Isuzu and William: Earth's Sub-Quest
The expected knock came on the door eventually. Melissa was late, but that didn't really bother Isuzu much at all. It happened, particularly if she had to shake off a stubborn member of the staff. Usually she had to really make her point by obstinately not doing what they wanted her to do. It could get her into trouble so Isuzu didn't ask often, but then she didn't often cause trouble, either - at least not in this sort of way.
As they rose to their feet to answer the door, William held Isuzu back just a little, holding to her fingers firmly. "Fiancée - at a minimum. They can't argue if it's that."
Isuzu considered it, then nodded. Content, William walked with her to the door, letting go of her hand to open it. The hallway through the kitchen to the entry would only fit one person (and maybe one-third of another one) at a time.
He paused just before opening the door and looked out the peephole. When he was content with what he saw, he unlocked the door and opened it. He quickly reached out, grabbed Melissa by the wrist, pulled her into the apartment, and closed and locked the door behind them.
Melissa was quite shocked, stumbling into the entry and trying to understand what had happened, and wondering if she was safe. But Isuzu stood in front of her, catching her eyes. "Hey, Sempai. Thanks for coming."
Melissa recovered rather quickly at seeing the person she was expecting. She turned around to scowl at William. "Is he always so violent?"
"No. Only when he knows you know you've been followed and he shouldn't be seen. Come on in." Isuzu turned and walked to the table. She paused with one hand on the back of a chair. "Actually, I'd forgotten he makes a great bodyguard. I haven't been home to be reminded, nor really needed it yet."
Her eyes fell on the open curtain. It was a bit late to close it now. Her eyes took in the buildings across the street. They were far enough away it was probably okay.
William had remained at the door. Now he motioned to Isuzu. She returned to the door and he had her trade places. Isuzu put her eye to the peephole, then scowled. "Go home! It's just me and I'm not talking if you're going to stand here and eavesdrop!" She waited until the weasel she hated worst from the label took his ear off the door and scowled back at her.
"I guess we'll have to get a new label, Sempai," she said loudly. "If they can't handle that I need the creativity break and something new to sing, they don't earn the new album." That scared the small man enough he backed up and waved his hands at her.
He looked around the hallway, then turned and slumped off. She expected he wasn't going to go far, but she didn't want to stand there all day, nor have William there either. She wanted him at the planning table.
When Isuzu felt like it had been enough of a wait, she turned back and took William's shirt cuff between thumb and forefinger and pulled him to the table. "So, to start over properly, Melissa, this is William, guildmaster of Silver Sword, one of the best known guildmasters of Yamato and city governor of Susukino on Theldesia.
"We met there. He asked me to marry him then. I've had too much of Earth, too much of the grind. He promised to give me a safe place to land when it all got more than I could carry, so I've come because I needed to.
"I'm sorry, I should have told you earlier that I was crashing, but I didn't know it until it had already happened. I hope you'll start paying better attention, to help me catch it sooner next time." Isuzu glared at her manager until Melissa ducked an apology for her own fault in the matter. It really was Melissa's responsibility to watch for that sort of thing in her employer and charge.
Isuzu waved to the chair Melissa was standing next to. William politely took the bag from Melissa's hand and very precisely set it with the futon, letting Melissa watch him do it. He sat at the head of the table and Isuzu sat across from Melissa.
"You know I've not got parents to lean on, Melissa. My grandparents have done their best, bless their souls. Log Horizon's nice, but they're busy and really too suffocating when I'm about to explode, and a few tease too much for when I'm headed for the deep blues.
"William's just the right level I need. Calm, quiet, doesn't impose, he's willing to let me come and go as I need. And I know I can trust him to not jump me in the middle of the night. That's hard when an entertainer like me needs something like what I need.
"I know the labels don't like it, and for good reason. Even just the rumors set off the press, and that can turn the fans. I know that. Help me figure out how to have both."
Melissa paused, then shook her head, clasping her hands in front of her. "You know that image is everything, and you have to say solo."
"I know," Isuzu nodded. "I do know that's going to be the hardest hurdle to overcome, but we who lived on Theldesia and fought the toughest dungeons there so we could come home - we don't believe in failure, and we don't believe that we have to give up what we want to get what we want. There are always alternative solutions.
"I think the three of us could come up with some reasonable ones, maybe even a couple of good ones. And if we need more help than what we can do, or if we need someone to hear the few we like best to give us advice, I've got people I can pull in for that, too."
William's eyebrow raised, but he nodded. He knew, too. If they needed to call in Hahaue and Shiroe, they would gladly help, and they'd be another set of eyes and brains on the issue. Publicity concerns had hounded them for the whole time already, so they had knowledge under their own belts, too. Asking others who had already navigated the same dungeon was another tactic used to defeat dungeons.
Melissa considered Isuzu for a bit, then gave her a bit of a nod, although her lips pursed. "Okay, but first you need to know what you've done so you know where we're starting from." Isuzu swallowed, but nodded obediently.
"Every boy and man who's got an idol crush on you is calling, texting, adding to any place they think you'll find it, the message that they are William and they'd love to help you write your next album - or take you home - or you name it."
