Family
This was unexpected... yet welcome.
Yukari blinked as she served breakfast to the twins.
As they played with their food, she went out into the hallway to check on the doorbell, which had rang moments earlier.
It was way too early for Mitsuru-senpai to visit them, Fuuka, Junpei and Akihiko rarely paid them visits, Ken was busy with school and Koromaru would tag along with him... so that only left Aigis. But why would the blonde visit them this early?
Glancing at the clock on the wall to her right, the brunette opened the door only to feel a sudden illness wanting to make her crumple.
"Mommy?"
The voices rang from the kitchen as a pair of strong arms held her from collapsing onto the floor, a cool, calm yet strangely feminine voice spoke, slowly putting her back onto her feet.
"Yukari Takeba?" the woman - man? - raised the papers she had been holding to show the shocked mother.
"Y-Yes...?"
"I am Naoto Shirogane. Your... boyfriend's ... cousin."
The archer truly did collapse there.
- x -
"Will mommy be alright?"
Yukari felt like she needed to stop waking up to her children's voices in such a panicked manner before she remembered what had caused her to fall down in the first place. Some man - woman? - named Naoto Shirogane, claiming to be Minato's cousin... but that was impossible, right? He had no family... but then who did he stay with unless it was in an orphanage?
"Yes, I do believe so..." that very same voice rang out as her little boy's voice was heard from the living room, singing to the idol Risette's newest song (a surprisingly tame one considering what she had done before) as the unknown woman sat beside her, chatting with the brunette's daughter.
"A-Are you... really..?"
"Takeba-san!" the woman - Naoto - looked relieved, playing around with the hat she wore. "I am glad that you are well! Now then..."
"Mommy!" Kotone interrupted her. "Auntie Naoto is so nice!"
"T-Thank you!" the bluenette blushed, which made the fact that she was Minato's cousin even... weirder. The love of her life had barely blushed, after all. "Anyways, Takeba-san, I came here for a reason. One, to meet my second cousins once removed. Two, for you to - possibly, if you could - tell me more about Ari-... Minato-san, my cousin... we didn't interact much when were younger so when I heard that he..."
"Kotone." Yukari's voice was sharp. "Go sing along with your brother..."
"But.."
"... now..."
"Yes, mommy." the little girl shuffled out of the hallway and into the living room. Soon enough, two adorable voices could be heard singing the redhead's newest single. The bluenette smiled at her in a greatful manner before moving to continue.
"... passed away. So if it were possible at all...? I don't have much time, I'm being called to Inaba for a strange murder case..."
"So you are a detective?" Yukari asked dryly. Before Naoto could speak again, the brunette grinned sadly.
"It all started when he arrived at our dorm in the hour of shadows..."
- x -
"Thank you very much." the detective tipped her hat to the brunette as they said their goodbyes at the door. "You truly helped me understand what kind of person my brother used to be..."
"I'm happy for you." the archer chuckled. "You can come visit us any time you'd like. I'm sure the kids would love to get to know their 'Auntie Naoto' better..."
"R-Right... but how did they... no, how did you!?"
"I was Minato's girlfriend." the other girl replied dryly. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree in their case - they are as smart as he used to be. Don't worry, we won't speak of your secret to anyone else."
"Th-Thank you, again..." flustered, Naoto made a small bow and began her track back to the car that was waiting for her.
With a wave, she was gone, leaving Yukari to wonder if he was watching over them.
Why else would the second cousin he never talked about appear on their doorstep, hungry for answers?
AN: Since I love Naoto and Rise, I had to mention Rise somehow xD
I hope you enjoyed this, stay tuned! :)