When neither Oga or the baby returned to the apartment for a couple of days, Furuichi took it upon himself to search for father and son. Furuichi didn't have any contact information except for the number to Oga's beat up cellphone which kept going to voicemail. Seeing no other place to start, Furuichi headed out to Misaki's ramen shop.

Furuichi's heart began to thunder when the shop had a sign that read "Closed for winter break." What was he going to do now? He could try to go find his parents number through the school's records department, but Furuichi didn't think they were open either. Not to mention that he wouldn't be able to get said information without insinuating that Oga was endangering the child, which he was 98% sure the brute wasn't. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the shadow that slid next to him.

"I never gave you permission to take care of my baby, creep."

Furuichi nearly jumped out of his skin. "Hilda?"

The blonde gave him a penetrating stare that caused Furuichi to back away from the scary demon-like mother. "Um..c-can I help you?"

Hilda stepped to close the gap between them, poking Furuichi hard in the chest. "I said that I never gave you permission to handle my son. I don't know you."

Furuichi stood his ground despite wobbly knees. "Oga…"

She spat on the ground beside Furuichi's foot. "That good for nothing can't wipe his ass without help."

"He's more capable than you give him credit for."

He said it without thinking. They mirrored each other's shocked expressions. Then she gave a decidedly sinister grin. "You're in love with him."

"What? No. He's…er…he's just…my roommate." Furuichi silently cursed the blush that spread like wildfire across his face. Hilda took a step back to study Furuichi evenly. He's pretty, she thought appreciatively. He's got personality, but the blonde knew just what it was about the silvernette that drew Oga. His blind loyalty.

"You must be really good at sucking dick."
Smack.

Neither of them saw it coming. Furuichi questioned who struck the blonde in the face until the tingling in his hand signaled that he had done it. Hilda looked more shocked at the act than actually phased by the pain of the slap. Mustering up the last shred of courage from his fluttering heart, Furuichi mumbled quickly. If he was going to die here, then damnit he was going to have the last word.

"I went to bat for him. When no one else believed in him."

Hilda's eyes glittered under the lamppost light in a way that Furuichi thought she started to cry. When he looked closer, he realized that she had turned them hard and cold. Hilda would never show anyone that she conceded with the fact that the brunet she was still deeply in love with moved on to love someone else that was way better than she'd ever be. However, closing herself off couldn't stop Hilda's maternal instinct from questioning his ability to raise her son properly.

With an accusatory finger pointed at Furuichi she began, "Which toy is Baby Be'el's favorite?"

"The rubber guillotine."

"What times does Baby Be'el feed?"

"He eats five times a day spaced every four hours. Excluding nap time."

"What does Baby Be'el like after waking up, apple juice or a new diaper?"

"He loves a good story from Brothers' Grimm."

Hilda dropped her hand satisfied to know that Furuichi really had read through her manual. She then gave Furuichi one of the only smiles he'd ever get from her. For whatever reason, Furuichi gave her a hug. Even stranger, she returned it.

Both were grateful when Hilda's phone sounded with a message from Alaindelon. As she turned to leave without a word, a habit that Furuichi found slightly rude even though he understood, he couldn't help but ask a question nagging in his head.

"Is Alaindelon your father?"

She stopped and regarded him cautiously. "My uncle. Why?"

Furuichi raised his hands in defense. "Purely curious. I wanted to ask you if you could thank him for me."

Furuichi thought Hilda was going to say something snarky, but she continued to walk into the night with a casual wave.

Staring back at the ramen shop, Furuichi felt the urgency to find Oga and the baby rekindle when his phone sounded. He had received a message from a strange number. It read, "They're fine. Go home. You look stupid just standing there."

Heading home, Furuichi shuddered. He never gave Hilda his number.

Oga's heart pounded when the Furuichi family arrived at the ramen shop the following afternoon. The brute had managed to convince them to meet with his family without letting the silvernette know anything about it. Oga knew Furuichi would stop the meeting without giving Oga a chance to explain himself. Although, it really hurt, Oga had already made up his mind. If Furuichi could make a case for him, then the brute could do the same.

Honoka volunteered to take care of Baby Be'el in the staffroom to play. The tension between both families choked down most of Oga's practiced speech into his throat. It was sheer pride in being the best fighter in the neighborhood that allowed him to force out the few words that made it out.

"Takayuki is a good dad."

Everyone shifted in their seats signaling that this sentence was going to need way more context.

He started over. "I'm asking permission to date Takayuki."

"Absolutely not!"

Furuichi's mother gave Oga the dirtiest glare he'd gotten since meeting Hilda, but now that his fighting spirit sprung back to life, the brute was not going to back down.

"What makes you think I'm not going to date him without your permission? I'm here asking because he really values you all. Even after you abandoned him like he was lower than the dirt beneath your shoes."

Furuichi's parents crossed their arms, saying nothing. Looking any other place than Oga's knowing expression.

"What about you? Don't you think it's wrong that your son is asking permission to date our son?" Furuichi's mother appealed to Oga's family sitting quietly in the background. No one answered right away. It was at that moment that it dawned on Oga that he wasn't sure if they were on board with the idea either. They just saw that Furuichi could be a great caretaker of Berebo. Caretaker meant baby-sitter. It didn't always mean partner.

"Well," Oga's mom began. "Oga hasn't had very many good influences in life. Not for our lack of trying."

His father picked up the passing proverbial torch. "He picked fights over picking up his grades. Became a father before a salaryman. And in all senses of the word, he's a failure."

Oga's eyes widened astonishedly. Oi, oi, oi! You were supposed to help me. Not bury me into the ground!

Misaki continued. "But he brought Furuichi into the shop to meet me. He told us that Furuichi did more for him than anyone he's ever met. I caught him doing his homework for the first time because Furuichi was there to help him and cheer him on. Then he told us that he wanted Furuichi to be his partner. Furuichi is pretty good with Baby Be'el. So, if you're looking at it from our point of view," Misaki rose to retrieve a teapot from the counter. Oga's parents got up to retrieve the cups, snacks and so on until they presented the display to the Furuichi family.

"So," Oga's mother reiterated. "If you're looking at it from our perspective, Takayuki is the best thing that ever happened to our Tatsumi. We'd be stupid to block our son from any small chance he has at becoming a better father."

The Oga's enjoyed their tea while three cups remained overturned. The brute hated tea without sugar. Misaki purposely left the sugar behind the counter. She always told him that he wasn't a little kid anymore and to get used to the taste. Reaching for a cup himself, his palms began to sweat when neither of Furuichi's parents did nor said anything.

Both tight-lipped and sitting stiff as boards, it wasn't until 15 minutes later that they moved back to life. Honoka had brought Baby Be'el to the room because he had gotten fussy. Like a conveyor belt, Honoka passed Baby Be'el to Oga, Misaki passed a couple of snacks to Honoka and the Furuichi's grabbed their things as well as Honoka's hand. They left the shop and casted one last glare into the shop just in time to see Oga properly feed his son.

A/N: "Time keeps on slippin', slippin' into the future~" Name that song lol. This is my life during this quarantine, I keep forgetting what day it is. Anyway, I hope you're alright everyone. We're almost at the finale of this fic. See you next week :)