Lunchtime Flashbacks
At the Sakamoto Residence, Ryuji was in the living room folding laundry while his wife was out picking up their 16 year old daughter Himari from school. As he was folding laundry, Ryuji was watching T.V, and on the T.V was a news report given by Ichiko Ohoya, who was currently interviewing the manager and staff of the new BBQ joint, Hideyoshi's Smokehouse, that was going to open up tomorrow. The interview also gave clips of the chefs preparing the food for a select few (i.e: food critics) that had the privilege of trying the restaurant's food before anyone else did, and seeing it made Ryuji's mouth water like never before.
"As you can see, all of the food is carefully prepared and cooked for proper serving," Ohoya said in a voiceover, "The populus of this wonderful city is in for a treat tomorrow when lunch hour rolls around."
"Oh my God!" Ryuji exclaimed excitedly as he watched the chefs on T.V prepare the food. He was excited for the arrival of the new BBQ restaurant ever since the construction for it began a few months ago.
Ryuji was so into the interview, he didn't hear Makoto and Himari come home. Makoto had a grocery bag in her hand that contained the family's dinner for this evening, along with a few other things that they needed.
"Honey, we're home," Makoto said.
"Uh, hi," Ryuji said, still enthralled with his program.
"We stopped by the store on the way home and we got your favorite chips," Himari said as she presented her father with the bag.
"Cool," Ryuji said, eyes still glued to the television screen.
Makoto and Himari were starting to get annoyed as Makoto began to talk again.
"Anyway, while we were at the store, you'll never guess who we ran into," Makoto began, "Zenkichi Hasegawa. He's in town visiting Akane. You know, he wanted to see how her move back to Tokyo treated her, and he really wanted to meet her new fiance."
"Babe, I love you, but can we talk about this later," Ryuji said.
"You know, Ryuji, there's more to life than watching television," Makoto scolded, "Seriously that thing is going to destroy whatever brain cells you have left in your head."
Ryuji finally addressed his wife and daughter by saying, "Girls, you don't understand, this is a news report about Hideyoshi's Smokehouse."
"HIDEYOSHI'S SMOKEHOUSE?!" Makoto and Himari both shouted with excitement. Makoto dropped her grocery bag on the floor as she and her daughter sat on either side of Ryuji, joining him in watching the interview. The girls were clearly just as excited for the opening of the restaurant as Ryuji was.
"Did we miss anything?" Himari asked, "What did they say?"
"They said they got some of the best chefs in Tokyo and surrounding areas to prepare the food for this restaurant," Ryuji explained, "They let a few food critics and news reporters in early to try the food before the grand opening."
The trio's attention was brought to the television screen where they saw happy faces on the critics and reporters, Ohoya included, as they ate an assortment of BBQ foods.
"The food prepared here at Hideyoshi's Smokehouse not only looks amazing, but it tastes even better," Ohoya said as the other critics and reporters gave a series of thumbs up and approving nods, "So if you're someone who enjoys BBQ of the highest quality, come down to Hideyoshi's Smokehouse tomorrow for the grand opening."
"Oh we'll be there alright! Don't you worry!" Ryuji said as he rubbed his hands together.
Ryuji and Himari both continued to look excited, but Makoto's look of excitement soon disappeared as she realized something.
"Wait, tomorrow?" Makoto said.
"That's what they said," Himari said, "What's wrong, mom?"
"I picked up an extra shift at the precinct for tomorrow, guys. I can't go," Makoto explained.
"Aw man," Himari frowned.
"I don't know why you're acting sad, Himari, you and your father can still go," Makoto said.
"For real, you don't mind?" Ryuji said surprised.
"Of course not," Makoto said, "If one of us can't go, that shouldn't stop the other two from having fun. You two have your own lives to live. You shouldn't live it for me. Seriously, have a good time tomorrow. Just bring back something nice."
"Wow, thank you mom!" Himari said, becoming excited again, "And we will."
"You're awesome, babe," Ryuji said as he hugged his wife.
"I don't like to brag, but yeah, I am," Makoto said somewhat pridefully.
