When Nowaki and Hiroki returned from the bathroom, they found Tomoko and Masanori just finishing their job of tidying up the kitchen.
"Ah!" Nowaki exclaimed. "Mr. and Mrs. Kamijou! You don't have to!"
"It's no problem," Tomoko said cheerfully as she put away the freshly cleaned pot.
"Tomoko-chan and I ate before we came, actually. We're sorry we inconvenienced you," Masanori said, smiling apologetically. Tomoko walked forward.
"Let me see your hand, sweetie. I have something for it," Tomoko said kindly. She went to the island counter to retrieve her purse, which she rummaged around in for a few moments before finding a roll of gauze and some medical tape. She smiled at Nowaki. "Little Hiro-chan used to fall down and scrape his knee all the time, and I kind of just got into the habit of keeping all sorts of medical supplies in my purse."
Nowaki stared as Tomoko took his hand and gently wrapped it, careful not to make it too loose or too tight. When she finished, she patted Nowaki's hand.
"There you go."
"Thanks…"
Nowaki glanced back and forth from Tomoko to Masanori before groaning and putting his head in his hands.
"No… I'm sorry. I'm sorry I made you worry, I'm really sorry. I tried really hard," Nowaki said, shaking his head. Hiroki glanced at him sympathetically and rubbed his back.
Masanori, meanwhile, watched Nowaki with great interest.
"Nowaki… why do you love my son?" he asked quietly. Nowaki's ramblings went quiet and he looked up, blinking. Hiroki whipped his head towards his father, a protest sharp on his tongue. However, Masanori's face was completely serious.
"Why do I love Hiro-san?" Nowaki echoed.
"My son is…" Masanori trailed off, stepping forward to take Hiroki by the arm. He brought Hiroki over to him and Tomoko, then put a hand on the small of his back. "…very abrasive. He's stubborn, brash, and a little kid sometimes."
"Thanks, Dad," Hiroki said wryly, pursing his lips.
"Shut up, Hiroki," Masanori snapped.
"You shut up!"
"Boys," Tomoko said warningly.
"Callin' me abrasive," Hiroki grumbled. His father turned to him.
"I wasn't trying to be offensive, Hiroki. I'm saying that you're a lot like me. I'm just curious to know," Masanori turned back to Nowaki. "Why do you love my son?"
"I love him because…" Nowaki trailed off. He looked down for a moment, but then looked back up, his eyebrows furrowed. "I love Hiro-san because he is the reason I've been able to get so far in my life. I have a doctor's degree in pediatrics because of him. I was able to get the best education possible because of him. Without him telling me bluntly to go study abroad in America, I'd never be where I am today. That is why I love his abrasive side.
"I love Hiro-san because he's amazing in whatever he does. He tries hard and he doesn't give up- and that's the stubborn side that I love about him. He is very brash and quick to jump to wrong conclusions, but that's just part of him that I've learned to accept. We all have our faults. I'm kind of an idiot and stuff like that, but that's a fault that Hiro-san has come to accept, which is another reason why I love him. And yes, Hiro-san can be kind of childish sometimes, but it usually just ends up making him look cute.
"And… I love Hiro-san because he is one of two people in this entire world who I can truly call my 'family'. He has made me so happy. I couldn't live without him."
When Nowaki finished, there was complete silence. Ever so slowly, Masanori glanced at Hiroki, who was trembling and blushing as he gazed at his fiancé with unrestrained love and adoration. Nowaki frowned at Masanori, assuming the worst.
"I know I'm an idiot, and I know I've caused a lot of problems for Hiro-san, but I try very hard to be the best that I can be!" Nowaki exclaimed passionately, his voice speeding up slightly. He clenched his fists, held his arms straight at his sides, then bent forward into a respectful bow. "I can make up for all I've done. I promise that I will support Hiro-san in every way that I can. I'll raise Fuyumi with him into a respectable woman. And I swear that we will never separate. I swear on my life that we will grow old together!"
