(2)

The family shared the same surprise.
"Summerhouse!? At the Ogasawara's?"

Dad, in the position of opening the mizuyoukan pudding can lid, opened his eyes wide. Mom was frozen with a small teapot in her hands. The time was after dinner, while the family was chatting at the sofa.

"What shall we do? Yumi still doesn't have a passport! If it is the last week of July, it is very close. Can we make it?"
"..."

Looking her mother being all thumbs, Yumi thought, this person is definitely the one who gave birth to me. There is no point repeating, but Yumi had said almost the same line immediately after she accepted Sachiko-sama's invitation.

"Yes, it takes two weeks right? RIGHT?"
However, it was a good idea not to tell during dinner. From the surprise received now, it was imaginable that one of the parents would have been choked by a meat ball, and turned out to get rushed to the hospital by an ambulance.

"I said it is inside Japan."
The summerhouse which Sachiko-sama paid a visit every summer was on a plateau summer resort one hour and a half away from Tokyo by bullet train.

"Inside Japan... Yes, it should be within Japan normally. Oh my, my brain grew numb by the double shock, from the gorgeous feel of the word 'summerhouse,' and from the name of the Ogasawara's!"
Mom laughed as she pinched her cheek.

But it was understandable to think first it is overseas. Yumi's onee-sama Ogasawara Sachiko-sama was the daughter of the one and only Ogasawara Group in the world, and the family was so rich that it was not at all strange to hold a castle in every part of the world.
For example, in Sweden or Graecia or Rome. Though all are just imaginations, since Yumi has never been to any one of the places.

"But the Ogasawara family will also come, right? With such close relatives by the side, will you be a bother?"
"Sachiko-sama's father and grandpa both have a company to attend, so they will visit the summerhouse during Obon vacation. Her mother will join them at that time as well."

Sachiko-sama, who had to return to school in the latter half of summer vacation, was the odd one to stay in the summerhouse earlier than anybody else. Thinking that Yumi would feel more at ease this way, Sachiko-sama extended the invitation.

"Please~ Can I go?"
Yumi took her father's hand as she begged. It was long since the last time Yumi teased her father for anything.

"What do you think? I have no reason to object it--"
Dad's lips pouted a little as he looked at Mom.
"I guess so... But it would be impolite not to send formal greetings to the Ogasawara couple."
"To the Ogasawara couple?"