Soft rain pelted the single window as darkness from the night sky crept in from behind the clouds. The window barricaded a dimly lit room, two bodies huddled over a game console plugged into a large flat screen TV. Makoto Naegi, the eldest of the two in the room, couldn't keep his body still as he mashed the buttons on his controller. He unconsciously rocked in place in conjunction to his character on screen. He knew he lacked any skill in regards to fighting games but he didn't think his nephew would be any better. Shuichi for his part remained still and focused as his fingers danced in perfect fashion on his controller.
On screen, Makoto's fighter was down to a sliver of health, the time limit of the match down to the last 20 seconds. Desperate, replacing any ability to formulate a proper strategy, Makoto began repeating the same crouching kick to ensure some level of space between him and his opponent. Shuichi stood just out of range of the attack in awe before performing a simple diving kick that ended the round.
"Are you just letting me win on purpose?" Shuichi asked with a tint of annoyance in his voice.
"Trust me when I say I wish I was." Makoto sadly admitted.
Under normal circumstances Shuichi would be over the moon putting his grueling Tekken training to good use against his Uncle. Nanami's persistent yet patient lessons in the complex game were already showing results as Shuichi beat Makoto with ease yet again. A part of him was excited to tell Nanami about his progress. He knew he still had a ways to go before he could take a single round against her. Not that it mattered, growth is always worth celebrating. That growth was meaningless to Shuichi right now though. He was too worried about the life altering conversation Nanami was a part of downstairs to fully soak in his virtual victories.
Shuichi resented that he was in the den right now and not downstairs in the first place. He knew what everybody was talking about right now. He knew that Nanami was discussing the possibility of him staying here for good. If he was correct, his Aunt Kyoko was likely leading the discussion right now. Along with the two women, Shuichi could only imagine the thoughts going through Hinata and Komaeda's minds right now as they contemplated adding one more to their happy abode. For Shuichi, it's a potential sanctuary of stability.
It had been a solid hour and a half since he was asked to stay upstairs with his uncle. What else could everyone be talking about for so long? Makoto's inability to mask his nervousness for more than a couple of minutes at a time only furthered Shuichi's guess.
Shuichi loves his uncle, that has been true since before he could walk. Makoto's infectious optimism and unwavering kindness attracted almost everyone towards him. Ever since Shuichi was picked up from his apartment Makoto went out of his way to spoil his nephew when he saw him. Shuichi didn't want to throw out any accusations but he could tell Makoto was doing so from a place of guilt. Perhaps it was guilt for his and Kyoko's inability to take him into their home. Guilt over being put in a spot where he had to wait at a glacial pace to find out if he found a new home or not.
"Nanami's been showing you how to play, hasn't she?" Makoto sheepishly asked. It was the only way his pride would leave the den unwounded.
"Among other games, yeah." Shuichi shrugged. Makoto glanced over at the top corner of the screen that proudly proclaimed Shuichi's ten game win streak.
"Clearly she's been teaching you well." Makoto chuckled. Shuichi laughed along with his uncle for only a second before sobering back up.
"Wanna go another round? I think it's time I try changing my character again." Makoto feebly suggested, sensing his nephew's growing restlessness.
"Uncle Makoto." Shuichi sighed. "How much longer is everybody going to be talking downstairs?" Shuichi had little interest in killing time playing video games for much longer. His ever anxious body couldn't take another minute of this endless waiting. The implications of what could happen to him were far too dire for any distraction to take precedent in his mind.
"I honestly have no clue." Makoto sighed. "There's a lot of details your aunt and Hinata have to sort out."
"Details about what?" Shuichi asked, playing coy.
Makoto paused, his eyes widening in unsubtle panic. "N-nothing to worry about right now." He spat out. "Say doesn't Nanami have Mario Party? Why don't we play something else for now, I'm sure you're getting bored of kicking me around in Tekken." Makoto suggested in desperation much to Shuichi's annoyance. Before Shuichi could call out his uncle he was cut off by a sound at the door.
