Family
A girl with long, dark bluish-grey hair is running about in a kitchen, with a much older man with the same color hair helping her move things around and handing her ingredients when she yells at him to hand them over.
"Dad! Have you cut that parsley yet?!"
"I'm working on it!"
"You know that this will taste bad if it sits too long. I need it quickly so that I can start stirring!"
"Right, I'm on it!"
As father and daughter are working on lunch, they hear the creaking of footsteps upstairs.
A boy, with short, purple hair, stumbles down the stairs.
"Can both of you keep it down? Mom's asleep, you know. If she wakes up..."
"And you weren't sleeping either?" His sister sneers.
"I'm not that lazy!" He protests.
"I'm sure..." She yawns.
"Here, I'll help."
"Sure, if you don't break something first." His sister laughs.
"Hey!"
"I'm joking... Sure, it would be great. Dad's getting old, so he can't do much anymore."
"What are you saying?!" Their father snarls, but sighs. He just can't control his kids anymore.
Kyou smiled as she lay under the covers. She could hear her family bickering downstairs, and it was quite funny hearing her daughter taking her place as the sharpest tongue of the family. The poor men of the house: Youhei and their son, Tadao, had to deal with the two women of the house: Kyou, and their daughter, Hatsumi, who both happened to be older than their counterparts.
Hatsumi was really acting just like her mother. If it weren't for the fact that she inherited Youhei's hair, they'd be twins.
Tadao tended to be calm and easygoing. Unlike his father, though, he didn't screw up that often. But, just like Youhei, Tadao would prefer sitting on his butt doing absolutely nothing at all then working, so it took Kyou and Hatsumi to force them into shape. The problem with daughter and mother having the same personality was the fact that once they got mad at each other, Tadao and Youhei would be forced to duck and pray that God wouldn't get the two women to kill each other. Mother and daughter could both be very, very destructive, smashing everything to get what they wanted.
Kyou sighed. As she heard her daughter and son argue, she remembered her old fights with Youhei, her quarrel with Tomoyo over Tomoya, and, finally, the day she realized that she did love Youhei after all.
She got up from bed and began to head for the door of her bedroom, when she promptly heard a crash. Immediately, Kyou ran out and down the stairs to see what was going on.
"Normal people do not smack others on the head with dishes. What the hell's wrong with you?!" Tadao growled at his sister, placing the beaten Youhei on a couch.
"He was pissing me off."
"He's our dad!"
"So?"
"He's not a freakin' punching bag."
"Do you want to feel the pain, too?" Hatsumi gave a smile.
A bead of sweat fell down Tadao's face. Yep, that was his mother's smile when she would get ready to explode. This would not end well.
Kyou also heard their conversation, and since they were speaking so lightly of their father, she felt that she had to intervene... After all, she was worried that "if Dad is not so great, Mom might be the same way," and Kyou did not want to end up having two disobedient kids, or she might end up strangling one of them.
"Both of you!" Kyou yelled, shocking them into silence.
"M... Mom? You saw, right? I was trying to defend Dad's honor..." Tadao smiled, backing slowly away from her, for he could see that glare in Kyou's eyes.
"What honor?" Hatsumi laughed. "If Dad truly was honorable, then he wouldn't be so pathetic... Sometimes I wonder how he could have married someone like Mom, since Mom and I are kinda similar..."
"Stop being so disrespectful to your father!" Kyou growled at her daughter.
"Then tell dad to make himself into a man, instead of being so pathetic."
At this Kyou scoffed. "You don't know the half of it. When he was a few years older than you, he was the worst idiot who ever walked on two legs... I had to deal with him in high school."
"And yet you end up marrying him, and having two kids to boot? Wow, Mom... That sucks..."
"DON'T SAY THAT!" Kyou snarled at her daughter.
"You're the one who smacked yourself on the mouth." Hatsumi laughed back at her.
"Oh shit... I'd better hide." Tadao thought as he quickly took cover behind a sofa.
"I'M YOUR MOTHER, WHAT KIND OF DAUGHTER ARE YOU?!"
"I REFUSE TO BE THE DAUGHTER OF TWO IDIOTS, AT LEAST TADAO DOESN'T ALWAYS SHAME THE FAMILY!"
"Look who's talking..." Tadao mumbled bitterly.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!" Kyou roared, her eyes glowing a fierce red.
"I HATE BOTH OF YOU, YOU ARE THE WORST PARENTS A GIRL COULD EVER HAVE!" Hatsumi roared back, her eyes glowing just as red.
