Author's Note!
The next three chapters would mostly revolve around Akami-sama and Natsuki, and I think we're gonna keep shifting our POV from Yoku to the two from time to time. I'm going to give Natsuki the experience of having the father she deserves! Anyway, let me know what kinds of activities you guys would like to see Natsuki and Akami-sama and the others should do together. Now on to the next chapter, enjoy!
(Akami-sama POV)
I pull over infront of Natsuki's house. Man, this place is a mess. The yard is covered in weeds or dead grass, the porch is a mess and I could see faint cracking in the walls. We got out and we made our way inside. Ugh, the air reeks in alcohol and smoke left over from the time her father was still here. Natsuki opens the light and runs to her room while I inspect the house. An unnerving silence fills the air, it reminds me of that time I got lost in the multiverse. I walk around the living room to see if there is anything worth looking at in here. I walk around near the TV when something catches my eye. It is a photograph of her family with Natsuki, her dad and her mom in the same picture. I now see where she got her pink hair, it is from her mother. But before I could take a closer look, I hear Natsuki cough behind me. She brought a bag pack and a box with her.
" Here, you carry my manga... I'll carry my stuff." I nod and take the box from her hands. We head out of the house and got back in my car to go back to Sayori's house.
The drive back to Yoku's place is quiet, Natsuki refuses to start any conversation with me. It's strange really, I feel an odd familiarity about this situation. Deja Vu? I think that's what you call it. Suddenly, the scenery of a beach flashes trough my mind. It's probably my mind failing to interpret data. I shake my head and focus on the road. The road we are driving on is pretty empty, the only cars here are sitting in parking. Suddenly, Natsuki kicks the back of my seat lightly to grab my attention.
" Hey... Did you have... a wife or something? Like, did you even have a romantic relationship before?" I sense a curious tone from her. But before I could answer, a splitting headache occurred in my head. For a brief moment, I saw a classroom with the universe outside its windows. I fought trough it and pull over gently, as to not scare Natsuki.
" A-Are you okay?!" Natsuki springs up from her seat and gives me a concerned look.
" Y-Yeah... Just a headache, it's fine now." I smile and pat her slightly.
" Geez, if it was a sensitive topic you should've just told me." She slump back into her seat and let out a sigh. I begin to drive again before answering her.
" Ahaha, anyway, I don't think so. Maybe I had one... I don't really-" A sudden thought enters my head before I finish my sentence.
( I'll be waiting, my love.)
Those words, I heard them before, but where? After a brief moment, I snap back into reality and let out a laugh.
" No, I have one. It's just too bad I lost her." Natsuki stares at me. Her stare is full of pity for me.
" Oh, I'm... sorry." She falls back into silence.
" No! No! It's okay! I don't mind. Anyway, enough about me, how about you?" I ask her as we enter an intersection.
" Huh?!" She asks with a baffled tone.
" Do you have anyone you like? Perhas Yoku? He is a-" She covers her face with a pillow before letting out a muffled scream. She then raises her head and pouts.
" N-NO! W-What g-g-gave you that idea?!" She huffs at me.
" Well, everytime you are with him, your voice gets higher and you become uneasy around him. Your body language and your constant teasing is also your way of hinting at him." Her face turns into a shade of light red. Her body tenses up and she is now as quiet as a mouse.
" Is it... that obvious?" She asks timidly
" Hmmm, not really. But don't worry, I'll keep it a secret." I wink at herher before letting out a chuckle.
" Don't you dare tell Yoku anything about this! Okay?!" She points at me with an angry yet embarrassed look on her face.
" Yes, Yes... Anyway, do you want ice cream?" I ask as we neared an ice cream shop.
( Yoku's POV)
I finish making the sweet and sour meatballs, although I replaced the meatballs with a special vegetarian substitute I made myself. Monika and Sayori are sitting on the sofa, braiding each other's hair. Monika managed to neatly braid Sayori's hair, but Sayori only manages to tie knots into Monika's silky brown hair. Sayori apologizes to Monika, Monika merely laughs and undoes the knots. Suddenly, Natsuki enters the door while eating an ice cream cone.
" Awww~ Yoku! I want dessert before dinner too!" Sayori pleads to me with puppy dog eyes.
" Nope! Natsuki is just lucky that Akami-sensei has a sweet tooth. Now, let's eat dinner, I'm sure you are all hungry." Since I have already set the table, I just took a sit and wait for everyone to sit down.
As we eat our food, we begin to talk about tomorrow. Friday is gonna be a half-day due to the closing ceremony of the festival and to use the rest of the day cleaning up the booths and exhibits. Since we didn't really put up that much decorations in our club room, it would be an easy task for us to do. The meatballs are great, I managed to make it taste like meat. The texture the bread crumbs added really helped with that too.
