ACT III

Masae 9: Defined By Others

After taking a sip from the glass of water the waiter had left after seating them, Masae decided to take the initiative in telling her story.

For her, the natural first step was to begin with her husband, the man with whom she had started her family, and whose relationship with his family reminded her of Miho's.

"My story began not long after we parted ways at our final tournament of high school," Masae said. "While at college, I took courses that would help in establishing, managing and teaching at a school of tankery, and competed on the university circuit, making it to the semi-finals in my freshman and sophomore years and winning the tournament in my junior and senior years."

Shiho nodded. During this time, she had largely abstained from competing in university leveltankery, mainly focusing on helping her mother with her school.

"But there was something else happened during that time that was even more important," Masae said. "In my first year of college, I met a young man named Suzuki Masaru."

"Aunt Masae's husband, my uncle, and Hiroe and Kinue's father," Hiroko said.

"But I didn't know that he would be my husband any more than I knew that tankery would become the basis of my career when I first got started with it," Masae said. "Our first meeting was in an on-campus dining hall over lunch, and we didn't say much apart from introducing ourselves and mentioning what we were studying- not very different from my first meetings with my other friends from university, both female and male. I did, however, find him not only fairly interesting, but also attractive, and when he asked me to eat with him again, I readily accepted."

Shiho slightly raised an eyebrow at Masae's description of their meeting.

"Of course, first impressions aren't everything," Masae said. "I did, of course, decide I'd have to get to know him better before we could even be friends, much less anything more than that. That's one part of the reason why my parents decided not to arrange for my sister or I to marry someone we'd never met or didn't know, and I won't do that for my children, either."

"Technically, for me, it didn't work quite like that, but that's another matter," Shiho said. "How did you and your future husband get to know each other?"

"For several weeks, we met over lunch and dinner, talking about various things, such as our classes, tankery and various other subjects people our age liked to discuss," Masae said. "It wasn't until he gave me some insight as to his family life that I began relating to him more than most of my other friends from university."

22 years ago

Masae and Masaru were eating dinner at a table for two in the on-campus dining hall, one that they frequently ate at, because of its location near a window with a good view of the ocean. Masae wore a white blouse and a long blue skirt, while Masaru wore a red slipover sweater, a white dress shirt and khaki pants.

Masae hardly remembered what they were talking about when Masaru mentioned his family for the first time, but vaguely recalled when Masaru mentioned that his family ran a chain of department stores, and she wondered if he was part of that family.

"You're part of the Suzuki family, Suzuki-san?" Masae said.

"You didn't know that, Atago-san?" Masaru said, surprised.

"I know a few other Suzukis," Masae said. "I mentioned your name to Professor Suzuki, as well as one of my classmates, Suzuki Kana-san, and they said they didn't know you."

"Then that probably means they're from my family," Masaru said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "They act like they don't know me most of the time."

Masae let off an awkward laugh. Masaru's remark was slightly amusing in a somewhat darkly comedic sense, but she realized that the circumstances that led him to say it were not.

"All joking aside, I don't know Professor Suzuki or your classmate," Masaru said in a more serious tone. "But I suppose the relevant fact is that you didn't know I was part of the Suzuki family, correct?"

"Correct," Masae said. "But if I may ask, Suzuki-san, does this complicate things at all?"

"To be honest, I was hoping that you did not know," Masaru said. "Too many people that I know either associate with me because of who my family is, or hold me to expectations I can't meet."

"Do you think those expectations are too onerous?" Masae said. "I honestly can't say I know what they are to begin with."

Masaru slightly relaxed his poise upon hearing Masae state that she had no knowledge or preconceptions about his family.

"They would be by most people's standards," Masaru said. "Of course, my parents were never concerned with 'the lowest common denominator' or making compromises."

Masae paused to consider how to respond to this. She suspected that Masaru had spent too long around his parents and internalized too many of their criticisms of him to be consoled by the praise of a mere acquaintance, or to be comforted by her attacking them. But he didn't seem to completely accept what they were saying, either, so perhaps the solution was to shift the discussion to what he thought.

"What do you think, Suzuki-san? Do you think your parents are right about you?"

