A/N: Oh wow, um I'm going to be very honest with you guys I wasn't really expecting anyone to review this much less encourage this fic...so thank you all for your reviews and support! (Though I am very afraid of not living up to expectations that I have for this story or you guys, but I do want this fic to be what Ayano and Yan dad never got the chance to have.) I'm going to try my best at writing this fanfic, and I hope to better my own skills since I haven't written anything since...like 2015 (please I beg of you avoid my old fics)? So I'm incredibly rusty but I'll do my best at this promise!

Chapter 2: Aftermath

Michio bowed his head, as the priest began the sutra. After being released from the hospital did he start organizing a funeral for Ryoba, the sooner he can get this over with. Family from his side had shown up, friends of Ryoba, and co-workers of his (and even a silver haired man he swore looked familiar) came to pay their respects. He looked for Ryoba's own parents but they haven't yet to be seen, even though they decided to have Ryoba's remains at the Aishi Family burial plot. He lit the stick of incense, and Ayano lit hers next.

Ryoba's parents never came.

It was only after the prayers had ended and the line of mourners gave their condolences to him and Ayano is when they were finally left alone. The smell of incense burning filled the air, and he took one last glance at the smiling photo of Ryoba, surrounded by a sea of white flowers, before he took a hold of Ayano's small hand (her hand was so tiny compared to his) in his own. It was just the two of them now, and he's going to do his best for her.

"Ayano," Michio began, he gently lead her towards the door. "let's go home."

Ayano nodded slowly, breaking her gaze away from her mother's face, letting her father lead her away, "Okay."

They walked away together from Ryoba, the door closing shut behind them with a heavy thud.

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When returning home Michio decided, after days of eating takeout, he would make them a homemade meal instead.

The first attempt at making dinner for him and his daughter was disastrous. He hasn't cooked since middle school, and after high school Ryoba took over cooking when they began to "date". He thought a simple soup would be easy enough to make, he's practically watched his mother do it many times so it should be easy enough to replicate. It shouldn't be that hard right?

But he so incredibly wrong.

He did his best to make a simple chicken soup, but it came out burnt somehow, the potatoes too hard and the carrots too soggy, the broth too salty and it caught on fire twice. After fighting the second fire, which his brave little Ayano threw baking soda to snuffle the fire out, did he consider going out instead.

"Ah-aha that didn't go how I planned at all!" He laughed nervously, then yelped as he batted away another small fire. He grabs the pot (still pipping hot) with his bare hands and threw it into the sink, as Ayano watched behind him with wide eyes. A small silence filled the kitchen as the soup gurgled down the drain. There was no way of saving that soup, he believed. Turning to his daughter hands clapped perfectly, Michio said brightly," So how about some noodles!"

Ayano could only stare at him in disbelief.

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"Welcome to Hoshi Noodles!" a waitress greeted them cheerfully," what can I get for you two?"

Michio instinctively shrunk himself back from the waitress, feeling the sudden urge to hide himself from the young woman. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the waitress, appearance wise she seemed normal (then again so did Ryoba, he stopped himself by going with that thought process), but it didn't chase away the fear he had when interacting with other women. He had been lucky so far that most of their hosts were men, but even if she's gone he still felt fear creeping up inside him.

"O-Oh, I'll have the pork ramen please," Michio said meekly, his eyes refusing to look away from the wooden table," Ayano what would you like?"

"Miso please," Ayano said quietly.

"Ah! She's so adorable!" their waitress cooed," hold on just a sec, I'll be back with your drinks!"

And as soon as the waitress left, the tension left Michio. Ryoba may not be here anymore, but the marks she left behind were deep. The little noodle shop was luckily close by, what it lacked in space it made up in comfort and hospitality. It certainly felt more welcoming than his home right now, with it's bright colors, and soft chatter of nearby costumers, and the warm atmosphere made him relax slightly.

Michio glanced over to Ayano, noticing her gazing around the and taking in their surroundings with a curious eyes. He almost laughed out loud at her trying to mimic another child's expression to what he assumed to be a pout. With her face scrunched up, eyebrows knitted together and lip jutting out it looked a bit silly, since she always had a blank expression on. He sputters in laughter when she tried a to cross her eyes next. Ayano looked back at him, face now schooled back to it's normal blank stare, with what seemed to be a look of satisfaction in her gray eyes. He chuckled to himself as he watched her go back to her previous actions, feeling his spirits rise a bit more. Michio never really had that much time to interact with his daughter, much to his sadness, with Ryoba constantly keeping him on edge and her own possessiveness to keep his attention, made him afraid of Ryoba's own actions of jealousy. Even towards their own daughter. It was a deep fear he had, one he never wants to see come true again.

