It was always a joy for Inko whenever her son came home. Today was no exception as the portly emerald-haired mother was in the kitchen making a huge breakfast. Oatmeal, eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, sausage, fish, salad, anything that was better than the slop that she called food at the university. No matter how much her Icchan protested his independence, a weekly care package was always sent to the campus.
She had to make sure that Izuku always had fresh, clean underwear.
The mother's pleasant hum was enough to stir Izuku out of his slumber. Smacking his dry and saliva-stained lips, he scratched under his arms as he entered the kitchen. Placing the whisk down, Inko turned to her son. "Good morning, baby!" She gleefully said as she clasped her hands. The house of two was alive once again. "If I would have known that you were coming back so soon, then I would have placed the futon out for you."
Izuku yawned loudly while nodding in compliance. He didn't think that his mother would turn his old bedroom into another rumpus room. Another room soon to be filled with broken dreams of Inko's starter business as an aspiring seamstress and returning back to her size 1 jeans. He slept like a log on a rock. That was the best way to describe last night as he slept on the couch. However, it was Ruby that consumed his mind the entire night. He couldn't really sleep. His mind replayed the quite swiftly conversation. The first conversation that they had in three years. He was caught off guard. He really didn't get a chance to digest the conversation as she wanted to arrange their reunion this very morning.
What could he say? What would he say? There were more questions than there were answers. As he tossed and turned throughout the night, he wasn't sure if he wanted to get angry, sad, happy, something to convey his emotions. But most of all, he wanted something - an explanation from the prodigal daughter.
The sound of sausage sizzled into the pan as Inko scrapped the iron skillet. "I spoke with Ruby last night. She explains that you and her were having a little reunion." Izuku didn't immediately respond. As he sat at the table, his mother's tone of voice was melodic. As if there was excitement about this meeting. Yet again, he never explained to his mother the events that day. What could he say? A woman who was strong with the Catholic faith and believed that premarital sex was wrong, he was worried. Just as he kept his feelings bottled up about that day with Ruby, he never told his parents about his loss of virginity.
"Yeah," he answered as his voice crackled.
"I hope you aren't nervous, young man," replied Inko as she winked at her son. "My little host niece was such a gem. She was very friendly, helpful, resourceful, and very quite spirited." She placed the dish in front of his sight. "She was like a daughter I have always wanted." She held onto the hems of her apron. "Hopefully, this little reunion can be a bit lucrative." She pursed her lips.
"Mom, I know that tone," interjected Izuku. "What makes you think that she is being inviting about a relationship?"
"Really, Icchan," retorted Inko. "You were quite shy about having a womanly presence around the house during her homestay here." She turned her back as she removed the sausage from the skillet and placed it on the napkin on the plate to soak the grease. "It was like watching my little man becoming a man."
"From the way it sounds, you were encouraging it," said Izuku while looking onto the plate. Inko dropped her hand to her thigh. "No! I wouldn't say that back then." She produced a smile. "But, now, it could be a maybe." She glared at him with a Cheshire Cat grin on her face. "What other reason would you come home a wee-bit early in the morning?"
He could further interject but withdrew any further arguments. He began speculating on the Americans on why they have called it the Miranda rights. His mother always enjoyed Ruby's company. It was part of that reason why he couldn't tell his mother about that day. He wanted his mother's final image of Ruby to be a great one.
He recalled his mother telling him about the scene at that airport when she tightly embraced her. Burying her head into her bosom and sobbing about their departure. Things that weren't finished, projects that the duo planned. However, she told his mother that she would return. Thinking about now, the river of tears flowing from her silvery eyes, were they for his mother?
Izuku rubbed the back of his head nervously as his mother was placing his breakfast on the table. "What time do you and Ruby are getting together?"
"She sent a text earlier this morning that it would be after lunch," replied Izuku as his mouth began watering for his mother's home-cooked meals. "We are gonna meet at the drink bar that you took her a couple of years back."
"Excellent," replied Inko happily as she was preparing her own plate. "A great icebreaker for you two. She tells me that she enjoyed the place a lot. She says that it was one of her favorite memories with you two."
"How so? I didn't even sing. It was mostly you and her singing," retorted Izuku as he dug into the fried potatoes. As he was reaching for the mayonnaise for flavor, his mother replied. "Memories aren't only about the things you did, but its significance."
If you say so, Mother. "A perspective, I guess," said Izuku.
