"How was your day?" Ms. Beatia asked Kenzumi and Senpai, who decided to spend the day together.
"It was great." Kenzumi said. "We went to the beach to soak up some rays."
"We also saw The Shrimp Scampers there." Senpai said. "They looked so cool, absolutely in sync."
"What are "The Shrimp Scampers"?" Luis asked.
"A group of shrimp." Satoshi answered, who just entered the living room. "I saw them once, and I guess they improved on their work, as the last time I saw them, they kept bumping into each other."
"What did you guys do when we were gone?" Kenzumi asked.
"Me and Luis watched a documentary called Bossa Nova." Ms. Beatia said.
"It looked pretty confusing though." Luis said. "I think it was about the origins of men and women, but it involved volleyball. I didn't understand it."
"I didn't understand it when I saw it either," Kenzumi said. "So we can relate."
They both giggled a bit, and then they heard a knock on the door. Kenzumi went over to answer it, and when he opened the door, his heart dropped.
The person who stood at the door was a woman. She had long brown hair and creamy white skin, much like Kenzumi and Satoshi. She had some glasses, she wore a black business suit with a white collared shirt underneath, some long brown stockings, and black flat shoes.
"Mom?" Kenzumi asked.
"Hello honey." Ms. Kohai said. "I'm home."
Kenzumi's heart was in a race. He completely forgot that his mom was on a business trip with the executives, and that she would be coming home soon. He knew that she would be coming home, but he didn't think it would be this soon. That didn't bother him, as he did miss not having her around for the past few nights. What bothered him is how he was going to explain the presence of Ms. Beatia and Luis.
"Is something wrong sweetie?" Ms. Kohai asked. "You looked troubled."
Kenzumi snapped out of his thought and quickly said, "I'm just glad that your back. We missed you, right bro?"
"Oh, mom's home? Cool." Satoshi said. He didn't sound worried about the situation at all, which really surprised him.
"I finished my time with the executives, and their presentations went well as we planned. So now I can go back to my desk job here." Mrs. Kohai said. She then finally noticed Senpai, Ms. Beatia, and Luis. "And uh, who are those three behind you?"
Kenzumi took a deep breath and walked over to Senpai, while Ms. Kohai entered the house to put her purse and suitcase down.
"This is Senpai." Kenzumi said. "My girlfriend."
"Nice to meet you." Senpai said, doing a nice little bow.
"Nice to meet you too." Ms. Kohai said. She then faced Kenzumi and said, "Now who are the two adults?"
Kenzumi took another deep breath. He hesitated for a moment, but then said, "This is Ms. Beatia, the former Queen of Rhythm Heaven, before her daughter threw her out for her own selfish needs."
"Hello, pleased to meet you." Ms. Beatia said.
"And the one right next to her is Luis, also from Rhythm Heaven. He was the general there, for both Ms. Beatia and the new Queen Rhythmia before he was too thrown out."
"It is an honor to meet you." Luis said.
Ms. Kohai stared at them for about a minute, with a look on her face that seemed to be a mixture of confusion, shock, and disbelief.
"You mind telling me the truth?" She asked them.
"He did." Ms. Beatia said. "He told you the whole truth. One hundred percent."
"Yeah, they were living with us since." Satoshi said, who was just watching TV, not even turning to look at them.
"For how long?" Ms. Kohai asked, hands now crossed and looking rather serious.
"For Ms. Beatia, about a few months." Kenzumi said, feeling very embarrassed. "And Luis was only here for a month. Please don't be mad, I'm not lying, I assure you."
There was a silence in the room for about a minute, and then Ms. Kohai turned to Ms. Beatia and Luis and said, "May I speak to you two in private please?"
"Of course ma'am." Ms. Beatia said. So She and Luis followed her down the hallway so they could talk.
"I think they're getting along quite nicely." Satoshi said. Kenzumi glared at him. "What?"