The next day, Ryuji and Himari are seen approaching Hideyoshi's Smokehouse. Their idea was to get to the restaurant before the lunch rush. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of people had the same idea, because when they entered the restaurant just about every table was taken.
"It's like a zoo in here," Himari said, amazed at the turnout.
"You underestimate how truly delicious BBQ food is, Himari," Ryuji said.
The father and daughter stood next to the 'Wait to be Seated' sign, hoping that a waiter would come by soon and take them to their table. A few minutes later, a waiter was sent to take care of them, and the waiter in question turned out to be none other than Hotaru Yajima, Hayato and Hifumi's son and Himari's boyfriend.
"Hey, hey," Hotaru said excitedly, "I was hoping you two would show up."
"Hotaru, babe" Himari exclaimed as she hugged her boyfriend.
"Hey, Hotaru," Ryuji said, shaking the young man's hand, "It's a surprise to see you here."
"Yeah, this is my first day on the job," Hotaru explained, "I've been looking to get a job so that I can make some extra money for some new filming equipment so I can take my short films to the next level. When I asked my parents if they knew of any prospects, that was when my dad told me about this place. See, my dad actually knows the manager here, and he managed to pull a few strings to get me here. Though I only work as a waiter on the weekends so that my studies aren't affected too much. But enough about me, what about you guys? Where's Auntie Makoto?"
"She had to work, Hotaru," Ryuji explained, "But she gave Himari and me the green light to come out here."
"I see," Hotaru said, "Well, follow me and I'll show you to your table."
Ryuji and Himari followed Hotaru until they reached their seat; a booth right by the window. Hotaru hands the father-daughter duo their menus before heading off to take care of another customer.
"How cool is it that Hotaru works here?" Himari asked.
"Very cool," Ryuji answered, "Even more impressive is how he has the 'get-up and go' attitude to want and get a job on his own without having to be goaded into it."
"He has his passion for filmmaking for that," Himari said before making a romantic sigh, thinking about Hotaru.
"Thinking about Hotaru?" Ryuji asked.
"Yeah," Himari answered as traced circles on the tabletop with her finger, "Other than the likes of Minato, Kaito, or Riku, Hotaru is the best boy I've ever met. He's just so kind, so charismatic, so ambitious, and above all, so cute."
"You two always do look very happy when you're together," Ryuji said, "And in the years since we've known him, he's basically become one of the family. A fine young man indeed."
"I showed you the promise ring he gave me, right?" Himari said as she held up her right hand to reveal a gold ring band with 'Ho x Hi' engraved on it, "His ring has the same thing engraved on it."
"Wow, things are getting serious between you two," Ryuji said.
"I guess you can say that," Himari said with a blush, "Mrs. Himari Yajima. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
"Let's not rush things, Himari," Ryuji said, "You and Hotaru should be thinking about graduating high school and then college before you even consider marriage."
"A girl can dream, can't she?" Himari said, "Hotaru and I have come a long way since we were little kids. I still remember the first time he let me play with him"
Flashback - 11 years ago.
A five year old Himari is walking through the halls of the Yajima Residence. Makoto and Ryuji had dropped Himari off with Hayato and Hifumi so the two of them could go out on a date night. As she walked, she heard the sounds of a five year old Hotaru playing with toys in his room. She decided to go over there and investigate. She stood in the doorway of Hotaru's room and saw him playing with some Phoenix Ranger Featherman R action figures. He also had what looked like a toy camera in front of him as if he was pretending to make a movie.
"Oh no!" Hotaru said, pretending to be a narrator, "The city is under attack by aliens! Only one thing stands between the aliens and total world domination! It's the one and only, saviors of mankind, the Phoenix Rangers!"
Hotaru then acted out a fight scene between his action figures and some alien plush toys. As he acted out the scene, he was making sound effects with his mouth. Himari was watching the little boy play with a look of curiosity and intrigue on her face, thinking about how fun Hotaru's activity looked. At some point, Hotaru finally noticed Himari standing in the doorway and watching him. The two kids stared at each other, the little boy blushing in embarrassment.
"Uh, hi Himari," Hotaru said, "What are you doing here?"
"My parents dropped me off a few minutes ago," Himari explained, "What are you doing?"