"I... that's hard to answer, Atago-san," Masaru said. "There are various people who would disagree with my parents. My teachers say I do good work, even if it's not quite up to the perfection my parents want, and I find it hard to claim that they went easy on me. My friends like hanging around me, and I feel the same way; I think too much of them to believe that they chose poorly, even if it would mean going against my parents."

Masae nodded, then decided to change tack.

"Have you considered that your parents aren't necessarily right?" Masae said. "I don't know them or your friends, much less what rubric they would use to judge you. But I find myself agreeing more with the latter- are you thinking of me when you refer to them?"

Masaru paused, slightly caught off guard by Masae's question.

"I believe so," Masaru said. "You do have a fair amount in common with the rest of my friends. They don't know my family, didn't know what my family was until some time after meeting me, and in spite of that. There is, however, one other thing they have in common."

"And what would that be, Suzuki-san?" Masae said.

"They also call me by my first name," Masaru said. "I understand our standards of etiquette, but it does feel a bit odd for me to constantly be reminded of the family whose standards I can't quite live up to."

Masae nodded and smiled."Fair enough, Masaru," Masae said. "Feel free to do the same."

"Thank you, Masae," Masaru said.

Masae was pleased as she began the walk back to where she was staying. There was more to Masaru than she had first thought, but she was pleased that he was opening up to her and letting her in. To Masae, Masaru was earnest, dedicated and insightful in his own way, and even if those traits did not matter much to his family, they did to her.

Present day

"When your family name is famous, people tend to take note of it," Masae said. "This is especially true in which, unless you're especially close to someone or in a position in which you have the privilege of doing otherwise, you're expected to use last names."

The fact that Shiho was implicitly excluded from any of those groups was not lost on her. For all the time they had known each other, they had addressed each other by last name and title, since they were not friends and did not know each other apart from how tankery brought them together.

"As for me," Masae said, "I tend to have more of a preference for first names, when I have the privilege of using them. If your family name is something you inherit from your parents, as proof of your membership in the family, your given name is something that's' given to you as your own. Most of the people who knew my sister and I tended to call at least one of us by our first name."

"That's somewhat atypical for Japan to say the least, Instructor Atago," Shiho said, inadvertently emphasizing Masae's family name.

"Maybe it is, Instructor Nishizumi," Masae said."The culture of where you grow up influences you, but you don't necessarily take everything away from it, especially not in the age of school ships with some themed schools. I see cultural standards as a bit like an ideal- something that it's difficult for people to follow perfectly. That's one reason why my school aims to teach people good lessons, rather than forcing them to adhere to a certain style."

Shiho simply nodded. Not everyone who graduated from her school was a stereotypical Nishizumi, even if Shiho had done her utmost to instill in them her skills, ideals and values. Rather than hope for the impossible and expect them to become carbon copies of her, she expected them to become people the Nishizumi school would be proud to call its graduates, just as they were proud to call themselves Nishizumi disciples.

"In any case, I wasn't the first to view my husband in such a way," Masae said. "He did have quite a few friends over the years, and confided in several of his closer friends. In doing so, he confirmed his suspicion that his family wasn't much like those of his peers, but he was grateful that people could sympathize with him and bond with him in spite of their differences."

Miho nodded in agreement, reminded of how she had met Chihiro, Hitomi and Emi in middle school, three girls with very different backgrounds from her. Their personalities and family lives were very different from hers- even considering that she had always known the Nishizumi family was far stricter and more demanding than even other tankery families- but they had become close friends and had enjoyed doing tankery together.

"Of course, he and I were a bit more than just friends to each other," Masae said. "We started seeing each other more regularly after he opened up to me about his family. When I spoke with our mutual friend Kanako, who had known him since high school and whom I met in university, she seemed slightly surprised at how often we were seeing each other. Ironically, though, it was being separated between our first and second years that caused us to realize our feelings. In my experience, the best way to tell how much a person means to you is to imagine what your life would be like without that person."

The rest of the table fell silent at Masae's remark, realizing the hidden purpose for saying it. But Maho found an additional significance to it, concerning an idea she had been thinking about for some time.

"I suppose that comment was intended for Mother, Instructor Atago," Maho thought. "But the more I think about it, the more I have to wonder what I would have done if Miho had been disowned from the family- or, more importantly, what kind of person I would have become if Miho had never been born."

Shiho's impassive expression cracked slightly as she realized what Masae was saying. Satisfied, Masae continued.

