I had way too much fun with this one xD One hundred points to those who see the High School Musical references.

Written from Akiko's (middle child) POV. Rated T for sexual Taiora innuendo at the end. For Taiora week 2023 Day 3 - Musical.

The musical lightning round (in more than one way ahem) - Sixteen minutes left

Summary: Akiko and her siblings are preparing for their upcoming school musical try-out and soccer game. Their parents however have their head in some other... "game"...

xxx

The three teenagers were sitting in a train in front of their father, Akiko comfortably sandwiched between her sister behind her and her younger brother in front between her legs. Her hands were putting the finishing touches on the braid she was braiding in her brother's hair.

A relaxing atmosphere had colored the room, until her father suddenly interrupted it by speaking the important words:

"Okay, lightning round!"

Born with the level of competitiveness from both of their parents, all three kids were immediately highly alert.

"We start easy. 'Conceal, don't feel, don't let them show'," Taichi dramatically spoke, earning him a laugh from Yua and an eyeroll -with a concealed grin- from Tatsuki.

"Ooh ooh! Let it go, Frozen!" Akiko answered way too enthusiastically.

"I'm gonna learn how to fly… HIGH!"

"Fame!" Yua quickly stole the answer before Akiko could answer it again. From there the two competitively took turns guessing the musical lyrics their father was throwing at them with thunder speed.

"I got chills, they're multiplying,"

"That's Grease! You're the one that I want—"

"Ooh ooh oooohh!"

"I wanna know, can you show me?"

"I wanna know about these strangers like meeee. Tarzan! I love that musical."

"I was lost till I heard the drums, then I found my way,"

"Ah, that's Hairspray…"

"You can't stop the beat!"

"I did not live until today…"

"Les Misèrables, one day moooooore,"

"Two more! It's time to trust my instincts…"

"Close my eyes and leaaaaaaaapp!" Akiko, her father and Yua belted out together, followed by loud laughing.

"Dad, you said one more," Tatsuki interrupted the laughs while trying to contain his own enthusiasm.

"Oh don't worry Tsuki, this one is especially for you," her father his index finger pointed at her brother, "tell me -one, two or three- in which High School Musical is my favorite Troy Bolton solo?"

Tatsuki thought deeply. Akiko and Yua impatiently looked at him with wide eyes waiting for the answer as if they were watching the most exciting movie ever.

"Hmm, that should be either two or three…" Tatsuki thought out loud.

Unfortunately however, he never got the chance to answer.

"Movie three of course," their mother answered, arms crossed in front of her chest while she leant against the doorpost with her left shoulder. She smirked. "Do you kids have any idea how hard he cried at that Scream-song?"

"You will never let me live it down, do you?"

"Never. 'I can't choose, so confused, what's it all mean? I want my own dream, so bad I'm gonna scream', it was all just way too fitting. You silently cried like a little kid being scared of its own reflection in a funhouse mirror and you were losing it like that Troy Bolton guy, punching and kicking the air all dramatically. Still lives rent free in my memories."

Akiko chuckled, trying to imagine her father in the role of Troy Bolton, wandering through a school that was spinning, being all confused, punching and kicking the air like a true American high school musical teenager.

She was definitely grateful for her father's incredibly cheesy musical-loving side. He had been the one to teach Akiko and her siblings the wonders of musicals, musical movies and all the lyrics from his all-time favorite songs. He had inspired her to discover theater and today was the first try-out for the musical she and her brother Tatsuki played in. She was excited to say the least!

"Ssshh, that's our secret," Taichi said a bit shamefacedly as he stood up, patting Yua on the top of her head that way letting her know her hair was all set with braids for her upcoming important soccer game.

He walked towards Sora who was still standing in the opening of the bedroom door and once arrived at where she was, he playfully pushed her outside the opening and into the hallway. As her mother walked to the master bedroom next door, her father turned around before he followed his wife.

"We're leaving in twenty. Make sure to be all braided by then!" He then shut the door behind him.

"Mom will always find a way to tease dad, no matter how narrow," Yua grinned as she finished the braid in Akiko's hair. Akiko let her head fall back into her neck to look up to her older sister to force her into leaving a peck on her forehead. Yua rolled her eyes, but gave Akiko the peck anyway.

"Are you ready for the big game?" Akiko asked while she returned her focus towards Tatsuki's hair.

"I guess so," Yua sounded a bit nervous, "I'm a bit sad dad won't be there since he will have to go with you guys to help backstage during the tryout. And mom always gets way too loud which drives me insane."

It was true, their mother had her moments once on the soccer field's sideline. Even though it frustrated her sister, Akiko admired her mother being so passionate about her children and their hobbies or sports.

"It's not that I'm not happy she's there, I mean, she's actually right most of the time. She's just so unnecessarily noisy, and— wait…" Yua interrupted herself, one finger in front of her lips and one ear directed to the wall adjacent to the bedroom their parents were in.

Both Akiko and Tatsuki became quiet again, listening closely to what Yua had heard.

"Too far?" Came their mother's muffled voice from the other side of the wall.

"Yes. And therefore I have to punish you," was their father's response.

"Ouch!" Tatsuki cried as Akiko in reaction to her father's words pulled the strand of her brother's hair in her hand a bit too hard.

"Oh? And what exactly is that punishment?" They could hear their mother tease back.

"That you have to wear your 'soccer mom' shirt to the game."

"Fine by me. Then how about… I change into it… right now… in front of you…"

Yua's ears turned bright red, mirroring Akiko's cheeks, upon hearing their parents flirt like that, every pause between their mother's words filled with sloppy kissing sounds.

"Please do. I mean…"

Another kiss.

Akiko covered Tatsuki's ears, having a hunch about what was to come after looking at the clock and noticing how much time had gone by since their father had said they'd leave for the respective tryout and soccer game in twenty.

Exactly four minutes…

"… We have sixteen minutes left, better get it done. Sixteen more minutes, get ready, game on…"

"Taichi…!"

"Right now I can hardly breath…"

"You can do it, just know that I believe~"

"And that's all I really need…"

"Then come on~"

"Make me strong~"

"OKAY." Yua cleared her throat, trying to cover up the squeals from both their parents and one certain bedroom-furniture-piece.

"W-I-L-D Wildcats. They're really putting the now in 'now or never'," Tatsuki said with the smug face he inherited from his father, ears still covered by Akiko. Yet aware enough of what stageplay (or game) their parents were currently playing.