Author's Notes
Hmm…This ended up being REALLY REALLY LONG, so I might make it a triple chapter story. Also, rather than 3 weeks, I'm probably just going to say what happened in the few days after the LeMu incident.
Once again, sorry for the long wait
II – The next day
When I woke up, I tried stretching…Until I noticed that my movement was restricted by something…
No, someone.
When I turned my head, I saw the amazingly cute sleeping face of Tsugumi. After seeing something like this, it makes waking up not really worth it anymore.
I stared at her calm, peaceful sleeping expression, and thoroughly drank in the sight of it. Although slightly regretful, I decided it was about time to get up.
"Wake up, Honey~" I kissed the tip of her nose.
"…mmm, Hmm?" Tsugumi slowly opened her eyes.
Seeing me in such close proximity, her eyes shot open.
"T-takeshi?!" She gasped…And then pushed me away. Well, more so shoved me.
"W-WAHH!" I cried out as I fell off the bed and hit my head.
"Whuh?! What happened! Dad!" Hokuto shot awake and started to panic upon hearing my scream.
He must have been in a weird angle as well because he fell off the bed with Sara clinging onto him, one hand in his shirt.
"Ugh…" Hokuto grunted in pain.
We looked at each other on the floor…
"H-hokuto, you alright?"
"Dad, you alright?"
We asked at the same time…And then proceeded to laugh heartily.
"Still, Tsugumi that was horrible. You suddenly pushed me away after just seeing my face; do you hate me that much?" I pretended to sob while making a depressed face.
"I-it won't work the second time, you big idiot!" Tsugumi replied, looking away.
"Poor Papa, why don't I comfort you a little?" Sara said as she clung onto me.
"Ooh…Sara, you really are my daughter, aren't you! So thoughtful…" I pretended to sob and rub her head.
"Aah! Sara, that's cheating! I want dad to praise me too!" Hokuto complained.
I was smiling…But at the same time, I felt something coming my way…Cue my head being smacked forward, falling face first onto the floor.
"T-takeshi! You can't! She's your daughter!" Tsugumi said, a bit frazzled.
I turned around from the floor and looked up at her, smiling wryly.
"You know, Tsugumi…You really do have a cute side to you, especially when you get jealous."
Her whole face instantly washed over with a luminescent blush and smacked me once more before running off.
"D-dad, are you alright?" Hokuto asked as he tried to pick me up.
"I-I'll be alright…Sara, please, your teasing is really making Tsugumi abuse me a lot…Mind stopping?" I pretended to cough as I smiled.
She shook her head and smiled mischievously.
"No can do, Papa!" She said, and ran out of the room as well.
I sighed as Hokuto pulled me up onto my feet.
"D-dad…You might get a bump on your head." He asked, worriedly.
"Haha…No worries, your dad had survived worse things! Well, Hokuto, we better go take a bath or something before they come back." I smiled.
Hokuto beamed at me and ran to grab his clothes.
"I'm surprised, Dad…You used to work out?" Hokuto asked as he stared at me.
"Err, I suppose I was decently fit? I mean, I was fit enough to do all that swimming back at LeMu, but…" I said vaguely.
"No way, Dad, you have to tell me your secret!" Hokuto asked with what could possibly be very excited eyes.
"Ahh, What? I mean, you are decently fit yourself. You crazy fellow, swimming all the way from near the bottom of the ocean with a broken arm? Still, it was to save your sister, so I'm glad to say I'm proud of you, son!" I said, patting his head.
He seemed happy as he gave me a hug. I never knew that being able to talk to my son like this would feel so fulfilling.
Cue some knocking on the door, followed by two voices.
"Takeshi, are you there? Look, I'm sorry about…"
"Onii-Chan, Papa, are you…"
They both froze at the doorway, unable to complete their sentences.
Both Hokuto and I were only half dressed, with our clothes hanging loosely, unbuttoned, showing off our upper bodies.
I couldn't help but be conscious of Tsugumi staring at me, and up and down my body. Looks like Sara was doing the same to Hokuto.
"W-waah!" Hokuto broke the silence as he turned around to hurriedly button his shirt.
"Hey, Onii-Chan! No need to get embarrassed! You have a great body!" Sara said as she began chasing Hokuto around the room.
I scratched my head in wonder as I saw my two lively kids playing around with each other. I then noticed Tsugumi has turned around.
