Chapter 1: A Mother's Visit
Synopsis
One year has passed since Team E defeated Enigma. Haruhiko–together with Mai, Reina, Koito, Ruru, Kurumi and Albrecht–is up against a giant skunk Phantom. During the battle, they were being watched by a girl with silver hair, who happened to watch their fight against Enigma a year ago.
After the battle has ended, Team E got a visit from two people Haruhiko and Ruru knows.
Author's Note
This story is actually a re-upload of a Phantom World fan fiction that I once wrote on my DeviantArt account, formerly titled "The Girl Named Toko Kashima". However, I just couldn't find the time to focus on this story due to being busy with other things irl. Also, there were many things I had to rewite and edit in this fanfic. But I do intend on finishing this story at my own pace. I hope you, the readers, will enjoy reading this story of mine.
For those who are unfamiliar with the series or only watched the anime, Toko Kashima, the titular character of this fan fiction, is NOT an original character (OC) of mine. She is an actual character who appears in the second and third volume of the light novel. According to the Phantom World wiki, she is the main antagonist of the series who is really obssessed with Haruhiko and is deeply connected to his past. Basically, this fan fiction is how I would imagine if Toko appeared in the anime adaptation and if there were to be a second season of the anime. Since I have not read the light novel, Toko in this fanfic may not coincide with her LN counterpart.
In the anime (and possibly the light novel), Haruhiko's mother is an unnamed character. However, she and her second husband from the final episode will be given names of their own. In this story, the mother is named "Midori Morisato", and the husband is named "Shun Morisato". Just like the original Japanese dub, Japanese honorifics will be in this story, such as san, kun, chan, senpai, and sama.
For more information on Toko Kashima, check out her wiki page on the link below:
Musaigen no Phantom World Wiki - Fandom: wiki/Toko_Kashima
NOTE: This story, along with my other my works, may be edited multiple times without warning if there are any changes I wanted to make or fix any mistakes.
It was a rough battle for Haruhiko Ichijo, Mai Kawakami, Reina Izumi, Koito Minase, Ruru, Kurumi Kumamakura and her teddy bear Albrecht. But thanks to their teamwork, Team E has successfully reclaimed Haruhiko's stolen abilities and defeated Enigma, the most dangerous Phantom they have ever faced. Haruhiko used his ability, "The Book of Thoth" to seal away Enigma once and for all, causing the latter's body to crystallize. Before Enigma accepts her defeat, she takes one last look at Haruhiko with a warm, benevolent smile on her face.
"The time we spent together… I had so much fun," Enigma said wholeheartedly.
"So did I," Haruhiko replied earnestly.
After they exchange their farewells, Enigma's whole body transforms into a big crystal. Mai then steps in as she places her hand on the crystal and uses her ability to destroy it. With the crystal completely shattered, Enigma is gone for good and the battle has finally come to an end.
Meanwhile, a girl has been watching the fight from afar for quite some time. The girl in question appears to be around Haruhiko's age. She has long, straight silver hair, a blue rose hanging on the right side of her hair, and dark orange eyes. She wears a white dress decorated with dark violet ribbons, a pair of dark violet elbow length gloves, dark violet scrunchies on both wrists, dark violet ribbons wrapped on each ankle, and a pair of black flats. The mysterious girl gazes fondly at Haruhiko with a bewitching look on her face right before she vanishes into thin air by using her ability that is yet to be revealed.
Afterwards, everything's going back on track. With Enigma gone, other Phantom Hunters have regained their abilities that were stolen by her. Haruhiko also had a proper reunion with his mother who he hadn't seen for nine years after his parent's divorce. The girls were more than happy to see Haruhiko and his mother reconcile with one another.
Furthermore, Alayashiki is being investigated by the government for concealing all their research. However, the government couldn't get in contact with the President of Alayashiki. In fact, nobody even knows who Alayashiki's President is because their name, face, and gender were never revealed to the public. No one in Alayashiki, not even Arisu Himeno of Hosea Academy, has ever seen the President nor even know their current whereabouts. Surely there is a reason why the President of Alayashiki has been keeping their identity a secret, but that's a story to tell for another time.
Moreover, Team E has become famous among their peers ever since they defeated Enigma. Their abilities and teamwork are what earned them the reputation of being the most popular group of Phantom Hunters in Hosea Academy. Unsurprisingly, Mai, Reina and Koito have been receiving love confessions from many students of both genders, but they keep turning them down. Ruru and Kurumi are adored by older students who would always give them snacks. And as for Haruhiko… Although he is also popular, other students idolize the girls more. In fact, they treat him the same as before, much to his dismay.
