A Romance Begins To Bloom

Akira took a bite of his oden, "Oh yum! This is some delicious oden, Shino!" he exclaimed.

"I am so very glad that you like my cooking, Akira." Shino said.

After dinner, it was time for Koharu and her father to head home.

"See you tomorrow on the baseball field, Koharu." Ryo said.

"See you tomorrow on the baseball field, Ryo." Koharu said.

Koharu stepped outside into the cool spring night air as Ryo went up to her bedroom to get ready for bed, but Akira & Shino both stood at the front door.

"So, Shino," Akira asked. "while the girls are at school, would you like to come home to Tosa with me for a beach side picnic?"

"Are you asking me out," Shino asked Akira casually. "on a date?"

"Of course I am," Akira answered Shino. "so, will you go out with me?"

"Oh, Akira," Shino began hesitantly. "I don't know..."

From her bedroom window, Ryo could tell that the plan that she & Koharu had cooked up was beginning to unravel.

From her place at the end of the walkway, Koharu could tell that the plan that she & Ryo had cooked up was beginning to unravel.

"Koharu," Ryo called out of her bedroom window, she was now in her pajamas. "code red!"

"Got it, Ryo!" Koharu called back.

Koharu ran back to Shino & her dad's location.

"It's not that you are not a nice man..." Koharu heard Shino saying to Akira hesitantly.

"Dad! You are losing her," Koharu whispered fiercely. "ask her again."

"Shino," Akira asked again. "would you like to come home to Tosa with me for a beach side picnic?"

Akira poured on his manly charm this time.

"Oh, Akira," Shino said. "I will go out on a date with you tomorrow while the girls are at school!"

The next morning, Ryo came downstairs in her summer school uniform with her gym bag containing her baseball uniform in her left hand and her backpack upon her back to find her mother packing for her picnic.

"Good morning, Mom." Ryo said.

"Good morning, Sweetheart." Shino said.

"Packing for your picnic with Mr. Hotta I see?" Ryo asked her mother.

"That I am," Shino answered Ryo. "are you ready for breakfast now?"