" As expected of Yoku, he makes some great vegetarian food. Good job!" Akami-sama gives me a thumbs up before gulping down the last of his meatballs.
" Anyway, what did you use to make this all stick together?" Natsuki asks curiously before poking a meatball with a fork.
" Eggs and some transglutaminase I have lying around." As I chew my meatball, Sayori tilts her head sideways and looks at me with a confused stare.
" Trans... Transglutimayonnaise? I-Is that right? What is that?" We all giggle a bit at Sayori, who just shuts us out and begins poking the meatball.
" It's also called 'meat glue'! It is a sort of enzyme that helps bind proteins together but does not significantly impacts the taste of the food." Monika explains to Sayori, who lets out an 'Ahh!'.
" Where the hell did you even get that?!" Natsuki asks me before chewing on. a meatball.
" Oh, I have my sources." I glance at Monika discreetly. She smiles and gives me a thumbs up.
We finish eating our dinner after a while. I begin to wash the dishes as the four leaves to either take a warm bath or do some other stuff. I decide that after I wash the dishes, I should see if I could draw Amy's story in a manga format. As I rinse the soap and suds on the remaining plates, I overhear Akami-sama talking with Sayori.
" I-Is it okay if I stay over again at your house?" The god timidly asks the girl.
" Of course! We could have a sleep over again and stay up all night! Ahaha!" Sayori hops around excitedly, while the god laughs and pats her head.
" Hold it right there! You won't be allowed to stay up all night. I want you guys to sleep at a reasonable time, so I'll be coming over in a few to check on you guys." I shout from the kitchen.
" What? No fair!" Akami-sama groans in a disappointed manner.
" You're a grown up yet you act like a kid... geez. How would Natsuki grow if you keep making her stay up all night?" Before the god could react, Natsuki pipes in.
" What the hell?! I'm not small! Got that?!Let's just go! Hmph!" She shouts in an annoyed tone as she turns her head away from me and heads out the door. Geez,
( Natsuki's POV)
Sayori opens her house and we enter the silent and dark living room. Sayori opens the lights and we see the boxes from earlier arranged neatly in one corner. I turn to Sayori and sigh.
" You have a guest room infront of your bedroom, right?" She nods in response
" Would you mind if I move in there?" I ask in a slightly embarrassed tone.
" Not at all! We are basically roommates now! Ahaha~" It seems Sayori really likes this idea. Well, I'm also pleased that Sayori would be my new housemate.
" Well, you go take a bath as I take this boxes to your new room." Akami-sensei says in a gentle tone before lifting one of the boxes.
" You're not much of a father, more of an older brother. Hmm, yeah.. you're more of a caring older brother than a father figure, teehee~" I say before slightly nudging the teacher in the stomach.
" Really?! Oh man, I failed to look like a father. Welp, call me Onii-san fro-"
" Hell no! that sounds so wrong on so many levels!" I slightly shiver as the two begins to giggle at me.
" Ahaha, now, enough teasing. Go take a bath." He says in a more assertive tone. He tried showing it on his face, but it seems he really can't do it.
" I need to work on being more assertive." The teacher slumps his head forward, Sayori and I laugh.
" Nah, it doesn't really suit you, Akami-sensei! You're more of a gentle and soft character." Sayori says cheerfully as she pats the teacher in the back. I chuckle as I made my way upstairs to the bathroom.
I finish taking a warm bath and made my way to my room wrapped in a towel. I enter it and look around the room. The room has been cleaned and it's contents rearranged. It is now spacious and the scent of vanilla seems to linger in the air. The lights have been changed to that of a brighter one, and the sheets and curtains inside are clean and fresh. On my bed, I see my pajamas neatly folded and laid out. I begin to get dressed so that I could sleep early today. I was about to get in bed when I hear knocking on the door. I tell whoever it was to come in. The door creaks open to reveal Akami-sensei, carrying a small book and a glass of milk.
" H-Hey, I brought you a glass of warm milk and a bed time story... want me to read it to you?" He says timidly as he enters the room. I laugh at him in disbelief, yet his smile never changes.
" I'm not a little girl, for pete's sake! I'm 16!" I stop laughing as he set the glass of milk down on the night stand. The look in his eyes is that of disappointment.
" Oh, right... I'm sorry. I'll just let myself out then." He said with a sad voice. But before he can turn around to leave, I grab him by the sleeve of his right arm. He looks at me in surprise.
" I don't remember saying no... B-But this is only b-because you guilt trip me, okay?! Besides, it's been a really long time since someone read me a bed time story." I say to him in an embarrassed voice. A smile spreads across his face and I scoot over so he can lay beside me.
" Don't worry, this story won't dissapoint you." He says as he opens the book and I try to snuggle beside him. It's weird, he has some sort of gentle and soothing aura around him.
