Okay, Rafael…you've got this.

Nothing to it…I mean, come on. You've survived Dark Energon poisoning, lived to tell the tale after almost suffocating to death on one of Cybertron's moons and made it through one of the worst streaks of misfortune this side of Ataru Moroboshi or Bad Luck Schleprock. You've stared down Megatron, for crying out loud…twice.

This? Pffft. This is just a walk in the park.

Riiiiight…if the park's in the middle of a scrapping minefield.

Raf breathed deeply as he slowly stood to his feet and turned to face Miko's parents.

…

After breakfast everyone had gone their separate ways as they went about their daily routines. Miko's father had a full day scheduled performing with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. He gruffly bid his family farewell before taking the underground subway to Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, a concert hall located in Ueno Park, Taito. Miko's mother left immediately afterwards to attend a meeting with a fellow superflat artist as they collaborated on an anime-influenced sculpture for an upcoming exhibit in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Miko and Raf suddenly found themselves all alone.

The reality of their situation slowly sank in as they silently stared at one another.

"Raf, would you like to see my room…?"

He gulped, "Are…are you sure that's a good idea, Miko? I mean, it's just…it's just us…you and me…alone."

Miko calmly turned on the light to her room. She looked back and smiled, "Don't worry, Raf. I won't bite."

Raf hesitated for another anxious moment before acquiescing to Miko's unexpected invitation. Slowly but surely he made his way into her room.

As Raf nervously looked around, Miko reached up and began to play with the ends of her dyed hair.

"Well? What do you think?"

Raf smiled. The wildly decorated room was virtually a mirror image of Miko's eclectic and exuberant personality. The walls were covered with posters of various obscure rock and metal bands, both domestic and foreign. A small bookshelf was filled almost to overflowing with an impressive collection of CD's, manga, and anime. A stylish electric guitar stood in the room's corner next to a powerful-looking amplifier.

He chuckled, "Wow, Miko…you've got an awful lot of anime here. Complete runs of Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Space Battleship Yamato, Super Dimensional Fortress Macross…"

Miko grinned proudly, "Ah, the classics. All before my time, of course..."

"Of course." Raf teased, "Are you sure you're not a closet otaku…?"

"No! Well…not anymore, at any rate. That was during my nerdy phase. No offense, Raf." Miko winked playfully.

Raf rolled his eyes and smiled, "None taken, I think."

Miko sighed, "I just…like what I like, y'know? Besides, I do have other interests…" She motioned towards a particular poster on the wall.

"Oh yeah, Slash Monkey. They're your favorite band, right?"

Miko nodded, "Pretty much. Jack used to give me a hard time about them, but I guess maybe he was right. These guys are obscure even for my bizarre tastes."

"Still, it's like you said…you like what you like."

Miko smiled and ruffled Raf's spiky hair.

"Thanks, Raf…I know that Bulgarian shriek metal's not really your thing, but you're sweet for saying so."

Raf blushed slightly and said, "It's too bad you missed their concert that one time."

"Yeah, all thanks to that stupid cave-in. Scrap, I was so psyched to see them, too! It was like, their only US concert! UGH!" Miko groaned dramatically.

After a moment, an ironic grin appeared on her face. She chuckled, "It's funny, but if it wasn't for Slash Monkey I never would've come to Jasper in the first place."

"What do you mean, Miko?"

Miko began to rummage through a nearby stack of old papers. Eventually she found what she was looking for and held it out for Raf to see. It was a piece of laminated paper with garish lettering, now wrinkled and faded.

"Here it is, Raf…the brochure that changed my life!"

"Wait, you mean this is the brochure? The one that - "

Miko nodded, "Yep, the very same one that advertised Jasper, Nevada as 'the entertainment capital of the world!' I remember when I first read it I couldn't believe my luck, but what really got my attention was the caption at the bottom of the brochure. Check it out."

Raf slowly read aloud the printed words.

'Don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime! Come to Jasper and see Slash Monkey in their only US concert!'

Raf fought the urge to facepalm. "You have got to be kidding me."

Miko snickered, "I know, right? You know how I'm always going on about wanting to give a piece of my mind to whoever printed these stupid things? I guess in hindsight I kinda owe 'em. I mean, if it wasn't for this brochure I never would have met the Autobots!"

Raf murmured shyly, "If it weren't for this brochure I never would have met you, Miko."

Miko blinked in surprise as she found herself sporting a full-on blush. Awkwardly she tried to hide her embarrassment by looking down at the brochure that they held between them.