Up in Rhythm Heaven, Queen Rhythmia was in her thrown room, her mind racing with a combination of guilt and confusion. She still wanted to have the rhythm from earth, and she still wanted Kenzumi and the others to pay for ruining her plans three times in a row. But for some reason, more than anything, she wanted to see her mother again. Maybe she really was starting to miss her, maybe even regretting throwing her out in the first place. She also thought about the people outside the castle, about how miserable and pained they looked without rhythm. It almost reminded her of when she was very little.
Before she could think back on that horrid memory, General Nixxiom entered the room. With him was a citizen from outside the castle, who was handcuffed.
"Your highness." General Nixxiom said as he and the citizen approached her thrown. "Our guards caught this lowlife trying to steal your rhythm. Shall we banish him?"
Queen Rhythmia looked at the citizen. He looked absolutely miserable, and that just made her feel even more guilty. She actually wanted to take pity on this guy, but she didn't have the courage to do so. So, trying to sound like her normal self, she said, "Banish him."
As soon as she finished the sentence, the soldiers behind General Nixxiom grabbed the citizen and dragged him out of the room to be banished.
"Also, your highness," General Nixxiom. "I have been forming a new plans to retrieve all the rhythm from the earth. Do you wish to see it when it is done?"
"Yes, I would." Queen Rhythmia lied. In reality, she didn't want to perform another plan to soon. Both in fear of Kenzumi stopping her again, and just, well, her guilt.
"Very well your highness. I will deliver the plans to you when they are completed. And I would again like to say that it was a good choice that you made me your new general, unlike your mother, who chose that that weakling Luis!"
General Nixxiom then left the room, and Queen Rhythmia couldn't help but feel even more worried about her mom. She knew that Nixxiom hated Luis when her mom chose Luis instead of him for being general, which she couldn't blame him. But was he mad at her mom too? She didn't know yet, but she would be prepared if that was the case.
So for now, she just sat in her throne, thinking to herself.
It had been about an hour, and Ms. Kohai had not come out of her room with Ms. Beatia and Luis yet. This made Kenzumi worried even more, even Senpai was starting to get worried. What if she was going to kick them out, or call a hospital to say that they were insane? They didn't know what the outcome would be, and that just made them worry more and more.
Satoshi, meanwhile, was just watching playing his new game on the TV without a care in the world. Kenzumi couldn't decide if he should be impressed or annoyed by this. Because even though he would handle these situations without any worries, it would almost seem like he didn't care, even though he did.
Satoshi finally lost his last life on the game, stretched while on the couch, and said, "How long has it been since mom came home?"
"One hour." Kenzumi said.
"Really? Well they obviously have a lot to talk about."
"Bro, are you not worried about this at all?"
"Not even slightly. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"
"They could get kicked out! And maybe even become homeless!"
"You can't throw out someone who was previously a part of royalty. That would just be uncalled for."
Before Kenzumi could speak any further, Ms. Kohai came down the hallway. Kenzumi expected her to tell them that they would they have to leave.
"They can stay." Ms. Kohai said.
"Really?" Kenzumi asked in astonishment.
"Yes, they told me everything. I even saw some stuff on the news a month ago about the attack on the island. I will allow the queen and her general to stay."
"Told you so." Satoshi said.
"Thank you ma'am." Senpai said. "We're grateful that you're letting them stay."
"They are to." Ms. Kohai said.
"By the way, can I sleep over for the night?'
"Of course, you are my son's boyfriend. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to unpack my stuff."
So Ms. Kohai left the living room to go back to her own room.
"It's nice to have mom back." Kenzumi said.
"I'll say." Satoshi said. "She deserved a break after spending so much time with some pigs."
"That's rude." Senpai said.
"Actually, he's not lying. She said she was going on a Board Meaning. The executives are literally Boars with red noses, blues shades and black bow ties."
"Oh, Boar'd Meeting." Senpai said. She then giggled and said, "I see what she did there."