"I had hoped that because I had only referenced talking to him that would be less," Isuzu's brow wrinkled in a bit of worry.
"Oh, I'm sure it was. Less than if you'd said, 'William, come to my house'. I will admit you were smart about that much, but it would have been better to leave any names out and to have contacted him privately, you know," Melissa scolded.
"Yeah, I could have played that better. The brain was really non-functional by then," Isuzu admitted her error humbly. "It will settle down eventually - the contact attempts, and it happens all the time anyway."
"It costs the label, though," Melissa scolded. Isuzu nodded. She couldn't help that, now. "Even before that, though is, since you went out to dinner with Log Horizon Systems - who knows they have paparazzi following them everywhere - and you didn't stick with them, you two were seen...and photographed. If you're serious, you two need to get serious training and fast. They're good, go get it from them asap."
Melissa had pulled out her phone and had been opening an app. She scrolled then handed the phone over. Isuzu held the phone so William could see by craning from his place.
There were dark photos of them standing outside the restaurant, William holding her as she cried, although you couldn't tell that detail. From the back quarter was a picture of the two of them, arms around each other, on the subway. And one of them holding hands to enter the apartment complex.
Isuzu and William looked at each other, then both slumped back in their chairs. "That's rather discouraging," Isuzu had to admit.
William asked for the phone and Isuzu handed it over. He scanned through a few more pages, then sighed. "We'll have to talk to my parents tonight instead of after your grandparents. My real name's going to be a problem as soon as the press decides they've figured out who I am, and I don't need Dad thinking strange things when he's right where I want him at the moment."
Isuzu's eyes went wide as she stared at him. William handed back the phone to Melissa. "It's actually a potential weapon in our hands, my name, if we can keep it all clean before they figure it out. My dad's a younger son of the Suzuki family. I'm his heir. We're only over a small part of the business, but the name's enough."
Melissa and Isuzu both blinked at him, shocked. "Well..., that's rather fabulous, actually," Melissa finally said, recovering before Isuzu did. "She still can't marry you until after her spotlight career is done."
"Maybe," William shrugged.
Isuzu suddenly understood why he'd not gone to work with Shiroe. As a business heir, he was required to stand in his position. As an heir to the classical music label, even if a small section of it, he hadn't been kidding when he'd said she was perfect for him. He was expected to keep within the industry in his selection of wife.
As a matter of fact, if she didn't make a full name for herself, she might be off the list of eligibles. It also made more sense why he understood exactly what she had to do and was patient with it.
Isuzu slumped onto her hand. "Really. You could have said before now, you know."
"You didn't know?" Melissa asked, surprised again.
"No. He wouldn't tell me."
William shrugged. "Like any of us like to be loved for our name. William was fine." Isuzu could understand.
"Okay, how can we make people think these photos are either fake, or we had a legitimate reason for what we did?" Isuzu asked.
Melissa sighed, but got to work putting her head to it. William did as well. "Other than the fact you yelled at the man from the label, we could have asked Log Horizon to lie and say you went home with them last night, or I took you back there after we had our private conversation," William said after a bit.
"The label might lie, too," Melissa said. "And we could say you asked me to meet you here, Isuzu, to meet with him properly since I'd put pressure on you since they'd put pressure on me."
William nodded. "I did ask to get the rest of the time off so I could visit with my out of town friends. Dad saw me at work today and allowed it, so as far as he's concerned, if there's an alibi from Log Horizon for last night, he'll believe we met again this afternoon. If we're there to tell him tonight when he gets home, that will all work out on his side. What he believes is what he'll tell any press or family who asks."
William grimaced. "I'm one of the perfect sons. Stayed in hiding until it was time for the proper training and hardly went out with friends. No girlfriends either. They'll all believe what he says."
Melissa gave a nod. "Can you work the Log Horizon angle, Isuzu? Will they lie for you?"
Isuzu sighed. "Yes, at the drop of a hint, but then I'll have to tell them and they don't know either. How are we going to talk to my grandparents first at all? They'll be so hurt if they hear it last, or worse from the press."
"Wait," Melissa's brow furrowed. "Just what are we telling all of them?"
"That I've agreed to William's proposal of marriage," Isuzu said calmly.
"But - but you can't let that out! And you can't follow through, either!" Melissa was quite concerned.
"I think we can have the families stay quiet for now. They all know she wants to finish her career first, and what that means in terms of secrecy," William disagreed. "It won't hurt Isuzu's career if the press wants to speculate that we're engaged. That doesn't have the same effect as marriage does. It can even intensify the furor over the starlet, because they want to get as much of her as they can before the wedding happens."
"It may shorten my career, though," Isuzu had to agree with Melissa. "They'll expect tearful drama in about three years if the wedding doesn't happen by then, not that I'd give it to them, unless it's tears of joy at the wedding." She was quite dry about it. It was her least favorite part of being a star - the fact the fans wanted to know every little detail about her private life. She'd known she'd have to pay that price, though.
