Yoko paid the cashier and started pushing her cart toward the exit. She had her groceries, now all she needed was her husband and her son. They had all come to the store together, but just a few minutes into the trip, Yusho had taken the baby from the child seat in the shopping cart and whisked him away. The mother hadn't minded. It allowed her to shop in peace. But now she was ready to leave and her husband and baby were nowhere in sight.
Yoko sighed. Oh well. She would put the groceries in the car then venture back inside to look for her boys. At least that was the plan until she caught the sight of red out of the corner of her eye once she made it outside. Yoko turned her head and raised an eyebrow at the sight, but turned her cart and headed along the front of the store.
"Aren't you a little old to be riding the penny-horse, Yusho?" she stopped and placed a hand on her hip.
"Hm? Nonsense! Age is just a number," he grinned as the mechanical horse continued its run. "But also, I wanted Yuya to ride, but he got scared when the horse started moving."
"So…you decided to ride for him?"
"No. I'm riding with him, my love," Yusho rested his chin on the top of the baby's mop of red and green hair. "He's not scared now."
"I see," the woman beamed at the boy. "Are you having fun, baby? Are you having fun with Daddy?"
"Mama!" Yuya clapped while he kicked his feet.
"Oh, he's such a happy boy. Well tell me, happy boy, are you ready to go home?"
"Ma! Mama!" Yuya reached out his arms.
"Aww," she took the boy from her husband's arms. She nuzzled the baby's nose with her own. She grinned as Yuya squealed and grabbed at her cheeks.
"You guys are cute," Yusho remarked.
His wife raised an amused eyebrow at him as he continued to ride the mechanical horse.
"You look like a dork," she snickered.
"You're just jealous," he grinned.
"Yuya, your daddy's a dork."
"Dada!" Yuya reached out his arms and leaned toward the man.
"See? He still wants to ride the horsey," Yusho took the boy from Yoko and stood him on the front of the saddle.
The baby laughed and clapped his hands; however, his happiness ended as the horse came to a halt. He looked down, Yoko laughing at the confused look on the boy's face.
"Uh-oh," she grinned. "The horsey stopped moving."
"Daba?"
"Yup. He stopped moving," she tickled under Yuya's chin, making him laugh.
"Shall we go again, Yuya?" asked his father.
"Yayaya!"
"All right, son. If you insist."
"Excuse me, Sir."
Yusho grimaced toward his wife before turning to find the manager of the store.
"Hi there," the duelist greeted.
"Sir, this horse isn't meant to hold an adult. I'm going to have to ask you to get down please."
Yoko rolled her lips inward as she attempted to hold back laughter.
"Oh. Sorry. I was showing my son that the horse wasn't scary. He didn't like it when I sat him on here, so I got on with him. And now it's not so scary. Right, Yuya?"
"Dada!" Yuya grinned upward.
"Be that as it may, Sir…"
"Sorry. I'll get down."
"Thank-you, Sir."
Yusho dismounted the mechanical equine as the manager headed back inside. Once he was through the doors, Yoko could no longer contain her laughter.
"Ooh. You got busted!" she exclaimed.
"So I did. So we did," Yusho squeezed the boy in his arms.
"No. Yuya didn't get reprimanded. You did, Yusho," Yoko continued to snicker.
"Who knew I would get into so much trouble while helping my only son?" he shrugged.
"I feel you will get into trouble many times while helping your only son, Yusho."
"Really?" he blinked. "What makes you say that?"
"Call it a hunch. Maybe a mother's intuition. But I'm sure the two of you will get into plenty more trouble the older he gets."
"We would never. Would we, Yuya?"
"Mama!" the baby held his arms out toward her.
Yoko beamed as she took him back into her arms.
"Let's go home, my loves."
"But I promised him another ride!"
Yoko sighed.
"Fine. One more ride. And then you will bring him to the car. Got it?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Yusho smiled.
The woman nodded as she handed Yuya back to her husband who eagerly placed him back on the horse's saddle.
"Ready, Yuya? You think you can handle it on your own this time?"
Yuya flailed his hands and screamed in excitement.
"Okay. Let's go," Yusho put the penny into the horse and it started moving.
The baby laughed while Yusho held him in place.
"Yes. It's fun, isn't it? The horsey is fun," Yusho grinned as Yuya continued to squeal.
Yoko gazed at the pair for a while before reluctantly forcing herself into the parking lot. Yusho was such a good father and seeing him play with their son always filled her heart with so much more love. Yuya was a lucky boy to have Yusho for a father. And she also knew that she and Yusho were lucky to be Yuya's parents.