By this time, Youhei woke up, and hearing Kyou and Hatsumi start their duel, he quickly looked around for Tadao, and hid beside his son under the sofa.
"When... When did this all start?" Youhei whispered.
"When you were dumb enough to let sis smack you out cold with that plate." Tadao hissed back.
"When did she pull that off?"
"You don't remember?"
"I don't even know what hit me, all I know is that she was glaring at me and then everything went black."
"Ah... Well, then sis started disrespecting you again." Tadao looked away from his father's eyes, a gloomy look on his face.
"How...?" Youhei sighed.
"She called you pathetic, and told mom that she felt sorry for her for marrying you and having kids with you..."
"My own daughter thinks of me like that, huh..." Youhei looked as though he was about to cry.
"Well, dad, you just act so comedic half the time that it just makes you pathetic, but you know that sis doesn't really mean what she says... You're a good dad, when you want to be. Otherwise you really do remind us of those idiots in a Saturday morning cartoon."
"So I'm nothing but a clown sometimes."
"That's right..."
"Does my personality have to haunt me throughout my life?"
"So mom was right, in that you were even worse in high school?"
Youhei's eyes widened. "When did she tell you that?!"
Before Tadao could answer, they heard a huge crash. "DAMN, I MISSED!" Hatsumi's yell pierced their ears.
"YOU'D HIT YOUR OWN MOTHER?!"
"AS IF YOU WOULDN'T HIT ME, CHILD ABUSER!"
"DO I HAVE TO TEACH YOU A LESSON?! FINE, COME AT ME, LITTLE GIRL."
"OH, YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR IT, AREN'T YOU, OLD HAG!?... THEN BRING IT ON!"
"I take that back, both you and mom could make it big working for the circus... So why is she a kindergarten teacher, and you're a law firm administrator-thing?"
"She wanted to follow her dream, do you think I have the right to stop her?"
"Well... Then what about you, dad?"
"I... I needed to find a job that would pay the most for the educational achievements I had."
"Hmn... Well, you pulled off something that would seem useful to society."
"Exactly! Wait... Son, are you making fun of me?"
Tadao smiled. "Just take a moment to think about it, dad."
Youhei snarled at Tadao, who just smiled back. At this Youhei sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if Kyou was really faithful to me... You're just like Tomoya."
"Nah, Uncle Tomoya's too much of a pansy. Oh, my dad was so mean to me when I was a kid, so I have to torture my best friend in order to feel better. Seriously, dad, if half of what Mom and Auntie Tomoyo have told me is true, then why do you still stick up for him all the time? Don't you think he went too far?"
"Well, a little, but I paid him back."
"And nearly pissed off mom while you were at it. Did you want to die?"
"Well, no, but..."
"Anyways, you still earn more than Uncle Tomoya, even after all this time. Komura and Misae should be the ones complaining, not sis."
Youhei chuckled. It was funny how Tomoya and Tomoyo named their son after the teacher who helped change Tomoya's life, and that Tomoyo named their daughter after the woman who inspired both her and Tomoya to become better people.
"So, in conclusion, I am your kid. Mom's not cheating on you."
"Wait a minute, you're only twelve, why am I talking about such things with you?"
"I'm smart for my age, right?" Tadao beamed.
"I guess..." Youhei looked worried.
With another BAM in the distance, Youhei and Tadao winced.
"I DON'T EVER WANT TO HEAR YOU DISRESPECT ME OR YOUR FATHER AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?!..." Kyou's scream made them both wince in place.
"Y... Yes, mommy..." Hatsumi started to cry.
Tadao and Youhei slowly peaked their heads over the sofa, and they could see a momentary flash of guilt in Kyou's eyes, but it quickly returned to her harsh self. "Go wash your face, and clean yourself up... I have to give it to you, though, you hit hard, and I'm sure no man will be able to hurt you. You've been training well, my daughter. That, and I haven't had such a good workout in a long while. Whew, thank you."
Hatsumi's watery eyes looked confused as she ran over to the sink to clean her face.
"Um... Mom?" Tadao murmured.
"Hmn?" Kyou turned over to her son.
"Ceasefire?"
"Of course, silly." Kyou smiled a little. "Both of you can come out now."
Youhei and Tadao emerged from their makeshift bunker. "Thank you, Kyou, for..."
But before Youhei could thank his wife for protecting his honor, Kyou stepped forward and gave him a stomp to the face, knocking him on the ground. Tadao quickly leapt back, but Kyou didn't hurt him. Instead, she glared down at Youhei.
"And you, do you even realize the consequences of having your daughter look down on you like that? You showed me that you aren't completely useless, and now you'll have to show her. And Tadao!" Kyou snarled at her son.
