Disclaimer: I don't own Pretear or any character from either manga and/or anime.
Awayuki Family Moments
Chapter 1: Kaoru's Parents
Limousine driver Tanaka was driving a soon-to-be blended family of five to the home of the husband's parents. "Dad, how come I never met my grandparents before?" Himeno Awayuki asked out of curiosity.
"After I stopped writing, my parents refused to help me raise you unless I either get what they call a 'real job' or give you for them to raise until I get a job." Kaoru explained. "They never approved my literary career and told me not to expect any sort of financial support from them until I get a job they'll accept. In fact, I haven't seen them ever since they offered condolences for your mother's passing."
"Kaoru, do you think they'll like me?" Kaoru's wife-to-be Natsue apprehensively asked him.
"There's no way they wouldn't approve a nice and refined lady such as you, Natsue." Kaoru commented with such tranquility she couldn't help but feel he was right.
"Even if they miss these virtues, there's no way they would oppose their son marrying you, Mother." Natsue's eldest daughter Mayune said with a sneer. "You're a billionaire and those dirt-poor people wouldn't pass…"
"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT MY BELOVED KAORU OR HIS PARENTS!" Natsue harshly scolded Mayune. "What if they feel insulted and decide to oppose the marriage because of that?"
"You still can turn Kaoru and Himeno into Hojos." Mawata suggested. "Either way, I still believe it's better than turning the three of us into Awayukis." Mawata Hojo, unlike her sister, didn't have any problem with their soon-to-be stepfather's financial and social situation. She just didn't like the idea of having a new father and the idea of taking his surname only made it worse for her.
"The law might allow this option but I'm too traditional to ask it of a man my parents didn't take in as an adopted son-in-law." Natsue explained. She's so in love with Kaoru she didn't even think about using her power and wealth to demand his parents' approval or outright ignore them.
Meanwhile, at the Elder Awayuki's home, Kaoru's parents were readying themselves for the visitors. "What do you think Kaoru's girlfriend is like?" Kaoru's mother asked his father.
"Probably some drunkard he met at some rat-infested bar." He guessed. "I bet she expects his books to still bring in enough money to afford her daily quota of liquor."
"Don't be so rude." She scolded him. "Our Kaoru wouldn't even think about that. I'm sure he found a decent woman."
"What kind of decent woman would want to good-for-nothing drunkard he became?" He quickly asked. "I only agreed to meet them to see how our granddaughter is doing and check if we need to take her from them to make sure she won't become a degenerate."
"And why are you wearing your uniform?" She asked out of curiosity. "This is not the Hojo Supermarket where you need to wear it while greeting arriving customers."
"I want to shame Kaoru into getting a real job." He explained. "He'll need it if he expects me to approve him becoming a family man of a family of five."
"I wonder if his girlfriend works as well." Kaoru's mother commented. "Kaoru said she's a widow with two daughters and the eldest of them is around Himeno's age."
"She probably made up the marriage to explain the daughters without admitting… certain details about her past." He dismissively said.
Their conversation was interrupted by a car's noise. Not expecting anyone to come by car (they thought Kaoru would use public transportation), the Elder Awayukis decided to ignore it until they heard the doorbell. "Who's there?" Kaoru's mother asked.
"It's Kaoru, Mommy!" Kaoru answered.
"Come in, son." She cheerfully replied. "You and the rest of the family." The five visitors then took off their street shoes and entered the place.
"Kaoru." His mother said with a smile as she approached him.
"Mommy!" He replied with another smile. She then angrily grabbed him by the ear and started scolding him. "What's with this unkempt beard and this unkempt hair? It looks like you haven't bathed any time after the last time we met! It's no wonder your father doesn't think you can get a decent wife."
The four female visitors were having different reactions to that scene. Himeno felt like lowering her head in shame; Mayune was having her first joy of the day by seeing her potential stepfather being humiliated in front of her mother; Mawata, despite not wanting a new father, was secretly longing for a moment like that; and Natsue, even if she was too composed to let it be shown, was a little dismayed upon learning her future father-in-law wasn't expecting Kaoru to have made a good pick. Kaoru's mother then looked at the other visitors and approached Mawata. "You've grown so much after last time, Himeno."
"I'm not Himeno." Mawata corrected her future step-grandmother.
"I'm here, Granny." Himeno called for her.
"Sorry about that, dear." Granny Awayuki said and then repeated the commentary. She then introduced herself to Himeno's future stepfamily and waited for the reply.
"It's an honor to meet you, Ma'am." Natsue humbly said. "My name is Natsue Hojo and these are my daughters Mayune Hojo and Mawata Hojo."
"Please take your seats." Granny Awayuki gently said and then she excused herself while she went to the kitchen to fetch her husband. The two of them then returned with simple meals and Grandpa Awayuki was surprised upon seeing "Mrs. Hojo?"
"Do you know Natsue, Dad?" Kaoru asked in surprised.
"Who in this town doesn't?" Mayune asked with a superiority tone.
"Mayune, apologize to our hosts immediately!" Natsue ordered her.
No matter how much Mayune felt disgusted for apologizing to commoners, she wouldn't disobey her mother. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Awayuki."
"I'm sure you didn't mean to offend." Kaoru's mother gently replied. "After all, your mother is a well-known pillar of community."
