Fun fact about Megumi: She wasn't an idiot as her son would angrily claim.

While it was true her life was riddled with errors and regret, she didn't consider herself to be that stupid. Megumi knew exactly what she was doing when she gave Ryuuto the rope, and was prepared to deal with the consequences.

Really, what's another screaming match with Kazuto? Megumi had been butting heads with that stubborn fool for years now, and she will continue doing so for her beloved grandchildren. No stupid illness was going to stop her!

As for Ayako, Megumi had already anticipated the silent treatment she was currently receiving, but of course, that wasn't stopping her from chatting, now was it?

"Kazuto cooking; I still can't believe it." Megumi laughed. "Very nice of him, though."

Ayako said nothing, preferring to focus on doing the dishes. Megumi had offered her assistance, but the younger woman had unsurprisingly declined.

"The last time he made me breakfast, I think he was...twelve?" She smiled fondly, "It was for my birthday. Back then, he possessed some cooking skills."

No response from Ayako, and frankly, it was starting to get on her nerves. Just how long was Ayako planning on ignoring her? Megumi had first expected a confrontation—a reprimand for her actions followed by Ayako demanding to know where her son was because Megumi was certain she'd like to know that.

Or was this about something else?

"Are you still mad about the whole boss in the bedroom joke?"

"Yes." The other woman answered calmly and curtly.

"You do know I was joking, right?"

"It was very inappropriate, Megumi-san." Ayako said without turning around, "Especially in front of your twelve-year-old granddaughter."

Megumi rolled her eyes. "It's not like she understood it."

"It was still inappropriate." Ayako insisted, "I hope you won't say anything similar in front of Ozawa-san when she arrives."

"Of course not," Megumi smiled slyly, not that Ayako saw it. "No one outside this house is permitted to know about your kinky, spicy love life."

Ayako stopped what she was doing, though she still didn't turn around.

"Hey, if you don't want me joking about your adventurous nights, maybe you and that angry idiot should be a little quieter the next time you...get to work." Megumi laughed, "You and your boss, always working so hard."

Ayako remained frozen. Megumi briefly wondered if she was red from all the embarrassment because that would be quite a sight! Flustered Ayako always amused her.

"Back to chef Kazuto," Megumi said, her sly smile remaining. "He has still has a long way to go. Why don't you teach him a few tricks?"

She laughed again. "Picture it Ayako: While he's the boss of the bedroom, you get to be the boss of the kitchen."

"Enough, Megumi-san,"

"Also let's be frank, you're the real head of this household," Megumi shrugged. "So, one gets to be the boss at work, the other the boss at home. Don't you just love gender equality?"

"Megumi-san,"

"Yes?"

"Please be quiet." Ayako said with barely suppressed anger, "Please be quiet because that's the only the only reason I'm upset with you,"

"Hmm, I figured," Megumi remarked. "Ryuuto went on a camping trip with his friends."

Ayako turned to her in surprise. "Camping?"

"Yes."

Ayako was still in disbelief. "Ryuuto hates camping."

"Well, he hates his father more."

"Where are they going?" Ayako hurriedly took a seat in front of her in-law.

Megumi shrugged, "I never asked."

"Megumi-san,"

"He just said they were going camping; that's all."

Ayako stared at her incredulously, unable to conceive what she had just heard. "So you let Ryuuto go on trip you knew nothing about?"

"It's a camping trip," Megumi said irritably, "You know, sleeping outdoors, hiking, and all those other camping activities? You don't have to worry, Ayako."

The younger woman was appalled by Megumi's words. "I'm his mother! Of course I'm supposed to worry about my son, whom I have no idea where he is at the moment!"

Megumi groaned, not liking how the conversation was going so far.

"Where are they sleeping outdoors? I'd like to know that." Ayako said, "I know hiking is dangerous and requires a professional; do Ryuuto and his friends have one accompanying them? Do they have an adult chaperoning them? If so, and I really hope so, then whom? Who is the person who will be watching over my child throughout this trip that I had been unaware of?"