Knock Knock
The abrupt knocking startled both Shuichi and Makoto, both turning their attention to the door and away from their deteriorating conversation.
"Oh thank god." Makoto whispered as his fiance opened the door. Shuichi clearly has a good sense of the pulse of the situation. Makoto would have gladly broke the news to his nephew but that moment wasn't for him. It was a moment Hajime, Chiaki, and Nagito all earned as far as Makoto was concerned.
Kyoko Kirigiri slowly shuffled into the room, her watering eyes tinged red with faint bloodshot. She was tired, yet relieved in her belief that she's doing the right thing. She relished the much needed light at the end of this collapsing tunnel her life had become. Staring at her worried nephew reminded her she wasn't completely free yet however.
Shuichi studied his aunt as she walked over to the futon next to Makoto and rested her head on his shoulder. She whispered something in Makoto's ear, his attempt at suppressing his grin being weak at best. As Kyoko opened her eyes back up and met her nephew's gaze she gave a sincere smile. The faint guilt in her eyes didn't match the contagious hope on her lips.
"Are you okay Auntie?" Shuichi inquired as he approached Kyoko.
"Don't worry about me sweetie." She said with sadness. "Everything is going to be okay."
Panic dug it's vicious teeth into Shuichi's soul. He could tell whatever conclusion was met was at an emotional expense of his aunt.
Shuichi hopped on the futon and wrapped his tiny arms around the woman's shoulders, a comforting act that Shuichi was finally reciprocating for his aunt that clearly needed it. As he clung to Kyoko he felt moisture fall on the back of his head. Looking up, he finally saw tears rolling down his aunt's face for the first time. It was surreal, it was as if seeing the Mona Lisa break character.
"There there, Auntie." Shuichi comforted, mimicking Nanami's comforting voice as he rubbed circles into Kyoko's back. Shuichi's sweet gesture did not help Kyoko's attempt to compose herself. It's not like she's going to leave Shuichi here and never return. If anything her visits are only going to be more frequent once the dust finally settles.
"Shuichi. You know I would never abandon you, right?" Kyoko asked as desperation tinged her tongue. She was mostly assuring herself, as selfish as that may be.
"I-I know." Shuichi mumbled.
"And you know your uncle and I love you. We love you so much that we want to ensure you're as happy and safe as possible." Kyoko explained. Makoto smiled at his nephew, Shuichi's heart fluttering as he read between the lines. Any remaining doubts were flushed away, today really is the day he finds out for sure.
"Are you happy here, Shuichi?" Kyoko asked a question far more rhetorical than presented.
Shuichi pondered his aunt's question. He thought about his time spent with the triad since that fateful meeting at the cafe. He remembered the assuring conversations with Komaeda over delicious home-made breakfasts. He recollected daily rituals of Hinata sitting down with him on the couch after coming home from work and intently listening to anything Shuichi would have to say. Most importantly, Shuichi smiled as the barrage of pleasant memories of Nanami playing games with him played while he slowly opened up about his feelings. Everyone within the triad has done a great job at making Shuichi feel welcome, like he belonged here.
"I love it here." Shuichi answered with abundant sincerity. He couldn't recall the last time he was this happy ever, despite the chaos going on in his mind at the moment. Kyoko could only agree with her nephew, herself noticing his inner light shining brighter than ever as early as the first day he stayed over with Hinata. How could she extinguish that light? Shuichi fit like a missing puzzle piece with her long time friends. Her trust in them to act as Shuichi's guardians was indestructible, a level of trust few have ever reached with her.
"I'm glad." Kyoko smiled. She trusted her friends, but it would be foolish to not be thorough. "Has anyone made you feel uncomfortable at all?" Kyoko calmly asked. "Acted inappropriately towards you at all?"
"No." Shuichi firmly answered. Between his father and daytime crime dramas, Shuichi was aware of stranger danger. Neither Hinata, Komaeda, nor Nanami have ever made him feel uneasy at all. If anything, the trio all went above and beyond in respecting Shuichi's boundaries. "I feel safe here. D-do you not trust them?"
