DISCLAIMER: Ojamajo Doremi © Toei Animation in 1999-2004. I don't get any commercial benefit from this fic.
Author's Note: ODPHS stands for Ojamajo DoremiPoppu HeartStar.
The Future Story
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Chapter 26 – The Old Love
Five days later, on Monday…
In the evening, just like his plan, Kotake went home to his house after he participated in an event in Tokyo, and unexpectedly, he brought some guests.
"Ah, konbanwa, Igarashi-senpai, Takahashi-senpai!" greeted the red haired woman to the guests, "I'm glad that you both come here. Where's your children?"
"Well, as they still should go to school, we didn't bring them to Tokyo," explained Igarashi, "and… we don't have time to go home before we come here, so we can't bring them here."
"Oh, okay… I know that they're middle school students now, so… you could go to Tokyo with Takahashi-senpai, right?"
Takahashi smiled, "Well, maybe you're right."
"Huh, if only both Murasaki-kun and Tsubomi-chan could be as independent as your children…" sighed Doremi, "Maybe I could go there with Tetsuya."
"Hey, how about your job in the music school?" replied Kotake while he raised his eyebrows. He then asked his wife, "By the way, where's your sister? You said that she would stay here with Himawari."
"Well, Kimitaka-kun picked her and Hima-chan up to their house yesterday," answered Doremi, "Then, Igarashi-senpai, Takahashi-senpai, do you both want to have dinner with us? I just wanted to prepare dinner right now."
"Uh, doesn't that bother you if we have dinner here with you both and your children?" Igarashi hesitated, "We just come here to talk with your husband about the event."
"But we can talk about it after we have dinner, right?" Kotake also tried to persuade the older couples, "You both were our seniors in Misora Elementary, so… just think of it as our tribute to you."
"Oh, alright," finally, Takahashi agreed, "We'll have dinner with you here, but we also will prepare it with you."
They then walked into the house. Both of the women walked into the kitchen to prepare the meal for dinner, while Kotake and Igarashi prepared the dining table in the dining room.
"Then, where's your children?" asked Takahashi to Doremi while they cooked some food, "I don't see them here."
"Well, I commanded them to take a bath before dinner," replied the redhead, "Tsubomi-chan changes her clothes in her room, and Murasaki-kun is still in the bathroom."
"I see," said the brunette, "and how about that shop?"
"Eh?"
"Uh, I mean… Maho-dou," corrected Takahashi, "I heard that the shop was closed since you graduated from Misora Elementary."
"Yeah, that's right," confirmed Doremi, "and since then, the owner and her family never come back again to Misora City."
She then asked, "Do you have a problem in your life… and then you want to go there to solve your problem?"
"Ah, not really. I'm just curious with that shop, as… we started to talk with each other there," answered Takahashi. They kept talking while they were plating.
Several minutes later, their dinner is ready. They then had dinner there with Murasaki and Tsubomi. Murasaki told to the guests that he knew about their children, as they – the children – were his senior in the soccer club.
After the dinner, both Murasaki and Tsubomi walked into their own room to do their homework, while their parents talked with their guests.
"Takahashi-senpai, don't you ever want to be a career woman?" asked Doremi, "Why did you decide to be a housewife?"
"Well, I wanted to, but I think I don't need to become one right now," Takahashi smiled, "I think… become a housewife is so enjoyable."
She looked at the piano beside her, "Just like your decision to teach the students in the music school."
"You're right," Doremi agreed, "People have their own decision for their life, and not all of them have the same thoughts."
"By the way, I heard your conversation in the kitchen when you prepared our dinner about that shop… what's the name of the shop?"
"Maho-dou," Kotake replied what Igarashi said. He smiled, "That was the shop where my wife and her friends have ever managed. They helped the owner who was an old woman."
"I see," he smiled back, "One of my friend told me that his younger brother had ever came there to buy some stuff."
"Ah, he must be Misaki-kun, right?" guessed Doremi, "Your friend's younger brother?"
Igarashi nodded, "Do you know about him?"
"Of course, I know him. Misaki-kun is my younger sister's friend."
"Oh, okay… What a coincidence."
"Speaking of that shop, I think I should tell you both about one thing," said Kotake after he remembered something, "That shop was one of our memorable places – me and my wife."
"It makes sense for me," responded Igarashi, "You must be coming there so often in that time, right?"
"Well, not really, but… sometimes I came there to meet her," Kotake looked at his wife, "and since then, I'm very proud of her."
They smiled at each other, while the older couple looked at them.
"Oh! I remember that when you and your friends in Misora Elementary's soccer club had a match with Seigyo Academy and I became your coach, she gave you some lemon jelly for you and your friends," Igarashi recently remembered.
"Uh, actually, I and my best friends just made it for him, but… we made too much jelly," corrected Doremi, "That's why, Tetsuya offered some of them to his friends."
"But then, why did you make those?" asked Igarashi.
"We made it with a hope that Tetsuya would make up with Itou-kun, as… they had problem in that time."
"So you know about it, huh?"