"I'm just pretending to film a lost episode of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R," Hotaru explained, "Someday, I'm going to get a real camera and make real movies. Think about it, Himari, my name up in lights!"
"If you do get famous one day, Hotaru, promise you won't forget about us," Himari said.
"Oh, Himari," Hotaru said, "I'd never forget about my best friends. And I definitely won't forget about you. You're one of my best friends."
The little girl blushed when Hotaru said that.
"Hey, you want to help me film this next scene?" Hotaru asked, "You can pick which Featherman you want to be."
"Okay," Himari said excitedly, "I want to be Feather Bald Eagle!"
Himari sat down next to Hotaru, and the two kids spent the next few hours playing with the action figures and pretending that they're filming a big budget action flick.
Back to Present Day
"If you would've told me back then that that little play date would evolve into a strong romance, I would've looked at you and said that you were crazy," Himari said, "But here we are now, and I wouldn't trade that play date for anything in the world."
"It's amazing the things that can kick off a courtship," Ryuji said with a nod.
"What's even more amazing is that way back when he was five, Hotaru knew exactly what his calling in life was," Himari said, "I'm 16 years old and I still don't know what I want to do in life. But my Hotaru, he has a dream. And he continues to work tirelessly to make sure that dream becomes a reality. I told you he submitted his recent short film to the Shibuya Film Festival this summer, right?"
"I don't think you have," Ryuji said, "What's it about?"
"To give you a brief rundown," Himari began, "It's about a Yakuza gang-member who wants to leave his life of crime behind and start a new life for himself and his family. I would tell you how it ends, but it's kind of sad and I don't want to spoil anything."
"I understand," Ryuji said, "I can't wait to see it. Hotaru really is a gifted filmmaker and storyteller. Remember the film he made last year, that comedy about the wedding? That was hilarious! I thought I was going to die laughing."
"That was a pretty funny film," Himari chuckled, "Yeah, he wanted to do something more dramatic for this year to show that he can be versatile. I know we'll like it, I just hope the rest of the audience does."
"What makes you say that?" Ryuji asked.
"Well, if you're someone like Hotaru who likes to make films," Himari began, "You're naturally going to be having more than your fair share of encounters with, ahem, hecklers."
Ryuji begins to listen as Himari tells another story.
Flashback - Three Years Ago
In this flashback, 13 year old Himari is out for a walk in the park. She's just enjoying her day, taking in the scenery and the weather, when suddenly she heard malicious laughter not far from where she was. She looked to find a trio of bullies harassing Hotaru, who was backed up against a tree. Not far from where Hotaru, also 13 years old at the time, was standing was his video camera, which was perched up on a tripod.
"Look who it is, fellas, Stanley Poobrick!" The lead bully said as his two subordinates laughed.
"What's your next big film going to be about, Francis Ford Nope-ola?" One of the two subordinates jeered, "Is it about a day in the life of a geek like you?"
"Look, I'm not hurting anyone, and I'm not looking for any trouble," Hotaru said, "Why don't you three just go bug someone else. Things don't have to be like this."
"And just what are you going to do when we leave?" The lead bully asked, "You going to go back to filming your stupid little nerd film? Let me tell you something, Cray-Cray Abrams, your dreams of being some big time director are shot! Nobody wants to see any film with your name on it. Why? Because you're an absolute nobody, a zero, a cruise to nowhere! You're washed up, Yajima!"
Hotaru looks like he's about to say something in response to that, when suddenly Himari intervenes.
"You're just jealous of him, you big jerk!" Himari shouted as she approached the bullies.
"Himari, this doesn't concern you," Hotaru said sadly, "You don't have to intervene on my behalf."
"Quiet, Snore-sese," The lead bully said before turning his attention back on Himari, "Now why would I be jealous of a nerd like him?"
"Because he has more intelligence, ambition, and talent in his little toe than you do in your whole body!" Himari said, "Mark my words, you palooka, one day Hotaru is going to make the greatest films you'll ever see, and he'll be richer than you could ever imagine. Meanwhile you'll be the nobody in all of this, forced to pump gas and dig ditches for your next meal…if you don't wind up in jail that is!"
The lead bully just laughed at Himari's words.