She pointed with her finger at the table. "But even that's not my ideal either. I'm a rebel in the industry, and we together are known to be a rebel pair. I want to use that to get what I want."
"And that is?" Melissa looked at her a bit warily.
"I want to register the papers this weekend," both William and Isuzu said at the same time. Isuzu blinked at William but he only blinked back soberly.
Melissa threw up her hands. "You can't both be serious."
"Always," William answered his standard answer. "I've already waited about five years. I don't want to have her staying anywhere else."
"This house is the house I need to heal in," Isuzu said firmly. "I can't make anyone agree to that without registering the marriage, because everyone will make terrible assumptions. I'm of legal age to marry, so that much isn't the problem.
"A formal wedding can wait until I'm done with touring, and then all the fans can marvel, ooh and ah, swoon, and cry, and we'll go out in a blaze of glory. I want to be able to submit the papers and keep that part quiet, but stay here."
"I don't think you can do both, honey," Melissa was actually being sympathetic. "As long as the press can catch the two of you going in and out, they can say whatever they want, and it won't be pretty. The press has to know and accept that you're legal, so they'll stay off your backs. Even if we say it's engagement, no one else will accept shacking up, and it will damage Suzuki-san."
Isuzu frowned. Even William wasn't happy. She sat quietly for a while, then looked at William. "Do you have any other ideas?"
"I'm afraid not," he said quietly.
Isuzu reached for her phone. She dialed a number, set it to speaker, and set the phone on the table between them. "Hello?"
"You still can't properly greet people in Japan, Hahaue," Isuzu teased.
"No, I can't," Purrcy agreed. "I have a hard time thinking a soft food is a way to properly greet people. I'm sure most American's would tease and say it was mushy-mushy rather than moshi-moshi.
"What can I do for you, Isuzu? Tetorō brought us the pictures at lunch. ...You do know he's our watchdog, right?"
Isuzu paused, then humbly said, "I'm sorry Hahaue. I was too tired to think straight. That was my fault. Can we come get lessons from you tomorrow so we handle it better next time?"
"Yes. Please be here at 9:30. The lessons will begin at ten sharp, after our Friday morning meeting."
"Yes, Hahaue." Isuzu took a deep breath. This was probably her first scolding ever from Purrcy. "Will Log Horizon lie for us and say I stayed there last night? If we have to we'll say William brought me back there. We did need to have a private conversation right away.
"We want people to think I met back up with him and my manager this afternoon, so we could talk. That isn't a lie. We're here in the middle of that talk now."
"Hello, William. You at least should have known better."
"Not really," William answered back calmly. "I've been rather sheltered all considered. I'll appreciate the lessons, however. I know Log Horizon already finds it difficult enough to not have this brought to their door as well, so I will apologize for that."
"And the manager is?"
"My name is Melissa, Mrs. Purrcy. I've already scolded them on behalf of the label, and myself."
"Very well. Where are you then, in the rest of the planning?"
Melissa gave Isuzu a puzzled look. Isuzu smiled. "I think what we've worked out, action-item-wise so far is that we're going to try to get to my grandparents as soon as we can, then have dinner with William's parents tonight. That and what I've already told you together should keep everyone from exploding, or refusing us."
Isuzu sighed. "Can I wait to officially tell Log Horizon when we come tomorrow and just have you all know by guess-work before then? It's not really proper the other way 'round."
"That's fine, dear," Hahaue's mother voice rather than scolding voice was rather nice to hear.
"And, will you help us with the final piece of what we want to do into the future?" Isuzu asked, her heart suddenly in her throat. Tears would be next and she really didn't want that just now.
"You know we'll always help you with whatever we can. Is it something we should have everyone in on, or at least a few others?"
"Maybe," Isuzu answered cautiously. "I don't really know. It's press related, but it's also my career. I don't want to give up either of the things I want. I messed up by making my cry for help public, but I'd already crashed and wasn't thinking clearly enough."
William's hand warmly enfolded Isuzu's left hand, that was clenching on it's own as she fought the tears. Having that contact helped her keep the tears at bay. There was silence from the other end as Purrcy thought it through. "I take it you were followed to William's apartment?"
"Yes," Melissa answered. "And it's under observation. It's going to be hard to leave here with both of them. She thought Su-" William's hand went up and he pierced her with a look. "William-san wouldn't be here when I got here, but I was delayed."
"That's fine, if he's telling his father he was called from work to meet with the two of you there. It will be harder that they asked you to meet them there instead of a neutral location. Particularly if you chose to carry the bag in as if you accepted what they were doing."
Melissa actually paled. "I - I'm sorry," she stuttered.
Purrcy sighed. "Well, if you carry it back out just as obviously it might be okay, since you're going to take them in your company car to the rest of the places they need to go as their chaperone. William you'll carry a bag of clothing as well, and the both of you will sleep at his parent's house tonight. We'll discuss the rest when you get here tomorrow.
"Come on into the conference room when you get here and we'll tack it on to the end of the morning meeting and segue straight into your lessons. You can make the formal announcement at the beginning of your turn and everyone will be able to work properly under the best assumptions."