"I don't know!" The elder snapped. "All I know is that Ryuuto is sixteen, and can take care of himself!"

"And that's supposed be reassuring?" Ayako questioned, "Even when Ryuuto becomes an adult and starts his own family, I will still worry about him because I am his mother and that is what a mother is supposed to do! Do you remember the times I would come home by myself and you would ask if Kazuto was working overtime?"

Ayako paused to catch her breath and carried on. "You would ask because you were concerned about your son; that's what it means to be a mother. We worry about our children no matter how old or how responsible they are because we're mothers!"

It was true; mothers were always worrying about their children. And Ayako was that sort of mother; that's how Megumi knew she would be the most devastated by this. She knew that, yet she still handed Ryuuto that rope. She told herself she didn't regret it.

"Kazuto—"

"I know!" Ayako cut her off, something she normally wouldn't do. "I know Kazuto did not handle the situation well, but all he wanted was for Ryuuto to come back home!"

Ayako paused again to catch her breath. She was well aware of the fact her voice had gotten louder, and that wouldn't do.

"And it's not just him," She continued, "I also wanted him home. Even if I know he's with his friends, I still worry! I wonder if he ate well, if he's asleep; I also wonder if he's safe because I don't know who the people he's staying with are!"

"Well, you have your husband to blame for that!" Megumi crossed her arms. "I told you that studying isn't the real reason Ryuuto is barely home these days!"

"You still shouldn't have let him run away!" Ayako insisted. "What if the rope had snapped?"

"…"

"What if the rope had snapped and Ryuuto had injured himself, or worse? Have you ever thought about that?"

No answer; and Ayako couldn't say she was surprised. While the sight of Megumi slowly starting to realize the seriousness of her actions brought her some satisfaction; ultimately, it did little to quell Ayako's anger and pain.

"And this camping trip," She continued, "I'm worried because Ryuuto has ever gone camping once in his entire life and that was back in elementary school! It was only for half a day and he despised it! I'm worried if he gets hurt, I'm worried he'll get sick, I'm worried because I don't know if he has all that he needs, I'm worried because I don't know if the place they're going to is safe."

The list went on, and Megumi dared not to interrupt her. There was no point talking to Ayako in this state, not that she could either way. All the words sitting on the tip of her tongue had vanished, leaving her with that familiar remorse she'd known for most of her life.

She'll admit, she hadn't the foresight to consider all these dreadful possibilities Ayako's mind was endlessly generating, and the thought of the rope snapping, of her grandson getting hurt because of her, Megumi wouldn't be able to live with herself had that happened.

Eventually, Ayako was unable to handle the overflow of emotions, or maintain that firm, but respectful tone. So she halted her spiel, but her sad, brown eyes never left Megumi's dark grey. They were the ones doing the talking now, and enduring their silent words proved to be quite the struggle.

Fortunately for her, the look didn't last that long, as Ayako was quickly gone, no longer having the energy or patience for this. That meant they were also back to the silent treatment.

Megumi sighed, "Not how I wanted this to go."

She glanced down to her now clenched hands. Had something happened to Ryuuto, had the rope snapped…Megumi was thankful that didn't happen, but the thought terrified her. It didn't help that her mind was replaying Ayako's concerns; concerns that Megumi couldn't deny were valid, even the most ridiculous and highly improbable ones. Curse that woman and her worrisome nature!

She squeezed her hands even more. "I didn't think…"

Another sigh escaped her lips. That's right; she hadn't thought of or considered any unfortunate consequences at all. It was an impulsive decision, made purely to spite Kazuto.

Megumi wasn't an idiot, she just never learned from her mistakes.

There were so many unpleasant things she had wanted to tell Megumi.

Frustration did no excuse disrespect; it was why Ayako chose to express her anger through silence, never with words. That often guaranteed regret afterwards, and Ayako did not want that. She was not disrespectful.

