Burning The Midnight Oil

Chapter 20

Meet The Uesugis

~Ichika~

Look at them. Then again how could you not? They were practically broadcasting their flirting through a megaphone. But still, weren't they just so cute? She was happy for them. Really.

She'd told herself that she wouldn't make a big deal out of things in school. Nino made it perfectly clear how much she cared about their sisterhood, and Ichika would respect that in kind. She swore she'd leave things be, she'd live her own life and let them live theirs. A gentle divide would keep the peace. And she was following through wonderfully. After all, what's done was done, and she had bigger nuts to crack.

She had an interview tonight, a five-minute spot on some middling late-night talk show. Her manager insisted on accepting it after he spoke with the marketing team, they wanted to keep the film's momentum going strong into the next weekend. It wasn't anything that would jettison her into stardom, but it was a milestone. An introduction before thousands, just like she'd dreamed. She chided herself for getting so distracted before.

So she had an easy time letting things go and moving on. But she must be the only one. She kept gazing and Nino and catching her glancing her way. It almost became a game for her, she'd flash her eyes to her wayward sister and hope to catch her off guard, silently asking her what she was doing disturbing the peace. Nino looked at her pleadingly, for, what? Forgiveness? Ichika thought it was pathetic. What was she trying to say? Sorry for stabbing you in the back and waltzing over your corpse to your crush? It was too late for that.

By third period Nino appeared to give up on her, finally turning in a huff as if saying, fine, have it your way. Ichika chucked silently as Nino's face scrunched as if to sneeze. And then she didn't look her way again. All the better for her, Ichika thought. Shouldn't she be focusing on her precious lessons to impress her boy toy? Or maybe she was giving up? Was it okay to be stupid now that she got her prize? Why put in effort after you've already hitched the hog?

It got annoying, watching Nino briskly rise from her desk the instant her teacher closed his book and strike for Futaro's desk like a lightning bolt, crowding him before their poor teacher was even out the door. She looked pathetic, less than a day in the open and she acted like a bitch pissing on a tree to mark her territory. But what was worse is how pleased he looked to be talking with her. He was positively animated, she never saw him look like that! Was she trying to throw it in her face? Fine, we got it, he chose you. We're over it.

Only, not everyone was. Nino kept peeking behind her, casting those hopeful glances at her other scorned sister, poor little Miku, who was practically fading into her desk like a shadow after sunset. Her head was downcast like a falling flower, floating over an open book with nothing to learn. Her fire faded, her light stolen by a taller tree. This, more than anything done to herself, infuriated Ichika.

Did she have to flaunt her victory like a battle flag over a captured fortress? No, and that's what made it unforgiveable.

The lunch bell rang and Ichika rose for a well-earned meal. But as she tried to leave, she was stopped by an offending hand on her wrist.

"Ichika," Itsuki asked calmly, "Can we talk?"

Ichika smiled and said, "Oh, I think we did enough of that." It was a lie, there hadn't been any talking. Plenty of screaming, yes. It was well earned as this parasite chose to abandon their side for the liar and the backstabber.

"Ichika, please?" She asked lowly.

Ichika rolled her eyes and pulled away like a branch snapping, the sound echoing through the empty forest. She rubbed her wrist as if she brushed against the wall of a filthy lavatory and felt like she needed a shower. Hadn't she warned her as she walked away that if she shut that door on them, she shut it for good? And she had, in fury and anger and ignorance. And to think she used to think Itsuki was the sensible one. Why the hell was everyone going crazy because some guy came into their life? She wished that he'd never met them. She wished their father never hired him. She wished that Nino never lied to save his job. She wished they'd never pursued him after he quit. She wished they failed their finals and left this rotten school infected with Uesugi for good. And in every way she could imagine she wished him gone in their past, present and future.

There were many tangible benefits to leaving that slum and one of them was lunch. Mister Ebata had packed them a glorious bento made of the leftovers of their welcome home feast. And she would enjoy it surrounded by her...well, not really friends. Admirers, fans, sycophants, call them what you will, they were all the same for her. Fame had its downsides, and these people wouldn't leave her alone. Not that she terribly minded, it was a welcome reminder that she'd at last found success in her field. They asked her about working with the big names, about the parties and premieres and her upcoming projects, and she shared tidbits of her life that amused them, rewarding her with oohs and ahs and adoration glowing like a field of flourescents brightening the stage.

But there was a black hole drawing her focus from the light, and it had a name: Nino. Specifically, Nino, her arm candy, and two identical traitors crowding a lunch table. Was fate having a laugh at her today? Or was it chance that she had a perfect view of the budding couple? Well, so what? It's not like it was any of her business-oh, really? Really Nino? Was that a lunchbox just for him? She watched as Nino unwrapped the cloth and wondered, had she carved something into a little heart inside? She bet she did, the wanna-be princess would be that cliché.