"Yes, Hahaue," Isuzu slumped, relieved to have the full answer, relieved to know what they'd already chosen were steps in the right direction. They weren't still children, but they were still youths who needed to learn more. That was about right for reality so it would be okay.
"I'll be expecting you as well, Ms. Melissa."
"Yes, Ma'am." Melissa was still a little pale and her hands on the table were clutched together.
"Is that everything for now, Isuzu-chan?"
"Yes. I'll call if we run into any troubles." Isuzu promised.
"Okay. Good luck ...and congratulations." The line was cut.
Isuzu slumped to the table. "That's my first ever, William. I hope it's my only. Most of us only live through one, and that's more than we want."
William patted her on the head. "You handled it a lot better than Ms. Melissa did her's, but then you've experienced them before. It was her first time ever."
"And hopefully my last, too," Melissa's eyes were very large. "She's a very frightening lady." Both of the younger two nodded agreement.
"Still," Isuzu closed her eyes, "I love her. I love that she's willing to do her best to see I get everything I want, as long as I'm willing to admit my mistakes and work hard to get it. She really is the best mother ever."
She opened her eyes and looked into William's with her teasing grin. "I love my own mother, but I think if she had lived to see me reach this age, she would have no idea what to do with her obstinate, wild child who won't be obedient at all."
William pulled her hand to his lips to kiss the fingers. "I happen to love that wild child. I'll take her."
Isuzu could only blush and wonder just how romantic William was going to let himself be. Likely a lot more than she'd be able to handle. Given his eyes sparkled at the blush, she was in trouble, she was sure of it. She pushed up to sitting again and picked up her phone to slip it into her pocket.
It clanked very faintly against the key in her pocket. She was glad now she'd picked it up to hold. Melissa would have taken it from her if she saw her take it from the pin board now. That would stay her secret, and once she'd had her lessons from Log Horizon, she would be back here again. She promised herself and William silently, she would be.
"I'll go get changed so it at least looks like I came from somewhere today. The dryer should be done so we won't leave clothes behind, too." The other two gave her nods and she headed for her bag to pull out an outfit.
She dropped the borrowed clothes off on top of the washing machine and picked up her clean and dried clothes to shove into her bag, burying them under other things so the warmth wouldn't give them away.
She also pulled out her brush and set to work getting her unruly curly hair detangled for the day so she could really leave the apartment, sitting back in her chair at the table to do it.
"You really didn't do anything?" Melissa accused William.
"No, of course not," he answered blandly. "I am that smart, you know, not to mention it would have been disrespectful to her grandparents and my parents. Besides, we've slept together like that before and I've not done anything." Isuzu flinched.
At Melissa's outraged cry, Isuzu turned to scold William. The tease was so open in his face. "William, you know you can't expect Earth people to understand that camping out by a campfire is the same to us as sleeping in separate rooms in the same building. No one in the modern era sleeps by campfires while hiking through the woods."
"Oh, I was talking about sleeping in separate rooms. You stayed at my guild hall lots - one floor up and seven doors down, right over my room as a matter of fact." His eyes hadn't changed.
Isuzu froze. "I...was over your room?"
William nodded. "I wanted to be sure you were watched over properly after all. Your guildmaster and Hahaue - not to mention Chichiue - would have all killed me if I hadn't, you know."
Isuzu slumped and went back to her brushing. "You're incorrigible, you know. ...Is that why you always knew when to be at your table, when I came down every morning?"
He refused to answer that one, his eyes going to Melissa, who desperately needed a helping hand to understand the conversation around her. They didn't, though. It never was worth it to help Earthers understand what they'd been through on Theldesia.
"I guess I'd better go pack," William said rising to his feet. He was only gone for a few minutes, carrying his phone out as he came. "Hey, Father, things have changed. Can we come tonight to dinner instead, and stay the night, maybe? ...Thank you. I'll call Mother."
He hung up and dialed again. "Hi Mother." There was a long pause, then finally he was allowed to say, "I wanted to let you know that a friend of mine and I will be there tonight for dinner. If we could also stay the night, I'd appreciate it." There was another long pause, then, "Thank you, Mother. See you tonight. I love you, too."
"You know, if you'd call her more often the conversations would be shorter," Isuzu said as she rose to her feet to shove her brush into her bag and pick it up. When she was facing William directly she said quietly, "And it's not really my place to, but I really think you should while you have the opportunity to. To ignore them because you're too busy is to lose them before you're ready to."
William stood stock still, then put a hand on her head. "Thank you for the scold. I'll remember it - for your sake. It may be a hard habit to learn. Maybe if you'll learn to call me to tell me how you're doing so I don't worry, I'll be reminded to call my mother so she won't worry."
Isuzu froze in her turn now. Then she slumped. "Not like I had your phone number until today. But yes, that would be the proper solution to the other problem, wouldn't it?"
William nodded soberly. "I think so."
Isuzu took his hand off her head and held it in hers. Melissa was looking between them, confused. "How is it you not only didn't know his real name until just now, you didn't even have his phone number until today? I thought you said you were engaged five years ago."
