"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, PAPA!" Yuzu practically barrelled into Sho the moment he stepped into the apartment. He laughed when he recovered his breath, picking the girl up and twirling her around.
"Thank you, Yuzu-chan!" he grinned when he set her down, ruffling her hair the way a father does. "You seem more excited about this holiday than me!"
He could see the sparks flying off of Yuzu as she jumped excitedly like a little kid. "It's been a long time since I've been able to celebrate Father's Day!" she explained. She ran into another room while Sho took off his hippie sandals, then came running back. "I made you this!" She held up a poster board, liberally decorated with glitter and doodles of Sho with his two daughters, with the words "Happy Father's Day!" written in large bubble letters across it. The sight brought tears to Sho's eyes as he looked at it.
"Wow, I love it! Thank you!" They exchanged another tight hug.
"I'm going to take you shopping because I hate all of your clothes," Yuzu rambled excitedly as she pulled him further into the house. "Then I'll introduce you to my other dad! Then we'll eat lots of ice cream!"
"Oh, uh," Sho's head was spinning from all the information being flung at him. He wasn't used to a daughter being happy to see him, after all.
Speaking of daughters, Yuzu led him straight to Mei, who was calmly sipping tea at the table. His bones stiffened in awkwardness upon seeing her. "Er…"
Mei seemed to be ignoring him entirely until Yuzu lightly nudged her arm. "Mei, do the thing!" she whispered, smiling in encouragement. Mei first looked to Yuzu, holding her gaze for a moment as if drawing strength from her, then finally shifted her gaze towards her father. He gulped as she regarded him coolly. After several tense seconds, her cheeks colored slightly and she looked away.
"Happy Father's Day," she said quietly.
It was the first time Sho heard those words from her in years. He was already crying copious amounts of tears while Yuzu smiled proudly. "Thank you, Mei," he said, deeply moved. "I don't deserve those words… But one day–"
Splat
He did not see the pie coming for his face.
"HAAA, I knew Mei would be the perfect distraction!" Ume crowed as she rubbed the cream pie deeper into Sho's face while he was too shocked to move. "Good job, Mei!" she flashed a thumbs up at Mei then exchanged a high five with Yuzu. Mei hid her smirk of amusement behind another sip of her tea. Watching the pie tin slowly slide off of her father's messy face to splat at his feet, she felt better about this holiday already.