Then there was her pesky headache. The suffering from last night hadn't ended it would seem, but had taken a temporary interval. Ayako wasn't looking forward to her talk with Kazuto, and prayed it wouldn't be as stressful as the one she had just had with Megumi. Someday, those two were going to be the death of her!

"Mom,"

Ayako returned to reality, now realizing she was on the second floor. She wasn't sure where she had been going, or had she just planned on wandering the house aimlessly?

Yukiko was standing before her, wearing her new dress. Ayako quickly suppressed the miserable thoughts and forced herself to forget everything: her frustration with Kazuto and Megumi, her concern for Ryuuto, the stress she had been dealing with since yesterday; Ayako will forget all that for now. Yukiko didn't need that, and it was getting too much for Ayako anyway.

"Oh, Yukiko," She smiled, "You look wonderful!"

Cue the double checking. Yes Ayako was miserable at the moment, but that wasn't stopping her from making sure her daughter looked perfect. They had a guest coming over, after all.

But Yukiko noticed that misery. No, it was too apparent to miss, brightly reflected in her mother's somewhat sluggish movements. She seemed to hardly have the energy to check her dress, or do anything for that matter.

And her eyes, Yukiko did not miss the dullness they exhibited. Even when Ayako was searching for the smallest of flaws, her gaze didn't seem as sharp as it normally was. In fact, it appeared Ayako had a lot on her mind, and it only took Yukiko a moment to speculate that it might be because of Ryuuto.

"Are you okay, mom?"

"Hm? Yes, of course." Ayako said without halting her inspection.

Yes, Yukiko expected that answer; but still…

"Didn't you say you were exhausted?"

"A little," Ayako said after some hesitation, "Just a little, but's it fine; I—"

Small hands cupped her cheeks, and Ayako suddenly found herself face to face with her daughter. Now, she was the one being inspected by a pair of shrewd brown eyes.

Yukiko herself had no idea what had come over her, but she hardly gave it any thought, for her mind was gripped by the fatigue painted on her mother's face. It wasn't a pretty picture, yet she continued to study every aspect. It felt like she was back to caring for her grandmother.

"You're tired," Yukiko noted. "You should rest."

"I'm alright, sweetie." Ayako insisted with a reassuring smile, placing one hand over one of her daughter's.

Even her smile was lifeless, just like its owner.

"I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"But isn't that why you stayed at home today?"

"…"

"Please, mom; go rest." Yukiko tried again, almost pleadingly.

The woman was silent, no longer masking her gloom with a smile. Yukiko supposed her mother understood it would be a futile attempt to conceal the obvious, or perhaps she lacked the energy to do so. Both possibilities concerned Yukiko even more, and she sincerely hoped her mother would listen to her and go rest. That's all Yukiko was asking.

Finally, Ayako smiled again, genuinely this time. It was a bit assuring; but Yukiko still worried her mother might insist she was fine. She certainly wasn't expecting a sudden embrace.

"Oh, Yukiko," She heard her mother sigh, "You're such a sweet girl."

One hand had sat at the back of Yukiko's head before cascading down the black mane. The other one wrapped around her shoulder in a protective manner. Perhaps Ayako worried her daughter might also leave her. It was for that reason Yukiko quickly reciprocated the hug, and prayed her mother would go to bed soon.

"How long until your friend arrives?" Ayako asked, breaking the hug.

"About half an hour,"

She nodded. "Alright; I'll take a short nap."

She said she would take a short nap, but right as her head hit the pillow, Ayako could no longer hold the tears back. So, she let it all out, occasionally whisper Ryuuto's name, as if that would somehow bring him back to her. If only it did, though.

Outside, Yukiko stood against the bedroom door and listened to her mother's sobbing and weeping. She checked her phone to see that Ryuuto hadn't texted back yet.

Later, she stood in front of Ryuuto's room, where all this mess started.

No, it started yesterday, when Yukiko had idiotically blurted out that her brother wasn't coming home. Was it necessary to tell her parents? Yukiko wondered what would have happened had she not done so. The outcome wouldn't have been much different: Her parents would have found out eventually, and they would still be upset.

