"I'm going to be visiting my parents soon. You sure you don't want to come along?"

"Who's supposed to look after our lovely children while you're away, I wonder?"

"Ah, that's right. I guess it can't be helped. I'm glad you're such a responsible mother."

"If I were as irresponsible as you, we'd surely lose custody of our kids, I suppose."

"That's for sure. You know, I'm really grateful that you're the person I ended up with. I can't imagine myself being happier than this."

"… I don't need you stating the obvious, I suppose. Also, when you see Naoko and Kenichi, can you give them my regards? It's been so long since I've last seen them."

"Will do. Hey, _?"

"What is it, I wonder?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, _."

From Today, It Will All Be Memories

"Mmm… Ten more minutes." The man grunted as he turned off his alarm clock. He tried going back to bed when something started pulling on his bed sheets.

"Wake up, daddy. Mommy is almost done with breakfast, I think." A cute voice insisted.

Desperate for those few extra minutes of sleep, the man protested "Not now, sweetie. Even though I will surely regret it, I can't deny my body the urge to sleep just a few minutes longer."

Still tugging at the man to get up, the girl reminded "But mommy will be sad if you're not there, I think."

"She'll get over it." The man murmured.

After puffing her cheeks, the little girl pleaded "Please, daddy? Will you get up for me?"

"Hrrrgh?!" The man grunted whose heart was pierced by the girl's request.

Unable to resist her any longer, the man came up with one last idea "Please understand, sweetie. I physically can't get up right now. I've contracted the 'my lovely daughter is too cute' virus. For my sake, please let me rest for about ten more minutes or else I'll never recover."

"A-Alright, please get better soon." The girl sadly answered as she left the room.

Once the little girl left the room, the man bolted out of bed as he screamed "Ahh! What have I done?! How could I deceive my gullible daughter like that?! I'm going to be sent straight to bad daddy hell!"

After scrambling to put on his work attire, the man bolted down the stairs and announced "Subaru Natsuki is here!"

The first thing he saw was the little girl who tried waking him up. The girl's hazel eyes matched her lightly brown hair that was styled into a ponytail.

Since the ten minutes weren't up yet, the little girl warned "No, daddy, stay away from me! Your virus will come back, I think!"

"I'll take that chance if it means spoiling my cute little Kyoko." Subaru beamed as he patted the girl's head.

"Help, mommy! Daddy is going to die because of my cuteness!" Kyoko pleaded desperately.

As she put the finishing touches on breakfast, the girl smiled "That's no good, I'm afraid. Subaru may only die by my cuteness, I suppose."

Looking up at Subaru with sparkling eyes, Kyoko asked "Does that mean daddy is invincible?!"

Continuing to pat Kyoko's head, Subaru sighed "As amazing as that sounds, it actually just means that your mommy is my biggest weakness. Isn't that right, Beako?"

Giggling at the absurdity, Beatrice beamed "Doubtlessly, in fact."

Once Beatrice finished cooking breakfast, she immediately ran over to Kyoko. Rubbing her cheek against the girl, Beatrice beamed "I'm sorry, but I just got so jealous watching Subaru spoil you. What am I going to do about that absurd adorableness of yours, I wonder? Your cuteness might even surpass my own, I suppose."

Defenseless against her mother's assault, Kyoko giggled "Heehee. Mommy, that tickles."

"What the heck is going on here?"

At the doorway was a young boy with jet black hair and had an intimidating gaze that was partially hidden by his glasses.

Turning to see the arrival of a sour-faced boy, Subaru greeted "Sup, Hayato. We're just doing our early morning family rituals. Wanna join in?"

Recoiling at the thought, Hayato yelled "Ew, no way!"

Spreading her arms out in front of her, Beatrice offered with a smile "Now, now. No need to act so shy. You have my permission to run into your beloved mother's arms. Now come here, I suppose."

"Gross!" Hayato exclaimed with a disgusted look on his face.

Running over to Hayato, Kyoko beamed "Good morning, bro!"

Scratching the back of his head, Hayato sheepishly replied "M-Mornin'."

After the family finished breakfast, the two children put on their shoes as they were about to head off to elementary school.

Coming to see the two children off, Beatrice smiled "Have a nice day at school, and be careful, okay?"