She mindlessly followed the table talk, silently wondering if these girls really thought she cared what show she'd be perfect for. But her conscious was elsewhere, stuck on her lone sister eating in the corner. Miku was sitting alone at a table facing a barren wall. Her lunch was luxurious and wasted on her mood. She'd tried inviting her suddenly expanded circle, but Miku was lost to the world, trapped in a well of ineptitude and despair. Did Nino realize what she'd taken from Miku? No, how could she? She was all too wrapped up in her own-

Ichika was shocked as Nino carefully pinched a tiny carrot, carved into a heart, hadn't she called it, between her chopsticks and presented it to Futaro like an offering at a temple. But that was nothing compared to when Futaro casually leaned in and ate it.

You bitch! In public, right in front of Miku! What the fuck is wrong with you!? And Futaro, you ignorant, insensitive little nerd!

One of her companions saw it and sighed, "Wow, so they're really a thing? I never would've pictured it. It's like, a princess dating a pauper."

Another, the girl who posted the picture that started it all, said, "Come on, it's kind of cute in an opposites attract kind of way. Don't you think so, Nakano?"

Oh, she thought a great many things. A thousand bees circling a hive of malcontent, rich with sugary malice. Oh yes, so cute. Freaking adorable! Wasn't it lovely how her sister finally got her claws into what she wanted? It's not like she hadn't loathed his very existence until a month ago, no, nothing like that. It wasn't like she hadn't flip-flopped like a politician appeasing her voters to win his affection, her sisters be damned! No, this was Nino, and she always got what she wanted. Until she got bored and threw it away. It was the same with outfits, jewelry, and accessories: they were the seasonal hotness one day, and buffering a landfill the next. Because that's all he was to her, another fancy outfit to try on for a while, until it lost its appeal like the snappiness of a new phone. She'd let it linger in her closet, before tossing it out with the dirty rags and used tampons like the trash it was to make space for the next hotness.

But Futaro, oh, Futaro. Ichika pondered how wrong she'd been about him. Turns out he wasn't such a genius after all. He was just another stupid boy snared by a pretty face. No, it wasn't her snarky, identical face, or it could be someone far more deserving sitting next to him. It was something else, some quality Nino alone possessed, which made it worse. Was he just desperate? Did he jump at the first girl to bat her eyelashes at him? Even after all the abuse she put him through, he fell over her like a tree for a lumberjack into the sawmill. What a moron. A stupid, oblivious moron. On your head be your misery, Uesugi.

So she said, "Oh, it's hard to see them that way. I mean, they didn't start out like that at all."

"Oh? What were they like?"

"Like roosters in a cockfight."

"Seriously!?"

"Yeah, they were at each others' throats for months. In fact," Ichika mused, watching as Nino smiled at her captive, and she imagined how it should be, who should really be wearing that identical smile, "she gave him a little something special the day they met."

"What was it?"

"She drugged his drink. Knocked him out like a hammer smashing a light."

The table gave a collective gasp, like the obedient audience they were. One of the guys asked, "No way! Was it like, a roofie or something?"

She shrugged, "Who knows? All I know is he was down and out, for, I don't even remember how long. Wasn't the only time she drugged him, either."

A girl squealed, "Oh, my, god! What the hell, like, who even does that!?"

"My sister Nino, apparently. And I guess he likes it," she mused.

"Wow, what a couple a wierdos."

Ichika took another bite and stared at the happy couple. Her food, it was so savory.

And then she realized, didn't they truly deserve each other? If love is pain, wasn't theirs the strongest of all?

~Nino~

"Did you even look in the mirror when you did your makeup? Here, just gimme the-Nino, gimme the brush, there, now hold still, your blush is all sloppy." Yotsuba said.

"And did you even bother blow-drying your hair, or did you just step outta the shower, towel it off and call it beauty?" Itsuki chided.

Yotsuba inspected her like a chef shopping for produce, "Hmm, should we curl it?"

"Just the tips, maybe. Then we can-"

"That's enough!" Nino roared, "What the hell's gotten into you two?"

Yotsuba blinked, "We're just trying to help."

Nino fumed, "Look, all of this," she circled her face, "is done, I'm all set."

Itsuki said, "Well, all of this, "she circled her face, "needs more work."

Yotsuba said, "How long until Futaro shows up?"

Itsuki answered, "Five minutes."

"Not enough time."

"It's not."

"Want me to distract him?"

"How long can you give me?"

"How long do you need?"

Nino interrupted, "You need nothing, I'm done. See? Done. And I don't need the help of a couple of girls who wear makeup as often as a middle school boy. Why are you two getting all fussy about this anyways?"

Itsuki blinked, as if rebooting, "What? You really don't get it?"

Yotsuba sighed, "Of course she doesn't get it."

"Get what?"

And then they pressed themselves uncomfortably close, pinning her against the wall with their hope and determination. Itsuki said, "Do you know what happens if you make a good impression tonight?"

