Aoi runs straight back to Orio-ya.

Ginji lets me know that it is a fight between Hatori and Matsuba-Sama over the Tengu wine needed for the ceremony.

Aoi intervened and talked with both of them as she did.

I was waiting for her in the old kitchen when Aoi came in.

"Master! I'm glad! I wanted to see you!"

"Really?! Me too, Aoi."

"The thing is, I have a favour to ask. "

"What is it?"

"There's this dish that I want Hatori-san and Matsuba-Sama to eat, and I'd like you to cook it with me."

I was surprised by the request, "what?"

Aoi bows her head in disappointment. "I guess it's too much to ask, huh?"

"Is it okay ?!" I asked, pleased that she asked me.

"What?" Said Aoi in surprise

"I've always wanted to help you cook. I was jealous of Ginji, so..."

"I didn't know... Then it's okay to ask you to help me?" Aoi asks

"Of course it is! It was worth becoming a fish peddler. I'll have Sasuke bring ingredients...So what do you want me to do?" I ask, rolling up my sleeves to start.

"About that, we're not going to cook here." Aoi starts out.

"Oh?" I look at her, confused. And we go to a boat. Aoi has me dressed like a Tengu without wings.

"Wow! You really look like a Tengu without wings."

"Do I look good in this outfit?" I ask hopefully.

"Yeah. I kinda think that you look pretty cool."

"At any rate, this is a good idea, Aoi." I say."Even if something happens, if it's in here, it won't cause trouble for Orio-ya.

"Yep. I wanted them to face each other with no place to escape to. I've got all the ingredients... So, all I need to do now is..." she spys my nails." Hmm... You need to clip them. " and grabs nail clippers.

"What?" I say in fright, "But these are what makes an ogre an ogre!" She grabs my hands and removes them

"Ah," she says in satisfaction after removing them.

"Fingernails... will grow back... soon anyway," I say to console myself.

Aoi shows me the menu. "So, these are what we're going to cook."

"Chicken rice, dumpling soup, and two kinds of gameni. "

"Two kinds?" I ask

"That's right. I think the answer lies there, so... " Aoi says as she starts preparing.

"I see," I say, not really understanding but following Aoi's instructions.

"Okay, then. Last is the gameni." Aoi says, and we cook it.

Aoi was worried about Matsuba-Sama leaving, so I said, "let's hurry, Aoi."

"Yes," she agreed and checked the gameni. "It smells good. "

"It's almost done," I say and ladel it out.

Aoi adds some herbs and smiles. "Okay!"

The Tengu yelled, "Lady Aoi! We've got a problem! The young master... The young master got caught!"

Both Aoi and I were shocked. "What?" Aoi exclaimed.

We go out to find Hatori tied up and Matsuba-Sama telling him off about stealing.

Aoi calls out, "Matsuba-Sama!"

Matsuba-Sama says, "Aoi?"

"Wait, Matsuba-Sama! There's something I want you two to eat." Aoi says in a pleading voice.

"Something you want us to eat?" Matsuba-Sama said, confused.

"What?" Said Hatori-san.

The meal is bought out and set down.

"Now sit down, both of you. " Aoi instructs.

Hatori says, "Missy, this is..."

"It's gameni," says Aoi.

Hatori says defensively, "I can tell that much, but..."

Matsuba-Sama asks, "Why are there two kinds?"

"Just eat and compare them," Aoi instructs again.

So they do reluctantly, and they both smile at one of the dishes.

Aoi asks, "How are they?"

Matsuba-Sama says, "Yeah... this gameni tasted similar to the one my mother used to cook." Pointing to the left-hand dish.

Hatori-san pointed to the right-hand dish and said, "To me, this one had a more familiar taste. It tasted like the one my mum used to make." Matsuba-Sama nodded in agreement. Hatori continued, "But they both tasted delicious. So, can you tell us how they're different, missy?"

"Sure. This one uses bone-in chicken, and this one is boneless." Aoi explains.

"Bone-in and?"

"Boneless?"

Aoi nods "that's right. I thought this was the reason why Matsuba-Sama thought it tasted different. The broth made from the bone in chicken tastes different from the one made from boneless chicken. And I think... while consulting the recipe that uses bone-in chicken, Sasara-san might've made it with boneless chicken on purpose. "

"What?" Matsuba-Sama said

"On purpose?" Hatori questioned

"If you have a restless husband and children, you'd worry that they might choke on the bones. So, you'd choose the safer one."