Raising her hand in the air, Kyoko beamed "Okay!"

Looking away from Beatrice, Hayato grumbled "I don't need you to tell me that."

Unsatisfied by Hayato's answer, Beatrice added "And Kyoko? Can you make sure our problem child stays out of trouble, I wonder?"

Grabbing Hayato's hand, Kyoko confidently said "Yes, I'll take care of him!"

Embarrassed by the girl's touch, Hayato protested "H-Hey-"

Starting to rush out of the door, Kyoko frowned "C'mon, Hayato, we're going to be late, I think!"

Beatrice watched with adoring eyes as her two children left for school. After a fleeting feeling of loneliness hit her, Beatrice shook it off as her thoughts went to another person.

With her hands to her blushing cheeks, Beatrice beamed "Now I can have my special lovey-dovey alone time with my husband, I suppose!"

"Actually, I'm heading off to work now." Subaru corrected with a suitcase in hand.

"Gyaa! But you just returned from your trip last night!" Beatrice screamed, and stomping her feet on the ground, she added furiously "You better take responsibility if I die of loneliness by the time you get back, I suppose!"

Putting on his shoes, Subaru chuckled "I'll make sure to spoil you once I get back. Huh, what are you putting on your shoes for?"

Finished putting on her shoes as well, Beatrice sighed "It can't be helped. I'd better accompany my hopeless husband to the station or else he'll die of loneliness, I suppose."

"Remind me who was just complaining about dying from loneliness? Also, it's rare for you to walk with me to the station."

"I walk with you to the station every day, I suppose! Pay more attention to your lovely wife's honest displays of affection!"

"Sorry, sorry." Subaru sheepishly apologized.

With that topic coming to an end, Beatrice wondered "So, how was your trip to see Naoko, I wonder?"

"It was a relief to see that she was doing okay." Subaru sighed as he went on "I've been worried about her ever since dad died, but mom seems even more cheerful these days. At first, I thought it was a front, but she seems genuinely happy."

Thinking back on the man's personality, Beatrice concluded "Maybe she inherited a fraction your father's bright outlook. Even if he died, that man's overwhelming presence couldn't simply vanish into thin air, I suppose."

"I hate to admit it, but you're right. My dad really likes to surpass every possible expectation." Subaru sighed as he recalled the previous night "Oh, yeah. Sorry for going straight to bed last night. I know I have a duty to look after you guys too, but I was just so drained after traveling home that I fell asleep as soon as I laid down on the bed."

With an idea coming to mind, Beatrice suggested "If you want to make it up to me, consider taking your lovely wife out on a date one of these days, I suppose."

"I promise to take you out on a date the next time I'm off." Subaru promised.

Looking at her husband skeptically, Beatrice smirked "Oho? Don't you know how dangerous it is to make a promise to a spirit, I wonder? If you break it, there will surely be hell to pay."

"Then I better come up with a guaranteed-not-to-bomb date plan." Subaru chuckled, and remembering something important, he added "I can't believe we've already been married for ten years."

With a gentle smile on her face, Beatrice reminisced "Indeed. It's a shame you haven't developed so much since then. Even though you've added a few inches to your height, you're still the foolish boy who pestered me every day. You lower the value of adulthood, I suppose."

Overcome by disbelief, Subaru overreacted "Impossible! I pay my taxes and complain about politics just like any other responsible adult!"

"Then tell me, what did you do on your last day off, I wonder?" Beatrice questioned.

Remembering that blissful day, Subaru drooled "I laid down on the couch and watched Jojo all day."

With fake tears welling up in her eyes, Beatrice sighed "What am I to do with such a hopeless husband? If it wasn't for my dutiful work, we'd surely be eating out of dumpsters and living under bridges, I suppose."

With his contributions being overlooked, Subaru sighed "Remind me who pays the bills and buys everything?"

"Not me, I suppose!" Beatrice exclaimed with a bright smile.

With the spirit's smile reminding him of someone, Subaru wondered "How do you think Emilia-tan is doing?"

"How am I supposed to know that, I wonder? After all, it's been seven years since we've been to that world."

