
Beats him.
But he couldn't.
Fueled by weird duty, he picked neat but not too try-hard.
Same plain shirt, but black slacks and the checkered cardigan Ayane gifted for his birthday.
Solid date look—safe as ever.
Better than before, if still lacking. His best shot.
Pushing harder would just awkward things up.
"Yeah. This ain't bad..."
He strode out confidently.
Then regretted instantly upon spotting Ayane at the door.
Shit.
Off-shoulder top baring one side, hot pants.
Worlds away from her usual skin-hiding dresses or coverage.
Pale skin everywhere. Eyes had nowhere to land.
Their gazes met; Ayane twirled her hair babely and asked Tae-il.
"H-how's it...?"
"Huh?"
What? How's what?
Speechless, he stammered.
Ayane, shy smile fading as she fiddled with her hair and looked down.
"Ayane's trying this style for the first time, so it's kinda embarrassing. What do you think?"
"Uh... pretty. Really."
"For real? Ehehe."
Tae-il's praise bloomed joy on her face like a flower, shyness gone.
Am I an idiot?
He cursed his suddenly dumb vocab.
Wanted to say something special, but words failed.
Only basics came.
But she was too stunning for "pretty" alone.
Even more than in the original...
In the end, he zipped it.
Anything he said wouldn't satisfy him.
Unlike his self-loathing, Ayane was thrilled.
Look at Shin, all flustered.
Sometimes expressions said it all, words be damned.
Tae-il now was that case.
Seeing him tongue-tied, ears red, cracked her up.
Mom, I love you!
Yuuna's advice—"outfit's finished with the face"—nailed it. Grown-up makeup left him frozen.
A vibe totally unlike her usual kid-like self.
That sealed it.
"..."
No reaction? Ayane closed in, yanking his arm.
Ignoring the heat, she pressed it to her chest.
She took the lead.
"Let's go! They'll be waiting!"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, it's hot, just a sec..."
"Ahaha. Heatstroke, Shin?"
"...Yeah. Guess so."
Total lie.
Just lost in her look.
Though busted already.
Still.
He blamed the heat.
Ayane let the desperate excuse slide with a laugh.
"Oh, but Ayane's a little disappointed."
"Huh...?"
"The train. Figured it'd be packed."
"What?"
"A packed train means you'd protect me like last time."
"You little...!"
Thankfully.
Against Ayane's hopes, the train had plenty of seats.