The Bird that Crossed the Sea Once upon a time, in a far away land, lives a little red bird. The bird knew nothing about friendship, yet he wanted to learn more about it. In his loneliness, he has forgotten what it meant, yet he knew it is important. In solitude, he toils for the answer he seeks within his small nest.
One day, a beautiful white crane perched on the branch his nest rests. Awed by such a creature, he approach the resting crane.'
Ma'am! May I ask? What business do you have here?' The bird asks.
' I'm merely resting so that I can continue my journey.' The crane replies.
' And why do you journey? Is it important? Urgent business?' The bird asks once more.
' Ahaha, no little bird. You see, I must make a journey to the other side of that sea. On the far end of its shores lays the secrets of friendship and how to acquire it.' The crane said as she pointed towards the horizon.
' Really?! Then take me with you!' The bird eagerly pleads, but the crane shakes her head.
' Sorry, I'm afraid I must travel alone. Now, I bid you farewell! For only 7 days remain until the secret of friendship hides itself once more.' The crane said before she flaps her wings and flies toward the horizon.
The bird, eager to learn about how to make friends, takes off and follows in pursuit. On the way, he finds a turtle on its back on the shore. He flies down to see if he could help it.'
Oh! Little bird! Help me get back to the water, the birds and heat will soon kill me!' The turtle said. The bird, saying nothing, used a piece of driftwood and a stone as a lever and helped the turtle get off its back. It was hard, and he spent the whole day helping the turtle until he finally manages to bring him back to the water. The turtle said his thanks, but the bird flew off quickly, for he must make up for the time he lost. He flew and flew until night passed and morning came.
As he flew, he saw a crying baby dolphin swimming alone. He flies down to see what can he do to help the poor child.
' Mister Bird! Can you help me? I lost my pod a few hours ago and I can't find them!' The dolphin pleads. The bird, saying nothing, flew around the dolphin and the nearby waters. It took the whole day, but he found the dolphin's pod and lead them back to the child. They were about to say show their gratitude when the bird flew off quickly. He once again lost another day.
As he flew, he sees a shark in a net. It is flailing around, having difficulty in breathing. The bird did not hesitate and flew down to help the beast.'
Bird! Help me! The net would strangle me if we don't get it off. You take the side near my tail while I bite off the ones around my head.' The shark said. The bird said nothing and begins to peck at the lines. From noon until sunset they untangled and cut the net until the shark is freed. Before the shark could express his gratitude, the bird flew off once again.
As morning came, the bird grew tired yet there is no place to perch on. Suddenly, a voice from under him called to him. It was the turtle. He told the little bird to perch on his back while he swam. The bird agreed and perches on his back. Surprisingly, the speed of the turtle is enough to make up for the day he lost when he helped him. When he got his strength to fly again, he thanked the turtle and flew once again.
The next day, he once again grew tired. But as he slowly descended to the surface of the sea, a great fin appeared under him. It is the shark he helped. He saw the faltering bird and offered him a ride on his fin. The bird agreed and perched himself on the shark's fin. The bird see that the shark swam fast enough to make up for the day he lost when helping him. But as the next day arrived, the shark insisted for the bird to rest.
The next day arrives and only then did the bird said goodbye to the shark. But as he flew, he felt his stomach grumble. Suddenly, a school of anchovies big enough for him to eat surfaced under him. The school is being grouped and clustered together by a pod of dolphins led by the small dolphin he helped earlier. He said his thanks before taking a few anchovies and eating it. It was enough to fill his stomach and he soon said good bye.
After a few more hours, he reach the other side of the sea and he perches on a branch. Beside him is the crane he saw a week ago. The crane smiled and asks the bird.
' Did you find the secret to friendship?' The bird nods and smiles.'
And what is it?' The crane asks.
' The secret to friendship is that friends will always repay their debts. And by helping strangers, you could actually be making a new friend.' The bird answered.
After that, the bird flew and flew, helping all those in need and living a happy and fulfilled life. The End!
I finish reading the book. Around halfway trough, this damn teacher of mine fell asleep reading this to me. But still, it was a nice feeling. To have someone read me a bed time story and sleep beside me is an experience I really missed. I look at the sleeping Akami-sensei and smile. I brush some if his hair away from his head and kiss his forehead.
" Goodnight, Papa~" I whisper softly before tucking myself in the blankets.
( Yoku's POV)
Sayori and I open the door slightly to look at the god and Natsuki. We see Natsuki sleeping beside the god with one of her arms wrapped around him while on of the god's arm wraps around Natsuki's shoulder.
" We should let those two sleep in peace." I whisper to Sayori as I close the door slightly.
" Yup! We should not disturb the sleeping father and daughter. Ehehe~" I hear Sayori's phone snap a picture before she fully closes the door. Well, I guess it would be fun to see her reaction tomorrow. For now, I guess I should go to bed.