It was a weekday morning, when it happened.

Motosuwa Hideki had left for school. Chii, Sumomo and Kotoko were left to tend the house. Of course, being the only Persocon adequate in size, Chii naturally took care of all the work. Sumomo and Kotoko simply sat there.

Well, not exactly. Kotoko was meditating. Sumomo couldn't sit still for an extended period of time, as we all know. She was circling and dancing around Kotoko joyfully on Hideki's table.

Kotoko frowned, opened her eyes and sighed. "You've got a really annoying 'screensaver'. Whoever installed it into you must be bored out of his mind."

"It's my master! My master! Shinbo! Shinnnnnnnnnnnnnbo Hiromuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" Sumomo raised an arm into the air and cheered loudly. Kotoko shook her head in defeat.

There was knocking on the door. Sumomo and Kotoko jumped to the kitchen counter and hopped onto Chii's shoulders. Chii put down the dish she was washing, dried her hands with a towel and answered the door. It was an silver-haired old lady.

"Is this the Motosuwa residence?" The old lady asked with a smile.

"Chii," Chii replied with a nod. The old woman handed Chii a letter. "An old friend of mine wanted me to deliver this letter personally. Is Hideki not home?"

"Chii," Chii shook her head.

"A shame... I haven't seen him in years. He must have grown up quite handsomely..." the old woman sighed, "Will you hand this letter to him?"

"Yes of course!" Sumomo cheered cheerfully. The old woman glanced at Sumomo, "My, my, what a good looking little fellow."

"She's female," Kotoko said. The old woman glanced at Kotoko, "Here's a handsome one too," she smiled again, "I'm sure Ichirou and Kyoko would be relieved to hear that Hideki is living with such good boys."

"Chii?" Chii tilted her head in confusion.

"Anyways, I should get going. I have other errands I must attend to," The old woman turned around and walked away slowly, "You boys have a good day."

"Chii," Chii said. The door closed.

Chii looked at the white envelope she held in her hand. It had Hideki's full name written on it. "What is this?" Chii asked.

"It's a letter!!!" Sumomo jumped onto Chii's arm and grabbed the letter from her. "A letter for Hideki!!!" Sumomo slid one of her arms into the opening and prepared to open it.

"Hey! You shouldn't be opening Hideki's letter without his permission!" Kotoko exclaimed.

Sumomo blinked, "Master Shinbo always had me read his letters and recite them to him!"

"Well, that's Shinbo. Hideki is an oddball," Kotoko said, "But I'm sure he won't mind if Chii reads it."

"Should I read it?" Sumomo asked Chii, swaying her hips while holding the letter.

"It's Hideki's letter. So Hideki will read it when he comes home, and Chii will read it with him," Chii said.

"Understood!!!" Sumomo put the letter down on the table, and danced.

* * *

The apartment door opened, and Motosuwa Hideki walked in. "I'm home," he said.

Chii jumped to him and greeted him with her affectionate arms, "Hideki! Welcome home!"

Sumomo and Kotoko stood beside Chii, "Welcome home!" They said eagerly.

Hideki laughed, "Thanks, guys." He removed his shoes and stepped inside. He noticed the letter sitting on the table.

"What's this?" He asked as he picked it up and examined it.

"It's a letter!!!" Sumomo jumped up and down excitedly. "A letter for Hideki!!!"

"A letter? That's strange," Hideki said, "I didn't find anything when I passed by the mailbox today."

"An strange old woman delivered it to us," Kotoko said.

"Old woman...?" Hideki scratched his head, "Hmm... this writing looks familiar..." He tore the envelope open and took out the letter.

The three Persocons watched with interest as Hideki read the letter. After a few minutes, he placed the letter down on the table.

"Well...?" Kotoko said.

Hideki smiled, "It's a letter from my parents. They wanted me to return to Hokkaido for a visit."

"Hokkaido?" Chii asked, "What's Hokkaido?"