"Oh, no," Isuzu said a little dismissively. "That's why I had to use his name at the concert. I hadn't answered him until then. That was my answer back to him. It took that long to admit I wasn't strong enough to walk this path by myself. I wanted to let him know in that way."
Melissa actually went teen-fan-girl on them, her hands going to her cheeks, "No! Really?! That was your answer to his confession ...after that long?"
They both nodded at her, smiling. It was nice to have at least one person happy for them and their happiness last night, even if lots of scolding had come first.
-:-:-:-:-
They had to get through the gauntlet to get to Melissa's car. "I'm an old friend of Isuzu's," William had to defend himself first.
Isuzu took over immediately, though. "He asked me to meet him for lunch and I spilled it all over myself. His apartment was close enough that I could use his washer and dryer, but we have an appointment, so I asked Melissa to bring my bag so I could change. We're barely going to be on time because the dryer took too long. I've taken the time we were waiting to explain it to Melissa."
"I'll come explain as soon as I can, after I drive these two all over town. She's invited him to stay at Log Horizon if he wants. Since he doesn't know for sure I just made him bring his things." Melissa waved her hand and acted plenty frazzled. "Please, we're going to be late. I'll come tomorrow when I can."
They were let off...for now, to their relief. The man already looked like he knew William's Earth name, though. He was slightly deferential towards him, and less threatening to both women. Perhaps that would be the other push they needed to have on the label to get them to follow along on what they wanted everyone to believe.
Once they were settled in the back seat of the car together, Isuzu sighed as she held on to William's hand tightly. "I guess I'd rather not have to lie like this later, although I'd do it again in a heartbeat to save what I want to save. It's just better to not have to, I think."
"Indeed," William agreed, pressing her hand encouragingly. "It's not something to beat yourself up over, though. We fix it the best we can and move on. That's all we can do. Life is too short to beat ourselves up and carry around more guilt than we should when we've done what we can."
Isuzu rolled her head to look at him, then leaned on his shoulder and snuggled in. "Yeah. ...I think I'll pretend I'm still home since I have you here and I really don't want to be in this car yet again today, for all it's taking me places I want to go." Since what he still wanted was to hold her, he put his arm around her and held her so she could snuggle and relax.
"Except that's too close for the public eye," Melissa scolded, looking at them in the rear-view mirror.
"I'll worry about that when I'm in public," Isuzu complained back. "I need my healer and he's my healer."
William froze just a little, then - when Melissa was paying attention to traffic - ran his free hand over Isuzu's cheek and kissed the top of her head silently. "And thus why...," he whispered to her.
She nodded, completely agreeing. She'd been headed for the Cathedral and barely got to him in time, and she'd only been triaged. They needed the permission soon so she didn't really Cathedral. He wasn't allowed to really heal her until then, or they could get away from eyes.
Melissa suggesting Log Horizon had made her think though. "William, will you stay with me at Log Horizon tomorrow night? We'll already be there and they have lots of room in the guild hall." She let her left hand tell him what she really meant.
"I would be happy to," his hand answered hers and she settled. Perhaps she could last one more day. "I like them, too, and they bug me every now and then to visit." He mused, "Plus, I still want to hear more roasting of Hahaue."
Isuzu laughed. "You really can't get enough of that, can you?"
"Not really," William agreed. "I love to see such an old woman blush like she's still seventeen, and Michael does it so well."
"Stop taking notes," Isuzu scolded him.
William chuckled. She was quite sure it was his evil chuckle and she should have kept her mouth shut. She worked very hard to stay firm and not blush just from that. She really did so much better when she was oblivious and stupidly blind. Then things like that couldn't slip through into her heart.
That's why she'd been so blindsided by his insistence that last morning at Susukino, and why he'd done it on purpose. She really wouldn't have believed it in the end. Once more she sighed, and then just enjoyed having him there with her.
They had to wake her up when they arrived at her grandparent's home. "Jet lag, I swear," she complained. "I'm going to keep doing that for another four days." They just smiled at her and let her lead them up to the door.
"Excuse us for interrupting!" she called into the house. "Grandpa, Grandma, I've brought guests. Sorry for coming unannounced."
"Isuzu?" feet came out to the entry and Isuzu smiled.
She'd already taken off her shoes and slipped on her slippers, so she stepped up onto the main floor and took her Grandmother in her arms. "Hello, I'm home ...for just a little brief visit, I'm afraid."
Her Grandfather called out from the living room and she went on in, dragging her Grandmother with her, wanting to make the introduction together. Melissa was already known, so was welcomed kindly. She chose to stand out of the way. William bobbed a polite bow, but waited on Isuzu, for which she was grateful.
"Hello Grandfather," Isuzu walked up to him and kissed him on the forehead. They'd moved his bed to the living room so he could have sunlight, the television, and be where her Grandmother could help him and the nurse who came to help, since her Grandmother couldn't lift her Grandfather.
When her Grandmother was standing next to her Grandfather, a hand on his shoulder, their eyes going between the young couple, Isuzu looked at William. William bowed formally. He properly introduced himself by his Earth name this time. "We've come to let you know of our intention to marry, if we could have your blessing. Last night Isuzu kindly accepted my request."