Their fingertips brushed together and they both became painfully aware of the bed in Miko's room.

Suddenly the room grew very hot.

Miko slowly looked up and met Raf's guarded gaze. She whispered, "Raf…"

Raf swallowed nervously and said, "I…I should probably go."

Miko asked, "Don't you trust me?"

"That's not it at all, Miko. I don't trust myself." Raf managed a smile, "I just want our first time together to be…you know. We've made it this far."

She closed her eyes and sighed, "This would be so much easier if you weren't so cute." Miko opened her eyes and grinned, "Okay, then! Let's both get out of here. Tokyo awaits!"

They quickly took to the streets of Tokyo and began their day together.

Miko and Raf held hands as they slowly walked through Hinokicho Park. Miko motioned towards a secluded wooded area where a series of stone steps led alongside a pristine lake. Almost shyly she murmured, "This park has always been one of my favorite places in the world."

"It's beautiful, Miko…"

She whispered, "It was my secret hideaway when I was younger…when the other kids would pick on me for not fitting in. Nobody understood why I wouldn't conform like the rest of them. They got pretty brutal sometimes. When it got to be too much, I would just come here…y'know, when I needed some alone time."

Miko smiled sadly as she gazed at the calm and soothing waters. Raf's heart went out to Miko, knowing how hard it must have been for her growing up in a society where she felt so completely alone. He also realized how difficult it must have been for her to open up and reveal something so personal.

Miko caught him staring intently at her. She blushed and retaliated by playfully punching Raf's shoulder as she quickly changed the subject.

"I'm starving. Let's find something to eat!"

Miko didn't give Raf a chance to protest as she practically dragged him back into the city scene. They found a nice place for lunch that served a wide variety of Japanese meals. Miko ordered her favorite dish gyudon while Raf tried the tonkatsu, a delicious breaded and fried pork cutlet covered in a thick sosu sauce and served over rice with a side of cabbage.

Next they began a shopping spree in which Miko helped Raf pick out a whole new wardrobe to replace his lost clothing. At her urging he opted for a more edgy clothing style and blended that with his own somewhat conservative fashion sense, ending up with an eclectic fusion of tastes that created a harmonious balance that was pleasing to the eye. At Miko's insistence he wore one of the new ensembles, a long sleeved orange dress shirt worn over a designer t-shirt with black denim jeans. Casual shoes and a classic fedora completed the trendy look.

Afterwards Raf practically begged Miko to visit Gundam Front Tokyo. Miko rolled her eyes fondly before agreeing. Once there she snapped several pictures of Raf grinning ear to ear as he stood next to the life-sized 18-meter tall statue of the iconic Mobile Suit Gundam.

Several curious onlookers gathered and watched as Raf posed for Miko. A mother with two young children approached and asked Raf would he mind if she took a picture with him and her children. Thinking nothing of it, Raf smiled and agreed. When the little girl said the picture would look much better if he wasn't wearing his hat, Raf chuckled and consented by removing the fedora. However, when the little boy asked him which ki technique he was going to perform for the picture, Raf quickly cottoned on. With his signature spiky hair and bright orange shirt, he realized that they had assumed he was a Dragonball Z cosplayer. Not wanting to disappoint the kids Raf rolled with it and struck an impressive Kamehameha pose, much to their delight. The children grinned excitedly and flashed a V-sign as their mother took the picture.

After that Raf and Miko called it a day and returned home to the Nakadai residence. They were surprised to see that Miko's mother had already arrived before them and was well into preparing a sumptuous meal of sukiyaki for dinner. Miko's father arrived soon after and asked what the occasion was. Miko's mother silently responded by briefly hugging him. Completely flustered and unaware of what was going on, he shrugged and they all sat down for dinner.

As they enjoyed the delicious meal of thinly sliced beef and vegetables, Raf and Miko stole subtle glances at one another, barely able to contain their excitement. Miko's mother caught them and smiled knowingly while Miko's father remained oblivious.

Raf coughed nervously and attempted a smooth segue into the topic at hand.

"Miko, isn't sukiyaki a dish traditionally reserved for special occasions?"

Barely suppressing a snort, Miko deadpanned, "Why yes, Raf…it is a dish traditionally reserved for special occasions…" A sly grin appeared on her face as she continued, "…but it's always important to remember that tradition isn't everything. It's also good to have an open mind and to be willing to embrace new things. Isn't that right, Raf-kun?"

