(Author's notes)

Hello there everybody! I swear, I did not abandon my stories. The problem is that I have a basic idea of what I want as my next chapters...it's always just a matter of making the chapter just right for the moment. Anyways, storytime again! XD

(Story)

Rin was now sitting in the passenger side of the dark colored family car, dressed warmly in a loose long-sleeve shirt and grey sweatpants. She curled up in her car seat as the man sitting in the driver seat handed her something.

"Victory snack, for a job well done on helping me get the boat out of the water and in storage!" The middle age man exclaimed with a smile. Rin smiled back as she took the snack from him.

"Thanks Dad…Oh! You got my favorite!" She exclaimed as she realized what it was.

"Yep, your favorite! Banana Italian ice with strawberry custard!" He replied as he dipped his spoon into his own mango Italian ice with vanilla custard. Rin just smiled as she gazed over at him.

Her father was Taiki Higarashi, the water lover of the house that bought them the cottage by the river and the mountains. He primarily worked at a car manufacturing factory, designing plans that could be used on future cars. Of course in his free time, he would work in his own charter boat business, taking the locals or tourists on fishing tours on the river. He also took a fancy to fishing competitions a few years ago, and found out that he was quite good at it. But now that winter was coming, fishing season had to end; the boat had to come out of the water. Rin then took a moment to reach over to her father and playfully pat him on the shoulder.

"I know what you're really feeling Dad. And don't worry, it's only 6 more months until the boat can go back in the water again." Rin said with her cheesy innocent smile. Taiki raised an eyebrow and snuck an arm around her and suddenly pulled her to him.

"Smart-alic!" he said with a laugh as he ruffled a large hand through her now messy hair.

"Dad, watch it, you're gonna make me spill ice in my hair!" Rin said in between laughs as she tried to keep her snack steady. Taiki then stopped messing up Rin's hair, but he still kept an arm around her as they both sat in the car, watching the river. Rin then nibbled away at her Italian ice, deep in thought.

"Hey Dad…do you know how my 15th birthday is coming up soon?" Rin asked. Taiki glanced down at her with his deep blue eyes in a look of confusion.

"Yes, of course I do. Why?" He asked at he stared back at the river.

"Well I just realized something. The day I turn 15 will also be 10 years since you officially adopted me." Rin said, lost in thought as she told her father this. She saw as her father furrowed his eyebrows again. He then began muttering to himself as he calculated her situation. Rin then chuckled a bit as she saw Taiki's eyes suddenly widen.

"Oh my God, you're right! It really would be 10 years, wouldn't it? He exclaimed as he looked at Rin.

After a nod and a smile from her, he squeezed his arm around her, bringing her even closer to him.

"Wow…10 years since we've adopted that sweet, young, and wonderful girl. Gods…I still remember the day I signed those papers." He said as his eyes went distant while thinking back to those happy days.

"So do I Dad. It was the day I turned 5, and I'd just blown out the birthday candles. You told me you had the surprise of my life. You showed me the papers and…I just knew…I knew that I'd truly gained a family that day" Rin reminisced along with him. Taiki smiled as she explained.

"Hmm…I even remember how many clouds there were in the sky that day as I drove back home with the cake and those papers." Taiki said as his voice got lower and quieter.

"Hmm…in that case we should do something extra special for you this year! What do you want kiddo? Anything off of the top of your head?" Taiki asked. Rin just smiled and shook her head.

"Not at the moment. I guess that…I'll just want to spend another day with you guys…another day with my family like it's been for the past 10 years. Because…I have you guys as a present not just every year, but every day, every minute…even right now, I get the gift of spending a little quality time with a wonderful Dad." Rin said with a smile as she nibbled away at her Italian ice. Taiki just beamed at his daughter with pride and wonder that such wise words could come out of teenager. He placed a kiss on the top of her head as they both gazed at the river.

"Yes…it is a wonderful gift, and a great blessing, to have gained another wonderful child in the family. Where would we all be without you Rinny?" Taiki said as he held Rin in his arms. Rin just smiled and let her father embrace her as they both gazed out into the river, sharing the sweetest of the poignant moments between a father and his daughter.

(Author's notes)

As always, feel free to review and comment about this chapter. I promise that my stories will be getting updated much quicker now than they have been for the past few weeks. ^_^