"Here are your cakes." The glass made a loud clank as Hidori set the plates in front of us. It almost fell off the side where she placed it. Her eyes on my guest.
"This is a cute little shop. I know a lot of business partners who own these type of businesses. And you look adorable in your outfit Shiima." Usagi-chichi exclaimed, the deadly aura going past his head.
"If we weren't at my job, and one more mistake gets me fired, I would kick your a-."
"Hidori go to work." She was not lying about almost being fired.
"I'm watching you." She walked away, almost running into another table.
"She is still feisty." Usagi-chichi chuckled, biting into the strawberry cake. The silence was bothering me. I could not even enjoy my chocolate cake. "How are you Takahashi? I saw all of you in the magazine. Congratulations on a safe pregnancy. Miyoko looks so much like my wife."
Weird congratulations, considering he offered to pay for an abortion. "I wouldn't know." Usagi never talked about his mom. I asked once but he just said she would not care.
"She is out of the country for business, does not spend too much time in Japan. When she heard about Miyoko she was just as happy as I was to find out you had a girl."
"Why?"
He took another bite. I felt full already. "A boy would be troublesome. The family, as well as our investors, would look to your son to take over the business. Your daughter should be safe but there is still the inheritance people in our family are talking about."
"Um, Usagi-chichi, why did you come here?"
I jumped at the loud clunk of the cup. Another glare from Hidori as she walked off. I drank the tea she gave me. I never noticed my throat so dry. "I wanted to have a chat. It has been a while, almost a year. Akihiko hung up on me last week when I tried to set up a meeting." I thought he only called the one time Mizuki was staying with us. "I figured you might talk to him for me."
"About what?"
He lifted up the black briefcase, pulling out a small stack of papers. I saw Usagi's signature on one. "I wanted to give these back to him. I have decided not to go through disowning him."
He passed the papers to me. I looked at them without reading. "Why?" He seemed so sure before.
Usagi-chichi sighed, taking another bite. "I do love my son Takahashi, even if I do not approve of his decisions. Disowning him had been a rash choice, I realized that. I have come to terms and am willing to acknowledge you and your daughter as part of the Usami household." Willing. Ouch. "We do have to discuss the inheritance you, your family, and your daughter will receive once paperwork is filed. It is helpful your daughter has our last name so we can…"
"I am not with Usagi for the money." It was hard to contain the anger inside of me. Money money money. That was all I could hear. I am so tired of money.
"I can see that. You would be an amazing actress if you did have malicious intentions, but this is still a business. Akihiko is still part of the Usami empire. And now that he had a girl there will be others looking for a boy."
"Why from Usagi? You have two sons."
He wasn't smiling already but it looked as if I told him someone died. "You know those two are half brothers. I was married into the Usami clan. Haruhiko was born outside the Usami household. By blood, Akihiko is the rightful next heir."
Blame it on my commoner self but this all sounded too complicated. I did not know what he meant by all of this, "Usagi doesn't want to take over the company."
"A selfish child. He will realize it soon enough. Even after I offered to acknowledge your relationship I still get denied access to my granddaughter."
"You told her to get an abortion!" Hidori was on break. I scooted (got pushed) over so Hidori could sit next to me. "With everything you have done I am surprised we don't have a restraining order on you. And to show up at my job? I want to fu…" That's enough out of her. She grumbled, chewing the piece of chocolate cake. I ignored her glare as I set the fork down.
Usagi-chichi chuckled. "I know I am disliked, I don't blame you. As I said before, everything I did was for the sake of our family. Things are different since my offer. You had the child and announced your relationship publicly. All I can do now is accept defeat and hope to find a way this will work for the family."
"You mean your business."
"I don't see how they are different."
Hidori let out a large grumble, her fingers tapping the table. She turned to me. "Usami-sensei won't let you do anything without him. Just imagine how pissed he'll be when he hears about this."
"He will be upset but I can only get through to him if it has something to do with Takahashi."
"Coward."
"Hidori." She did not look sorry. "I don't know about Miyoko, I still would have to talk to Usagi about you seeing her." Though we already know what he will say.
He sighed, "I thought you would say that." He pulled out a folded paper. The front page of our interview. He stared at it for a moment. Too long of a moment. Hidori and I shared a look. "She really does look like Akihiko." Did he sound sad?
I reached into my bag to pull out another picture. "Um, this was taken last week. Usagi gave her a bath." I heard Hidori mumble but still passed him the photo. It was a cute one. Miyoko had just splashed Usagi and was laughing. Usagi-chichi's body shook as he looked at the picture. I saw where Usagi and Usagi-ani got their face from. But then he smiled, Usagi's smile, an actual smile. I wanted to say something but felt like I was going to ruin a moment.