"So, little man, any little gift to bring her?"
"A gift?"
Inko slapped the table. "No son of mine is going to go see his little friend without a welcome back gift." Oftentimes, Izuku hated whenever his mother became traditional. He really didn't think it was necessary, especially since it was her that invited him. And it was without any warning. "There is that shopping mall at the Commons near the train station. It is a couple of blocks from the drink bar." She pointed at her purse on the counter. "Grab about $50 dollars and go find a gift for Ruby."
"Could you do it," asked Izuku pleadingly. "You have better taste and I wouldn't know what to give her."
"You're eighteen now," retorted Inko as she narrowed her eyes. "You're at the age that a man should know what a woman wants."
I might be eighteen, Mom, but according to Ruby, my maturity level in understanding women and their demands are still at fifteen. "The feminists would be proud of you."
"Ha, ha, ha," replied Inko sarcastically. "There is a jewelry store at the mall that your father frequents. Remember Tatsuma-san?"
"Auntie Ryuko?"
"She works there part-time on the weekends," answered Inko. "Go there and see if you can find suitable jewelry within that budget."
Izuku was surprised at his mother's tenacity about giving Ruby a gift. Scraping the remnants of his fried potatoes, he still couldn't digest what was going to come on this afternoon. "Oh yeah, Ruby's parents invited us to dinner tonight."
He bit into his fork when hearing those words. He took the pain as he slowly removed the fork from his mouth.
"Ruby didn't tell you," questioned Inko.
'I am not alone. The family is here with me. Can we meet tomorrow? I really want to talk to you.'
"She told me that her family was in town, but not dinner," answered Izuku.
Inko nodded as she melodically confirmed their suddenly unexpected evening plans. "Taiyang is treating us to dinner and he would like us to be their guests of honor tonight.
"Taiyang?"
"That is Ruby's father, sweetheart." She placed her finger at her lip. "I would suspect you would be curious enough to ask those kinds of questions."
"If she doesn't say, then why would I ask," said Izuku. "Plus, I don't think fifteen-year-olds would ask questions like that. I didn't know your name was Inko until I was nine years old."
It was met with a light chuckle from his mother. "Guilty!" When she saw that Izuku was finished with his breakfast, she grabbed the dishes and walked to the counter. As she was turning on the faucet, she continued talking. "Her mother, Summer, and her older sister, Yang will also be accompanying them. They are visiting for the week and they wanted to show their appreciation with dinner for how kindly nice we were with Ruby during her homestay."
'I love you, my little emerald gem.'
'I love you like crazy.'
"What time?"
"Around eight this evening."
Izuku stood up as he decided to get a cup of coffee. "I supposedly have plans to meet with Kacchan and the guys at the arcade."
"That's fine," replied Inko as the sounds of plates were clashing with each other with the sound of running water. "You can have dinner with us and meet with them later on. You can bring Ruby with you so they can see her as well."
Izuku wasn't the best in creating excuses. Meeting Ruby was hard enough. He didn't think that he would be meeting the entire clan. Concerning thoughts began flooding his mind like a swimming pool. Did she tell them about their encounter? What would they think or feel about him? He was startled on why he was caring about this so much. He felt that he wasn't at fault. Ruby was the initiator and instigator of their having sex on the bedroom floor. Nevertheless, would they believe him?
Topping off his coffee with cream and sugar, he leaned back at the counter as he consumed the beverage. Inko used the ladle to tap the sink. "Now, go and wash up and prepare your little date with Ruby."
"Mom," groaned Izuku.
"I mean your little meeting." Inko pleasantly hummed as she continued washing the dishes. Izuku remained posted by the counter as he finished draining the remnants of his coffee. He paused momentarily as he looked at the tiny droplets remaining in the cup. He sighed heavily as he placed down the cup. I know exactly how you feel and look right now.
'I love you, my little emerald gem.'
'I love you like crazy.'
A couple of hours later….
Izuku hoped that a few minutes after one-thirty was okay for the redhead-brunette. Honestly, there was a specific time of this little reunion and the teen wanted time to dangle before facing the inevitable. Nervousness was the best way to describe himself to see a person who whimsically waltzes back after three years. Judging by the sound of her voice, life has been terribly too kind. From her perspective, a drink of strawberry-peach tea between friends was the subject. Not the awkward, funky post-three-year lunch to commemorate their first time together. He tried telling himself that he wasn't trying to be mean. After all, mixed emotions were within the emerald-haired teen.