"Of course I trust them." Kyoko hastily assured. "I still need to ask, otherwise I would be living in an assumption." Kyoko sighed. "I did that with you more than enough times as it is."
"Auntie?" Shuichi took his turn to ask, breaking the brief silence following his aunt's guilt-laden words. Kyoko cocked her eyebrow in acknowledgment. "Am I going to live here?" Shuichi asked with a healthy blend of hopefulness and nervousness. Kyoko smiled knowingly.
"Why don't we go downstairs and ask them ourselves?"
A conflicting whirlwind of ecstatic excitement and crippling fear battered Shuichi's heart. Despite his fear, he quickly agreed as he made a bee-line for the door. Kyoko followed him closely as they marched towards the stairs. Before descending, Kyoko nudges her nephew to get his attention.
"Remember this is your choice." She reminded Shuichi.
Shuichi nodded his head, determination washing over his fear. That determination grew as he climbed down the semi-winding stairs step by step.
Walking gracefully through the barren living room, Shuichi's march halted upon seeing the triad sitting around the fireplace in the sitting room. Komaeda's white hair stuck out from the lounge chair he occupied, the man otherwise facing away from Shuichi. Nanami hogged the love seat, her feet resting on the arm rest as she looked at Hinata who hovered in front of the burning fireplace.
"Once we get the paperwork from Kyoko's lawyer we should take care of that school registration." Shuichi heard Hinata reveal. Metaphorical butterflies hatched in Shuichi's stomach suddenly, making moving forward impossible. He watched as Hinata finally noticed him, a warmly expectant smile on his face.
"Hey there Shuichi." Hinata greeted. As if on cue Nanami jumped up, adjusting herself properly on the loveseat to give Shuichi a place to sit.
Komaeda turned around with his own soft grin. A smile that assured Shuichi, granting the boy the final push he needed to walk closer to his likely new guardians. While Shuichi carefully walked into the rarely used sitting room, Kyoko walked into the kitchen and found her seat on the kitchen island, her mug of generously spiked coffee waiting for her.
Shuichi slowly entered the pyre-lit room until he found himself at the legs of Hinata. The fire behind them raged on in it's brick encasement. The brunt of its heat stuck behind a glass cover leaving the room with a comfortable warmth in contrast to the rainy chill outside. Even without words, the emotional heat radiation from the triad was even more sweltering.
"Why don't you have a seat next to Nanami, we have something we'd love to share with you." Hinata suggested. Needing no prompt, Shuichi made his way to the loveseat and plopped himself right next to the woman. Shuichi scooted himself closer to Nanami, snaking his hand into hers.
Shuichi gripped Nanami's hand tightly as Hinata paced around the lounge chair Komaeda claimed. Komaeda looked as if his silence was killing him right now, but in silence he remained. The brunette halted in front of Shuichi, crouching down to his knees to match the child's eye level. He smiled knowingly until Shuichi forced himself to replicate the gesture.
"I'm sure sitting upstairs for so long gave you more than enough time to overthink things." Hinata guessed. He could only imagine what thoughts Shuichi concluded as he sat upstairs with Makoto. Shuichi suppressed a nervous chuckle.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting like that." Hinata sincerely apologized. "We and your aunt had a lot of bases to cover before we could even have this moment." Hinata paused. Hinata stared at Shuichi as he suddenly failed to find suitable words. He spent almost two hours to solidifying his and his partners decision and now he can't figure out how to tell Shuichi. There was so much he even could say. He gazed into Shuichi's eyes and saw the anticipation draining him.
Almost as if… He was being handed a gift when he already knew what was in the box.
"You've likely picked up what we were talking about with your aunt, haven't you?" Hinata asked without a hint of accusation.
"I um, also heard you talking about school registration when I was coming downstairs." Shuichi quietly revealed. He missed Nanami and Komaeda giving their boyfriend a shared loving look that said "Nice going, dummy."