Before, it was just Haruhiko, Mai and Ruru in Team E. Mai was the only combatant, and Haruhiko could only seal away Phantoms at a rather slow pace. Since Ruru is incapable of fighting, all she can do is just observe and cheer for Haruhiko and Mai. Because of that, Team E rarely earns any good grades or rewards. But with Reina, Koito, Kurumi and Albrecht joining their group, Team E has gradually improved for the better.
Although they have become popular, not so much has changed Haruhiko and the others. They continued to go to school, hunt down rogue Phantoms, and hang out with each other like usual. But in the end, that's just the way they like it.
—One Year Later—
School is over for today at Hosea Academy. Most of the students are getting ready to head home or do their after-school activities. Team E regrouped with each other and headed for the school gate. Haruhiko, Reina and Koito are now 2nd year high school students. Mai is now a 3rd year high school student, which means she has one more year at Hosea before her graduation. And Kurumi is now in the 5th grade. Ruru, on the other hand, is still the same as ever.
On their way to the school gate, Team E was suddenly ambushed by a massive Phantom in the form of a dark green furred skunk at the school courtyard. They immediately prepared themselves for battle, with Himeno-sensei and some of the other students watching them from within the school building. During the battle, the skunk Phantom has proven itself to be a formidable foe with its monstrous strength and its stench as it let out its mightiest roar.
Mai grunted. "Damn it! This guy's tough!"
"Please hang in there, Mai-oneesama! We can win this as long as we're all still together!" Reina said reassuringly.
"Still, I never thought we would ever go up against a skunk Phantom," Koito added.
"Yeah. I've never seen a skunk in Japan before, but I heard they make real nasty farts. Ugh… Just thinking about it makes me wanna puke," Ruru said, shivering in disgust.
"Skunks don't simply just fart, Ruru," Haruhiko responded while sketching the Phantom in his sketchbook. "According to a book I read, skunks are quite notorious for their gas. The gas is made of chemicals that contain sulfur such as thiols. If provoked or endangered, they'll spray their gas on anyone without question. Not only does the gas smell unbearable, those who get sprayed will smell for up to 14 or 21 days if left untreated. Overall, every skunk uses their gas to defend themselves by spraying them through their an–." His words were stopped by Mai, who covered his mouth with her hands
"Okay, okay, okay! That's enough useless trivia for one day!" Mai cried with disgust. "That said, we have to be really careful if we don't wanna get sprayed. Everyone, let's do this!"
"Right!" The girls shouted in unison.
"Good luck, Team E!"
"Take that Phantom down, Mai!"
"You, too, Reina-chan!"
"Minase-san, we believe in you!"
"Be careful, Ruru-chan! Kurumi-chan!"
"C'mon, Haruhiko! Summon your little Phantoms already!"
The students watching the battle are cheering for Team E, who couldn't help but smile for their encouragement. They defeated a number of Phantoms one year ago, so there's no way they'll back down now.
Mai turned to Koito. "Do it, Koito!" She shouted, with Koito nodding her head in acknowledgement.
"Break, break, break, break into the tune of creation! Tune, tune, tune, tune, control the key!"
Koito chanted her Parole to create a whip of light and used it to restrain the Phantom from making its move. She then begins to chant another Parole.
"Break, break, break, break into the tune of creation! Tune, tune, tune, tune, tunnel the flames!"
Wave of flames came out of her mouth, and it made a direct hit on the immobilized Phantom.
"You're amazing, Minase-senpai!" Three of Koito's fangirls cheered with glee.
"Okay! Now, it's my turn!"
Mai began to use her ability, "Spirit of the Five Elements". Since the color of the Phantom's fur is dark green, she assumes that its attribute is wood. So, Mai decided to go with the natural law of "metal cutting through wood" and placed her hands on her chest since that's where her lungs are located. She rubbed her chest and began to chant her Parole.
"Of the five elements, the power of metal cuts through wood. I summon the metal phase from my lungs to my fists! Ready or not, here I come!"
Mai, with her hands glowing with metallic bright light, dashes towards the immobilized Phantom, leaps into the air, and delivers one powerful kick against it. Thus, the skunk Phantom got knocked down.
"Way to go, Mai!" One of the 3rd year high school girls cheered for Mai.
Despite taking in so much damage from Mai's kick, the skunk Phantom quickly regained its composure and began its counterattack.
"Oh, crap!" Mai exclaimed.
The Phantom's attack sent Mai flying. Fortunately, Koito managed to catch her.
"You all right?" Koito asked with concern.
"Yeah. Thanks, Koito," Mai replied with gratitude.
The Phantom is making another move as it turns around, raises both its tail and bottom, and releases its gas.
"Oh, no!"
Mai started to panic, and Koito was about to chant another Parole that can create a barrier around the two. Unfortunately, the gas has already made direct contact with them before Koito could finish her incantation.
"Mai-oneesama! Koito-san!" Reina screamed in terror.