Tadao shivered a bit. "Yes... Mother?"
Kyou smiled. "Thanks for trying to keep order around here."
"That's... Um... My job..."
"Right." Kyou nodded happily. "Oh, shoot, now I have to clean the place. Hatsumi! When you're done, come and help your mother clean our mess."
"Yes..." Hatsumi called from the restroom, and later came over to do just that.
Tadao sighed as he looked at his mom, dad, and sister. "I honestly have no idea how I got myself into a family like this..." He thought bitterly.
But, he stepped forward and offered to the two women. "Can I help?"
With both of them happily accepting his offer, he slowly began to work beside his mother and sister. "Even though they scare me to death half of the time, and even if they act like idiots most of the time, well, they're the only people who'll always be there for me. We're a family, and we stick together, always. Nothing can change that." Tadao smiled to himself as he worked.
Kyou slept a little earlier than usual, Youhei noticed, but it could just be that she was tired from yelling at and having a fight with Hatsumi.
Tadao was too busy on the computer. He said something about working on a story, so Youhei didn't feel like bothering him. Hatsumi, meanwhile, was calling a few of her friends, but one look from Youhei convinced her not to mention the incident between her and Kyou over him.
Youhei yawned. Maybe it was time for him to take a nap. After all, they lived in a nice neighborhood and Hatsumi made a great alarm whenever something went wrong, so he decided to head over to the bedroom.
When he got there, though, he saw the strangest thing:
Kyou was talking in her sleep...
A white light filled my eyes after I had closed them. I honestly had no idea what was going on.
When the light faded, I found myself in the halls of our old high school, and someone let out a gasp from behind me.
I turned, and... I saw myself...
"Who.. Who are you?" The younger me stepped back, clearly alarmed.
I blinked for a second, trying to take it all in. "I'm... You... In about twenty five years."
"Really?" The younger me looked surprised. Then again, as she examined me from head to toe, she nodded. "You do look just like me... And, boy, am I glad that I'll look so pretty eventually." She laughed.
I blushed a little, embarrassed at the bluntness of this younger me. "Hey, isn't class about to start for you?" I suddenly mentioned as my view happened to let me see a clock on the wall.
"Huh? This is Saturday. Classes ended an hour ago." The younger me replied.
"Oh... So you must be free."
"Of course. Why are you acting so strange?"
"Well... It's just been such a long time since I've been here. I'm still sort of caught off guard."
"Anyways, so how did you end up here?"
"I have no idea..." I thought for a bit. "Say, how are things with Tomoya?"
The younger me immediately blushed, and I smiled. I knew it, she loves him just as I did.
"I... We... Nothing's happened between us... Say, you're me twenty-five years from now, right?"
"Well, I would be, but it looks that the fact that we're meeting now, and that I don't remember anything special like this happening to me, maybe I've stumbled into one of those 'parallel universes those games talk about?"
"Hmn... Then... Then what happened between you and Tomoya?"
"He fell in love with that other girl: Sakagami Tomoyo, and I was left in the dust."
"Oh... Oh, no! Does that mean...?"
"But Tomoya might not be the only guy with whom you can find happiness... Whom you can love..."
"Oh, you found yourself a lover?" The younger me looked excited.
I smiled and nodded, barely able to contain my own joy. "And I married him!"
"Well, well, who is he?!" My younger self looked just as excited.
"You.. You might not be happy when you hear who he is, though..." I blushed slightly, knowing that she'd give me the same look those people did not long ago.
"It... Can't Be... Youhei?"
I nodded. "The Youhei I once knew, oh, sorry, the one you know is a weed, an infestation unfit to live among us humans."
"But, then..." My younger counterpart began, but I waved her silent.
"But he will grow to become one of the most devoted, faithful, humorous, tough, and kindest men you will ever get to know. I love him more than I ever loved Tomoya, if he deserved even that."
"Huh..." My younger self seemed shocked, yet intrigued.
"So don't be so quick to wave that idiot off. When he does grow, with your help, he will become that man. You will thank yourself for it."
"I'm happy that you feel that way, but I can hardly believe you. I can only hope that I won't grow up to be someone so desperate that she finds treasure in a mound of trash."
"You..." I sighed, knowing full well that she'd turn around and bother Youhei some more.
But that's when another light flashed into our eyes, and a third person entered the conversation.
"Gah!" My younger self was caught off guard by my husband's sudden appearance, though because of his gray-blue hair, she couldn't recognize him at all.
"Youhei?" I turned to him.
