Chapter 8
Meet Juliet
With the little kiss that happened between Tsuruga's son and Bennett's child blowing up the internet, instead of negative comments, both couple's fans were instead gushing over the cute interaction of their children.
The Bennett family has yet given any statement about it but the Tsurugas/Hizuris were all in a playful mood and had been teasing Aki about it.
"What do you mean he's a girl?" He said in outburst while his bestfriends slash classmates were wheezing in laughter. The said Bennett is currently seated across him in her skirt and blouse looking pretty with her long gorgeous wavy black hair similar to her mothers.
"I thought you knew?" The girl looked shocked. "I swear, you're the smartest guy in this campus but I never thought you were this dense." She judged him which the boys continued to laugh.
"I'm hurt." And he walked out like a little kid.
"Uh-oh~ You better follow the big guy since his very sensitive about this things~" Rui Usui added which surprised the girl again, and immediately she followed. Leaving the boys laughed louder after they managed to prank the girl too since Aki want that sensitive in the first place. He was just acting to have a little payback.
"Those damn long legs" She growled seeing him from the distance. "Slow down!" She shouted and sighed.
Aki on the other hand is stifling his amusement and actually slowed down and made a turn to the private garden the Fancy school had. Taking his seat to the concrete bench and girl is already panting after reaching him, "So can you tell me what's your real name and why you said you were a guy?" Raising his other eyebrow.
The girl breathed in and smiled offering her hand, "Nice to meet you, by the way I'm Kim Brianna Morizumi Bennett."
"Cute name, I'm Julianne Sky Hizuri." Taking her hand and giving it a slow shake. Little did they know Aki's friends followed and started recording them in secret and keeping themselves from squealing.
That little introduction made it in the internet again, however this time the Bennetts finally said something, Ren and Kyoko were ready to defend their son however the girl's father is quite the professional, he just chuckled it off and just gave a light warning that his daughter is not available for dating yet.
Ren and Kyoko were relieved that Kimiko did not make any scene about their children being friends.
"Papa, can you bring this to table three please?" Kyoko handed Ren the tray with her signature Japanese dish and Ren gave a smirk and gave her a quickkiss with a yes.
Ren bounced around and did what he was told however he bumped with a familiar person who made his past miserable and traumatic, biting his tongue and continued to serve like what his wife told him to, "Thank you." The man spoke, "And…" He took a breather, Ren was ready to leave when he was halted.
Kyoko immediately took notice to what is happening and rushed to her husband, "I need to apologize."
"If it is what happened between my wife and yours it's fine." Ren still had his back turned.
"No, It's from what happened in the past." Ren started to walk away and Mr. Bennett stood, his wife looking shocked at what is happening. "Kuon, I know what I did is unforgivable and I ruined lives." He spoke in English, "And it took years for me to find you. I know apologies are too late and it would not be enough after Mr. Schneider died."
"What I learned over the years is to forgive to be forgiven. You don't have to explain yourself, Cedric." Ren clinched his jaw and Kyoko rubbed his arm looking worried, "Rick is now peacefully resting, let's not bring his name to his anymore."
"It should be me who is to be blamed." Cedric looked down and Kimiko who is confused but concerned stood and supported her own husband.
"Like you said it is all in the past. I'm not mad or holding any grudge anymore, so please let it go Cedric." Ren desperately wanted to leave.
"I hope I am not asking much, but I wanted to at least be friends, my daughter and your boy is close and I don't want to ruin it for her." Ren internally sighed and smiled knowing that the man matured and loved his family just like he does and willing to let go of the past.
Ren was about to respond, "Ma, I brought the guys and a lady friend, I hope you don't mind." Some patrons who are familiar with the boy started greeting him and giving him high-fives.
"Lady friend or a girlfriend?" Teased by the manager and Ren who was earlier trying his best not to be emotional is not doing his best not to laugh and tease his son, Kyoko looked surprised seeing who the girl is and gave a smirk, Kimiko and Cedric are blinking at the sight of their daughter.
"Just because I had another friend and she's female doesn't mean I'm dating her, mind you old lady!" He teased back and the waiters gave an amused shocked face and some ohs as teasing and Aki's friends laughed.
"Mom… Dad?" Kim looked surprised seeing her parents present.
"Hi baby girl, come here." Cedric called and gave her a big hug.
"Your Daddy's home." Kimiko said with a soft smile which Kyoko never saw, it was genuine, maybe there is something good in her since she is a mother.
"For good, baby." Cedric kissed her forehead.
"Really" she gasped and hugged her father again.
"Great! Little Kuu's here, get your little bum in the kitchen kiddo, we need more hands on deck since we're packed." Another chef called out and Aki turned to his friends who excused themselves to an empty spot and refused to help him.
"Really? Such wow." Shaking his head and marching to the kitchen, the Tsuruga couple couldn't stand it and laughed.
"I swear if our son becomes and actor, he probably would be the comic relief character." Kyoko whispered and Ren snorted as it was true.
Ren left with Kyoko and they were in the kitchen teasing their son, meanwhile, "Kimi, you finally told the dense guy that you're actually a girl?" Kimiko asked.
"Who knew he's emotional?" Kimi still thinks that joke was real. Cedric almost did a spit take, "He's cute though."
"You really are like your mother." He sighted.
In the kitchen, "You guys knew that Kimi was a guy and not a girl did you?" Aki finally glared at his parents who were laughing.