Everyone watched in agony as Mai and Koito got sprayed. After the gas passes through those two, it is now heading towards Reina's direction. Albrecht, who already came to life and grew bigger through Kurumi's ability, grabbed Kurumi and took her as far away as possible. Ruru simply flew away, while Haruhiko quickly ran to Reina and grabbed her hand.
"Reina-chan, this way!"
"Y-You… YOU BRUTE!"
Reina, blushing madly, grabbed Haruhiko's arm and threw him with so much force that he literally flew straight into the sky.
"Are you kidding me?!" Haruhiko screamed in the air.
Himeno-sensei and the other students couldn't help but giggle in amusement when they saw Haruhiko getting thrown by Reina.
Shosuke Morohashi, a friend and classmate of Haruhiko, stared at him from the window with a wry smile. "Oh boy…" He said amusingly.
Getting thrown by Reina has actually happened to Haruhiko a number of times since the day they first met. Usually, it occurred every time he did something embarrassing or perverted to her. Luckily, Albrecht jumped super high and catched Haruhiko with his plushy hand. The giant teddy bear then landed his feet on the steel fence within the academy.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Reina apologized after she realized what she did just now. She then turned around and saw the Phantom's gas heading her way. Reina tried to get away from the gas, but it was already too late; the gas had already come in contact with her.
"Reina-chan!"
"Reina-chan!"
"Reina-oneesan!"
Haruhiko, Ruru and Kurumi watched in terror at Reina getting sprayed by the gas. After the gas faded away, Albrecht jumped off the fence and landed safely on the ground as he gently put Haruhiko and Kurumi down. They immediately ran to Reina and the others with Ruru flying right beside them. The rest of the students and Himeno-sensei are staring at Team E worriedly.
"Everyone, are you all–AGHH! Th-The smell… It's so intolerable!" Haruhiko exclaimed, pinching his nose tightly.
Ruru, Kurumi, and even Albrecht–a teddy bear that shouldn't be capable of smelling things–are also pinching their noses tightly.
"YUCK! You guys stink!" Ruru yelled.
"I… I think I'm gonna be sick…" Kurumi said with disgust.
Although they're at a safe distance, Himeno-sensei and the other students can smell the Phantom's gas from afar. So, they immediately covered their mouths and pinched their nose as tight as possible.
"Oh dear…" Himeno-sensei muttered while covering her mouth and nose.
"Pee-ew! That stinks!" Shosuke exclaimed with disgust while pinching his nose.
"Wah… Please don't look at me…!" Reina wailed in a weary tone, completely covered in the Phantom's odor.
"Reina-chan? Are you feeling okay? You don't look so good," Ruru asked, concerned about Reina's sudden behavior.
Haruhiko turned his attention to Mai and Koito, who are also covered in the Phantom's odor. "Mai-senpai, Koito-san, can you two still fight?" He asked with concern.
"I wish… But I don't think I have enough strength to fight back…" Mai responded, also in a weary tone.
"Me neither. The smell is making me not want to fight that Phantom anymore," Koito said in a similar tone to Reina and Mai. "No matter what, I barely have the strength to stand back up…"
"Me too…" Reina moaned as she's on the verge of crying. "I don't think I'm in a good condition to seal the Phantom right now… And even if I am, eating it would just leave a bad taste in my mouth…"
"Well, I can't say I blame you…" Haruhiko muttered to himself before he turned to Kurumi. "Looks like it's just you and me, Kurumi-chan. I'll be counting on you and Albrecht!" He shouted with resolve.
"Yes! Likewise!" Kurumi responded loudly.
"Haruhiko! Kurumi-chan! Do your best!"
Ruru, Shosuke and the rest of the students are cheering for Haruhiko and Kurumi, who are the only Phantom Hunters in Team E that haven't been sprayed by the Phantom's gas. Haruhiko then begins to use Abramelin's Finger, an ability that allows him to summon his own Phantoms without his sketchbook.
"Oh, holiness. Oh, mortal. Blessings to the silent Lord! Open, Open... Open, gates of Hell! Invoke, Cthulhu!"
After Haruhiko chanted his Parole, a pink octopus-like Phantom named Cthulhu came out through Haruhiko's summoning circle and appeared in the outside world.
"Go now, Cthulhu!" Haruhiko shouted.
Cthulhu then unleashes a powerful water blast through his mouth, which causes tremendous damage on the Phantom.
Seeing an opportunity to attack once more, Kurumi gave Albrecht an order. "Albrecht, please give Cthulhu-san a hand!" She yelled.
Albrecht nodded as he dashed towards the Phantom and whacked it with his plushy fist, causing the skunk Phantom to fall onto the ground. After struggling to get back on its feet, the Phantom turned around so it could spray its gas for the second time.
"Cthulhu, attack one more time before it sprays another gas!" Haruhiko shouted.