"T-takeshi, please button up already! U-um, I'll go downstairs and prepare some breakfast, so…" She said as she begun to walk away.
I went up behind her and pulled her into a firm embrace.
"Come on, Tsugumi, why do you keep running away from me?" I asked, feigning disappointment.
"A-A-ahh, N-no, it's just I haven't seen you like that since…" She began, only to stop as she started blushing again.
"Since…?" I tried gently pushing her along.
"Since…Since…!" She seemed about to finish her sentence, until...
"Uuu! I can't say it! You big idiot!" She shouted as she broke free of my grip and pushed me away, running down the stairs.
I sighed, but smiled immediately afterwards.
I turned around to see…That Sara has successfully pinned Hokuto to the floor and was trying to unbutton him.
"D-daaaad! Save meeee!" Hokuto wailed and pleaded.
"Papa, I'm sure Mama is waiting downstairs, so…Leave Onii-chan to me…" Sara said, slurping her drool up like a perverted old man.
I shrugged.
"Well, I suppose you guys are due for some family loving as siblings, so have fun to your heart's content! I should go talk to Tsugumi." I said, rubbing my chin and leaving the room.
"D-Daaaaaaaaaaad!"
I could hear Hokuto calling for me as I walked off.
I put my hands together and prayed that his chastity would be safe…They wouldn't do anything like that…Right?
So I decided to call my parents before I went over to see them.
After a few rings, I heard someone pick up, followed by a man's voice.
"Kuranari Residence, may I help you?"
I gulped instinctively.
"U-umm, D-dad? Is that you?" I asked nervously.
…
There was a short pause.
"TAKESHI?! IS IT REALLY YOU?!" I heard him shouting and jerked backwards for fear of going deaf.
"Aah! Ow! DAD! Don't shout, please!" I tried calming him down.
Tsugumi looked at me with a worried look, and I nodded back to ease her fears.
"Oh, My, God! I heard a lot about it from Ms. Youbise…Se…Something, and so I got the gist of your situation, but I still can't believe it's you! Oh, man, 17 years is a long time and your old man really missed you!" He began rattling off.
"Haha…ha…" I laughed weakly.
"What, Is that Takeshi, dear?" I heard a woman's voice in the background.
Well, I suppose mum wasn't always as excitable as dad.
After dad finished rambling on and on about missing me so much, I decided to get straight to the point.
"Um, I'm heading over there now, but before that…uh…" I tried to muster up my voice, but failed.
"Takeshi…" Tsugumi said, looking at me with worry.
"Yeah, I know…!" I whispered to her.
"U-um…Actually, I g-g-g-got married!" I almost shouted into the phone.
…
After a short moment of silence.
"WHAT?! YOU GOT MARRIED?! BUT HOW?!" Dad started getting hysterical.
"L-look, I'll explain when I get there, dad! Bye!" I said as I cut the line.
I slumped downwards as I sighed with relief.
"Takeshi, are you alright?" Tsugumi said, walking over to me.
I nodded.
"Haha…Looks like we should get going soon. Who knows what he might do if we make him wait." I smiled at her.
Sara came down, bouncing happily towards to us as Hokuto was sort of limping towards to us, pretending to cry (just like me).
"Sob, I'm not pure anymore! I'm sorry, You!" He pretended to be doing some kind of one man play, dramatizing it.
"Oh, you joker, Onii-Chan! I didn't do anything…" She said, sticking her tongue out playfully.
I smiled somewhat tiredly at them.
After explaining the situation to them, Hokuto and Sara both wanted to go to You's house, so I decided to drop them off first.
As I was driving over to my parent's place, I was overcome with anxiety. Fidgeting about nervously and unable to calm down.
Tsugumi kept trying to soothe me to varying degrees of success, but I was ultimately very nervous.
"N-never thought the day would come where I would have to tell my parents about my wife to be…Not that it's a bad thing! I mean, I really do love you, Tsugumi, but…I guess I just…!"
"Takeshi, calm down." She said, putting her hand on my shoulder.
After a few deep breaths, I felt calmer.
"W-whew…Thanks, Tsugumi." I nodded.
Just in time, as I pulled into the driveway to Dad's place.
After greeting them at the door and them sitting us down at the table, Dad crossed his arms and stared down at me, as I gulped down my remaining saliva and stared at the table.