"For a sweet little girl, you sure talk a lot of crap," The lead bully snarled, "And if you think I'm above hitting sweet little girls like you, you are sadly mistak-AGH!"
The lead bully was cut off with a swift kick to the groin, courtesy of Himari. As the bully doubled over in pain, Himari looked at his two subordinates, who just stared at her in fear.
"If you don't want to feel what he's feeling, I suggest you get out of here," Himari said calmly but bluntly.
The two subordinates high-tail it out of there just as the lead bully got back on his feet. He just stared at Himari and Hotaru, hatred in his eyes.
"This isn't over," The lead bully said as he made his leave…but not before pushing Hotaru's camera over and knocking it on the ground.
"No!" Hotaru shouted.
"Pfft, loser," The lead bully said under his breath as he walked away.
With the bullies all gone, Hotaru and Himari walked up to the downed camera. Hotaru picked it up to assess the damages. Fortunately, other than a few specks of dirt that got cleaned off easily, the camera was unharmed.
"Is your camera okay?" Himari asked.
"Yeah, it's fine," Hotaru said in a deflated tone, "Thanks for helping me out with those guys."
"Anytime, Hotaru," Himari said, "That's what friends are for."
Despite the bullies being gone and Hotaru's camera being alright, however, the young teenage girl couldn't help but notice how sad Hotaru had become.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Himari asked, concerned.
"It's just, what they said," Hotaru said, "They said that I'd never make it as a director, that nobody would want to watch my movies, and that I was washed-up. I mean, what if they're right? What if I put in all of this hard work and effort into my movies, but I still fail."
"While that is a possibility, I'll tell you one way that you'll definitely fail," Himari said as she put a hand on Hotaru's shoulder, "You'll definitely fail if you don't try to begin with. Sure starting out things may be hard, and there are going to be times when you want to quit, but you have to fight those urges, learn from your mistakes, and keep going. I've seen some of the things you've filmed, and there's a lot of potential inside of you."
"You really think so?" Hotaru asked.
"I know so," Himari said, "The important thing is that you shake off whatever palookas like those three tell you. Turn their 'You can't' into 'I can'. Turn your passion into a weapon that'll propel you to the good life. Prove them all wrong and show them just how talented you really are. I know you can do it. And I'm not just saying this because I'm one of your closest friends. I genuinely believe this is something you can do. And I'll be right by your side to support you every step of the way."
Hotaru wiped tears from his eyes and he gave Himari a hug, deeply touched by her words of encouragement.
"Thank you, Himari," Hotaru said, "Those are some words that I really needed to hear right now."
Back to the Present Day
"Fast forward three years later and Hotaru's passion for filmmaking is stronger than ever," Himari concluded, "He tightened up those bootstraps and got to work, making short film after short film. Next thing I know, he has a small collection of trophies and awards. And he's the happiest I've ever seen him. If he keeps up the good work, I'm sure he'll be accepted into a good film school where he can learn more and probably become one of the great directors of this generation."
"You're a very good friend and girlfriend for encouraging and supporting Hotaru's passion, Himari," Ryuji said, touched by the story his daughter had just told, "And I'm sure Hotaru's future will be as bright as you think it will be."
"If he keeps doing what he's been doing, it will be," Himari said.
Suddenly, the father and daughter realized something.
"Oh, crap!" Ryuji exclaimed, "We were so busy telling stories we didn't even look at the menu!"
"Well, let's get to looking," Himari said as they started looking over the menu.
A few minutes later, after they've made their decision, Hotaru returns with a pen and notepad in hand, ready to take Ryuji and Himari's order.
"Phew, sorry about the wait, it's a madhouse today," Hotaru said, "Anyway, what will you two be ordering?"
"We'll take the beef brisket and some garlic-parmesan chicken wings with a side of shoestring fries," Ryuji answered.
"Sounds good," Hotaru said as he wrote the order down on his notepad, "And what will you be having to drink?"
"Two Montas, sweetie," Himari answered as Hotaru wrote it down.
"Alright, I'll take this order to the kitchen and I'll have the chefs whip it up for you guys," Hotaru said as he headed for the kitchen.
"Thanks Hotaru!" Ryuji and Himari both said together.