Cthulhu nodded and shot another water blast. The water made a direct hit to the skunk Phantom just before it's about to spray its gas again. Now, it is weakened from all the damage it received from Team E, just in time for Haruhiko to complete his sketch. Haruhiko held his sketchbook up in front of the Phantom and used his ability to seal it away.
"Thrashing Phantom! Reveal your secrets to the Book of Thoth!"
The skunk Phantom gets sucked into Haruhiko's sketchbook and ends up being sealed away. Haruhiko took a look at his sketchbook and saw how his sketch of the Phantom is now given color, which proves that he and others have won the battle. Just then, Kurumi ran to Haruhiko, leaped up and gave him a hug.
"Onii-san, we did it!" Kurumi cheered with glee.
"Yeah, all thanks to you, Albrecht and Cthulhu!" Haruhiko replied while hugging her back.
Albrecht gave both of them a big bear hug, and then Cthulhu joined in. Seeing this, Ruru decided to join in as well. Himeno-sensei, Shosuke and the other students gave them a round of applause for defeating the skunk Phantom.
"*ahem* Aren't you guys forgetting something?"
After savoring their victory, Haruhiko, Kurumi, Albrecht, Cthulhu and Ruru all turned around to the voice behind them. The audience inside the academy also stopped cheering when they heard the voice. The voice came from Mai as she, Reina and Koito are standing back up on their feets, still covered in the Phantom's odor.
"…Are you girls okay?" Haruhiko asked hesitatingly.
"Do we look 'okay' to you?" Mai replied with exasperation, causing Haruhiko and the others who weren't sprayed to flinch.
"Luckily, we've regained enough strength to stand up again," Koito added.
"But we're still covered in the Phantom's smell!" Reina cried.
Haruhiko then realized that the Phantom's gas only causes those who were sprayed to temporarily lose their strength and willpower, which explains why Mai, Reina and Koito were feeling weaker earlier. However, even though the weariness is gone, the odor surrounding the girls still remains on them. So, the smell will last longer if left untreated.
Mai sighed. "C'mon, Haruhiko. Let's just get this over with."
"U-Understood."
Haruhiko walked towards Mai. However, the smell was too unbearable for him to handle, so he just put down his sketchbook on the ground and ran back to Ruru and Kurumi while covering his nose tightly, causing Mai to get very upset.
"Aw c'mon! We don't smell that bad!" Mai cried.
"No, we definitely stink," Koito grumbled, and Reina sniffled.
"I'm sorry, Mai-senpai, but the smell is too much for me," Haruhiko said with his nose pinched.
"And us, too!" Ruru shouted, with Kurumi and Albrecht nodding their heads vigorously.
Mai groaned in exasperation before she activated her ability once more. She placed both her hands on the sketchbook and put in so much force, the illustration of the Phantom completely vanished from the paper, just like how she did with all the other Phantoms Haruhiko sealed away.
With the skunk Phantom gone, Haruhiko picked up his sketchbook from the ground and put it back in his bag. Albrecht changed back to the size of an ordinary teddy bear and returned to Kurumi's arms. Cthulhu then vanished back into Haruhiko's art supplies.
Now that the battle's over, Team E is now dealing with their next problem: how to get the Phantom's odor off of Mai, Reina and Koito. Haruhiko is searching through a number of websites on his phone the best way to remove a skunk's odor from people and clothes, with Ruru watching over his shoulder.
"Haruhiko-kun, have you found a way to get the smell off of us?" Reina asked
"Yeah, here it is," Haruhiko replied as he showed the others what he looked up on the Internet. "According to this site, the best method for removing a skunk's odor is to wash your entire body in hot water using hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap or any grease-cutting dish detergent. As for your uniforms, they'll have to be washed in hot water mixed with laundry detergent and baking soda. Repeating that process more than once may be necessary. Once that's done, we'll have to air dry them."
"Hm… That sounds more promising than bathing in tomato soup," Ruru added, causing the girls to stare at her in confusion.
"…I see. It shouldn't be too difficult to find those three in stores and markets," Koito said.
"Exactly," Haruhiko replied with a nod. "My house isn't too far from here, so all of you guys can go on ahead and wait there. I'll go to any nearby stores to find the materials we need."
The girls nodded in acknowledgement. "Yeah, please do," Mai said.
Kurumi raised her hand. "I'll go and help you, Onii-san."
Ruru also raised her hand. "I'll help, too!"
"Okay. Thanks, you two," Haruhiko said with a smile. "Come on, let's get going."
And so, Haruhiko, Ruru and Kurumi with Albrecht in her arms all ran off to the school gate to find a store that sells the materials they'll need to get the stench off of the girls. With the battle over, the rest of the students are also heading back to their homes. Some of them, including Himeno-sensei, still remain at Hosea to resume their after school activities.
"Let us go as well,." Reina said as she, Mai and Koito headed off to Haruhiko's house.