"Am I going to stay here with you?" Shuichi bluntly asked, erasing everything Hinata was building up to.
Hinata smiled. "Only if you want to."
"Please don't feel pressured to answer one way or the other." Komaeda interjected as if on cue. "We all want you to be where you are most comfortable and happy. If you're not certain that place is here we would completely understand. You've gone through too much in a short amount of time. No one will be upset at you if you need more time to process things." The last thing Komaeda wanted to do was scare Shuichi away but he needed to make sure Shuichi's answer was completely his.
Shuichi kept his eyes on Komaeda as a small smile formed. "What if I already know that I want to stay?" Shuichi confidently asked. His response deflated the tension that had been filling up within each member of the triad all evening. No one had a plan in the event Shuichi said no, not that anyone would blame him. Nanami broke the silence with a soft laugh as she untangled her fingers with Shuichi's and ran her hand through his blue hair. Komaeda felt the waterworks already pouring out as masked his joyous tears by joining his partner's laughter. The proudly collected Hinata made even less of an attempt to hide his happiness fueled tears as he kept his head down.
"In that case… Welcome home, Shuichi." Hinata said after wiping his eyes.
Shuichi quickly jumped into Hinata, the man's deceptively muscular arms wrapping themselves carefully around Shuichi's torso. Komaeda and Nanami quickly joined in, the group hug bringing a level of joyful warmth that irradiated all over the room. Nanami, Komaeda, and Hinata all laughed to themselves as they peppered each other with loving kisses. Their collective hold on not just each other but Shuichi held tight without being restrictive. In that moment, Shuichi felt as if he truly belonged as a part of this unconventional family.
"Th-thank you." Was all Shuichi could muster out of his lungs. He felt a small kiss plop on his forehead, Nanami's lips the culprit of affection.
"You are certainly welcome kiddo." Nanami whispered. Shuichi dropped his arms, the others taking cue to untangle from the group embrace.
"Not to kill the moment but there are some things I think we should still discuss." Komaeda sighed as he sat back down in his chair. He felt it would be incredibly irresponsible to keep this moment as brief as it ended up being.
"I agree." Nanami nodded before politely grabbing Shuichi's hand again. Komaeda spoke up. "For starters, I want to acknowledge the responsibility that we're now holding in our hands. Your aunt is well aware that our childcare experience really begins with you. I've lost count on how many parenting books we've read since you first joined us." Komaeda paused.
"Even from the first day we met, you have had a place in our hearts. That piece has grown with every little bit about you that we learn. With every second just spending with you as you navigate this beautiful world that has shown you more cruelty than you ever deserved." Komaeda paused again when he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder, Hinata giving him the strength to continue.
"Shuichi, I see endless potential within you. You've shown resiliency that inspires us. Your emotional and practical intelligence far ahead other children your age. You give me hope for what our future can hold, not just within our little family now but what children like you will grow up into. I know I speak for all three of us when I say we all will do everything to give you a happy life. To nurture you into becoming that best version of yourself, regardless of what your calling in life ends up being. All that matters to us is that you're thriving at doing what you want to do. Am I rambling right now cause I feel like I was rambling at the end there."
Shuichi blushed at the overwhelming level of praise he was receiving right now.
"I think I get what you're saying." Shuichi assured Komaeda. "D-do you mean all of that?"
"From the bottom of my heart." Komaeda smiled.
"If I could add on to something Komaeda said…" Nanami interjected, taking her turn with the floor.
"We all feel confident in our ability to give you the proper care you need. But I can't deny that there are certainly going to be learning curves to get through. We could study every parenting walk through ever written but nothing trumps experience as the best teacher after all." Nanami hummed.