Noticing the people around them, Subaru reasoned "They'll probably just think we're talking about video games or some other nonsense." With that thought in mind, Subaru continued the conversation "Yeah, it's a shame that we can't go visit them. Why did you have to use all of your mana in that final fight?!"

With Subaru challenging Beatrice to an argument, and with Beatrice accepting, the two started going back and forth.

"Remind me, who was the one who told me 'Betty, if you have any trump cards, use them now', I wonder?!"

"Yeah, but I didn't think that your Al Shabby or whatever would use up so much of your MP! You barely had enough mana for the trip here!"

"Did you just insult the most powerful Yin Magic in front of the most powerful Yin user, I wonder?"

"You're about as much as a magical user as I am right now with your empty tank."

"And whose fault is that, I wonder?"

Once their bickering came to an end, the two shared a laugh as they fondly recalled memories of their time in the other world.

With another topic coming to mind, Subaru asked "How were the kids while I was away? I imagine Kyoko was a shining angel as always, so what I'm really asking is did Hayato misbehave?"

With the smile on her face vanishing, Beatrice recalled "Nothing in particular stands out about his behavior while you were gone, I suppose."

With his hopes betraying him, Subaru asked in a sigh "So, he was still cold to you the entire time?"

With her shoulders drooping, Beatrice sighed as well "Correct, I suppose."

Looking at the downcast expression on Beatrice's face, Subaru asked "Not that I regret adopting Hayato because we needed at least one sane person in our family, but why did you adopt a kid who would automatically hate you from the start? He might've been better off adopted by a single man."

"You may be right in thinking that; however, I couldn't stop myself, I suppose." Beatrice softly smiled as she remembered meeting Hayato for the first time.

Six months ago, when Beatrice first saw a child reading a book alone in a corner of the room, she was drawn to him.

Even though the child's face turned sour by her approach, Beatrice still asked "Child, would you like to come with me, I wonder?"

"Why's a kid treating me like a kid? Real adults aren't supposed to be short." Hayato grumbled back.

With her hands to her hips, Beatrice smiled confidently "That's because adulthood is beneath me, I suppose."

Almost a minute passed by with silence until Hayato hesitantly asked "Do… Do you know how to make good food?"

Having only prepared sweets up to this point, Beatrice started to sweat as she stuttered "Err, well, I could always learn, I suppose."

Eyeing the nervous girl before him carefully, Hayato sighed "Fine, but if you make me eat anything nasty, I'll come running back here."

Once Beatrice's reminiscing was over, she concluded "He reminded me of myself when I was trapped in the Forbidden Archives. He seems content with being alone; however, he craves human interaction, I suppose."

Only taking away one thing from that explanation, Subaru smiled "So, what you're saying is that he's a tsundere?"

"Indeed, I suppose." Beatrice smiled in return.

"You do realize that he probably said yes to your adoption offer because you don't actually look like an adult, right?" Subaru teased.

With a smile still present on her lips, Beatrice answered "If it helps Hayato get over his trauma, then I don't mind, I suppose."

Subaru was trying to find a way to continue their discussion when he exclaimed "Whoa, we're already at the station?! That was fast!"

"Attentiveness was never really your forte, I suppose." Beatrice teased.

Knowing that the spirit couldn't follow him further, Subaru waved "Well, I'm taking off now."

"As you should be. Take care, Subaru." Beatrice softly smiled as she watched Subaru take off for work.

Once the spirit returned home, Beatrice assembled all her cleaning equipment and stated "Foolish dust and messes are no match for the unrivaled might of Great Spirit Betty, I suppose! I'll make short work of these trifling matters!"

"… However, it's not like the cleaning must be done immediately, I suppose. I'll just lounge around for a little bit and then-"

-Seven hours later-

"Oopsie, I suppose." Beatrice smiled guiltily and added "Time means very little to a spirit, after all."

Finally getting up from the couch, Beatrice sighed "It would be shameful of me to slack off anymore, I suppose. Time to get to-"

"Mommy!" A voiced screamed accompanied by the sound of a door slamming open. Not bothering to take off her shoes, Kyoko ran straight to the living where Beatrice was.