Unbeknownst to them, the same girl who watched Team E a year ago stands on the school building's rooftop, watching their battle from afar. In her right hand, she holds a photo of Haruhiko when he was a small child. Right after Team E left, the mysterious girl walked away and gazed intently at the photo with an ominous smile on her face.
"Haruhiko… I'll see you again real soon."
The mysterious girl then vanished by using her unexplained ability.
—Two Hours Later—
Haruhiko, Ruru, Kurumi and Albrecht have found the supplies they were searching for. As they brought the supplies to the cashier, Haruhiko paid for them with his money. Soon after, everyone headed out of the store with bags in their hands, and they all arrived at Haruhiko's house, with Mai, Reina and Koito waiting outside.
"Mai-oneesama, Koito-san, look over there. They're back!" Reina said, pointing to Haruhiko, Ruru and Kurumi.
"Sorry for the wait, you guys. It took us a while, but we got what we're looking for," Haruhiko said, showing the bags full of supplies to the three. "Fortunately, I had enough money in my wallet to pay for all of these."
The three girls sighed in relief. "Thanks! You guys are lifesavers!" Mai said with a smile.
However, Reina felt a bit guilty for making Haruhiko and the others do the errands without them. Not only that, she also felt bad for letting him pay for the supplies all by himself.
"I'm sorry, Haruhiko-kun. I'll be sure to pay you back the next day," Reina said sadly.
Haruhiko shook his head. "It's fine, don't worry about it."
"Albrecht was a big help grabbing the liquid soap from the top shelf when I couldn't reach," Kurumi added.
Ruru intervened. "Although, Albrecht surprised all the other customers when he grew larger."
"Ehhehehe," Kurumi laughed awkwardly, making the girls curious about what happened with their errands.
"*ahem* Anyway…" Haruhiko broke the silence and handed the bags over to Mai and the others. "Take these and use them as soon as you enter the shower. I'll take care of your uniforms while you three wash yourselves," He said assuringly.
Hearing this, the girls turned silent and stared at Haruhiko with suspicion on their faces. They understand that he only just wanted to clean their school uniforms to get rid of the odor, but they didn't want to hand over their bras and panties to him.
"What's the matter?" Haruhiko asked, confused.
"Don't 'What's the matter?' me!" Mai yelled. "Do you realize what you said just now?"
"Eh? Of course I do. I said I would take care of your school uniforms," Haruhiko replied.
"That's not what we're worried about," Koito added.
"Then what's the problem?" Haruhiko asked, feeling more confused.
Hearing his response made Mai and Koito facepalm with a sigh. As for Reina, she made a sour expression with a slight blush on her cheeks.
"You're so indecent, Haruhiko-kun…" Reina said, averting her gaze away from Haruhiko.
"Huh?! Why?!" Haruhiko exclaimed, feeling completely confused.
Ruru sighed. "Listen, Haruhiko. What the girls are trying to say is…"
After Ruru whispers to him what the girls were talking about, Haruhiko's face begins to glow reddish pink.
"H-Hold on!" Haruhiko sputtered, trying to clear up the misunderstanding. "I only said I wanted to clean your uniforms! Besides, your… undergarments are under your clothes, so it can't be helped if the gas also stains them. They need to be cleaned as well!"
"That's true, but we can't just hand them over to you," Mai said with furrowed eyebrows.
"Yeah. I bet you have some kind of ulterior motives," Koito added with distrust.
"What ulterior motives?!" Haruhiko exclaimed. "You make it sound like I'm actually a pervert!"
"I'm sorry, but you're exactly like a pervert," Reina said while averting her gaze away from Haruhiko.
"You're so cruel, Reina-chan!" Haruhiko retorted. He then turned his attention to Kurumi. "You don't believe I'm a pervert, do you, Kurumi-chan?"
Kurumi couldn't say a word. All she could do was distance herself away from Haruhiko sheepishly.
"Kurumi-chan!" Haruhiko cried in anguish.
The girls couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. They know fully well what a kind person Haruhiko is and could never stay mad at him. It's not that they distrust him. In fact, they were only just making fun of him. However, the girls are also aware of how perverted Haruhiko can be from time to time, so they can't let their guard down around him. No matter how kind and trustworthy he can be, none of the girls would ever trust Haruhiko with their undergarments.
Just then, A woman, holding a stroller suited for newborns with a baby inside, notices Team E and immediately recognizes them.
"Oh my, what's happening here?" The woman asked as she approached them.
Team E turned to see who the person was. All of them, especially Haruhiko, were surprised to see that it is someone they are familiar with. She is an older woman with a ponytail, yet she looks rather young for her age. Her hair and eye color are exactly the same as Haruhiko's. The woman who appears before them is none other than Haruhiko's mother–Midori.
