Yoshiro: Wait, this Aki girl is gonna come with me to my parents'?

amielrox: That's right, Spex..

Yoshiro: But why?!

amielrox: Cos she likes you... you stupid little heartbreaker. (Affectionately punches Yoshiro's arm.)

Yoshiro: oww... Wait, she does?

amielrox: Mm-hmm...

CHAPTER 3: AKI'S REQUEST

Yoshiro and Aki were walking towards Yoshiro's old house. Yoshiro was still dreadfully nervous. Aki, on the other hand, was pretty cheerful.

"Well, here we are." said Yoshiro, as they arrived at the front of the house.

"It looks cute." said Aki, observing the cozy-looking house.

"By 'cute' you mean small?" Yoshiro asked jokingly.

"No! No! I didn't mean that!" Aki said, panicked. She appeared to be very careful around Yoshiro.

Recognizing this, Yoshiro had another flashback...

Young Yoshiro and Angel were once again sitting under the acacia tree.

"So... Angel, what do your friends say about me...?" asked Yoshiro.

"Well... they said you were a crybaby and that your glasses made you look like a bug..." said Angel.

"That's mean!" Yoshiro said, tears welling up in his eyes. He hugged his knees and looked at the ground.

"Yoro-kun! Don't cry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I said that!" Angel then looked away, feeling guilty.

"...Angel?" Yoshiro said, as he saw Angel's guilt, "Hey, it's okay; it's not your fault..."

Yoshiro then held Angel's hand and said, "You're the nicest person I've ever met, Angel. You're not like the others in school; they're mean to me for the smallest reasons... But you're nice to me and you liked me even though others say I'm yucky."

The flashback ended and Yoshiro looked at Aki, who was still looking sorry.

"Hey, stop apologizing, I was kidding!" Yoshiro said, chuckling.

"Okay..." Aki replied. They then walk up to the house. Yoshiro knocked on the door.

They waited for a while and then are greeted by a kind-looking man. The man looked quite young but the white streaks on his brown hair suggested that he was in either his late 40's or early 50's. He wore glasses and a bright red shirt. Aki was surprised because he and Yoshiro looked so alike.

"Dad... it's me, Yoshiro..." said Yoshiro, taking off his hat to fully show his face.

The man looked at him for a while.

"Y-Yoshiro...? Son?" the man asked as he gazed upon his fully grown boy.

Yoshiro was suddenly embraced by his father, who was overjoyed with reuniting with his long lost son.

Yoshiro's father then called, "Yumiko! Yoshino! Hurry! Get over here!"

A woman then ran over to the doorway. She had black hair tied in a middle ponytail. She had a friendly motherly face and she also wore glasses.

"What is it, Rai?" she asked.

She then saw at the doorway, her son, now fully grown and so handsome. She looked at him with pride and hugged him.

"Yoshiro! Oh, son!" she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hi, Mom..." was all Yoshiro could say.

Then, another person came over. She was as tall as her mother and had waist-long black hair. She also wore glasses. She looked like she was around nineteen.

"What is it, Dad" she asked.

"Yoshino, can't you recognize you own brother?" Rai asked her.

Yoshino looked at Yoshiro.

"Oniichan?" she asked.

She then ran towards him and hugged him. After seventeen years, Yoshiro was reunited with his family. Aki couldn't help but get a warm feeling in her heart when she witnessed this touching scene.

Rai then saw Aki. "Son! Is this girl here your wife?" he asked Yoshiro.

Aki blushed and said, "No! I just came here with him! I only met him today!"

Yoshiro and Aki were then invited inside and they had lunch together.

A few hours passed and it was time for Yoshiro to leave. Yoshiro and Aki were standing at the door, facing Rai, Yumiko, and Yoshino.

"It's great to see you again... I'm sorry I ran away... I'm sorry you never got to see me grow up..." Yoshiro said to his parents.

"Oh, son... what's important is that you came back..." said Yumiko.

"I'll be moving here in Cael soon, probably for good." said Yoshiro.

"Really? You'll come over every day, right, Oniichan?" asked Yoshino.

"Of course!"

"Son... Remember to take care of yourself." said Rai.

"I will, Dad."

"And get a haircut," Yumiko added.

"Mom..."

Yumiko then looked at Aki, then at Yoshiro.

"You're very lucky, Son. She's a very pretty girl." she said.

"Mom!"

Yumiko then looked at Aki again. "Take care of Yoshiro; he can't take care of himself..." she said to her.

"B-but..." Aki muttered, blushing again.

"Bye, everyone!" Yoshiro said as he grabbed Aki by the hand and walked away.

"I'll be back tomorrow!" he added, just before he and Aki walked out of sight.

Yoshiro and Aki arrive at the front of the pub. Yoshiro was still holding Aki's hand.

"Thanks for going with me..." said Yoshiro to Aki.

"Th-thanks too..."Aki said, gently brushing Yoshiro's hand off hers.

They just stand there.

"Aren't you going back in there?" Yoshiro asked.

"Nope," Aki replied, "I'm not going back there. That pub is holding me back."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm not gonna lock myself up in that pub. I want a life of adventure."

"'Adventure'??"

"Yes."

She then held Yoshiro's right hand with two of hers and said, "Please! Take me with you! I want to be a vigilante just like you!"

Yoshiro smiled at her and said, "But you don't know anything about fighting..."

"Teach me! I'm a fast learner!"

Yoshiro looked at the ground, then at Aki's face. It looked so much like Angel's.

"Angel..." he thought.

He then placed his right hand over Aki's hands and said, "I can't say no to you..."

He then hugged Aki as if he was hugging Angel.

They just stood there in each other's arms until the sun had completely set into the horizon.

-end of chapter

wasn't that romantic?