Starting to sweat from her daughter's intense gaze, Beatrice panicked "P-Please don't misunderstand, sweet Kyoko. Before you call your dear mother a useless deadweight, please hear me out. It's not like I was lounging around doing nothing all day, I just-"

"Hayato's missing!" Kyoko screamed, interrupting her nervous mother.

With her panicking shifting to another cause, Beatrice asked "Quickly, tell me what happened."

"I-I don't know. I turned around to talk to him, but he was gone, I think." Kyoko answered with tears forming in her eyes.

Patting her daughter's head, Beatrice instructed "Don't worry, Kyoko. Your amazing mother will find him no matter what. For now, go play at the neighbor's house, okay?"

"Y-Yeah." Kyoko nodded.

Scrambling to get her shoes on, Beatrice suppressed her fears as she sighed "That boy really does cause me nothing but trouble, I suppose. Even if he's adopted, those two have a lot in common."

"… I'm lost." Hayato stated once he entered a part of town he was unfamiliar with. Hayato promised himself that when he made it back to the house today, he would stop acting coldly to those two.

"Heyo, Hayato. How's my number one son doing?"

"Big bro! Let's play a game together!"

Hayato would never admit it to their faces, but those two really did move his heart. If he could come home to just those two, maybe he wouldn't be having this much trouble settling in.

But there was also her.

"Welcome home, Hayato. You know, if you're feeling lonely, I wouldn't mind hugging you, I suppose."

His other guardian was a little girl who was old enough to be called an adult and talked in a strange manner.

The girl did nothing to deserve his distrust; however, whenever he looked at her, images of the one who birthed him flashed in his mind.

The woman who gave birth to Hayato was someone he could never call "mother".

"I love you, so tell me where you hid mommy's stuff. You don't want mommy to get upset, right?"

"You'll get upset even if I give it to you-"

"Hey, I said I love you, dammit! So be a good little boy and tell me where my medicine is! Don't you love your mommy?!"

"I don't have a mom!"

That woman is currently in jail and Hayato ended up in foster care. Because of his birth mother's warped personality, Hayato's idea of what a mother is ended up warped as well. Even after he was taken in by the Natsuki's, he never once lowered his guard around the short adult girl.

Tired of his own unrest, Hayato decided that today he would find that place on his own, that place he wants to call home. For that purpose, Hayato snuck away from his sister and tried returning to that place without her aid.

And for that reason, Hayato became lost in every sense of the word.

"Maybe I didn't belong with them after all." Hayato uttered with no emotion present in his voice.

"Hayato!"

The boy froze when he heard his named being called, because the person who shouted at him was a little girl whose eyes reminded him of butterflies and with hair that looked like upside-down ice cream.

Running up to the boy, Beatrice grabbed his hand and exclaimed "I was worried, I suppose!"

Seeing the panting girl in front him, Hayato asked dumbfoundedly "H-How did you find me?"

After catching her breath, Beatrice explained "It's my job to track down my hopeless children, I suppose. Come now, we're heading home before sweet Kyoko worries any longer."

Hesitantly accepting the girl's guidance, Hayato lowered his head and uttered "Okay."

The two walked in silence for a few minutes until Beatrice hesitantly questioned "Was my… Was my cooking really that bad, I wonder?"

"Huh?" Hayato asked bewilderedly, but remembering what she was referring to, Hayato added "No, your cooking is fine. I just got lost on my way back is all."

"Ah, that's a relief." Beatrice sighed as she went on to explain "I was worried that I would have to start going to actual cooking lessons. I don't enjoy it when I'm told what to do by huma- I mean, I don't like being instructed in person unless it's from people I've grown fond of, I suppose."

With his hand still being held by the girl, Hayato asked "Why are you so nice to me?"

"Is it not my job to be nice to my child, I wonder?" Beatrice asked as she continued to walk in front of the boy.

"Even if I'm so mean to you?" Hayato questioned.

Thinking back to her past, Beatrice confessed "You know, there was a time where I was a very mean person. Subaru was even a target for my coldness, I suppose."

"Y-You were? But you're so…" Hayato tried arguing; however, the words got stuck in his throat.

Trying to relate with the boy, Beatrice explained "I think I can understand how you feel. After all, we are the same in a lot of ways, I suppose. We were both left behind. As a result, we closed ourselves off to distance ourselves from the pain others might bring."