"Well we have some time before our food gets here, what else do you want to talk about," Ryuji asked his daughter.
"You know something, dad," Himari said, "For as long as I've been alive, I don't think I once asked how you and mom fell in love. And seeing that I opened my heart to you about moments from mine and Hotaru's courtship, you think maybe you can tell me how you and mom got your start?"
"I don't see why not," Ryuji said.
Before he could tell his story, though, Hotaru returned with two glasses of Monta before heading off to take care of more customers. Ryuji took a sip of his beverage before he started talking.
"Well first off, we need to thank a friend of mine for encouraging your mother and me to get together," Ryuji began, "Let's call him…Mona."
"A boy named Mona?" Himari asked.
"Yeah, you can name your kid anything," Ryuji answered.
"How come I've never met this Mona before?" Himari asked.
"Oh, I'm sure you have," Ryuji said, "You just don't know it yet."
Himari was confused, but nevertheless let her father continue with his story.
"So on one White Day, back when I was still in high school, I attended this dance," Ryuji began, "I figured I'd go just to hang out, listen to some good music, and eat some good food, but I ended up leaving with something more. See, your Auntie Ann invited your mother to the dance too in hopes that she'd meet someone after a particularly nasty break-up that happened weeks before. This is where our story really begins.
Flashback - 24 Years Ago
At the Shujin Academy Gymnasium, all of the students were gathered for the Annual White Day Dance. In attendance for this dance, among the other students, were Ren and Ann, Futaba and Mishima, and even Shujin students who brought their dates from other schools like Sumire and Ichiro and Haru and Yusuke.
Morgana, Ren's pet cat from his days as a Phantom Thief, managed to sneak in to spy on Ren and Ann to see how their date was going. He watched as his raven haired owner and his platinum blonde lover danced gracefully, even sharing a kiss, a normal kiss and an eskimo one. As he watched them, however, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Makoto sitting in the bleachers by herself. The black cat decided to make his way over to the honor's student to see what was going on.
"Hello," Morgana said, jumping up on the bleacher next to Makoto, surprising her.
"Morgana?" Makoto asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I snuck in to keep a close eye on Ren and Lady Ann's date to make sure everything goes smoothly," Morgana explained, "But what about you? What are you doing here all by yourself? Someone like you deserves to dance with somebody. Or maybe even feel the heat with somebody."
"Eh, I don't know," Makoto said, "Given how my last relationship ended, I don't think I'm in any rush into anything anytime soon."
"Well I'm sure you have your reasons," Morgana said, "But if you ever change your mind, you might want to take a look at the snack table."
Makoto looked over at the snack table to find Ryuji, also hanging out by himself, holding a plate full of sweets.
"Looks like Ryuji came alone too," Morgana said, "Why don't you go over and chat."
Makoto shrugged her shoulders, knowing that she really has nothing better to do, and she went over to the snack table to talk with Ryuji. Before she knew it she was standing right next to him. Ryuji and Makoto glanced at each other before Makoto finally decided to say something.
"Are those sweets for two?" Makoto asked.
"Sure, you can have some," Ryuji said, offering his plate of confectioneries. Makoto thanked Ryuji as she took a cookie and started nibbling on it.
"So," Makoto said, "I never really imagined you being alone on White Day."
"Yeah, me neither," Ryuji replied, "But all of the good ones are taken."
"I hear you," Makoto said, "It seems like all of the good men have gone away somewhere."
"Yeah, I heard about your break-up," Ryuji said, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Makoto said, "It just wasn't meant to be I guess."
"You're both wrong about the good ones having gone away," came a voice from right behind them. Makoto and Ryuji turned around and saw Morgana, who was hiding beneath the tablecloth of the snack table.
"Morgana?" Ryuji asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Snuck in, but that's beside the point," Morgana answered, "You two are saying that 'the good ones are taken' or 'the good ones have gone away somewhere,' but I can tell you right now that I see two good ones in front of me right now. And they're not only good, but they're also idiots for not seizing an opportunity."
"What are you saying, Morgana?" Ryuji asked, "That Makoto and I should dance?"
