Chapter Twenty-One: Meeting the Parents

After light conversation in the study, dinner was served.

"So, Tomoya…" Ryu started, "...you're in the same class as my daughter?"

"Fujibaya – sorry, I mean Ryou is my class rep."

His brow wrinkled just slightly. "Really? You're not in the same classroom as Kyou?"

"No, sir."

"So how did you two meet?" asked Mrs. Fujibayashi.

My face flushed as I thought back on the drama of the last few months.

Fortunately, Ryou saved me. "O-Okazaki-kun and I dated for a while, but found out that we really weren't a good match. After we broke up…" She looked meaningfully over at her sister.

"…Tomoya and I found out that we clicked, and so we got together," Kyou finished, looking intently at her plate.

Kyou's father put down his chopsticks and looked at each of us in turn before turning to his wife. "Rinko, I smell a lie. Do you?"

Rinko shrugged with a small smile. "A little one, but I don't think it would be helpful to pry."

"Hmm," he grunted, and then looked to Hiragi. "Kappei?"

Hiragi waved his hands in surrender. "Oh, no. Don't get me involved. I don't know much about this, anyway."

Ryu grunted again before picking up his chopsticks again. "As long as no one's pregnant, I guess…"

Fortunately nobody noticed Ryou's furious blush at his remark.

"So, Okazaki-san…" Rinko started, "…what are your plans after graduation?"

I suddenly felt very vulnerable.

"Actually, I was hoping you could help with that," Kyou interjected. "He's been having problems at home and was thinking of moving out."

My gaze snapped up to my girlfriend. Did she really need to bring this up in front of everyone?

To their credit, Kyou's mom and dad immediately took on expressions of concern. "Problems?" Ryu asked. "What kind?"

"A-" I don't know what Kyou had started to say, but she quickly cut herself off and looked at me with a look of apology.

I figured there was no point in waiting anymore. "My dad and I don't get along. Mom died when I was really young, he and I fought when I was in middle school, he broke my shoulder in a fight which ended my ability to play basketball," I saw Rinko's hands fly to her mouth at that, "…and now he calls me 'Tomoya-kun' like I'm some kind of stranger." I could feel my face heat up, both from embarrassment and from anger. "So I try to avoid him as much as possible, which means I'm away from home really late, which makes me late for school." I shrugged. "Of course, lately I haven't cared as much since Kyou's been really helpful in keeping me from thinking about my dad. Still…I'd like to try to find someplace else to live so I can focus on my schooling and not have to deal with him."

"You really shouldn't speak of your father like that," Ryu replied, before receiving a towel to the head.

"Husband, this young man is dealing with a lot right now. And that kind of talk is not helping," Rinko lightly scolded.

Ryu absently folded the towel and set it aside. "Yes, but so is his father. He lost his wife, and suddenly had to raise a child all on his own?"

I felt the blood drain from my face; I'd never thought of that before. "Yeah, I guess Dad did go through a lot, huh?" I looked over at Kyou, who was looking at me sympathetically. "And I've just been caught up in my problems."

"It's perfectly understandable dear," Rinko said soothingly, drawing my attention again. "We parents are supposed to be there and help while our children figure out who they are and what they are supposed to do with their lives. Unfortunately, bad things can happen to even the best of parents, and losing a spouse…?" She bit her lip. "…It's almost impossible to recover from."

I looked over at Kyou again and imagined what it would be like if I went to school one day only to find out that she had died and suddenly felt a swelling in my chest. "I'm sorry, excuse me for a minute," I said as I bolted from the table. Fortunately I knew where a bathroom was since I had used it earlier, and I quickly shut the door behind me and turned the light on. I fell to my knees and cried into my hands. If I could feel this sad over a pretend scenario, how much worse would it be for my dad, who really lost his wife after several years of marriage, of love and memories, who lived through something much worse than what I was just imagining?

God, I was such an ass.

I heard a tap at the door. "Tomoya?' came Kyou's voice. "Are you okay?"

I opened the door and pulled her into an embrace. "I've got to…make up with Dad…somehow." I released her to look into her eyes. "I'm the only family he has left…well, other than Grandma…but…I have to make things right with him."

She smiled affectionately at me. "Well, how about you come back to the table, and we'll help you figure out how?"

I wiped at my eyes before giving her a smile. "Sounds good."