Hideki laughed, "Well... Hokkaido is a northernmost island of Japan. It's a place where I was born, and where I used to live. My mother, father and brother also live there..."

"Mother? Father? Brother?" Chii looked at Hideki, confused.

Hideki was stumped, "Um... well... your mother and your father are the ones who... , err, 'made' you... your brother is someone who is also 'made' by your father and your mother..."

"Does Chii have a mother, father?" Chii asked.

"..."

Hideki was speechless. If anyone should be Chii's parents, it's Hibiya and her husband. Her husband was long gone. And Hibiya... Hideki remembered the sad expression on Hibiya's face right after the "incident".

...I'm unfit to be Chii's mother, she said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Chii was still looking at Hideki with her hopeful eyes.

"... Chii..." Hideki called softly.

"...So, when are you going to Hokkaido?" Kotoko interrupted, just in time.

Hideki snapped back to reality, "Oh, right. My plan is this weekend. We have small study break before the mock exam," Hideki paused for a moment and looked at Chii thoughtfully, "Chii, you're coming with me. Sumomo and Kotoko too."

Kotoko's eyes widened with delight. Sumomo jumped up, "Hokkaido!!! Hokkaido!!!" she chanted gleefully.

"If we are going then, I better get all the studying done this week," Hideki said, "You guys should start packing. We're going to stay there for a few days."

"Chii!" Chii agreed happily.

* * *

The afternoon next day, at the Chiroru Bakery.

"Welcome," Ueda called as the bakery door opened. It was Hideki and Chii.

"Good afternoon, Ueda-san," Hideki greeted.

"Good afternoon, manager," Chii greeted with a bow.

"Good afternoon, Motosuwa-kun, Chii-chan," Ueda smiled, "You're early today."

"Well, actually, I want to talk to you about something..." Hideki explained to Ueda about the trip to Hokkaido on the weekend, "... so Chii won't be coming to work on those days."

"I see. So you're going to bring Chii to meet your parents," Ueda said.

"Yes. I'm sorry if that causes you any trouble..."

"No, no, not at all," Ueda replied. He thought for a moment, "Wait here." He told Hideki and Chii and headed into the kitchen. He returned moments later with a cake. "Here, take this with you," Ueda said.

Hideki's eyes widened at the sight of the cake. It was an fantastic piece, based on the theme of flowers. The layers were blended beautifully with subtle shades of red, pink, and green, and the icing, which shaped the flower petals themselves, was simply amazing.

"I - I can't take this-" Hideki stuttered.

"Don't worry about it, Motosuwa-kun. To be honest with you, this is actually an order I took a couple of days ago, but the customer called in this morning to cancel the it. It's not a problem, but I don't want the cake to go to waste. So, you'd be doing me a favor by accepting it," Ueda said, "Besides, you don't want to go to your parents' empty-handed."

"Well..." Hideki hesitated. He turned to Chii, who was awestruck by the amazing craftsmanship of the cake. Hideki smiled, "...I guess I owe you one then, Ueda-san."

Ueda laughed, "Don't mentioned it. You've helped me many times too," Ueda paused, glanced at Chii, and said, "Motosuwa-kun, can I talk to you for a moment, privately?"

Hideki nodded, "Wait here," he said to Chii. Chii nodded in response.

The two man headed into the backroom, leaving Chii standing by the counter, wondering what they are up to.

* * *

The day of departure, on the train en route to Hokkaido.

Hideki and Chii sat near the back of the train, next to each other. An excited look was apparent on Chii's face. Hideki, on the other hand, was deep in his thoughts.

Chii's smile faded when she noticed Hideki's face. "Hideki, not feeling well?"

Hideki sat up straight as soon as he hears Chii's voice, "Oh... no. I'm okay, just thinking about prep school stuff." Noticing the worried look on Chii's face, Hideki quickly changed the subject, "So, did you remember to bring everything?"