"Apparently not?"

Yotsuba continued, "You get closer to the Uesugis. You get closer to Futaro. One day you marry Futaro-"

"Whoa! When did we get here-!?"

"-And if you marry Futaro," Yotsuba continued, shooting Itsuki a knowing glance, before exploding, "Raiha becomes our little sister!"

Nino deadpanned, "Oh you can't be serious."

"Oh, this is very serious," Itsuki grabbed her shoulder and held her firm, her gaze a wildfire brimming with hope she focused into her sister, "so you do not mess this up for us. Got it? We are not losing Raiha!"

Nino daintily lifted her crazed sister's hands from her shoulders and slipped away like a salmon escaping the black bear's maw, "Okay, back up, all the way. I've already met them, or did you forget that trip to the hot springs? What's the worst that can happen?"

"We lose Raiha," Yotsuba said, with Itsuki nodding tensely at the obvious.

Itsuki said, "So hold still and let us help you."

Nino groaned, "What's left to fix? I did this myself, I look fantastic! Don't I?"

"Mostly, but there's room for improvement."

"Like where?"

"Your blush. It looks...how do I say it?" Itsuki trailed off.

Yotsuba chimed in, "It looks whorish!"

"WHAT!?"

"That's the word! Whorish!" Itsuki agreed.

There was a knocking on the door. Futaro, you perfectly punctual savior! Nino threw the door open, saying, "Get me outta here!"

Futaro blinked, "You're actually ready on time?"

"Thanks for the show of faith," Nino mocked as she slid on her shoes and grabbed the raspberry pie she'd made for dessert. She clicked the lock and closed the door behind her, asking, "How far is it again?"

"Not far, we can walk it."

That didn't surprise her, like home near like home. She remembered how surprising it had been to learn how close he'd lived to their old place. How could such a run-down neighborhood be a jog away? Now she was living in it, paying for the negative karma of her thoughts.

She thought she'd escaped her sisters' intensity. She thought wrong. They opened the bathroom window as they descended the stairs.

Itsuki screamed, "Nino, do your best!"

"Bring us that sister!" Yotsuba cheered.

Nino beamed, blushing like a lighthouse on a cloudy night. She screamed, "Sh-shut up!"

Futaro calmly glanced from the window to the sky, "Hmm. No pressure, huh?"

"You know what they're talking about?"

He shrugged, "Isn't it obvious?"

"I didn't know it was."

"Raiha decided to join us for the morning run today. Yotsuba was so excited that the two of them ran off and forgot me when I stopped to rest. They ran another two miles before they realized they forgot me." Futaro sighed pleasantly, "It was such a good break."

Futaro took her hand, it was warm in hers like holding a hot pack with her hand buried in her pocket. And as they walked Nino thought on what her sisters said about meeting his family for the first time as an official girlfriend. It shouldn't be anything spectacular or noteworthy, after all they had met before. She'd spoken with Riaha at one point or another. And as for his father, they may have only met the one time, but they had...made eye contact? Wait, was that it? Had they really never spoken a single word to each other outside of one single hello?

And Nino marveled at just how closely Futaro had tied into her own family. Too closely, if the red webs of romantic string tangled into an unintelligible knot was any sign. But even with her father, well, he definitely wasn't close, but they at least knew where he stood.

What did Raiha think of her? Anything at all? She decided to count down her family: there were Yotsuba and Itsuki who wanted to kidnap her and never give her back, then there were Ichika and Miku who agreed she was as adorable as a baby kitten born with puppy-dog eyes. Then there was her...who didn't get it. She just didn't get it. Raiha was a kid, a cute one, perhaps, but just a kid, and she never went out of her way to bond with her. But Raiha was close with the rest of her family, so that had to count for something, right? And as for his father, he seemed like a nice enough guy. She remembered him being sociable during the trip to the hot springs. Would he be the same with her now?

But what if he didn't? What if both of them didn't? And this stream of questions proved the droplets that toppled the dam she'd unknowingly held back. A flood of questions she'd brushed aside as unimportant and unlikely to matter came to the forefront of her mind. What if they didn't like her look? What if they thought she was too nosy? Too talkative? Or if she wasn't talkative enough? What will they think when they find out she never knew her birth father? And the point of everything was this: what if they didn't like her? And what if they disapproved of their relationship? What if they tell him to break up? They were already against her papa and two of her sisters, what would they do if his family turned against them as well?

"Hey," Futaro asked, "What's up?"

"Huh? Nothing," Nino said quickly.

"You're breathing hard, like you were running or something."

Nino vigorously shook her head, "It's really nothing, I mean...maybe it's something."

"Nervous?"

"A little."

He squeezed her hand, "Don't be, they're going to love you."

"You really think so?" she asked hopefully.

"I told them all the good stuff, you'll be fine."