Raf countered, "That's true, Miko. However, it's also important to remember one's heritage and where we originally came from. That way our future benefits from our past."

Miko's parents exchanged a curious glance, perplexed as to where Raf and Miko were going with this conversation.

Raf smiled nostalgically and said, "You know, I was raised in a home with a big family. With that many people around there was always something going on and it was often easy to be overlooked…particularly when you're the youngest. Sometimes it almost seemed like love was a scarce and limited resource. I learned early on to value the importance of relationships. I suppose that's the main reason I'm so close to my friends…especially Miko."

Raf noticed that Mr. Nakadai's eyebrow quirked suspiciously at that last statement.

Time to make the doughnuts, Raf thought to himself.

…

Raf breathed deeply as he slowly stood to his feet and turned to face Miko's parents.

He took a huge breath and began to speak in practiced Japanese, "Mr. and Mrs. Nakadai, you opened your beautiful home to me and made me feel welcome. I felt like I belonged…like I was truly part of your family. For that, I will always be grateful. Thank you very much."

Raf bowed, focusing attentively on the proper angle in order to show his full respect and appreciation. When he finally straightened, he wasn't certain if it was a trick of the light but he though he saw Mr. Nakadai's eyes soften almost imperceptibly.

He continued, "Mr. Nakadai, when I first met your daughter five years ago, she quickly became one of my best friends. As time passed, we slowly grew closer and became…more than friends."

Raf paused and his expression became extremely serious.

"Miko is very special to me. In fact, she's the most important person in my life."

Raf summoned his courage and smiled as he gently took Miko's hand into his own.

"I love your daughter, sir. Miko and I…we've spoken about it at length and I've let her know how I feel about her. She told me that she feels the same way. Nothing would make me - make us - happier than to be able to spend the rest of our lives together. Mr. Nakadai…I would be honored if you would give your permission…your blessing…for us to be married."

Raf shakily exhaled. It felt like he had been holding his breath for at least an hour. Miko gripped his hand even tighter, unable to hide her smile of pure joy.

Miko's mother grinned happily and beamed at her daughter. Her eyes twinkled as she turned and nodded at Raf.

Miko's father smiled slightly before he finally spoke.

"Kento sasete kudsai."

Raf blinked uncertainly, not sure how to interpret Mr. Nakadai's ambiguous response.

'I will consider it?' Wh-what…?

Miko gasped in shock, her free hand reaching up to cover her open mouth. She suddenly gripped Raf's hand to the point of pain.

There was a period of awkward silence. It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Raf sensed that something was dreadfully amiss. His mind raced as he wondered if he had somehow phrased something wrong.

Nervously he said in Japanese, "I-I don't understand…"

Miko's father scratched the nape of his neck and answered with a polite, "Kangaeteokimasu."

Let me think it over.

What was going on here? Raf had done all his homework prior to this meeting. He had practiced his speech for weeks in advance and was at least somewhat confident he could handle any situation, but he hadn't expected what he was now encountering. Miko's father was deliberately hemming and hawing rather than directly acknowledging Raf's important question.

Miko had begun to tremble. She sniffed and whispered, "O-Otosan…"

Raf was definitely missing something here. He looked deeply into Mr. Nakadai's stern eyes and slowly began to wonder if the older man had any real intention of truly considering anything beyond this point.

He decided to test his theory.

Raf switched tactics and boldly asked him directly, '"May I please ask why?"

A pained look stole over Mr. Nakadai's carefully guarded expression. He gently sucked in air through his teeth, slowly answering with, "Chotto muzukashii desu…" before trailing off.

There it was…the red flag Raf had been searching for.

The words translated literally into, 'It would be difficult.'

However, the sub-context was, 'No way, Jose.'

Miko had once explained to Raf that many Japanese consider ambiguity as the beauty of their language, when the listener and the speaker can be as unclear as possible and yet still get the true meaning of what was being said between the lines. Part of the reason for this was because of Japanese custom and social conventions, where restraint and sensitivity to the feelings of others were practically national virtues.

This meant Raf had to look past what was being said on the surface and dig deep.