Matsuba-Sama looked surprised and reached for the picture Aoi had put on the table earlier. "Sasara..."

Hatori said to Matsuba-Sama, "See?! Mom was thinking about all sorts of things for us! And yet..."

"Shut up!" Yelled Matsuba-Sama, "You didn't even come to see her before she died!"

"But you're the one who kicked me out, you bustard!" Defended Hatori to the accusation.

"Bastard?! That's not the way you speak to your father!"

"Bastard is good enough for you, you selfish, stubborn tengu!' Hatori shouts back.

"What'd you say?" Matsuba-Sama said.

Aoi said in a panic, "Stop! Stop it! What I just said was just a guess!" Hatori-san and Matsuba-Sama stopped fighting as Aoi continued, "I felt jealous of you two...because I never had a dish that was filled with a mother's love." Aoi starts crying and collapses, holding her chest as if it hurt.

Hatori stops fighting and comes to Aoi worried. "Missy?"

I catch her and ask, "Are you ok?" And hold her on my lap. "Suck on this," I say and put the sweet in her mouth. I then pat her head and say, "Good girl!"

"You are..." Hatori says, "Tenjin-ya's master?!"

"What?!"

"He's not a fish peddler?" The others exclaim in surprise.

I laugh and say, "That's right. It's me. Is it strange for me to be by the side of Aoi, my newly-wed wife?"

Hatori says, "That doesn't explain anything!"

I pick Aoi up. "Now, now, Hatori. Don't worry about the details. Aoi seems a little tired." And place her down to rest against the ship's railing. "She was raised by Shiro. A lot must have happened between her and her mother. That's exactly why she couldn't let things be between you two. "

Matsuba-Sama said, "I didn't know..."

I say, "Why don't you stop fighting and reconcile for Aoi's sake? Hatori. There's something you need to do, right? Aoi worked hard for that. Are you going to waste her effort?"

Hatori looked thoughtful. "Missy..." and kowtows before Matsuba-Sama, "I'd like to ask a favour of you as your third son. Please give me some of the Tengu's secret liquor, though I can't tell you why I need it. But I swear that I won't use it for my personal benefit! Please trust me!" Looking at Matsuba-Sama earnestly while kowtowing.

Matsuba-Sama sighs

"Please, old man!" Hatori begs.

Matsuba-Sama looked like he had some uncomfortable memory and answered, "Hatori... I couldn't be honest about my feelings. I kept acting the opposite of how I felt. I was standing before you with meaningless arrogance and anger while I was upset with myself...just because I wanted to be called a father."

Hitari, kneeling, said, "Old man..."

Matsuba-Sama continues, "When the truth is, I had nothing against you. I've been stubborn out of stupid pride. Hatori, I'll let you have some of the Tengu's secret liquor. "

"What?' Said Hatori in surprise.

"But under one condition. There's a rule that the secret liquor is allowed to be given only to Tengu leader's family members. So There's only one way for you to obtain it. You must once again call yourself my son and a Tengu from Mt Shumon. "

Hatori asks, "Does that mean..."

Matsuba-Sama says, "I'll rescind your expulsion. "

The Tengu there were happy. "The young master is coming back!"

Hatori objected, "But old man, I can't go back to the mountain. "

Matsuba-Sama said, "You don't have to. You can go wherever you want. In fact, don't come back. "

"What the hell?"

Matsuba-Sama grunts, and the Tengu cheer, "Hurray! Hurray! The young master is back!"

"Well, are you serious, old man? Have you mellowed out in your old age?" Hatori asks.

Matsuba-Sama yells, "Shut up! That's the only way I can give you the Tengu's secret liquor! I'm sure that this is what Sasara would want, too. She really was a great mother. She knew that you'd come to ask for my help one day. "

Hatori cried, "Mum..." and then ate more of the gameni with Matsuba-Sama.

Aoi started coming around in my arms.

"Sound like she really was a wonderful mother." Whispered Aoi.

"Are you okay, Aoi?" I ask, concerned.

"Yes, thank you, Master. " Aoi said, looking tired. "Well, it's a husband's job to support his wife when she's having a hard time. "

Aoi closed her eyes and didn't bother retorting like she usually would. It made me feel a little hopeful that her heart was changing.

Matsuba-Sama performed a ceremony to give the liquor to Hatori, and the Tengu cheered, "The young master is back! Congratulations!"

As we walked back to Orio-ya, I see the thunder god eyeing off my Aoi. I will have to watch him.