"Mistakes are an important part of the learning process, I think. Now I'm not saying to not hold any of us accountable when we mess up, in fact we need you to call us out when need be. With that said, you're our priority. Even if I can't promise every day will be perfect, I know there's going to be countless happy memories made between all of us. When the time comes, I'm confident we'll know how to prepare for those inevitable bad days that fall on every family." Nanami smiled as she got to use that word out loud. Her little family really is growing.
Nanami's thoughts were interrupted upon realizing that Shuichi had buried his face into her shoulder as he embraced her again. Nanami was proud of how quickly she bonded with Shuichi. Nanami never had issues with children liking her despite her previous efforts in reaching out to younger generations being weak at best. That didn't stop any of her abundant joy from pouring out any time Shuichi approached her for affection. Shuichi's touch starved tendencies brought back flashbacks of her own lonely childhood.
"Ahem." Hinata awkwardly coughed, taking Nanami's extended silence as permission to speak.
"I think now is a good time to bring up some rules we need to establish if you're going to stay." Hinata revealed.
"Rules?" Shuichi asked curiously.
"Well, since you're going to be living here you will be expected to help out around the house. Nothing crazy of course, just small chores like helping with the dishes after dinner, dusting off the shelves, keeping your room clean..." Hinata rattled off.
"M-my room?" Shuichi gasped.
"Well there goes that surprise." Hinata laughed.
"I'm getting my own room!?" Shuichi excitably squealed.
"Of course you are sweetie, did you really think you'd be sleeping on the couch forever?" Nanami giggled. Shuichi opted to keep his answer to himself, embarrassed that he would even consider that.
"But where will my room be?" Shuichi pondered, unable to think of any spare room in the old house.
"You'll be getting my office upstairs. We were gonna move my desk down to the reading room in the basement tomorrow as a matter of fact." Hinata happily revealed.
"Am I getting a new bed?" Shuichi asked. He thought about all of his things back at the apartment constantly. He hoped the rest of his stuffed animals were taking care of each other in his extended absence.
"Nope!" Nanami smiled.
"Huh?"
Nanami wanted to keep this as a surprise but her impulse against that idea was stronger. Perhaps she was showing solidarity towards Hinata and his inability to keep his mouth shut.
"We'll be moving everything in your old room over here in the next couple of days. Your Aunt has to pack up your old home and we all felt this solution made the most sense." Nanami revealed.
"Even my books?" Shuichi asked in disbelief.
"Especially your books kiddo." Nanami assured.
An ugly voice repeated itself in Shuichi's ears as he processed this long awaited conversation.
"If something sounds too good to be true, it likely is." Father had warned him. Trust was something that shouldn't be given to every single person that's nice to you after all. The world was full of liars and nefarious intent.
Shuichi looked up and saw everyone's attention was on him. As Shuichi looked into the sleepy eyes of Nanami, the hopeful eyes of Komaeda, and the courageous eyes of Hinata he felt his concern melt away. They all stared at with kindness, with the level of concern a parent would have with their child. A look absent from Shuichi's own Father. There was still so much about these three that Shuichi had to learn. Despite it going against everything he was ever taught, Shuichi trusted the triad with his life.
"Are you okay?" Hinata reached out, Shuichi's silence carrying on for minutes now.
Shuichi thought about his answer, and was able to shine an embarrassed smile.
"Now that I'm home, I will be."
Three Days Later.
"What the hell is this desk made of, cement?" Nagito whined as he lowered the heavy desk to the ground, stretching his aching back out.
"Why are you asking me? Wasn't this your dad's old desk?" Hajime huffed between labored breaths.
Nagito knocked on the top, the tiny echo confirming that it is in fact made of sturdy oak. He sighed in sweet relief, the desk completing his boyfriend's move to the mini library in the basement. The hardest part of moving the desk was getting it around the L shaped stairs from the second floor, the walls now scuffed up by the constantly slipping desk. At least Kyoko was around to assist in that pivoting nightmare, stopping Hajime from brute forcing the furniture through the wall completely in a moment of bullish aggravation.
"We should have done this a few days ago like we said we would." Hajime admitted.