"What do you think, genius?" Morgana replied with much snark, "Look, I'm not saying you two have to be all kissy-faced and ready to tie the knot by night's end. But what I am saying is for you two to go out there for just one quick little dance…and then we'll see where things go from there."
Makoto and Ryuji looked at Morgana, and then at each other. While, at the time, the two of them never even dreamed of being together, dancing with each other was certainly a better option than spending the rest of the night as a couple of wallflowers. With a deep breath, Ryuji took a deep breath and approached Makoto."
"Makoto," Ryuji began as he held out his hand, "Would you like to dance?"
"Sure," Makoto said as she took Ryuji's hand and he guided her to the dance floor.
Morgana hides underneath the table cloth, taking occasional peeks at Makoto and Ryuji to see how their dance is going. With the couple in question, they seem to be having a good time.
"Wow, Ryuji," Makoto said, "I never knew you were such a good dancer."
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," Ryuji said with a smile, "Just like I'm sure there are a lot of things I don't know about you."
"We're a man and woman of mystery," Makoto said, "A perfect pair."
Ryuji only chuckled at that comment before putting his attention back on Makoto, who stared back at him with a smile on her face.
"You know, this is kind of nice," Makoto said, "I don't know what it is, but I somehow feel safe with you."
"For real? Me of all people?" Ryuji asked.
"You're not that bad, you know," Makoto said teasingly, "You may put on a tough front, but I know that deep down you have a heart of pure gold. Any woman would be lucky to have you."
"Thank you, Makoto," Ryuji said with a blush, "That really means a lot."
"Do you mind if I rest my head against you?" Makoto asked.
"Go right ahead," Ryuji said.
Makoto rested her head against Ryuji's shoulder as the two of them continued to slow dance, a romance slowly but surely budding between them. Suffice it to say, this was the happiest either of them have been all evening.
Back to Present Day
"So yeah," Ryuji concluded, "That's how your mother and I fell in love, and it was all because of Mor-ahem-Mona."
"That Mona guy sounds like a really cool dude," Himari said, "It's hard to believe that if it weren't for him, you two wouldn't have gotten married and I wouldn't even be here right now."
"Believe me, he constantly reminds me on an almost monthly basis," Ryuji said.
"You still keep in contact with Mona?" Himari asked.
"Sometimes," Ryuji answered, wanting to keep Morgana's identity from his days as a Phantom Thief, and by extension his, Makoto, and their friends' identities, a secret.
(Author's Note: Don't read this part on an empty stomach. You will get a sudden craving for BBQ food, and drool will spill from your mouth)
Before Himari could make anymore questions, Hotaru returned with Ryuji and Himari's food.
"And here we are, you two," Hotaru said cheerfully as he presented the two with their food, "A beef brisket that's been beautifully prepared in our smoker for 15 hours, with a side of sticky BBQ sauce. As well as the garlic parmesan wings and shoestring fries with ketchup and aioli on the side. I hope the food is prepared to your liking."
"I'll tell you right now, Hotaru, I am loving what I'm seeing right now," Ryuji gleefully exclaimed as he eyed the brisket, which was charred black on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside.
"All my life, leading up to this moment, has been worth it. Every last second," Himari said, becoming emotional, "I am truly blessed."
"I'll just leave you two to enjoy the food," Hotaru said, "And if there's anything else I can do for you two, just give me a holler."
"Will do," Ryuji said as Hotaru made his leave.
Without further ado, the father and daughter began to dig into their food. Himari grabs one of the wings and takes a bite into it. The wing was so juicy as the meat practically fell right off of the bone and into her mouth, and the garlic-parmesan flavor made Himari's taste buds come to life.
"Oh, it's so delicious!" Himari exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Ryuji cuts off a piece of the brisket and takes a bite into it. A smile appeared on his face and his eyes rolled into the back of his head in bliss as if this was the best thing he had ever eaten.
"So juicy," Ryuji said in ecstasy, "Forgive me Makoto, but your cooking has nothing on this."
The two of them continued to ravenously eat their food, not wanting to stop until they were both properly stuffed. Ryuji even had a chance to try one of Himari's wings, just as she had the chance to have a bite of her father's brisket.