He went up the stairs as he headed into the main terminal. He dressed lightly, sporting his black Grambling jacket he got from his father after visiting the university and blue jeans. He sported his facial mask that images of a kitten's mouth. Despite the current pandemic of the coronavirus, sporting facial masks were optional and social distancing was lax. However, he was in a way hoping that Ruby wouldn't recognize the teen.
He hoped that she would overlook him like the way she did when she placed her soft foot onto his body. He paused momentarily, feeling a warm rush transcending through his body. His body began twitching and felt like a volt of electricity tingling through his groin region. His breath was laboring. He was thankful that the mask concealed his facial expressions.
It was piteous that he couldn't convey any sensual emotions towards other women. But with Ruby, whenever a thought of their encounter occurred into his mind, his body remembered. His body would never forget each and every sensation that the former fifteen-year-old did to him. As if his body was designed and detailed to the blueprints of Ruby Rose. He took steady breaths to lessen his arousal. And it was in the public out of all places to have lecherous thoughts.
It was fortunate that his jacket covered his groin area, hiding the budding erection in his jeans. Since he was waiting for Ruby's text of her arrival, he was going to head to the shopping district to look into purchasing Ruby, his mother's gift.
He was surprised that the shopping center was filled as it was the weekend. Salarymen, families, teenage couples, and the elderly filled the breezeways and hallways within the shopping center. Izuku rarely frequented the mall as the idea of shopping with his mother, or any other woman was boring. It was only the arcade that was within the vicinity on why he would pass through.
Pulling out the few bills he acquired from his mother, he decided to walk toward the jewelry store. Auntie Ryuko was waiting on his arrival as his 'worrisome' mother wanted to be sure of his attendance.
"I am sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying. So, to keep this simple. No money, no ice cream, kid!"
Izuku paused when hearing the voice of the burly owner from the ice cream kiosk. Shifting his head to the left, he saw the ice cream vendor crossing his arms as a young girl was waving and pointing at the ice cream sign. She was tiny and petite. She was sporting a huge black bow with long green hair down to her back. She was sporting an Elsa from Frozen backpack and Izuku could see an All Might stuffed toy hanging inside of the opened backpack.
"I am sorry, kid! I don't understand what you're trying to tell me." Izuku immediately picked up that the ice cream vendor was speaking Japanese Kansai-ben. He could hear the little girl's poor attempt of speaking Tokyo Japanese, so he knew that Japanese wasn't her first language. With the blessing of being bilingual, he decided to step to the kiosk and help out the little damsel.
Izuku waved at the vendor. "Hey, sir!" He bowed attentively as he took off his mask. "I believe that this little girl is trying to tell you that she wants to purchase your ice cream. And she was pointing at the mint chocolate ice cream over there." Izuku was able to speak a variety of Japanese dialects, particularly Kansai. The little damsel's silver and green eyes were wide as saucers with surprise that someone could understand her.
The ice cream vendor smiled and lowered himself at the little girl. "Sweetheart, you know that you could have asked me in English."
The little girl shook her head in disagreement. "Mommy told me that I must learn how to interact with people who are different than me by speaking their language. It makes them feel comfortable." It was spoken in English. The vendor smiled. "That's very sweet!" He bowed toward the little. "Arigatou dozaimasu!"
"Doitachimashite," replied the little girl as she returned his bow.
The emerald-haired teen stood there with his mouth agape. The little girl couldn't be no more than three, four years old and her vocabulary was very colorful.
The emerald-haired child turned to Izuku. "Thank you for helping me, Uncle!" The teen blushed, but at the same time wasn't old enough to be called an uncle. Izuku spoke in English to the vendor. "She would like to have that ice cream and make it double scoops. And it's my treat!"
The vendor waved his arms in disagreement. "It's on the house for both of you!" The little girl licked her lips with the anticipation of getting her diary treat. As she was hopping and dancing like a ballerina, he asked for a double-scooped Neapolitan.
Izuku gave the vendor a tip for his patience and thankfulness. At least he didn't have to worry about grabbing a snack at the drink bar when he meets Ruby. As he was biting into his three-layered ice cream, he felt something tugging his jacket.
"Excuse me, Uncle?!"
Izuku turned around to see the little damsel from the ice cream stand earlier. He could already see the ice cream stains on her Elsa costume and on her cheeks. "What can I do for you, little lady?"