She gently reached for the door knob, and then paused. A few moments passed before she sighed and eventually opened the door.

Ryuuto, where did he even get the courage to run away? Yukiko wondered as she walked around the empty room. Never had she expected this kind of thing from someone as reserved and responsible as her brother.

She also never expected him to ever raise his voice against their father, yet he did numerous times. They were always fighting, always disagreeing; it seemed inevitable for Ryuuto to pull such a stunt. Yukiko couldn't blame him, not with how strict their father was, not with how he had acted yesterday.

Then there was their mother, shedding tears for her missing son; tears that reminded Yukiko of how nightmarish the situation really was. They had no idea where Ryuuto was at the moment, or if he was ever coming back. Terrifying as their father may be, the thought of never seeing her brother again provided greater terror. Yukiko now understood why their mother sided with her husband.

The girl sat down on the bed, and clutched her head while the memories replayed before her eye. She saw herself opening the door, then freeing at the sight of the rope and open window. Afterwards, her father showed up, and the situation worsened. She recalled the harsh words he said to her grandmother, how he forbad her from caring for her when she was sick. He wouldn't even let her bring her dinner! For that reason, it was difficult for Yukiko to take his side.

Still, running away was both serious and dangerous. It shouldn't have been Ryuuto's last resort, no matter how overbearing their father was.

Yukiko sighed again; she didn't know what to think of all this, or decide who was in the wrong. Her eyes then traveled to the Koto sitting in the corner, a nice distraction from her dilemma. Very soon, she found herself going down memory lane.

Two small children sat on the ground together. If Yukiko recalled correctly, they were about eight and five at the time, maybe older. The Koto was laid before them, and Ryuuto was joyously plucking the strings, but not too harshly. From a young age, he had always been gentle with his possessions, and the Koto was very dear to him.

Meanwhile, little Yukiko clapped her hands in delight, no matter how messy and random his notes were. She always enjoyed listening to him play the instrument; she still did to this very day.

That's when Yukiko returned to reality, and noticed a single tear had slid down her cheek.

"Are you coming back?"

Whom was she asking? Certainly not the Koto which her eyes have yet to move away from; the girl hadn't even realized her lips were moving until she heard her own voice mumble that question. What's with her today?

Yukiko let out another sigh, and left the room. Staying there was starting to get painful. There was still nothing from her brother yet, which pained her even more.

Her grandmother sat in the living room, deep in thought. Only when Yukiko sat next to her did she perk up a little, but her eyes still possessed a considerable amount of dullness; not so different from her mother's.

"You look gorgeous." Megumi said, "Well, you always are."

Yukiko nodded, and placed a hand over her grandmother's forehead. "Are you sure you're feeling better?"

"Yes, yes." Megumi said, gently swapping the hand away, "Fighting with that angry idiot gave me a headache, so I slept through the whole day. Felt better after waking up."

Yukiko suppressed a sigh and checked her phone again; still nothing from Ryuuto.

"Your brother is on a camping trip."

The girl looked up in surprise and confusion, wondering if she had misheard.

"Yes, your neat freak brother is on a camping trip." Megumi sighed. "Anything to avoid your father,"

The question concerning Ryuuto's actions popped back up. Yukiko immediately shoved it into the darkest corner of her mind because she was getting tired of searching for the answer. Last she needed was a headache of her own.

The moment her eyes rested upon the form of Kanzaki Ayako, Miku was immediately rendered speechless, unable to conceive how identical she was to Yukiko—an exact replica!

Err...no, Yukiko was the exact replica. That made more sense.

Same eyes, face, fringe, everything! What set mother and daughter apart, aside from the hardly noticeable height difference, was that Ayako had her hair in a low ponytail.

Ayako was also scrutinizing the girl, noting every detail, from the inches that made Miku slightly taller than Yukiko, to the purplish-brown hair that was tied back into a high ponytail, though a lock on each side remained cascading down to frame a visage only a few shades darker than Yukiko's. Crystal blue eyes were complemented by earrings of the same shade.