And like an antidote to a toxin, or even a placebo, his assurance settled her nerves like an anchor settles a ship. Still, she decided to check herself one more time. In case she really did look whorish.

"We're here," he said at last as they arrived at an old apartment complex, a series of buildings that the city wanted to forget. She marveled at the dull gray color of the exterior; either the building manager had a taste for the uninspired and cheap, or paint was seen as a luxury they could not afford. Itsuki's descriptions were all making sense now.

"It's, quaint," she tried.

"Thanks. It's a dump."

"Yeah, I was being nice."

"But a livable dump."

"Like our place?"

"Not quite that nice."

"Oh."

Thirty steps separated her from her trial, er, meeting. Then twenty. Fifteen…

Futaro felt her heartbeat in her palm. He stopped and squeezed her hand. "It's okay," he said.

She nodded, "I know."

"I love you," he said.

Yup, that did it. Who said magic words were a fantasy? She leaned up and kissed him, "I love you too. Let's do this."

They climbed the stairs and Futaro knocked on the door, "Dad, it's me."

The door opened and exposed a specimin of a man. He looked like the Kintaro guise she'd so enjoyed in the forest if Kintaro had grown up. His hair was bleached and naturally styled into an effortless, endearing mess. If Futaro and her somehow stayed together into the decades and his genetics led him in this direction, she could definitely live with that.

Except for the frown. Why was he frowning?

"So this is her?" he asked, his voice low with disinterest.

Futaro seemed confused, "Yeah, who else?"

Itsuki and Yotsuba had barraged her with practical advice while she readied herself in the vanity. Smile brightly! Back straight! Speak formally! Please and thank you are practically periods, use them! Compliment everything you see. All that, and so much more. She wished she'd actually paid attention.

She stood stiff as an ironing board, the good kind, not the piece of crap she currently kept in her closet. "Hello, mister Uesugi. I'm-"

"Yeah yeah, I know who you are."

She stuttered, "Oh? Right, of course. I just thought-"

"What's that?" he pointed to the package she carried.

Futaro said, "It's a pie, dad."

"I asked her, not you," his father said, then he asked her, "Store bought?"

"No, sir, I made it myself. For after dinner."

"What kind is it?"

Why did he say that like it was a test? Was tutoring genetic? "It's raspberry."

His eyes widened, "Did you think to ask if anyone in this house is allergic?"

She paled, oh no. "Uh, I didn't think, I mean I didn't know that you could be-"

Futaro seethed, "Dad, we're not allergic to anything."

"The point stands, it's basic etiquette," he sighed, then waved them inside. "Come in, then. It's almost time for dinner."

Nino stood solid, a flash-frozen TV dinner from Uesugi's icy welcoming. She asked Futaro, "What just happened?"

He opened his mouth, too soon, still forming an answer, "I have no idea. Maybe he had a bad day at work? Give it a minute, things'll lighten up."

His confidence appeared misplaced as they stepped in the door. He was helping her with her coat when Raiha greeted them from the kitchen, "Hi big bro! Hi Nino! You're the one that drugged him, right?"

Hope makes no noise when it dies, it's the acrid silence of a hostile room. Nino breathed, "Oh, he told you about that."

"Yup!

She whispered to Futaro, "I thought you only told them the good things!"

Futaro coughed, "Well, I did, along with the rest...it was a while ago...and we kind of have a thing in our family about no secrets."

Raiha cheered, "Yeah, no secrets!"

His father said, "I'm aware he did the same to you not too long ago, Nakano. I'm sorry about that. Normally he'd never do such a thing."

Nino waved it off, "Oh, it was nothing, he was trying to-"

"It appears you bring out that side of my son."

She felt like she should be running for cover with all these bombs he was dropping. The door was only a few feet away…

Mister Uesugi motioned to the kotatsu and said, "Might as well have a seat. Raiha will be done with dinner shortly."

Futaro took her hand, she noticed he was warming up himself. At least she wasn't alone. He spoke tersely, "Sure thing, dad. Sounds wonderful."

They took seats on opposite sides. Mister Uesugi tapped his finger on the table and stared into Nino. Not at. Into. His gaze was firm, like a strobe light honed in on an escaping convict, tracking every little detail, every gesture in a blinding light. Nino struggled to keep her poise under the accusing stare.

Nino tried to improve the mood, saying, "It's a lovely home you have, mister Uesugi."

"What're you talking about? It's a slum."

"I mean, you make it look homely-"

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No! I just..." she trailed off, not sure where this was going.

Futaro, for being as dense as a lead deposit, couldn't miss the uncomfortable air between his girlfriend and his father. Nino was like a tree struggling against the howling wind. She needed a buffer. So he stepped in and said, "So, dad works at a factory as a lineman, and at a warehouse as a foreman. Why don't you tell her about it, dad?"

"It's back-breaking and the hours are long."

Nino said, "Well you look good for a man bearing all that."

