Chapter 86

## Mission 86: Ai Comes to the Yozakura Family

**Mission 86: Ai Comes to the Yozakura Family** (作戦 86. アイさん 夜桜家へ, Ai-san Yozakura-ka e) is the eighty-sixth chapter of Hitsuji Gondaira's Mission: Yozakura Family.

Ai is given to the Yozakura Family to look after and Taiyo and Mutsumi take a parental role in her care.

## Summary

Rin arrives at the Yozakura Mansion with Ai, she asks Futaba if she can look after her. Ai is seen to be emotionally unstable due to being isolated in Tanpopo and not going to Kindergarten, Rin is hoping that staying with the Yozakura's will help her become more socialized. Due to the responsibilities she has in The Hinagiku she can't attend Ai and stay with her around the clock, so it would help if she's with the Yozakura's as Futaba mentions there's always someone around in the manor.

One week later, Rin returns to see how Ai is doing. Due to it being only a short time she and Futaba don't expect her to have changed a lot since then. However, we see Mutsumi and Taiyo looking after Ai and dressing her, Rin is shocked at how well they're getting along. It is mentioned that at first Ai was very timid, but Taiyo and Mutsumi's mom-and-dad switch flipped and little by little Ai became more open. The three are seen looking for a kindergarten for Ai and Rin is shocked to see them acting like a family. Ai rushes to Rin, expressing her excitement of going to kindergarten and Taiyo and Mutsumi reminisce about their fabricated memories of Ai's infancy. Rin is worried for the two's sanity, Futaba says she let it happen since she found having Ai interesting. She reassures Rin that they're just playing house and there's nothing to worry about, she also notes that connections don't form that easily as we see Ai secretly clenching her fist.

Three days later and Mutsumi is trying to get Ai to eat her bell peppers, but Ai says she doesn't get along with them. Ai bravely devours her veggie opponents as Taiyo and Mutsumi praise her coolness. Taiyo leaves on a mission and Mutsumi goes to watch her favourite soap opera *Mister Asagao's big plan* Futaba mentions how Mutsumi is acting like a real housewife. Ai watches the show and seeing one of the characters get patted on the head, she is reminded of Mizuki and how he used to pat her on the head to praise her and she tears up.

At night, Ai gets up from the bed she shared with Mutsumi. She puts on her old collar and clothes and bows before leaving. She leaves during stormy weather and she expresses how everyone in the house is nice and she is afraid of losing them as she did with Mizuki and her mother. She feels like it's best that she leaves so she doesn't lose anyone else and believes she's bad with families. As she stands crying in the storm the tree behind her begins to fall onto her. However, Taiyo comes in as slices the tree down using Yae: Rain. He mentions that he noticed how Ai would always hold herself back to not burden them, he says that he understands her since he was an outsider too. He knows how it's hard to feel like a friend or family but to fix that they need to keep pushing forward. Though he can't be her parents or a Mizuki substitute he asks her if he can be her friend, which she accepts as the hug.

Taiyo mentions that it was Mutsumi who asked him to find her and they head back into the manor. Mutsumi dries off Ai and prepares her a hot bath, clean clothes and hot milk, Ai apologies and Mutsumi tells her she has nothing to apologises for. Suddenly a crash comes from the ceiling and we see, Shion, Nanao, Shinzo, Kengo and Futaba fall. They were hidden in Kyoichiro's hidden passages in the walls but they were too thin to hold them. They said that they hid from Ai in order to not overwhelm her with their presence and they all hold various gifts for her. Mutsumi is worried for Ai but she thanks them all whilst smiling. Around the corner of the room, we see Goliath with Kyoichiro who passed out trying to choose a gift for Ai, as we see a pile of presents next to him.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Momo Yozakura
* Futaba Yozakura
* Rin Fudo
* Ai
* Mutsumi Yozakura
* Taiyo Asano
* Mizuki (Flashback)
* Shion Yozakura
* Nanao Yozakura
* Shinzo Yozakura
* Kengo Yozakura
* Kyoichiro Yozakura
* Goliath

## Quotes

* "Connections between people... don't form easily" - Futaba Yozakura
* "Taiyo and Mutsumi and Rin... they're all so nice. Ai wishes to stay in that house forever and ever. But if Ai stays here, then everyone... will become gone. Ai is scared of being alone again. So it's better... to be all alone from the start." - Ai
* "We aren't your parents... and we're no substitute for Mizuki. So... let me be your friend. Actually... would you please be my friend?" -Taiyo Asano

## Events

* Rin gives Ai to the Yozakura Family to stay with.