"So…Takeshi, first, I'd like to say that it's great to see you after all these years, and I'm sure your mother thinks so too."
Mum nodded, and he smiled at her.
"I also heard a lot about the Cryo…something you had to go through, as well as some Block Winker or something or other, So I kind of get what happened, but what's this about…you getting a wife?" He said, looking straight at Tsugumi.
"R-right…Um, My wife..." I gulped as I looked at Tsugumi.
She smiled at me and stood up, and bowed down to my parents.
"My name is Komachi Tsugumi, and I am Takeshi's wife to be. I am delighted to be able to meet my beloved's parents, and I hope to receive your blessings for my relationship with your son, and that you might see me as your own daughter." She said gracefully, sitting down next to me and smiling.
I nodded, amazed at her smooth delivery.
Mum and dad appeared a bit stunned as well, but eventually they recovered.
"So, uh, Miss Komachi…"
"Please, dear father, call me Tsugumi." She said, bowing once more.
Dad gulped and corrected himself. Yeah, Dad, I know the feeling. There's just this aura about her that just makes you have to obey her.
"U-um, I really appreciate your loving my son, and believe me, you probably deserve a lot better, but…shouldn't you find someone a bit closer to your age? Takeshi is, after all, 37." He asked.
Tsugumi merely smiled happily as she held one hand to her heart and one on mine, next to her.
"Takeshi…did so many things for me. Things in which I feel I still cannot repay in my lifetime. He also sacrificed everything for me. I love him very much, and I don't care about age or anything else as long as I can be with him, forever. Also, I'm 40 so it's not that far off."
Dad and mum seemed really impressed…Until they heard her age.
"W-w-What? 40?" Dad almost fell off his seat.
"Why, your skin still looks so smooth and young just like a 17 year old! How do you do it, dear?" Mum asked, curious.
Tsugumi looked confused and looked to me for help.
"U-umm, it's a bit like my situation, you see…I met her in LeMu and we, uh, b-bonded in there." I finished in a soft voice, slightly embarrassed.
Tsugumi apparently caught on as well, and so she looked away in embarrassment.
Dad recovered, and nodded at me.
"I see, you really got lucky, huh son? At this rate, I might see my grandchildren soon! Haha!" He laughed.
I coughed.
"U-um…Actually, you already do…They're both 16 and they're over at your grandson's girlfriend's place right now…" I scratched my head, looking away.
Dad gave me a blank look, and stared at me for a few minutes.
"WHAT?!"
After thoroughly explaining the situation, reiterating what I said to my friends, I convinced mum and dad.
Dad seemed especially ecstatic to see the pictures on my PDA of Hokuto and Sara, exclaiming that "Oh! She's got your wife looks, really cute!" or "Your son looks really bright, unlike you, son!"
However, I declined their invitation to live with them. I was adamant about wanting to be together with my new family to build a life anew.
Tsugumi seemed especially impressed, happy (and possibly more in love) with me after I told them of my plans.
On the way back, Tsugumi wanted to talk to me.
"Takeshi…Can I talk to you? About the time…When you weren't around?" She asked, with a bit of trepidation.
I looked at her as we stopped at a traffic light.
"I'm sorry, Tsugumi. For leaving you all alone for those years, on the run. I should have been there to protect you, to protect our kids…" I said, gripping the steering wheel tighter.
She shook her head.
"It's alright, Takeshi…After all; you kept your promise and came back to me. And…You also saved me, and our kids." She said, putting her hand on mine, on the wheel.
I nodded, and she took it as a cue to start.
Eventually, after hearing a bit of her story, we had arrived home already.
I stopped the car and leaned over to hug her. She seemed to be crying a little.
"I promise I'll listen to the whole story past this once we get some more time together. But remember, you aren't alone anymore. I'll be here with you, forever." I smiled as I held her hand.
She nodded and gave me a happy smile through the tears.
"Come on; let's not show your sad face to the kids!" I smiled as I got out of the car.
"Okay…Thank you, Takeshi." She whispered softly.
I merely gave her a smile in return. Seeing her happy really makes me feel a lot better too. She's cute when she's crying, but I promised myself not to let her cry anymore.
I wouldn't let her cry because of something I did, ever again.
TO BE CONTINUED IN FINAL PART~