He said, "Futaro tells me you're struggling in school."

She nearly got whiplash from that transition. "Er, yes, but he's been a big help."

"He'd better be, his grades fell because of it."

"My sisters and I wouldn't have passed without your son's tutoring."

He nodded, lamenting, "So it's as bad as I thought."

Nino felt like she'd been slapped. She chomped her snark back and swallowed it, hoping to save the evening. But Futaro as a son had more freedom to maneuver and said, "Like you were a model student, dad."

"A passing one, though. And look where that got me? Young people should learn from their elders' mistakes and avoid that kind of failure." He returned to his inquisition of Nino, asking, "So what do you plan to do after graduating?"

She perked up, "Oh? I'm not entirely sure yet-"

"Not much of a planner, I see."

"But I was thinking of working as a chef someday, or a baker! I even thought about starting my own restaurant someday."

He nodded, "Ah, a noble profession." Nino was elated for just a moment, then he continued, "and a very volatile business, almost all new restaurants go under within a few years. No stability at all."

How fragile was hope for it to die in so few words.

"Dinner's ready!" Raiha announced as she arrayed a series of plates. Nino observed the bubbling hot curry rice. A simple dish, but impressive from a girl as young as her. She wasn't surprised she'd been tasked with the cooking for so long.

"Wow Nino, your dress is really pretty," Raiha said.

Nino smiled and looked down at her dress, a long evening piece bluer than the deep sea designed to impress. It was part of her collection she'd brought from her old place. It was flattering yet modest and long enough to appease all but the most conservative eye. It aimed for elegance, not showiness. She hadn't wanted them thinking badly of her style, for all the good it did her now. She said, "Thank you Raiha, it's an old favorite I had lying around."

Raiha looked down at her own outfit, a blouse and jeans, and said, "I'm a bit sad though, I feel so underdressed next to you."

Her father nodded, "Indeed, she looks like she belongs at a ball, not a dingy apartment."

Nino flinched. Futaro said through clenched teeth, "If it bothers you so much, Raiha, stop complaining and go change."

"Nah, I'm comfy," Raiha said as she pulled out her phone, "It might be the only kind of outfit she has, dad. I was scrolling through her instagram earlier and she was always dressed in these super pretty clothes, like the ones in the window displays where they don't show the price tags unless you ask."

Dad nodded, "I see. What else did you find out on this, er, the instagram?"

"She's kind of a basic bitch."

Nino, who'd been feeling like a coal in the embers, had been taking a sip of water to cool off. She nearly choked on it. She coughed it down and stared open mouthed at her accuser, who was sitting there so innocently. Itsuki and Yotsuba would see an angel. Now she knew better.

Suddenly Raiha whined, "Dad, bro's looking at me funny."

Funny? That wasn't the word she'd use to describe his face. He looked like a dog struggling against his leash, garnished with a sneer promising revenge. He said lowly, "Raiha, what are you doing?"

His father snapped, "Futaro! Don't talk to your sister like that!"

"How am I the one in the wrong here!?"

He said, "Everyone, calm down. It's time we eat."

Nino gripped his hand and silently asked him to back down. She didn't want the family starting a fight over her. She didn't want any more enemies, and she clung to the chance that maybe, just maybe, they could turn this around. Futaro swallowed his comment and picked up his spoon. Nino did the same, thinking a lull in the conversation and a chance to fill their bellies might set the atmosphere straight.

She took a bite. She regretted it. For this was not simple rice curry, oh no, Raiha was not so simple a chef. This was an ember taken from the fires of hell and plopped on a plate! And oh, it burned! It burned like the spices were taking jackhammers on a journey through her tongue and beyond!

"You okay, Nino?" Futaro asked after he swallowed.

She noticed his father watching her as he chewed his own bite, with Raiha cheerily shoving another spoonful into her mouth. How were they not on fire!?

She breathed, "Yeah, fine." Futaro nodded and took another bite. Nino marveled at how easily he swallowed fire, add a sword to his routine and he'd be a carney. And then she understood. It was no wonder he couldn't tell the difference between her masterful cooking and Miku's plated disaster. This little brat cauterized his taste buds!

"Nino?" Raiha asked worriedly, "Don't you like it?"

Wow her eyes got big. Maybe that's why Itsuki and Yotsuba loved her. But she still didn't get it. But she did get that mister Uesugi's eyes were still peering into her soul looking for more to criticize, so she plastered a grin on her face and said, "Oh, it's delicious. Very flavorful. Very."

"Good! I made it special for you," Raiha cheered.

A good attempt, but now she had to follow it up with action. She tepidly filled another spoon with what could very well serve as lighter fluid, said a prayer, and ate it. Then another, and another, muffling her body's cries for mercy with willpower alone. And water, so much water. She'd drained her glass after the fifth bite, and yet the pain lingered like lava running down her throat. She needed something stronger.