"Kyou... I overheard you talking in your sleep, and I got worried. Heh, now it looks like I'm joining you. Could this be some kind of psychic trick?"
"Whatever it is, it's been meaningful. Look over there." I pointed to my younger counterpart.
"Kyou-chan?" He gasped when he saw her.
"So you're Youhei... Of that universe?" She mumbled, taken off guard and confused.
"Yeah... Huh, never thought I'd see this place again." Youhei started to look around.
"Huh..." She didn't look that impressed.
"Hey." I struck him lightly on the chest with the back of my left hand. "You shouldn't look so silly. We were just talking about you, you know."
"What particular things did you tell her about me?" His eyes narrowed.
"I was supporting you. I told her how..." I felt myself blush. "How..." Dang it, why couldn't I say anything?
He put his arms around me. "Kyou... I can take over from here... I'm so sorry..."
"It's not that at all! I told her how I love the way you're always there for me and our kids, how you never seem to get broken down over things, how you can make a joke out of almost anything and keep it family-friendly most of the time..." I felt some tears flow down my cheeks and onto his shoulder.
"Kyou..." He mumbled, smiling at me embarrassingly. Then he bent down and gave me a kiss.
From the corner of my eye, I could see the other me turn beet red, and winked at her. That's right, I never got kissed except for that first moment with Youhei when I finally realized that I had feelings for him.
We finally broke, both needing air, even as guests of a parallel universe, and I realized that I had little left to say to her.
"Whatever you do..." I began, staring her in the eye. "Remember to do what will make you happy. I failed to chase Okazaki Tomoya, and maybe I'd be happy with him, too... But, between us three, I'm doubting that more and more. Sunohara Youhei is the man I love, and I have absolutely no regrets marrying him. He's been a better husband in many ways than I could possibly ask for, even if he still is a gratuitous idiot once in a while. He's the one for me, but maybe not for you... Take care..." I turned and began to return to the light.
"Thank you..." I heard her call after me, and I felt myself getting pulled away.
Once Kyou left, it was just me and this younger version of her.
"She's right, Kyou-san." I turned to her. "Follow your heart, do what you think will make you happy, but you really should keep all options open."
She nodded.
"I don't really know how to say this, now that she's not here... You're a good girl. Your temper can get really scary, but in the end your heart is pure. You'd make a great wife, I know from first hand experience, even if I've suffered some pain along the way. I, too, have no regrets about my marriage. I hope that you can find that happiness soon too, if not with me, then with Tomoya or some other great guy."
"Youhei..." She spoke, smiling and blushing a little.
"Huh?"
"Now I know why she, no, why I married you... But, I'm sorry, right now my heart belongs to Tomoya."
"Then go for him, go for him with all you've got, and don't look back. The pain of unrequited love is far too great for you to be hesitant now."
"I... I will... Thank you, Youhei..."
"No problem." I started walking towards the light, but then I turned back. "Oh, and Kyou?"
"Hmn?"
"Treat the other me a bit nicer, alright? He's an idiot, unfortunately, but he's also a good guy."
"I... I will... Thank you for everything, Youhei." She smiled and blushed again.
"No need, please take care." I smiled, turning and entering the light as well.
I felt pulled back, and soon I awoke, finding Kyou next to me.
"So... Bright..." Tadao groaned as he got out of bed.
Once he left his room, he turned and saw both his parents clinging tightly onto each other. He spun around and found Hatsumi, and immediately ran up to her.
"What's going on, sis?"
"Can't you see? Mom and Dad are having a romantic moment. Let's not bother them." She replied with a smile.
"Ah... I'll shut up then..." Tadao nodded.
The sun shone through the windows as Kyou kept her tight grip on Youhei.
"Thank you so much..." She mumbled, crying into his shoulder.
He held her closer. "You've thanked me enough..." He smiled, looking into her eyes and drawing her into a kiss.
There was no other couple nearly as happy as the two were at that moment... And from then on the Sunohara's would find many, many more happy days to come.
FIN
So, well, the fic is over. Thank you for having read through the whole thing.
As a final note, Tadao has some of my personality put in him. Youhei and Kyou might not be my favorite characters, but I really like them both, and I find that Kyou's fiery temper reminds me of my mom... (Shivers.) But, yes, I really like this pairing and I feel like supporting it all the way, along with Tomoya and Tomoyo, which has a great route in the Visual Novel, but I do not support Tomoyo After due to its ending and parts of its plot.
As you might be able to guess, I have another fic on the way. Reread the dream sequence, if you will, and you can guess the content of that next fic.