"Okano, long time no see."
Maehara smiled and awaited a greeting in return.
What he got instead was a kick to the face, kn-ocking him onto the ground.
"Ow!"
Maya's mouth was open in shock at the ight of her mother kicking this new visitor in the face.
"Why are you here?" Asked Okano. "Why the hell are you here?"
Maya ghasped as she heard her mother curse, mouth still open.
"You're awfully aggressive Okano." Said Maehara. "I just wanted to get catch up with you."
"Catch up!?" Said Okano. "You disappear for six years and now you want to catch up!?"
"I can explain that." Said Maehara.
"Mommy dinner might burn!" Shouted Maya.
Okano glared at Maehara.
"If you really want to talk, wait here until I open this door again." Said Okano. "If you so much as breathe on my doorknob I'm calling the police.
"Okay."
Okano slammed the door and went back to cooking.
"Mommy who was he?" Asked Maya, shaken by her mother's behavior.
"Nobody honey, nobody."
After dinner Okano gave Maya a bath and sent her to bed early despite her protests. She didn't want her to see Maehara if he was still around. By that point three hours had passed. Opening the door she saw Maehara outside, smoking a ciggrate.
"You know those can kill you right?"
"So can hypothermia but that didn't stop you from leaving me outside."
"... Just get in here."
Okano led Maehara into her apartment and sat down at the small table. Maehara took a minute to look around the room.
"... So this is where you live."
"Talk."
"Okay..." Said Maehara. "So... How have you been?"
"About yourself."
Maehara raised an eyebrow.
"Like about what?"
"Where the hell were you?" Asked Okano. "Where did you disappear to for six years."
"Oh, well I got picked to be a male model in America." Said Maehara. "I've been in alot of magazines."
Maehara reached into his jacket and took out a magazine that had him on the cover dressed in a tuxedo, winking at the reader.
"See?"
Okano took the magazine and tore it in half.
"I have extra copies."
"How did you know where I live?" Asked Okano.
"... Isogai told me."
"Ha! You and Isogai haven't spoken in years." Said Okano "least thats what he told me."
"That is true." Replied Maehara.
"You know, he once said that if he ever saw you again he'd punch you in the stomach." Added Okano. "For just up and leaving."
"Oh, well that explains this."
Isogai lifted up his shirt to reveal a large bruise on his stomach. Okano tried her hardest not to look at his abs.
"But enough about me, lets talk about you." Said Maehara, pulling his shirt back down "What are you up to these days?"
Okano rolled her eyes.
"I'm a poor fitness instructor living in a shitty apartment." Said Maehara. "Thats what I'm up to these days."
"Mommy thats a swear."
Okano noticed that Maya had her head sticking out of her bedroom door.
"Maya I told you to go to sleep."
"I'm not tired."
"... Maya this is private."
Maya stepped out of her room and crossed her arms, making an adorable pouting face that only a five year old could pull off.
"Its only 8!"
"May-"
Maehara got up and walked over to the girl.
"Hey kiddo, your mommy and I are just catching up on old times." Said Maehara.
"Who are you mister?" Asked Maya.
"I'm an old friend of your mom's." said Maehara. "Call me Uncle Maehara."
"Or just Maehara." Interupted Okano. "He's not worthy of the uncle title."
Maehara frowned, but turned his attention back to Maya.
"If you could just go to bed early just this one... Pretty please? For me?"
Maya uncrossed her arms.
"I dunno..."
"Maybe if you go to sleep now mommy will let you stay up later tomorrow." Added Maehara.
Maya nodded her head, smiling.
"Okay!"
"Atta girl." Said Maehara, patting the little girl on the head. "Hey, how about I take you and your mom out to lunch tomorrow? Sound good?"
"Can we mommy!?" Asked Maya with excitement in her eyes. "We haven't eaten out in ages!"
"... Maybe if you go to bed now." Replied Okano.
"Yaayy!"
Maya rushed back into her room, leaving the two adults smiling.
"Sweet kid you have there." Said Maehara.
"Yeah..." Said Okano.
She got up and walked over to Maehara.
"I like her smile."
"She gets it from her father."
"... So what was her dad like?" Asked Maehara.
Okano looked at Maehara in disbelief.
"Was he a nice guy or-"
Okano answered with another kick to the face.
"Are you really that stupid?"
"Hey!"
"You must be, I mean you seriously don't know who her father is!?"
"... Its Isogai's isn't it?"
Another kick connected with his face.
"Ow!"
"You idiot! Shes your daughter!" Shouted Okano. "You are that girl's father!"
Maehara's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"My...daughter?..."
"She has your hair." Said Okano. "Your stupid hair and your stupid smile!"
"But how... I was safe-"
"You obviously weren't." Okano interupted.
"Okano I'm sorry I didn't know-"
"Oh shut up Maehara, if you were truly sorry you would have come back here years ago."
"I didn't know."
"Oh! You didn't know huh?! You don't know alot of things! You don't know what its like to wake up in a hotel bedroom alone, you don't know what its like to give birth with nobody there to hold your hand and tell you that everything will be okay, To cry yourself to sleep because you don't think you can give your child the happiness he deserves! YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THE SUFFERING I'VE BEEN THROUGH SINCE UP YOU LEFT!"
"Okano... I-I never wanted to hurt you-"
"THEN WHY THE HELL DID YOU PROPOSE TO ME!?"