"Excuse me," she asked tepidly, hiding her burning, "Could I please have some milk?"

Mister Uesugi showed mercy and said, "Sure, it's right there in the fridge."

Nino politely got up and walked as briskfully as grace allowed to the fridge. She grabbed the milk, but wanted to cry when she saw the expiry date. "Ah, I think it's expired."

"So? It's pasteurized. Still good."

She checked again. A week gone. She was not drinking that. She sighed in defeat. Then she said, "Can I be excused to the toilet for a minute?"

"Sure, right there," his father said. Nino hurried inside, but not before hearing him say, "Too good for our milk, eh?"

Raiha added, "I miss Itsuki."

She slid the door shut and with the barrier established she allowed the torrent of negative thoughts to come pouring out. What the fuck was happening!? Were they trying to find reasons to hate her? She was doomed from the start! Now they'd hate her and they'd tell Futaro to break up with her and that was just great! Just great! Now just about everyone was against them! All that was left was for Itsuki and Yotsuba to turn tail and they'd be a modern love tragedy!

She ran the sink and filled her hands with water, drinking deeply to fight the spice. Her throat burned and she wanted to cry and scream at everything that went wrong!

"Nino?" Futaro said as he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "Are you okay?"

Nino scoffed, "Am I okay? Do I look okay to you?"

"No."

She wanted to laugh, it was rhetorical, you dumbass. "Why are they being like this? Did you know?"

"Hey, they're never like this. It's like they've been kidnapped and replaced with evil twins."

"That's stupid."

"I know." He took her hand, he'd been doing a lot of that tonight, but it wasn't getting old. But it also wasn't helping anymore.

She asked, "At least we're still on the same side, right?"

"Right."

Then a voice carried through the door, "You better not be doing anything with my son in there."

And that was it, the final straw snapping like the cable of a bridge bringing the whole thing down. Nino sneered and charged past Futaro out the door. Fuck it! There was no hope of winning them over so she might as well be as brutally honest as they deserved. She screamed, "What the hell is your problem!?"

His father raised an eyebrow, saying, "Oh, you're even swearing now-"

"Damn right I am! And that's nothing compared to all the dry comments about me and my dreams and even my outfit! If you hate me go ahead and say it, stop beating around the bush."

They locked eyes, sparks would fly if glares had mass to grind. Finally he said, "Sit, both of you."

"Why should we?"

"Because I'm going to say it. Now sit."

Futaro said, "Dad, what are you-"

"Futaro," his father said sternly, "do as I say."

"Come on, Fuu," she said, taking her seat. It was clear they'd already made up their minds about her, she hadn't stood a chance. But she wasn't giving up on Futaro, not for them, and especially not when they behaved like this. Futaro sighed and sat next to her.

Their father began, "Do you think I hate you?"

"Yes."

"Would you believe I don't?"

"Not really."

"This is probably the most honest I've seen you all evening."

"It can't make things any worse than they are."

He nodded, closing his eyes to think, "You might be surprised. We don't keep secrets in our family. My son has told us about his tutoring job from the very beginning. You might say we were along for the ride as well, on a different track. And I remember thinking, one guy with five girls? Something could happen."

"And you wish it were Itsuki instead?"

"On the contrary, I'm glad it's you."

Nino blinked, "What?"

"You stood with my son through all my questioning, and he stood with you against us. That tells me everything I need to know." Then out of nowhere, he smiled, "You didn't suspect a thing, huh?"

Raiha burst out laughing, "Haha! Daddy tricked you, big bro!"

Futaro fumed, "Oh, you two...you're gonna pay for this."

Nino felt slapped, only the opposite. She'd come out of the bathroom breathing fumes and ready for a fight. And now it was all taken away with a smile. "This was...a test?"

"You can say that."

"What's with this family and tests..." she breathed lifelessly.

He shrugged, "Beats me. But test or not, I can say I'm glad my son ended up dating you. So, Nino, it's good to meet you. You're welcome to stay with this family as long as you like."

Nino's mind was still trying to orient itself to the sudden change of direction. The last thing she needed was another whirlwind, which of course is what arrived.

The door burst open, Itsuki and Yotsuba flooded into the tiny home, shouting, "Yes! She's ours!"

Raiha lit up, "Itsuki! Yotsuba!"

"Come here little sis!" They screamed as the three tackled in a victory hug that atomized the space between them.

"Where the hell did you come from!?" Nino screamed.

Futaro blanked, "Were you just sitting outside this whole time?"

"Yup!" Yotsuba announced, "You have thin doors, Futaro."

Nino twisted as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Futaro's father said, "Can I have a word alone with you, Nakano?"

She really didn't want to, this man weirded her out like a clown on the street. But his eyes shifted, they were warm like coals on a chilly night. She said, "Uh, sure."

Futaro said, "Dad, what're you trying to do?"