"You're right, Himari," Ryuji said, "These wings are cooked to perfection."
"And so is this brisket," Himari replied.
As the two of them continued to eat, slowly but surely becoming full, Ryuji's phone started to ring. He took his phone out of his pocket to see that it was Makoto, who was trying to contact them via FaceTime.
"It's Makoto," Ryuji said as he answered the call and his wife's face appeared on the screen. She was currently in her police car with a sandwich in her hands, "Hey, hon!"
"Hey, babe," Makoto answered, "I just got on my lunch break and I wanted to call to see how you two are doing."
"We're doing great, mom," Himari answered, "We wish you here. This food is excellent."
"We'll definitely make sure to bring you some," Ryuji chimed in.
"That would be nice," Makoto said, "So, other than gorging yourselves, what else have you been up to?"
"We were just telling stories," Ryuji answered, "I just told Himari the story about the night you and I first fell in love."
"The White Day Dance," Makoto smiled, "I remember it so well."
"That must've been the happiest day of your lives, right?" Himari asked.
"There's one more day where we were even happier than that, Himari," Ryuji said.
"Oh, right, duh," Himari said, "The day you guys got married, of course."
"Close," Makoto said, "Keep guessing."
Himari thought for a few more seconds before inevitably shrugging her shoulders, having given up.
"It's the day you were born, sweetie," Makoto answered.
"For real?" Himari asked.
"My line," Ryuji said.
"My bad," Himari replied, "But really? That's when you guys were the happiest?"
"You don't understand, Himari," Makoto said, "The day you were born was when we officially became a family. It may not be a big deal to you, but to your father and me it's one of the greatest days we've ever had…if a bit painful at first."
Flashback - 16 years ago.
Ryuji and Makoto, the latter of whom is heavily pregnant and in labor with their baby, are seen in Dr. Takemi's Clinic. Takemi is at the foot of the bed Makoto is laying down on, ready to deliver the baby, while Ryuji is by his wife's side, holding her hand.
"Oh, God, this hurts so much!" Makoto cried.
"You're doing great, babe," Ryuji encouraged, "Just keep holding my hand if things get rough."
"Oh, I feel another contraction!" Makoto exclaimed as she screamed in absolute pain and gripped onto Ryuji's hand with almost Herculean strength. Ryuji screams in as much pain as his wife as she releases her grip on his hand.
"Hey, doc, you wouldn't happen to have an ice pack would you?" Ryuji asked.
Takemi quickly heads over to the freezer to grab an ice pack. She also grabbed a clean, rolled up washcloth. The former she gave to Ryuji for his hand, while the latter she gave to Makoto.
"You're going to need something to bite down on in case another contraction comes through you," Tae explained
"Thank you," Makoto said as she took the cloth and bit down on it. As if on cue, another contraction game, causing her to scream as she bit down hard on the rolled up cloth.
"The contractions are just mere seconds apart," Tae said, "I think it's time we deliver this baby."
"This is it, babe," Ryuji said as he placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder, "You know what you have to do."
"Okay," Makoto replied with a nod, her voice partially muffled from the cloth in her mouth, "I'm ready."
"I see the head," Tae exclaimed, "Whenever you're ready, Makoto, give me a really big push!"
Makoto inhaled deep and pushed with all of her might. She bit down hard on the rolled up cloth and screamed as she used every ounce of energy she had to get her baby out of her. Soon, Makoto's screams were replaced with the sounds of a crying baby; Her's and Ryuji's child is born.
"Makoto, you did it!" Ryuji cheered, tears of joy forming in his eyes "Our baby is here!"
Exhausted but elated, Makoto smiled as Takemi cleaned up hers and Ryuji's baby before wrapping it up in a pink blanket and bringing it over to her.
"Congratulations, Makoto," Tae said, "You gave birth to a beautiful baby girl."
Takemi handed the baby over to Makoto. She held her new bundle of joy in her arms and smiled as the baby cooed in amazement from seeing her mother's face for the first time.
"My baby," Makoto smiled and cried from holding the baby in her arms.
"She's so beautiful," Ryuji said as he gave Makoto a kiss on the cheek, "Just like her mother."
"Any idea as to what you want to name her?" Tae asked.