"Mom…" Haruhiko muttered in a surprised manner.
It is understandable for Haruhiko to be surprised. Ten years ago, Midori–formerly known as Midori Ichijo–left home after she and Haruhiko's father got divorced, thus abandoning the young Haruhiko. Eventually, she got remarried to a man named Shun Morisato–the same man Haruhiko once met at the hospital one year ago during the Enigma incident. Thus, she is now Midori Morisato. She does, however, regret walking out of Haruhiko's life after the divorce. She wanted to see him and make up with him, but felt she had no right to do so.
It wasn't until last year during the Enigma incident that Haruhiko got to see his mother again. However, their reunion was actually a part of Enigma's plan. Enigma used Midori by possessing her body so she could steal Haruhiko's ability via kissing. Once the battle finally ended, Midori woke up at the hospital and tearfully apologized to Haruhiko for leaving him, but he had already forgiven her. And so, the bond between mother and son has been restored.
"Mama Midori!" Ruru shouted with delight.
"Mom, it's you!" Haruhiko said before he noticed the baby inside the stroller. "Is that…?"
Ruru gasped with glee. "It is! It's Haruto!"
"Eh?" Mai and the others stared at the two in confusion.
Inside the stroller is a newborn baby boy named Haruto Morisato. Haruto is Shun and Midori's biological son, and Haruhiko's younger half-brother who was born just a month ago. He has the same hair color as his mother and half-brother, but he has brown eyes just like his father.
Haruhiko was surprised when he found out his mother gave birth a month ago, but at the same time, he is overjoyed that he got himself a new brother even if they were born from two different fathers. Ruru, who is already considered family by Haruhiko and Midori, also found out about Haruto, and is more than thrilled that she gets to be Haruto's big sister. Haruhiko and Ruru, however, did not tell Mai and the others about Haruto because Midori asked them to keep him a secret until she brings him over on her next visit.
"Yes, it's Haruto, your baby brother," Midori responded with a smile.
"What?!" The other girls shrieked in disbelief.
Haruhiko and Ruru walked over to Midori, and took a closer look at Haruto. Haruto is looking at Haruhiko and Ruru from the stroller for the first time, yet he isn't afraid of them nor is he crying.
"Goo…"
"Aw! He's so cute!" Ruru squealed with joy.
"Yeah," Haruhiko agreed as he caressed his half-brother's head. "I've seen him in video chats and the photos Mom sent me, but seeing him in-person really makes me happy."
Having his older half-brother caressing him causes Haruto to giggle with glee.
"*chuckles* Seems like Haruto has already taken a liking to you, Onii-chan," Midori said.
"Onii-chan…" Haruhiko mumbled with a smile. "That's still going to take some getting used to, but I can't say I dislike the idea."
"Just for the record, I'M the older sibling here, okay?" Ruru added, causing both Haruhiko and Midori to laugh in amusement.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT!"
Haruhiko, Ruru and Midori turned their attention to Mai, who shouted just now. She and the other girls couldn't comprehend what they're seeing right now, so they began to question them.
"Haruhiko, what is the meaning of this?!" Mai asked in a demanding tone.
"Er…" Haruhiko was too hesitant to give Mai an answer.
"You have a brother? And you didn't tell us?" Koito asked incredulously.
"…He's my half-brother, actually," Haruhiko responded nervously.
Kurumi turned to Ruru. "Ruru-chan, you knew, too?" She asked, feeling a little hurt.
"Ehehehe…" Ruru chuckled awkwardly.
"Why didn't you two tell us?" Reina asked with a sad expression, causing both Haruhiko and Ruru to wince.
"It's because I asked them to keep Haruto a secret," Midori answered. "I wanted to surprise all of you by bringing him over when I come and visit. Although, I didn't exactly tell them WHEN I'll visit," She said with a teasing tone in her voice.
Ruru shook her head with a smile on her face. "Oh, Mama Midori…"
"Is that true?" Mai asked Haruhiko and Ruru skeptically.
"Yes," Haruhiko answered with a nod. "Sorry for not telling you guys. I promised my mom not to tell you all until she brings Haruto on her next visit."
"I'm sorry, too," Ruru said with generosity. "It was difficult keeping it a secret AND keeping an eye on Haruhiko so he wouldn't spill the beans," She glanced back at Haruhiko with a slightly sly look on her face.
Haruhiko sighed and shook his head. "That's not true; you're the one who almost exposed our secret to everyone at school. I'M the one who had to make sure you didn't tell them," He added without holding anything back.
"Gah…!" Ruru's jaw dropped, and then she glared at Haruhiko with a betrayed look on her face. "You traitor!" She yelled.
"I'm not a traitor. You're just bad at keeping secrets."
"Grr… I tried my best holding back, you know!"
"Do you have any idea how troublesome it was to keep you from telling Mai-senpai and the others at school? I had to buy you snacks so you could keep your mouth shut."