"We'll just be a minute, Futaro. Hold down the fort for me."

"What about no secrets!?"

"No secrets, just things a father must tell his son's girlfriend."

~Nino~

Three steps. That's the distance she kept between mister Uesugi and herself. She didn't feel comfortable walking side by side with him and he didn't press, he seemed to understand her trepidation. So he led on with her exactly three steps behind, letting her wonder how far he expected her to follow.

He led her down a busy shopping strip a block away, it was filled with old mom-and-pop shops that might go back three or more generations. Small crowds of people were busily finishing and beginning their evenings here. She drew her coat closer around herself as she noticed a few older men eyeing her as they passed. She wished Futaro was here. She wanted to go back.

Then mister Uesugi stopped outside a shop window. It was closed and only the street lamps illuminated a hint of what was inside. He pointed to something on display, "See that there?"

Nino followed his finger to a small rectangle, an old music box and a lever to wind it. It must be older than he was, who even made them anymore?

"His mother had one just like that. She used to play it for us every night before bed. Did Futaro ever tell you about her?"

She remembered, "Just that she died, a few years ago. And the hospital bills, from her treatment."

He nodded, "And when he was just a boy, they were inseparable. I have hundreds of pictures of them together, and I don't think they're frowning in a single one. He was her precious little man, and until Raiha came along he was her everything. And even after Raiha was born, she never really let that go. I don't think she ever would have. I used to joke that it'd be impossible for him to find a girlfriend because she'd scare them away. No girl would ever be good enough to date her son, not to her. She told me how the first time he brought a girl home to meet us, she'd grill her like a cheap steak and toss her out if she burned." Then he smiled at her, "But she never got to, but I know she'd want it done, to see if the girl could stand with Futaro through hard times. So I hope you'll forgive me, but I had to do it just once. For her, you know? I figured you'd understand, after the trial you gave him tutoring your sisters."

Ah, well Nino couldn't really fight that. She'd all but slammed the doors, connived new innovations to disturb, disrupt and defeat Futaro's efforts at education. And look where they were now. "I get it, but it..."

"It hurt, I know," he admitted, "And please forgive me, but I can't say I'm sorry. See, I did it for me, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Most boys I see want to be like their fathers. But Futaro was different, he was his mother's child since he could crawl. He has more than her hair and her smile and her laugh, he has her heart. So he always wanted to be like her, insisting he'd be like momma when he grew up. But then she got sick, and slowly wasted away. And as she died, I think he watched me taking care of her, and decided he wanted that strength to deal with his sadness. Like, if he could be like me, it wouldn't hurt so much losing her. It didn't matter if it tore me apart too, I didn't show it to him, so he only saw a way to move on. So he became a little punk like me, acting like he didn't care about school, or friends, or anything really. But then he takes a class trip out of town and comes back a dedicated academic wishing he was an unfeeling robot or something. That was five years ago, and it's been like that ever since. Until," he pointed at her, "you.

"You did something that changed him, you opened him up to a new part of himself he was pretending didn't exist. Now he's understanding that academics and intelligence are only a part of what he needs to live the life he wanted, one with meaning to others. And it was you that brought that out of him, no one else. Not me, not Raiha, not your sisters, you. So the truth is I've been on your side from the beginning. I tested you because I wanted to see what kind of person you were. And you endured as much as I gave you to impress me, because you care about my son. And that's all I ever wanted from the girl my son chose to love."

A shift in perspective is a powerful thing. Here was this man she'd come to see as an enemy, one of many to her choices, and suddenly he was the man she'd hoped he'd be. Someone who approved of them, even supported them. But…it hurt. Every swipe at her character, it had hurt.

"So all that, was a test? And now that it's over, what, we're supposed to be good? Like you can take it all back? What you and Raiha did-"

He waved her down, "Yeah, I know. If I were you, and I was once, I'd be upset. And I understand if you are for a while. But I did what I did for my son's sake, to make sure I understood the kind of person he wants to be with. Futaro told me how protective you are of your family, so I think you'll understand."

Ah, that hit closer to home than she was ready for. Struggling against an unknown to protect the people you love. That was something she knew intrinsically.

He continued, "You see, my wife's family was the same. The day I met them was a crucible, I thought they hated me from the start. The difference between me and you, is that I was right in how they thought of me. They thought their daughter could do so much better than me," he paused, "And they were right. But she still chose to love me. I'd say it worked out in the end."

She said, "Yeah, but still, it just," she paused, "Some of what you said, it was cruel. And Raiha-"

"Raiha followed my lead. And she's young, she doesn't know how to deal with this."

"With what? Does she really hate me?"

"No, it's not that. It's just, you have to understand, she had her own ideas how this should've gone. She's closest with your sister Itsuki, do you know that? She adores her. And I think she wanted her brother and Itsuki to end up falling in love."