Her attire consisted of a white, floral tee and denim shorts. Simple and very common during this time of the year, but Ayako couldn't get over the very short shorts that only covered half the girl's thighs, 'She's too young to be wearing something like that.'

"Hello." The woman bowed.

Miku quickly recovered from her shock and bowed.

"Hello!" She straightened her posture. "Sorry about the gawking, it's just…" She glanced at Yukiko, then at Ayako. "Wow, you two look so much alike!"

Ayako laughed. "Yes, everyone says so."

"And you can't blame them," Megumi commented, "You should see her siblings; those Hiiragi genes are strong."

"Hiiragi?"

"My maiden name," Ayako clarified.

"Oh, is the resemblance that strong in your family?"

"Very," Mother and daughter replied in unison.

"Strong, strong genes," Megumi reaffirmed as she walked closer to the girls, "I'm Yukiko's grandmother, by the way."

"Hello!" Miku bowed again.

"Hello, my dear," Megumi said before she suddenly wrapped an arm around the girl. "Now, come here; we're very excited to have you!"

"Uh…" Was all Miku managed to say before she awkwardly walked with the elder to the living room, "Really?"

"Yes, yes," Megumi nodded enthusiastically, "Yukiko has told us so much about you; you're practically a celebrity in this house!"

The girl laughed. "Wow, I'm flattered."

"Can I have your autograph?"

Miku laughed again and sat on the sofa. "I'm curious; what did she say about me?"

"Nothing but good things," Megumi said, sitting in front of her.

"Mm hmm," Yukiko nodded and sat next to her friend. Ayako sat adjacent to them.

"Which makes me very happy; my granddaughter's a sweet girl, I'm glad she has someone who has her back. She told me you scare all the bad boys away,"

"Yeah," Miku shook her head at Yukiko, "She has the worst luck in guys."

The girl in question smiled sheepishly. Ayako on the other hand, seemed very concerned. Yukiko hadn't told her much about these boys, just that they annoyed her, but nothing more. Right as she was about to voice her worries, Megumi opened her mouth again.

"Yes, that's another thing she inherited from her mother," Megumi chuckled, "It's called the Hiiragi curse."

Ayako's eye twitched. 'Don't remind me,'

"Oh, so you had the same problem?" Miku asked her.

"Yes, unfortunately,"

"Luckily, she got married in the end, hallelujah!" Megumi exclaimed, twirling a finger.

Miku chuckled and turned to her friend again, "So there's hope for you, too, huh?"

"Hopefully," Megumi turned to Ayako. "I mean, your sister also has horrible luck in men. Yet, she still found herself a husband."

"Seriously?" Miku whispered to Yukiko, who nodded solemnly.

"Yes, everything worked out in the end," Ayako then addressed Miku, "I hope those boys aren't too much trouble."

"Nah, nothing we can't handle." The girl reassured her, "But if they ever do anything serious, we'll tell a teacher."

"That's good."

For Miku, the rest of the conversation felt like an interview as both women had lots of questions for her, especially Megumi. She really was a celebrity in this house, which was nice. She greatly enjoyed the attention, anything was better than the silence in her own home.

"Alright, last question." Megumi clasped her hands together. "What are you girls gonna do now; any plans?"

The two girls froze and stared at one another in shock. They hadn't discussed that at all.

"Um…"

"I'm down with anything!" Miku smiled at her friend.

"Hmm, I was thinking of planting;" Megumi said, "Want to join me?"

"Sure," Miku nodded as she and Yukiko stood up.

"What are we planting, grandma?" Yukiko asked, as she and Miku followed Megumi to the backyard. Ayako watched them go before heading to the kitchen.

"Bluebells; do you remember what they mean, Yuki-chan?"

"Gratitude," The girl answered confidently. Flower meanings were possibly the only thing she could easily recall without a single trace of second guessing.