"Hey! You make it sound like I'd do anything for snacks!"
"Ruru, I've known you long enough that snacks would be your one and only weakness."
"Grr… You dummy! You jerk! You brainiac! You demon! You pervert!"
"Who're you calling a brainiac?"
Seeing Haruhiko and Ruru quarrel with each other, small sweat drops started to form on each of the girls' faces. Then again, it's nothing new to them. They can tell those two have gotten closer than ever after the firework incident and the Enigma incident, whether they'll admit it or not.
"There they go again…" Mai mumbled, with the other girls silently nodding in agreement.
Midori, on the other hand, giggled in amusement. The way they argue with each other, she can clearly tell Haruhiko and Ruru are close like real siblings. Once they finished their argument, Haruhiko and Ruru turned to Midori, along with the girls.
"So, Mom, why are you here today?" Haruhiko asked.
Ruru nodded. "Yeah, and how's Papa Shun, by the way?"
"About that… Shun-san and I thought that today's a good time for the three of us to spend time together as a family," Midori answered.
"The three of us?" Haruhiko repeated. "What about Morisato-san? Is he not joining us?"
"Unfortunately, he's going to be way too busy with his job. So, it'll just be you, me and Haruto for the next couple of days."
"I see… Wait, a couple of days?" Haruhiko asked incredulously.
"That's right," Midori nodded. "There's something I have to tell you… I was hoping that Haruto and I can stay at your house for a couple of days."
"…What?" Haruhiko's eyes widened in disbelief. Although, now that she mentioned it, he noticed a wide travel backpack on her back.
Midori's expression slightly darkened before she continued. "I know this sounds rather sudden, and I may not have the right to tell you this, but I want to be with both my sons. The reason I came to visit isn't just for you to meet Haruto, it's also so I could possibly make up for all those years I left you. I want to try being your mother again–the mother who couldn't stay by your side while growing up. Shun-san is very supportive when he encourages me to go through with this. So, is it okay if the three of us can live together for just a couple of days?"
Haruhiko gets taken aback by his mother's words while Ruru and the others are looking at him with concern. But he knows without a doubt that there were no lies in her words. Haruhiko smiled back at Midori and immediately gave her his answer.
"Of course you and Haruto can stay. And I already forgiven you, haven't I? Regardless of the past, you're still my mom, and we'll always be family."
Midori got taken aback by her son's answer, but at the same time, she felt so relieved. Tears began to roll down her eyes.
"Thank you…" Midori muttered with tearful gratitude.
The girls couldn't help but smile at such a touching moment. Even Koito is starting to cry a little, but she immediately got a hold of herself and maintained her usual stoic expression.
"Mom, when you see Morisato-san, please give him my thanks," Haruhiko said with a smile.
"Of course," Midori answered back with a smile before she turned her attention to Mai and the others. "Haruhiko, can you look after your brother for me?" She asked her son.
"Yeah. Leave it to me," Haruhiko replied, understanding what his mother wanted with the girls.
Midori then walked over to Mai, Reina, Koito and Kurumi so she could greet them.
"Hello, it's good to see you all again. I know we've met before, but I don't think I've properly introduced myself due to the Enigma incident. If it's alright with you, I'd like to give you all a formal introduction."
"Of course. Go ahead," Mai said, and the other girls nodded.
"Thank you. *ahem* As all of you may already know, my name is Midori Morisato. I'm Haruhiko's mother. Years ago, his father and I got divorced, and now I'm living with my current husband and my second son, Haruto," Midori then bowed to the girls in respect. "It's so nice to meet all of… Hm?"
Midori stopped for a moment when she smelled something peculiar from Mai, Reina and Koito. Kurumi, who was only a few distance away from Mai and others, quickly noticed and walked towards Haruhiko. Midori took one more whiff of the girls, and her face began to cringe. She then covered her mouth and ran to her two sons, Ruru and Kurumi.
"Oh my goodness! Why are you three so smelly?!" Midori exclaimed as she's on the verge of barfing. "I think I'm going to throw up…"
Haruto also noticed the smell and began to bawl. Haruhiko, Ruru and Kurumi started to panic, but Midori remained calm as she gently carried Haruto in her arms and comforted him with ease. Mai, Reina, and Koito felt embarrassed and ashamed of their smell causing discomfort to their official greeting with Midori and their first meeting with Haruto.
After Haruto stopped crying, Midori puts him back inside the stroller. Haruhiko and Ruru then explained to her about the battle against the skunk Phantom at school, and how the three girls got sprayed by its gas.
"Okay. I understand the situation now," Midori said, nodding her head in acknowledgement. She then turned to Mai, Reina and Koito. "You three are more than welcome to use the shower to get rid of the smell with the things my son bought. You can leave your school uniforms to me and Haruhiko. All good?"