"Why don't we just wait until the move in day, I'm not in the mood for any heavy lifting right now." Nagito playfully quoted his boyfriend from two nights ago.
"… Shut up." Hajime groaned much to Nagito's delight.
Hajime looked around at his new office. All but one bare wall was lined with shelves full of books, many of the texts older than himself. Most belonged to Nagito's late book loving parents, a collection Nagito had no desire to part with. A single lamp hung from the ceiling, the sole source of light within the tiny library.
The pain in the ass desk was placed dead center of the room, directly under the single lamp. Hajime smiled in content as he got used to this becoming his new workspace. Once he adds some more lighting and gets some of his pictures up it'll truly feel welcoming. Until then, he'll deal with the vague creepy vibes that many old basements maintain.
Hajime's personal space bubble popped as Nagito stood inches away from Hajime's face.
"What's on your mind?" Nagito whispered, resting his forehead on his boyfriends.
"This basement is creepy." Hajime whined. Both men shared a good laugh before passionately locking their lips together.
"Well if it's an excuse to renovate then I say we take it." Nagito suggested as they departed their kiss. "Maybe Shuichi can turn that empty space by the laundry into a hangout spot for when his friends come over."
"I like that idea." Hajime dreamily sighed. Lost in each other's eyes, the men failed to see the small figure poking his head from the open doorway.
Shuichi took one slow step in complete awe. This wasn't the first time he admired the impressive book collection but seeing the large desk and cozy office chairs moved into place gave the room that more of a homey feel to it. Shuichi just hoped Hinata was happy with his new space. He knew he shouldn't feel bad but a part of him regretted making Hinata move his office. Judging by the steam blowing out of Hinata's ears while he was moving the troublesome desk it certainly wasn't an enjoyable experience. At least he appeared to have cooled off since then.
"Came to see the new office?" Hinata asked, having decided to look behind his boyfriend.
Shuichi enthusiastically nodded yes. "I like it down here now. It's like you have your own personal library! It's fancy."
"Fancy isn't the first word I would use…" Hinata said quietly as he stared at the unfinished wall. "But I'm still content with my new set-up. A fresh coat of paint here and there and maybe some new flooring will definitely help though."
"Could I help you paint?" Shuichi asked with no hesitation.
"Of course buddy." Hinata chuckled. "I appreciate the enthusiasm."
"Well I am supposed to help around the house now." Shuichi blushed.
"Well why don't you start now. Could you bring the photo frames from your room down here for me?" Hinata asked.
"Sure!" Shuichi happily obliged. Wasting zero time, Shuichi zoomed out of the library and ran up the old wooden staircase back upstairs. Reaching the main floor, Shuichi slowed down to a power walk as he noticed his uncle sitting at the couch with a towel over his head. Makoto had spent six long hours packing and moving the entire apartment. having just returned from putting all of his brother-in-law's furniture not given to his son away in storage. The summer heat was blistering today, making the entire laboring process even more back breaking. All Makoto wanted right now was a cold shower and a long nap.
Shuichi opted not to detour from his task and continued up the winding stairs, running his fingers across the new scuff marks on the walls along the way. Making a beeline to his right, Shuichi hugged the wall until he reached his open door.
Peeking into his new bedroom, Shuichi watched as his Aunt glanced at her cell phone as she laid on his bed.
"Seriously, how did they even get that desk upstairs in the first place?" Kyoko complained.
"Beats me, that hunk of wood was upstairs when I moved in." Nanami chuckled as she took Shuichi's clothing out of cardboard boxes and folded them neatly, placing the garments into his wide dresser. The folds themselves were sloppy, but Nanami was never one for doing laundry in the first place.
Ignoring the rest of the ongoing conversation, Shuichi couldn't help but compare his new room to his old one back at the apartment. What was Hinata's office was certainly bigger than his old room, the clean beige walls more welcome than his old walls stained from likely decades of endless cigarette smoke. Outside his window provided a better sight, the spacious backyard beating out the blank brick building next door he used to call his view. Best of all, his new room carried none of the memories of his old life.