"At some point, I realized that I wanted Masaru to stay and become a greater part of my life," Masae said. "Apparently, around the same point, he had that realization as well."

20 years ago

Masae sat at her desk in her apartment, waiting for Masaru to pick her up. She glanced at her desk calendar, which said "Masaru coming at 5 p.m." and, checking her watch, realized that he was not due to arrive for another half hour. Masae then placed the calendar near the photos on her desk- one of the entire Atago family, one of herself and her sister in high school, one of her and the rest of the Pravda tankery team, one of her and her university team after they won the championship last year, and a new one of her and Masaru.

Ordinarily, dinner with Masaru was a common enough experience that she did not need to write it into her calendar, but this was the first time they had ever gone out to a restaurant with a reservation. It was also the first time that Masae's everyday attire, despite being tasteful and conservative, was not appropriate for a dinner out with Masaru.

Masae walked over to the bathroom and looked herself over in the mirror, hoping to make good use of her time. She wore a charcoal gray blazer and trousers with a white dress shirt and a dark blue necktie. The outfit, as well as the others like it, was one she had worn it to many different occasions, such as her entrance interview, etiquette dinners and an exercise to give an "elevator pitch." In all of those cases, she had to look her best, and both men and women were expected to wear suits and ties. But this was the first time she had such expectations placed on her for a dinner with a friend.

She had to wonder; did Masaru have in mind what she thought he did? She was certainly hoping that his intentions were what she imagined.

As Masae sat down with Masaru at the restaurant, her nervousness abated, as they began talking about many of the things that they usually discussed. It was no different than the times they had eaten together before, and she was happy to do so again after so long. The topic of the conversation eventually shifted to their plans for the future.

"Have I ever told you that I find your plan for a new tankery school amazing, Masae?" Masaru said, after Masae spoke of her plans for her school.

"Quite a few times, Masaru," Masae said with a smile. "I'm still glad to hear it, though. It may be only a plan, but I'm glad people are taking interest in it. The ability to make a formal business pitch is one of the skills I most hope to acquire here, and I'm glad that at least one listener finds it a promising idea."

"True," Masaru said.

"But, if I may ask, what brought this on?" Masae said. "You do seem particularly interested in it for someone who doesn't watch that much tankery apart from my matches."

"I've been thinking," Masaru said. "It's quite something, to step away from what others are doing and blaze your own trail."

"Did your family tell you specifically what to do, Masaru?" Masae said.

"Not exactly," Masaru said, "but they do expect me to keep on the beaten path. Going off on a limb like that would be frowned upon, to say the least."

"So your family has been in favor of following, safe, respectable and presumably lucrative paths in life," Masae said. "So I have to wonder; what did the first Suzuki do, before he had a precedent to follow?"

"He got into a business that was already around at the time- running a department store- and did things significantly better than many of his competitors," Masaru said. "It was already respectable, and could stay around in the future, without adapting too much for the time. At any rate, our family's business fared better than its competitors, which is why it's still thriving today."

"I see," Masae said. "Well, my tankery school would hardly be the first of its kind. I hope to do things differently than some of the established schools, not just out of a desire to forge my own path, but to attract students that would not go to- or could not get into- my competitors. You could say that I'd like to provide food that's of similar quality to this one, while also making it more of a place where parents can take their kids."

Masaru nodded. He and Masae were probably the youngest people in the restaurant.

"I understand what you're getting at, Masae," Masaru said. "I've often eaten at places like this throughout my childhood, but realize that many of my friends aren't as interested in or able to afford this. I'm grateful that you're willing to accommodate me."

"You're welcome," Masae said. "I do believe that there is demand for establishments like this one, and I do enjoy it so far."

"But enough about my family," Masaru said. "I'd like to hear about yours, and what they're up to these days."

"Masaki recently got a job working at a local bookstore, and things are going well with her boyfriend," Masae said. "I've met Funakubo Masaya-san, and he left a good impression on me."

"I'm glad to hear that," Masaru said. "How's your sister's job going?"

"She likes her job well enough, but intends to become a homemaker," Masae said. "In that career aspiration, she would be just like Grandmother, even if she did not intentionally choose to emulate her."

"What about your mother?" Masaru said. "Most people I know- myself and present company excluded- first look to their parents for inspiration."