Megumi nodded, "And that's why we're planting them."

Miku was confused. "Huh?"

"I was ill for about a week," She explained, "And Yukiko took care of me."

"Oh," Miku smiled at her friend, "That's really nice of you, Yukiko."

"Indeed, it was." Megumi said, "Best care of my life!"

The girl in question blushed, feeling that warmth from earlier return.

"It's nothing, really." She set three pots on the ground. "I just did what I had to do."

"And I'm grateful." Megumi sat next to her granddaughter and rubbed her head affectionately.

The pleasant sensation grew, as did her smile, especially when Megumi pulled her into an embrace. Relief washed over her, and Yukiko gladly allowed herself to immerse in its waters. Her fears and worries were no more—dispelled by the wrinkled arms of her grandmother. Truly, she was blessed to have someone like Megumi in her life.

"Why are you just standing there? Come here!"

"Oh, uh…sure," Miku said and sat next to Yukiko, "Sorry; you guys looked like you had a family moment."

"Ah, no worries," Megumi reached over to pat her head, much to the girl's glee.

Who's right? Who's wrong? Yukiko gave them no thought. Rather, she indulged herself with the precious time she was currently spending with her grandmother and friend. Everything else hardly mattered to her now.

"You know," Miku spoke, "This sorta feels like the Ikebana club."

"Mm," Yukiko nodded, smiling.

"Do you like flowers, Ozawa-chan?" Megumi asked.

"Yeah," she said, "And uh, you can call me Miku; I like being on first-name basis with others."

Megumi chuckled, "Well then, you can call me Megumi."

"Umm…"

It wasn't...It was fine so long as she had the person's permission, right? But Yukiko's grandmother was an old woman, and not a schoolmate or someone close to her age. Was it really okay to address someone like that so casually, and without an honorific? It kind of felt wrong to Miku's ears.

"Just call me Megumi; no honorifics whatsoever!"

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely sure," Megumi assured her, "I too, like being on first name basis with others; which reminds me,"

She turned to Yukiko. "Have I ever told you about when your mother would address me when she first got married?"

"No?"

"Before her wedding, Ayako would use all sorts of honorifics with even though I told her she can just use my first name."

The two girls listened closely, almost forgetting about their plants.

"But then, after thewedding, she called me Mother and I can't tell you just how much I hated it!" She stuck out her tongue in disgust. "I wanted to throw up!"

"Oh," Yukiko said.

"I told her to just call me Megumi, but no! Your mother insisted she use an honorific, so she would call me Megumi-sama!" The woman clutched her head, "Megumi-sama, Ayako? Megumi-sama?!"

Miku chuckled, "She was trying to be respectful."

"Then she should've used my first name like I had asked her to!" Megumi huffed and crossed her arms. "After a long argument, she settled with Megumi-san; would it kill that woman to just drop the formalities already, especially after all these years?!"

Miku laughed again. "Yeah, I get it. It's like how Yukiko kept calling me Ozawa-san for like a week."

"Really?" Megumi glanced at her granddaughter.

"Well," Yukiko said sheepishly, "We weren't that close yet, so…"

"Yeah, but I kept telling you to call me Miku," the other girl retorted. "I mean, almost everyone used my first name, not just friends. Heck, some of the guys did!"

"I was trying to be respectful,"

"Just like her mother," Megumi commented.

Miku smiled at her. "Those genes sure are strong, huh?"

"Strong, strong genes,"

They eventually returned to their plants, but Miku and Megumi still chatted over a variety of topics. Yukiko occasionally joined in, listening to the other two was much more enjoyable for her.

"Oh, you like old dramas?"

"Yeah, I watch lots of stuff on TV." Miku said before remembering her image. "Uh, I love of friends with different tastes, so I get a lot of recommendations. I used to watch old dramas to try and learn some pretty hairstyles. I ended up binging them."

Megumi chuckled and rubbed the girl's head affectionately. "I like you a lot."