Chii nodded and responded energetically, "Chii brought Chii's towels, Chii's combs, Chii's clothing, Chii's panties -"

Strange looks from the passengers gathered on the two. Hideki interrupted Chii sheepishly, "Okay, that's good enough. You don't have to list them all."

Chii nodded again, "Chii also brought something Hideki forgot."

"Really? What is it?" Hideki asked curiously, while quietly sipping the cola in his hands.

Chii unzipped the duffle bag beside her. She took out several magazines, each full with beautiful and physically gifted woman in positions that cannot be described in this fic without earning it a rating of R.

"Hideki's models," Chii smiled innocently. Hideki gasped and choked on his coke, "You don't need to bring that sort of things with you!!!" he exclaimed.

Chii looked disappointed, "Hideki has models in Hokkaido?"

Hideki rubbed his chins pensively, "Well... come to think of it, I do have a couple of really good ones hidden under the floor panels of the hallway... wait, t-that's not the point!!!" he grabbed his head and shouted.

A small, quivering voice of a little girl whimpered, "M-mama...!"

"Don't look at him," An older voice whispered nervously.

Hideki lowered his head and slumped back on his seat. "Great. I'm building up a reputation amongst all the little girls in Japan," he muttered.

"Hideki, are you alright?"

"I'm okay, Chii," Hideki answered. "Thanks for being so thoughtful, Chii," he patted her on the head, "But I'm going to put the magazines away for now."

Chii nodded and smiled.

Hideki looked out the train windows and returned to a trance. Images of mountains, clouds and the sea whipped by as he was submerged in his thoughts. He recalled the things Ueda-san had said to him in the bakery. Hideki sighed. If Ueda was right, then Hideki will have a lot to worry about.

* * *

The Motosuwa Farm, Hokkaido.

"Well, this is it," Hideki said as they stopped before a vast field lined with crops of all kinds. Sumomo and Kotoko looked out of the duffle bag, enthralled by the incredible scenery before them.

"Wowwww! This is Hideki's farm?" Sumomo exclaimed in admiration.

"Well, I suppose you can say that," Hideki said.

They walked along the field until they arrived at a ranch. Herds of cows cruised around lazily and paid no attention to the arriving strangers. A short-haired, middle-aged woman dressed in overalls was pitching hays in the barn.

"Mother!" Hideki called. The woman was Motosuwa Kyoko, Hideki's loving mother. She looked up in the direction of Hideki's voice and noticed him.

"Hideki!" she waved.

"Mama!!!" Hideki cried as he ran across the vast green field, through the masses of cows in slow motion.

"Hideki!!!" Kyoko cried as she ran across the vast green field, through the masses of cows in slow motion.

"Mama-- hhmph!" Hideki cried as his mother elbowed him on the face.

"Wow, nice one," Kotoko commented. Hideki's body did a triple spiral in the air and fell deep into a pile of hay. His head emerged and spewed a few pieces of hay out of his mouth, "What are you doing, Mom??"

Kyoko snarled, "Don't call me mom! Motosuwa Kyoko does not have a son who never visits, writes a letter or even makes a phone call home in more than six months!"

"M-mother, let me explain-"

"What's going on?" A deep voice sounded behind Kyoko. A short, bald and chubby man appeared behind her. He is Motosuwa Ichirou, Hideki's loving father.

"Is that you, Hideki??" Ichirou's eyes widened as he saw the boy in the hay, "It is you!!!" The man ran to Hideki's side like a wind.

"Fa... father..."

"I-I was so worried about you!!! Are you okay? Did you eat well? How is Tokyo? Did you make any friends? Do you have enough money? How's school? You need new clothes!" Ichirou babbled as he examined his son's well-being.

"Is Hideki's father crying?" Sumomo asked.

"He's bursting into tears," Kotoko replied.

"Ichirou, you can stop spoiling him already," Kyoko crossed her arms and complained.

Ichirou crouched down on the ground and wiped the tears off his face, "I'm just so happy," he sobbed. Chii walked up to him and handed him a handkerchief.