Makoto and Ryuji tried to put their heads together to think of a name. They initially couldn't think of a name until Ryuji came up with an idea.
"Well, my folks always told me that if I were born a girl, then they would've named me Himari," Ryuji said, "You know, for the sun. Because according to them, I would've been the sunlight in their lives."
"Are you suggesting we name our daughter, Himari?" Makoto asked.
"Don't you like it?" Ryuji asked.
"More than that," Makoto said, a smile beaming on her face, "I love it!"
The baby started to giggle and coo in Makoto's arms, as if giving her own approval on being named Himari.
"And I think she loves it too," Makoto said.
"I guess it's settled then," Ryuji said, "Welcome to the world, Himari Sakamoto."
The new mother and father continued to smile at their giggling daughter.
"She just might be the happiest baby I've ever seen," Tae said with a grin.
"She wears her smile well," Makoto said before turning to her husband, "Would you like to hold our daughter, Ryuji."
"Of course," Ryuji said as Makoto handed him their daughter, "Hey, Himari. I'm your daddy. And I want to let you know that you are the most important thing in my life right now. I promise to protect you and love you unconditionally. I love you, my sunshine."
Ryuji continued holding baby Himari in his arms until she fell fast asleep.
Back to Present Day
"You breathed new life into our lives and our marriage, Himari," Makoto said, "You really did fill our lives with nothing but light."
"And 16 years later, here we are," Ryuji chimed in, "And I wouldn't change a thing about any of these last 16 years."
"Wow," Himari said, becoming a little emotional, "I never realized how much of a big deal I am to you guys."
"Of course you're a big deal, Himari," Ryuji said, "You're our kid. We'd take a bullet for you."
"We love you, Himari," Makoto said.
"I love you guys too," Himari said.
"Well, I just wanted to drop by and see how you two were doing," Makoto said, "I didn't mean to interrupt anything going on between you two."
"You weren't interrupting anything, love," Ryuji replied, "We're glad you could take time out of your day to chat with us. And you'll be happy to know that we'll be bringing plenty of leftovers."
"Awesome," Makoto said, "I guess I'll see you guys later tonight."
"Yup. Bye, mom, thanks for hanging with us," Himari said.
"Catch you later, hon," Ryuji said.
"Bye," Makoto said as she hung up from FaceTime.
With their stomach properly stuffed with food, Ryuji and Himari called for Hotaru when he came around and asked for the bill and for the rest of their food to be packed up. He returned a few moments later with some containers for the food and the bill, which Ryuji paid in full and even gave Hotaru a nice tip to boot.
With their meal paid and the leftovers stored away, the father and daughter said goodbye to their waiter and headed for home.
Later that night, Makoto returned home from her shift to find that Ryuji had heated up the leftovers for her. She sat down at the dining room table and gleefully ate the brisket, wings, and fries. By the time her plate was empty, Makoto was leaning back in her chair holding her stomach, feeling pleasantly full.
"Mmm, that was heavenly," Makoto said as she fell into a deep sleep.
"Aww, my Makie," Ryuji said, noting how adorable she looked when she slept.
"I guess she liked it," Himari said.
"Your mother had a long day," Ryuji said as she went over to his wife and picked her up bridal style, "I'll take her up to our room. I'm probably going to turn in for the night too."
"Okay, dad," Himari said, "I'll be down here watching Streamflix."
"Alright, sweetie," Ryuji said, "Just don't go to bed too late. You know what they say, 'Early to bed, early to rise."
"I'll try not to stay up too late," Himari said, "Have a good night, you two."
"G'night, Himari," Ryuji said as he carried his wife up to their bedroom.
Once inside the master bedroom, Ryuji put Makoto down on her side as he got into his side. He wrapped his arms around his wife and she woke up long enough to do the same to him.
"Good night, Makoto," Ryuji said, closing his eyes.
"Night, Ryuji," Makoto said half asleep.
The married couple fell asleep in each other's arms while their daughter hung out downstairs, watching movies and texting her boyfriend.
All-in-all, this was a good day for the Sakamoto Family. A good day filled with good food and good stories, and the creation of good memories. What more could you possibly ask for in a good day?