Isuzu's Grandmother's lips trembled and her eyes began to glisten. "You'll keep her happy?"
"I promise," William answered soberly.
Isuzu's Grandfather looked at them both for a long time. Finally he sighed. "I can leave in peace, then, to know that you'll be cared for, and I've properly done my own duty to you and your father."
"Thank you, Grandfather," Isuzu said, very grateful. "Thank you for your care and concern, and your hard work. I know you both worried over me quite a lot."
She took a breath. "We don't have all the details worked out yet. Marriage would be hard on my career path, but I want to try to make it work. I'd like to not be separated from William when I'm here.
"I'm going to be in Tokyo for about a year, working on new songs for a new album. I hope to be able to come and visit with you frequently during that time."
At that they both teared up. They also had been missing her as their health failed. It was a hard time to want to be touring, and had been one of her worries. William's hand came around her waist, to comfort her and encourage her. "If you want to stay with them?" he asked quietly.
Isuzu shook her head. "Let's see what tomorrow's meeting brings. I'll mention it so they have all the details they need. Hahaue will know how to help me."
William nodded and let it go. They stayed and visited, William being polite and kind the whole time, winning her grandparents easily. When her Grandfather began to tire, Isuzu made their excuses, gave them both hugs and kisses, thanked them for their blessings, and they quietly left.
Isuzu was grateful that William gently opened her up to let her talk out her worries about her grandparents on their trip to his parent's house. She'd needed to worry openly about them for a long time, but had bottled it up so she could keep working on what she needed to work on.
It probably would be wise to be able to call him regularly, so she wouldn't have to keep doing that. That almost more than anything made it hard to be an entertainer on tour. If she could worry more in the moment and he could set those worries to rest, then she'd be able to focus better.
Again, she cuddled with him. He gave directions, this time. They ended up in one of the nicer neighborhoods of Tokyo. It was a nice house, but not extravagant, and well tended. William was a lot like his parents, she decided, but that would be normal, right?
They had to do some hard convincing, but they managed to send Melissa back to her own house. Still she threatened them and vowed she would pick them up in the morning to take them to Log Horizon. Isuzu wasn't surprised she was still feeling afraid of Purrcy.
As they walked up to the house, Isuzu teased William. "You hold up rather well, staring a mafia house in the face. Will your family be okay with that?"
William looked at her with a confused look. "Log Horizon?" she prompted.
"They are?" he asked.
Isuzu rolled her eyes at him. "You even heard an example today. I guess you'll have to get your scolding to know."
William only shrugged, and opened the door for her. They were both carrying their bags, but when they entered the house, he took hers from her. "I'll put them in the rooms while you meet Mother," he said to her, then called into the house.
His mother came hurrying into the receiving area, already talking. She stopped so suddenly upon realizing her son had brought a woman home, that Isuzu wondered if she'd been hit with a spell.
Isuzu very politely bowed. "Hello. Thank you for welcoming me into your home tonight." She used her real name, and explained who she was on stage as well, so that there would be no duplicity.
"I gave my last concert of the tour here in town last night. Your son and I are old friends from before, on Theldesia." She said the last rather cautiously. Most parents and families didn't want to remember that time. "I knew him as William there, so I'm afraid I'll use that name more frequently when I address him. I'm sorry ahead of time."
Mrs. Suzuki finally came to herself. "He's never brought home any friends, let alone a pretty woman."
Isuzu blushed lightly. She still didn't think of herself as pretty, but others had been saying that lately about her. Certainly when the makeup and costumes were on she was. "Thank you. He does have others. I've met them," she thought she ought to reassure his mother of that fact. "If I have opportunity to, I'll see he properly brings them home as well, so you can worry less."
At that Mrs. Suzuki smiled. "He could use that kind of friend, to make him do things properly for his mother."
Isuzu smiled. "I overheard his call to you. I've already properly scolded him for not calling you more often. He's agreed to try harder." Mrs. Suzuki was all friends after that, dragging Isuzu into the dining room to set her down with a light snack and iced tea.
They chatted so long, Isuzu began to wonder where William was. When she looked around the room, she found him leaning against the door frame between the dining room and the hallway, just watching her.
It had been so long since he'd done that to her that she slowly blushed. His eyes went to teasing again and she immediately huffed at him. "It isn't really polite to just stand there without joining in on the conversation," she scolded. "You haven't even properly greeted your mother yet."
"Like I could get a word in edge-wise?" he raised an eyebrow at her, but he obediently entered the room and greeted his mother with a hello and a kiss. "I'm glad you like Isuzu, Mother," he said quietly. "I happen to like her quite a lot." He moved on into the kitchen to get his own drink, leaving his mother speechless once again.
Isuzu slumped onto her hand. "He really does like to tease, doesn't he?" she complained for his mother's sake. He knew he wasn't going to tell his mother until his father was present.
