...

I didn't expect Mafuyu to smile the way she did.

I may not have been able to save her this time but...

I've finally made some progress.

I have Mizuki to thank for that.

Wanting someone to smile...

I never thought that I could make someone feel that way...

Since I'm the one that...

...

Oh...

Thank you for being so patient.

Here you are.

Thank you.

This smells nice. Are these lychees...?

Yes! I thought that a fruit-flavored tea would help you relax and refresh you a little.

It is. The aroma and flavor both have this calming effect.

(I originally planned on having her cook and clean just once a week...)

(But now, it's like having tea with her is a normal part of my routine.)

This feels so nice...

...

Oh, I almost forgot...

I brought some more flowers today.

Hehe. These have a fairly unique shape to them. See?

Oh, you're right. That's really interesting. They look like upside-down grapes.

Yes, they're even called grape hyacinths. Each of these bulbs are actually its flowers.

In European cultures, blue flowers like these tend to be associated with negative symbols, such as despair or loss...

But some also say that beyond that despair or loss is a bright future because there's nowhere else to go but up from there.

Beyond that despair or loss...

Yes. Also, there's one more thing...

They symbolize a connection with others.

A connection with others.

Ms. Yoisaki, you mentioned the other day that there's someone that's been concerning you. That you'd like to know what they're feeling.

...

I can't believe you put so much thought into this just for me...

I don't know what to say. I didn't mean to make you do all this.

No, I did this because I wanted to.

All I did was ask an old friend for some advice, so it was no trouble for me, really.

Oh, the one who knows a lot about flowers...

Yes. When I asked her about the kind of symbolism I was looking for, she immediately started telling me about these flowers.

Wow. She's so knowledgeable.

Would you mind thanking her for me when you can? I really like what she's chosen for us.

Hehe. Yes, of course. I'll make sure to tell her.

Also, please feel free to ask me to do more. I'd like to help in any way I can.

Thank you.

I appreciate the offer but you're already doing plenty for me.

(At first, I started using a homemaker service because grandma asked me to...)

But I'm glad that you ended up being the person they chose for me, Ms. Mochizuki.

Hehe. I'm glad that I was chosen to look after your house too, Ms. Yoisaki.