"Mother chose a different path," Masae said. "She was the first woman in her family to work outside the home. That's a large part of the reason why she's fine with whatever paths her daughters choose, within reason and as long as we're happy with those choices."

"Happiness..." Masaru said, pondering what he had just heard. "That's something that's never entered into my family's considerations. It has no defined value, nor does it add to the family's overall well-being."

"To be honest, success is also somewhat hard to define," Masae said, "as are the success of your family. Some families want to be wealthy or powerful, while others, like mine, are largely content with what they have as long as they're able to stay together, with a roof over their heads and food on the table every day."

"It seems your family is quite different than mine," Masaru said, somewhat wistfully. "Of course, I knew that from almost the very beginning."

Masae nodded.

"I don't mean to pry, but do you ever wish you were in a different kind of family?" Masae said.

"Sometimes," Masaru said, answering more promptly and decisively than Masae expected. "But for better or worse, the family I have is my family. They've influenced me to be the person I am today, even if I'm not exactly the kind of person they want me to be. Rather than think of what might have been, I prefer to make the most of what is."

Masae nodded.

"For what it's worth, I'm glad you turned out the way you did, Masaru," Masae said.

Masaru smiled appreciatively. After a few moments of silence, they changed the subject to an easier one until the meal ended.

After paying the bill, Masae and Masaru exited the restaurant. It was getting dark,but the weather was still warm.

"That was a nice meal together," Masaru said. "I've missed such meals in our time apart, and most of all, you, Masae."

Masae nodded, briefly imagining how things would have gone at one of his family meals. Of course, even having eaten pleasant family meals with her parents and sister, she still missed Masaru.

"So have I," Masae said. "Although, I will point out again that this was a fairly nice place for our first meal out in a while."

"Is that a bad thing?" Masaru said inquisitively. "I heard good things about this place from a friend. Besides, you look quite nice in a suit and tie."

"Thank you Masaru, and so do you," Masae said. "Since you chose this place, I wanted to look somewhat nicer, since it does feel a bit like we're on a date."

Masaru simply nodded.

"Have you ever considered that it might be the idea?" Masaru said. "I've been thinking about you since we last saw each other, Masae, and I've realized that you're more than just an entertaining conversation partner. The truth is that I'm in love with you, and hope you feel the same way about me."

Masae blushed and smiled. This was the answer she had hoped he would give, and there was only one thing she could say in response.

"So am I, Masaru," she said.

As if they were on the same page, Masae and Masaru paused, looked into each other's eyes and kissed.

Masae and Masaru's relationship had moved up a level, and they would face many challenges ahead. Masae realized that she would likely become part of Masaru's family, or at least have to live up to its exacting standards. But as they kissed, they allowed themselves to forget that, and simply savor the realization that they each felt the same way about the other.

Present day

"There are any number of stories I could tell you about our time together," Masae said, her face lighting up as she did. "Masaru had many wonderful times together, while we were young, in love, and dating, gradually growing closer to each other over the next few years, as well as after that. Those days aren't necessarily gone, though, but they've been replaced with the different sort of fulfilling pleasure that comes from being married and raising a family together. "

As Masae reminisced about her husband, Hiroe chuckled with an amused but touched smile, Kinue smiled warmly, and a slight smile appeared on Hiroko's face.

"But while this does signify what my husband and I mean to each other, all that isn't entirely relevant here," Masae said.

"On the contrary, in a sense, it is," Shiho said. "Just as your family is a different sort than mine, Instructor Atago, it makes sense that your courtship with the man who is now your husband would be very different as well."

"I suppose so," Masae said. "And speaking of differences, the difference between my husband's family and my family was driven home when we sought out our parents' approval for our relationship."

"That's a process that many young couples have to go though," Shiho said. "Though I must say, Instructor Atago, you never seemed to be the type to strive for others' approval of your ways."

"Perhaps not, but there are times when you must get others to approve of you, Instructor Nishizumi," Masae said. "There were many reasons why we wanted our parents' blessing, but most of all, we wanted the people we loved to accept each other, and for that reason, my husband and I tried our hardest to get the approval of each other's parents."

Miho nodded. As she had started to tell stories about her sister to her friends, they had started to warm up to Maho, and realize how far she had gone for Miho's sake. And as she told Maho about her friends, Maho was pleased to hear that Miho had met people who would care for her at Oarai. Miho held her sister and her friends dear to her, and she was pleased to see that they thought well of each other.