"Yes," The three girls responded in unison.
Midori turned to Ruru and Kurumi. "Ruru-chan, Kurumi-chan, Albrecht-chan, can I count on you three to look after Haruto?"
"Yes!" Kurumi said as Albrecht nodded his head in response.
"Of course!" Ruru said with a thumbs-up.
Midori smiled before she turned back to Mai, Reina and Koito. "Don't worry about your undergarments. I'll make sure my son won't touch or even see them," She whispered in a slightly playful tone, causing the three to blush in embarrassment.
Haruhiko had no clue what his mother said to the girls, yet he believes he's better off not knowing. He then walked to her to express his gratitude.
"Sorry, Mom, and thanks for helping us," Haruhiko said with a smile.
Midori smiled back. "Of course. I'd be more than happy to help you and your friends. By the way, I heard you're friends with a boy your age. Can you invite him over at some point? I would like to meet him if possible."
"Sure thing," Haruhiko replied with a nod. "I'm certain that Shosuke would be glad to meet you. And maybe his girlfriend, too."
"Girlfriend? He has a girlfriend? Oh, now I really want to meet him!" Midori shouted with excitement. She then looked at Mai, Reina, Koito and Kurumi before she looked back at her son with a playful look on her face. "Speaking of which, are any of these girls your girlfriend?"
"Eh?!"
The moment his mom asked him such a question, Haruhiko made a surprised expression with a blush on his face. The four girls are also surprised and begin to blush as well. Ruru, on the other hand, finds the situation a little amusing.
"Whoa. Déjà vu…" Ruru muttered, placing her hand on the back of her head.
Just as Ruru said, there was indeed something similar to today once before. One year ago, Midori–or rather, Enigma taking control of her body–once asked Haruhiko if he is dating either Mai, Reina, Koito or Kurumi, causing them all to be very embarrassed. And now, the actual Midori is questioning her son's relationship with the girls in his team.
"W-What are you saying, Mom?! You're embarrassing me!" Haruhiko exclaimed.
"Why is that? Kawakami-san, Izumi-san and Minase-san are rather pretty. Kurumi-chan is cute, too. I can't help but wonder if any of them will one day be my future daughter-in-law…"
Hearing Midori's remark made the four girls blush even more. Mai becomes speechless with her mouth gaping. Reina places her hands on her cheeks, feeling her face warming up. Koito feels confused, wondering why her heart is suddenly beating so fast. Kurumi clutches onto Albrecht a while looking down on the ground.
"Please stop, Mom. I'm not dating any of them," Haruhiko answered.
"You're not?" Midori asked incredulously.
Haruhiko nodded. "The girls and I are no more than just friends and teammates. That's just the way it is. I'm fine with our relationship exactly as it is, and I know they feel the same way," He then turned to Mai and the others. "Isn't that right, every… Eh?"
Before he could finish his sentence, Haruhiko noticed the four girls making grumpy expressions on their faces. Mai's glare was so intense, it could make anyone wince in an instant. Reina and Kurumi were pouting their mouths. Although Koito agrees with Haruhiko, she is subconsciously just as upset as Mai, Reina and Koito. Haruhiko can't help but wonder if he said anything to upset Mai and the others.
"W-What is it?" Haruhiko asked worriedly.
"Nothing," The four girls responded coldly in unison.
Midori sighed. "Oh dear… My son has so much to learn about a maiden's heart."
"You said it, Mama Midori," Ruru said in agreement.
"…?" Haruto tilted his head in confusion.
"Don't worry, sweetie. You'll understand someday when you're Haruhiko's age," Midori assured Haruto while caressing his head.
"I just hope he doesn't grow up to be exactly like Haruhiko," Ruru mumbled to herself.
"*ahem* Anyways…" Midori broke the cold silence between Haruhiko and the girls. "Why don't we head inside right away? We can't keep Haruto outside all day, can we?"
"G-Good idea, Mom," Haruhiko replied awkwardly.
He then took out his house key from his pocket as he headed to the front door of his house. He inserted the key into the keyhole to unlock the front door. Once the front door opened, he turned to his mother and the girls.
"Come inside, everyone," Haruhiko said as he entered his house.
Mai, Reina and Koito followed his lead and went inside his house. Next is Kurumi and Albrecht. After them is Ruru. And the last one to enter is Midori, with Haruto inside the stroller. Once everyone's inside, Haruhiko closed the door and locked it with his key.
"All right… Let's get to work," Haruhiko said as he and the rest prepared themselves for the task of getting rid of the skunk Phantom's foul odor.
Other link(s) to read this story
Ao3: Not Available Yet
DeviantArt: Not Available Yet
Copyright(s)
Myriad Colors Phantom World (Musaigen no Phantom World) - Soichiro Hatano and Kyoto Animation