Nino had seen the signs like grafitti on the bathroom wall, but it still hurt to her someone admit it. She said sadly, "I had a feeling."

"She's a kid, give her time to warm up. I think she'll like you once she gets to know you." He paused, then offered his hand, "As for us, now that I know you, I'd like to start over fresh and move past this. Can we do that?"

Nino looked at the proffered hand questioningly. Five minutes ago, she would have hesitated, but hearing him speak so genuinely, it was refreshing having an adult speak to her like that, like an equal. And maybe she could understand why he did what he did, and she thought, wouldn't she have done the exact same thing if one of her sisters brought a boy home? She'd probably team up with her father as the opposition. And just once, she wanted someone outside of her family on their side. So she took it, "Alright, I'll try."

He said, "Nakano, can I call you Nino?"

"Alright."

"Nino, I have just one favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"My son grew up wanting to be like mom, then his dad, and then he wanted to be like no one ever was. Now I think he wants to be himself, his whole self. And I think he's still discovering how to do that. You've had more to do with that than anyone, and you still do. Who he becomes, and what he thinks of love and relationships, that's all going to depend on what happens between you. I just want you to understand what that means. I won't ask you to put up with anything unreasonable, and if you're ever unhappy I understand if you want to end it. I just want you to remember that. Can you please do that?"

Nino already knew her answer, "I'm not going to hurt him, I love him."

He laughed, "He's your first boyfriend, isn't he."

"How do you know that?"

"You're going to hurt each other, it's inevitable. But, it doesn't have to be meaningless. That's what love is, really, it's choosing who we want to hurt for." He laughed, then waved it off, "Sorry, I'm droning on. Let's head back, shall we? I feel bad leaving Futaro to deal with those three by himself."

"I don't. He led me straight into a hornet's nest."

"About that, I didn't tell him."

"I noticed. He still did it."

"Yeah, I'm gonna get an earful once you leave. So, how about we break out that pie after we get back? It smelled delicious, by the way."

Nino said, "I think I've lost my appetite."

"It's been a night, hasn't it?"

"It was the spice."

"Oh. It was a little strong, huh?"

"My insides were melting."

"It'll stop in a bit. How about we pass the time until it comes back?"

"How?"

He mused, "Well, remember how I said he imitated his mom when he was young?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I have a lot of pictures stashed away of him going adorably far with that. Wanna see?"

And with a vague image of baby Futaro dressed in an oversized summer dress, Nino realized tonight was going to end up a good one after all.

A/N

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone. I'd like to spread some holiday cheer, and I hope I can inspire a few of you to join me. Let me start with this: we all enjoy this story and this fandom, it's lively and wholesome (for the most part) and has generated a lot of quality work. As someone producing this work, I want to express the amount of effort it can take to pen or paint something into reality. It's an effort of love, passion, and an opening of oneself to others in a very vulnerable way. It takes courage to post something you make, and I think that deserves recognition. So what I'd like to ask is that on this holiday, you, the readers, provide that. These authors and artists want to know that people appreciate their work, and that it has touched someone in some way. And I'm not just speaking on behalf of this story, it's the highest reviewed story in the fandom thus far, but more for the stories that don't receive as much attention. Working on a chapter and publishing it to the world, and hearing crickets, that can be defeating, and people will stop writing and drawing if no one seems to care. Someone taking the time to leave a comment, however long, is a boon so powerful a non-writer cannot imagine. So if you could, please go back to those stories you've read and enjoyed and leave a review or a comment, and let them know that you did care, even if you don't have anything more to say than that. I guarantee it will make someone's day, and even encourage them to continue. That's how a fandom stays active, that simple human connection. I hope you'll understand and reach out to each other.

So, onto the manga. And again, it's an interesting time. It feels like this chapter reflects a lot going on in 115. I'm pleased the author is showing actual fallout to broken hearts, that's how it should be done. Egos are damaged from this. I've gone in a different route with that pain, as seen in Ichika. Put yourself into her mind, and see how easy it is to justify her actions in her eyes. She's okay, she tells herself. It's Miku she worries for. Little lies we tell ourselves to make us feel righteous. Keep in mind that this whole story takes place before chapter 74, before she began the big lie, so she still has much to learn and grow from.

On another note, I'm going to raise this story's rating from T to M starting next chapter due to a certain situation that will arise. It won't be smut, but it will be a young man and young woman realizing new parts of their relationship that neither of them knew of, or were prepared to handle. Sex is an unavoidable topic in relationships, and it would be a disservice to avoid it for the sake of some imagined propriety.

I came back from a vacation and a difficult move to welcomes and support from you guys, and I want to say how much I appreciate that. To know that people were waiting for me to continue just gives me more reason to do so. So two weeks, that's my schedule, every other Thursday. As long as I have time, I'll keep clacking away. So onward and upwards, to the next chapter. Please review, and then go do it for someone else and make their day.

Chapter published: December 25th, 2019.