Raf was a gaijin…a foreigner. He automatically held a lower social status in Japanese society, and this meant that Miko's father was well within his rights to clearly and bluntly say no without having to worry about losing face. However, this was not what Raf was sensing. Somehow he knew in his heart that Miko's father didn't have a racist bone in his body and that he was going out of his way not to hurt Raf's feelings. In fact, if he didn't know any better Raf would almost swear that somewhere in there was a gruff kindness that greatly reminded him of Ratchet. This meant that Miko's father was speaking to Raf almost as if he were a fellow Japanese or at the very least his social equal. Unfortunately this also meant that - between the lines - he was still telling him flat out no.

So why was Miko's father telling his only daughter she couldn't marry Raf?

There was a mystery here.

…

Raf blinked again as he reluctantly returned to the here and now. He did what he did best and attempted to make sense of everything that had transpired. He knew he had to act fast before something bad happened.

Unfortunately, something did.

The unbearable tension in the room had been stretched well past its limits and finally snapped.

"H-how could you…?"

All eyes were on a tearful Miko as she slowly rose to her feet. She breathed in deeply and Raf clenched his eyes shut as he braced for the storm.

"HOW COULD YOU?! TH-THIS IS CRAZY! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M ACTUALLY HEARING THIS…!"

Mrs. Nakadai whispered, "M-Miko…you shouldn't - !"

Miko whirled, not giving her mother a chance to finish as she snarled, "URUSAI! NO! This isn't right and you know it, Okasan!"

She started to tremble violently as her heart utterly broke for Raf. Miko cried, "D-do you have any idea, any idea at all, how long Rafael had been preparing for today…? Do you know…h-how hard he had worked, how much time he spent learning our language, our customs…our everything?!" She squeezed her eyes shut, hot tears streaming down her flushed cheeks as she screamed at the top of her lungs, "DO YOU, OTOSAN?!"

Miko angrily wiped her tears away and glared at her father.

"We only wanted to have your blessing, Otosan…nothing more. Since that's obviously too much to ask…"

Raf started to rise and urged, "Miko…it-it's okay. We'll work this out…somehow. I know we can…!"

Miko took one look at Raf before she began sobbing.

"I'm so s-sorry, Raf. Th-this was the absolute last thing I had ever expected…!"

Without warning Miko bolted for the door. Before Raf could react she scooped up her shoes and vanished into the elevator, its doors closing by the time he reached her. He angrily slammed his fist against the elevator as his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Mrs. Nakadai whispered urgently, "Go after her, Rafael. I will remain here and straighten things out on this end."

Raf nodded gratefully as he quickly slipped his own shoes on and raced into the elevator the instant that it returned. Just before the doors closed, Raf glanced back and saw a peculiar, pain-stricken look on Miko's father's face.

…

The elevator doors opened on the ground floor and Raf immediately began scanning the area for the woman that he loved. Unfortunately for him, the nighttime streets of Tokyo were already full of people. Finding Miko was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack…a very big haystack.

"MIKO! Miko, where are you?!"

Raf frantically searched for almost a half hour before he finally stopped amidst the throngs of people. He hung his head and sighed forlornly.

It's hopeless.

Raf scolded himself before the stray thought had a chance to fester.

No. That's not true. There is always hope.

Raf raised his head and found himself facing Hinokicho Park. He smiled as he remembered. He crossed himself and whispered a heartfelt prayer of thanks. He wasted no time as he raced into the park and began to retrace his steps.

It didn't take long. Raf practically sprinted the entire trek as he returned to the location of Miko's secret hideaway. He came to a sudden stop and gasped for breath when he found the telltale stone steps.

"Took you long enough…"

Raf looked up and saw Miko as she sat atop a large rock by the water's edge. Her arms were wrapped about her as she huddled within herself. She sniffed, desperately trying not to cry.

"M-Miko…"

She wiped her eyes and huffed with false bravado, "D-don't worry about me, Raf…I'm tough, j-just like my oneesama Arcee. I can handle anything."

Raf stepped closer and Miko flinched. Her shoulders began to shake and her mouth began to quiver as Miko's churning emotions threatened to overwhelm her once again.

"A-anything…"

Unable to bear the look of pain in her eyes for another instant, Raf reached out and pulled Miko close to him. She began to cry aloud, sobbing miserably as she angrily pounded her fists against his chest. Raf didn't know what to do other than hold her until the storm passed.

In between great heaving gasps she repeated over and over, "I-I don't understand…! I don't understand…!"

Raf silently thought the exact same thing.

…

Mrs. Nakadai sat down, not looking at her husband as she waited for several tense moments. Finally she spoke, demurely but firmly.

"Anata…?"

"Nanda."