Hearing the floor creak from the hallway, Nanami smiled upon noticing Shuichi.
"Welcome back kiddo." Nanami greeted.
The greeting snapped his trance completely, Shuichi sheepishly entering his room upon his discovery. Kyoko raised her head and flashed her nephew a loving yet tired smile. Shuichi flashed one of his own.
"Did the guys get the desk downstairs without any other trouble?" Kyoko asked.
"Yeah, Hinata said some bad words when they were carrying the desk down the basement stairs though." Shuichi tattled.
Kyoko sighed in relief that Hinata was too stubborn to let her help him and Komaeda past the winding stairs. Her aching arms were thankful, having spent so much of the day moving furniture as it is.
"We can wash his mouth out with soap later." Nanami half joked. "Did you need something kiddo?"
Shuichi remembered his very important mission.
"Hinata asked me to get his photos for him."
"Oh, they're over on your desktop." Nanami pointed. Shuichi followed her finger over to the open closet door, the stack of frames laying on top of Shuichi's own desk. Shuichi took a look at the five photos in total. Occupying two small standing frames were individual photos of Nanami and Komaeda. Nanami was wearing a pretty blue sun dress in her picture, her smile beaming as the wind brushed behind her. In his picture Komaeda composed himself as more aloof and mysterious in a silk buttoned down dress shirt over a cityscape. Shuichi remembered the similar photos of Komaeda and Hinata Nanami kept in her gaming den and laughed to himself.
The remaining three pictures were much larger, and featured the triad all together. One photo featured a sunburnt Komaeda receiving a kiss on both cheeks by his lover at a beach. Shuichi could already hear Hinata chastising Komaeda about how his sunburn was his own fault.
The next photo featured the triad in matching red and black formal wear, though both Hinata and Komaeda's sleeves were rolled up and their buttons undone. The three were huddled up on each other, their faces blushing as they appeared to be preventing each other from falling over.
"That one was taken at Koizumi's and Saionji's wedding last year." Nanami said over Shuichi's shoulder.
"Who are they?" Shuichi asked.
"Old friends of ours, you'll meet them soon enough. They have a daughter named Angie who's your age." Nanami laughed. Knowing her friends, that could end up being any day now. "I already know you'll love Koizumi."
"What about Saionji?"
Nanami awkwardly paused. "Depends on her mood." Nanami frowned. Nanami couldn't be faulted for her honesty at least.
Shuichi took his gaze over to the last photo. Judging from the triad's appearance, no one had to have been older than twenty five years old. The three were taking up an entire couch, Komaeda resting his shoulder on Hinata while Nanami laid on both mens legs. The three looked to be in the middle of a conversation, like the rest of the world didn't matter outside of the three of them on the couch. They were happy, a happiness that Shuichi could feel to this day. Shuichi gripped the single frame and turned to Nanami.
"Um." Shuichi coughed. "Could I keep this one?" Nanami looked down and saw which photo he was referring to. She remembered the party vividly. It was the first time the three of them saw their friends since the triad became official. Their friends' universal support was only unweighted by their lack of surprise by the news.
"I don't see why not." Nanami happily obliged. She took the frame and popped the stand on the back out, placing the photo on top of Shuichi's dresser. Nanami thought it was nothing short of precious that Shuichi wanted to hold on to one of their photos. Even in his own personal corner of the house Shuichi wanted a keepsake of his new guardians.
Nanami felt something wrap itself on her legs, looking down to see Shuichi hugging her. He'd been increasingly affectionate over the past few days, though no one could blame the kid for wanting a lot of hugs lately.
"Hehe, what's this for?" Nanami asked as she rustled Shuichi's hair.
"To say thank you." Shuichi paused. "For everything."
"You're welcome sweetheart." Nanami smiled. Nanami did not know what would come next for her and her family. She didn't need to know, for they had each other and that made the future worth looking forward towards.