Chapter 78

Synopsis
Yayoi will be away from Kirin for a few days due to a training session with the Drama Club, so she decides to have an exchange diary with Kirin.

Long Summary
Since her obligations as head of the drama department would keep her away from home for a few days, Yayoi asks Kirin if she would like to write an exchange diary with her. Kirin's eyes sparkle at the sound of this idea, and happily announces that she will write in the diary. Yayoi smiles and thanks her. Later, Kirin writes in her exchange diary when Satoru tells her that it is time for a bath. He asks what Kirin is working so hard on, and Kirin immediately grabs the notebook, claiming that it is a secret. Satoru, assuming that she is talking about a guy, rips his underwear in a rage. Kirin smiles and hugs her diary, explaining that it is a diary for her and her mother. Satoru laughs as he picks up Kirin and jokingly says that he is also lonely, so she should show him the diary. Satoru and Kirin lie on the floor as they write to Yayoi together. In the diary, Kirin writes that she is happy that she is writing to her mother, and Satoru writes to Yayoi that he loves her. The next day, Satoru asks Ryuuichi if he is willing to deliver the diary to Yayoi. He explains that he does not want him or Kirin to disturb Yayoi's work, adding that he cannot guarantee that he will keep a level head at the sight of his wife surrounded by so many high school boys. Ryuu agrees and asks if Satoru can temporarily watch over the children. Satoru complies, making Kirin and Kotaro play with each other at a distance. Ryuu awkwardly asks if he can play with the children while they wait, while Kotaro sadly watches as his brother heads off. As he approaches the gym used for the drama camp, Ryuu gets rather creeped out by the weird howling noises coming from within. At the drama club, Yayoi thanks Ryuu, who is further disturbed by her strange demeanor, for delivering the diary and requests that he pick it up in the evening. After retrieving the diary later on, Ryuu shows it to Kirin. Satoru holds out his arms, but Kirin runs past him to collect the notebook. Yayoi had written that she is also very happy about the diary and corrects her spelling mistake in the previous entry. She also wrote that she worked hard trying to play the part of a mother wolf that day, which explains the howling Ryuu heard. Kirin eagerly shows Kotaro that her mother is also very happy, and Kotaro smiles as he nods. Satoru panics, wondering where his reply is, causing Usaida to jokingly mock him. Satoru grabs Usaida's collar, but Usaida dismisses his anger and changes the topic, saying that Kirin has a lot to write about, especially about Taka. Satoru demands why she is writing about Taka, and he looks over to see Taka trembling and sobbing in Hayato's lap. Taka turns around and sobs that his nipple has fallen off, stunning Satoru. Usaida cracks up to the point where he cannot breathe while Hayato states that he will not die even if he did lose a nipple. In the notebook, Kirin explains that she went to catch crawfish, but one of them pinched Taka, causing him to panic. Usaida writes captions for Kirin's drawings, and Satoru writes that he loves Yayoi. Taka lifts his shirt and asks if he is alright, but there is a band-aid on his chest.

As the drama club members read the entry, they laugh at the part with Taka's nipple. Yayoi writes that she feels sorry for Taka and that a male member of the Drama Club has also experienced something similar. She notes that Kirin's drawings are very cute and adds a note that she also loves Satoru. Usaida reads the diary to Kirin. Satoru trembles and blushes at the part where she writes that she loves him. Kirin writes back that she played house, where she married Kotaro. Ryuu holds Kotaro close as Satoru glares at him. In Yayoi's entry, Yayoi addresses Satoru and tells him not to bully Kotaro, as they were only playing house. Kirin and Satoru both tell her that they love her, and Satoru notes that he will not bully Kotaro. The drama club members ask Yayoi what was written in this entry, but Yayoi smiles and holds the notebook close to her, saying that it is a secret. She then prepares a warm-up for the drama club and flashes a creepy smile, intimidating the drama club members. Yayoi had written to Kirin that the diary is a treasure to her and promises to work hard. As she writes, she reflects that she had come up with the idea for this diary so that Kirin would not feel lonely. Two drama club members peek into the room and suggest that she personally deliver the exchange diary. They insist that she go out for fresh air. Yayoi jokes, saying that she does not know what they will do while she is gone. She thanks the students and thinks to herself that her students are also precious family and that she would like to give something in return to the ones she loves, as she is receiving all these wonderful days of happiness.

Kirin's eyes sparkle as she jumps into her mother's arms.

Characters In Order of Appearance

 * Kirin Kumatsuka
 * Yayoi Kumatsuka
 * Satoru Kumatsuka
 * Ryuuichi Kashima
 * Kotaro Kashima
 * Taka Kamitani
 * Hayato Kamitani
 * Usaida Yoshihito