"I want to thank you for helping me earlier," replied the girl. She reached into her pocket and extended her hand. "It's only a few hundred yen and some candy. Maybe you can buy a toy or something."
His first thought was the whereabouts of her parents. As he observed the inflow of the crowd walking past and toward him, her cheeky smile remained. Parental instincts were coming from the crevices of his brain as he kneeled in front of the little girl. "Didn't your parents ever tell you not to talk to strangers?" He reached into his pocket for his handkerchief. He used to wipe the ice cream stains off her face.
"Mommy says that a stranger is a friend that you have yet to know," she said calmly.
Your mother hasn't been in this country too long, hasn't she? "That sounds...sweet, but you must be careful….what is your name?"
"Aiko! My name is Aiko!"
"Aiko!" Izuku took his hand and balled her hand in a fist. "Thank you for the money. You're sweet! But I think you should save your money and not give it to random strangers."
Upon hearing that Aiko's eyes began watering. That was concerning Izuku.
"Mom always told me when someone blesses you, you must bless them back," replied the teary-eyed Aiko.
Guilt was swelling his heart. Fearing that he may cause a scene, he produced a smile. "Tell you what, Aiko-chan. Let's see if we can tip the ice cream vendor instead. It is him that you should be a blessing."
The teary-eyed Aiko sniffled momentarily. Suddenly, her flushed face returned back to smiling. "Like yeah! Okay, Uncle!"
"Izuku! Call me Uncle Izuku!"
After giving the ice cream vendor an additional tip, his original plan of meeting Auntie Ryuko has deviated. After texting his mother a valid excuse, his new plan was to find Aiko's parents. Fortunately, Ruby had an emergency and was going to be late, which suited him.
About five minutes later….
Izuku held Aiko's tiny hand as he was leading her to the security office. Hopefully, they can better solve it than he could. It did, however, surprise Izuku on how calm the little girl was acting. Typical three-year-olds would cry like banshees. But not, Aiko. Aiko was hopping and humming the theme song to Star vs. The Forces of Evil as they walked along the shopping center.
"So, your grandmother was supposed to be watching you and someone she got lost," asked Izuku inquisitively.
"Hmm, hmm," replied Aiko as she gnawed on her ice cream. "My grandmother isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she is loved." She gripped Izuku's hand tightly. "So, why are you here, Uncle Izuku?!"
"Well, I am going to see a friend," answered Izuku.
"Is it a girlfriend," asked Aiko melodically.
Izuku took a bite out of ice cream before softly karate-chopping Aiko's head. "You are a thousand years too young to understand that, little lady."
"Not according to Auntie when I play her video games," she retorted. "I am at the level that I conquered over a thousand men." She pointed at her chest. "So, for a three-year-old, I am the harem princess." She leaned herself against Izuku. "Can you call me, Aiko-chan again?"
"Sure, sweetheart!"
She pressed herself close to Izuku. "Can Aiko-chan come and see your girlfriend, Uncle?! Can I? Can I?"
Izuku tried his best not to laugh, but this kid was adorable. This little girl could have her own stand-up routine and he would definitely be the first in line. No matter the price of admission. "Let's find your grandmother first. She could be at the security office looking for you."
"If security hadn't found her first," she interjected. "I remember this one time going to the police station with my grandmother to file a police report. She and her friends were filing a report about their tires being stolen from a van."
"Really?"
"Hmm-hmm! Auntie Raven told me that she was left alone for only five minutes before the police came back to find their walls covered in crayons." Aiko sighed heavily. "And they say I am not old enough to do stuff." She gave Izuku a peace sign. "I can draw inside the lines."
They were approaching the security office. He stopped as he was presenting himself to the officers on his reason for bringing Little Miss Aiko here. Izuku chuckled as he finished what was left of his ice cream. "You're a good time, Aiko-chan. I know you make your parents laugh."
"Well, there is my mom, my auntie, and my grandparents," she replied. She stopped, letting go of Izuku's hand and turning to him. She looked at him and blinked as she became teary-eyed. "I don't have a daddy." She began sniffling. "When I asked Mommy about my Daddy, she said that he was far, far, far away." A river began to crest at her eyes. "When I asked if Daddy is coming to see me, she said that she wasn't sure if he would like it." She turned to Izuku. "Am I just used goods, Uncle?"