Hidori does it enough. "I have to get to work and he has to leave. It is almost time that sensei said he was going to pick you up." Wow does time fly.
"I am afraid she is right, I should go. Akihiko will cause a scene if he sees me."
"Smart." I watched him stare at the picture, sighing as he passed it to me. His arm shook. "Um, you can have that….if you want."
"Misaki." Shut up Hidori.
"You really are a kind girl. You just might survive." Usagi-chichi pulled out his wallet to set down a 10000 yen bill on the table. He then tucked the picture in one of the wallet's slots. "Keep the extra for the trouble."
"Will do." She was quick to grab the money and walked over to the registers.
"I hope to see you again. I would like to discuss the bear carvings I have found."
"Um, sure." He looked down at the papers. "And please make sure Akihiko sees those." He bowed his head slightly before getting up and leaving. Can there be one day without drama? And what do I say? I know Usagi is going to say no but doesn't Miyoko have a right to know everyone in her family?
"What's the plan?" Shit. When did she pop up? "You gonna have to tell sensei."
"I know."
"And he will see those papers."
"I know."
"And he wi-" "Don't you have a future boyfriend to ask out?" Sometimes I wish she would stop talking. I wished I had a camera though. Her tomato-colored face, clenched fists, lips shaking wanting to yell. Even better to hear Shinnosuke coughing, having walked by at the right time. She settled with a pout and turned to go work.
My phone buzzed as I saw Usagi's car pulling into the lot through the window. "Bye Hidori." I winked at Shinnosuke before leaving.
"Hello." I got in, looking back in the mirror. Miyoko sound asleep. "How was the meeting? I still can't believe you brought her."
He did not reply, his eyes on the papers in my hand. Here we go. "Usagi..."
"What are those?"
I passed them to him like they were a bomb. He eyed me with suspicion, a look of realization as he read the words. "How did you get these?"
"Funny story..."
I flinched when he slammed the door shut. He did not find my story funny. He went silent in the car and was now stomping into the living room. I put Miyoko down on her blanket so she could play with her toys.
"Usagi, can you talk to me?"
He sat on the couch, throwing the papers on the coffee table. "I don't know what he is thinking?"
Your dad. "He did talk about it being a rash decision, maybe he wants to make up with you."
"It is not that simple. Nothing is ever simple with that family. At this point I will have to call my lawyers."
"Usagi! Don't do that!"
"I will do whatever is needed to keep him away. He knows he is not welcomed and I will make sure he remembers that."
"But Usagi...I think he wants to meet Miyoko."
"And he won't."
"But…" "Misaki!" My body went cold; it was rare to hear him yell. "We are not discussing this." He turned as Miyoko started crying. Conversation over. I watched him pick her up and rock her. It reminded me of Usagi-chichi's face. He did look sad.
We did not talk about it for the rest of the night. Niichan called, which was nice since I could ask him what he thought.
"Listen to Usagi."
"I know niichan...but I still feel bad, that is Miyoko's grandfather."
"I know you care but there are just some people who can't fix."
"What should I do?"
"Leave it alone. That is something Usagi and his father needs to figure out. Not you."
"Okay, thanks niichan."
So maybe I am the only one blowing this out of proportion. Still does not stop me from caring.
NEXT DAY
"She is so cute!" Kisa, the pretty woman from Emerald, exclaimed. Her voice echoed in the hall. I was grabbing Miyoko from daycare when she caught me. "She looks so much like you."
"Everyone says she looks like Usag-Usami."
"Hair and eye color ya but I definitely see you."
"KISA, WHERE IS MY MANUSCRIPT?" The editor from before, the black haired man, growled. Next to him was my twin with a scowl on her face.
Kisa rolled her eyes. "Fine, I will see you around Takahashi." I still haven't found out her age. Twenty-three? I looked down when Miyoko started hitting my chin. "Alright, alright. Aikawa wants to see you but then we will go home."
"Takahashi?" Now whaaaaaaa…..IJUIN-SENSEI? "I thought that was you."
"H-hi sensei, what are you doing here?" Oh my gosh! Be cool!
I could faint at that smile. "I was bringing my recent manuscript."
"I can't wait to read it!"
He looked down. "What are you doing here?"
"I am working here part-time."
"Then we might be seeing each other more often." Ah! "I see your daughter with you. I almost forgot how beautiful she was."
I smiled down at her. "She has a lot of sensei's qualities."
"Really? Because I see more of you in her." Everyone says that but I still think it's because of Usagi's qualities. Those purple eyes are gonna be a problem when she is older. "I have to go now but I hope to see you again. Both of you."
"Yes, thank you for your work!" Ah that smile. I bowed and made my way back to Aikawa.
Got it in!
NEXT CHAPTER:
Dealing with the in-laws