"It took an agonizing amount of time for me to realize this, but that way of living is just too tragic. You need someone to show you a better way to live, so I've decided to take up that role the same way Subaru saved me all those years ago, I suppose."

"As long as I'm here, I won't let you suffer from loneliness, I suppose." Beatrice concluded, showing the child a bright smile.

With his grip on the girl's hand slightly tightening, Hayato cautiously asked "Do… Do you mean it?

Turning back around to guide them, Beatrice replied "Of course I do. You're somebody I love, after all."

"That's a lie. I've never given you a reason to love me." Hayato objected skeptically.

"Even if you don't see me as a mother, I still think of you as a son, and it goes without saying that I would unconditionally love any child of mine, I suppose." Beatrice answered with a smile that Hayato couldn't see.

Feeling Hayato's hand starting to tremble, Beatrice turned around and asked "Hayato, what is it, I wonder?"

Through his blurred vision, Hayato pleaded "Will you…"

Noticing the fat tears running down his face, Beatrice panicked "H-Hayato? What is it? What's wrong, I wonder?"

"Will you be my mommy?"

The weight of Hayato's plea dazed Beatrice whose thought process completely shut down as if her heart was struck by something tangible.

"Ah…" Beatrice uttered with her free hand covering her mouth from shock. It didn't take long for tears to form in her eyes as well. Not able to contain it any longer, Beatrice lunged towards the boy and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

Pulling her son close, Beatrice wept "Of course I will, I suppose!"

"M-Mommy! Mommy!" Hayato wept on his mother's shoulder as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Back at the Natsuki's residence, Subaru boldly entered the house as he announced "Subaru Natsuki has returned after another long day of refreshing work!"

"Daddy!" Kyoko exclaimed as she ran to the door to greet him.

"Hey, Kyoko. What's…" Subaru warmly greeted; however, he realized "Huh? Your face reminds me of a person who just got blasted by a blue shell right before winning a race. Did something happen?"

Jogging in place, Kyoko panicked as she spoke quickly "Daddy, help! I was walking home from school with Hayato when he disappeared right behind me. Then I came home and told mommy, so now mommy's out looking for him and she told me to play with the neighbors, but they don't have video games, so I just stayed here."

"Huh?! They don't have video games?! Wait, that's seems like the least of my problems right now." Subaru yelled, but added under his breath "Dammit, why didn't she tell me?"

With her eyes tearing up, Kyoko asked "Daddy, what are we going to do?"

Patting the girl's head, Subaru comforted the little girl "You don't have to worry about a thing, Kyoko. Your amazing daddy will bring back those two idiots!"

"Who's the wise guy calling me an idiot, I wonder?"

Turning around to see his wife, Subaru exclaimed "Speak of the devil and he shall appear! Beako, where's-"

Subaru was in the middle of asking for his son's whereabouts, but his question was immediately answered when he saw Hayato sleeping soundly on Beatrice's back.

"So tired, I suppose." Beatrice sighed as she collapsed to the floor.

Rushing to his wife's aid, Subaru worriedly asked "If you're going to collapse, you could at least wait until Hayato is off your back! Are you okay, Beako?"

Once Subaru picked up Hayato, Beatrice pleaded "Subaru, I've worked hard enough to deserve a reward, yes? If so, could you go to the amusement park and fetch me some of that delicious blueberry ice cream, I wonder?"

"I'm not buying an amusement park ticket just to get you an overpriced ice cream cone that would melt by the time I got back!" Subaru exclaimed as he set Hayato down on the couch and added to his daughter "Can you wake Hayato up for me? Knowing how angelic you are, you'll surely be gentler than I would be. I'm going to make sure your mom is alright."

"Alright leave it to me, I think!"

Preparing her hand, Kyoko demanded "Wake up, I think!"

As Subaru walked back to the front door, he heard a sharp sound followed by a shout "Oww!"

Returning to his wife, Subaru teased "I'm surprised you carried him all the way back here. Your loli strength is impressive."

"Shaddup. I'm too exhausted to banter with you, I suppose. Carrying that boy home isn't that difficult; however, I got lost so I walked around needlessly."