"Well, Itou-kun told me about his problem with Tetsuya, and… as their classmate, I wanted to help them solve it."
"You're really kind with your friends," praised Takahashi, "No wonder."
"Yeah, she always be so kind with all of her friends. That's why she have lots of friends," replied Kotake, "and that's why, I love her so much."
"We can see it clearly," Igarashi smiled, "From the way you look at each other just a moment ago."
The younger couple blushed, while the older looked at them with smile on their face.
At 09.00 PM, both Igarashi and Takahashi decided to go home, while Doremi commanded Kotake to take a bath.
.O.
Several days later…
On Sunday, right after the lunchtime, when all members of Kotake's family were at home, someone came to their house, and he was Akatsuki. This successfully made Kotake felt a bit annoyed as he was the one who opened the door for Akatsuki, while Doremi, Murasaki and Tsubomi were at the second floor.
"Okay, just what are you doing here?" asked him to the violet haired wizard prince sarcastically, "Do you want to ruin my family?"
"Well, I just want to meet you and the others. I just recently came to Leon-kun's house before this."
"Oh, so then you decide to come here, huh? Don't you want to come to Tooru's house instead of here?"
"I came there before that, but I didn't see him and his family there."
"Uh-huh, that really makes sense, but unfortunately, I don't want you to come here."
"Kotake-kun, trust me. I won't ever ruin your family. I just want to know about your condition here, so please, let me come to your house."
"I said I don't want you to come here! I don't want to see you here, in my house."
"Don't you remember about what I said to you before… that happened? You know, I never want to seize Doremi-chan from you."
"Well, who knows if later you change your mind."
"I won't ever change my mind. Trust me, Kotake-kun."
"Only if you dare to sacrifice yourself to change the situation to be just like what it happened after your death."
"I can't do that!" refused Akatsuki, "I mean, maybe I could do that, but how if later Fujio-kun also wanted to sacrifice himself again?"
"Hmph, just think about it for yourself."
"Kotake-kun…"
"I just want you to stay away from here! Don't you even try to meet my wife!"
"Tetsuya, what happen down there? Is there something wrong?" suddenly, a voice came from the stairs, as someone walked to them, "Do we have a guest?"
Doremi walked downstairs and then to the front door, while she asked her husband, "Why do you scream so loud as if you're angry with someone?"
"What? Angry? No, I'm not angry. I just want to maintain our household," replied Kotake who then gazed at Akatsuki.
"What do you mean?" asked Doremi, didn't understand. She then looked at Akatsuki who still stood up at the door, "Ah, Akatsuki-kun? But why don't you come in?"
"Uh, Kotake-kun doesn't let me in," explained Akatsuki, "but that's okay, Doremi-chan. At least, I can meet you both and make sure that you're okay here."
"Wha- hey, Akatsuki-kun, wait. You don't need to go. Of course, you can come here."
"Dear…"
"Alright. Akatsuki-kun, come in. I think it's more comfortable for you if you're sitting in the living room now and wait for us. There's something that I want to talk with Tetsuya, so… would you mind if we leave you here for a while?"
"Ah, I don't mind."
"Great," sighed Doremi, "and Tetsuya, can we talk about something in our bedroom?"
"Yeah, of course we can," answered Kotake who then followed Doremi to the second floor.
In their bedroom, Doremi started their conversation, "Tetsuya, what do you want? You know, we've ever talked about this before, and you still…"
"I know. You want to say that I was too possessive, right?" cut Kotake, "It couldn't help. All of the things that he did to us shown to me as if… as if…"
"Stop it, Tetsuya!"
"Doremi…"
"I'm so tired to talk about this again and again, Tetsuya. It's the third time that you become so possessive like this," said the redhead, "Don't you remember about what I said before."
"I remember it…" Kotake sighed, "but still, it couldn't help, as… you've ever loved him and he knew about your secret before me."
"You know, Tetsuya, actually… there are so many things about me which you know and he doesn't, and… if you forbid him to come here just because of my old love for him, I think…" Doremi thought for a few minutes before she added, "I think you also should forbid Igarashi-senpai to come here when you came home from Tokyo last Monday."
"What? But why?" Kotake couldn't believe with what his wife said, "Okay, I know that Akatsuki doesn't know anything about the moments before he met you at the first time, but… what do you mean about 'I should forbid Igarashi to come here' thing?"
"That's because he was my first love."
"He… what?"
"Both he and Akatsuki-kun were my old loves."
"Dear, are you serious?"
"Totally serious," replied Doremi with a serious face, "So if you want to obey your possessiveness, you just need to be introvert."
"Hey, I don't mean to be like that. I just…"
"Please, Tetsuya. You just need to believe in me. You just need to trust me, and you just need to trust that Akatsuki-kun comes here today as our friend, okay?"
"Uh, I…" Kotake thought about his wife words and sighed again, "Fine. I think I shouldn't do what I did a few minutes ago."
"I'm glad that you understand," Doremi smiled, "Then, what should we do now?"
Kotake gave his decision, "We should greet Akatsuki as our friend."
And with that, the couple then walked downstairs.