Still refusing to look in his direction, she continued, "Rafael is a fine young man…whether he is Japanese or not. If he makes Miko happy, then does it truly matter…?"

Mr. Nakadai remained silent.

She sighed, her voice taking on a clipped edge as she said, "I see. Just remember…if you are not careful, you may lose the love of your only daughter."

She stood and turned to walk away when he finally spoke.

"Anata wa nanimo shirimasen."

She looked back and gasped as she saw the expression on his face, finally understanding.

…

The storm had passed, at least for now.

Miko dabbed at her swollen eyes and smirked, "Chikusho…I probably look a mess, huh?"

Raf smiled, "Nope. Sorry Miko, but to me you'll always be beautiful."

Miko sighed, "You're hopeless."

Raf continued to hold Miko against him as they allowed the peaceful silence to settle over them for a few precious moments.

"What are we going to do, Raf?"

When he didn't answer she pulled back and quickly recognized a familiar intent expression on Raf's face.

"I'd know that look anywhere. What'cha got going in that big, beautiful mind?"

Raf's eyes were hooded as he answered, "We're missing something, Miko. There's no logical reason for your father to object to us getting married like he did. He's a good man, I know it! I mean, it's almost as if - !"

Suddenly everything clicked.

"Raf…? Raf, you're starting to worry me with all these poignant pauses…"

Raf slowly shook his head and smiled sardonically. He slowly slumped to the ground and groaned, "I am always the last one to the party."

He looked up and chuckled, "I've been so blind, Miko. This thing has been staring me in the face the whole time…"

Miko knelt before him and said, "Raf, you're going to have to start speaking a language I actually understand, okay?"

Raf excitedly reached out and cupped his hands around hers.

"Yes! That's precisely why I missed it for so long! Don't you see, Miko? Look at it from the Japanese perspective! Read between the lines!"

"Yeah, okay…thanks, Raf. That makes everything crystal clear!"

Raf sighed, "All this time I was thinking that I was responsible for this whole mess. I finally realized that none of this had to do with me, and much like the often inscrutable Japanese language it had everything to do with me!" As an afterthought he added, "Indirectly, that is."

He rose to his full height and gently pulled Miko to her feet.

Miko looked into Raf's eyes and asked, "So if it doesn't have to do with you, then - "

"It's you, Miko. It's always been about you."

"Wh-what…?"

Raf smiled, remembering vividly the expression on Mr. Nakadai's face just before the elevator doors closed. He had only caught a glimpse of it, but he would never forget that look.

Miko's father was afraid of losing his daughter.

"Try to imagine it, Miko…years ago your father saw that his only daughter - his little girl - felt hopelessly trapped by a rigid society. He knew you were in danger of losing that special something that made you so amazing. I'm sure he worried himself sick over that, and rather than allow your spirit to be crushed, he made the ultimate sacrifice and risked losing you forever by sending you to a land far away. Sure, he knew you were strong and would survive…even more, you would thrive. However, I guarantee he always worried about losing you. Having you come home to Japan for this visit was probably the best thing that has happened to him in a long time!"

Raf wiped his eyes, his own emotions getting the best of him.

"B-but then…I had to go and mess everything up! At the very least I should've taken the time to let him get to know me better. Instead, I practically waltzed up to him and announced that I was going to take his little girl away from him!"

Overcome with shame, Raf angrily swung his fist to the side and connected with a sakura tree.

"I am so stupid! Your father knows next to nothing about me! He doesn't know what kind of person I am or what kind of family I come from or if I'm even a good match for you!"

Miko trembled as she slowly shook her head in disbelief.

"N-no…th-that can't - I don't believe it…I mean, sure…I-I guess I knew in my heart that he loved me, b-but he's always kept me at arm's length! My entire life, he's been so distant and cold…! He…he's n-never…never even said - "

"He doesn't want to say it lightly."

Miko's eyes widened dramatically as she turned to face her parents standing nearby.

"O-Otosan…Okasan…! Y-you…how did you find us?"

Miko's mother purposefully stepped forward.

"You are our daughter, Miko. Your father and I both remember this place from your childhood. We knew you were likely to come here."

"H-how much did you hear, Okasan…?"

"Does it truly matter?"

"I…I guess not."

"Miko, before you say anything else your father has something he would like to say."

Miko nodded and whispered, "O-okay…"

"Anata…?" Mrs. Nakadai gently nudged her husband. Reluctantly he shuffled forward.