"The easier half of the problem, my parents, was the one we decided to face first," Masae said. "I had already told them a great deal about Masaru- as well as vice versa- and they expressed tentative approval, as well as an interest in meeting him. We arranged a meeting over dinner in a restaurant."

"What kind of restaurant was it?" Miho said.

"It was a relatively fancy Japanese restaurant," Masae said. "The food is somewhat better and more expensive than here. It's also somewhat stricter in a few regards; you won't be served without a reservation, and you can't get in the door without a suit or a dress."

Miho briefly looked around, and saw a group of young adults in more casual attire walking by their table. Miho wondered if this might have been a good place to take her friends, but most of them, save for Yukari, Nodoka and Hisa, were unable to attend, and Miho herself was largely busy, therefore precluding any meetings between them. She thus wondered if the restaurant Masae mentioned was significantly stricter; she had experience with fine dining, but did not believe that it would appeal to any of her friends, except perhaps for Hana.

"I imagine that your husband must have been nervous, Instructor Atago," Miho said.

"He was, Miho, and not without good reason," Masae said. "My husband realized the importance of this in both practical and sentimental terms. My sister, who had brought her boyfriend Masaya home about a year earlier, and got engaged to him within a few months, said things were easy for her, but my husband still felt more worried about the process than she or my brother-in-law did."

19 years ago

Masaru and Masae parked outside of the Atago family's home, to talk with the family before dinner. Masaru wore a suit and tie, while Masae wore a formal blue dress she had bought for dates with Masaru.

"Are you nervous, Masaru?" Masae said, as they got out of their car.

"Somewhat," Masaru said. "I do get the feeling that I'll have to meet your parents' expectations. When I recall that I wasn't able to meet my family's expectations, it does make me wonder if I can succeed."

"Perhaps that's the problem," Masae said. "You might be better off not comparing it to your family, and worrying about where things will go wrong."

"So what would be a better perspective?" Masaru said. "Like it or not, we'll have to get them to at least tolerate the idea of us being together."

"Let me put it this way," Masae said. "Father is heavily involved with his company's hiring process. He has high expectations for new potential hires, but he also wants to make a good impression on the applicants he brings in for an interview. And while he knows a great deal about them already, and hopes they've done their homework on the company, he also sees the interview as a process to learn more about each other."

"I see," Masaru said. "So does this apply to the man who's seeking his blessing?"

"Definitely," Masae said. "There is a reason why the rest of us are dressing up, and why he will take us to a restaurant used for business dinners. He not only wants to see what your best impression is, but also wants to make a good impression for you. I could even go so far as to say that he wants to see you succeed and turn out to be a good match for me, just like he did with my future brother-in-law. Father was quite happy when his younger daughter found a man who could make her happy, so I believe he feels the same way about his elder daughter."

"In other words, your father's rooting for me, in a sense?" Masaru said. "That's a pleasant change from having expectations placed on you, without you being expected to meet them."

Masae and Masaru walked into the Atago family home, half an hour in advance of when they would be driving to the restaurant.

"I'm home," Masae said, coming in to the living room where her parents and sister were waiting. Her father, a man with short and neatly cut blue hair, wore a navy blue suit. Her mother wore a pink dress, while her sister wore a green one.

"Pardon the intrusion," Masaru said, as he and Masae took off their shoes.

"Hello, Masae," Masae's father said. "And I presume this is your boyfriend?"

"Yes, Father," Masae said. "Mother, Father, Masaki, this is Suzuki Masaru, my boyfriend. Masaru, this is my mother, Atago Mikoto; my father, Atago Makoto; and my younger sister, Atago Masaki."

"It's nice to meet you," they said.

"By the way, I won't be 'Atago Masaki' for much longer, Nee-san," Masaki said. "I decided I'm going to take Masaya-san's name, and be known as Funakubo Masaki."

Masaru bowed to Masae's parents, cautiously optimistic. The easy part, which relied on his knowledge of etiquette, had ended, and the harder part- proving himself as a good match for Masae began. Essentially, he was going from a test with multiple choice questions to one with an essay question.

"It's nice to meet you, Suzuki-san," Makoto said. "Masae has told us a great deal about you."