"No, sweetness!"
"Am I like the others? A fatherless bastard without an identity?" She stomped her foot, dropping her ice cream in the process. "I don't even have his last name so the kids at daycare make fun of me." She tilted over as she grabbed her stomach. Then, the floodgates of heaven were released from her eyes.
Izuku pursed his lip. He didn't want to see his little comedian tearful. He used his finger to wipe the tear from her wettened eyes. "Don't cry, Aiko. It will be okay."
Aiko didn't hear the words as she continued wiping the tears from her eyes. Worried and panicking, Izuku kneeled at her level and embraced the crying teen. "Shh! Shh! Calm down, Aiko-chan!"
The little damsel began bellowing. "DDDDDDDAAAADDDDDYYYYY!" Aiko puffed her sunken cheeks as the tears continued. However, these weren't typical wailing cries. Izuku felt the hurricane-like sound as he was blown away from Aiko, hitting against the wall.
Aiko was pounding on the floor, sobbing as the walls began to crack and the windows started to crack. Shoppers and onlookers alike were stunning to see the energy similar to a sonic boom coming from the tiny damsel.
"Aiiiikkkkoooo-chan," cried Izuku as he was combating the strong explosive winds that were bellowing out of her mouth.
"I want a Daddy! Why God?! Why Oum?! Why can't I have a daddy?!"
It was now obvious to the emerald-haired teen that Little Miss Aiko certainly has a quirk.
Izuku continued keeping his stance. To keep himself from being blown away, he would have to use a tiny, minuscule percentage (0.0000001%) of his quirk to reach the damsel in this distress. "Aiko," cried Izuku. "Listen to your uncle! It is okay!"
"No, it's not! No, it's not!" She was rolling in circles. Each time she screamed, stores were being destroyed in her wake.
"How about I become your daddy," shouted Izuku.
The crying immediately ceased. The once distressed, crying teen lied on the floor when hearing those words penetrating her tiny ears. She slowly stood up, carefully not to step into any crevices she created. She made tiny hiccup noises. She wiped the snot from her nose with her sleeve. "Do you mean it?" She hiccuped again. "Do you want to be my daddy?"
A request out of the whim, but anything to stop seeing that pretty damsel from crying. Removing plaster and dust from his clothing, he made cautious steps toward Aiko. "I don't mind, Aiko-chan!" He was feeling bad for creating a tiny lie, but defensively speaking, he didn't want this mall to have further destruction. He reached over and took Aiko by her waist and held her. Upon doing so, she buried her face into his bosom. She tightly wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "Do you mean it, Uncle Izuku?!" She raised her hand. "Do you pinky swear?"
Izuku wrapped his pinky along with hers. "Sure, Aiko!"
Pinky, pinky bow-bell,
Whoever tells a lie
Will sink down to the bad place
And never rise up again.
"Yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu," replied Aiko. Izuku nestled his nose into her hair. "That's right, Aiko! Finger cut-off, ten thousand fist-punchings, whoever lies has to swallow a thousand needles," said Izuku as he pleasantly smiled at the little stranger-turned-friend.
"So, you're my daddy now!"
"Sure! At least until something changes." Izuku felt Aiko's warmth upon his body. Her breath was tickling his neck. She shook her head in disagreement as she was rubbing against his chest. "Nuh-huh! You are my daddy, Uncle Izuku." She sneezed onto his jacket. "Papa Izuku!"
"Aiko?! Aiko?!"
Izuku heard the whooping sound of a worried woman. As he turned, he saw the woman-in-question. She was a redhead-brunette who appeared to be in her forties. She had glowing silver eyes and was sporting a white sundress. She wasn't alone as she was accompanied by two security guards.
Izuku became nervous. Especially since he had precious cargo that didn't belong to him.
"Aiko! Aiko!" The bellowing woman ran to Aiko. As she was running, she tripped on some falling sheetrock before hitting the ground.
[imagine tear drops appearing on everyone's foreheads]
Izuku watched when Aiko's face frowned. She used her tiny hand to rub the bridge of her nose. She nodded her head in disappointment as she clicked her tongue.
Moments later, the security officers approached Izuku and Aiko. One of the guards that was wearing sunglasses proceeded to speak. "Excuse me? Are you Aiko Rose?"
Aiko stared blankly at the security guard before nodding in confirmation. The other security guard pursed his lip. "I believe that this woman belongs to you."