"You know, it kind of defeats the purpose if the search party gets lost on the way back." Subaru lectured, and picking up his wife, he added "Thanks for bringing Hayato home."

Happy to be in her husband's arms, Beatrice beamed "You're welcome, I suppose."

Seeing that Beatrice was sweating all over, Subaru offered "Since you worked so hard today, I'll treat you to my level ninety-nine cooking tonight."

Wanting to fulfil her role, Beatrice insisted "No, it's alright. It's my duty as housewife to prepare meals, after all-"

"No way. After taking care of the house and finding Hayato, you must be exhausted. I'll FIX that spaghetti." Subaru stated decisively.

"A-Ah, well, if you're so adamant about it, I won't stop you, I-I suppose." Beatrice stuttered guilty as she hoped "I-It's not like he'll notice a little dust, correct?"

As Beatrice rested on the couch, Subaru prepared dinner that he finished without incident. Once the family gathered at the table, dinner proceeded normally.

Once he finished his food, Hayato looked away timidly and stuttered "T-Thanks for the meal."

Dropping his fork in his food, Subaru exclaimed "W-What the heck kind of RNG was that?! I must've boosted my luck stat today for that random event to happen!"

"Or maybe you leveled up your cooking skill to the point where Hayato couldn't remained unfazed by the delicious food, I suppose."

Turning towards the bragging man, a surprised Hayato asked "Wait, you made this?"

With a smug smile, Subaru boasted "Yup, yup! Your caring father was the one who made this meal!"

"Then it's garbage." Hayato corrected decisively with his face turning sour.

"HUUUUHHHHHH?! Subaru screamed as he fell to the floor.

After everyone finished their food and once the dishes were cleaned, Subaru and Beatrice entered their room and got ready for bed.

After putting on her pink nightgown, Beatrice dived onto the bed and beamed "Now I can finally have alone time with-"

"Sorry, Beako, but I'm really tired. Goodnight." Subaru yawned as he got comfortable in the bedsheets.

With her smile broken, Beatrice jumped on Subaru and yelled "There's a limit to how much I can be rejected, I suppose! Please spoil your adorable wife before she starts to hate you!"

"Okay, geez, I was just kidding." Subaru smiled at his wife's persistence as he asked "So, does my wife have any requests?"

"Cuddles please, I suppose." Beatrice smiled as she rested her forehead against Subaru's and wrapped her arms around him.

Returning the tender embrace, Subaru chuckled "You're still so loving after all these years."

"That's to be expected from a caring spirit such as myself, I suppose." Beatrice stated with her smile turning smug.

The two enjoyed each other's warmth until Beatrice broke the silence "Hey, Subaru?"

Noticing the difference in her tone, Subaru asked "What is it?"

Little did Subaru know, Beatrice was about to bring up the biggest rough patch in their marriage yet.

"Do you still smoke, I wonder?" Beatrice cautiously asked.

Still bearing a trauma to that topic, Subaru remembered the time Beatrice caught him smoking on his way to pick up groceries.

"If you're going to die either way, I'd rather kill you myself! That way, I'll be the closest person to you when you're on your deathbed, I suppose!" Subaru remembered his wife's screams as she attacked him without reserve. The next day, Subaru had to go to the emergency room to make sure nothing was broken.

Noticing the blatant fear on Subaru's face, Beatrice held his hand and added caringly "I won't get mad this time, I suppose."

Finally meeting his wife's gaze, Subaru answered "No, of course I don't."

Still skeptical about the subject, Beatrice questioned "Do you truly mean that, I wonder?"

"Yes. Hiding things from you is wrong, but I would absolutely never lie to you." Subaru stated honestly.

Puffing her cheeks, Beatrice pouted "I would assume you lie to me all the time, I suppose."

"W-Well, I may tell you a small lie here and there but-"

"It's okay, Subaru. I know you would never do anything that would betray my trust, I suppose." Beatrice assured and then went on to ask "Why did you start smoking in the first place, I wonder?"

Scratching the back of his head, Subaru remembered "When I was a kid, I thought my dad was the coolest when he smoked, you know? All the cool people in action movies back then smoked and I thought my dad was just like them. It was childish logic."

"That explains why you started smoking around the time of his death, I suppose."