They chatted generally for a while, then Isuzu offered to help Mrs. Suzuki cook the dinner. When that was brushed off, Isuzu insisted, since she was there as a friend not as a formal guest, and just took up her place, not letting it bother her.
William, out of curiosity and a desire to be with Isuzu, helped, too, although a lot of it was kibitzing from his chair at the dining room table rather than useful help. Isuzu had fun scolding him. His eyes only sparkled at her.
Suddenly she stopped and stared at him open-mouthed. "You're letting me get out the tantrum, without letting me really tantrum. How are you doing that?"
"Scolding works just as well, and when it's gentle teasing it's gentle scolding. I like that method much better. Tantrums are typically rather violent and very loud. Do you mind?" he answered back honestly and openly.
"...No, actually. It's rather fun the way you do it," Isuzu admitted.
"Good," William put his head down on his folded arms and continued to watch her. She had to take another breath and ignore him studiously to keep down the blush that threatened - again.
Mrs. Suzuki had been more quiet in the kitchen, listening more than talking this time, and she paused now to look at her son, then at Isuzu and back. "Son," she said quietly, "I don't think I've ever seen someone more in love."
His eyes went sharply to her and he sat up. His words were mild. "Yes, you have. Father looked at you that way when he found you and asked you to marry him."
She flushed and turned slightly away, paused, then gave a small nod and went back to her work quietly. She also knew she'd have to wait to hear the real words from her son's lips.
William stood. "I'll set the table. It looks like dinner is getting close now." He paused on his way past Isuzu to give her a kiss on the cheek, not having to hide it any longer, and likely wanting to see her blush again. She couldn't keep it down that time, not in front of his mother.
Somehow Isuzu managed to survive until dinner time, through the introduction to William's father, through dinner, and to clean-up which she helped with also, a bit surprised to find that made it a family activity. It wasn't normal for the father of Japanese families to help with dinner washing up, but William's father did, and Isuzu got to see what William had meant by his comment to his mother.
William's father teased his wife just as frequently and gently as William teased Isuzu. She could only assume it was their way to give the women they loved attention when their time at home was so precious. Isuzu was overcome just enough she had to pause outside the kitchen, on the excuse to check the table one more time.
William's arms slipped around her from behind. "What is it?" he murmured in her ear.
"Our family dinners were like this," Isuzu said quietly. "Dad was that much in love with Mom, too. To know that you also treasure that...," she rubbed at her eyes that stung just a little. William didn't move for a bit, then he held her a little more tightly. He stayed silent this time, only comforting her.
They were interrupted by his parents coming out of the kitchen again. "So, what do we really owe the pleasure of Miss Isuzu's presence this evening to?" Mr. Suzuki asked. His eyes said they already knew, too, as he looked between the couple.
William had let Isuzu go enough she could get turned around and he could put his arm around her waist. "Father, I asked Isuzu if she'd consent to be my wife. Last night she accepted. She's the one I told you about before. She really is perfect for me, and for our family, I think. Please let her continue to show you."
Mr. Suzuki's eyes went sharp. "You're still new to your career."
"Yes, sir," she answered politely. "We'll be in discussions tomorrow morning with my guardians and manager on what we'll be allowed to do and how long we'll be required to wait for the registration and wedding.
"Depending on how the negotiations go, will determine what path we take. I've just ended this round of touring and am about to begin working on the next album. It seemed a good time to answer your son, even if we have to wait."
Mr. Suzuki nodded thoughtfully. "Let's sit, shall we?" He gestured to the couch and chairs in the living room. William purposely took the place to Isuzu's left on the couch again. She guessed she might know why now. He held on to that hand even still.
She had to go through a lot of answering questions, but was relieved when Mr. Suzuki relaxed after learning her father had made sure she was trained classically on the violin first before any other musical training. That was highly important to the Suzuki family since their rise had been based on the classical violin.
He was also pleased that she'd continued her musical training, and impressed she'd even picked up a traditional Japanese instrument while on Theldesia. She was also glad she could reassure him that she still faithfully practiced it. She didn't play it on tour, but she'd been thinking she might be ready to add in one song by the end of this year if she practiced hard. If not, then maybe include it as a special during the next touring round.
"You know, a married woman who plays the kokyū well isn't scorned or ignored," Mr. Suzuki said at that point.
"True," Isuzu tipped her head. "It was my mother's instrument. I thought if the pay was slow during the time after the touring, perhaps I could do that instead, or along with the background music pay. I still need more practice to create a full album, but my goal would be to put one of the simpler songs on the new album coming out."
She bit her lip a little. "That may be ambitious. I should probably find a teacher if I want to do that properly. I'm still only self-taught."
Mr. Suzuki looked at his wife. She gave a little nod and rose to her feet to go to the corner where there was a covered table. She pulled the cloth back to uncover an old and well made kokyū. She brought her own kokyū to Isuzu and handed it to her. "Will you play for us what you do know?"
Isuzu did blush at that. "If you'll be okay with an amateur's song." They soberly nodded. Isuzu carefully took the antique instrument, thinking of her mother's kokyū waiting for her at her grandparent's house.