And he never will.

He wasn't sure about his own feelings to Ryoba's sudden death, his own emotions where a bit of a mess, but he knows for one thing that is certain. Ryoba can't hurt anyone anymore, and he was was finally free. He can finally spend time with his daughter without fear hanging over him. Ayano was already ten, and he had much so much to make up for with what he couldn't do before. He wanted his daughter to be happy, to see a smile (a real one this time) from her in joy. He would whatever it took to make sure she was happy and well. And for that too happen he needed to fight his own demons to.

"Dad, our food is here," Ayano's voice startled him from his thoughts.

"Oh! Let's dig in!" Michio already shoving a generous amount of noodles in him mouth.

"Dad, wait the waitress said to-"

"OW HOT!"

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"Dad, it's okay,"

Michio pulled the covers over Ayano, tucking her into her bed. After they finished their dinner, he brought them back home since it was getting late. Michio carried her back home, tired, but with a lighter heart. It was a long day, and they could go and rest themselves for the new day. After changing, Michio went to tuck his daughter into bed before he left for his own room.

"What do you mean by that Aya-chan?" Michio asked, wondering what Ayano had meant by that. The hot broth may have stung him a bit but he assured her he was alright. Did she mean when he burnt his hands with the pot?

"It's okay if you cry, Sensei said people cry when sad things happen, so you can cry," Ayano gray eyes met his," it's okay to cry."

Michio felt his throat swell, his eyes stung with tears. His own daughter was trying to comfort him, and he was the one who was supposed to do that. But Ayano saw it instead to do it. It was a lot to take in, even when he knows what he felt towards Ryoba was mixture of resentment, anger and sadness, it didn't stop the sense of grief he felt. He smiled at Ayano, he held her hand and gently squeezed it.

"Thank you Aya-chan," his voice sounded tight, he brushed away the prickled of tears," thank you for trying to make me feel better. "

After kissing her head, and wishing her a good night, Michio closes the door and slowly walked back to his own room. He felt the journey to his rooms seemed to drag on as he walked towards the door, but he pushed on and let himself in. There was a faint smell of perfume that Ryoba wore, he really did his best to get rid of the scent, but it still seemed to linger. Michio undressed, and prepared himself for sleep. It took him longer than usual, but he wasn't eager to what awaited him in his dreams. In the end, tiredness overcame him and he felt his eyes begin to droop. He found himself in that room again, a cold sense of dread fell over him when he heard that dreaded name again.

"Senpai."

He screamed.

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(Bonus scene)

Michio stopped before the doors with a sudden shock expression crossing his face. Ayano stopped walking and looked up at her father with a confused expression at his sudden halt. Did he forget something, Ayano wondered to herself, looking over her shoulders to see if she can spot what they may have left behind. There wasn't anything that may have indicated her father's shock, but before she got the chance to ask him herself she found a bag of salt in her face.

"I almost forgot about the salt!" he said, trying to open the plastic bag in a desperate speed," don't forget to toss it when we get outside or spirits will follow us!"

"Can mom follow us?" Ayano asked already grabbing out a handful of salt. She thought mom should be able to come home with them since she promised to never leave her father's side. So she should be able to come with them. Her father was already tossing the salt around them, and froze at her question.

"No," was her father's immediate reply, he looked horrified by the idea," no, I mean how else will she find rest? Ayano toss the salt okay! Toss all that you can!"

Ayano toss the salt along with the entire contents of the plastic bag that spilled onto the sidewalk. A brief moment of silence passed between them before Ayano turned to her father with a questioning look. "Like that?" she asked.

"Y-Yeah like that."

At least she couldn't follow them in death.

A/N: So sorry for the wait, it came out longer than what I intended it to be, but I think I did well...I hope. Originally the funeral scene was to come out a lot,longer, but I didn't like how Michio was coming out so I erased the the original scenes. Also I apologize if Michio caught anyone off guard, I thought I should at least give YanDad a name so here he is Michio Aishi. Thank you again for your support! Bonus scene was where you throw salt so the spirits don't follow you home, but with hos i ended the scene it felt like it didn't fit so here it is as a bonus scene