"Smoking was my last act of defiance towards him." Subaru stated as he went on to explain "He always liked ordering me around, and telling me not to smoke was one of his orders. When he died, it pissed me off so much that he couldn't take his own advice that I…"

"You really do miss him, don't you?"

"That guy?" Subaru scowled; however, he added gently "Yeah, I do. He was my role model, after all."

Starting to play with Subaru's hair, Beatrice whispered "I miss him too, I suppose. You two seemed to be in your natural states when you were together."

Recalling an important event, Beatrice said excitedly "Oh, Subaru. Guess what Hayato did today."

Despite Beatrice's seemingly happy tone, Subaru chuckled "Did he finally snap and start pouring sugar into random cars' gasoline tanks?"

"Hayato called me 'mommy', I suppose." Beatrice beamed with her eyes watering.

"W-Wow." Subaru uttered in amazement and asked curiously "Did you cry?"

"Like a newborn infant, I suppose." Beatrice smiled without shame.

With an idea coming to mind, Subaru suggested "The kids are off school tomorrow, right? How about we go to the amusement park as a family tomorrow to celebrate?"

Recalling Subaru's usual schedule, Beatrice questioned "Don't you have work tomorrow, I wonder?"

"Not if I call off for being sick." Subaru replied with a sinister smirk.

With a sour expression on her face, Beatrice scolded "I feel like others use you as the standard when defining what's 'irresponsible', I suppose."

"Says the person who shirked her duties today." Subaru argued back.

Burying her head in a pillow, Beatrice sighed in defeated "So you noticed after all, I suppose."

Knowing he back his guilty wife into a corner, Subaru persisted "So, what do you say to going to the amusement park tomorrow?"

Raising her head from the pillow, Beatrice hesitated "I don't know. Wouldn't it turn out badly if you were caught, I-"

Interrupting his wife, Subaru offered "I'll buy you blueberry ice cream."

"Okay, let's go, and no changing your mind, I suppose." Beatrice replied instantly which made Subaru wonder if she was ever indecisive on the topic to begin with.

Pulling his wife close once again, Subaru laughed "I love how easy you are to persuade."

Closing her eyes to enjoy his warmth, Beatrice explained "I just don't like to give my husband trouble, and I kind of wish he returned that sentiment, I suppose."

Once again noticing how much Beatrice has changed over the years, Subaru asked "I feel like I've asked this before, but how would the old Beako react to your current easy and warm personality?"

With a smug smile, Beatrice boasted "She would surely be disgusted by how far I've fallen, I suppose!"

"Why are you saying that with so much confidence?!" Subaru exclaimed.

Thinking of Hayato and Kyoko, Beatrice added "Still, I think even her rigid heart would be moved if she saw me raising two adorable children, I suppose."

"And what would she think of your amazing husband?" Subaru asked with a bright smile.

"She'd likely puke and call me a fake." Beatrice replied as she went on to imitate "'It's impossible for a prideful being such as myself to be content with such a repulsive boy' is something she would surely say, I suppose."

With his pride in tatters, Subaru exclaimed "Ouch, old Beako didn't pull any punches!"

"It's okay though, because even if the old Betty completely detests you, I will love you even more, I suppose." Beatrice lovingly stated.

"I can't tell whether I'm super loved or absolutely hated!"

After briefly giggling at the boy, Beatrice pressed her lips to his cheek and teased "Isn't it obvious, I wonder?"

Starting to get drowsy, Subaru asked "Hey, Beako? Can you play with my hair for a bit?"

Wanting to spend more time with him, Beatrice pouted "Every time I play with your hair, you fall asleep shortly after, I suppose."

"That's the point. C'mon, we're spending all day together tomorrow, so I'll spoil you then." Subaru bargained.

"Alright, alright, I suppose." Beatrice sighed as she readjusted herself and started running her fingers through Subaru's hair.

Comfortable from his wife's touch, Subaru quickly fell asleep in her delicate embrace.

Listening to Subaru's light snores, Beatrice sighed with smile "What am I going to do with you, I wonder?"

As she continued patting her husband's hair, Beatrice looked out towards the window and thought of the people she would likely never see again.

"How are Bubby and the rest doing, I wonder?"