"She is my grandmother, officers," replied Aiko. Izuku could hear that she was trying her best to keep her patience. "What did she do this time?"
"Your grandmother was found harassing the kids when she was trying to make them play with the Dance Dance Revolution demo game at the toy store."
"I was trying to have fun. I wanted to blend in," said Aiko's grandmother as she was still lying on the ground.
"Judging by her childish nature," said the security guard, "we concluded that she isn't normal."
"We were on our way to the security office to report a missing," said the security guard with the sunglasses as he paused. "Report a missing adult until she pointed you out. According to her emergency kit in her purse, you were number one on the next of kin. We just didn't think you were a kid."
"We tried calling the phone numbers of her contacts, but they were out of service," said the security guard.
"We aren't from here, officers!" Aiko clicked her tongue as she apologetically bowed. "Sorry, officers, for my grandmother." She pointed at Izuku. "This is Izuku! He found me earlier when I was looking for my grandmother. He is my daddy!"
The sunglasses-wearing security guard glared onto Izuku. "Is it true, sir?"
"Yes," he immediately replied. "I am certainly Aiko's father." Whatever I need to say so they wouldn't think I am planning a kidnapping.
"Good," replied the security officer. "Let's step inside and get things squared away."
"What about the damage, sir," questioned Izuku.
"This," interjected the other security guard. "We're in Musutafu. We got that Hidden Leaf Village type of insurance. Step inside with us, please!"
About twenty minutes later….
Izuku sat in a chair against the wall at the security office while the officers were filing an incident report. Since he claimed to be "Aiko's father," he had to sign papers as they were releasing Aiko's grandmother back into his custody.
He decided to wait as Aiko established contact with her mother. The tiny emerald-haired damsel was sitting on his lap as she managed to find an operable cell phone in her grandmother's purse. Meanwhile, her grandmother was sitting at the desk drawing from a coloring book. Izuku recalled Aiko warning them about not leaving the redhead-brunette alone.
"Okay, Mommy! Love you, bye-bye!" Aiko hung up the phone and placed it back in her grandmother's purse. "Mom is coming upstairs momentarily." She turned to her grandmother. "Gram-Gram! Pop-Pop always says to check the front pockets of your purse for the international phone. Why didn't you do that?!"
"Aww," pouted Aiko's grandmother. "I don't know which is the front or the back." She turned her purse forward. "Is this the front?" She turned it around. "Or is this the front?"
Aiko murmured under her breath. "I have kept telling them to put labels on her purse. Jesus!" She felt a tiny karate chop on her forehead. She tilted her head to see Izuku. She pouted. "Yes, Daddy?!"
"Take it easy on your grandmother, would you? When you are quirky, it isn't easy," replied Izuku. "She wouldn't go through the trouble of finding you. Of course, we saw where it led, but still, be more mindful. Okay, sweetness?"
The tiny emerald-haired damsel stared at Izuku. She produced a smile before kissing him on his chin. "Okay! I will try, Daddy!"
Before Izuku could speak further, he saw the security office door's opening.
"Mommy!" Aiko hopped off Izuku's lap and rushed toward the woman-in-question. The mother kneeled to embrace her daughter. Nestling her within her bosom and pecking her on the cheek. "Oh, my dear Aiko. My little emerald gem!"
'I love you, my little emerald gem.'
'I love you like crazy.'
Izuku's mind was still in shock from hearing her voice. She sounded the same. A savory voice that was edible to the ears. It was appealing, addictive. No music was needed as her voice carried such a tune of its own. The same way he could recall her whispering softly into his ear. Either when telling a funny, inappropriate joke without his mother hearing or telling a secret, it was almost like praying.
"I'm grateful that you're safe and sound," she continuously kissed her daughter on the cheek. "Both of you." She turned to Aiko's grandmother. "Mom! How many times do we have to say stick with the group?" She clicked her tongue. "Yang probably found some boy to have fun and left them behind," she was talking to herself. "She knows how easily duped Mother can be." The redhead-brunette mother looked at her daughter. "Now, who is the savior I should thank for finding you?"
"Ruby?"
She was no longer the fifteen-year-old girl that was sharing kisses and whispering sweet nothings into his ear on the bedroom floor. She grew a bit taller. Her hair was longer, touching at her lower back. She had the look of being a mother. A strong sense of maturity was upon her. When catching her eye onto the voice of Aiko's savior, her mouth was agape.