Kaoru's father couldn't believe the sight in front of him: his boss was having lunch at his home and she wanted to marry his son! The more he didn't like the idea of Kaoru becoming a lazy bum supported by his wife, he was afraid of what the town's most powerful woman would do if he dared say no to her. He wasn't even sure of what to say. He was almost wishing Kaoru had indeed brought some degenerate instead.
Kaoru's mother didn't seem to have any trouble. "Natsue, how do you and Kaoru intend to live off?" She asked, shocking Kaoru's father with how comfortable she was while talking so casually to the richest woman in town.
"I'll keep running my business empire and Kaoru will hopefully write new books." Natsue answered with unexpected (from Kaoru's father's perspective) humility.
"Kaoru hasn't written anything in years." His mother was becoming strict. "I think it's time he gives up on that and starts doing something else for a living."
'Like mooching off a wealthy wife, for example.' Mayune thought with disdain.
"Well, I've been thinking about making sculptures." Kaoru awkwardly told his mother.
"Sculptures?" Anger and disapproval were evident in her voice. "Why can't you get a real job? Natsue, are there any available positions within your conglomerate?"
'Great.' Mayune sarcastically thought. 'The drunkard has yet to exchange vows with Mother and his family is already trying to take advantage of her.'
"Mother, this isn't necessary." Kaoru pleaded. Kaoru's father was worried as well. He feared it was still too soon to be comfortable enough to ask favors from Natsue. "Of course, if he's not fit for any available positions within your organization, we'll understand." He humbly said out of fear of Natsue's reaction.
"Don't worry, Sir." Natsue humbly replied while shocking her future father-in-law with the respect she's showing him. It unnerved him that she'd treat him like he was the one with power over her. "I'm sure Kaoru will become a great novelist again or be a success as a sculptor."
"I wish I could share your optimism, Natsue." Kaoru's mother commented. "He should get a real job."
"But then he won't have time to write a book or make a sculpture." Natsue pleaded.
"Kaoru had time to write his first novel while he was attending college and holding a part-time job." Kaoru's mother argued.
"Mother, that early work cannot be compared to my other books." Kaoru argued.
"Agreed." Natsue said and then turned her attention to Kaoru. "No offense but that book disappointed me."
"I wouldn't expect otherwise from people who read that book after reading my others, Natsue." Kaoru reassured Natsue.
"I don't like the idea of Kaoru living of his wife's money while he lazes around." Kaoru's mother said. While Kaoru's father felt the same, he was afraid of what Natsue would do if not allowed to have things her way.
"Don't worry, Mom." Kaoru said. "Between all the writing and sculpting, I'll occasionally help with some chores."
"I'm glad to hear." Kaoru's mother replied. "Now, Natsue, how do you intend to raise Himeno?"
"I intend to teach her how to be a lady." Natsue answered.
'Easier said than done.' Mayune thought.
"It'll probably be easy." Kaoru's mother commented. "My son said she took up gardening as a hobby."
"Did he say she also took up a violent hobby?" Mayune nastily asked and Himeno then explained about her martial arts credentials.
"It's worse than I thought!" Kaoru's mother exclaimed in horror. "Natsue, you must make her a refined lady!"
"I promise to do my best." Natsue humbly said.
"Good." Kaoru's mother said. "Now all that's left is teaching you how to cook Kaoru's favorite meals."
Just when Grandpa Awayuki thought his wife had already gone too far, she's expecting Natsue Hojo to cook. He'd thank all Gods he knew for not getting fired for that.
"We have servants." Mayune protested. "Cooking is for commoners."
"I'll try to learn." Natsue humbly said while hoping what she remembered from Home Economics classes (which she only took upon her parents' insistence) would help. Kaoru's father still had trouble believing such a powerful executive would agree to that.
"Mother, cooking is beneath us!" Mayune protested.
"Mayune, apologize right now!" Natsue ordered her. "I expected that ever since Kaoru told me the same was asked from Himeno's original mother." She then went to the kitchen and Kaoru offered to join. "Himeno, how about you show your new sisters around?" Himeno's grandfather suggested.
Meanwhile, at the kitchen, Natsue was trying to do something she spent the last years thinking she'd never have to do. "I'm sorry, Natsue." Kaoru said. "I hoped Mom wouldn't ask that from a woman who had her own job and I would simply be the one to cook our meals whenever we wouldn't eat out."
"None of us will need to cook thanks to my personal chef and his helpers, Kaoru." Natsue said.
"I won't mind cooking our meals sometimes." Kaoru replied.
Later on, the family tasted Natsue's cooking. "Nothing bad for a first try." Grandma Awayuki commented.
"It's obvious cooking should be left for commoners to do." Mayune commented.
Grandma Awayuki then gave Natsue some sheets of paper. "These are the recipes. We approve you. Welcome to the Awayuki family."
"Thank you, Mother." Natsue humbly replied while bowing. After that, Himeno decided she'd never doubt her stepmother's feelings for her father.
Author's Note: Neither anime nor manga has any mention of any Awayukis other than those residing at Natsue's mansion. I'm just wondering what if Kaoru still had living parents.
Note 2: When I started writing this chapter, I didn't expect it to be long. Don't be surprised if subsequent chapters are considerably shorter.