"Miko."

"Hai…?"

Mr. Nakadai stared hard at his daughter, then at Raf. He returned his piercing gaze to Miko and breathed deeply before motioning his head in Raf's direction.

"Is he a good boy?"

Miko's jaw dropped.

"Wh-wha…?!"

"Does he treat you with the proper respect?"

"Otosan…!"

"Will he always take care of you?"

"Otosan, y-you're speaking English!"

Miko's father continued asking questions relentlessly.

"Does he come from a good family? How does he plan to provide for you? Does he have a good job? Will we be able to see you on the holidays?"

Miko suddenly couldn't hold back the flood of tears, only now she wasn't certain why she was crying.

Mr. Nakadai paused for a moment and then said, "These are questions that must be answered before I can give you my answer."

Miko started, "Y-your answer…?"

He raised a curious eyebrow, amused that she still didn't know what he was talking about.

"Esquivel-san has asked for my only daughter's hand in marriage. I would be a poor excuse for a father indeed if I did not make certain that you would be well cared for. After all, we all know you can be quite the handful…"

Miko's eyes glistened with joyful tears as she murmured, "Otosan…!"

He turned his full attention to Raf.

"Forgive me, Esquivel-san. Please understand…had I said 'yes' to you earlier without first having the opportunity to speak further with you on the matter, I may very well have been saying 'goodbye forever' to my beloved daughter."

"Mr. Nakadai…I-I don't know what to say, sir…I-I…"

Miko's father smiled, "Rafael. I told you that it would be difficult. In my defense, I never said that it would be impossible."

Raf's face suddenly lit up as he happily returned the smile and bowed deeply. Mr. Nakadai returned the bow.

"…but please be aware that if you ever hurt my daughter I will contact the Yakuza and make you disappear without a trace."

Still bowing, Raf risked glancing up fearfully. Miko's father also looked up and met his frightened gaze.

He winked.

Raf grinned as they straightened and Mr. Nakadai held out his hand. Raf grasped it warmly and the two men shook hands as Miko cheered and excitedly hugged her mother.

The mystery was finally solved.

…

"…and I would have gotten away with it, too…if it hadn't been for you meddling kids!"

Miko giggled in spite of herself. She lay curled up on the couch in front of the television, her twin cats purring in utter bliss as she slowly stroked their fur. Miko heard a yawn behind her and turned to see a very sleepy Rafael standing just outside his bedroom door.

Raf rubbed his eyes and groggily said, "It's been almost two days, Miko…you know, at this point the human body typically begins to hallucinate from sleep deprivation."

Miko shrugged tiredly, "Jet lag still hasn't kicked in for me yet, but when it does I'm gonna be out for at least a day…thought I'd just watch some TV to pass the time until then."

Raf cautiously edged closer, keeping a close eye on Miko's cats as they stared him down. Swallowing nervously, he adjusted his glasses and asked, "Anything good on?"

Miko was about to answer when the TV beat her to it.

"Rooby Rooby Roo!"

Raf cocked an eyebrow at Miko as she shrugged again, "Found a station that plays old American cartoons. Figured I'd give your 'classic' another shot."

Intensely curious, Raf asked, "So what's the verdict…?"

He started to sit when Chi Chi and Ding Dong angrily hissed at him. He immediately jumped to his feet and began to back off.

Miko shook her head, "Okay, we're settling this thing right now. Raf, sit."

She held her cats close to her and scooted to the edge of the couch, leaving plenty of room for Raf. He inched a little bit closer but still did not sit down. The cats growled as their hackles stood on end.

He sighed, "It's no use, Miko. Your cats hate me."

She smiled, "They don't hate you, sweetie. They're being protective of me…been a lot of that going on around here, lately." She winked at Raf. "They just need to know that they can trust you."

Miko pointed impatiently at the cushion next to her and repeated, "Raf, sit."

Raf slowly began to sit down. Sure enough, the cats hissed again. He flinched and started to rise to his feet but Miko quickly reached out and held his hand, preventing him from getting away.

She leaned forward and stared intently into her cats' eyes. In a very low voice she murmured, "Chi Chi, Ding Dong…furumaimasu."

Almost instantly both cats calmed down and incredibly, began to meow like tiny kittens. Miko smiled with satisfaction and slowly pulled Raf's hand closer until it was within a few inches of the cats. Cautiously Chi Chi and Ding Dong sniffed at Raf's fingertips before they trotted over and curled up next to him. They both began purring.