The silence filled the tiny office as both Izuku and Ruby were staring into each other's eyes.
'Izuku! Izuku! I love you!'
'Love me! Love me like you would Ochako or the girls you speak with at school! Love me like we are lovers.'
"Izuku!" Her voice wavered. Izuku couldn't tell if Ruby wanted to smile or to cry. Aiko and her grandmother watched as the duo continued staring at each other. "Izuku! I...I...I...It's great to see you again." She bowed apologetically. "Just didn't think we would meet again under these circumstances." She nervously laughed.
"Papa Izuku says that he is going to my Daddy," said Aiko excitedly as she held onto her mother's neck.
The numbness returned to his body. His heart was skipping beats. His gut feelings were there when encountering Little Miss Aiko at the ice cream stand. He should have known when seeing Aiko's grandmother.
Also, when Ruby said her sister's name.
When the security officers said Aiko's last name.
She has Ruby's eyes and my eyes. She has my ear. She has freckles. There are reddish tints at the tips of her hair. And she has a quirk! Why didn't I see this before?!
The family is here with me. Can we meet tomorrow? I really want to talk to you.
"Papa Izuku," asked Aiko worriedly. "Papa Izuku?"
'I have to do this. I love you! I can't keep this pain in my heart. If I can't do this now, then it will be pointless. I must seal the deal. I want to show you how serious I love you.'
'I think you might hate me, so allow me to not give you such a ghastly image.'
'I love you, my little emerald gem.'
'I love you like crazy.'
"I did make that promise!" Aiko's eyes widened when seeing Izuku produced a smile and extended his pinky finger. "We did swear, didn't we?" He pointed at this chest. "And I certainly don't want to be punched or swallow a bunch of needles."
"Like yeah," said Ruby's mother, who happens to be named Summer. "That would hurt. That's why I try not to make those kinds of promises!" She nodded to herself. "Somebody could get hurt!"
The shock was there and the pain was radiating throughout his body. Regardless of his feelings between him and Ruby, he wasn't going to show it in front of Aiko. He produced a friendly smile. "It's good seeing you again, Ruby Rose."
Ruby nodded in agreement. "Same to you, Izuku Midoriya!"
Aiko was looking at her mother and her 'surrogate' father. "Do you guys know each other?"
"Sure do, Aiko-chan," replied Izuku as he played coy. "Your mother and I have a strong history together." It was going to take a while to accept the inevitable of the strong possibility that Aiko Rose was his daughter. He took steady breaths as he held Aiko's tiny hand. He looked at her mother. "Didn't you say that we have a reunion at the drink bar."
She watched as his eyes were darting at Aiko. She nodded in agreement. "Like yeah! We have a few minutes before our reservations are dropped."
"Well, shall we go," retorted Izuku.
Ruby nodded in compliance. "Let's go!" She turned to her mother. "Let's go, Mom!"
"Aww," Summer pouted. "I wasn't done with the drawing."
"I can see if they have coloring books at the drink bar from the kids' menu," replied Ruby.
"Like yeah," retorted Summer happily.
Izuku held the door for the women as they exited the security office. There were so many questions that he was now demanding from Ruby.
It was painful to be left with a missing piece of his heart. A piece that Ruby took with her those three years before. Adding salt to the wound, there was a tiny piece of him walking upon this Earth and he didn't have any knowledge about this.
He was fighting back the anger and the tears. Feeling the hurt was bringing him back to that day on the bedroom floor. He had told himself that after tonight, he wanted answers.
As he followed them to the drink bar, he texted Ruby.
"Meet me at the beach pier heading towards Sophia Island in North Musutafu at ten o'clock tonight. The place where I took you during your homestay. We need to seriously have a talk. Come alone!
Sincerely,
Izuku!"
Upon putting up his cell phone, he was feeling the tug of his jacket from Little Miss Aiko. "Hold hands with me, Papa Izuku!" Producing a fake smile, he grabbed her tiny hand. Along on the other side of Aiko was Ruby holding her hand.
Quite a reunion, Ruby! Quite an introduction to meeting my daughter.
To be continued….
BD: Damn, GOTA! Comedy and drama wrapped within this chapter.
GOTA: Couldn't help it! It does serve with the slice of life and family feels I was looking for.
BD: I can definitely see!
GOTA: Stay tuned for the next chapter! Until next time, ladies and gentlemen.