Ichirou glanced at Chii with his teary eyes, "Oh... thank you... I-I'm sorry, I didn't notice you standing there." Ichirou wiped his face dry with the handkerchief, "You are?"

"My name is Chii," Chii replied.

"Chii?" Ichirou said, "What an unusual name."

"Hideki gave it to me," Chii said with a smile.

Ichirou's eyes widened, "What...? Hideki... Hideki gave you your name...?" Chii nodded. "This... this must mean-" Motosuwa Ichirou trembled and burst into tears once again.

"What are you talking about, Ichirou?" Kyoko asked.

Ichirou pointed to Chii madly, "Hi-Hideki's daughter!!!"

"WHAT?" Kyoko yelled in rage, grabbed her pitch fork and started pitching hay onto Hideki like mad. "You've only been to Tokyo for a year! You never visit, write or call your family and NOW YOU ARE TELLING ME YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER?"

"Th-that's NOT IT!!!" Hideki shouted in panic.

"I'm gonna bury you alive, you unloving son!"

"No!!!" Hideki shrieked like a girl.

"Chii!!" Chii yelled as she tried to pull Hideki out of the haystack.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!!" A young boy, no more older than Kokubuji Minoru, shouted.

Everyone froze. "...Jun...?" Hideki said.

The boy standing by the barn doors is none other than Hideki's arrogant brother, Motosuwa Jun.

"Mother, father, you're not thinking clearly," Jun walked into the barn, shaking his head, "This young lady can't be Hideki's daughter."

"W-why not??" Ichirou sobbed, "H-Hideki gave her her name..."

"And only Hideki can come up with a stupid name like that," Kyoko added.

"That's not the point!!!" Hideki squawked.

"And she looks a lot like Hideki," Ichirou added.

"What??? That's ridiculous!!!" Hideki shouted exasperatedly.

Jun smirked as he slowly walked behind Chii, "Mother, father, think for a moment. Hideki's only been away for a year..." he took a strand of Chii's hair and sniffed it, "If this young girl really his daughter..." Chii blinked in surprise as Jun's hands cupped her breasts, "She would have grown way too nicely."

Hideki leaped out of the hay like an angry frog, "W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? YOU LITTLE PERVERT!!! GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!!!"

"Jun!!!" Motosuwa Kyoko scolded.

Jun smiled and retrieved his hands, "Don't worry, mother. Look at her ears. She's a Persocon."

A puzzled expression surfaced on Kyoko and Ichirou's faces, "Persocon...?"

Jun nodded, "That is, she's not human."

"Not human...?" Ichirou became even more confused, "...how?"

Kyoko slapped her forehead, "Ah, I remember! They're talking about it on TV all the time, but I've never actually seen one. Persocons are a state-of-the-art technology, they say... some kind of human-shaped computer."

"Computer?"

"Like a calculator, I suppose," Kyoko shrugged.

Jun sighed, "Well... if you want to put it that way. They're everywhere in the big cities, so it's not unusual to see one. But now..." Jun gave Hideki a smug look, "The question becomes, how did Hideki get one?"

"Two," Kotoko, who had been watching the entire drama from the comfort of Chii's duffle bag, jumped out and added.

"THREE!!!" Sumomo followed Kotoko.

Kyoko and Ichirou finally noticed the two little ones. Ichirou screamed, "Possessed miniature mannequins!!"

Hideki sighed. "Mother, father, Jun... let's go inside..." He stood up and brushed the hay off of his clothes, "This is going to be a long story."

... To be continued.

* * *

Random Thoughts of the Author:

= Whew. That was quite long, but fun. I usually write in shorter chapters, around 1500 words per chapter.

= The current state of my eyes: @_@.

= Sumomo is so cool.

This is my first attempt in writing stories of lighter tones. To be honest, I really have no idea how I did. Normally writing for me is more formulaic, but this one... I just kept going and going. So, please drop me a review and tell me how you liked it...!