Not really wanting to be tested in a surprise way, Isuzu could only pluck the strings, tune them properly, then take a breath and set the bow to the strings. Her best one now was the first one she'd started with, the one she felt was a lullaby. It came to her fingers quite well now, and she was lost to it by the third measure.
When the bow came up from the strings and she lifted her eyes to come awake again, she saw only approval in the eyes of the people in front of her, and she was relieved.
"That ...is much better than the first time," William said quietly from behind her. She turned to look at him, wondering what he meant. "I never could figure out why the merfolk would pay for such a horrible rendition of that song."
Isuzu blinked at him, took a moment more to remember that night, then narrowed her eyes at him. "And yet ...you stayed for the entire painful rehearsal." It was William's turn to look away and blush. It had been a guess, but now that she knew him better, she knew she'd guessed right. "Is it because your mother plays?"
William nodded. "I got rather homesick that night. I really wanted good playing, not that horrible screeching."
Isuzu stuck her tongue out at him. "And yet, you were so grateful for even that little piece of home you slept next to me on the ship, so homesick you couldn't leave my side." She said it gently, though. She understood.
She patted his knee and handed the kokyū and bow back. "Thank you for listening to what is likely the only piece I don't make mistakes on any longer."
"Come back, and I'll teach you," Mrs. Suzuki said, her eyes on her son, and gratitude on her face. "Thank you for comforting my son when I couldn't."
Isuzu could only nod. "We all needed it at one time or another. It was my pleasure to help another fellow Adventurer through another dark night. He helped me through many of my own." Isuzu took William's hand this time, to help him recover from his own memories of that time.
Even the guildmasters had lived through their own times of darkness then, and usually with no one to help them through it because everyone else needed them to be strong. She'd understood that night. She'd watched Shiroe need it so many times, she could be strong for William that night when he needed it.
William let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, still mostly behind her because of the position she'd shifted into necessary to hold the kokyū. "Thank you, Isuzu, for then, and for now. I have loved you a very long time, you know."
"Yes, I know," she answered quietly, not quite sure how to face his parents, but they were now also holding hands.
Mr. Suzuki rose to his feet, bringing his wife up with him. "I think we'll let you two be alone now. Thank you, Isuzu, for loving our son, who has needed someone like you for a long time. He returned to us changed for the better. I think I understand now why, to some small degree.
"We won't stand in the way of you submitting the papers whenever you want. Let us know as soon as you know when they'll agree to the public wedding. You'll have to be presented to the whole family before then, but they'll overlook anything once the papers are submitted."
"Yes, Sir," Isuzu bowed humbly. "Thank you. Please, take care of me."
"Our pleasure." He smiled. He and his wife disappeared upstairs and soon the faint notes of the kokyū played with the perfection it demanded came from their bedroom.
Isuzu turned to William with wide eyes. "I'm not so sure I can meet that expectation if you have it. A kokyū in the bedroom, really? Will you be a child I have to sing to sleep every night?"
"Will I have to throw a temper tantrum to make sure I get one?" William teased in a murmur, but Isuzu felt a bit like he might have been more serious this time.
"Well," she sighed. "Let me get used to the idea first. Perhaps if you gently lead me that way, too, I might be able to work out some compromise." And then she remembered that it had been her father that would sing to lead his wife to the bedroom, and her mother couldn't ever say no to him either.
"Well, ...we'll see," she sighed. She probably shouldn't admit that story to William - ever.
His hand reached for her cheek. "If you would learn it from Mother ...it would be a way we could both remember our mothers when neither of us have them, and it will be a way for me to remember you today." He really was overcome by emotion at the music.
His lips met hers and the kiss tingled all the way down to her toes. And then she remembered again he was an Elf. Of course. They all were affected by music that way. Perhaps the Suzuki blood was partially elf even down to today. They were a classical music family.
"Were you also trained to play?" Isuzu asked William as he took her hand to help her rise from the couch.
He paused, then only smiled slightly. When she pressed him, confused because almost all music families required their children to learn it, he finally only said, "I will teach you that another time. We'll reach the time you'll need to learn to understand the Suzuki family. Let it be later. You already know it will be a hard lesson, for all we are a junior family."
She knew he meant among the business families of Japan. They might not have as many harsh restrictions on the family members - an example being what his father had just let her know about what they could and couldn't do as far as the marriage and wedding - but they would still have them, required by the older larger business families to meet proper standards.
"Have I really what it will take, William?" Isuzu asked him, worried, as he led her up the stairs now as well, her hand tucked into his arm.
"I have never doubted it," he answered her solemnly. "You are from Log Horizon. You have been trained by the best there is." He stopped them in front of a door and kissed her again, briefly. "You are my perfect wife, and I am going to hate having to be patient even for the next night and day."
He let her go and opened the door. "This is your room tonight. Please, stay there. I am dangerous tonight, particularly because you chose to play that song." He bowed formally and left her side before she even went through the door, entering his own room and firmly, if quietly, closing the door behind him.
She had mercy on him and stayed quietly in her room, but it took a long time to fall asleep. She had a lot of things to think about now that she knew him better, and knew his family.