Raf was amazed. "Wh-what did you say to them?"

Miko smirked, "I just said if they knew what was good for them, they had better behave."

Raf chuckled as Miko snuggled close and lay her head against his shoulder. They sat like that in relative silence for awhile, listening to the soothing sound of the cats' purring.

"You didn't answer my question earlier, Miko. What's your verdict on Scooby-Doo?"

"Honestly, it reminds me of us."

"Oh, yeah…? How so?"

"Think about it, Raf. They're a group of teenaged kids with absolutely zero in common who got together and somehow ended up as best friends…for some of them maybe even closer than that, if you read between the lines."

Raf nodded thoughtfully, "I guess when you look at it like that it does kind of sound like us…especially the Fred and Daphne pairing."

Miko frowned, "Really…? Hunh. Funny, I always thought Daphne had her eyes set on Shaggy."

"SHAGGY?! How do you figure that?"

"Do you need new glasses, Raf? The evidence speaks for itself! Season one, episode one 'What a Night for a Knight!' Who was the first to brag unabashedly about Shaggy in front of everyone by saying he was 'the swingingest gymnast in school?' Daphne. Season one, episode seven 'Never Ape an Ape Man!' When Shaggy refused to act as bait to trap the bad guy and said that Scooby Snacks just wouldn't cut it, someone anticipated this and had whipped up a little something exclusively for Shaggy…a custom-made pot pie with pizza crust, anchovies, pepperoni, cherries, all in a thick chocolate sauce. In other words, who made the very first Shaggy Snack? Daphne, again. After the gang originally split up and went their separate ways, who was the first one to return to Shaggy's side in the 1983 series 'The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show?' Who knew? Daphne. In 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo,' right after being cured of being turned into a werewolf who was it that immediately hugged Shaggy? I'll give you one guess but I can guarantee you it wasn't Velma! Don't even get me started on how after almost fifty years of riding up front in the Mystery Machine, in the new 'Be Cool Scooby-Doo' series Daphne has mysteriously moved to the back seat next to Shaggy and Scooby. Gee, I wonder why…"

Raf blinked and asked, "Um, Miko…? Exactly how many hours of Scooby-Doo have you been watching out here?"

She shrugged, "Enough to get the basic gist of it."

"Okay, that settles it. You're delirious, Miko. Go to sleep."

"Who made you the boss o' me? If you think you got what it takes, Raf…bring it."

"You asked for it…!"

Chi Chi and Ding Dong shrugged indifferently as Raf tackled Miko on the couch. She squealed as he mercilessly began to tickle her.

Miko and Raf both froze as they heard a knowing chuckle behind them. They turned to see Miko's parents standing nearby, both smiling happily.

"Young love…"

"They act as though they are already married. Sou ne, Anata…?"

Raf practically leapt to his feet and stammered, "M-Mr. and Mrs. Nakadai! Forgive me, I - !"

Mr. Nakadai chuckled, "It is all right, Esquivel-san."

Miko stifled a yawn and stretched, "I still can't get over how good your English is, Otosan!"

"Your mother is an excellent teacher, Miko."

Miko grinned, "Duh! Okasan taught me too, remember?"

Mr. Nakadai nodded, "Sweet…"

Raf smirked, "Wow…you'd have to have eyesight as bad as mine not to see that you two were father and daughter…"

Mrs. Nakadai beamed proudly, "That is true, Esquivel-san…but while Miko inherited her musical gifts and her fiery temper from her father, I would add that Miko inherited her remarkable intelligence from me."

Everyone had a good laugh at the teasing remark.

Mr. Nakadai faced Raf and asked, "So, Esquivel-san…have you and Miko discussed where you would like to live? I understand that Japan is a most wonderful place to settle down and raise a family..."

Miko immediately got flustered, "O-Otosan…!"

"…and besides, it would be much more convenient for everyone if our grandchildren were closer to visit…"

Mrs. Nakadai came to the rescue and whispered, "Anata, we talked about this. You promised not to push…"

"Mm? Ah, forgive me." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Sometimes I can be such a silly old man..."

Raf breathed a huge sigh of relief and said, "Don't worry about it, sir. We're just still a little bit young to be thinking about having kids."

Mr. Nakadai grinned broadly, "At least we can count on a traditional Japanese wedding, yes?"

Miko shared a panicked glance with her fiancé just before she uttered the only thing she could.

"Ruh, roh."