Miku smiled warmly.

Brown eyes opened slightly, but Yukiko was not fully awake yet. Her dream was now playing out in the pitch black world that greeted her vision. However, that familiarity soon faded alongside the drowsiness fogging her mind. Yukiko yelped at the shadowy figure, whom she assumed to be an intruder.

"It's me, Yukiko," A voice similar to her father's said.

Yukiko squinted, trying to make out the man's figure in the dark. That's when she remembered she had a lamp and quickly turned it on. Now that she could clearly see it was her father, Yukiko relaxed, feeling her heartbeat retain normalcy.

"I didn't mean to frighten you." Kazuto said, walking closer until he was now standing at her bedside. "I just wanted to put your new phone here."

"Hm?" Her eyes travelled back to the nightstand, where the aforementioned device rested.

"I'll be working late tonight," He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Most likely, I'll be too focused on getting ready the next day and might forget to give you the phone."

The girl just nodded, unsure of what to say. Kazuto on the other hand, seemed to have a lot more to say, but was hesitant, which Yukiko found odd. Hesitance wasn't something she'd ever associate with her father.

"Were you dreaming about your brother?"

"Huh?"

"You called out his name when you woke up." Kazuto said, "I think you mistook me for him,"

Yukiko furrowed her brow and tried to recall her dream. Yes, she did remember it to be about Ryuuto, but nothing else. She dug deeper into her memory for more details, piecing together several different images. She also managed to recall some parts of a dialogue.

"Yuuto?" She asked herself.

"Who?"

Oh, she forgot her father was present.

"Is that what I said?" She looked up to meet the man's gaze. "Yuuto?"

Kazuto frowned. "No, you said Ryuuto, didn't you?"

"Hmm," She looked back down, trying to remember the dream more clearly. 'Yuuto,'

"Regarding your brother," Kazuto spoke, "Has he called you?"

"No." She shook her head.

"Hmm; if he does, let me know right away."

Yukiko bit her lips before nodding.

"Trust me when I say your brother will be severely punished for this," He said, "Your mother and I were talking earlier; she didn't want to discuss Ryuuto. Can you imagine how heart-broken she is by his actions?"

Yukiko kept her head low. The man's gaze softened; he briefly looked away, before turning back to her.

"About…"

She looked back up, waiting for him to finish. However, it was clear he was reluctant to continue. Thus, father and daughter were left with awkward silence; much to the latter's confusion.

"Did your gr—mother rest during the day?" He finally asked.

"Yes?"

Kazuto nodded, "Good,"

That's what her father had been so afraid to ask? She wasn't convinced; maybe it had something to do with the talk her parents had earlier. Had he noticed something off about his wife? Now, Yukiko found herself concerned.

"How's mom doing?"

Kazuto nodded. "She's handling the situation well,"

"Mm,"

"She told me you made dinner this time," He continued. "All by yourself; you refused to let her help you."

"I wanted her to rest more," She explained, frowning slightly "I hope she's not upset about it."

"No, no; she's very grateful." Kazuto smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It was very nice of you, Yukiko, especially given how stressed she's been lately."

"Are you worried about him?" She asked quietly.

"Of course," Kazuto answered, "What father doesn't worry about his children?"

Yukiko looked down at her hands pensively. 'Who's wrong? Who's right?'

"It's late," Kazuto stood up. "You should go back to sleep, I'm sorry for keeping you up."

"It's fine," She said, lying back down on her bed. "Good night,"

"Good night, princess."

Soon, he was gone. Yukiko waited a few more minutes, before taking her mother's phone and quickly wrote a new text.

"Yuuto?" She reread the new message.

The idea popped into her head shortly after remembering her dream, but Yukiko wasn't sure if it would work. Even with seven messages her father would never dare to write, Ryuuto still didn't respond. Could this one word really yield better results?

Regardless, Yukiko still decided to give it a go. It's not like she anything to lose. So, she finally sent it, praying the old nickname would get her brother to finally respond.