Nowaki glanced up, then lowered his head once more after seeing the taken-aback looks on Hiroki's parents' faces.
"So, I humbly beg you for your son's hand in marriage!"
There was a long silence, during which Nowaki stayed bent over before the family of his fiancé.
"Nowaki, what do you take us for?" Masanori asked suddenly. Nowaki cringed. A second later, a hand was ruffling his hair. Nowaki looked up in confusion at Masanori, who was grinning widely down at him.
"Eh?"
"Straighten up, kid. You don't have to break your back over us," Masanori said. Nowaki obediently straightened so he was nearly half a head taller than Masanori. Masanori grimaced. "Maybe too tall… but all silliness aside. Nowaki-"
Masanori clapped a hand on Nowaki's shoulder.
"I think you're taking this too seriously. What matters to Tomoko-chan and I is Hiroki's happiness. And look…" Masanori said, turning and gesturing to Hiroki, who was trying to get rid of the joyous blush on his cheeks. "You've made our son so irreversibly happy. How could we not approve of this relationship? You're a good man and father, Nowaki."
"Kamijou-san…" Nowaki breathed.
"No, Nowaki. Either call us Masanori and Tomoko, or call us Mom and Dad. We are overjoyed to have you as part of our family."
Nowaki shivered before slowly sinking to his knees and running a hand through his hair.
"I'm so glad," he whispered.
"You don't have to try so hard to impress us, Nowaki," Tomoko added, walking to Nowaki and stooping down to stroke his hair and caress his cheek. "You've exceeded expectations, and we're confident that you'll make our baby boy happy. We knew you were the one for him the moment we found out you two were partners."
"Thank you," Nowaki said earnestly, briefly bowing his head.
"There's just one thing that I want to ask of you, Nowaki."
Nowaki looked up questioningly.
"I want to have a groom-and-mother-of-the-bride dance with you at Hiro-chan's wedding."
Nowaki glanced behind Tomoko to see Hiroki mouthing the words:
Told you so, idiot.
"And don't forget, Wa-kun, I want to go fishing with you sometime," Masanori said as he helped Tomoko down the steps of the front porch.
"Of course, Kam- I mean, Masanori-san," Nowaki said with a little bow. "Thank you so much for coming!"
"Anytime! We love coming over! See you soon!" Masanori replied. With another wave from Hiroki's parents, they went to their car. Nowaki watched them from the porch to make sure they pulled out of the driveway and got down the road safely. When they did, he retreated back into the house and quietly shut the door.
"Hiro-san?" Nowaki asked the now-quiet house. After thorough goodbyes, Hiroki had disappeared with Fuyumi to avoid any more hugs and kisses. Nowaki crept down the dimly lit hallway, briefly checking the kitchen for his fiancé before heading into the living room.
Hiroki wasn't there, either, so Nowaki checked Fuyumi's nursery.
Empty.
Nowaki went to the bedroom and opened the door to reveal Hiroki sprawled out in bed with only the white button-up shirt he had worn that day with a pair of burgundy lace panties. Fuyumi was in front of him, her feet bicycling in the air. Hiroki's ankles swayed in the air as he blew raspberries into Fuyumi's tummy, making her squeal with glee. Hiroki didn't even notice his fiancé standing there, and Nowaki smiled gently as he leaned against the doorframe.
Soon, these two lights in his life would be completely his and become part of the Kusama family. Nowaki shivered at the thought of tripling the size of his one-man family.
His family.
"Nowaki," said a voice, breaking Nowaki out of his thoughts. He snapped back to reality to find Hiroki smiling at him as he held his baby girl up in a sitting position so she could smile at her daddy. "Aren't you coming to bed?"
Nowaki gazed at his little family, enamored by the glowing light that surrounded them. He shut his eyes briefly.
"Coming, Hiro-san."
Nowaki stepped forward, loosening his tie.