Masaru, on Masae's parents' request, recounted how he had met Masae and where his relationship with her had gone from there. Masae suspected her parents knew the entire truth already, but went along with it, noticing that Masaru seemed to be doing well. The conversation continued until the time to leave came, with Masae's parents asking questions but sharing little of their own opinon.

The family got into Masae's father's car, with Makoto driving, Mikoto in the front passenger seat, and the rest in the back, with Masae seated between her boyfriend and her sister.

As the car started down the road to the restaurant, the conversation turned to Masae's father's business, which Masaru had heard about both through Masae and at his internship. Masae smiled, pleased that it was a conversation topic that Masaru had heard much about from her, and had also done research on. Masae largely remained silent, but occasionally offered her commentary. Her parents and boyfriend might have thought of this as a test, and Masae had to agree, but Masae also believed it was a chance for the people most important to her to bond with each other.

The four Atagos and Masaru sat around a round table in the restaurant.

As the dinner progressed, Makoto asked Masaru many questions, such as what he did for a career, what he did in his free time, his plans for the future, and what kind of family he would raise.

Masae had expected these questions, ones designed to judge Masaru's character and ensure that his and Masae's family would do well in the future. His response- detailing all his efforts in college to carve out a place of his own without relying on his family- had been prepared ahead of time, and Makoto seemed to approve. And so everything went as they planned until one small and seemingly off-hand comment by Masae's father.

"You've done quite well for yourself so far, Suzuki-san," Makoto said. "Of course, your success in the future is not necessarily guaranteed, but neither is mine; maintaining what I have requires a great deal of hard work every day. And yet, you seem to be the sort who could put that sort of hard work in."

"Thank you, sir," Masaru said, honestly grateful but seeing the praise as yet another test of his humility. "I don't believe that success is something you're naturally born into, but something you must earn yourself."

"That's true," Makoto said. "I'm sure that even a family as esteemed as yours is proud that you're seeking success on your own terms, independent of them."

Masaru suddenly froze in his seat. Several interminable seconds passed as his potential in-laws waited for her response, and their expressions turned disquieted as they realized one was not coming.

"Masaru?" Masae said, turning to him. Masaru's face was pale, and he was locked in place, his mouth twitching as he tried to find an answer.

Masae looked to her boyfriend, then back to her father, searching for any indication of how the situation would be resolved or what her father's intentions were.

"Father… were you expecting this?" Masae thought, hesitant to speak the question out loud.

But as Masae glanced at her father, she noticed that he seemed confused. His face did not indicate that Masaru had answered satisfactorily, or that he had managed to trap Masaru into admitting something that disqualified him as a good match for Masae. He seemed strangely confused and unsure of how to proceed.

"Are you alright, Suzuki-san?" Mikoto said.

Masaru gasped slightly as he snapped to attention. He sighed, knowing that he could not avoid the question.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Masaru said. "It's just that my family is a difficult subject for me."

"How so?" Makoto said.

Masaru paused, while trying to find a way of wording his response that did not result in him sounding as though he was making an excuse.

"You said 'a family as esteemed as' mine, sir?" Masaru said, and Makoto nodded. "It is true that the Suzukis are well respected. However, they also have high standards, and my accomplishments do not meet them."

Makoto and Mikoto looked at each other with confused expressions on their faces, seemingly finding it difficult to believe even after what they had heard.

"Let's drop that subject for now," Mikoto said. "This is a nice place to eat, and we should enjoy the good food. You and Suzuki-san do that, right, Masae?"

"Yes, Mother," Masae said. "This is a step above some of the places we've been to, but we have had some fine meals together. I bough this dress to get something to wear on our dates, and he helped me out."

"That's good to hear, Masae," Mikoto said.

While Masae outwardly smiled, her feelings were more mixed. The issue had been deferred, not put to rest, and she knew that one way or another, she would have to deal with her husband's family before long.

"Thank you for changing the subject, Mother," Masae said. "But I can't help but worry what you and Father have in mind for when you plan to resume the discussion."

The meal eventually ended, and Makoto paid the check, having told Masaru in advance that he would cover everything.

"Suzuki-san, a moment, please," Mikoto said. "My husband and I would like to talk with you in private."

"Yes, ma'am," Masaru said.