"We thought you knew?" Kyoko said in defense.
"Mama! I kissed her as a joke since I thought he was a guy!" Ren is currently coughing from the laughter. The staff is actually joining Ren in the laughing fit.
"I can't believe my baby is growing up." Kyoko said dramatically.
"Oh my gosh." Aki groaned and his father is in hysterics from the conversation.
"You know, if you like her, we're fine with it. I can have a daughter~" Kyoko continued to tease.
"Don't change the subject!" He pouted and continued to toss the pan making some Omurice his mother signature dish.
"Alright fine, we knew, but we assumed you knew it too since you're all cozy with her!" Kyoko said in defense which made her son unconvinced but still dropped the topic.
"Really I didn't realize it, I thought he was one of the guys!"
"Son, you don't hug Rui, Dominic or David." His father supplied which he realized.
"True… Really I never been that…" Shaking off, Pa, please stop it." With that Ren yet again is wheezing in laughter.
"Here you go." Aki brought out a tasty Omurice for Kimi and She gasped smelling it.
"Thank you!" She clapped in excitement.
"Yo! Where's ours?" Rui complained.
"You eat for free, you wait." He turned to them.
"She does too!" they protested.
"Have mothers taught you about 'Ladies first?' if not shame on you." He countered and the waiters were all stifling their amusement.
"I might say, I vote for him, he can cook and a gentleman." Cedric teased, Kimiko is not that enamored with the boy since his mother is Kyoko and she is still upset with Kyoko.
Shortly Aki went out again and placing a huge plate to his friend with some sauce, "That's pork belly chips, what do you think?" He asked and they started to take.
"What's that?" Kimi looked interested in it and out of no where he took the plate and offered it to her instead.
"We were eating that!" Complained by his three friends in laughter, "Our bestfriend is long gone boys." Rui joked and Aki glared at them.
"Here, try it." And Kimi took one and had a bite.
"Hmn! Crispy!" she squealed.
"Mr. and Mrs. Bennett?" he offered as well.
"Thanks, kid." Cedrik took one.
"This is good!" he said and took another.
"I'll make you another plate." He said to the family and returned the test plate to the boys who pouted at him, "Pipe it I got more for your guinea pigs." He retorted.
"I swear he's possessed!" Complained by Dominic Tsukimori.
"He's not our friend anymore!" Gasped by the two which made Kimi laugh.
After the family's meal, "I'll go with my parents, thank you for taking me out like this."
"You're welcome, and since you're one of the gang, expect annoyance and unexpected invitations." He chuckled, "By the way, are you free on Saturday? The boys and Souh-chan are barging or house and we're going to have some good food."
"Sure! And thank you!" Kimi gave him a tight hug which he returned and gave a silly smile.
After the Bennetts left, he still has that silly grin on his face and staring at the vehicle as it drives away, little did he know that his friends yet again recorded the little interaction.
Later that evening, "He's growing up and I can't believe I'm watching him have his puppy love~" Kyoko cooed watching the said viral video the boys took of their son earlier from school and in the restaurant. The cutest part where Aki is in his favorite camouflage Chef uniform with is 'Little Kuu' name plate on it hugging the cute Bennett girl.
"The apple doesn't fall far from its tree." Ren chuckled realizing that his dense son followed his instincts without realizing he likes the girl and just kissed her while she was pretending to be a boy for her supposed role. She is in fact a child star.
The end of the video had a sticker caption "Tsuruga Jr. for five points" And it made Ren laugh again, "I swear, earlier I feel so anxious after seeing Cedric but then there's out boy swooping all that feeling away." He chuckled.
"Remember, he's our blessing." Kyoko kissed him. "But I can't stomach that our baby is having a girlfriend through." She pouted.
"I hope he's only dense not slow." Ren snorted.
"Trust me he's not." Kyoko thought.
"Is he asleep already?" Kyoko asked and Ren shook his head with a playful smile. And Kyoko knows what that smile was.
On the other end of the house, the said teen is indeed not yet asleep, "Not sleepy yet?"
"I am. I need to be early tomorrow since I got some filming in the morning." She replied.
"Oh." Came Aki's sad response.
"Are you sad?" She teased.
"Yes." Kimi blushed at his honesty.
"Why?"
"I'm not gonna see you." Kimi continued to blush, "Go to sleep, I might be the problem if you can't remember your lines." He joked and she pouted over their video call.
"Good night." She yawned.
"G'night, don't let those bed bugs bite."
"Cute." And she closed her eyes.
~Chapter END~
EXTRA:
Usual Saturdays
"So this is like where you practice?" Kimi stared at the small ramp beside the pool and Bike shack.
"Not really, this is just where I try some few stuff that I can add to my competitions." She looked amazed and seeing the rows of gray, black and white MTBs hanged on its rack.
"Do you want to ride one?" He offered, his friends were all shocked that the stingy guy that hates to share his bikes is offering to lend it.
"I don't know how to ride." Kimi backed away.
"Well, we can fix that." He shrugged and pulled her to sit on one and he held on it making sure she wont fall, "Start pedaling." And she did.
"Tsuruga Jr. for fifteen points." Commented by Dominic and took pictures again to share in his social media.
"I feel like we have Yashiros multiplied by three." Kanae commented from the kitchen and Ren was wheezing from laughter, Yashiro who looked offended.