Masaru walked off with Masae's parents, as Masae, remaining seated, watched them until she could no longer see them.

Masaki turned to Masae and placed a hand on her older sister's shoulder. Throughout the entire evening, she had been at a loss for what she could do, feeling as though her input was useless, and only speaking when the conversation naturally included her. But she realized that she and her sister were in the same boat; they wanted their parents to approve of Masaru, but both realized they could do nothing to impact Masaru's conversation with his in-laws.

"Don't worry, Nee-san," Masaki said. "If our parents disapproved of Suzuki-san, they would have said it by now. They said as much to me when I brought Masaya-san over."

"That's true, Masaki, but I can't help but wonder," Masae said. "What do they have to discuss with Masaru that they don't want me to hear, and don't think is important enough for you to hear?"

"Maybe it's like with Masaya-san," Masaki said. "Maybe they just want to see how he acts without you around."

"That's a possibility," Masae said. "I might have some idea of what they want to talk about."

Soon, Masaru returned with Masae's parents. Masae tried to read their expressions for some hint as to how the conversation had gone.

"Our discussion is finished," Makoto said. "We'll be leaving as soon as everyone's ready."

"May I ask what you were talking about?" Masae said.

Masaru turned to his potential in-laws, silently deferring to them. Makoto nodded, and his wife chose to speak.

"We were having a discussion with Suzuki-san regarding his family," Mikoto said. "As far as we're concerned, we approve of him..."

Masae's face lit up upon hearing what she had hoped her mother would say, but it only lasted a moment. She soon realized that her mother was about to continue her remark.

"Unfortunately, it seems you may have more difficulty convincing the Suzukis to accept you," Mikoto said." However, if I am not mistaken, I believe you are aware of this, are you not?"

"Yes, Mother," Masae said.

"Masae has known about my family from the start, ma'am," Masaru said. "She and I have discussed how to deal with this issue, and she is prepared to do so."

"That's good," Mikoto said.

"Your meeting with the Suzukis is in two months, correct?" Masae's father said, and Masae and Masaru nodded. "I wish you two the best of luck."

"Thank you, sir," Masaru said.

"Thank you, Father," Masae said.

"Let's head back for the evening," Makoto said.

On the drive home, Masae reflected on the events of the evening, and realized that the greatest challenges were ahead of them. But if Masaru was nervous about how his family would accept Masae, he had also been nervous about how her family would accept him.

"Take heart, Masaru," Masae thought. "As long as we have faith in ourselves and each other, we should be able to meet whatever challenges come our way.

Present day

"Again, my family's expectations were strict, but I, along as Masaru in this case, was able to meet them," Masae said. "When it comes to placing expectations on a person 'how high are they?' is a less pertinent question than 'can that person meet them?' That's why, should the day come when either of my daughters decides to bring home a boyfriend- or possibly a girlfriend- I will remain open-minded."

"I see," Shiho said. "Since you and your husband live with what comes from your decision, I have no desire to judge your family's standards, especially since I cannot impose my values onto you."

Masae nodded. While there was a condescending undertone in Shiho's words, she had not, at any point, been intolerant of other ways of thinking, so long as her family did not come to practice them.

"As much as I wish your children did not have to struggle to meet your expectations, Instructor Nishizumi, I feel the same way," Masae said. "I wish my husband's family had the same perspective."

Those who had heard the story before somberly nodded.

"You may have noticed that, in each of the anecdotes I brought up, my husband's family came up in some way or another," Masae said. "From when we first became friends, I was aware of the fact that his family had shaped him into the person he is today, and ever since we entered a relationship, I realized that I would someday have to help him face his family-related issues. But no matter how much thought or preparation I put into it, in the end, it did not seem to be enough."

Author's Notes

This part contains Masaru's story, a small bit of romance in this tale that does also shed light on why Masae feels the way she does about family. The Nishizumis and the Suzukis are not entirely the same, but similar enough that Masae feels Shiho's treatment of Miho reminds her of Masaru's relationship with his family.

I'm pleased with the participation thus far in the polls; I had expected Ami to be most popular, but am also pleased that Shiho got a vote, since this fic is largely meant to humanize her without downplaying or glossing over her flaws.

Edited to fix a few wordings I wasn't satisfied with and to expand on a few parts that needed it.